Tomorrow is my newly minted 6th grader’s middle school orientation (gasp!!). That means getting her schedule, figuring out how to get to her classes (in 2 minutes or less!) and checking out her locker. It’s all new territory for the both of us, and while it’s exciting, it’s also a bit nerve-wracking. To take the edge off, we went out shopping for school and stumbled upon the latest in must-have supplies. LockerLookz has an entire line of decor items that turn any boring old receptacle for books and backpacks, into a personalized space that’s uniquely your own. Call it a tween girl’s home away from home, if you will. We were in awe over the sheer number of ways you can outfit your space, from [&hellip
As much as I hate to admit it, summer is quickly drawing to a close. If you happen to live in a place where school has already started, then you know the sting of those first few weeks: Everyone is desperately trying to get back into the swing of things, and you promised yourself you would start off the new school year without yelling. (OK, so promises are made to be broken.) But seriously, we know how hard it can be to motivate your kids to get to the bus on time, do their homework and get to bed…just so they can wake up and start all over again. To give my girls a little boost, we ease into the whole homework cycle by making [&hellip
As August begins to wind down and the new school year looms in the not-so-distant future, my thoughts always turn to ways to get my kids back into the groove. (And of course, if you know me well enough, that usually involves a good book.) For any parent who’s fretting over how their child will fit in to a new class of kids, the delightful Ally-Saurus & The First Day of School offers some much-needed reassurance. This story follows the antics of a precocious tot who appears to be more comfortable as a dinosaur than in her own skin. Like so many imaginative, young kids her age, her cuteness borders on near-frustration for her ever-patient parents. So when the first day of school arrives and [&hellip
Have you noticed it is getting darker, earlier? As summer reaches its half-way mark and the daylight hours are slowly dwindling, nighttime seems to set in sooner than we’d like. Anxious to take advantage of those lovely nights before they’re out of our grasp, my husband and I happily sat down to dinner al fresco last Friday night…only to be greeted by some unwelcome guests. Enter the ever-pesky mosquitoes (what would summer be without them?). Because we were determined to eat without having them ruin our meal, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to try out the new Stinger All-Natural Mosquito Repellent Lantern. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary outdoor light you’d have on your deck or patio. But underneath its [&hellip
Are the dog days of summer here already? Sure feels like it out there. After a solid month of swimming at the beach, sleeping late and catching fireflies, the novelty of summer seems to have worn off a bit (or at least, that’s how it feels in our house). Sure, my kids love the slower pace, but it doesn’t mean boredom doesn’t set in from time to time. To keep those creative juices from drying up, I recently introduced my crafty 7-year-old to Fibre-Craft’s Zoo 2 Do. This line of craft kits is every kid’s dream of endless crafting projects. With over 20 animal-themed projects to make, there’s plenty of opportunity for kids ages 6 and up. An instruction sheet of inspirational ideas guides younger [&hellip
Who doesn’t love baby clothes? While my kids have well out-grown their onesies and footed PJs, I just can’t part with a few choice items of when they were younger. (In fact, a cardigan sweater with multi-colored buttons is now being worn by a stuffed teddy bear!). For moms who can’t get enough of those sweet baby basics comes a line designed by a name they may already know. aden+anais, makers of swaddling blankets, bibs, burp cloths and more, are now lending their expertise to a just-launched layette line. Made from their signature muslin cotton, a breathable fabric that feels just right against a baby’s soft skin, this collection contains all the baby basics for a complete first-year wardrobe. Among the fashionable assortment are short- [&hellip
Now that summer is in full swing, we’ve officially moved onto camp season. My older daughter has decided that she’s outgrown her lunch bag, so we’re in the market for something a bit more, shall we say, “sophisticated?” (read: middle school cool). While out shopping the other day, I came across some bento boxes, which seemed like the perfect upgrade to the lunchtime routine. But upon further investigation, I decided the plastic containers appeared a bit too flimsy, and figured they wouldn’t hold up to a rough-and-tumble camp day. So when I heard about PlanetBox, a line of stainless-steel, multi-compartment lunch boxes, I was determined to check it out. There’s so much to like about this product line…where do we start? Kids with fussy appetites [&hellip
Back in the day, how cool was it to get an Alberto VO5 hot oil treatment? I remember seeing the commercials on TV and in my sister’s fashion magazines, hoping that someday, I’d be grown-up enough to do something more sophisticated with my hair than a plain old ponytail. (Little did I know, my mother would torment with endless perms, but that’s a story for another day.) Today, I may have graduated to salon status, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t benefit from occasional at-home hair maintenance. But because I’m a mom who works from home and manages two kids, I’m not exactly in the market for an all-day beauty fest. Fortunately, Alberto VO5 is in tune with modern women’s needs with its Shine, [&hellip
Are you still on the hunt for a last-minute Father’s Day gift? Me too, and since guys are notoriously tough to buy for, I’m looking for something that will knock my husband socks off. Too bad he’s not a golfer or the new Coolcore line from Imperial Headwear would be the perfect present. This hat is outfitted with a specially cooling technology that keeps moisture away from your body, so you can concentrate on your game. At first glance, this may look like an ordinary baseball-style cap, but go beneath the surface (literally), and you’ll find there’s a whole lot more in store. Coolcore fabrics boast a chemical-free design that produces a cooling effect by “wicking” (a fancy way of moving sweat away from the [&hellip
This week, my fifth grader experienced her first bout of writer’s block…something that every good student must contend with at some point in their academic career–and one I know all too well. She was attempting to write a speech for school, but couldn’t quite get started. How do you motivate a kid who’d rather be doing anything but sit still? Perhaps that’s why Poppy’s Best Paper struck a chord with us. At a time in the year when kids have had just about enough of school work, this story follows the tale of a confident young rabbit who is certain she can crank out the best paper in her class, without even trying. But this smugness suddenly turns sour once Poppy, back at home, takes [&hellip