Wrestling with the mysteries of Violet's allergies has helped me develop a whole new level of appreciation for label reading and anyone dealing with food restrictions in general. I was surprised when Violet tested negative for celiac at her two-year well-visit and while we're slowly testing food options for her, we're still largely operating gluten-free (especially when it comes to anything she might eat in considerable quantity, e.g., pasta). A visit from my sister Jenn last week (thanks, Jenn!) reminded me that I wanted to share a great gluten-free find with you.Wrestling with the mysteries of Violet's allergies has helped me develop a whole new level of appreciation for label reading and anyone dealing with food restrictions in general. I was surprised when Violet tested negative for celiac at her two-year well-visit and while we're slowly testing food options for her, we're still largely operating gluten-free (especially when it comes to anything she might eat in considerable quantity, e.g., pasta). A visit from my sister Jenn last week (thanks, Jenn!) reminded me that I wanted to share a great gluten-free find with you.
Today, Judy (also of Talking Thirty) shares ideas for awesome things to do on the Upper Cape:
I have such fond childhood memories of spending summers on Cape Cod. Even after 30-some years, I haven't tired of going there summer after summer. And now that I'm a mom, I'm eager to share the experience with my son and introduce him to all that the Upper Cape (Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, Sandwich, and Barnstable) has to offer. I particularly love the Upper Cape because it's closer to Boston -- handy when traveling with kids who may not tolerate long car rides, and wonderful for day trips if overnight lodging is out of budget. Here are some suggestions for family-friendly activities in the area.
Need inspiration for Father's Day brunch (or really, any upcoming meal)? Today, Jules (also of In The Kitchen Catering & Food Delivery shares the next installment in our Meals Made Easy series (be sure to give these easy roasted shrimp with veggies and balsamic orange chicken dishes a try if you haven't already!). Enjoy this simple and delicious recipe for zucchini, tomato and ricotta frittata:
Friends, I'm so excited to share some fun Minimalist Parenting news today. Thanks to the generosity of Isis Parenting, there is going to be a totally awesome (and fabulously do-gooding) Minimalist Parenting launch party here in Boston! Please join us on Thursday, March 28 at 6:30pm at Prudential Center to enjoy an evening out, meet other awesome parents, celebrate the launch of the book (I'll give a short presentation and will be available for high fives, questions, and to sign books), and support an amazing charity all at the same time!
Last Thursday I visited my friend Honey Jo for a long overdue haircut. I adore Honey Jo for many reasons, but on the professional side, I love how confident I feel in her talent. When she asks what I want to do with my hair, I always say, "I'm open -- what do you think would be fun?" And that the results are always fabulous. She's done brilliant color work, chopped my hair short, and last week gave me bangs for the first time since, well, a long time ago. I was thrilled with my hair, but it wasn't until the Instagram picture I posted on Facebook blew up that I thought more about bangs editorially. Here are six reasons why I think you should consider trying them:
Today, Miriam (also of Other Pieces of Me) shares nine sensory processing disorder resources:
This past fall, our three-year-old son started at a local Montessori school. About a month ago, my husband and I nervously sat in a small chair in his classroom waiting for our very first parent-teacher meeting. It went very well, but his guide did have some concerns about his developmental progress and some of his behavior. It was a tough pill to swallow though not too surprising -- as you might recall, we were just down this road a little less than a year ago.
Today's Dear Boston Mamas query comes from new reader Amy via e-mail:
Hi Christine, I recently discovered your site and love it! It's super helpful for a working mother of a 6-year-old and 3-year-old. I find it refreshing, very well-written and with a great dose of humor. One question: I was inspired to clean out the junk. In doing so I've been able to give a lot to consignment (I love Growing Up and Revolve in Belmont) however, I have a lot of gently used toys, women's clothing and household items that I would like to go to charities who give these items away to the needy for free. Can you suggest and organizations? Perhaps Cradles to Crayons for the children's items? Any ideas for the adult items?
Today's Dear Boston Mamas query comes from a mom on the South Shore via comment. Coincidentally, Boston Mamas contributing writer Priya (who recently relocated to the South Shore) already was working on a post about South Shore indoor activities and shares a roundup of leads in response to the question:
Anyone have any ideas for party places/venues for the South Shore or even the Cape? I swear the South Shore is LAME and all the cool places are North and West :(
Today's Dear Boston Mamas query comes from Sarah via the Boston Mamas Facebook page (congrats on your impending arrival Sarah!). Boston Mamas contributing writer Jennifer (a North Shore mom of twins) kindly is fielding Sarah's question:
Hi Boston Mamas. We live north of Boston, but I was wondering if you have any resources on finding twin classes, of any kind, and/or cloth diaper information/classes. We have a 21-month-old now and twins on the way in April. Thanks in advance!
When I was in New York for BlogHer, I was thrilled to celebrate my friend Gretchen Rubin at her book launch party (if you're interested, here are some very happy photos!). I loved reading The Happiness Project and am now immersed in Gretchen's new book, Happier at Home (given how crazy things have been with work and general household minutia these days, I've been particularly tuned to the marriage chapter). Gretchen is awesome -- so warm and down to earth and smart. She's going to be reading at Brookline Booksmith this Thursday at 6pm; I hope you'll be able to attend. We all deserve to be happier at home!
Today, Miriam (also of Other Pieces of Me) shares a wonderful local developmental resource:
What do you do when your child doesn't qualify for early intervention (EI) but still needs help? It's a question that many parents don't think about until the moment they're told by their daycare provider that their child may have developmental challenges that should be evaluated. That's exactly the situation my husband and I were in this past winter, a mere 6 weeks after our second child was born. While we were confident that our firstborn was expressing behaviors within the range of "normal" for a 2.5 year old with a new sibling, we wanted to have him observed in his classroom.
Today, Lindsey (also of A Design So Vast) recommends an upcoming yoga camp for kids:
Last summer my 8-year-old daughter Grace attended Tara Rachel Jones's week-long yoga camp at the Arlington Center and absolutely loved it. She was, and continues to be, at an age where doing a camp or activity without a friend takes some cajoling. After the first day of yoga camp, though, she bounced home happily and eagerly back every other day. She absolutely loved yoga camp with Tara.
Today, Kate shares an art center I'm itching to try with Laurel:
My daughter has always loved art. From her early daycare days of finger-painting and messing around with sand, through coloring and cutting, and now up to learning how to sew and knit and make complex collages, she is drawn to create using color and materials and shapes. And while she always makes a beeline for the art table at school and we have collected boxes full of art supplies at home, there are still limits on what we're able to do ourselves. For this reason, I was thrilled to discover Maud Morgan Arts, a wonderful art center and school discreetly hidden on Sacramento Street in Cambridge.
Today, Debbie (also of Two Adopt Two) shares her adventures putting PYOP Studio in Northborough to the test with her kids:
My kids and I have painted plenty of objects at plaster-painting shops. With relatively few choices in paint colors and no wait to have the object kiln-fired, these outings were great when my kids were younger. However, now that they're 8 and 9, we have been seeking more adventure (and my kids now can handle delayed gratification!).
I've been meaning to share about Life Alive ever since my sister Kyoung and her partner Marjorie introduced me and Laurel to it following a fun downtown outing in February. We visited the Central Square location (they also have a home in Lowell, and will open another in Salem) on a Saturday -- the two-floor café has a casual yet warm vibe and was bustling with adults and kids, all happily munching on and sipping organic, vegetarian, unprocessed fare. (Kyoung and Marjorie kindly suggested we visit this café since Laurel is a vegetarian.)
Today, Miriam (also of Other Pieces of Me) shares seven favorite local indie shops (that have saved her on more than one Saturday):
It's not entirely uncommon for me to wake up on a Saturday morning and realize that my son is scheduled to attend a birthday party later that day. I imagine I'm not the only one who has encountered this scenario, right? Thankfully, there's no shortage of independent stores in almost every corner of the city of Boston that are replete with great last-minute selections. Here are seven of my favorites...and bonus points if you pick up something for the next birthday party that's coming your way!