March 17, 2014 Raising a child is not cheap. Even if you are very frugal and shop second-hand, the cost from birth to eighteen years of age can be astronomical. When my kids were babies, I did everything that I could to keep the cost down. I used coupons on disposable or used cloth diapers. I…
March 18, 2014 It feels like this winter will never end and the wacky weather continues to push the boundaries of our sanity but, fortunately, spring is just around the corner. And with spring comes marathon season! It can be intimidating to register for an event for the first time but, whether you’re a beginner…
March 28, 2014 April 1st will be 3 months since many people made their New Year’s resolutions. How are you doing with them? If you’ve fallen a bit off track or worse, never committed to the changes you wanted for the year, it’s not too late to start. Some questions you can ask yourself: What…
March 20, 2014 First, there was the lipstick. We loved how portable it was to throw a tube in our purse. No more pots and tins for us! That coasted us along for quite a few beauty decades. Today, we’ve moved way beyond lipstick. Almost every beauty product available to us in stick form. It’s…
June 18, 2021 Dust the cobwebs off your bikini and slather on the sunscreen! Summer is here and it’s time to head out of town and to the beach. If winter left you with a few extra pounds in tow, here are five things you can do today to be body beach ready by the weekend….
April 4, 2014 Spring has sprung. And although the east and midwest are still digging themselves out from all the snow they got this year, strawberries and other early fruits are starting to produce. We find ourselves wearing lighter clothes – and eating lighter fare. Here are a couple of recipes to start off the spring….
March 24, 2014 Let’s face it, sports don’t always bring out the best in us. People throw insults, elbows, and even food in the name of competition. We’re out for the fame, the recognition, and the glory. But then, a young group of football players or a nine-year old brother takes us to school. These…
March 25, 2014 You are serious about how you spend your time. You pack all the fun, work and living you can into each day. That includes trying to stay in shape and getting your body to really work for you. Are you making the most of the foods you eat and how they fuel…
March 26, 2014 Spring has arrived, and it’s the perfect time of year to wash away winter and create a clean slate and space at home. With a little elbow grease, toxin-free cleaning products and a little help from your kids, spring cleaning can be easy-breezy and eco-friendly. In honor of Earth Day, here are seven…
March 27, 2014 We can all agree this winter did a number on us. The dry air and time spent indoors had many of us cozying up to some not-so-good-for-you treats. We binged on sugary foods, endless cups of hot cocoa and cheesy, carb-loaded goodness to help us get through the long, cold months. Or…
March 27, 2014 It’s not surprising that just mentioning the word “colorectal” causes many people to blush and recoil – but the truth of the matter is that we must push past that embarrassment to address a very real threat. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month and it absolutely deserves that level of attention….
March 31, 2014 Have you ever been on a trip by yourself? If you have, you may already know how gratifying the experience can be. If you haven’t, you should really consider planning a solo vacation of your own. When we go on trips with others, we tend to be at the mercy of their…
April 11, 2014 It’s Spring and the sun is shining, so that means sunscreen time, right? Not at all! Skin care experts and dermatologists recommend we wear SPF skin lotions year round. And when you do slather on your SPF lotion, there are some factors to consider. Making the right ingredient choices and applying sunscreen…
April 3, 2014 Ikat is all over the spring runaways and in storefronts everywhere. So what is it and how can you use it? It’s not as hard as you might think to work this bold design into your daily wardrobe. Using these tips you can keep it simple or do it up big. Spring…
April 4, 2014 Has this ever happened to you? You are right in the middle of a recipe, you open a cupboard (or refrigerator) to grab the next ingredient and it’s not there. You know it was there yesterday but since then, it has magically disappeared. Maybe the kids ate it. Maybe your husband tossed…
April 7, 2014 Peeps have become a thing. Not just a thing you eat but the basis of all sorts of … creativity. What started as a simple marshmallow chick by Just Born has launched a new genre of “entertainment.” Every spring, this little blend of sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin inspires recipes, still life…
April 8, 2014 From snapping pics of your meal to finding local farmers markets, there are a wide array of apps that help you buy healthier food and eat it too! It has never been easier to use your phone to navigate your way to better health. That really does a body good. App: Food…
April 11, 2014 Easter is almost here, and what better time than to be in the kitchen with your kids? Many parents make an afternoon out of hard boiling eggs and dying them, but why not include a baked treat as well? Here are two simple recipes for cupcakes and Easter egg cake bites. Easter…
April 9, 2014 Disney World is constantly expanding and evolving. Every year new attractions are added, while old ones fade away or are completely transformed. New characters arrive on the scene, too, bringing even more happiness into the magical world of Disney. And through it all, rapidly evolving technology is making the park experience more…
April 8, 2014 The snow is almost melted outside my window today and that means warmer weather is really on its way. While I still wear a sweater when I go outside, I know that soon I’ll be putting it back in the closet. The shorts and t-shirts will be coming out again as the…
April 10, 2014 Even if natural beauty isn’t quite your thing, the allure of the coconut is hard to miss these days. Everything from coconut water to milk and now oil has been hitting store shelves and proclaiming its beauty-magnifying qualities. What some countries have used for years as a beauty staple is now popular…
April 29, 2014 In our sleep deprived world, naptime is one of life’s most underrated pleasures. Taking a short but sweet nap in the afternoon is a wonderful way to catch up on lost sleep. According to recent studies, short “power naps” boost mental acuity which helps improve on-the-job performance. And according to Dr. Sara Mednick, author of Take a…
April 9, 2014 We’re launching a new feature at SocialMoms: the Featured Mompreneur! We’ll be talking with innovative mompreneurs about their products and services, how they got started, and any tips they may have for other moms looking to start or grow their business. This week I spoke to Lizette Veneziano, co-founder of Always in…
April 10, 2014 It’s almost time for Passover, or Pesach, which is a beautiful Jewish holiday commemorating their freedom from slavery in ancient Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The eight-day festival is celebrated in the early spring, from the 15th through the 22nd of the Hebrew month of Nissan – which falls on April 14th through…
April 21, 2014 “Are we there yet?” How many times did you hear that question on your last road trip? Summer calls for fun family road trips. But if you’re traveling with tots, you need to be armed and ready to bust the in-car boredom. Here are seven spur of the moment car games – no materials needed!…
April 18, 2014 Macaroons have become a dessert tradition for several spring holidays. With Easter, you can add some candy eggs to look like little bird’s nests. It also makes the perfect Passover treat because macaroons are gluten-free. But which ones to use? American macaroons are usually coconut-based desserts, while the French version is smaller…
April 17, 2014 This ain’t no boys club! Try peeking into the men’s department for some new ways to wear old favorites and create a whole other side of you. From boardroom to boardwalk you can take these elegant staples and work them into your wardrobe in smart, easy ways. Break From Tradition Nothing is…
April 15, 2014 It’s almost Easter (can you believe it!?) which means it’s time for a fun holiday filled with pastel colors, arts and crafts and a great opportunity for the family together and celebrate the special occasion. If you’re in need of tips for dyeing eggs or want a fun Easter game to pass…
May 23, 2014 No doubt you’ve been seeing new grains cropping up in online recipes, health food blogs, and even on shelves in the stores. These grains are giving pasta some healthy competition. Just as kale is the new lettuce, grains like quinoa are the”grains of the moment”. There are also several other grains making…
April 30, 2014 Many people dream of heading to California for some surf and sun during summer break. Or perhaps they want to visit New York City for a tour of all the Broadway shows. Perhaps even a jaunt to Florida to visit the theme parks. But what about the lesser-traveled states? We’re starting a…
April 18, 2014 Some days, I feel like I spend hours in the kitchen. Not only is there the cooking and clean up to deal with, I also have to deal with menu planning, shopping and organizing. As much as I love my kitchen, I can think of a number of other ways that I…
April 25, 2014 Most moms tell their kids to drink their milk. We worry about strong bones and teeth. We know that calcium has to be also in our diets as adults to prevent bone breaks and fractures. Or do we? Are we following our own advice and getting the calcium we need? Conversely are…
April 29, 2014 Think salt belongs only in your kitchen? Think again! Salt is one of the oldest beauty ingredients in the book. For centuries, various cultures have used salt to smooth and soften skin, detoxify the body and get skin fresh and clean. Here are some the easiest ways to incorporate salt into your…
April 22, 2014 Although, Brain Injury Awareness Month was in March, with the busy summer months approaching, it’s entirely worth discussing this all-important issue – especially as your children head outdoors to ride bikes and play sports. Brain injuries can happen at anytime, anywhere and can occur in situations that you never expected. For this…
April 25, 2014 Originally, May Day was a festive day, and its origins go back to pre-Christian times. It was a celebration of springtime when people took hold of streamers fixed at the top of a maypole. They would circle the pole, reveling together in the first flowering blooms and feasting on the arrival of…
April 24, 2014 Maybe you are more of a minimalist when it comes to personal fashion. At heart, so am I. Except every once in a while the little wild beast in me comes roaring out and I like to show off and play up basic wardrobe staples with tribal prints or some animal accents. …
April 24, 2014 Packing is one of the most stressful aspects of traveling. You want to make sure you have what you need, but you also don’t want to pack your entire wardrobe. Especially with extra baggage costs. This frustration is amplified when traveling with kids because they also need to be adequately prepared (but…
May 14, 2014 Looking for a great place to spend some time this summer, enjoying the great outdoors and making new family memories? Only a few hours from many southeast cities, the quaint village of Gatlinburg, Tennessee is the kind of special place that you’re destined to want to visit for summers to come. Gatlinburg…
May 9, 2014 Cinnamon is well known as a spice, sprinkled on toast and lattes. But extracts from the bark of the cinnamon tree have also been used traditionally as medicine throughout the world. Benefits of Cinnamon: Some research has found that a particular type of cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, may lower blood sugar in people with…
May 1, 2014 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate is the mantra we all chant when it comes to getting our workout on – but what about after? Is there a drink we can imbibe that will help our body recover faster than just plain old H20? Find out the best mixes and combinations to help your whole…
May 1, 2014 We spend a lot of time at work which means that it’s in our best interest to like what we do and where we do it. Sometimes, we end up having to do a job in order to pay the bills but, other times, we knowingly set out to work in a…
May 2, 2014 Cinco de Mayo is a yearly celebration held on May 5th. It originated with Mexican/American communities in the western states of America as a way to memorialize the freedom and democracy obtained during the first few years of the Civil War. Today the date is observed in the United States as a…
May 15, 2014 I’m a big proponent of drinking water instead of soda, and I prefer my children drink water over any sort of juice. They tend to refill their water bottles several times throughout the day – taking one to school and then again to any sports activities. I keep a large Brita container…
May 9, 2014 On Mother’s Day, most Moms receive card or gifts from their families. and boy, do we love and appreciate them or what? We treasure those breakfast’s in bed and time with our little, or big, kids. We are very deserving of the attention – I mean, who else spends 25 hours a…
May 1, 2014 I’m so honored to be a contributing author to Christine Bronstein’s new book Nothing But The Truth So Help Me God: 73 Women on Life’s Transitions (available online and in stores this Saturday). Included with my chapter on ‘The Unexpected Transition’ and the growth of SocialMoms, are topics ranging from becoming a mother to dealing…