Spring has certainly sprung across North America, but in my wardrobe—not so much. B.K. (Before Kids), I prided myself on keeping up with seasonal trends, but these days it takes an intervention before I realize that I’m still sporting maternity leggings and ratty nursing tanks. Rather than wait to be accosted by the proverbial Stacey and Clinton, I decided to get proactive and consult with some of my most fashionable friends, followed by an insane amount of “research” in the Pinterest hole. The good news? I’ve decided to share everything that I learned and thus have compiled this season’s ‘Must-Haves for Moms.’ That’s right—here are the crib notes on summer mom style.
Some time in my twenties my metabolism abandoned me. My nightly bowl of ice cream started clinging to my hips and it only got worse after having a few kids. It became obvious that my fitness regimen was failing—largely, because I didn’t have a fitness regimen. I knew that if I wanted to keep my waistline in check, I would need to get fit quick or stop eating so many cupcakes. And let’s be real—I wasn’t giving up cupcakes.
“Here should be a picture of my favorite apple.
It is also a nude & bottle.
It is also a landscape.
There are no such things as still lifes.” ~ Erica Jong
Dear Mr. Whitten,
You probably had no idea.
Spring is here, and with it the almost audible hum of energy that comes from children who have been cooped up inside too long. We all know the importance of limiting screen time, but did you know that letting a child experience nature can help alleviate anxiety, depression and attention disorders? The lure of laptops and tablets can make it hard to sell today’s children on the great outdoors. Sometimes they need a little help stimulating their imaginations. Here are seven books to do just that.
H+I Adventures, specialists in cultural mountain biking trips, is now touring New Zealand by bike! New Zealand is one of the world’s most naturally beautiful countries, with snow-clad mountains, towering glaciers, relaxing hot springs and unspoiled coastline. The South Island is a haven for adventure travellers especially and boasts a rich cultural history, making it the perfect destination for H+I to sink its wheels into. The thirteen-day trip debuted January 25th, 2016 and we think it would be a perfect family getaway.
The mountain biking journey begins in the garden city of Christchurch and wraps up in the mountain biking mecca of Queenstown. Intermediate riders will tackle the region’s best single and double tracks, exploring the backcountry with H+I’s expert local guide. Off the bike, travellers immerse themselves in New Zealand’s top cultural destinations like Kaikoura, Hanmer, Ghost Lake, Craigieburn and Wanaka.
“Travellers on our newest mountain biking holiday will storm the South Island and discover the local’s favourite trails and wilderness escapes,” says Euan Wilson, H+I Adventures Director. “We’ve custom designed the trip with our Kiwi guides to feature the country’s best riding spots and some South Island secrets that are not to be missed both on and off the bike.”
From breakfast to bedtime, mountain bikers venture deep into diverse island ecosystems, exploring rainforests, African-esque plains, glaciated valleys and volcanic landscapes. After conquering the day’s trails, travellers reward themselves with a hot springs soak, or cool off in the salty waters of the South Pacific and nearby freshwater lakes. Accommodations include comfortable boutique hotels, farm stations, and peaceful mountain huts that are so remote the luggage is helicoptered in.
Additional trip highlights include:
- Whale and dolphin watching in Kaikoura
- Hot springs visit in Hanmer
- Hiking Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, to view the glaciers
- Riding along the ridge of Mount Pisa, with a 1700m descent
- Local meal of fresh seafood and craft beers in Kaikoura
For more information about H+I’s New Zealand adventure, visit mountainbikeworldwide.com
A kid with a passion for cooking since age two, Step Stool Chef is inspiring kids everywhere who share his love for food. With the motto, “Little guys can do big things too!,” Step Stool Chef has joined the ranks of top chefs, cooks, bloggers and foodies on the step-by-step cooking app SideChef to share his recipes and make cooking fun and easy for cooks of all levels and ages.
Ranked in the iTunes Store’s Top 10 apps in the Food and Drinks category and named on USA Today’s best apps of 2014, SideChef provides audio and visual directions, automatic timers and even tutorial videos and tips to guide cooks along the way.
The following are a list of Step Stool Chef’s recipes that are perfect for the little cook in your household:
- Waffle Iron Grilled Cheese
- Pizza in a Bowl
- Mac and Cheese Bites
- Taco Buddies
- Rainbow Pasta Salad
- Italian Baked Tilapia Parmesan & Basil Pesto Rice
- Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole
- Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Vanilla Ice Cream Souffle
- Cupcake Fondue
- YaYa’s No Bake Strawberry Shortcake
For more information and cool recipes please visit SideChef.com.
Is there anything, really, like the smell and health benefits of coconut? … Just in time, as we find ourselves in another dry, cold winter that’s bound to wreak havoc on our hair, Live Clean Introduces Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. Capturing the moisturizing and rejuvenating powers of coconut, Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner (developed specifically for all hair types) delivers just the right amount of moisture to keep your hair shiny and supple. The coconut oils in coconut milk with their Vitamin E, lauric, and capric acids both moisturize and protect, penetrating the hair shaft to help prevent breakage and seal in moisture. Both shampoo and conditioner are enriched with Vitamins C and Provitamin B5, milk protein and rice protein adding to their nourishing, hydrating, and strengthening properties. Live Clean’s Coconut Milk Moisturizing Shampoo lathers richly – and eco-safely! Both shampoo and conditioner are infused with just the right amount of coconut for a scent that evokes without overpowering. Eco-friendly, natural, plant-based, and free of harsh chemicals.
We’ve been using it for a few weeks and I’m loving the texture of my hair (and the smell lifts the mood in this ugly winter!)
This has been a couple of crazy weeks in Canada. As I wrote my article on victimization and have been speaking out on my own sexual assault and the subsequent police involvement, criminal trial and jailing of the perpetrator I have been flooded with many stories fro our beloved readers. And I believe you. I think those are the first words all victims should hear.
My inbox is flooded with your stories and I would like to give you a voice through us to anonymously get your sexual assault stories out there. If you would like to share and have your story published, please email us. We cannot publish names. Remember – tell as much or little as helps you retain your power as a victim and the more we continue this powerful conversation, the more society will demand change. Hugs to all.
Of all of the weekly challenges in the SC Johnson 30 Green Days Challenge, recycling is my all-time favourite. It’s not the easiest task for our family, but it is definitely the most personally satisfying! Living on an island 40 feet from the shore means that all groceries, gardening supplies and bags have to be brought across in a wheelbarrow on our boat. Recycling, garbage and yard waste have to be carted across the other direction to be disposed of properly. For our family this has always meant two things:
1. We purchase refillable containers and buy in bulk where possible. I have fancy jars with chalkboard paint on the front and feel very crafty when I fill them. The process also makes me prepare more home-cooked meals for the family.
2. We compost everything (including dryer lint and egg cartons) so as to reduce the amount of garden soil we have to buy and bring across to bolster the gardens. It also saves us hauling garbage back across to put in landfills.
As with any goal, we do have a long way to go in terms of recycling. This week (and henceforth I hope), this is what I will focus on:
1. I am guilty of not removing labels and washing jars and cans properly. I will fix this. Or have the kids add this task to the ways they can earn a few extra dollars. Removing labels and washing cans ensures that items sent to recycling facilities are never rejected.
2. We also tend to toss beer cans and wine bottles into the recycling when we could be returning them to the store for a refund. I will set up a bin in my trunk for the returnable containers. Even though the family has always recycled these containers, we may consume less if we add in the extra step of returning the items.
3. I like to buy on sale and I’ll admit that when they are on sale, I buy premade, processed foods like family-sized lasagnas (that come in a foil pan inside a box). I will go back to my Sunday routine of cooking double and triple recipes and freezing family meals to pull out during the week. Eliminating packaging by cooking for myself and re-using my own dishes is always preferable. When I do purchase processed foods, I will try harder to make sure they come in fully recyclable packaging.
4. Birthday parties and Christmas always create masses of garbage – plastic from toy wrappings and cartons from all of the tech that I adore. I vow to gift in alternate ways: donate to charity or purchase unique and special items on Etsy that will be cherished and don’t come in exorbitant packaging.
5. I have a confession. I do not actually know for sure if milk cartons and other containers made of something other than plastic, glass or metal can be recycled in my area. I will make an effort to research the criteria in my city to ensure that I am recycling all that I can.
6. Part of recycling involves the reuse of furniture and necessities around the house. I just bought a new slow cooker and instead of tossing the older one, which still functions, I will list it as a free item on Craigslist. Looking around my home, there are many pieces of furniture, glassware and other ‘treasures’ that could be more appreciated and put to use by another family. Let the culling begin!!!
This past week’s water challenge got the family into a routine of putting the environment at the front and center of our consciousness. Turning off lights, taking shorter showers and repurposing rainwater have become part of the norm. I am thrilled that the kids are becoming aware of each tiny step they can take to help our planet, and this challenge – even in two weeks – has forever altered our footprint on the earth.
While SC Johnson is the sponsor of the 30 Green Days Challenge, all opinions and comments within the post are my own.
Having a panic attack about holiday cookie exchanges and holiday baking? Or are you more worried about the calories and December weight gain? Maybe we can help with both. Did you know there’s a great new sugar substitute that works in baking, to sweeten coffee and is in a ton of products like gum, breath mints and candy.