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It's back-to-school time and I personally believe this is the real new year. This is the time for resolutions - yes, I'm that much of an academic nrrd. My life revolves around academic years. So what better resolution than to be more green?Eco-Friendly Families, a new book by Helen Coronato, gives you the outline for your whole family to lead ...

That's what my five-year-old daughter said as her daddy was rushing us to the basement on Monday night. She then burst into tears from fear. Jennifer, our resident parenting professional, blogged that we shouldn't pretend to not be scared around our kids. That we need to reassure them that we're scared too and that their fear isn't silly. *sigh* ...

Yesterday I spent a few hours hanging out at Old Orchard with my boys. This outside shopping center is a lovely place where my little ninjas can’t do too much damage as they karate kick their way from store to store.   We had lunch at their favorite burger joint, ran around on the snake-like play area, and just enjoyed the unscheduled nirvana ...

This morning I visited CBS 2 Chicago to share some fun and nifty things moms should consider popping into their beach bags this summer.  Although it feels like monsoon season outside here in Chi-town today, tomorrow (or 5 minutes from now) it could turn into a scorcher.  So here is the list of the things I shared and where to find them for ...

I recall all too well the fervent admonitions of my mother regarding the use of electricity and water in our house.   Her sarcastic inflection, furrowed brow and exasperated hand gestures as she forcefully flipped off all the light switches while jaunting from room to room.  And I remember rolling my teenaged eyes and wondering what the big ...

I want to go to rock band camp too.  Or maybe circus camp or musical theatre camp. (I’ve always thought I’d make a lovely Maria von Trapp.)With summer in its second week and camps in full swing I am growing more and more envious of the summer adventures available to our offspring these days.  Maxwell my ten year old has spent the past week ...

My daughter loves to read ''And Tango Makes Three,'' although we haven't read it in quite some time. She loves penguins and thinks that lil Tango is ''oh, so cute!'' Through the book and other real life interactions I believe that she has a good grasp on the idea that families come in many different varieties. But I've been intentional in this ...

Over the Memorial Day weekend we ventured out to The Morton Arboretum or what some affectionately call, The Tree Museum. And boy were we lucky! First, it only rained for a few minutes and second David Rogers' Big Bugs exhibit was on show. Once we paid our entry fee I started to read the ''Bug Detective'' notebook that outlines which bugs are on ...

I finally got my thirty-something thighs out of bed before my husband went off to work for a little sunrise Yoga.  I always love my Vinyasa flow yoga class because it’s a beautiful blend of killer all-over workout, and deep mental and physical relaxation. A real Yin/Yang boot-camp for your body and soul.  At the very end of each class ...

There are days when my husband & I joke around about shipping our sassy & (some days too) precocious daughter to boarding school. Thus it intrigued me to see the headline - No small plan: Public boarding schools for Chicago - in Friday's Chicago Tribune. Low and behold...the first time I've ever said ''Brilliant!'' about CPS. Yes, I know ...