Posts ⋆ Page 22 of 27 ⋆ The Mint Chip Mama: A fun blog for Long Island / NY area families

Fun Findings at The 2015 New York Baby Show!

The Mint Chip Mama - 2015 New York Baby Show — *Photo Credit: 2015 New York Baby Show*

Hello from the left, right under the balloon!

One of the things I miss about living in Manhattan is the great events I used to go to. So when Momtrends invited me to their lounge (read pampering and a birdseye view) at The 2015 New York Baby Show I couldn’t drive into the city fast enough. In tow was my favorite gal because – as we know – the true critic of cool is a precocious child.

2015 New York Baby Show Favorite Finds

I present to you my favorite finds. Some are old favorites, some are new products that got me excited (which after five years in this parenting game is becoming more and more of a challenge!). Click on the links for more information. Enjoy!

Glam Squad

As always, Glam Squad did not disappoint. Besides being completely obsessed with their great hair ties and headbands, I treated myself to a hair styling and new trendy manicure! Glam Squad can do this for you too, in the comfort of your own home. Yep, if you live in NYC, LA, or Miami they will come right to you for hair, nails and make-up. How fantastic is that?

Maven

The next impressive brand was Maven. Do you know how you don’t take care of yourself because for you to go to the doctor it is a whole procedure (pun intended). Well Maven brings the doctor to you – via their Maven Clinic app. You pick one of their highly qualified providers, book your face-to-face video appointment, pay the clearly stated fee, and away you go! No more time suck in a doctor’s waiting room. Brilliant.

Babyganics

If you are like me, cleaning your clothes and cleaning your kids take up a good portion of your time. The search is always on making sure the products I use are non-toxic and healthy for my kids. I was happy to see one of my favorite brands – Babyganics on Saturday. I love their new labels. They make me happy. Everything of theirs that I’ve tried over the years I’ve loved. Plus it is a brand that you can trust so you don’t have to put too much effort into trying a new product. Just grab and go. Extra points for being Long Island based!

Eco Nuts

One of the coolest companies I found was Eco Nuts. I’m still baffled by the science behind their Eco Nuts “As Seen on Shark Tank” Soap 100 Loads Soap Nuts. These little Himalayan nuts naturally contain soap. You throw them in your washer and the soap cleans your clothes! What? I know. Check out their site for more info.

Mabels Labels

When talking about kids and clothes, especially at this pre-camp time of year, labels always come up. Happy as always to give a shout out to my friends at Mabel’s Labels. Their Limited Edition Camp Label Pack has everything your little one needs to ensure what you put on the bus comes off the bus. As someone who never found things with her name properly spelled as a child I get a thrill every time they give me labels. No ghetto sharpie stac“E”y drawn in here!

Moms Pump Here

Prior to mashed baby food and toddler food, there is milk. I want to highlight a new app I’m very excited about called Moms Pump Here. It locates the nearest place for you to nurse. We have all had that challenge of a baby crying, engorgement, and no clue where to sit that is both private and clean. Enter Moms Pump Here. Consider it a GPS for your boobs. Let’s help them grow their database in the name of liquid gold! If you know of a place to share click here. Brilliant!

Mum-Mum

Both of my children love Mum-Mum crackers. They dissolve very quickly so parents don’t have to worry about big pieces and small mouths. Check out their new Mum-Mum Snax for school aged kids. They are both clearly marked as peanut free and gluten free.

Kiddylicious

Kiddylicious snacks were new to me. My 19 month old son has gobbled up their Fruit Crispies like crazy! I loved their packaging and that their snacks are fruit filled and healthy.

Green Sprouts

I have been looking to get some new green sprouts Garden Sandwich and Snack Bag, Sage Worm, 3 Months, 2-Countreusable snack bags for my son’s incessant snack habit (read: I can’t afford to keep buying prepackaged bags of his choice du jour). I loved these Green Sprouts Snack Bags. Exactly what I was looking for and beyond cute patterns.

Mixed Pears

Another new item to me was the BiteSizers food scissor. With their little click-to-seal cover you can throw a pair in your bag and be ready to show a slice of pizza at a birthday party who’s boss. For me, the test was cutting a Clementine. I’m psyched to report the scissor opened wide enough to snip that baby in half. Plus there is a blade so you can cut vertically. Love!

The Mint Chip Mama - BiteSizers Scissors

My Carry Potty

The adorable My Carry Potty – available in a bee, cow and ladybug pattern – was so cute. Such a great idea too. Who hasn’t been stuck on the go with a kid who needed to go right NOW. In addition to being leak and odor proof with a watertight seal, it also offers a great carry handle so your kid will be excited.

Tidy Tots Cloth Diapers

I have been thinking of introducing Tidy Tots cloth diapers into our world. My son naps on a good schedule at home and I can usually predict what I’ll find when I change him. Because of this I thought I could do a little green with this approach. I was so excited the first booth I came to was Tidy Tots Diapers! It was like they read my mind. There is so much research behind this diaper it is impressive. Plus they have a tie dye pattern, so you know me, sold!

NoseFrida

was so happy to see one of my absolute favorite products – NoseFrida. If you don’t know of this, or haven’t been given it as a gift by moi allow me to explain. This delightful product has a tube that goes in your baby’s nostril which you suck the snot out of using the other side. There is a filter, don’t worry. I cannot tell you how many times we used this allowing my daughter to breathe easier. Amazing Amazing Amazing. A+++++.

There was also a new intriguing product in the nasal aspiration field coming out in July – The Baby Health Care Baby Smile Nasal Aspirator. I am very curious to try it!

Sit ‘n’ Stroll

Sometimes I sit and dream about traveling to a (enter any adjective here) place with my kids. There are so many parts involved with something like this starting with safe travel. I loved the Sit ‘n’ Stroll Zoomer which converts any car seat into a Lilly Gold The Sit ‘n’ Stroll, Beverly Hills Sit ‘n’ Stroll! When the day comes making this dream a reality I look forward to zipping my kids through the airport with this. I also love the idea of having my Britax car seats with me so I know they are both clean and the best.

No Mo Nausea Band

Another super cool product new to me was the No Mo Nausea Band – the first acupressure and aromatherapy wrist band out there. While it looks very similar to an acupressure bracelet you’ve seen before, once you get closer you will smell the delicious peppermint oil emanating from the band naturally decreasing nausea and vomiting for adults and kids. Loved it. It immediately calmed me down. Maybe it would help with tantrums…theirs or mine.

Primary

Clothes are a basic item we all need for our kids. It is so nice when there is a line that one can mix and match and everything goes so little thought is needed. Primary is exactly this. As they say “Brilliant basics for under $25”. Their website is clean and easy offering sizes 0 – 10. Basics mean you can fall in love with one of their styles and it will be there throughout the size run. Also a cute idea for a longitudinal picture montage!

Hatch Things

Being out and about necessitates a good bag. Not to mention one that won’t make your stroller topple over. Hatch Things was created with exactly this in mind. That’s what you get when you add a RISD degree and a new mom together! Plus it folds into itself – which I love – and has multiple connection options. I like options.

Canon

Finally, with these little people growing up so fast it is imperative one has a great camera to snap all those fleeting moments. Canon, one of my favorite camera brands, was there with a fantastic product that’s easy to use. I still remember the excitement ordering my first digital camera from them in 2003!

Nanny League

I would be remiss without a shout out to the lovely ladies of The Nanny League who kept my daughter entertained so I could do my initial lap around the show solo. The Nanny League is an elite placement agency that matches high-profile families with professional, college educated nannies.

‘Til next year 2015 New York Baby Show!

I hope you too have found some interesting things living vicariously through my experience at The 2015 New York Baby Show. If you are interested in any of the brands above reach out to me. I have several coupon codes I’d love to share!

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Weed, Weed Wine. Get Off My Lawn! Fiskars Garden Weeder

The Mint Chip Mama Fiskars Garden Weeder

I Love My Fiskars Garden Weeder

Most normal girls would want to spend their birthday getting pampered, going shopping, or having a long, leisurely lunch. Nope, not me. I celebrated my birthday two weeks ago doing exactly what I wanted – weeding my lawn.

But I’m Not Most Normal Girls

After a year of living in my house and learning all the maintenance one must provide one’s beautiful green carpet, I knew as the snow melted and the weather changed – game.was.on.

We’ll call last year my training wheels. Despite a weekly conference with my gardener there was nothing I could do about our overabundance of weeds. With our full Southern sun exposure his advice was to just “stay on top of it”. Boy oh boy did these weeds bother me. They would look at me and smirk. They would laugh at me when I tried to pull them out slowly wiggling in a circle. “Yeah, babe, my roots go deep” they would snort as I fell backwards on my tush from the yank & break. JERKS! *Exhale* I wanted these rude, unwanted squatters to know that in the summer of 2015, their shenanigans and tom foolery would not-fly-here.

Sorry Weeds, You’re Not Welcome Here

So what does a person (who doesn’t want to put chemicals on their lawn & doesn’t want to break their back again from plucking) do to let these multiplying fools know this is a no weed zone? I dreamt up a mean claw on a stick that existed for this very purpose. After looking around, it seemed my dream could become a reality! Apparently others pondered on the existence of such a magical instrument as well! Enter the Fiskars 3 Claw Garden Weeder Fiskars UpRoot® Weed and Root Remover (I get a big smile just thinking about her!).

Look At This Garden Weeder. She’s Magestic

The Fiskars 3 Claw Garden Weeder makes it easy to remove dandelions, thistles and other invasive weeds from your lawn without kneeling, bending over or using chemicals. It features four serrated, stainless-steel claws that grab the weed by its root (for clean removal) and then kicks it out between uses with an easy-eject mechanism on the handle. The weeder also comes with a lifetime warranty.

What the description doesn’t say is it’s pretty awesome. It’s beyond simple to operate and when you eject the weed it sounds like you are the Terminator. Naturally, I felt the need to yell “You’re terminated, f$%ker” after each weed eviction. Which you know, was AWESOME. Plus you don’t look weird at all yelling at your lawn.

A Garden Weeder So Easy You Can Wear Flip Flops (But You Probably Shouldn’t)

It is so easy to use. Even with my pre-birthday manicure and pedicure in full effect and wearing flip flops (all bad ideas) I did great, got some good exercise, and left my lawn looking homogeneous and grassy.

Allow me to explain how to use this beautiful unicorn. PS – If you like popping pimples, you will get an extra thrill from this product. Same idea. Extract and unload.

Look for the center of the weed. You’ll see it laughing at you.

Use the 40” handle to jab it in its smirking face.

Push weeder into the ground.

Put your foot on the foot platform.

With your foot on the platform, pull weeder towards you.

SMILE.

The Face Of Satisfaction

You’re terminated f$%ker!

It’s helpful if you have an assistant to collect your weeds since the cleanup is always the worst part. I suggest tricking your child into thinking it’s fun! Sure – wear a tutu! (cue evil laugh)

As we are entering Summer show those unwanted weed interlopers there’s no messing with you. I guarantee you will love this product. If your weeds invited their obnoxious branch/vine friends to your house, check out the Fiskars Lopper as well. I use mine a ton. You can also feel free to yell “Get Off My Plane” like Harrison Ford in Air Force One Air Force One when you tell those branches who’s the boss.

We all know it was Mona.

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Real Mom Life, Family Travel & Everyday Chaos

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Stride Rite, A Baby’s First Shoes: Shoe’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile

I have two children. A boy kid and a girl kid. Can you guess who has the shoe obsession? If you guessed the boy kid, you are correct. My little Salvatore Ferragamo, even at 18 months, has got an eye for shoes and accessories like no one else in my family. He insists on wearing shoes whether needed or not.

Welcome, Now Take Your Shoes Off

We are a shoe-taking-off household so there are many shoes at our front door and downstairs by our garage door. If you want to keep my son busy for a good thirty minutes you can let him play in one of these areas. He will put each shoe on and walk around. The smile on his face is so large you kind of just have to sit there and watch. Invite us over, he’ll put on your shoes too! He doesn’t discriminate. He will also introduce his shoes – and mine – to anyone he sees. Like a dog sniffing your you-know-what to make a new friend? He does this, but by showing you his shoes.

My favorite is when he forces my husband (who he calls “Mommy”) to put on his slippers, which is basically every day. It goes something like this: He finds my husband, points vigorously towards my husband’s feet and shouts “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” louder and louder until my husband puts on his slippers. It’s kind of awesome.

My Favorite First Shoes: Stride Rite

When this little shoe tyrant finally started walking, I was so excited to get him into a real pair of shoes. His first shoes! Oh was he excited too. If you’ve been reading my blog I’m sure you know my slight obsession with Stride Rite. It was the only store where I was brought as a child to buy shoes and in turn it is the only store where I will bring my children to buy shoes.

So how does one go about finding the right first shoes? Much like with everything else important I deferred to the experts. I am a firm believe that if you go to a good store with educated sales professionals they can steer you in the right direction and answer any questions you have. Add in the almost century of shoe making experience Stride Rite has and it’s easy! With their First Steps categories (Crib, Cruise & Walk, and Off & Running) you can view all shoes appropriate for your child at whatever level of mobility they are enjoying at that time.

Stride Rite: Consistent First Shoe Experience For Decades

I was surprised to find that things had changed in the five years since I bought my daughter her first shoes. In 2010 we were directed right to the Stride Rite Emilia, the white, bootlike, very supportive shoe that was most likely identical to my first pair in the 70’s. For my son, however, the craftmenship has progressed to make for a much larger selection! We were very excited to pick his first shoes as the Stride Rite SRT Gilmore and the Stride Rite SRT Jasper. While each pair has a few different bells and whistles, they both have Stride Rite’s patented Sensory Response Technology™, rounded edges to decrease stumbles and falls, and self-molding footbeds with contoured heel cradle. They are both made with premium leather and available in medium, wide and extra wide widths.

As most of you know once the kid starts walking they don’t stop. They – in fact – get faster! You want your child to be in a supportive shoe that will help them with their footing as well as help their foot develop properly. I like that there is science behind this shoe and someone designed it to not only look cute but as a smart choice for parents. Plus, they are easy to get on and off. Even a five year old can do it!

So in conclusion, happy boy, happy Mommy, well supported feet. Win Win Win!

*GIVEAWAY* Stride Rite has offered to give away this pair of boy’s Stride Rite SRT Gilmore in a 4.5 Wide (both of my kid’s first shoe size) to one lucky reader!

To win – please post in the comment section below:

What’s the cutest walking or shoe related thing your son does?

Winner will be chosen Thursday, May 14^th, 2015.

****************************************************************************

Brand Heritage: Stride Rite

Here is a little more on Stride Rite because as you know – I LOVE learning about the heritage of brands:

In 1919 Jacob Slosberg and partner Philip Green started the Green Shoe Manufacturing Co. The quality children’s shoe manufacturer, specializing in stitchdown shoes, operates out of a converted stable in Boston, MA. In 1937 the name Stride Rite shoes is applied to every pair.

During World War II, Green Shoe worked with the U.S. Army to develop a nurse’s field boot and produced thousands of pairs of WAC boots.

In 1986 Stride Rite succeeds in banning smoking of cigarettes, cigars and pipes from Stride Rite workplaces, a rare effort among corporations of the time.

Stride Rite currently offers 400 different styles. They pride themselves in their sales associates who are trained to get you to find your size and get the right fit. The shoes feature breathable materials like leather; many with anti-stink linings. The soles are sturdy, lightweight and flexible for comfort – giving mom piece of mind. Stride Rite also offers a full line of uniform friendly shoes.

More on The Mint Chip Mama:
Real Mom Life, Family Travel & Everyday Chaos

Looking for the Perfect Gift or Party Idea?

Love to Travel? So Do We!

Feeling Nostalgic?

Check out these classic family movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s — perfect for cozy nights and sharing the timeless favorites you grew up loving with your kids!

📍Follow @themintchipmama on Instagram for real-life moments, parenting fun, perimenopause talk, beauty tips, food finds, and more.

Momtrends Is Hot for Summer – Travel, Chocolate Bark & Portable Wine!

The Mint Chip Mama learning about summer travel & enjoying the world with Momtrends #MomtrendsTravel!

Travel is my passion. When Momtrends invited me to their Travel Trends 2015 event at We Work I was so excited. It was great learning about products created with the idea of ease – whether you are traveling to the other side of the world for your summer travel or down the street to a restaurant.

The Power of Travel

I loved how Nicole Feliciano opened the night, holding up her (then) baby daughter’s passport & telling us that just having a passport gives us the power of travel. What a true statement. So simple yet so true. It’s kind of sexy to think if a handsome masked stranger rang your bell, swept you off your feet, and whisked you away to JFK – you could get on the plane…

I also loved Nicole’s advice to live smaller so you can travel around the world and to find stuff to do once there that’s out of your comfort zone. Some of my best travel experiences were by chance or something that wouldn’t have happened if I just followed the tour book.

New York Family

We were also lucky to have Eric Messinger from New York Family talk to us about the two new indoor water parks opening in the Poconos, the huge National Park push for the summer (check out #findyourpark), the increasing popularity of multi-generational travel (especially if Grandma & Grandpa foot the bill!), and the growing desire to reconnect with long lost family members.

This is something we are very interested in at my house. My husband has done tons of research on sites like ancestry.com and we love the show Who Do You Think You Are (especially when the celebrity gets to trace their roots back to a cool country they never knew was part of their history). If genealogy interests you too, check out the Global Family Reunion June 6th at the New York Hall of Science.

I also loved hearing that all of us bloggers think parents want to read about parent stuff but they – and let’s be honest, us too – really want to read about travel! Sitting there I smiled at this as I thought of my 20 year old self, Eagle Creek backpack on (which I have continuously used since 1999), Eurailing around Europe. I still want think of myself as that girl, even if I now have bags of kids cereal and wipes in all of my pockets…

Loved getting a little treat from The Container Store! Anything Eagle Creek makes me smile!

Embrace Your Body On Summer Travel

Finally, for the ladies in the house, I loved the idea that we – as moms- need to embrace ourselves and our bodies in bathing suits. Come on, we would all trade magic beans for our idea of perfection. However, if I’ve learned nothing else from having a wonderful man love me (awww), it’s that what’s outside doesn’t really matter.

If my legs aren’t shaved, my C-section scar is showing, my boob stretch marks are glistening in the sun it’s not that important. Keeping my family together, healthy, & smiling is what’s important. I want to teach my daughter THIS. I want to put on a swimsuit, run into the water with her and think I look like Phoebe Cates when I get out. Regardless that I really look like Sloth. Get comfortable with yourself. The cow is bought. It doesn’t matter anymore. Just love yourself & the stripes you’ve earned.

Teach this to your kids.

Here are some fun pictures from the event:

These salmon bites were amazing!

Beyond delicious chocolate bark by BarkTHINS. My favorite was the Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt & the Blueberry Quinoa with Agave.

Thought these were BRILLIANT! Sealed, plastic wine glasses by XO, By G. Perfect for a romantic picnic – by yourself or with another . Think as the sun is setting over (enter your dream destination here).

I’m addicted to these Glamsquad hair ties!

Best part of the night was when MY name was called as the winner of this Melitta travel set! Equally – anything coffee makes me smile!

Thanks for the great swag bag! Photo Credit: Momtrends

More on The Mint Chip Mama:
Real Mom Life, Family Travel & Everyday Chaos

Looking for the Perfect Gift or Party Idea?

Love to Travel? So Do We!

Feeling Nostalgic?

Check out these classic family movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s — perfect for cozy nights and sharing the timeless favorites you grew up loving with your kids!

📍Follow @themintchipmama on Instagram for real-life moments, parenting fun, perimenopause talk, beauty tips, food finds, and more.

Earth Day – The Mint Chip Mama Way! Hey, Hey!

Happy Earth Day!

#EarthDay #GlobalCitizen

“The Blue Marble” photograph of Earth, taken during the Apollo 17 lunar mission in 1972.

For as long as I can remember I have been a water conserving, “you’re going to take that home, right?”, put it in the recycle bin kind of girl. I credit most of this to my hippie mother.

Since this is my first Earth Day with a blog, what better to post about than my own personal – tried and true, slightly nuts, mean green tips on being an Earth saving machine!

Saving Water

Always shut the water off when you brush your teeth. You heard them say it when you were five too. If you don’t do it yet, do it NOW. Think of poor California and her drought. It’s your fault. Shut the water off. Think of me tonight in your bathroom shaking my head and giving you a dirty look as I hear the water running. I’m pointing at YOU. Shut it off.

You can also shut the water off when you wash your face. Sploosh your face with water, shut it off, lather, turn water back on and rinse. Your face may have a smile on it now when you look at yourself in the mirror. That’s right – because the person looking back at you is saving the Earth.

If you have to let your faucet drip during the winter so your pipes don’t freeze, collect it in a big jug or pasta pot, and then make pasta the next night for dinner. Poetic.

Give Left Over Water To Your Plants

When your refrigerator ice machine revolts, pick up the ice cubes and put them in a plant to melt.

If you or a guest doesn’t finish their glass of water, pour it in a plant. As an added bonus your plant will think you love it because you finally remembered to water it! Ha ha, plants are dumb.

Running Appliances

Only run your dishwasher when it’s full. I’m happy to come over and rearrange it in case your husband can’t load it either. Editor’s note: Sorry honey, love that you “do” the dishes, kiss kiss.

Also, only run your washing machine when it’s full. Pick a day and make that laundry day every week. It helps you schedule your week and as a plus you know if you wear a good shirt on Tuesday it won’t take it out of the rotation for too long.

Saving Energy

Shut off lights. If you are not in the room shut the light off! I promise if and when you return to the room turning the light back on is as easy as flipping a switch. Maybe I will set up cameras in your den so I can see you. I WILL come to your house, put a nickel jar on your table, and use that money to buy myself wine.

Open your blinds, guess what – free heat and light compliments of Mr. Sun! Just remember if you are suing Brenda Walsh for hitting you with a car, shut your blinds before doing calisthenics in your living room.

I’m a huge ceiling fan fan (wacka wacka) and was very excited when we initially toured our house and saw a fan in every bedroom! In fact. In fact, I prefer ceiling fans over air conditioners in the summer, especially with the windows open.

Run your dishwasher and washing machine at night. A year later I still do a happy dance at the idea that I own my own washing machine.

More a gas savings than energy – but I try to coordinate my errands with where I’m going so I’m not making ten trips to the same area.

Reducing Garbage – Using a Better Product with Better Results

Keep oversized wash cloths (you know the ones you somehow have and that annoy you when you accidentally pull one out of your closet) in the kitchen to clean up quick spills. I use them to wipe down my son after he looks like the picture below and after lunch and dinner. They are 10x more durable then the best paper towel. Those annoying terry burp cloths you never used are perfect for this too.

Use stainless steel straws – I have many and am never without one. I am convinced things taste better through stainless steel than plastic.

Once an avid tushy wipe user, I recently switched over to a bidet. It saves the planet, plus I can pretend I’m in Europe for 30 seconds every morning. Bon Jour.

Your dinner last night is your kid’s dinner tonight. It can be ready in 30 seconds and involves no.work.at.all. Teach them to like cold food. Suckers.

Use coffee grinds in your garden – I tried this and the result was impressive. It is easy, I keep them in a jar all week and spread them out on the weekend. Washed egg shells work too.

Start composting.

Reuse

Reuse glass baby food jars. They make great storage jars for anything – from tofu to nails to beads to dried herbs to paint to black beans to rings to jello – to name a few. You can fill one with water and tie cellophane around it to make a pretty weight for balloons. My daughter used to eat finger food exclusively out of these jars while sitting in her stroller as we walked around the city. She didn’t drop a jar once – which still impresses me.

They stack up great in the shelf and you can put them in the microwave (without the lid of course). Even better – at the end of the day if they get gross (and you don’t want to bring them home), you can just throw them out!

Reuse Ziploc bags or use reusable bags like SnackTAXI. I remember Oprah once talking about this habit and how she couldn’t shake it despite her billionaire status. It easy to reuse a bag if something in it doesn’t have crumbs. However, I don’t go as far as washing the bags out. I miss Gayle.

Use reusable cups, plates, and bowls for meals outside. If they are made from recycled plastic you get extra points!

Bring A Shopping Bag With You

Keep tons of reusable shopping bags in your trunk so you always have them ready. If you can find one with a zipper you can shove all the others in it. As you know they mate at night and double in number in your house. Putting them in your trunk kills two birds. Plus some stores give you a credit or a raffle ticket for bringing in your own bags.

The bags are useful if I’m returning something, shopping, or need to carry a few things where I’m going. Bags like this are ALWAYS helpful to have in my car – or 10. Naturally, I also keep one of the folded ones in my handbag.

Fresh Air

Open your windows. It’s easy, right? Open your friggin windows and get air in your house. Make sure your alarm is off first.

Go outside. Breathe fresh air. If you take 3 deep breathes of fresh air you will feel better. I offer this with a money back guarantee.

Let your kids run around outside. Kids like to run. We do not. But they do. Throw a ball. Play fetch with them. If they grow a tail call your doctor.

Do yard work. Not necessarily mowing your lawn – go pull out weeds, or cut down branches that are bothering you with a lopper. It feels goooooood. Plus you can get a good action shot for Facebook.

Plant a garden, grow flowers, grow vegetables, grow anything. It is so much fun. You bond with the dirt. Even if you grow only one thing it will make you happy. It feels good to eat something homegrown or to see a pretty flower come from a seed. Plus you can totally pull off overalls in you have a garden.

Keep a plant on your window sill. Watching it grow is super satisfying. Look at it when your kids are whining to relax. Enjoy it’s Borophyl.

Recycling as a Form of Art

AKA: What random crap can we use to create an art masterpiece?Garbage X + Garbage Y + glue = hours of fun. If they are old enough throw in a hole puncher and some string. Hear those STEM people cheer. You can use toilet or paper towel rolls, cardboard boxes, cleaned out drinkable yogurt containers, bottle caps, the list can go on for pages.

Going Forward…

As living green is a constant work in progress I’m always trying to find new things to do, new projects to make out of reusable garbage, and most important – teaching my kids not to waste.

What do you do?

I would love to hear your green ideas and habits, as silly as you think they may be! The best one will win a container of fresh air, a jar of sunlight, and possibly a milk gallon full of compost…

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Chocolate Works: A Snozzberry Right in Garden City

After my kids, Chocolate is one of the great loves of my life. I mean after my kids and my husband… Yes, I said husband. I promise I said husband.

So when you tell me there is a store called Chocolate Works and it is basically a functioning Wonka Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory of fantastic-ness I will come running.

Allow me to explain.

A few years ago, while still living in Manhattan, I heard of this great place where you can decorate chocolate, make a chocolate treat, and then pick to your heart’s content from rows upon rows of candy. Naturally, we visited often. Then we moved. Then a Chocolate Works opened by me! That’s what I call luck.

Welcome To The Neighborhood Chocolate Works!

My daughter and I, along with the majority of her nursery school class, had the tremendous fortune of visiting this new Chocolate Works in Garden City over February break. While the kids were making a chocolate “pizza” (assembling pretzels on a golden (ticket) platter, covering them with milk chocolate and then decorating the whole “pizza” with every color chocolate imaginable), I was learning about their offerings and trying desperately not to lick the walls.

Chocolate Works is certainly not your typical chocolate/candy store!

I was excited to learn how each Chocolate Works franchise is customized to its owner’s imagination. No two locations are the same, but you will find common items at each. This includes the 30 foot “I Love Lucy” style conveyor belt, the vast chocolate and candy displays, the chocolate fountain, and of course the party room where the real magic happens. Let’s also not forget about their signature cocoa covered truffles. One thing is for sure, Chocolate Works is certainly not your typical chocolate/candy store!

Gifford’s Ice Cream

One of the unique Garden City offerings was Gifford’s Ice Cream. As I said above, chocolate is my game. I like ice cream but it takes a lot to impress me in the ice cream department. Well, let me tell you, I was im-pressed with Gifford’s. Made at a small dairy in Maine, this five time award winning ice cream was beyond delicious. This ice cream tasted like you went for a walk in the summer in a small town, there was a homemade ice cream parlor there, and you had to stop and get some. That is quite possibly the best ice cream compliment I could give and you know exactly what I mean! Creative flavor names included Maine Lobster Tracks, Black Bear, Smurf, Mt. Katahdin, and of course my choice – Mint Chip.

Besides the ice cream, I was really impressed with all of the custom items available at Chocolate Works. Not just for the variety but for the creativity. You can get something personalized as you wait, you can do small batch orders (meaning you can get creative for your next event without breaking the bank), you can order favors, you can order chocolate with your camp logo, you can have any shape or size made (they had examples of both a tooth and a foot!), you can even print a picture right on the chocolate!

Chocolate Classes

Chocolate Works offers classes (drop off available, age 5+), public and private workshops (they recently had wheelchair bound seniors from a nursing home come and the staff brought the decorating to them!), local non profits events, ladies night outs, class field trips, and corporate gifts.

Workshops

With April break right around the corner, Chocolate Works is offering a bunch of fun workshops. Since this location is sandwiched between some delish lunch spots you can drop off your kid/s and be margarita bound in five minutes flat.

Chocolate Works Is About Having Fun

At the end of the day a store like this is simply about having fun. It brings out the inner kid in all of us and Mark, the owner, knows and embraces this. In fact, he often opens and/or re-opens his door for customers drooling at the window outside of business hours. But my favorite tale was about a perk his wife enjoys. She’s been known to log-on to the store’s security camera to see what’s there, call up Mark and place her order for her dessert!

Chocolate Works in Garden City is open Monday – Thursday and Sunday 10am – 9pm; Friday & Saturday 10am – 11pm. Chocolate Works is nut free in the party room (but chocolate containing nuts are sold in the store). They also offer a menu of gluten free products.

*GIVEAWAY* Chocolate Works of Garden City has generously offered to give away admission to an upcoming chocolate workshop (your choice) and half a pound of their signature cocoa covered truffles!

To win – please post in the comment section below:

What is your favorite chocolate concoction? The more creative the better!

Winner will be chosen April 4th.

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Cozywoggle – The World’s First Car Seat Approved Coat!

The Mint Chip Mama - Cozywoggle Car Seat Coat

The Cozywoggle is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. By now you can probably tell I’m a bit obsessed with car safety. Most likely because I went from urban living (read: not driving for a dozen years) to suburban living (read: driving everywhere, all the time). Learning car seat etiquette is very different when you go somewhere once a month versus every time you need milk (this is where – if I was on a sitcom – there would be a flashback to me running with no coat, wearing slippers to the supermarket literally in my apartment building to buy milk).

Car Seat Safety

With my constant in-the-car-ness now, I have researched car seat safety, driving safety, car seat inspections and of course, forced my poor freezing children to take off their coats every time we go in the car.

Even if we are just going down the street.

To buy milk.

I should say I also made all grandparents swear to do this in their cars too with the fierceness of Ursula when she makes Ariel sign away her voice. Now sing.

Enter the CozyWoggle

When I learned about the Cozywoggle back in September – during Child Passenger Safety Month, I became a bit obsessed. I asked to review a coat for the blog but they were – not surprisingly – sold out. In case you missed all the hubbub on the Twittersphere, the Cozywoggle is the ONLY product that looks and acts like a coat, but is safe to be worn in a car seat. Yes, SAFE TO BE WORN IN A CAR SEAT! It is made from heavy-duty wind/water resistant polyester, and is lined with cozy fleece.

A little begging followed.

Then, miraculously on my daughter’s birthday, her new coat arrived. Tada!

Oh, It’s On…

On it went immediately. We watched the video and a warm triumph followed. The idea is simple – you’ve got your normal zipper down the front, but then there is a zipper on each side under the arms as well. You basically make the coat into a cape so you can lock the car seat straps right on your child. Once safely clicked in place, your child can slip their arms back into the open sleeves and bam! Warm-o-rama! Genius! The coat feels sturdy and seems to be very well made. It is warm but not overly puffy.

But who am I – the mother – to give an official seal of approval?

School Drop Off Rush – Approved!

The next morning, on our maiden voyage to school, as my son sat shivering waiting for the car to warm up, my daughter volunteered “I don’t need the heat, I’m feeling warm from my coat!” My heart smiled.

As children are known to be fickle, I waited a few days to solicit some additional five year old feedback. Besides saying it was “SO cozy” about forty five times, she said she liked the color, the feel, the pockets – which were “so warm I don’t even need gloves!”, and that it smelled good. Not quite sure about the last one but if she was happy I was happy.

How Fast Can I Do It?

Of course the end of the day question is how much extra time will this take you per ride. As in your “HURRY UP AND GET IN THE #$%^ing CAR” number. I’m happy to report this number is minimal. And this is coming from a mom who reads those “don’t yell at your kid to rush” articles and feels bad about herself.

I LOVE the idea that nothing comes between her and her car seat straps and that she can be warm as we drive around. To be honest, the coat is so cute with the sides open she wears it like that most days. Of course, leave it to my daughter to carry off the coat as a fashionable cape – or as she calls it – her “super hero cape!” – along with her little Ninja Turtle hat.

Kid Approved

Luckily her love for this coat has only grown. She runs to it every morning and has been super excited to show her friends and Grandparents how it transforms. By far, her favorite part is the arm zippers which she thinks are “really fun!”. So much so she declared she wants to “wear it every day until I’m 52”. While the 5T is quite generous in size and will most likely fit her next year, 52 might be a stretch. But I think by the year 2062 she’ll be in the driver’s seat. Sniff.

Mom Approved

I love this coat and more that she loves this coat! I love that she stays warm and safe and thinks it is fun. I’m pretty sure the depths of her fan-hood could be summed up in what she said this morning. We were all ready to leave for school and suddenly she yells “Take it off! Take it off! I’m going to sneeze and I don’t want to get germs on my coat. I love it too much!”.

The Cozywoggle is available in four colors: red, navy blue, purple, and pink. It comes in sizes 12 months, 18 months, 2T, 3T, 4, 5 and 6. I picked a neutral red so the coat can be a beloved hand me down for my son once my daughter grows out of it. Unlike the pink footie pajamas I sneak him into sometimes…

Everyone wins!

Cozywoggle is currently offering 30% off on their site!

****************************************************************************

Cozywoggle Brand Heritage

Alexandria, VA, based CJ’s Kids was started by Cherlyn Jenkins – a special education teacher and behavior specialist – in 2012. When Cherlyn’s kids were little, she learned that young children shouldn’t be placed in car seats while wearing their coats because traditional coats often compress in a car accident. This results in the 5-point harness loosening and putting children at greater risk for injury. This could also mean ejection from their car seats. She needed to find a way to keep her children warm, while also keeping them safe – and didn’t want to juggle even more items, like extra jackets or blankets. Jenkin’s couldn’t find a coat or jacket proven to be safe in car seats, so she created one herself. They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and that’s certainly true in this case!

Crash tests conducted at an NHTSA approved lab, MGA Research, have demonstrated that wearing the Cozywoggle while riding in a car seat is safer than wearing a traditional coat. In fact, the Cozywoggle was proven to be as safe as riding in a car seat without any coat at all.

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My Daughter’s Fifth Birthday. Forever Young. I Want Her to Be Forever Young.

The Mint Chip Mama - My Daughter's fifth birthday

Wanted to share my Huffington Post piece about the bittersweetness of my beautiful daughter’s fifth birthday. Thank you to everyone who reached out with such wonderful feedback!

Published February 10, 2015.

My Daughter’s Fifth Birthday

One beautiful afternoon in Central Park, my husband and I sat and discussed having a child. Today, that child celebrated her fifth birthday. Though I’m not quite sure how that happened.

The other night, as we sat giggling in her bed discussing how much fun her birthday party was, I realized this is such a big moment.

This is her last year of little girlhood.

This is her last year of pretend.

This is her last year of innocence.

Next year starts kindergarten, riding buses, meeting kids whose parents I won’t know and won’t meet. Of her being on her own.

A Fifth Birthday Is Big Time

I was thinking of last year when she was three, dying to turn four and telling her to enjoy being young. To enjoy being three. Four would come soon enough. Somehow those 365 days were a mere snap. Three to four was a marginal transition. Four to five is huge.

Now, as I sit here thinking of her turning five I think of all the things that begin with school. Real school starting. Five, the age in which you leave your littleness and become simply “a kid.”

Becoming A Real “Kid”

Will she still want to snuggle with me as much as humanly possible?

I hope so.

Will she still look at the world with giant, sweet, innocent, sparkly eyes?

I hope so.

Will she still know there is nothing bad in the world?

I fear not.

Maybe it’s that impending loss of innocence that makes me sad.

What Is To Come?

The first time she will hear a curse word on the bus or learn what flipping her middle finger means.

The first time someone tells her not liking a parent is an option.

The first time — as a girl — someone makes her feel ugly or fat or less than the perfect, sweet, thoughtful, caring little person she is without even trying.

I think about that a lot. How girls — at some point in their lives — are made to feel less than. I’m not sure when that moment comes or how, but I fear it is inevitable. I would LOVE to have one of you respond and tell me that moment never happened to you because, sadly, I feel it is a horribly evil rite of passage.

I Want to Keep Her Innocence

It’s hard enough to be a girl without someone making you feel bad. I don’t want my baby to ever feel bad. I don’t want my baby to ever think she is anything but fantastic. I don’t want her to ever cry because she feels her arms are too hairy or her tush is too big or her hair is too frizzy.

Photo Credit: Blink Photography

I think of all the things adults care about and judge each other on and then I think about it through her eyes and how none of it matters. When do we ruin these children to think these things matter?

I stare at this miracle human being I grew in my belly and want to bottle her happiness, joy and innocence today so I can serve it to her on that day she comes home crying to make her feel better. Because my “Mama-magic” and special hug just won’t cut it anymore.

I think and wonder how do all these kids who I watch make picture upon picture for each other and beg each other for play dates become mean girls.

I’m Not Ready For Mean Girls

Is it jealousy?

Is it boys?

Someone tell me so she doesn’t ever have to feel hurt.

Someone tell me what to buy her so she can slide through school unfazed. Unhazed.

So she doesn’t ever have to feel sadness.

So she doesn’t ever get made fun of because one part of her body pops out one way while another part pops out another. Both completely out of her control and completely confusing to her.

So she doesn’t ever have to do something she doesn’t believe in because someone is pressuring her into it.

So she can remain happy. Every day.

My baby. My beautiful girl. It all starts at five.

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Seriously Spoiled: The Best Little Girl Haircut On Long Island

The Mint Chip Mama Seriously Spoiled Haircut

The Most Fun Little Girl Haircut On Long Island!

The Mint Chip Mama Seriously Spoiled Little Girl Haircut On Long Island

One of the reasons I love having a daughter is that I get to live vicariously through her. This could mean having a blast on rides at an amusement park (which now makes me dizzy & nauseous). Or seeing a show for the first time, and getting pampered.

When we moved to Long Island from Manhattan last year, my daughter – who had never gotten a haircut before – decided it was time. Naturally, as the biggest girly girl I knew, I wanted her gateway into the world of primping and pampering to have a lasting impression. My vast search led me to Seriously Spoiled in Dix Hills.

The Mint Chip Mama Seriously Spoiled RObes

The Mint Chip Mama Seriously Spoiled Mocktail

Everything Is So Pink!

We entered Seriously Spoiled and immediately knew we hit the jackpot. It was pink and pink and pink and pink. There was fun stuff to smell and fun stuff to touch and fun stuff to make and fun stuff to buy. I was in love! I mean, my daughter was in love! It was literally the place that if you looked up in the dictionary for where the best place to take a little girl is, there would be a picture of Seriously Spoiled.

The Mint Chip Mama Seriously Spoiled Store Front

The Best Little Girl Haircut On Long Island

The hair stylist proceeded to give my daughter one of the most thorough haircuts I’ve ever seen followed by a decadent, indulgent pedicure. I sat there jealously looking at my stringy overdue locks and gnarled nails. Alas, vicarious.

Her hair looked fantastic. So much so that we’ve only taken her to Seriously Spoiled for subsequent haircuts. Why not? It is awesome and reasonable – if not cheaper – for a kid’s cut than most other places. With that said, I’d say it’s the best little girl haircut on Long Island! Add in the fact it is the most adorable dream come true place for a little girl, add in the cotton candy scented hair spray, and you can’t go wrong.

More Thank Just The Most Fun Little Girl Haircut On Long Island

What sets Seriously Spoiled apart from similar places is they actually do haircuts, not just hair styles. Besides these fabulous haircuts and pedicures, Seriously Spoiled is a full service salon and spa for ladies under 18. They offer manicures, facials, massages, updos, glamour services, celebrations, theme events (including their triple sold out Frozen event), after school play dates, parties, Girl Scout events, American Girl hair styling, and all kinds of pampering combination packages. If you want to think even bigger – they have a 19 passenger pink limo on call and ready to glam up your special occasion!

Each time we’ve been there a different age group was enjoying a party. I was a little sad I couldn’t join, despite my continuous begging. Sadly, my over 18-ness negated my pampering invitation. Plus, I didn’t know them…

In addition to all the fabulous things they can do to you, they have a ton of options in their “Create Your Own” station for the budding cosmetic executive. Your little lady can make her own sugar scrub, lip gloss or shimmer lotion. She can even design her own “scoop” of ice cream (body scrub) – toppings and all – that will make her body smell delicious (yes, my daughter chose Mint Chip without prompting!).

Tons Of Gifting Options Too!

Seriously Spoiled also offers a full retail space carefully curated with not only soft, cozy lounge wear but interactive creative play and pampering products that continue the spa experience at home – with a friend or parent.

Seriously Spoiled has three locations in New York – Dix Hills, Patchogue Village, and Middle Village. All locations are open Wednesday – Friday from 10am – 7pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am – 6pm. They are also a completely nut-free facility (one of the owner’s daughters has an allergy so they are on high alert). Next time your favorite little girl needs a cut, or you are celebrating something special, check them out. You will not be disappointed!

Giveaway

Seriously Spoiled has generously offered to give away a Mint Chip Mama Spa experience to one lucky reader! This includes a haircut, mani/pedi combination and a “Create Your Own” of your choice! To win – please post in the comment section below: What is your favorite way to live vicariously through your daughter? Winner will be chosen Friday, February 20, 2015.

****************************************************************************

But Wait, There’s More!

Here is a little more on Seriously Spoiled because as you know – I LOVE learning about the heritage of brands:

Two sisters – a hair stylist and a nail tech – wanted to take their little girls to a spa. Since there were no “kid” spas out there at the time, they went to a regular “mom” spa. Once there, they got less than stellar feedback from fellow patrons.

Little did they know this experience would change their lives! It prompted them to open Seriously Spoiled, their own under-18 full-service salons and spa, to offer your daughters the spa experience they would want for their daughters.

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Make Delicious Easy Chocolate Bark – The Perfect Snow Day Activity

Thanks to the inspiration from a junior chef class at Williams-Sonoma we spent our snow day making Chocolate Bark! It was 33.5% easy and 66.5% delicious. Naturally we used Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate chips. For toppings you can add in anything. For this first batch we used Mint Oreos.

I present to you my lovely assistant who shall demonstrate.

Put topping in bag if it needs to be broken up. Make sure all air is out of bag as you seal it. Have your lovely assistant use a kid hammer to break it up into pieces while you microwave the chocolate and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Alternately, if it is your second snow day and your kid is whining this would be a good way to get out your aggression with your meat tenderizer…

Chocolate Bark Begins

This was about 1/4 bag of chocolate chips. I microwaved it for 2 minutes on 50% power, stirred it and heated another minute on 50% power.

Melt & Stir

Stir it and the heat will melt the remaining chunks.

Dump in 3/4 of the bag of topping, leaving the last 1/4 to sprinkle on top so it looks professional.

As Bob Marley said, Stir it Up.

Dump Your Future Chocolate Bark Onto Parchment Paper

Empty your delicious melted mix onto your parchment paper.

Spread Out The Chocolate

Spread it out with your spatula like you are painting a beautiful chocolate portrait.

Find a cute baby in pajamas who also wants to help.

Spread into a rectangle or whatever shape makes you happy and refrigerate for 1.5 hours.

Lick Off The Spatula

Let lovely assistants lick off the spatula.

Tada! Chocolate Bark!

Presenting your delicious, solid Chocolate Bark!

Break Chocolate Bark Into Pieces

Let lovely assistant break into pieces.

A very productive and delicious result!

Eat lots more pieces once said assistant goes to bed… Enjoy!

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2015 New York Baby Show Favorite Finds

Glam Squad

Maven

Babyganics

Eco Nuts

Mabels Labels

Moms Pump Here

Mum-Mum

Kiddylicious

Green Sprouts

Mixed Pears

My Carry Potty

Tidy Tots Cloth Diapers

NoseFrida

Sit ‘n’ Stroll

No Mo Nausea Band

Primary

Hatch Things

Canon

Nanny League

‘Til next year 2015 New York Baby Show!

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My Favorite First Shoes: Stride Rite

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Brand Heritage: Stride Rite

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Here are some fun pictures from the event:

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“The Blue Marble” photograph of Earth, taken during the Apollo 17 lunar mission in 1972.

Saving Water

Give Left Over Water To Your Plants

Running Appliances

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Reuse

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Recycling as a Form of Art

Going Forward…

What do you do?

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Welcome To The Neighborhood Chocolate Works!

Chocolate Works is certainly not your typical chocolate/candy store!

Chocolate Classes

Workshops

Chocolate Works Is About Having Fun

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