DC Metro Mom

As a busy mama, with a small business, full time job and 2 kids under the age of 3, I am always looking for places and opportunities to make my life and those of my clients easier. One of my favorite sites to scour is Citibabes, a NY based, family lifestyle center with indoor play area, classes and a first class boutique -- it is a must stop on your NYC tour.

But another great resource is their CitiScoop Newsletter, chock full of tips and resources, here is an excerpt of one that I thought timely to share.

Financially Fit Kids Tips

1) Teach Kids to Walk Their Talk: Decide what is really important and let kids know that their choices show their values.

2) Introduce an alternative to Stuff.

3) Adopt a family.

4) Share your holiday budget with kids: Let them track it, discuss which are the best ways to spend the money and create an excellent teaching moment.

5) Write letters. Share your hopes and dreams for them and encourage them to send them to aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends. Keep them for posterity and to have a special keepsake for years to come.

For more tips and to learn more about Citibabes, visit http://www.citibabes.com/

Cross posted on http://capitolmoms.blogspot.com/.

Ok so every year, I look forward to getting the 12 Days of Christmas Cookie newsletter from Food Network.

Here's a teaser from today's newsletter. Alton Brown's Paradise Macaroons. They look seriously yummy with all that coconut, chocolate and toasted macadamia nuts.

Click here to access the recipe. Yum!

Click here to watch Alton make them.

We were looking for something fun and cheap to do with our kids, without leaving the city and without a lot of planning.... enter City Walks with Kids DC, a glove box keeper. City Walks actually makes it easy to pick a card, pack a diaper back and just go.

City Walks with Kids DC by Ingrid Roper Catron is a keeper for our family. It's a day trip in a box, well actually about 50 kid-friendly day trips with maps in a box. Each card is chock full of information for an easy family outing: 4 to 5 stops, touristy and local haunts alike plus a fun place for a treat and little snippets of trivia to make the trip lively. Our favorite component is the tri-fold map that connects all the trips together and prevents our favorite habit of getting lost in a city that we love.

It's a must for new families in the area or natives that have never been around to see the sites.

Available for $14.95 at http://http//www.chroniclebooks.com/index/main,book-info/store,books/products_id,7227/title,City-Walks-with-Kids-Washington-D.C./

Let me tell you about a fabulous product created by local Rockville mamas that I love for my Zenora, The Kids Busy Box - Deluxe Edition. It is a craft box with instructions and everything (and I mean everything) that your little artist needs to be able to create fun stuff.

The first thing we made was the little royalty crown. It occupied my daughter for 45 minutes as she put little stars on a crown and watched the glue dry. It was crazy easy and a very precious gift to a busy mama -- time. We laughed, took pics and watched her talk about colors and shapes while building another great memory.

I recommend that every house have at least one of these kits; it's a lifesafer and a great present for grampies and nanas too.

Happy crafting. To get yours visit, http://kidsbusybox.com/

I am a reader, always have, probably always will be, and when it gets hot outside, I love to curl up under the ceiling fan and read. Now that I have little ones, nap time is a time to squeeze in a few pages between laundry, blog posts and dinner prep.

One of my latest reads is Jude Deveraux's Return to Summerhouse, available in our Amazon Store and at local booksellers nationwide.

This is the story of three women, Amy, Zoe and Faith, unexpected friends in need of healing, that come together with the help of Madame Zoya to step back in time to undo a tragedy of the past. The journey to the 18th century teaches them about love, healing, friendship and the power of choices.

Return to Summerhouse was a fast, satisfying read that tugged my heartstrings that made me smile in the end.

Cross posted on http://capitolmoms.blogspot.com/.

Capitol Moms founder, Teia Collier, spent a few minutes chatting with the inspiring and highly-motivated, mama of 4(soon to be 5) Debbie Jacobson, producer of Retirement Living's new lifestyle reality show, What's Next?. With our parents getting older and heading toward this new stage in life and already rolling around in it, I found this interview particularly interesting.

Here are a few highlights:

Tell me about What's Next?

It is inspired and started with my dad. He thought he had it all figured out, a plan laid out and then he abruptly got there. And it was all different. It was like someone changed the rules and he was left answering the question, "How do you spend then rest of your life?" What's Next? is a reality show where we walk with a retiree and help them answer that question for themselves. We cover topics like how navigate the complicated Social Security system to learning how to downsize. Every episode leaves the participant (and viewers) knowing a little more and armed with some tools to make their lives easier.

That's incredible, so you're a producer and a mama of four, soon to be five. How do you balance?
Honestly, sometimes the balance is blind. But it does help that most of kids are in school and you do your best. With a 12, 10, 5, 2 and a new one on the way, I depend on my husband as well. He's awesome and my compliment - he does the things that I don't love like dishes and cooking. But I really love working and want to make it work -- I think that having the desire there is really important.

What's your favorite tips for mamas and moms to be?
Be flexible and have patience. Every day will be different, and that's fine. Also read the cues from your own baby -- know that everyone will have advice and not every chart will apply directly to your baby.

Cross posted from http://capitolmoms.blogspot.com/

Capitol Moms founder Teia Collier spent a few minutes chatting with fun, laid-back, new momma and founder of the wildly popular diaper bag and accessory company Petunia Pickle Bottom DeNai Jones.

Here are some of the highlights:

Why Petunia Pickle Bottom? With the encouragement and support of my husband, I sought to fulfill a dream and a void in the market for a diaper bag that was functional, stylish and designed for the mama to serve the needs of the baby, rather than the other way around. There wasn't anything like what we created and after some convincing the stores picked us up -- from there it all began.

How do you balance running a successful company and motherhood? We have a lot of help; our family is here. They help with the boys (she has a brand-new little one) and get to build special memories with their grandparents. Balance is always something that you work at, but it helps that we put our family first.

What's next for Petunia Pickle Bottom? We always have something new on the horizon to keep things interesting and to give our fans something new and exciting. (There are also a new line of slings in coordinating fabrics launching in stores this month.)

Yesterday, Capitol Moms went scouting out for some great luxe products for Mommy and Baby. While out, I caught the Tory Burch Spring and Resort Collection fashion show and found a several pieces that I can't wait to share.

Since I have recently had a beautiful little boy, yes, I am a little biased, I've got my anteanae out for styles that have an ease about them, not too body conscious, but with great color and a little glamour to help a new momma get her groove back.

One of my favorites of her line are the tunics, particularly the Tory Tunic. It comes in a variety of colors, my favorites are the nautically inspired navy linen trimmed in a crisp white and the punchy pink print on cotton voile that just screams, "Welcome to the I'land, Mon". Pair it with a great pair of jeans or a pair of flowy linen pants and metalic sandals and you're good to go.

And I also love this dress. It comes in an easy silk jersey that pack well, shows a little of that fabulous new momma cleavage, and has great detailing that will draw all attention away form any remnants of a baby bump. Tory Burch Resort 2008 Martin Halter.

Locally available at Neiman Marcus or at http://www.toryburch.com/

Almost three months ago, I gave birth to a beautiful, little boy, Solomon, ten weeks early. After a month and a day in the NICU, he came home and the real fun began. There's nothing like a two year old and a newborn preemie under the roof to make life interesting... and even more amazing.

Here is a list of some of the products that we love and use with Sollie most everyday.

1) Peanut Shell Sling in Black Micro-fleece  He loves to be all snuggled up and close to my chest in this fabulous sling. I used Peanut Shell's with my first and now with my second, I love them even more. I recommend Peanut Shell's to all of clients that are requesting ideas on baby carrying. I love the smooth, strechy fabric and the versatility of black. We will be ordering one in a spring/summer color soon.

Picture from and shop at Peanut Shell's site www.goo-ga.com

2) Soothie pacifer and bottles