24/Savvy Home: Chicago, IL

T'was the season of Christmas and holiday entertaining aplenty drew near. The cupcakes were frosted and the presents were wrapped; the fire was lit and the stockings held fast. With one final check before bedtime that night, a quick look around told me it just wasn't right. But what could it be? What did I miss? The children were counted and the food was prepared, but a lingering feeling told me it wasn't quite bliss. Then it quickly came upon me in one swift swoop—not a green plant to be seen, nor any color in our coop! So off I traveled to Sprout Home in the village, to fill the nooks and the crannies with greens from my pillage. And finally, oh finally, my house was a home, and I could relax as the festivities loomed.

Sprout Home
745 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60622-5518

Fun, Savvy Road Trips with Kids

What comes to mind when you think of a 20-hour road trip with three young kids? Maybe a pounding headache, or maybe memories from your own childhood vacations.

Before we had three children, my husband and I loved road trips. We escaped the city, listened to our favorite music and had meaningful conversations. Obviously with three young children, road trips look and feel different. But we still manage to listen to our favorite music, have great conversations and build incredible memories with our kids. Here are things which make our road trips more fun for all involved:

24/Savvy Home: Chicago, IL

1-2-3-4 I need something to cover this floor.  5-6-7-8 I want something that I won’t hate. Black, white, purple or red, I want something that isn’t a bore!  Poly-blend or acrylic tough, I know the place that has the stuff.  Modular carpet is the new thing, it’s pretty and modern and easy to fling.  You can buy it one-by-one to assure the perfect match, or go wild and bold by mixing lime green with thatch.  Never fear that spills or stains will stay – just pick up another square and go on your merry way!

FLOR
1873 N. Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 325.0201

http://www.flor.com

24/Savvy Family: Chicago, IL

I realize I have spent the later half of my time here on earth doing completely un-fun things.  School work, to university, to grad school to full-time work…where’s the fun in all that?  I think becoming a mother has clued me in to the simple pleasures of just living and being.

24/Savvy Health: Miami, FL

As one of the most famous paintings hangs in London’s National Gallery, I've had the golden opportunity to be mesmerized by the enormity (8’ x 9’) and realism of this incredible work of art. Once my thoughts returned from the depths of this dramatic scene depicted from the 1530s, I was, once again, blown away after finding out that the artist, Paul Delaroche, created this magnificent piece in 1833, 300 years after the incident took place. The expressions on each character were so deeply felt; it was as if you were there. 

24/Savvy Mom: New York, NY

There are many lessons I teach my kids:  kindness, respect, following directions and self-confidence.  But this month’s lesson is how to eat like a human being and not like a cow.   I often feel like my children graze the fields of my kitchen like cows eating all day.  If you have little ones, maybe you can relate.  The minute they finish the breakfast you pull together bleary-eyed and half asleep, they begin mooing, “I’m hungry…I want this, I want that.”  You pull out some other edible breakfast food, which hopefully, but unlikely, they’ll eat complaint-free.  Minutes later they’re hungry again, and by the end of the day you feel like your kids have turned into farm animals.

When I became a parent 6 ½ years ago, I had no idea my CD collection would be overrun with musicians like Laurie Berkner, Dan Zanes, Ralph’s World, Kids Music Together and Bible songs for kids.  They’re all great music choices for kids, but there comes a point, especially in the car, when I want to listen to my own music.  A highlight of my day is to sit behind the wheel, tune into a great song and get lost in the music.  And believe me it’s nice to get lost sometimes.  Like a mini-mental break in my daily mom routine.  And getting lost to Dan Zanes’, All Around The Kitchen, just doesn’t happen.  What’s the solution?

Every holiday season, my friends and I brainstorm ways to help those in need.  We have 14 children between the five of us, and we look for ways to teach our kids how to help others.  In the past we’ve wrapped Christmas gifts for inner-city families, as well as helped military families through the Angel Tree program.  This year we chose to Dine In and help feed families for Thanksgiving.  Dine In is an initiative of Here’s Life Inner City, an urban organization dedicated to helping the poor.  The concept is simple.  Instead of dining out, my friends and I ‘dined in’ with a delicious pot luck dinner.

Save the earth, surprise your kids and salvage your sanity—all at the same time!  Or just make your life easy by using these fabulous reusable snack and sandwich bags.  They come in a variety of sizes and colorful fabric designs, plus you can wipe them down with a sponge, or throw them in the washing machine!  Best of all, SnackTAXI is offering a 20% discount now through Sunday, November 7th.  Use the code, Taxi20 at checkout.  Great gift idea for the holidays!

24/Savvy Food: Columbia, SC

Turkey probably comes to most people’s minds when they think of Thanksgiving dinner. Unless they’re vegetarian. But we vegetarians like to feast during Thanksgiving, too. So what’s a host or hostess to do if an herbivore joins the dinner table on Turkey Day?

If you have several vegetarians on the guest list, you might consider adding Tofurky to the menu. Tofurky is a vegan soy product that has a texture and taste so similar to turkey even meat eaters might enjoy it. If you are not ready to go down the soy road, though, there are plenty of other bird-less entrees you can offer alongside your turkey...