I'm often of the "do it quickly" school when it comes to holiday presents --I sometimes forgo the little touches (like tags!) in favor of just getting the gifts wrapped. (And yes, we're thinking holidays already. Forgive us!) These beaut…
One of my favorite holiday traditions is sending and receiving cards in the mail -- especially the photo kind. (I can't possibly be the only one. Who doesn't love getting real mail? And photos? Everyone does!) It's the best part of Decem…
With the money I'm spending on Halloween costumes and bags of candy, I'm not about to drop a fortune on decor too. So, I'm so pleased to have found so many affordable (and free!) printables that don't require me to do much of anything or…
Halloween is just around the corner and the overpriced costume catalogs are rolling in. As I do not own a sewing machine, I of course will be buying. Personally I am hoping to acquire something affordable , easy to get on and off, reusab…
In spring, a young man's thoughts lightly turn to love. In fall, everyone's thoughts turn to a really kickass Halloween costume. Right? If you're looking for something really special this year , that will last past midnight on the 31st, …
The cool thing about Grandparents Day is that if you have grandparents like my kids do, it doesn't take a whole lot to make their day. So on the outside chance you were a little busy this week with back-to-school and Labor Day and hurric…
Now that I'm a mom myself, I realize that Mother's Day is not just about getting breakfast in bed (not that I would turn that down) or a day off from housework (also, sounds awesome). Rather, I want to do something to honor my mom for al…
You know what I've always wondered about Easter baskets? Where people store them every other day of the year. Because if there's one thing that's not exactly storage-friendly, it's a big, round basket with a gigantic handle on top. This …
Now I don't have to wonder what I'm using to turn my eggs all shades of the rainbow, thanks to a super-easy-to-use natural Easter egg dying kit whose ingredients are just as natural as the eggs. For years, I have dyed my Easter eggs in w…
Every year I decide this will be the one where we will finally avoid that annoying plastic Easter grass that somehow makes its way out of the baskets and all over my house. But this time, I really mean it. Because we grew our own. Since …
Guess what, mamas? It's American Chocolate Week! Or at least the end of it. The way we see it, you just have to suck it up and do your patriotic duty by gorging on chocolate, right? If you love chocolate as much as we do, here are some o…
No matter how you choose to spend Martin Luther King Jr Day--either at a local event commemorating his contributions to society, by participating in a volunteer event on this Day of Service , or simply using it as an opportunity to start…
Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr Day or, as many kids will tell you, a day off from schooooooool! And while sleeping in is definitely a benefit, there are loads of kid-friendly, educational activities going on…
2011. Is it even possible? It just sounds so...future-y! From Kristen, Liz, and everyone at Cool Mom Picks, we wish you and your family a peaceful, beautiful, happy, healthy new year. We hope it's filled with all the joy, all the success…
While we all know the department stores are slashing prices in their annual post-Christmas frenzy right now, some of our favorite small online shops are having amazing post-holiday sales too. The snow being what it is in my neck of the w…
From the bottom of our hearts, we wish all you cool moms, cool dads, cool aunties + grandmothers, and all of your beautiful families, a very merry Christmas. - Kristen, Liz, and everyone at Cool Mom Picks. [poster via salt & paper shop .…
Maybe you're visiting relatives in New York and need an excuse to get out of the teeny tiny apartment. Or maybe you already live there and need to spice up your family holidays. Either way, we've got the scoop on some hot deals that just…
I cannot be the only one who sequesters myself in the bedroom oh, say around midnight on December 24, frantically trying to wrap, ribbon, and generally beautify Santa's hard work. If you're still looking for a few finishing touches for y…
Forget germs or flu bugs or anything like that. The way I see it, there are three new reasons to wash your hands right now: The three new holiday scents from Method. I can't remember the last time I bought a hand soap that didn't smell m…
In my family, our Christmas day tradition always involved a nice big breakfast, lots of coffee, lots of gifts, and then afterward, we'd bundle up and brave the crowds at a midtown movie theater for one of the big releases. (Yes, crowds -…
People always say that nothing is for free, but here is something that really is: A customized letter to your child from Santa that you help create. And it will do more for other kids than your own. At Letter from Santa , add personal de…
I hear in some places, you have to book the best mall Santa in October to get a word in with the jolly guy, and he still might get your kid's name wrong leading to a public freak-out. ( It's happened to us all! ) But now, thanks to the w…
I don't usually go the disposable paper plate route, except when it comes to kids parties. But here are some paper plates so adorable they might be worth making an exception. Why? Well, they're personalized. With a photo of my smiling sw…
We're now formally in the "handing-someone-a-bottle-of wine" season, and while most of us can simply stick a bow on it and pass it on, there are times when that bottle needs a little more oomph than a plain brown paper bag or a crinkled …