Happy Halloween Barista Kids Young & Old

Wow, the Essex County Presby Memorial Gardens are pulling out all the stops this afternoon from 4:00 to 7:00. Just a reminder that you can enjoy cider, cookies, take home a free pumpkin, watch the jack-o-lanterns glow and even take a gander at some fun animal friends from the Turtleback Zoo! And it's all free--just stop by for a great time. Worried there won't be enough free pumpkins to go around? Don't fret--that's Presby's Executive Director, Linda Sercus, wheeling one of many loads of pumpkins out to the iris beds. You're invited to bring a jack-o-lantern to light, but you're welcome with or without. Thanks to Essex County Parks System for sponsoring this wonderful event.

A big worry at Trick-or-Treat time is that our kids will get candy or apples tainted with poison or filled with razor blades. So we parents tell them they're not allowed to eat until we "check" it out. Or maybe checking is our excuse to scarf down their candy. After all, the last documented case of poisoned Halloween candy was in 1974 in Texas.

But there are real dangers on Halloween, so The Red Cross has made a list of safety tips for us, which they call The Lucky 13.

Continue reading "Trick-or-Treating Safety Tips" »

While blood is being banned from schools nationwide, kids are still going to class in costume. Today, seniors at Glen Ridge High School did just that.

Happy Halloween!

Interesting news before Tuesday's big vote on whether to elect the board of ed in Montclair...

In an effort to smarten up Montclair High School's football players, the school district hired motivational speaker Duane "D" West, a national talking head, to the tune of $65,000.

According to NJ.com, the local jocks are scoring 2.0s when the highest GPAs are 4.6. So they'll attend an 8th period class designed to motivate them to score touchdowns in classroom as well as on the field. Football coach Kevin Richberg came up with the idea.

Using $50,000 in federal stimulus funds for early-intervention programs, the district is paying West to teach the class every two weeks for six months, along with his team of celebrity athletes such as Odessa Turner, who won a Super Bowl playing for the New York Giants, and Johnny Davis, another Super Bowl champ with the San Francisco 49ers. They will serve as mentors.

He's getting another $15,000 to speak at Glen Field and Mt. Hebron middle schools.

Question of the day: Anyone out there know how to become a motivational speaker?

We want to see Baristaville's costumed kids (and grown-ups too). Don't forget to capture a picture of your cute, or scary costumed kid and send it to us for a slideshow we will put up after Halloween.

Just email your photos (jpgs please!) to us here and check out Baristaville's kids in our Halloween slideshow next week.

Looks like loads of people have yet to do their pumpkin shopping (or maybe they've kept them away from all this rain!) If you're short on squash and ideas where to get them at the last minute, check out this story on Baristanet.

Trick or treating isn't an official town activity. So last year, when I called the police department to find out times and rules, they pretty much told me to go scratch. Itching for info, I asked parents for their Halloween night input.

So here it is, The Unofficial Guide to Trick or Treating in Baristaville

1. Little kids (age 4 and under) start at 5 p.m.

2. Bigger kids start around 6 p.m.

3. Trick or treating is generally over by 8 p.m.

4. If you're staying home to give out candy, be prepared for snarky teenagers not in costume. Some--of course, not all--will tell you that you're the Bride of Chucky if you don't give them candy. If you don't want to deal, don't answer the door. Or be prepared with a speech.

5. If you run out of candy, put a sign on the door: NO MORE CANDY. Certain streets like Montclair Avenue are heavy-traffic areas for trick-or-treaters. (Though I hear the lady who gives out Scholastic books is done.)

6. If you don't want trick or treaters, put a sign on the door or turn your lights out on the first floor of your house.

7. People who come after 8 p.m. can be scary and bratty--not all, but many.

Have any wise tips to add to this list?

Montclair's resident legend Yogi Berra appeared with fifth-grade students from Hillside and Northeast Schools on Tuesday to film a public-service announcement for the College Board on the importance of writing. The 30-second commercial was filmed at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center and will air during Big East Conference basketball telecasts. Yogi, who has a way of words like few others, has authored a couple of New York Times bestsellers and his granddaughter Lindsay is a senior writer for ESPN magazine.

Who knew parents weren't supposed to park right in front of the school? Like, where those yellow lines are.

Oops.

I've done it, though not this year. Have you? Glen Ridge parent Julie Coe writes this to us:

I would like to express my frustration with the Glen Ridge Police Department. They are now waiting outside Linden School at drop off and pick up ticketing the moms.

We pay extremely high taxes are are not provided any busing to our schools, thus, we have no choice but to drive. There are never enough parking spots close to the school, especially on a rainy day, and most are so full of pot holes that you can not park without a 4-wheel-drive vehicle. If a car is parked, it is rarely for more than five minutes to run the children into school.

I called Glen Ridge Police to get the lowdown on this sitch. Chief John Magnier told me only one ticket had been issued as of Wednesday evening in front of Linden school. "But we've been issuing warnings like we do every year, then we issue a ticket," he said. "Usually, one person gets the summons, and everybody else gets the message."

The main reason for the no parking rule is this: Emergency vehicles cannot get to the school if cars are parked in front of it. "People say they'll only park for a minute, but then they chit chat," Magnier adds. "There are designated areas at each school, usually right in front, where a parent pulls in, stays in the car, drops the kids off and drives away. If we keep a continuous flow, no problem."

Chief Magnier told me his door is always open to people who want to talk tickets. If you make an appointment via email or phone (973) 748-5800, he'll show you his tickets. "I get them, too," he says.

This isn't just an issue in Glen Ridge, of course. Parents everywhere have school-related parking woes. Have you stalled in the naughty zone in front of your kids' school? Do you think you should be able to do it? Sound off below.

Update: They ran out of vaccines on Friday afternoon, October 30. Keep checking back. We'll post more clinics as we find out about them.

Yesterday, we got our H1N1 vaccine via Facebook. Really. And today, you can too. I believe we found one of the first H1N1 clinics in New Jersey--at least one of the first around here.

As I was procrastinating around 4 p.m., my friend from Glen Ridge updated her Facebook status: "Do I drag all 3 kids on my own to a clinic this afternoon for H1N1 vaccines? Nothing sounds like so much fun. Ugh..."

I immediately commented, begging for the address. Once we secured the location my kids, au pair and I were in the car in less than 10 minutes. By 4:30, we were in Florham Park.

Omni-Med in Florham Park received their swine flu vaccines yesterday, and they gave them out till 9 p.m. last night. I called as they were closing, and they still have H1N1 vaccines. You can get a swine flu vaccine today from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bonus: We were in and out in less than 1 hour. It was crowded, but the staff was efficient. Parents were frantic but mostly polite, though one cut the line right in front of me as if I didn't have eyeballs. Kids could feel the anxiety in the flumisty air, and many little ones were crying. Mine were quiet because Barney played on my iPhone and granola bars flowed from my purse. Adults were checked for pre-existing conditions--I had to get out my asthma inhaler with one exception: If someone said she was pregnant, they didn't check.

My next worry is about finding the swine flu booster--all kids under age 10 need the booster four weeks after their first dose. The Omni doc said she hoped they would have supplies for us, but she just didn't know. We now have vaccine cards from the CDC so we can look for it anywhere.

For the address and more info, click to the next page. Please comment below if you hear of more clinics. And keep in mind, the public schools are supposed to offer free vaccines within 2 weeks, stated an email yesterday from the Montclair Health Department....

Continue reading "We Got H1N1 Vaccines from Facebook" »

Congratulations to Bloomfield mom of one, cviejo. She is the winner of 4 tickets to see Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck's CD Release Concert at Trumpets on November 15. Enjoy!

Baristaville loves Halloween. There are events perfect for the tiniest pumpkins to the older kid looking for a scarier adventure. Here are our Halloween highlights:

Scary PJ Storytime
October 28
The Montclair Public Library will tell "not so scary" Halloween tales to your little ones before bedtime.

Discover Bats
October 28
Van Vleck House & Gardens offers a special Halloween edition of Garden Discoveries - Bats of the Sky!

See a Fun Halloween Show
October 29
Unbelieva-Bills presents Jilly and Billy's Unboolieva-Bill Silly Song and Story Show .

Haunted House and Hayride Tour
October 30
Tour a creepy haunted house and take a hayride around Edgemont Park.

Halloween Pumpkin Painting
October 30
Decorate your own pumpkin for Halloween at the West Orange Farmers Market.

Go on a Pumpkin Walk
October 30
Linden Avenue School in Glen Ridge will display lighted jack o'lanterns along a walking path for a spooky walk.

Tour the Gardens Aglow
October 30
Presby Iris Gardens will display your carved jack-o-lanterns throughout the gardens.

Enjoy the Phantom
October 30
Watch the original silent film of The Phantom of the Opera accompanied by the pipe organ at Glen Ridge Congregational Church.

What to do besides trick-or-treating on Halloween? Keep reading...

Continue reading "This Week's Highlights: Baristaville's Halloween Guide" »

Rethink Autism, a group in NYC, sent us this video for helping kids with autism enjoy Halloween. See their video below for tips on how to make the day special instead of scary.

Today's parents cast off Fruit Loops as poison and absolutely, positively do not spank children. They do something else instead: Today's parents yell and scream like they're inbred.

At least, that's the latest according to a recent New York Times article titled: Shouting Is the New Spanking. Maybe that statement is another over-generalization--or maybe not.

"Hi, my name is Janet, and I'm a yeller," says Janet Donofrio, a Montclair mom of two. "I'm not proud of this trait, but at least I'm honest with my kids of how I'm feeling. I always apologize later if I realize it was unwarranted or over the top."

Another friend said, "This article filled me with guilt and made me want to yell." Amy Schulman, a mom of two preschoolers, lives in Jersey City.

Local parenting expert Patty Dow, MA, life coach and parent educator, does agree that local parents are yelling. "It's a knee-jerk way to release anger and stress."

Is screaming and shouting really that bad?

Continue reading "Is Shouting the New Spanking?" »

Still trying to come up with a Halloween Costume? Hillside Elementary School had some killer outfits last Friday night at their annual Boogie Bash. The PTA raised money while entertaining kids with dancing, crafts, food and the haunted hallway.

Congrats to the best dressed winners below, and thanks to Lisa Passmore, Hillside parent and photographer.

After taking care of the kids, cleaning the house, cooking dinner and running all the errands that go with it, it's no wonder that parents may push sex to the bottom of their priorities.

A recent study done at Montclair State University found that the more housework husbands and wives did, the more sex they had. Learn more about the study on Baristanet, but first read what Baristaville parents had to say about the topic here:

"I know housework pisses me off, and the more I do, the more pissed off I get and therefore, the less likely I am to be in a mood for getting romantic. However, since my husband got me a Rhoomba iRobot, I have to admit lots of warm and fuzzy feelings--for the robot--and my DH, too." -- Mom of two.

"Agree! Also, for husbands, there's something sexy about seeing your wife work up a sweat cleaning the house. For wives, I'm told that there's something sexy about seeing husbands work up a sweat mowing the lawn or doing handyman work." -- Dad of two.

Continue reading "Does More Housework = More Sex?" »

If you want to get your kid into Little Chefs, Kinderswim and other cute classes for 5 weeks in November and December, now's the time to register at The Little Y.

Adult members with kid members could register yesterday. Today, everyone else can register--as long as you become a member.

Classes take place from November 9 to December 19. I love the mini sessions because they're cheaper. Swimming with my 2-year-old for five weeks is just $45.

Keep reading to find out how...

Continue reading "Register for The Little Y Classes Today" »

One researcher found that our boys are 5 times more likely to get kicked out of preschool than our girls. Boys are also far more likely to be on ADHD meds and skip college.

What happened? Check out the talk tonight called The Trouble with Boys with top journalist Peg Trye. She's speaking at Montclair High School at 7 p.m. for $15.

To help my son along, Tyre told me to do one thing: Read. Find out what else Peg Tyre said on the main page.

This morning, I needed to do my Ommms. One 4-year-old stuck her foot into her oatmeal while the other gave the dog her breakfast. Meanwhile, the baby wee'd on himself even though I thought he was potty-trained.

Instead of yelling, which I hear is the new spanking (check back tomorrow for our article on this), I went outside to take a breath of crisp fall air instead.

We could all use some yoga. Today at Starseed Yoga, kids ages 4 to 7 are invited to do yoga in their Halloween costumes. Sounds very zen.

Click for details...

Continue reading "Yoga for Kids Today" »

I was amused to see the New York Times article No Einstein in Your Crib? Get a Refund last Saturday. I admit, as a rookie parent back in the earlier part of the decade, I bought the videos halfheartedly thinking I'd be setting my kid on the path to Harvard. I was incredulous, but that iota of Ivy League hope was enough to make me shell out 15 bucks for Baby Mozart, Baby Einstein, Baby Galileo, et al. (I thought a Baby Sartre video would be easy to produce, 30-minutes of a black screen).

Back then, the Mozart effect was en vogue for young parents--alas, that theory has fallen by the wayside.

Being the parent of an infant and toddler isn't easy, and while I didn't go haywire showing the videos, they did give me 30 minutes to collect my wits, talk to my wife or pop a cold one.

According to the Times article: In response, the Baby Einstein Company (Disney) will refund $15.99 for up to four Baby Einstein DVDs per household, bought between June 5, 2004, and Sept. 5, 2009, and returned to the company.

For more info on the offer click on the Baby Einstein Recall.

Here's how all of this happened...

Continue reading "Baby Einstein Recall: It's All Relative" »

What a difference a day makes. The Renaissance Middle School's big 16th-century themed fair and fundraiser, originally scheduled for Saturday, took place instead under resplendently sunny skies yesterday. Thanks to Lisa Rosen for sending pictures.

Thanks to a tipster who sent us this news:

For a Halloween spooktacular, make sure you check out old man Whipple's house on Alexander between Park and Valley. Not for the faint of heart.

Here are more ghostly options:

Tomorrow, a few tours are still available at the Montclair YMCA's Haunted House. Call (973) 415-6102 to reserve a spot, it's $10 for a family of four. We hear it may be too scary for some...

Also, check out St. James' Episcopal Church in Montclair for Halloween crafts, cookies, games and treats. The party starts at 1 p.m this Sunday, Oct. 25. The fun will be on the front lawn (or in bad weather, in the Parish Hall). Ghosts and goblins will be in the basement.

For more haunts this weekend, click to the next page...

Continue reading "Old Man Whipple's Haunted House--Plus More" »

Children's Health magazine just released an 100 Best (and) Worst Places to Raise a Family. According to the magazine's website, they compared 29 quality of life variables in the areas of employment, health, housing, safety, education, and family life to come up with this list.

New Jersey only made two spots on the list: Jersey City ranked 13 and Newark ranked 46. Baristaville did not make the cut.

I was born and raised in Jersey City and I'm shocked that they ranked it 13. I'm sorry JC, but there is no way that out of all the places to raise your children, Jersey City is in the top 15.

So why didn't Baristaville make the cut? Tell us your thoughts.

Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday to remember and honor the lives of friends and family who have died while celebrating that life goes on. It has nothing to do with Halloween, although kids will get into the spirit with the skulls. The celebration happens on the first and second of November and Tinga will be the place to party.

Take the family on Wednesday, October 28 and make your own Sugar Skull, called a calavera. The skulls, like these in the picture from last year's event, will be on display from October 31 - November 14.

To make the celebration even sweeter, everyone who participates will get a free cup of Mexican hot chocolate. Find out all the details after the jump...

Continue reading "Create Your Own Sugar Skull at Tinga" »

It's bad enough that so many Halloween costumes for girls look like they were made for pole dancers, now it's getting hard to find costumes for kids that aren't covered with blood and come with a chainsaw.

Joel Swartzberg, a Montclair dad of three and author of The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad is fed up with the gory costumes marketed to young children. He started a website called, tooscarycostumes.com in the hopes to raise awareness of the nightmare inducing get-ups.

It seems as if schools agree with Joel. My daughter's school sent home a memo about the annual Halloween parade and class parties. On the list of no-no's for costumes were weapons and fake blood. My 5-year-old was upset, because she is going to be a vampire and wanted me to paint blood dripping down the corner of her mouth. I think I've been leaving my Twilight books out too much.

Are parents who feel the need to tone down the scary in Halloween being prudes or is it getting out of hand?

Celebrating the release of their fifth album -- Rockin', Rollin' and Ridin' - Montclair mom Rebecca Frezza and her seven-piece band Big Truck will perform two release shows at Trumpets in Montclair. To add to the fun, Roscoe Orman, aka Gordon from Sesame Street, will be making a special guest appearance. He lends his vocals on the new CD.

Rebecca Frezza has been performing for families for eight years, has five CDs, 14 national awards, and 10 nationally-televised music videos. She makes her music for the "forgotten audience." She says, "Once kids start elementary school, they don't have easy access to age-appropriate music. They're not listening to Raffi any more, but they don't have music that's just for them. So I've tried to write music that speaks to the everyday lives of these kids, but is smart, funny and appealing to parents, too."

Here is a remix of Big Truck on the new CD Rockin' Rollin' and Ridin'. One lucky person will win 4 tickets to Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck's CD release concert at Trumpets on Sunday, November 15. To enter the contest, keep reading...

Continue reading "Giveaway: 4 Tickets to Rebecca Frezza and Big Truck's CD Release Concert" »

Little Kids Rock jammed into Montclair Public schools this year, bringing along instruments and instruction for students who wanna get down. This isn't our grandmothers' music program--instead of Fur Elise, think E. Street Band and Taj Mahal.

Local groups Parents Who Rock and MFEE raised thousands of dollars to pay for the program that will get our kids into music. But now they need teachers. If you're a certified teacher who also knows how to play instrument, email Brian Gellerstein to find out about the training sessions. One volunteer, Alex Locke, a teacher at Mt. Hebron, says "Other workshops are mostly lectures and rhetoric. This was interactive and fun."

LKR founder, David Wish, is from Montclair where his office serves 1,200 schools nationwide. He is passionate about his mission: to bring music to all kids especially when the budgets for the arts are dwindling. His program lets kids--at all income levels--play the instruments. They don't just play, they jam, see the video below.

Eagle Scout--that's sort of like having a PhD. in scouting. It takes a lot of effort and commitment and planning and work.

Joseph Giustina started out as a cub scout when he was just a little guy, and loved it. This fall, he has just completed a major requirement. He prepared and executed a combination Blood Drive, Breast Cancer Awareness exhibit, and Fire Safety exhibit. His Mom, Marg, tells it best.

Continue reading "How to Become an Eagle Scout" »

The ingredients of a Perdue chicken nugget scare me. In addition to chicken, you'll eat sodium phosphates, enriched bleached wheat flour, dextrose, partially hydrogenated
soybean oil and tapioca maltodextrin. Yet, many parents--Kristen fessed up--serve this staple once a week.

To battle the nugget, I want to share a classic yet simple recipe with you, the breaded chicken cutlet. When I was growing up, there were no chicken nuggets, just really juicy breaded chicken that was fried in a pan and maybe finished off in the oven. Oh, and guess what? We all ate it! My mom served it with rice and corn--too starchy. I have updated my side dishes to broccoli and brown rice.

Just say no to the nugget and try these cutlets just once. See my friends--young and old--enjoying chicken below.

Continue reading "Take Back the Kitchen: Nugget Alternative" »

Did you run for student council back in the day? Remember making buttons and posters and handing out candy trying to bribe snag the votes? Or maybe you remember watching--or ignoring--the kids who did all that stuff?

I was one of those kids. In high school, I wanted to be class secretary even more than I wanted my crush, Jason Emly.

Hillside's Benjamin Smullyan is on the campaign trail now--he is in the fifth grade. His dad first told us about his son's presidential aspirations, complete with a website the kid made. You can download his campaign posters directly from the site if you feel inclined. "He believes children should have more of a say in how schools are run," Jacob Smullyan explains. "That's where the idea of the website came in, as a forum for student opinion." Politics make Benjamin tick, and he's into Howard Zinn. (Haven't you read The Zinn Reader: Writings on Disobedience and Democracy?)

Here is a website entry from Benjamin earlier this week:

We don't like pain. Neither do we like boredom. So why do we get textbooks? A malicious combination of those two, they cause permanent damage as they simultaneously bore you and break your back. (I'm not kidding. My backpack can be over fifty pounds; I've fallen down stairs because of it.)

He'll be updating the site more before the election Friday, Oct. 23. Maybe he can lighten students' loads, and make a difference in his school. We hear Hillsiders were wearing Benjamin stickers yesterday, too. He's definitely got spirit.

Elementary school ain't what it used to be, says his dad.

Will you encourage your kid if one day he or she wants to run? Weigh in, or let us know who won, below.

Congratulations to Montclair mom of two, willowmere18. She is the winner of 4 tickets to see Miles Square Theater's production of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse this Saturday. Enjoy!

Halloween is in less than two weeks and the events start this week. Be sure to check our Upcoming Events so you don't miss out on the festivities and stay tuned for our Halloween Round-Up. Here are this week's highlights:

Wear Your PJs
October 21
Put on your coziest PJs and head over to the Glen Ridge Public Library tonight for storytime.

Bust a move
October 23
Go to Hillside School's annual Halloween Boogie Bash.

See a Puppet Show
October 24
Storybook Puppet Theater perform The Princess Dragon at Montclair Library Bellevue Avenue Branch.

Bond With Other Moms
October 26
Attend the Mothering in Awareness series at Starseed Yoga.

Continue reading "This Week's Highlights: October 21 - 27" »

Montclair High School teacher Greg Woodruff has been named the Humanities Teacher of the Year by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH). He'll be flanked with affection tonight at a ceremony at The Montclair Art Museum at 5:30, call (888) 394-6524 for ticket info.

Our own Joyce Li, class of 2002, remembers Mr. Woodruff fondly. She totally believes he deserves distinction:

He was cool because he wore tweed jackets with patches on the elbows, brought in a giant conch shell to teach us about Lord of the Flies (none of us could blow the shell except for him) and as I recall, liked Hello Kitty. On a more serious note, he was a great English teacher because he taught Hemmingway and Huxley and other writers. Sex and death and greed and evil are undeniable parts of literature, but he never tried to sugarcoat or ignore it.

Share memories and congrats for Mr. Woodruff below.

Around these parts, we're all concerned about how our children think. Some of us want the little ones to think their way into Princeton; others just hope our toddlers will think their way to the potty at poopy time.

Laura Lakusta, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Montclair State University, takes childrens' thought processes seriously. Very seriously. But she has fun doing it.

She runs the Lakusta Lab at The Center for Infant and Child Research. Through short studies with infants and older children, she studies cognitive and language development. Like what information infants take in and what preschoolers can remember. Lakusta does this by showing your baby images and toys and recording their responses. Older children play games.

Interested in having your child be part of the study? Lakusta needs children ages 6 months to 4 years. The study usually lasts about 30 minutes, and you are with your child the entire time. We hear it's actually kind of fun, for you and your kids. As a thank you for your participation, your child will receive a gift or a T-shirt. Get all the details after the jump...

Continue reading "Psychologist Needs Your Kids" »

We're moving next week. This will be the 16th time I have moved in my life and it's always stressful. This time is happier though. We bought our first house and are looking forward to having a lot more space and making as much noise as we want.

Kristen, my partner, moved a few months ago and got some great moving tips from Nancy Breslin, interior designer and owner of CohabiTOT. But what about the emotional aspect of moving? How do children handle the transition? I know firsthand that it can be difficult. I'm not sleeping, I'm forgetful and, I'll admit it, I'm cranky. Local mom and therapist, Ginny Laracy, gave me some great advice on helping children through the moving process...

Continue reading "Helping Kids With the Stress of Moving" »

Gas Lamp Players have started rehearsals at Ridgewood Avenue School for this year's musical, Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Over 50 people will perform, including several teens and children from Nutley, Montclair, Glen Ridge and the surrounding area. See Carey Gsell AKA Lumiere and Catherine Blauch AKA Babette, at left. They're both from Glen Ridge

The cost of taking your pumpkins to this live performance? $15 for adults, $8 for students
The cost of seeing a Disney show in Manhattan? $68.50 to start.

Plus, the parking's better in Glen Ridge. Hurry, says director Jessica Sporn. Tickets sell out every year.

The Gas Lamp Players, a non-profit community theater group, will also hold their annual Fall Festival next weekend. It was canceled in last weekend's ugly weather.

For details on show times and tickets plus the Fall Festival, click to the next page.

Continue reading "Beauty & the Beast Tickets Will Go Fast" »

Does a 2-year-old need her own domain name? Duh! Perhaps that brilliant Baristaville kid will want to move up on the 1-year waiting list at Over the Rainbow Nursery School. Building her own personalized web site with an email addy to go with it just might help.

I'm kidding. Kind of.

I just bought my kids' their own domain names. It's my $10-per-kid-per-year gift to them. They are not bouncing up and down to thank me yet. But maybe when they're like 5, their web addresses will matter to them. I hear kids start building websites and applying to medical school around then.

I didn't reserve my kids' domain names to be pretentious. I did it because I'm a tech geek, and that might be genetic.

Would you reserve your kids' domain name?

Photo by Mosieur J.

Twin moms get stopped more than regular moms. I know this because when I go out with my singleton, no one pays us any mind. With the twins, strangers stop to flap their jaws whether the girls are sleeping in their stroller or running in the street pulling each others' nose hairs out.

If someone stops to say, "Oh, they're so cute," I'm down with that. But most of the time, people make inappropriate conversation, like asking me how I got my twins. Do they really want to hear about that drunken night on the 27th floor in Chelsea? I hardly even remember it.

My twin mom friends agree with me. We get asked everything from how old we are to how much help we can afford. Here are the three most common insults inquiries:

Did you have your twins naturally?
Do twins run in your family?
Boy, am I glad I'm not you!

We had this discussion recently in my favorite parent group, Montclair Parents of Multiples. Here are some of our replies when people get all up in our business...

Continue reading "How Did You Get Your Twins?" »

MHS has been helping young writers for a long time. Now the English Department and the volunteer Writers Room have banded together to make the program even more fun and serious. They've created The Writing Center thanks to a grant from the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellent (MFEE) and Montclair Schools Rock.

They're inviting the community to an open house Tuesday night at the high school. Go meet the teens, teachers and see what's going on. And read what's going on--students' best stuff will be on display. See teens working at the Writing Center, left.

It's a cool program. I might be hosting a chick lit book group soon, fingers crossed. I need a cool name for it if you have any suggestions. We're going to read stuff like Very LeFreak and The Dead Girls' Dance. And BTW, tomorrow is NCTE National Day on Writing. (Don't we all write every day? I say texts count.)

Click for the details...

Continue reading "Montclair High School Opens Writing Center" »

Reading is fun. You know that because all librarians in the 1980s gave us bookmarks telling us so. We also know because The Little Read got us all stacked up about it recently. After the event, I'm reading to my kids twice as much as I did before.

Whether it's fun or hard work--like I just can't sludge through Lego Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary--reading is crucial to childhood literary development. By literary, I mean improving skills such as language, writing, comprehensive and getting into Harvard. Though Harvard is far less appealing since they cost cut their waffle buffet.

I recently asked local moms, including my own, why reading was important. Margot Sage-EL from Watchung Book Sellers chimed in, too...

Continue reading "How Much Do You Read to Those Kids?" »

I do have local news this Monday morning, but I want to share a few national parenting and kid stories, especially since one user slammed me on my piece last Friday. Here's a round up of what might be on your mind, too:

1. Balloon boy was a hoax, as widely speculated and reported Friday. The father's lawyer was on the Today Show saying the parents would turn themselves in to avoid a heavily publicized perp walk. Expect felony charges for the father Richard Heene, his wife and possibly other conspirators, too. Their stunt shut down Denver International Airport and The National Guard provided two helicopters to find the "missing" boy, Falcon Heene. Rumors are that Heene was planning a media stunt to promote a proposed reality show about a mad scientist who carries scientific experiments. Barf. Twice.

2. I'm anxiously awaiting the premiere of the The Princess & the Frog, even if it is another Disney princess flick that's going to cost me money in T-shirts, stuffed dolls and dress up clothes (out in November). I thought it would be my 4-year-olds' (they're 4!) first movie. But now I'm considering taking them to see Where the Wild Things Are. It topped the box office, and I hear kids ages 4 through 12 were mesmerized. Did you--or will you--take your Wild Thing?

3. I'm still swine-flu obsessed. Click below to see 60 Minutes fascinating report on it last night. I must find that darn shot for my non-public school kids. I was hospitalized for bi-lateral pneumonia--post-flu--as a healthy 28-year-old woman with mild asthma. Almost dying--and suffering--from something preventable? Maybe I'll try that next year. But this year, I'd like to have the vaccines please. I just called The Montclair Health Department, and they're still waiting for their vaccines to arrive from the state. They told me they'll call me, and they said I need to keep checking their website.

4. The last of my worries is Michael Chabon week at The New York Times. He's in or has written about 500 stories in the paper in the last week. He is a father, looker, writer extraordinaire whose wife is Ayalet Waldman, author of Bad Mother, click on her name to see our profile with her. Sure, I'm jealous. They have four kids, best selling books, and Michael wants to hold his kid's bar mitzvah in a silver helium balloon over San Francisco Bay. If he wasn't kidding, he could certainly afford to...

Today is Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. It's a joyous celebration filled with the lighting of lamps, food, friends and fireworks. This picture, of last year's celebration, was sent in by a Montclair family. How cute are those kids?

For details on local Diwali celebrations, check out Baristanet's story here.

To all of our readers celebrating today - Happy Diwali!

Attention all local high school girls: You wanna play some football?

The class of '10 invites all high school girls to play a friendly game of touch football. The game is a fundraiser for Glen Ridge High School's Project Graduation 2010.

Here's the best part: While the girls battle on the field, the boys will cheer on the sidelines. Refreshments and T-shirts will be available.

For more details, check the jump... And below, see the hilarious high school football scene from Glee. Did anyone catch this?

Continue reading "Girls Play Football on Sunday" »

I ran into these three Boy Scouts last Saturday--Joe, Arthur and Gabe--from Troop 12.

They had popped bags of popcorn and were selling them for $2 a piece. They're raising money for their troop and their trips.

Help a Boy Scout out. Troop 12 will be selling their popcorn again tomorrow at the Farmer's Market in Montclair.

UPDATE: Octoberfest is canceled this year due to this crappy weather.

I've been to a lot of Octoberfests. But I don't remember most of them. There is a clean and sober version tomorrow at Applegate Farms, see photos below.

Last year, we painted pumpkins, tortured pet tiny chicks and drank cider. It was one kick-behind party. I remember it fondly.

Click to the next page for details.

Continue reading "A Clean & Sober Octoberfest" »

This bizarre balloon boy hoax still has the attention of the world. Is this a hoot? Or hokey?

As you know, an experimental weather balloon took off, and a boy said his brother was on it. I didn't want to watch this at dinner time--I wanted to hear the latest on suicide bombings and Anna Nicole Smiths' baby daddy--but all I saw was that stupid spacey silver bubble. We found out that the boy was safely inside his house, and his brother had made it all up. A publicity stunt? Who cares.

My girls--age 4 tomorrow--tell fibs, but if they did something like that, they'd get an out-of-this-world time out plus a trip to a child psychologist. One of my daughters won't wear socks or panties. She takes them off when her teacher or I aren't looking, hides them Lawd knows where, and then tells you she has them on. I stopped fighting her on it. She'll stop soon enough when her toes freeze off and her fanny turns blue. Maybe the weather this weekend will teach her.

What's the worst or funniest fib your kid has told? What do you think about the balloon boy lies? Do you give a breath of hot air?

Jane Marcus is at it again. She is the creator and organizer of Hillside School's Free Community-Wide Swap. The 9th swap will take place on Saturday, October 17.

Friday, October 16, is the day to drop off your donations and Saturday is the day to shop. If you have a bunch of toys to get rid of, save the date for the Great West Essex Toy Swap coming in December.

Here is the deal:

Continue reading "9th Free Community-Wide Swap This Weekend" »

Daniel Kirk, a father of three from Glen Ridge, is the author and illustrator of almost 30 children's books. One of his best-known books is Library Mouse, about a cute, book-loving mouse named Sam.

Writing an illustrating is not all Kirk does. He's also a musician and has started a Song of the Month Club, where you and your kids can download a free song on the 15th of every month.

This month's song has a Halloween theme--Count Quakula, Vampire Duck. Download the song here and have your kids enter to win an autographed copy of his book, Skateboard Monsters.

Today I would like to talk about the merits of food on a stick. My kids will eat a lot more stuff when it's served like a lollipop. I thank the folks at Whole Foods who finally got one my kids to eat cheese by offering him samples on a toothpick.

Will your little ones eat Thai Chicken Satay? They might on a stick! Serve these with ketchup or anything else. For a more sophisticated palate, I have a variation of the following marinade along with a spicy peanut sauce. If your children have a peanut allergy, like Georgette's, substitute with Sunbutter.

Let me know what you think! Is there anything you love on a stick?

Continue reading "Take Back the Kitchen: Serve It On a Stick" »

Today is Global Handwashing Day, and it couldn't come at a better time. The fear of getting swine flu is upon us while the chance of actually getting the vaccine seems like a shot in the dark.

Washing your hands is the best way to prevent diseases. It would be nice if handwashing also prevented lice--we hear it had debuted in a few local classrooms already.

Anyway, Elmo and Montclair's own, Roscoe Orman, better known as Gordon from Sesame Street tell us how to stay healthy, below. Do you wash your hands ad nauseum? Do you think it helps?

Lots to do in Baristaville this week. Be sure to check our calendar often so you don't miss out on all the fun. Here are this week's highlights:

Learn Some French
October 15
The Language Workshop for Children offers French culture time for little ones.

Cool Hangout
October 16
Side Door is a program for teens to play sports, board games, watch movies or just chill.

Have Fun at Octoberfest
October 17
Applegate Farm's annual Octoberfest celebration.

Continue reading "This Week's Highlights: October 14 - 20" »

Kevin Henkes' Mouse Books are some of my favorite children's books. Lilly is my favorite of all the mice. She has a huge personality and is very fashionable--she wears red cowboy boots and carries a purple plastic purse.

Hoboken's Miles Square Theatre will be performing their production of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse from October 23 through November 8.

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse is directed by Mile Square Theatre's Artistic Director Chris O'Connor who, as an actor, was part of the early development of this play at the Seattle Children's Theatre. This production will also feature the work of Puppet Heap, a puppet design company who lists among its clients Walt Disney Co, Jim Henson Puppets, and the Sesame Workshop.

Barista Kids is excited to announce this giveaway: One lucky person will win a 4-pack of tickets to a Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse performance on Saturday, October 24.

To enter the contest, keep reading..

Continue reading "Giveaway: Four Tickets to See Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse" »

"People are very resistant to vaccines, especially the flu vaccine," Elizabeth Baorto, M.D., director of pediatric infectious diseases at Goryeb Children's Hospital at Morristown Memorial told me recently. "It completely blows my mind."

The CDC, The Montclair Board of Health and all the docs on TV are recommending both flu vaccines--regular and H1N1. That is, if you can even find the shots--check out my recent article called Good Luck Getting the Swine Flu Vax.

So why do so many of us resist getting it? At one of our local hospitals, 50 percent of the employees didn't want to get their required flu vaccines. Dr. Baorto says we resist because "we fear it, we don't like it, and it hurts."

Then she adds a doozy: "The whole resistance to vaccine and vaccination is really because Americans are scientifically illiterate." She defends her statement by saying we don't take enough science classes in high school and college, so we can't analyze data.

In an effort to present both sides, here are the reasons Baorto says to run, don't walk, to get your vaccines. I've also included local moms opinions' on the issue....

Continue reading "Swine Flu Vax: Doc vs. Moms" »

I love our au pair Anna from Sweden, see left. She's gentle, proper and can do math. Christin from Germany was as fun as the Disney characters she adored. Before that, we had Sandra the tattooed Swede who looked tough on the outside but was all teddy bear inside.

Having an au pair is definitely for me. In au pair lingo, I'm a Host Mom.

Host mom Nancy Felix knows even more than me. Her book, Oh My, Au Pair! A Complete Guide to Hiring and Hosting an Au Pair comes out in November. See a story we did on Nancy last spring here.

Nancy is throwing an open house this Thursday with Nikki Rene, a director from the agency AuPairCare. Everyone reading this post is invited. There, you'll find out how much it costs (about $360 per week), how many hours au pairs are allowed to work (45 max) and many other facts. Click to the jump for more details...

Continue reading "Is an Au Pair for You?" »

Annabelle and Estelle turn 4 on Saturday, and I'm celebrating mostly because the party is at The Little Gym. Like their brochure says, All I have to do is show up.

But that's not really all I have to do.

I have to show up with party favors. Adding this job to my to-do list this week has me cussing like a girl from Kentucky. Do children really need party favors in exchange for free fun, games, food and cupcakes (from Flour Patch, no less, not Pathmark)? This isn't the Oscars, and these kids aren't movie stars.

But I wouldn't dare not offer party favors. I've taken a Xanax and decided to comply with this unwritten social rule. At least I found some fun, local party favors to consider...

Continue reading "Birthday Party Favors? Really?" »

From an email sent to parents...

As the Montclair Public Schools administration has previously informed the community, allegations of inappropriate conduct towards a school employee were filed against Principal Marcus Rhaney, and he was immediately suspended from his position. The district conducted a complete and thorough investigation that included interviews with various staff and with Mr. Rhaney. After a review of the evidence presented by all parties involved, Mr. Rhaney has decided to resign from his employment with the Montclair Public Schools and will not return to work in the district. Based on the conclusions from the investigation, the Board of Education accepted his resignation at the October 5, 2009 meeting.

This is Sofia. Her dad won the Dan Zanes tickets in our giveaway. Her mom sent this in and said the family had a great time. We can tell, see left!

Did your family see Dan Zanes and Friends this weekend? Tell us about it in comments.

Recently, the parents from the Developmental Learning Center (DLC) in Montclair hosted a family garage sale and raised $300 for the school. The school serves children with autism and special needs. With the money, they're going to send teachers to a workshop and schedule fun activities for the children.

Here's what one mom, Diana Villanueva, writes about this school that she loves: "My son, Sam, is diagnosed with autism and attends the Montclair Developmental Learning Center which is located on the upper floors of the Montclair Community Pre-K building. The DLC was first opened at the Pre-K in 2001. The children classified with special needs are ages 3 to 5 and get help with everything from speech and language to occupational therapy. Each parent and child is assigned a case worker to provide guidance and assistance based on an Individualized Educational Plan."

Future fundraisers are in the works. See Diana's son Sam at left with his teacher, Trish Asaro.

Have a teacher or class you love? Send us a .jpg.

Hillside Elementary School had another successful Waste Free Lunch Day last week, see student A'Janea Dunson at left. Check out our recent stories on Waste Free Lunch to find out more.

Do you go green for your family's lunch time? Reusable containers or plastic baggies?

My friend Alison Bermack, founder of Cooking with Friends, loves her Vitamix so much that she's offering it on her website. It's an expensive ($360) kitchen dream machine. Home chefs, like Alison, save for years to get one. Cooking with Friends now offers a handful of their favorite gizmos at the lowest prices around. See the video from Alison below. Maybe she'll let me stop by her house and play with it.

In the meantime, if you're a Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart, Ina Garten-obsessed home chef, Cooking with Friends will help you meet local like-minded women. And of course, no food story would be complete without mentioning the wonderful Alma Schneider of Take Back the Kitchen and another local foodie mommy, Bernadette Baum, who writes Diva Indoors--and takes serious photos that make me and my Nikon jealous.

It's so easy and it will be so much fun: Just bring a carved pumpkin (or blue hubbard squash, or big yellow bumpy gourd) to the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens on Saturday, October 17, from 4 to 7 pm. We'll provide the candles. There will be cider and music while we line the reblooming iris bed with your wonderful Jack-O-Lanterns. Then as the sun goes down and the sky turns dark, watch the garden glow!

This is a really fun and charming event for everyone to enjoy--(no unaccompanied children, of course.) This event is free and all are invited! Did you forget how to carve a pumpkin? Check out this highly instructional slide show for ideas:

Continue reading "Garden Aglow On October 17 At Presby" »

I started a love affair with Anthropologie after I had my twins. Their baggy dresses covered my new odd spots. Their sale closet made me weepy. But now it's over. I am breaking up with them.

Maybe my mood swing has something to do with last night's opening party. I was not invited.

I stopped by on Tuesday when workers--people acting all in charge--were opening the store to tidy it up. I swarmed in along with a reporter from The Montclair Times and Mayor Jerry Fried. I wrote down all of my information and told a small, well dressed employee that I was with the press. Hey, Barista Kids is press. I should've told them I still write for Cosmopolitan, but I didn't because I don't.

As I walked away, I realized my black T-shirt--the one I wear to go to Pathmark--said clearly across the front: Banana Republic. I did not receive an invitation. But still, my heart remains broken and my ego is stripped. But not too broken, I absolutely love the store Cisco across the street--and the owner has amazing sales on high end clothes. So that's where I will go later today.

No more Big A for me. Well, maybe sometimes. But just to the sale closet.

Do other moms love Anthropologie?

Did you remember that Monday is Columbus Day? Yep, that means our kiddos are out of school. (Deep breath.)

Luckily, there's still room in the YMCA Live Y'ers camps, but you need to call like five minutes ago. The cost is $42 per day for members.

There are also about 50 million things going on from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid party in Clifton to the NYC parade. For info on the YMCA camps and other activities, click to the next page...

Continue reading "No School for Kids on Columbus Day" »

Halloween costumes can be expensive. Tracy Reilly, a Montclair mom of two, came up with the idea of a costume exchange and has organized a fun event at Panera this Saturday.

All you have to do is bring your kid's costumes from past Halloweens. Then you get to trade them with other costumes to dress up your kids this year. With all the Halloween events they attend, you may want to get a few. Who wouldn't want to trade for the adorable pink octopus costume at left?

Halloween Costume Exchange
Who: Anyone with costumes to trade.
What: A swap for costumes. Bring in your kid's costumes from years past and trade for new (well, new to you) costumes.
Where: Panera Bread Company, 15 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, 07042.
When: Saturday, October 10 from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Cost: Free. For more information, email Tracy here.

Back in August, we told you about a Montclair dad, Greg Gutbezahl, who wanted to organize a local toy swap. He said if he got enough interest and could find a place to hold it, he would make it happen. Well, make it happen he did.

The toy swap, now officially called The Great West Essex Toy Swap, will be held at Temple Sholom of West Essex in Cedar Grove on December 13. You can drop off your unwanted toys on Saturday, December 12.

As the event gets closer, Greg will provide us with all the details. In addition to the free toy swap, a bake sale, music and more are in the works.

Hi everyone! Have you noticed that Kale recipes are everywhere? Baked Kale Chips are the Susan Boyle of dishes these days: You'd never expect such a great, feel good experience from something so seemingly average. Much like Susan Boyle, kale deserves all the attention and praise it has been receiving recently.

Kale has tons of calcium and can be prepared in a quick and easy way with a surprisingly delicious and crunchy end result once you've put it in the oven. Kale leaves, when baked, become really crunchy, much like a potato chip if you can stretch the imagination a bit.

Serve them before dinner, while you are finishing cooking. This way, when left on the counter, hungry kids can get their fill and not even know that they just downed their dinner time vegetables. For us, this means less stress and discussion of forced vegetable eating during dinner which leaves more room for meaningful conversation at mealtime. Wouldn''t that be nice?

Continue reading "Take Back the Kitchen: Losing the Junk Food, Without Losing Your Mind" »

Dream of starting a blog? What about a jewelry or clothing business? Some moms have ideas about tech or web design, public relations or marketing. But we don't know how to go from dream to reality--while turning a profit.

Idea Shoppe Marketing, founded by local mom Marlene Lewis, wants to help you. Just ask for advice from Marlene, a momtrepreneur who started her business while taking care of her kids.

One winner will get help with bringing an idea to life--from the marketing plan, logo, brand identity and beyond. Marlene from Idea Shoppe will spend one-on-one time working with you.

To enter the contest, keep reading..

Continue reading "Giveaway: Help to Start Your Business" »

My 5-year-old lost her first tooth over the weekend. It had been loose for two months and we all were super excited when it finally fell out.

When I was a kid, the Tooth Fairy left me a bright shiny quarter for each tooth I left under my pillow, but I hear that kids these days are getting $5 a tooth. That seems like a lot to me. They have 20 teeth to lose and at $5 a pop, we're talking $100. Parents aren't making it easier for those of us who think $5 is too much. Kids talk and my daughter knows that what the Tooth Fairy is leaving her friends.

Despite the pressure to leave more, the Tooth Fairy left my daughter a dollar and a note thanking her for the tooth. My DH and I decided since it was the first lost tooth, we would buy her a gift, so she got a new electric Wall-E toothbrush.

What does the Tooth Fairy leave at your house?

Baristaville is jam-packed with family events this week. Check our Upcoming Events calendar to see all the happenings. Here are this week's highlights:

Make a Craft
October 7
Head over to the Montclair Public Library after school to create a fun craft.

Attend a Concert
October 10
See Dan Zanes and Friends at NJPAC.

See a Dance Performance
October 11
The Little Goddess Dance Troupe will perform their Fall Inspirations dance.

Hear a Story
October 13
Miss Elaine at Watchung Booksellers will read and sing to your toddlers.

Continue reading "This Week's Highlights: October 7 - 17" »

Today is International Walk to School Day. Below are some pictures from Hillside School's Walk to School event. Kristen says kids were everywhere this morning near the school.

Honestly, 1.5 miles crossing Claremont and Bloomfield is too far for my kids me. So I took the photo at left from the driver's seat of my emissions-spewing car in front of Nishuane. Maybe I'll walk one of these days.

When I got my flu shot from the popular Dr. Edward Krupp on Park Street yesterday, he told me he probably won't be getting swine flu vaccines, and he wasn't thrilled.

Apparently, docs who wanted the H1N1 vaccine had to register for it during a brief window in August. At that time, many were still learning about this vaccine, and they were undecided. Now, nearly every health care provider is recommending the shot or mist, but many can't get their Purelled hands on it. Call your doctor to find out if he got lucky.

Either way, you may not be eligible...

Continue reading "Good Luck Getting the Swine Flu Vax" »

It gets harder and harder keeping a home clean with two children. Juggling work (this blog), taking care of two children, cooking and cleaning is tough. I'm a bit of a neat freak and don't like clutter, so I try to have a place for everything and clean as I go throughout the day. It's the only way to keep everything under control.

One of the best tips I have, is to get the kids involved. If I want to entertain them, get 20 minutes of peace and quiet to myself and get the house clean, I just pull out the Dustbuster and Swiffer.

My 5-year-old loves the Dustbuster and will go all around the apartment as if on a mission to find cheerios, dust bunnies and bits of Play-doh tucked into the corners of the room. The 2-year-old thinks the Swiffer is the best toy ever. I put a duster sheet on and let her go to work. They play, I get time alone and the place looks cleaner - perfect. Now if I could only get them to put away their toys.

I'd love to hear your best cleaning tips. What works for you?

Go over to We Are THAT Family for more terrific WFMW tips this week. Works For Me Wednesdays is a blog carnival. Basically, the idea is that on Wednesday you post a little tip you've learned on a themed or other topic--anything that has "worked for you" in making your life easier.

Congratulations to, Montclair dad of two, markmalaspina! He won 4-tickets to see Dan Zanes and Friends perform at NJPAC this Saturday. Hope they play his favorite-- All Around the Kitchen.

Congratulations also to Montclair dad of two, Elvin, and Montclair mom of one, pamzilla. They each won The Fine Friends Are Here DVD.

Today was odd.

First, my child pooped his pants at nursery school without a diaper on. Then, I walked my empty triple Stroller to Pathmark where every single person was talking on a cell phone. On the way back, I tried to sweet-talk my way into Anthropologie's opening night party on Thursday then realized my T-shirt said Banana Republic (duh). At least I had a lovely walk with the mayor afterward.

Then I got my flu shot at Dr. Edward Krupp's office.

So here's another oddity for your enjoyment. This popular YouTube video sums up this--and many--days. Don't worry, it's short.

The Glen Ridge Girls' Club had their first ever Freshman Reception Bagel Breakfast three Sundays ago. Thirty-five Girls' Club members in the ninth grade, see left, met the officers and representatives to learn more about the organization's purpose, which is to promote community service and social interaction.

Now those new members are busy planning the Fourth Annual maniCURE Night on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Women's Club. They will paint younger girls nails pink to raise money for breast cancer research. There will also be cupcake decorating, crafts and gift baskets up for raffle. All proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

For more information, email Girls' Club president Christina Sliwak.

Tomorrow is International Walk to School Day.

Though if your kid goes to Bradford in Montclair, you might want to stay in the car. We hear that intersection is like human frogger.

In Montclair, it's also Crossing Guard Appreciation Day.

I'm all about appreciating the cool crossing guards, especially the one on Chestnut Street who tells me I look pretty, But Walk to School Day? Really?

According to the press release, International Walk to School Day hopes to promote physical activity, safe walking skills, awareness of how walkable a community is, traffic reduction and taking back our neighborhoods.

The only part of the neighborhood I'd like to take back is at Plymouth Street just past Orange Road where we trip over a roller coaster of blue stone sidewalk while getting smacked in the head by overgrown bushes.

We walk to school every day, and I did when I was a kid, too. I do it because I love the great outdoors and fresh air almost as much as I love my Land Rover. I also do it because I happen to live close. Many people in our magnet system really can't walk, like my neighbor whose kids go to Northeast.

Anyway, tomorrow, we will walk to school, and we'll definitely high five the crossing guards.

Do you walk to school? Why or why not?

Estelle: "Daddy, we need to buy Cinderella outfit. I want to buy it all by myself."
Daddy: "Do you have money?"
Estelle: "No. But you have money. You have to buy Cinderella."

With our frightfully packed Halloween schedule, the pressure is on to make those kids look super good. By pressure, I mean the kind that I create myself. For the past two years, the twin girls and boy were punk rockers, dressed as a mini Sid Vicious with two Nancy Spungens.

R.I.P. my cuddly Sid & Nancies. My Children of the Corn nixed that easy, cheap idea this year.

At Party Fair in Verona, I showed them Michael Jackson jackets and fedoras, but the girls decided to be original. They picked out Tinkerbell and Cinderella costumes for $24.99 a piece. I didn't think about it at the time, but Tinkerbell could be considered sexy--or just sickeningly cute. My husband suggested that we check out the Disney Store at Willowbrook Mall...

Continue reading "How Much Do You Spend on Halloween Costumes?" »

Apparently, I'm not the only one who bit the apple over Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She goes on sale tomorrow for a limited time. A sales woman at the Willowbrook Mall Disney Store says over 300 copies have been reserved, and they expect to run out of the rest quickly. SW will be available on DVD and also the Blu-ray Diamond Edition $24.99

Of course, those of us who bought her on VHS and then again on DVD will buy her another time on Blu-ray. And instead of raping the most loyal customers for every last Visa swipe, Disney is giving us a $10 Snow White coupon.

All you have to do is go to the Disney site and punch in the UPC code from your old version--VHS or DVD. Then you print out a coupon and run to Willowbrook Mall at 10 a.m. Or you can try Blockbuster at the same time--but the sales guy at Cedar Grove says he only has two copies on Blu-Ray and expects to sell them tomorrow.

I should not be buying cartoons at 10 a.m. tomorrow since I, like, work. But I probably will.

Here's a game for Barista Kids of all ages. Watch the photos in the slide show by yourself or with your children. Would you see that image if you were looking up or looking down? Frances Pelzman Liscio took these images Saturday while walking around Church Street, Walnut Street, the Avis Campbell Gardens and the library in Montclair.

Today is the last day of the Little Read, see photos below. Georgette will read at the main branch at 12:30 p.m. See the schedule here. Organizers tell me the Little Read was a great success with more than 150 people showing up for Steven Colbert's reading Friday morning and a packed house for pajama night on Friday. I read Duck Soup yesterday to a wiggly, wonderful little crowd.

Aunt Jean's Toys & Treats will be busy today for their annual Block Party. She's got an amazing roster of fun over on N. Willow Street from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You still have time to enter our giveaway to win 4 tickets to see Dan Zanes and Friends at NJPAC or their new DVD The Fine Friends Are Here. Contest ends at midnight. Enter here and good luck!

Autumn has arrived and it's time to go pumpkin picking. Going on a hayride, playing in a corn maze and finding the perfect pumpkin in the patch is a must every year. Here is a list of great pick-your-own farms that offer much more than just pumpkins. You'll find corn mazes, hayrides, delicious food and more.

Keep reading for the full scoop...

Continue reading "Pumpkin Picking" »

For some unknown reason, my daughters kept waking me up last night. They are 5- and 2-years-old--I thought I was past this point. Anyway, I'm tired and cranky today and I can't enough coffee to keep me going. I just found out about a cool freebie to help.

Starbucks is introducing Via Ready Brew, an instant coffee and they're giving it away free starting today through Monday, October 5. All you have to do is take a taste challenge between the new instant coffee and Pikes Place Roast. The reward for participating is a coupon for one free Tall (12 oz) coffee and one $1 off coupon valid towards one VIA Ready Brew purchase.

I may need to go to all three Montclair Starbucks today.

Starbucks Coffee
40 S. Park Street

572 Valley Road

701 Bloomfield Avenue

Photo by lululemon

Here's what a local mom did in one weekend...

Jill Hamburg Coplan took her family to visit a Sioux Indian reservation last summer. See our story about how she and her boys drove a U-Haul to deliver used baseball equipment in South Dakota. When the Sioux Boys and Girls' Club called Jill last week with a desperate need for warm school clothes, she started a mini-clothes drive.

Over the weekend, Jill emailed everyone in her contact list and by Monday, she shipped out 11 boxes at her own cost. "I had just cleaned out my kids' closets," she says, "and I figured half the people I know probably did, too." Piles and piles of bags started appearing on her front door step immediately, she adds.

When she told me the story, I was inspired. I've been looking for volunteer activities for me and my kids. Email me if you know of some! And kudos to Jill and her family.

Hi everyone and happy Thursday! Today, I would like to share a recipe that just may solve the short order cook problem: good, hearty meatloaf that, hopefully, everyone in the family can enjoy. Isn't our goal to not have to make five different dishes to please everyone?

Many of us had meatloaf as kids. It's an old staple that was so prevalent because it stretched meat, which was pretty expensive back in the day. Despite its unappealing image, meatloaf, when made properly, can be a tasty and nutritious comfort food. Three out of my four kids LOVE this recipe I created, and that percentage is a rarity for our household.

The beauty of this dish is not just it's delicious flavor, but it's versatility. It can be made with beef or turkey, a dinner entree, a sandwich for a school lunch or even eaten for breakfast (there's a video on my blog of my three and five year old eating it at 7AM, if you don't believe me check it out here.

I call this dish my Fonzie Meatloaf since I feel very retro when I make it. By the way, did you know that Henry Winkler, AKA The Fonze, has dyslexia and writes a series of children's books about a boy with dyslexia? I love him.

Continue reading "Take Back the Kitchen: Losing the Junk Food, Without Losing Your Mind" »

Every year, it gets harder and harder to find a costume for my oldest daughter that won't get her picked up by the cops as a street walker. Once girls are out of the toddler-size costumes, it all goes downhill. The costumes for preschool girls and older have names like: Pirate Cutie, Lacy Witch and Cop Child, which is a police officer uniform rigged into a mini-skirt.

It's no wonder that there are such things as Slut Lists in high school, or that some think it's a good thing to actually be on one. If we're putting our daughters in costumes that are sexy and provocative starting in preschool, then we shouldn't be alarmed when they want to wear the Bad Sport costume in high school.

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Montclair Baseball Club's travel team tryouts start this weekend. So while some parents may balk at the cost of kids' sports and activities, these teams are more popular than ever. The MBC boys--and a few girls--do winter training and play a spring/summer season. Many of the players end up on the junior and varsity teams at the high school.

This team is especially loved by its members, and MBC offers scholarships to anyone who needs one. The U12 team travels to Cooperstown every year to play in a tournament, see them earlier this year at left. Parents and kids do a big fundraiser to pay for the trip.

Tryouts are Sunday, October 4; Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18. (Rain date is Sunday, October 25.) Kids must attend two of three tryouts.

Want to go? Find out where each age group meets--and how much it costs--at the jump...

Continue reading "Montclair Baseball Tryouts This Weekend" »