Last week, before the overindulgence of the Christmas holiday began, I was determined to introduce my children to the concept of gratitude. Maybe it was a crazy idea from the start, since they are barely three-years-old, but I wanted them to at least get an idea of what it meant to be thankful. To understand that unlike them, there are people in the world who don't have everything they could possibly want, let alone need. First stop was to bring our free turkey from ShopRite to the collection at St. Aloysius. The girls balked a little at the idea of giving away our turkey, even after I told …

It's the middle of November, which means it's time to start obsessing over Christmas cards.  Gone are the days of going to the Hallmark store and buying a couple of boxes of "Seasons Greetings." It's all about the holiday photo card now. Whether it's the perfect picture of your kids surrounded by lights or your dogs with red velvet bows around their necks, the generic card with a sparkly snowman on the front just won't do.  The most difficult part is always getting the perfect picture, especially when you're trying to capture small children. My kids were only two-months-old on their first …

My kids go absolutely insane if they don't get out of the house every day. One of my daughters consistently asks to go to Target, but a daily trip there would soon bankrupt us. Mall play areas are free, but little germ factories. Grocery shopping isn't fun for anyone. When we need something that's fun and free, we head outside. I am not an outdoorsy person, unless it involves lounging by a pool or sitting on the beach. I don't even own a pair of sneakers. But having children forces you to not only be outdoors, but actually dread the days you're stuck inside. If the weather is anywhere between…

Some of my best memories growing up in the Caldwells are of Halloween. Trick-or-treating for hours, traipsing through the Cedars in the cold with our giant pillowcases filled with loot, and then coming home to drink hot chocolate and trade candy. But aside from the Halloween parade at school, trick-or-treating was the extent of our Halloween activities. Times have definitely changed. Halloween has become not a day, but a season.  As someone who stays at home with her kids and is responsible for keeping them occupied every single waking moment, except for the six glorious hours they attend pre…

I should start by saying I took my two 3-year-old girls to the grand opening of the new Stop & Shop in West Caldwell, so clearly, I am not in my right mind. It was completely mobbed. I spent the entire trip shouting, "This is insane!" to anyone who happened to glance my way.  While it was crazy, there was so much my girls loved–the balloon animals, the face painting, the samples of Halloween cookies. All of which they will continue to ask for every time we go, and undoubtedly won't be there.   I've been excited for months about the new store and had built it up to my kids how wonderful it was…