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Host a Kid-Friendly Kentucky Derby Party
I have long had a deep and unexplained connection to the Kentucky Derby, culminating in actually getting to attend “Derby” in 1983. Horse racing is a grand and beautiful tradition which caps each year...
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June is the New December: 10 Ways to Calm End-of-School-Year Frenzy
As a parent, I’ve always found the end of the school year to be a mixed bag. It can be an exciting time to look forward to summer plans and the relaxation, fun and family time they portend. It can...
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Happy Summer! Easy Summer Solstice Cupcakes
Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and the beginning of the summer season, is upon us June 21 this year, at 05:04 Universal Time, or 1:04 am on the U.S.’ east coast, 10:04 pm, June 20, on...
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Enjoy June’s Full Supermoon
Look up in the sky! It’s Supermoon! On Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23, the moon will appear especially large and bright, due to its closer-than-usual relation to Earth. This supermoon, or...
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Enjoy the Fall Harvest Moon and Equinox
Songwriters have crooned about it. Farmers have counted on it. The Chinese Mid-Autumn, or Moon, Festival honors it with special mooncakes. It’s the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the Autumnal...
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Preserve the Spirit of Summer in Your Family Year-Round
It was the apex of my childhood, over and over –– inscription in a beach house guest book For most families, summer is a season lasting approximately 12 weeks. Into it, we pack most of our relaxation...
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Thanksgivukkuh: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Holiday
For the first time since 1888, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah will converge. That’s right, Thanksgivukkah! And we won’t get the chance to celebrate it again for 78,000 years. This calendar oddity has...
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Celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees
The Jewish holiday Tu B’Shevat, which occurs in mid-winter in the Northern Hemisphere (sundown, January 15th this year) is known as the New Year of the Trees and, in some circles, as the Jewish Earth...
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Happy Chinese New Year: Celebrate the Year of the Horse with Crafts, Recipes...
Chinese New Year is celebrated on January 31 this year, and marks the beginning of the Chinese year 4712. The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar calendar, with the new year beginning on the darkest...
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Have Some Shadowy Fun on Groundhog Day
Just in! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. He predicted an six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day, February 2, has basically everything going for it that I love in a holiday — It...
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Beyond Thanksgiving: 9 Ways to Cultivate Gratitude in our Families
Thanksgiving presents families with wonderful opportunities to express gratitude. The traditional Thanksgiving meal offers a pause from the everyday and a rare chance to gather with the express purpose...
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10 Fun and Unusual Holiday Gifts for Kids
I’m always on the lookout for cool and unusual kids holiday gifts, the kind that convey a fondness and knowledge of the recipient, as well as a desire for them to have fun with something truly unique...
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Have Some Shadowy Fun on Groundhog Day
Just in! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. He predicted an six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day, February 2, has basically everything going for it that I love in a holiday — It...
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Celebrate Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees
The Jewish holiday Tu B’Shevat, which occurs in mid-winter in the Northern Hemisphere (sundown, February 3, this year) is known as the New Year of the Trees and, in some circles, as the Jewish Earth...
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Valentines Day for Kids, Nature Lovers, Vintage Collectors and More
Since Roman times, people have celebrated a mid-February festival — once called Lupercalia and celebrating fertility, the holiday was changed by Pope Gelasius in 496 A.D. into a Christian feast day in...
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Host a Kid-Friendly Oscar Party
Planning to watch the 87th annual Academy Awards? Turn your evening into a fun family event, or even an Oscar party, by serving easy finger foods, such as mini hot dogs; golden food, like easy yellow...
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Slow Prom: Say “No” to Prom Frenzy
As if we needed another sign that things are out of hand–on the heels of preschool graduations, first grade college prep, and elaborate, multi-event wedding extravaganzas, comes prom dress registries...
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Homestead Valley Fourth of July
When we first moved to our Mill Valley neighborhood of Homestead Valley, we were delighted to discover that there was a neighborhood Fourth of July parade each year. Kids gathered, then and now, for a...
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Experience the Magic of the Holidays in the San Francisco Bay Area, Part 1
I never fail to find the holiday season completely magical, and revel in the fact that the San Francisco Bay Area offers so many opportunities for families and others to experience that magic. Many of...
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Experience the Magic of the Holidays in the San Francisco Bay Area, Part 2
The San Francisco Bay Area is a special place throughout the year, and no time more so than at holiday time. But, let’s face it–when the holidays get crazy, stress levels tend to get high....
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