Today, Lindsey shares 3 easy Valentine's Day treats to make with your kids (also, be sure to check out these awesome free Valentine's Day printables!):

I used to hate Valentine's Day, for all of its forced romance. But my children have made me love it: their enthusiasm for decorating the house, for hand-made Valentine cards, and for sweets is utterly contagious.

It's that last category that they probably love most. What kid doesn't!? Red and pink is my favorite color combination, so I make sure that features on almost all baked goods. Here are three (super easy!) favorites that Grace, Whit, and I love; they all make for fun projects for the kids:

1. Chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks. Melt milk or white chocolate over a double boiler (put one pot inside a larger one with some water in it) to gently melt the chocolate. Stir frequently. When the chocolate is melted, dip pretzel sticks one at a time. I use a spoon to bring the chocolate up the pretzel until about 2/3 is covered. Twirl the pretzel to cover all around and place pretzel on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Shake sprinkles over the still-soft chocolate. Put them somewhere cool (fridge works, but so does a basement) to harden. These look cute standing up in a cup or glass.

2. Pink rice krispie treats. In a large saucepan melt 3 tablespoons of butter and then add 4 cups of mini-marshmallows. Stir constantly until the marshmallow becomes liquid. Add drops of red food coloring to your desired level of pink or red and stir to blend. Add 6 cups of rice krispies and mix together until they are all coated and sticky. Press into a 13 x 9 pan (I spray my hands with canola oil) and let cool. Sometimes, I cut these out with a heart cookie cutter.

3. Heart cake for breakfast. It's now one of my traditions to present Grace and Whit with cake for breakfast on Valentine's Day. I know it's not nutritious but the sheer joy on their face is worth it; I love it and imagine they will remember those mornings for a long time.

I use yellow boxed cake mix, but I always doctor it a bit, using 4 eggs instead of the 2 the box calls for and substituting milk for water and melted butter for oil. It tastes delicious! You don't need a special pan to make this cake.  Make one square (8x8) and one round (8x8) cake (the box makes two layers so it's the perfect amount). Once the cakes are baked and cooled, cut the circle into halves. Turn the square so that one corner points down, towards you. One half of each circle goes on each of the top two sides of the square. Voila, a heart! Frost accordingly!

Image credits: Lindsey Mead

I'm a designer and DIY enthusiast, but I also believe in efficiency. And when it comes to Valentine's Day cards (and producing about 40 of them for Laurel and Vi's classmates and teachers...sometimes the girls have the steam to make them and sometimes not), there are so many great printables out there that I see no need to create work for myself! Here are 14 (actually, more than 14) awesome FREE Valentine's Day printables. Your biggest challenge will be deciding which ones to blast through your printer. WIN.

1. Pick from any or all of 4 adorable woodland creatures.

2. Pop this super hero printable into a frame, or cut up the icons for individual cards.

3. I heart these modern blue and red cards.

4. Your kids can practice the alphabet with this cute printable.

5. Extreme couponing of the affectionate variety.

6. For those (like Laurel) who are obsessed with mustaches.

7. Six simple and sweet printable cards.

8. A treats printable for my fellow typography nerds.

9. We go together like pie and whipped cream (and several other pairings that are making me hungry).

10. Eight adorable retro printable cards.

11. DYING over these 7 Star Wars cards!

12. A great printable for the bookworms.

13. Rainbow loom bracelet tags = brilliant.

14. Adorable paper airplane printables.

Image credits: all images via sourced links above.

Happy Sunday everyone! It was a gorgeous morning for the 5-miler I ran in Cambridge (so fun to run the whole way with friends, btw!) and now I'm cozied up at home while Violet naps and Laurel is off at a playdate. If you're looking to catch up on some web reading, there was so much great content on the site last month. Enjoy this compilation of the best of January 2014:

At Home

- 30 things to do when school is cancelled

- 7 ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year with kids

Books & Entertainment

- Civil rights movement books for kids

- 14 awesome puzzles for babies, kids, and grownups

Critter Love

- For the love of penguins

- Groundhog Day trivia and celebration

Fashion

- The ridiculously awesome pants everyone keeps asking me about

Food & Fitness

- Meals made easy: warm winter salad

- Jeannie's apple crumble pie

- 16 sources of totally doable fitness and nutrition inspiration

Local

- A great spot for budding thespians

- Local Gems: Beacon Hill, Boston

- Local Gems: Medford

Personal/Professional

- Inspiration to help you be even more awesome in 2014

Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome

- Volume 1

- Volume 2

Image credit: blood orange loaf cake via Pinterest

Today, contributing writer Hillary of Mass Audubon shares some helpful (groundhog, not football) trivia for Sunday:

There's no shortage of nature-related folklore out there, but one that has particularly captured the hearts and minds of kids and adults (thanks or no thanks to Bill Murray) is Groundhog Day. Every year on February 2, people across the country wait attentively to find out if this small furry little animal sees his or her shadow. As legend has it, shadow means six more weeks of winter, but if not, spring is on the way.

So just how did this tradition get started, and what is a groundhog anyway? Amaze friends and family with this groundhog trivia:

• The groundhog belongs to the marmot family, and goes by many names, including woodchuck and whistle pig due to the sound they make through their large teeth to warn one another of danger.
• They nest in burrows that can be up to six feet below ground. These burrows sometimes have as many as five entry points, consisting of an intricate network of tunnels that often total up to 40 feet in length.
• While hibernating, a groundhog’s body temperature drops from 90°F to 40°F, and its heartbeat drops from 100 beats per minute to 4 beats per minute!
• February 2 is the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox.
• Upon coming to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, German settlers brought a longstanding tradition known as Candlemas Day, which included a badger checking its shadow to forecast the weather. Since there were no badgers in Pennsylvania at that time, the settlers looked for the next best thing and chose the groundhog.

Celebrating Groundhog Day

While the award for the most famous groundhog in America goes to Punxsutawney Phil from Pennsylvania, here in Massachusetts we have our own celebrity. Ms. G has been “forecasting” the weather at Drumlin Farm since 2008. In fact, there’s a petition and an official bill to make Ms. G the official groundhog of the Commonwealth.

Looking for ways to celebrate? Here are a few:

1. Come see Ms. G make her official forecast on February 2 at Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. In addition to her reading, there will be snacks, crafts, stories, and the chance to meet WBZ-TV meteorologist Danielle Niles.
2. Ipswich River in Topsfield will also be hosting a Groundhog Day Extravaganza on February 2, including nature hikes, snow sculptures, a groundhog obstacle course, crafts, refreshments, and more.
3. Pick up a copy of Groundhog Weather School or Go To Sleep Groundhogs, two fun illustrated books that will entertain and teach at the same time. Both are available at the Audubon Shop at Drumlin Farm.

So what do you think? Shadow or no shadow?

Image credits: Mass Audubon

Holidays (national or somewhat arbitrary) offer fun inspiration for projects and lessons for kids. Yesterday was Penguin Awareness Day (though I'm happy to celebrate penguins any day of the year!) and I wanted to take this opportunity to shine a light on this fine bird with project, book, and design inspiration. If you have other ideas to share, feel free to do so in the comments below!

1. Adopt a penguin of your very own. My friend Sharon tells me that she and her husband have received several informative and fun letters from their adopted penguin, and that the adopt-a-penguin experience has provided a great learning opportunity for her grandkids.

2. If you’re looking for an adorable penguin-inspired picture book, try Penguin and Pinecone (one of Violet’s favorites).

3. This worldwide campaign to knit sweaters for penguins is old. But OMG.

4. Pudge Penguin. Adorable name. Also, Violet’s favorite little buddy right now.

5. Penguin duct tape. Great for DIY belts and other crafts.

6. Kitchen project alert: olive penguins.

7. Footprint penguins make for a messy but cute keepsake project.

8. I love the bright cheerfulness of this penguin scarf.

9. Pick up your needles for this knitted penguin.

10. And Purl Bee penguins for those who sew.

11. Felt penguin finger puppets make for an easy project with kids.

12. Make your own penguin family.

13. Get out the crayons for this plethora of penguin coloring pages.

14. Penguin activities for preschool parents and teachers.

Image credits: All images attributed to linked sources above.

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm dropping the Weekly Blueprint early in case you're looking to shore up plans for the day off tomorrow. This roundup includes lots of wonderful events and service opportunities in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. (also, check out these civil rights movement books for kids for reading inspiration). Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

January 20: Celebrate the lives of MLK and Nelson Mandela through music and dance. (Boston)

January 20: Help create a community art mobile to commemorate the life and legacy of MLK Jr. (Easton)

January 20: Add your dreams to the MLK Dream Tree. (Acton)

January 20: Pay tribute to MLK by learning more about those who fought to abolish slavery in the 19th century. (Sturbridge)

January 20: 13 ways to make MLK Day a day ON by volunteering. (Various locations)

January 20: More MLK Day service opportunities at three MA Audubon locations. (Various locations)

January 20: Special guests from Disney on Ice celebrate the day off at the Frog Pond. (Boston)

January 20: Skate for a cause in Kendall Square. (Cambridge)

January 20: Live performances from the Mamadou West African Band. (Boston)

January 20: Be the Drumlin Farm caretaker for a day. (Lincoln)

January 20: You don’t even have to get out of your jammies for this SteveSongs concert. (Lexington)

January 20: Jason Bishop magic show. (Newton)

January 20: The final day of the world family film festival. (Belmont)

January 21: A nutty celebration for squirrel appreciation day. (Marshfield)

January 22: Artfull play. (Lincoln)

January 23: Old McDrumlin had a farm. (Lincoln)

January 24: The legendary Harvard Square Chocolate Festival kicks off. (Cambridge)

January 24: Storytime at the Curious George store. (Cambridge)

January 24: Family autism night at the museum. (Easton)

Image credit: Martin Luther King quote via Digital Things on Etsy 

Have an event you'd like to submit for editorial consideration? Please e-mail the event description + URL to Christine at editor{@}bostonmamas.com. For guaranteed event exposure, place an advertisement.

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you get out and enjoy some sunshine today! I just returned from a (day early) 4-mile run in honor of Meg's Miles (feel free to join in) and am getting ready to dive into the day. Enjoy this roundup of 16 events in the Weekend Roundup. Also, as many of you know, this was a sad week for the Isis Parenting community; you can read/hear my thoughts on the topic via Boston.com and NPR's Radio Boston.

1. Interactive magic with Matt Roberts. (Arlington)

2. World family film festival continues. (Belmont)

3. Ben Rudnick supports the Pajama Project. (Boston)

4. It’s Critter Day. (Boston)

5. Get your favorite furry friend and become a veterinarian for a day. (Boston)

6. Oshogatsu! Celebrate the Japanese New Year. (Boston)

7. O-shogatu concert by Chorus Boston. (Boston)

8. Pinkalicious the musical opens. (Boston)

9. Step inside a story. (Concord)

10. Unfold the story of nature’s tracks and signs. (Mattapan)

11. Super cool ice sculpting demonstrations. (Salem)

12. Thread, embroidery, and silk worm cocoons. (Salem)

13. Gorgeous avant-garde Japanese fashion. (Salem)

14. SteveSongs family show. (Somerville)

15. Kids are free every weekend through March 30. (Sturbridge)

16. Family day at the children’s theater. (Watertown)

Image credit: Museum of Fine Arts

Have an event you'd like to submit for editorial consideration? Please e-mail the event description + URL to Christine at editor{@}bostonmamas.com. For guaranteed event exposure, place an advertisement.

Today, Judy shares a great collection ideas for how to celebrate the Lunar New Year with kids:

Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, I was often the only Asian student in my class, and I looked forward to the Lunar New Year as an opportunity to share our cultural traditions (and my mom’s yummy cooking) with my classmates. Although I can’t share my mom’s dumplings with all of you (sorry!), here are some ideas to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year (January 31), the Year of the Horse, with your kids! 

1. Read Lunar New Year books. Bringing In the New Year by local children’s book author, Grace Lin, is a favorite in our house, and tells the story of a Chinese-American family preparing for the LNY.  More children’s books about this holiday can be found on Amazon.

2. Make a Chinatown field trip. Bundle up and take the little ones on a field trip to Chinatown. There’s no more exciting time to visit this historic neighborhood than during the LNY. Parking isn’t always easy to come by so take the T if you can. While you’re there, treat yourselves to some authentic Chinese pastries at Eldo Cake House.

3. Enjoy dim sum. Dim sum isn’t just brunch – it’s a unique cultural and educational experience. Jumbo Seafood (Newton) and China Pearl (Woburn) are great options for those who don’t want to deal with city crowds. Not sure what to order for the kids? Can’t go wrong with char siu bao!

4. Get crafty. There are some adorable LNY craft ideas on Pinterest, such as these good luck goldfish.

5. Make dumplings.  Sweet dumplings (or “tong yuen”) are a traditional Chinese New Year treat. The Dumpling Sisters have an awesome tutorial for how you and the kiddos can make your own at home.

6. Make red envelopes. In many Asian cultures, parents fill red envelopes with monetary gifts to bestow good luck to children. Teach your children about this tradition (perhaps through this craft activity), and hide a red envelope under their pillow on new year’s eve!  

7. Enjoy a local event. There's no shortage of wonderful programming coming up in and around Boston:

• January 19: Partake in the Boston Children's Museum's OSHOGATSU (Japanese New Year) celebration, featuring TAIKO drumming, the SHISHIMAI lion dance, MOCHI rice pounding, giant origami, tea ceremony, and TAKO kite making.
• February 1: The Peabody Essex Museum is hosting a Lunar New Year weekend festival including traditional lion dance performances (by the Gund Kwok Asian Women's Lion and Dragon Dance Troupe), a film set in Boston's Chinatown, sword play, and drop-in art activities.
• February 8: Celebrate the Year of the Horse with free admission at the Museum of Fine Arts. Browse the MFA’s galleries to learn about Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions, and ring in the Lunar New Year with activities scheduled throughout the day, including a festive parade and lion dance performance, interactive demonstrations of Gong-Fu (martial arts) and Saebae (Korean bowing ceremony), and fun family art-making activities.
• February 9: One of the most exciting events is the annual Chinese Lion Dance Parade in Boston’s Chinatown. A word of caution: loud drumming, firecrackers, and the dancing lion can be intimidating and overwhelming to those with sensory sensitivities and/or fear of characters in costume.
• March 7: Join the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center for their traditional Chinese New Year celebration, including a dim sum reception, multi-course banquet, and silent auction. This evening fundraising event might be better suited for older children.

Do you have other ideas for celebrating the Lunar New Year? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

Image credits: all images credit to linked sources above.

Wow, what a weekend. Poor Vi has been suffering since Wednesday and we're still not out of the woods. It's been a challenging several days, but also included a major revelation. I'm wishing all of you and your little ones excellent health! Meanwhile, here are some handy/fun ideas to consider in this week's Weekly Blueprint:

February 13: Pack Valentine's for school. If Valentine's prep has fallen off your radar, don't fret! Check out these free, fast, and adorable robot printables. And if you're volunteering in your kid's class for Valentine's, arm yourself with a few of these cute classroom party ideas.
February 14: Hug or call someone you love. I'm planning on recording a short Valentine's video greeting from the girls to email to the grandparents.

February 16: Bring your baby to enjoy some art.

February 16: Katherine Stone educates on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

February 17: The Mitten, brought to life.

February 17: Come garner great ideas during a live chat I'm leading on taking 10 minutes for yourself every day.

February 17: A technicolor singalong.

February 17-25: Perfect for Bugs Bunny fans.

At your leisure: Print and hang some new family photos. (Personal goal: get photos of Violet on the wall before her first birthday next month!)

At your leisure: Engage in some preventative medicine -- whatever works for you, whether it's a yoga class, upping your vitamin C, or going to bed an hour earlier.

At your leisure: Make some comfort food. Like this easy, cream macaroni and cheese.

At your leisure: And if you've been having a tough go of things as we have, make a yummy sweet treat. I think it's time for me to make these peanut butter bliss cookies.