Hello everyone, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It's been so great to take things down several notches and enjoy the holiday with family and friends. My brain is slowly churning back up to speed, so I wanted to share the Best of November today. Happy last day of the month, and don't forget to enter to win a pair of tickets to Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker. Today is the last day to enter to win, and I'll be drawing two lucky winners!

Books:

• 10 offbeat books for kids.
• 7 great chapter books for kids (especially boys).
• Your new activity bible: 150+ Screen Free Activities for Kids.

Holiday Shopping:

• Shop the Grommet’s pop-in shop.
• Shop small and local this holiday season.

Thanksgiving:

• 11 posts to make Thanksgiving less stressful.
• 10 (more) free Thanksgiving printables.
• An incredible St. Jude story.

Recipes:

• Final Eat Seasonal for 2014: 12 cranberry recipes.

Miscellaneous:

• Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome

Image credit: sticky lemon rolls with lemon cream cheese glaze via Pinterest

Friends, I have an immensely rad giveaway for you today! I have partnered up with the lovely Audrey McClelland (Mom Generations), Allison Czarnecki (Petit Elefant), Heather Flett (Rookie Moms), Jane Maynard (This Week For Dinner), Morgan Shanahan (The 818), Rachael Herrscher (Today's Mama), and Sarah James (Whoorl) to offer one lucky follower a 128GB wi-fi iPad Air 2 ($699 value)!

Enter to win between November 10-21 via the Rafflecopter widget below; you have 8 entry options and of course we encourage you to enter all 8 ways to maximize your chance to win! US entrants only. Once the giveaway ends, the winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by email, with 48 hours to respond. Good luck!

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So y'all LOVED last month's mystery mom tote giveaway so I thought I'd repeat with another mysterious newsletter subscriber giveaway! I've filled another roomy Lands' End tote with a collection of cool unisex baby gifts. One lucky newsletter subscriber will win this delightful gift tote (estimated retail value = $200). To be eligible for the giveaway, all you need to do is subscribe below by Tuesday, November 11! Good luck!

Subscribe to the newsletter!

Note: the Boston Mamas newsletter drops 1-2 times per month and offers the best from this site (and elsewhere on the internet), as well as periodic exclusive goodies. Yay, for periodic exclusive goodies!

Hi folks, I have an awesome -- and super mysterious! -- newsletter subscriber giveaway this month. I've filled a roomy Lands' End tote with a collection of cool woman-oriented gifts (meaning, no baby things...just things for YOU). One lucky newsletter subscriber will win this delightful gift tote (estimated retail value = $275). To be eligible for the giveaway, all you need to do is subscribe below by Monday, October 13! Good luck!

Subscribe to the newsletter!

 

Note: the Boston Mamas newsletter drops 1-2 times per month and offers the best from this site (and elsewhere on the internet), as well as periodic exclusive goodies. Yay, for periodic exclusive goodies!

This morning when I stepped outside and it actually seemed a little cool out, I felt as if I was getting a little taste of fall. EEP! It's totally crazy to me how quickly summer is zipping by and I've been loving the relaxed pace (particularly for Laurel) so much that I'm going to embrace each day of August, which -- incidentally -- starts tomorrow (DOUBLE EEP!). Enjoy some great back reading in this roundup of the Best of July 2014!

Adventure

• Camping with kids: 5 tips for booking your trip
• 8 tips for camping with kids
• Camping with kids: gear essentials and little luxuries

Finds

• 100 books for your booklist
• 4 steps (+ 9 finds) for easy summer beauty and hair

Fitness

• 12 ways to get your running mojo back

Food

• There's still time to celebrate National Cheesecake Day!
• Eat seasonal: peach recipes
• Eat seasonal: green bean recipes
• Eat seasonal: blueberry recipes
• Eat seasonal: pea recipes

Local

• Local gems in Wellesley
• Traveling with kids is a piece of cake at the Sea Crest Beach Hotel

Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome

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Image credit: no bake, four ingredient peanut butter marshmallow bars via Pinterest

Happy first day of July, can you believe it? Year = half over! We have a string of delightful plans coming together for the holiday weekend; I'm just feeling kind of overwhelmed by gratitude for the people and good things happening in our lives. Meanwhile, since we've closed the books on another month I wanted to leave you with the best of June 2014. Enjoy catching up on some wonderful back reading from wherever you're enjoying the week!

Relationships & goals:

• The power of compromise
• 8 race tips for newbies (or anyone, really)

Home:

• Tess & Ted = awesome interior design services
• 9 tips for gardening on a budget
• A refrigerator tour

Food:

• Do you write about food? Share your awesome via this new series
• Eat seasonal: beet recipes
• Eat seasonal: strawberry recipes
• Eat seasonal: cucumber recipes
• Eat seasonal: scallion recipes

Local:

• Local gems in Easton
• Advice for visiting Boston with toddlers

Cool finds:

• A fantastic portable and affordable speaker
• Stylish textured dip bowls
• Great summer trekkers
• Super awesome one-piece picks from Splendid

Hey, Internet Keep Being Awesome:

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Image credit: fourth of July marshmallow pops via Pinterest

No way, end of May! I always feel a little bit of amazement at the turn of a month but May to June is definitely a big one around our house, what with school ending, family birthdays, and Jon and my wedding anniversary. It's milestone central! But before I get to any of that, here's a wrap of the highlights on this blog from May. I hope you'll enjoy catching up on reading!

Cool Finds

• An awesome activity/sleep tracker 
• A fantastic hydrating facial
• 35 favorite picture books for kids
• Relief for, er, gastrointestinal distress
• A great book for when you're ready to think Beyond Baby

Family Issues

• From postpartum depression to power
• Dear Boston Mamas: I need a convertible car seat for rental cars

Home

• How to compost in 5 easy steps
• 5 ways to eat local on budget
• 18 awesome salads
• Baby bird season 101

Local

• Local gems: Arlington Center
• Local gems: Jamaica Plain
• 7 great suburban date night spots

Hey Internet Keep Being Awesome

• No. 1
• No. 2
• No. 3

Image credit: no bake tiramisu via Pinterest

I have an awesome newsletter subscriber giveaway this month, perfect for kicking about in the delightful spring weather! My new friends at Reebok are offering two winners each a pair of Reebok Skyscape sneakers. I have no doubt they'll look just as awesome on you as they do on Miranda Kerr! To be eligible for the giveaway, simply subscribe below by midnight EST May 14, 2014!

Subscribe to the Boston Mamas newsletter!

Note: the Boston Mamas newsletter drops 1-2 times per month and offers the best from this site (and elsewhere on the internet), as well as periodic exclusive goodies. Yay, for periodic exclusive goodies!

Man, this weather -- such a tease. I hope that the transition into a new month brings warm temperatures and clear skies! And speaking of transitions, today is the last day of April so I wanted to share the best of the month; a collection of handy posts plus some really wonderful personal stories (and by the way, I'd love for you to submit yours!). Enjoy catching up on back reading over coffee or lunch or at the pickup line!

Cool Finds

• Jordana lip balm stains
• Mizuno wave prophecy
• 20 great board books for babies and toddlers

Family Issues:

• Lessons learned: the practice of kindness
• Lessons learned: sibling acceptance

Local:

• Local gems: Watertown
• Boston, city of love and strength
• April vacation mega-roundup (many of these venues offer great family programming year round)
• A very delightful spa party

Solutions:

• Tech decluttering solution: ecoATM
• Chair reupholstery tutorial
• 10 easy Easter egg ideas (bookmark this for next year!)

Travel:

• 11 essentials for traveling with kids

Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

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Image credit: layering watercolor tutorial via Pinterest