Hi everyone - it's time again to pull out your red shoes (or, if you're like me, share the news about rocking red shoes because you don't own any) and use fashion to raise awareness for how much HIV/AIDS is still disproportionately affecting women of color. (And women in general, but really, really affecting women of color.)

Some Facts

• There are approximately 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and almost 280,000 are women.
• 1 in 139 women will be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at some point within their lives.
• Among those who are HIV positive, 35% of women were tested for HIV late in their illness (diagnosed with AIDS within one year of testing positive).
• HIV/AIDS is the 5th leading cause of death in women in the United States, ages 25-44.
• High-risk heterosexual contact is the source of 80% of these newly diagnosed infections in women.
• HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects minority women in the United States. According to the 2005 census, black and Latina women represent 24% of all US women combined, but accounted for 82% of the estimated total of AIDS diagnoses for women in 2005.
• HIV is the leading cause of death for black women aged 25–34 years. The only diseases causing more deaths of women are cancer and heart disease.
• The rate of AIDS diagnosis for black women was approximately 23 times the rate for white women and 4 times the rate for Latina women.
• Teen girls represent 39% of AIDS cases reported among 13–19-year-olds. Black teens represented 69% of cases reported among 13–19 year-olds; Latino teens represented 19%.

How to Rock The Red Pump

• Share the hotness by uploading your pics on March 10 to your favorite spot (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, your blog, etc.) and tag them with #RockTheRedPump.
• Sign up to blog about #RockTheRedPump.
• Read 5 Easy Ways to Rock the Red Pump
• Get tested. Here's a tool to help you find a testing center in your area.
• Educate yourself and your extended family about sexual health and disease transmission.
• Retweet, share and support your red-pump-wearing friends.

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! We had a truly lovely one, including lots of time outside, a dinner party with friends, ice skating, and crafting. Subsequently, the grogginess resulting from daylight saving's feels slightly less painful -- I hope your kids all transition smoothly! Meanwhile, it's going to be a spring-like week. Here's a roundup of fun events to consider via the Weekly Blueprint:

March 9: Mish Michael’s shares the story of the state’s very own groundhog. (Wellesely)

March 9 - 12: The Salem Film Festival wraps up. (Salem)

March 10: Storytime en francais. (Sudbury)

March 11: The MFA is honoring women in the arts. (Boston)

March 11: Now’s your chance to become a beekeeper. (Brewster)

March 11: Rock ‘n’ Scroll- The Spirituality of Two Music Icons. (Newton)

March 11: Have tea with Snow White. (Wenham)

March 11 - 13: Where We Live puppet show; explore the wonders we inhabit. (Brookline)

March 12: Go red for women. (Boston)

March 13: Special night at the museum for children with Autism. (Acton)

March 13: Find the colors of the rainbow on a Paddy’s day treasure hunt. (Cambridge)

March 13: A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic sojourn. (New Bedford)

March 13 + 14: Don’t hibernate. Get out and celebrate winter. (Lowell)

Image credit: Holly Hill Farm

Happy Saturday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely weekend. I'm starting to crawl out of the crazy that was the first sixth of this year (seriously, what was up, first sixth of the year??) and absorb things on the internet again (ironic, I know, given that I'm an internet publisher), so I want to get back to Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome regularly. Enjoy this week's installment and see you back here on Monday!

- A tribute to one of my beloved college professors.

- Go on and back these cool dolls for boys.

- I was in tears over these hilarious stock photos with Vince Vaughn.

- Loving this cool educational partnership between Scholastic and my beloved ONE to help families to learn about energy poverty.

- Can family secrets make you sick?

- This post made me want to start reading with Laurel again.

- Worrying about stuff is a sign of intelligence

- An indie bands stands up to McDonald's no budget offer.

- Dirty little secrets of tidy families

- Have you ever thought about starting a capsule wardrobe? This is basically what I do (but didn’t realize there was a name for it!

Image credit: peanut butter millionaire shortbread bars via Pinterest

Though I always have an eye out for budget beauty products (especially short-use makeup where you might want to play with color), I do think it's worth investing in quality daily skin care products. This winter I’ve been testing out Shiseido’s Benefique collection and have been thrilled with the products, which are gentle, quick absorbing (no goopiness!), and have left me with happy -- not chappy -- winter skin! 

Benefique's skin temperature based regimen involves 3 steps (cleanse, moisturize, treat). There are 3 lotions to choose from depending on seasonal and skin temperature, and 2 emulsions to choose from (I is for warm temperature/oilier skin; II is for colder weather/drier skin). Given the frigid temperatures, I’ve been using the cleansing foam (and the hot cleansing cleaner once a week), lotion III, emulsion II, and treatment cream. Going through the regimen doesn’t take long and I'm loving the results; my skin is nourished and happy and even my mom (a huge Shiseido fan who has no problem telling me when my skin looks bad!) told me at lunch this week that my skin looked awesome. SWEET. (I guess one never stops wanting mom's approval!)

These products are definitely spendier than drugstore picks, but they will last because you don't need to use much for full coverage. I've been using Benefique daily since early December (3 months ago) and I'm not even a third of the way into the products! 

Have you tried Shiseido? What are your favorite daily use products? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Disclosure: Shiseido kindly sent me product to test for editorial consideration; opinions are, of course, my own. Image credits: thumbnail via Shiseido; product layout by Christine Koh

Happy Friday, I hope you're having a great week! It's been a busy and emotional one here (including going on a middle school tour for Laurel...all the feelings). Anyway, things are going to start warming up a bit tomorrow so be careful of falling icicles, be kind to one another as we cope with the melt, and enjoy this roundup of 17 weekend events, lovingly curated for your consideration! Also, tune in later today for a great Friday Find!

1. Magic show with Rupayan Neogy. (Acton) 

2. A concert by Arlington family favorite Margot Fox. (Arlington)

3. See works of art through the artist’s eyes. (Boston)

4. BSO Concert for Very Young People. (Boston)

5. All about an octopus. (Boston)

6. The 245th Boston Massacre Commemoration. (Boston)

7. The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley begin. (Boston)

8. Be part of a community art installation. (Boston)

9. It’s time to get a Little Groove on. (Brookline)

10. The Concord Band presents its winter concert. (Concord)

11. Spring may seem far away but it’s time for maple sugaring. (Ipswich)

12. There’s plenty of snow for a sculpture park snowshoe tour. (Lincoln)

13. Free open play at the dance studio. (Newton)

14. The Salem Film Festival continues. (Salem)

15. Happy birthday Dr. Suess. (Springfield)

16. Tea and tunes at Gore Place. (Waltham) 

17. A winter exploration scavenger hunt. (Wareham)

Image credit: Mass Audubon

Sometimes the setting in a book becomes a character, and that's something I tried very hard to do with my fictional small town of Snowden, Iowa, in my young adult novel THE OBVIOUS GAME. Recently I received an advanced copy of Keija Parssinen's THE UNRAVELING OF MERCY LOUIS, which is set in the tiny Southern oil town of Port Sabine, Texas. Even though it was below zero when I read this book, I could feel the thick, reeking air of this refinery town on the back of my neck.

There is so much going on in this novel: the thrill of competition (basketball), a coach's place in a teen's life, first love, the complexity of lifelong friendships, difficult mother/daughter relationships, religion, Y2K fear, environmental and financial distress, fear of the community outlier, teenage sexuality and pregnancy and health complications so unusual I had to look them up because I didn't believe they existed, but guess what: They do.

Every time I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong. It was that good. I'm actually still thinking about it a few days later and have recommended it to four people since I read it.

So if you like thinky-but-thrilling books, you should read this one. I haven't read Keija's first novel yet, but as I'm the sort of person who falls in love with authors more than books, I'm going to put it on my to-be-read list.

Here's a picture of Keija, who has absolutely nothing going for her except diplomas from Princeton and the Iowa Writers' Workshop (where she was a Truman Capote fellow) and a Michener-Copernicus Award. So I am totally not the only person who thinks her writing is very much worth your copious free time.

I know, and she's cute. Try not to hate her.

The novel's official release is March 10th, but you can pre-order a copy here and purchase Keija’s first novel,  THE RUINS OF US, here.

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This post is part of a blog tour! I know, you're shocked I would do that! And I am not the only person giving away books. Check out my partners in literary crime below.

Andrea Casarsa - Maybe It's Just Me

Greta Funk - GFunkified

Julie Gardner - Julie C. Gardner

Saturday, March 6: Alexandra - Good Day, Regular People

Monday, March 9: Tracy Morrison - Sellabit Mum and Nicole Leigh Shaw - Ninja Mom

Tuesday, March 10: Ann Imig - Ann's Rants and Tarja Parssinen - The Flying Chalupa

Wednesday, March 11: Alison Lee - Writing, Wishing

Friday, March 13: Nancy Davis Kho - Midlife Mixtape

And now I'm going to do one of my favorite things: Give away a book. Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. I will leave the giveaway open for one week and close it next Friday. Enter as much as you want.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last summer I shared about the brilliant interior design work my friend Paige (of Tess & Ted) did on our home and I'm thrilled that she is going to do a recurring series on home decor and design for Boston Mamas. She is so clever! Paige believes that everyone deserves a cozy, pretty nest and for the first post in the series -- Make Your Home Awesome -- she shares recommendations for impacting, affordable stools and poufs.

From Paige:

Nearly every time I design a room for a client, a stool or pouf makes its way into the final floor plan. These great multitaskers are one part extra seating, one part side table, one part foot rest, and all parts useful. If you need a quick room refresh, a hit of color, or a functional piece to fill an empty space, one of these 15 options should do the trick.

1. Add a touch of mid-century modernism to any room with the addition of this classic butterfly stool from France & Sons ($109).

2. This tufted-and-gold stool from Target is terrific for adding color and sophistication. At under $60, try two in front of a fireplace. (The small bench version is superb, as well.)

3. Need some pattern in your life? Add a powerful, classic graphic with this cubic pouf from CB2 ($129).

4-5. Looking to add a contemporary and playful style to your home? Take a look at the ErgoErgo stool ($100) and Riki stool ($45), both from the MOMA Store. Take note, the Riki is made of cardboard (!), but holds over 1,000 lbs. If that’s not excellent design, I don’t know what is.

6. If you need a some extra seating that doubles as storage, try the Bubble Stool from the Container Store ($39.99). Perfect for a playroom! 

7-8. Natural and neutral is a winning combination for both this rush grass storage ottoman from Wayfair ($69) and this wool wrap pouf from CB2 ($129).

9. Feeling bold? Add texture to a nursery or family room with this furry white pouf from Amazon ($41).

10-11. Classic and chic, X-stools have been the darlings of the design world for a while now. The Brendan x-base stool from Cost Plus World Market ($64.99) and green floral stool Target ($29.98) both illustrate how upholstery alone can completely change the look of this simple and elegant form.

12. While this is a slight departure from the traditional definition of a pouf, I couldn’t help but include this awesome gold beanbag from Urban Outfitters ($129). I might just have to get this for my office.

13. I’m loving this DIY modern take on a Colonial milking stool ($5 for materials!).

14. Add a global feel in sunny yellow with this leather Moroccan ottoman from Overstock ($135). 

15. Looking for a piece that can work both inside and outside? Consider this ceramic garden stool from Domino ($138).

Image credits: images sourced via links above; compilation image by Christine Koh

Friends in striking distance of Needham, I have a great exclusive newsletter subscriber giveaway this month! Bright and cheerful Goldfish Swim School is opening in May and will offer indoor swim classes and programs for kids 4 months and up + birthday parties and open family swim time. And how awesome is this? One lucky newsletter subscriber will win their choice of either 1) a free birthday party ($550 value); or 2) 3 months of free swim lessons ($397 value)! To be eligible for the giveaway, subscribe below by March 12!

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!

Today, Rene shares a roundup of 11 easy craft projects for kids, perfect for National Crafts Month!

Whether you're stuck inside on a rainy or snowy day, or are just looking for a fun project at home, get little hands busy with cute and simple craft projects that will entertain and engage them. These 11 projects are easy for kids to tackle with minimal parental involvement, so enjoy another cup of coffee while your kids channel their inner mini Martha's!

1. Colored pasta necklaces will help develop fine motor skills in little hands.

2. Toilet paper tubes are a great base for kid-friendly crafts, such as these sweet and simple toilet paper tube owls.

3. Popsicle sticks and washi tape pair with your child's imagination to create endless possibilities in these craft stick dolls.

4. Fallen leaves become animals in this easy leaf alphabet craft project.

5. Science meets craft with 5-minute gak.

6. Repurpose all of those discarded coffee cup sleeves into bracelets for budding fashionistas.

7. Mom wields the glue gun while the kids are in charge of creating their bug magnet masterpieces.

8. Kids can create beautiful mosaics or scenes with minimal mess for mom to clean up with this tissue and contact paper craft.

9. DIY snow globes are a great way to whittle away at a snowy afternoon.

10. Help lonely, unmatched socks find new lives as snuggly snakes.

11. Evoke springtime with cheerful and colorful coffee filter butterflies.

Image credits: all images sourced via links above