Meet Kimberly Naranjo (pictured right) of Evolve Studio. Mother of two, business owner, artist, photographer and founder of a non-profit. Kimberly’s specialty is ‘lifestyle phography’: photos taken in her clients’ homes and other spaces where they spend their quality time. Her goal is to “capture and make the ordinary beautiful” by finding those times people want to remember and “make what seems ordinary into beautiful art.” Read the rest »

Canavan Disease is a devastating genetic brain disorder that prevents myelin, also know as white matter, from forming in the brain. Children stricken with Canavan’s disease are essentially trapped in their bodies, unable to lift their heads or move, they typically lose their eyesight and are unable to fight off illness. Most die within their first decade of life.

Hopeless cause you say? Not even remotely if the Jacob’s Cure foundation has anything to do about it. Founded by Jordana Holovach and named for her son, Jacob, the foundation works to support federal and private funding for research as well as raising awareness about the disease. Read the rest »

Planning a baby shower and hoping to steer clear of cheesy games? Pick up a deck of BabySmarts for a fun new twist on old baby shower games. Players choose from 60 question and answer cards and test their knowledge of all things baby. Approximately what percent of births in the US are twins? True or False: Your feet grow during pregnancy. Which of these popular adult foods originated as “health food” for infants: A. Malted milk B. Rice pudding C. Yogurt D. Cream of Wheat? Read the rest »

Introducing St. Baldrick’s Foundation - Shaving the Way to Help Conquer Kids’ Cancer. Here’s how you can help the cause (even if you don’t want to shave your own head). Plus, Step by Step Fundraising, Relay for Life, the American Heart Association Heart Walk and a list of charitable walks in your area. Watch the vidcast on Clever Parents TV.

If your New Year’s resolutions included volunteering, congratulations - the world needs more people like you.

If you’re reading this chances are you’re better off than 98% of the rest of world. Sure, you can have a better job, bigger house, and nicer car. But even having a job, house or car puts you way ahead of the pack. And I don’t just mean the less fortunate in Third World countries; right here, in every state of in the Union, there are those who don’t have the food, shelter or help they need to have better lives. Men, women, and children; old and young. They need our help.

That’s the bad news. The good news? You want to do something about that. Don’t worry, you don’t have to endow a foundation or give millions to help. There are plenty of things you can do right now that won’t require donating money. And, if you’re clever about it, and we know you are, volunteering is something that will give back to you as well. Read the rest »

This Friday, December 1st is World AIDS Day, and Gap.com is doing its share to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. Partnering with Bono’s (RED) Initiative, Gap has introduced (PRODUCT) RED, a limited edition line of clothing and accessories for men and women.

Items range from graphic tees made in Africa from 100% African cotton emblazoned with words like INSPI(RED) and DESI(RED), to the fragrant SHA(RED) candle, perfect for gift-giving. And just for your husband, there’s a white hoodie that says BO(RED)—the ideal uniform to wear when taking you shopping.

So get inspired and share the love. Half of the profits will be donated to the Global Fund to help programs for women and children affected by AIDS in Africa.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been a sucker for traditions. Whether it’s my grandmother’s peas at Christmas or our weekly family breakfasts at Big Ed’s on Saturday mornings, there is something comforting in the anticipation and realization of those special times. If you like a good family tradition, or if you’d like to create a new one, The Box Girls’ Box of Questions is for you.

Fueled by six hungry children, two hungry husbands and a dinner that seemed to take forever to arrive, longtime friends Cece Feiler and Heidi Haddad decided to avoid a mealtime disaster and started asking questions that anyone at the table could answer. What sort of questions were the topic of the day? Skipping the fluff of reality TV and celebrity gossip as well as trivial topics of sports and geography, the two friends brought up serious, thought-provoking questions touching on everything from ethics and charity to family and society. The meal and dialogue was a huge success and The Box of Questions was born. Read the rest »