Of all the environmental hazards in houses, lead paint is potentially one of the most serious, because it can and does have the largest number of victims. Lead-poisoned children number in the tens of thousands and suffer from reduced learning skills, behavioral and nervous system disorders, and in the worse cases of poisoning, mental retardation. Lead can also affect unborn children.

Up until 1978, nearly all exterior paints and most interior wood trim paint contained lead pigment. In the Boston area where I live, 80% of the homes contain lead paint, because much of the building stock in the city is older. If you live in an older home, contact your local health department to see what you must do about lead paint. Read the rest »

My husband and I read to our two daughters on a daily basis. We love sitting down with a big pile of books and sharing the stories. But in our increasingly busy lives the art of actual storytelling seems to be slipping away.

PlainTails recently launched several CD collections that focus on classic storytelling. PlainTails First Tales is geared towards toddlers and preschoolers. “The Gingerbread Boy and Other First Tales” had my daughters’ attention from the minute I put it in our car CD player. Read the rest »

June officially kicks off summer, and it’s time to take the party outside!

The June/July issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray gives great tips on how to put a playful spin on a classic cookout. Read the rest »

At Operation Shower, we could not continue to give amazing showers to military moms-to-be whose husbands are currently deployed overseas without your help.

In addition to our annual Mother’s Day unit-wide and multi-unit wide celebrations, we also send individual “Showers in a Box” throughout the year. Here’s how you can help. Read the rest »

CLAYTON, MO (April 24, 2009) Sixty-five new moms and moms-to-be from four branches of the military in 15 states across the nation will be showered with gifts between now and Mother’s Day as a part of the latest efforts of Operation Shower. Operation Shower, a non-profit organization run by two stay-at-home moms, produces and coordinates baby showers for pregnant and expecting military personnel and their families. Read the rest »

It seems everywhere you turn these days, someone or something is “Going Green.” Sure, some may say it’s just a huge trend or the latest fad, but I ask, how can becoming more conscious of the impact on the environment be anything but good? Consuming less and reusing more sounds like a win for everyone! Read the rest »

The reality of the situation is this; puppies are going to make messes and chew on stuff. They are going to get into things they shouldn’t and explore areas they have no business in. This is what puppies do until they are taught right from wrong. While puppies can not rationalize as humans can, they can recognize what is acceptable and non-acceptable behavior from your responses. Puppies will be conditioned to stay off the furniture, chew on the correct objects and go to the bathroom in the same spot when consistently praised for doing so. It is up to you to shape your puppies behavior over time. Here are 10 tips for puppy proofing your home to set your dog up for success:

1. Put up your shoes. Puppies need to chew to ease teething pain as well as maintain their dental health over their lifetime. Proper chew toys are essential for any dog owner. Until your puppy has learned that shoes are not appropriate chew toys you should always keep them put away. While this might sound obvious, many people leave them lying about the house and are surprised and angry when their pup destroys their favorite pair of kicks. Thankfully, closets have doors that will keep your curious puppy at paws length from this seasons’ must have peep toe pumps. Read the rest »