Originals

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and ammonium laureth sulfate are perhaps two of the most buzzed about, debated, and prevalent ingredients found in personal care and cleaning products. Unlike bleach and chlorine, which is generally recommended you avoid, sulfates lie in somewhat of a gray area. A cheap lathering detergent used in many toothpastes, shampoos, hand soaps, and laundry detergents, “SLS […]

Like all birds, insects and mammals with any degree of common sense, we’d like to migrate south for the winter. However, our jobs, responsibilities, and kids’ school schedules keep our feet planted firmly on the (frozen) ground. On occasion, we’re able to steal away a week or two for a family beach vacation to relax and work

I have been making most of my Christmas decorations myself this year and am loving the personal touch that it gives to our home. I also have found that sometimes the most simple and inexpensive decorations can be the most impactful. This is very true of the modern paper tree garlands hanging over my fireplace mantel. I simply cut out Christmas

Walk down any supermarket aisle loaded with foods aimed at children, and you’ll see a neon rainbow of technicolored products designed to stoke young appetites. For the most part, we consider these foods harmless if nutritionally vacant. But many experts believe the artificial colors and preservatives these products contain are harming children’s health. Scientists in

Are you stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, on you way to rub elbows with the dreaded Christmas Eve mall crowd? Unfortunately we can’t do much about that one. (Though perhaps blasting this holiday playlist will take some of the edge off.) However, if you’re on your way to shop for a woman who’s so swamped with responsibilities, always with one

The stockings are hung, the tree is trimmed, and your home is ready for the holidays. Now how do you snap some really memorable pics of your baby? Whether it’s their first Christmas or their fifth, holiday photos are a fantastic family tradition that are reaching new heights thanks to fun inspiration sites that offer countless creative ideas for capturing the most

If you are hosting a party this New Year’s Eve, chances are that you will have at least one guest who has some dietary restrictions. It’s a good idea to have some options for your vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free revelers. Though your vegan guests may not appreciate your full spread of caviar, lobster tails, and chocolate mousse, they will

Christmas is here! And oh, the heartache, after having spent hours working to wrap your presents beautifully, only to find them torn and tattered on the floor Christmas morning. This year, use that leftover (expensive) wrapping paper in a creative way…and keep the kids busy for a few hours while you get down to business cooking the feast.

For all you holiday procrastinors out there, this one’s for you. Not only are these DIY ornaments a great addition to your holiday décor, but these paper ornaments are a great assembly-line craft to keep your little ones busy. Enlist the kids help to make multiples. They double as festive gift tags or labels and they also look sweet on the

The idea of going out into the wilderness to cut down your own Christmas tree is a very romantic one. Who can forget the opening scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation where the Griswolds venture out into nature in their trusty station wagon for some family bonding time. As they trudge through the knee-high snow to the tree that Clark