Sanrio, Inc. and Penguin Young Readers Group have released forty of the most beloved Mr. Men Little Miss titles in the Nook and iBookstore for the first time ever. Narrated by Audie and Grammy award-winner Jim Dale, these bright, charming books, with their easily recognizable characters, are easy enough for young readers and witty enough for adults. A selection of forty titles – all priced at $3.99 – are available in the iBookstore and Nookstore.

With children using their parents’ (or their own) technology so much these days it’s nice to see that child-appropriate content is becoming more and more available. I love this series, and now it will be easier than ever to share Mr. Men and Little Miss with your little ones.

As you get older you learn so much about yourself and life in general and we all have little pearls of widsom that we want to pass down to our little ones.  If you don’t have the time to do this yourself, then Jaime Morrison Curtis has you covered with her Prudent Advice: Lessons For My Baby Daugher (A Life List for Every Woman).  In this little gem of a book she lists 500 lessons for little women – everything from advice on hem lines, places to see and things to do in a lifetime.  My very favorite advice is #171 “There Is No ‘Man’s Work’”.  Prudent Advice is a very quick read and a lovely keepsake.  These lessons are just important for you as they are your your daughters.

If you want something a little more personal, then try out Morrison Curtis’ My Prudent Advice: Lessons For My Daughter.  This is less of a book and more of a journal.  My Prudent Advice basically provides you with an outline and you fill in the pages with your own advice to your daughter.  I can’t wait to start filling in the pages with my own personal advice for my tiny dancer.

These books would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift for your mom friends and sisters. We can forget the importance of passing on our knowledge and experiences to our little ladies.  It’s priceless.

Today is my tiny dancer’s 3rd birthday so we are out celebrating. Be back tomorrow!

You may remember last year I posted about a European campaign aimed at girls to attract them to the field of science called “Science: It’s a Girl Thing.”  Though I couldn’t agree more that we need more girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields the way the message was conveyed was pretty horrible.  When I learned about L’Oreal’s  “For Girls In Science” Initiative I was interested to see how L’Oreal conveyed a similar message.  I visited the site and breathed a sigh of relief.

I think it’s ok to let girls know that behind every lipgloss is a team of scientists developing formulas.  My problem with the European “Sciene: It’s a Girl Thing” campaign was how the conveyed the message.  The L’Oreal “For Girls In Science” is less Charlie’s Angels and more Dr. Sally Ride.

ForGirlsInScience.org is a great resource for young women who are interested in STEM fields.  The site is entertaining featuring videos and quizzes but also includes features on Women In STEM, information on Opportunities and Careers and lists camps where girls can participate and build communities.

I’m currently reading The End of Men: And the Rise of Women by Hanna Rosin and she discusses how women are outnumbering men in graduate schools including law, business and medicine.  It’s only a matter of time before more women enter STEM fields and I think the messaging is an important way to get young women interested in these fields.  I think L’Oreal’s “For Girls In Science” is a great resource and we need to start providing more good examples for our young women.  If you have a daughter or know a young girl interested in science or math, please share ForGirlsInScience.org with her.

Last week I received my new issue of Fine Cooking and my menu planning for this week was done within minutes. Just within the first four pages I found four recipes that I had to try out this week. Last night I tried the Fusilli with Peas and Feta recipe. I didn’t add the feta because I’m laying off cheese as much as I can but the dish was refreshing and delicious. It actually reminded me of a lighter version of a dish I grew up eating Pasta con Piselli (Pasta with Peas). My husband and I downed this dish quickly and before we were even done he said this recipe was a repeater – I couldn’t agree more! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Recipe from Fine Cooking 123 , pp. 17

Kosher salt
1-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
1 lb. fresh or frozen peas (about 3 cups) *[I used frozen peas]
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill *[I was a little heavy handed with the dill because we like dill]
Freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. dried fusilli pasta
4 oz. feta, finely crumbled (about 1 cup) *[I skipped this]
Lemon wedges for serving *[We were liberal with lemon because we love lemon and it really brightened up the sauce]

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a 3-quart saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the peas and cook until crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, remove and reserve 1 cup of the peas. Transfer the broth and the remaining peas to a blender. Add the olive oil, all but 1 tsp. of the dill, 1-1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and blend until smooth. It’s fine if the sauce looks thin at this point.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the pasta with the sauce, the reserved peas, and 3/4 cup of the feta. Serve garnished with the remaining 1/4 cup feta and 1 tsp. dill, with lemon wedges on the side.

This was so easy to make! Monday nights are difficult for me because the tiny dancer has dance class in the evening so I don’t have a lot of time to make dinner and this came together in less than 30 minutes.

Buon Appetito!

To recognize the launch of the Envy 4 Touchsmart Ultrabook™ with Intel® Core™ processors I was asked to write about Traveling in Style. As mamas, we try to be prepared for everything which leads to over-packing. Since we have to travel with so much gear for the little ones, it helps to keep our own stuff on the light side. As an avid over-packer, I know that’s easier said than done but I know in my heart what I SHOULD be doing. Here are some tips for packing light – if only now I could follow my own rules!

Make a list – check it twice

The key to packing light is planning. I have a travel checklist saved on my computer and before I start packing I print it out so I know what I need. Having a list that you can stick to makes it easier to avoid over-packing and bringing things that you may not need. Having the list also helps save time and helps you remember things that seem obvious but sometimes get left behind. The one time my husband didn’t use the list for a business trip he left his pajamas behind! You can download the full travel checklist here. Feel free to customize it for your family.

Pick a color scheme and stick to it

One of the ways to avoid over-packing is to pick a color scheme and stick to it. First, you avoid bringing extra items that don’t fit into the color scheme. Second, if everything works together color-wise, you can pack fewer pieces and make different outfits made up of coordinating pieces.

Choose items that you can roll or lay flat and don’t need ironing

When packing, lightweight jersey and linen are your friend. Choose items that you can easily roll or lay flat as that method of packing takes up less space and leaves you more room to bring back items that you bought on your vacation.

Pick versatile items you can dress down or up and re-wear them

In order to cut down on the amount of pieces you need to pack, choose items that you could easily dress down or dress up so you get more mileage out of every item you have with you. You’ll have more options and you’ll have something dressy in case you have an unexpected fancy event.

Accessorize

If you’re staying in your color palette and choosing items you can dress down or up the way you can really jazz up your outfits is with accessories. Using accessories is one of the easiest way to dress up or dress down an outfit. Since we’re trying to avoid over-packing, accessories are a great way to change your look without taking up too much room in your luggage. Just make sure that the pieces are in your color theme!

I hope these tips help you and your family travel in style! Buon Voyage!

HP Envy 4 Touchsmart Ultrabook™
The HP + Intel + Project Runway Pin Your Style Contest

Want to participate?
Pin a photo of the HP Envy 4 Touchsmart Ultrabook™ via the Pin It button on the Pin Your Style contest page. Then, build a board that represents that week’s theme. Check out the weekly Pinsetter images on the site for inspiration.

Submit your board’s URL into the site to enter. Then, share your board with friends to earn the most votes!

Win prizes like an HP Envy 4 Touchsmart Ultrabook™ and a gift card to bring your style to life by getting the top votes for your board.

Don’t forget to to vote in the contest between April 29 – May 12 by viewing the Pinterest board submissions on the Pin Your Style contest page and vote for your favorites based on the theme.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Last spring Diane von Furstenberg teamed up with GAP to produce a collection of childrenswear for GapKids. Lucky for us Dian von Furstenberg has designed another collection for GapKids for Spring 2013. The limited edition Explorers Collection launches on April 25th and features the vibrant prints have made DVF so famous. On April 27th, select GapKids locations will have a fun in-store event to celebrate the launch featuring refreshments and activities. To see if there is an event near you visit Gap.com/DVF.

It’s funny, as soon as I became a mom I received a mysterious free subscription to Fitness Magazine, and a year later I received a free subscription to Women’s Health. The issues just started showing up in my mailbox – I figured some mom/pregnancy site sold my info to these health magazines because they knew new moms are trying to lose weight. Whatever the case, I actually enjoyed reading the magazines. I was however a bit weary of the recipes in them. They’re fitness magazines so the recipes are healthy but I didn’t know how good they would actually taste.

In the March issue of Women’s Health there was a recipe for Baked Coconut Shrimp. I love shrimp, I love coconut but I don’t fry anything so when I saw a recipe for Baked Coconut Shrimp I had to try it! I tried it tonight and it was ridiculously easy to make and so delicious. It would be wonderful with jasmine rice but I wanted a healthier starch so I made baked sweet potato fries. I also made some teriyaki sauteed mushrooms and a kale salad with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and pineapple. I’m definitely adding this dish to my regular rotation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Adapted from Women’s Health, Baked Coconut Shrimp

20 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp flour (I used whole wheat flour)
1 egg white, beaten
2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 Tbsp pineapple or mango jam or preserves (I used apricot jam)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and spray with olive-oil cooking spray.

2. Rinse shrimp and set aside. In a plastic ziplock bag, combine panko, coconut, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Shake to mix, then set aside.

3. Put flour and egg in separate small dishes. In batches of five, dredge shrimp in flour, then dip into egg. Shake gently in the bag with the coconut mixture until coated.

4. Place breaded shrimp on the baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray, then bake for 10 minutes, or until shrimp are firm to the touch and coconut begins to brown.

5. Combine chili sauce and jam in a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or on High in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then serve with shrimp.

Buon Appetito!

Itsy Bitsy Bikinis! clockwise from left: Kate Mack, Old Navy, babyGap, babyGap, Janie and Jack

Ruffles! Clockwise from left: Cherokee, Kenzo, Mini Rodini, Juicy Couture, Carter’s

Stripes! Clockwise from left: crewcuts by J.Crew, Circo, Circo, Juicy Couture, crewcuts by J.Crew

Bows! Clockwise from left: Janie and Jack, Janie and Jack, Gymboree, Seafolly, crewcuts by J.Crew

Polka Dots! Clockwise from left: Circo, Carter’s, Circo, Janie and Jack, babyGap

Characters! Clockwise from left: Disney Princess, Harajuku Mini, Dora the Explorer, Disney Princess, Old Navy

Nautical! Clockwise from left: Janie and Jack, crewcuts by J.Crew, Hello Kitty, Mini Rodini

Designer Suits! Clockwise from left: Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney Kids, Gucci, Little Marc Jacobs, Roberto Cavalli

Cover Ups! Clockwise from left: Hello Kitty, Carter’s, Janie and Jack, Milly Minis, Janie and Jack

Jelly Sandals! Clockwise from left: babyGap, babyGap, Old Navy, babyGap, Old Navy, Hello Kitty