August 2012
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09/07/12Fashionista of the Week: IyoniaConfidence will take you far in life. It radiates from you, like a beacon of light. It was that light that drew me to Iyonia, a striking young lady who was spending the afternoon browsing at The Shops of Saddle Creek with her mother, brother, and friends. Finding skinny jeans can be challenging when you're little, but Justice, the girl's clothing store, carries acid wash jeans that fit slim girls like Iyonia to a T. She pairs them with a lemon-yellow top, this stripped navy shrug, and a jewel encrusted belt that completes the look. If you need a hint as to her activities, this adorable charm bracelet (given by her auntie), tells some of the story. Iyonia competes in natural beauty pagents. (See the little black dress?) Pagents can help build a girl's... |
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09/02/12Preschoolers Will Want to Explore Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood - New This Fall on PBSIf you've got a preschooler at home, get acquainted with Daniel Tiger, the newest friend to join PBS Kids television daily line-up. The animated cartoon series, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, premieres on this week on WKNO-TV. Created by The Fred Rogers Company, the same folks who produced Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, the show centers on the daily life of 4-year-old Daniel Tiger and his friends in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Naturally, the show is aimed at children 2- to 4-year-olds and borrows liberally from the original — from its opening song to the way Daniel slips on a red sweater and sneakers before taking off to explore his neighborhood. But as I watch a segment that shows Daniel going to the bakery for his birthday cake, some of the way his... |
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08/31/12Crafty Fun for Kids at My Froggy Stuff on YouTubeMy daughter recently discovered My Froggy Stuff Production videos on YouTube. These DYI projects for kids offer step-by-step instructions that will help your child create goodies for her dolls, and are an outgrowth of the My Froggy Stuff blog, which has plenty of other clever ideas. Ella’s dolls have always ranked high in the family’s pecking order, and now these girls are positively pampered. Her American Girl doll sports a new no-sew bathing suit, a monogrammed pillow, and a traveling suitcase. Kids who can handle scissors, tape, and draw straight lines can make many of these projects on their own. The short videos open with upbeat music and a list of project materials readily available at craft stores. The invisible “mom” — you’ll see... Posted at 06:00 AM | Permalink | Comments: 5 |
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08/28/12901 Day Means Family Fun on Saturday, September 1Have you heard about 901 Day? It's a day to celebrate Memphis' awesomeness. A time to put aside all your gripes about whatever — and cheer on the many things that are right about our community. The event was started by Kerry over at ilovememphis.com and her friend, Jen. They kicked the idea around in 2011, and this year, made it reality. We think that's pretty cool. Their concept was simple: organizations would put together an activity on 901 Day (9/01/2012) that's open to the public, free, and fun. Easy peasy. At this writing, there are 22 events taking place all around the city. You can see them all here. We're highlighting those that are family-friendly, in hopes you'll bring your kiddos and join in the fun. Oh, and the 901 name? It's a... |
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08/27/12Junior Chef: 10-year-old Logan Guleff Wins Cooking Contest & A Trip to the White HouseLogan Guleff won't settle for the usual burger with ketchup and fries. An Asian-inspired turkey burger with peanut butter? Now that's different. The 10-year-old Memphian often whips up meals using his own recipes. His culinary curiosity led him to create a recipe he called Tuna Schooners for Michelle Obama's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. The contest asked kids ages 8 to 12 to create healthful meals using all of the food groups. Judges included a White House assistant chef and other high-profile foodies. Logan's dish was one of 54 winning recipes selected from more than 1,200 participants. As Tennessee's winner, he attended the Kids' "State Dinner" hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama. Logan escorted his mom, Kim, to the White House event... |
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08/24/12Fashionista of the Week: Ava GraceI happened upon this winsome 2-year-old as I was strolling near the Woodland Discovery Playground at Shelby Farms last week. Being outdoors brings big smiles to most children and Ava Grace was no exception. She was getting ready to explore when I spied her in this pretty aqua halter top, embellished with a heart-shaped peace sign necklace, and paired with a leopard-patterned twirly skirt from The Children's Place. Mom Aleks put together her sunny headband, made from a crocheted flower that's stitched to stretchy black ribbon. I love how it plays up Ava's wispy curls. Finishing her look were these sparkly fushia flip flops. Aren't they cute? When indoors, Ava Grace loves to play dress-up in her daddy's uniform, sing and... |
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08/23/12Where Can I Find Your Awesome Outfit, Taylor Swift?We'll admit it; it was a toss up between reviewing the How'd They Build That? construction video, and this tasty fashion tidbit. Can you blame us? We simply fell in love with Taylor Swift's latest look. She was spotted in this sleek black ensemble while hanging out with the Kennedy clan on Cape Cod this summer. Turns out we're not alone. Just this week, Good Morning America featured a spot on her trendy attire. Swift's keen eye for style and her shift towards a chicer vintage look has garnered plenty of notice. (Tagging along with the Kennedy's hasn't hurt, either.) In fact, some fashion wags are blaming Taylor's more demure look on her budding relationship with 18-year-old Conor Kennedy, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy. But... |
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08/22/12Playback Memphis to Perform Saturday, August 25, at First Congregational ChurchHow do you get people to listen, really listen, to one another? That's a question Virginia Murphy enjoys tackling with the work of her theater company, Playback Memphis. The troupe combines improvisation, storytelling, and community dialogue to build a better Memphis. This Saturday at 7 p.m., you can be part of the show as the group performs "An Evening of Stories About the Delights and Difficulties of Family." The program takes place at TheatreSouth, 1000 South Cooper, in the basement of First Congregational Church. Admission: $15/adults, $12/students & seniors, $5/kids 10 and under. The show is ideal for people ages 8 to 80. The show is a fund-raiser for the troupe's trip to Washington, D.C. this fall. They are one of just six companies that have been... |
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08/21/12A New Clothing Store in Germantown: Monsoon ChildrenSo your bff is getting married and she's has asked your 6-year-old daughter to be her flower girl — which will be totally adorable. But now you need something light and pretty and well, age-appropriate. Wondering where to turn? I recently discovered Monsoon Children at Saddle Creek, a U.K. based retailer that's finally brought their clothing stateside. The first thing I notice is their attention to detail. The party dresses, like this Cleopatra Sparkle Lace dress, are beautifully made, using yards of tulle, satin, and lace ($89.50). What's more, they carry matching big girl/little girl outfits. I totally love this peasant top, with it's delicate embroidery around the neck and sleeves, and the cotton bodice that's oh, sooo soft. I think a... |
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08/20/12Read This! Winnie the Pooh (Preschool)My daughters and I discovered some great books during the library's summer reading program. Here is another of our recommendations. I grew up listening to Winnie-the-Pooh stories, about the bear with very little brain, so to me it was a given that my children would hear and later read Milne's tales in their original format. Naturally, one should always read the stories in an English accent (it helps that I'm a Brit), although parents do get extra points for giving Kanga and Roo an Aussie twang. Helpful hint: It is okay to read Eeyore's voice just like the cartoons, it seems to exactly match the voice I imagine. Winnie-the-Pooh and Some Bees by Stephen Krensky, A.A. Milne, and Ernest H. Shephard (Easy-to-Read Dutton Easy Reader) was another good find; it's... Posted at 08:51 AM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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08/17/12Fashionista of the Week: ClaireWhen a country girl comes to the big city, what better place to show off one's look than at the art museum? I met Claire outside the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, where she kindly posed for a few pictures. What girl doesn't want to own a pair of cowboy boots, particularly in red? Mom Buffy likes them because they make the skirt pop. As for Claire, it's all about being able to get them on and off with ease. Dressing yourself is big when you're only two-and-a-half. I love how this twirly black-and-white giraffe print is playfully paired with the black and yellow floral at the waist. Dressed up with a stone-washed denim jacket from Gap Kids, the result is a classic look. Claire was recently voted Most Photogenic in the Miss Springtime pageant, and it's... Posted at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2 |
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08/15/12Choose to Empower Your KidsThere's a woman's rights issue brewing in the north African country of Tunisia right now, and it's casting a shadow on the great accomplishments of Olympian runner Habiba Ghribi. This impressive athlete became the first Tunisian woman in history to medal at the Olympics. Ghribi won silver in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the London games. What makes her win all the more impressive is that it is the first medal this tiny nation has won since 1972. “This medal is for all the Tunisian people, for Tunisian women, for the new Tunisia,” Ghribi told reporters after the race, according to France 24 news service. But instead of applauding her accomplishments, some of her Islamic countrymen would rather strip her of her medal. Why? Because they disapprove... |
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08/14/12Does Your Child Fly as an Unaccompanied Minor? Make Sure They Go PreparedI read a story the other day that unnerved me. It tapped into the worst fear we harbor as parents: our children being alone and at risk, and our being too far away to help. This story involved Annie and Perry Klebahn from San Francisco, who elected to allow their 10-year-old daughter, Phoebe, to fly alone aboard United Airlines, a carrier they'd routinely used. It was her first trip as an unaccompanied minor, flying from her home in California to a summer camp in northern Michigan. The flight required the girl to switch planes in Chicago, which the family assumed would be taken care of by United crew personnel. Instead, the service had been outsourced to a third party whose staff apparently failed to show up at the gate. Phoebe wound up getting lost in the shuffle for a... |
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08/10/12Read This! The Dragon Series (Preschool)The great thing about the Memphis Public Library's Summer Reading Club was that it got both of my daughters into the routine of visiting the library each weekend to pick out books to read. Since my preschooler isn't yet reading on her own, she walks down the aisles pulling out any book with an eye-catching cover. It's up to us to find those hidden gems she might have overlooked. Using this method of random selection, we amassed an eclectic mix of reading material over the summer. So, in upcoming posts, I'll share with you those stories we really enjoyed together. Dragon Gets By and Dragon's Fat Cat by Dav Pilkey (Orchard Books) are both part of the short Dragon Tales series. If the name or illustrating style looks familiar, it's because Pilkey is the... |
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08/07/12Camp Under the Stars at Shelby Farms ParkDid you know that the biggest meteor shower of the year peaks this weekend? What better place to view it — while enjoying a sleepover — than at Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. Shelby Farm's first overnight stay, Park + Pajamas, happens Friday, August 10th, at 7:30 p.m. Families will gather at the park's Visitors Center and have the option to either use sleeping bags inside the center, or pitch a tent and sleep under the stars. Activities are geared for parents with children ages 6 to 12, though teens are also welcome. After fielding many requests over the years, the weekend represents the conservancy's first venture into opening the park for an overnight stay. "The park is an awesome place, it's got great stuff but people only experience... |
