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    Charlene Prince Birkeland, Lifestyle Editor

    Charlene Prince Birkeland, Lifestyle Editor

  • Beauty Trend Alert: Make Your Skin Glow with Minimal Makeup

    Summer months are all about lightening up from head to toe. This summer's beauty trend--bare beauty--definitely follows the idea that less is better. In other words, wear your makeup to appear as if you're not wearing any makeup.

  • Women Who Shine: Top 10 Nominees*

    Here at Shine, we want to celebrate the women out there who are blazing new trails, touching lives or are just being amazing every single day. Shine readers are nominating women in their communities who are are doing something extraordinary. The woman who receives the most overall votes will receive a $10,000 cash prize (great prizes are available for runners-up too). <p> Check out the 10 <a rel="nofollow" href="http://shine.yahoo.com/women-who-shine/">Women Who Shine</a> nominees who are currently leading in votes.* And if you know an amazing woman who shines, you still have time to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://shine.yahoo.com/women-who-shine/nomination/">nominate her</a>! </p> <p> (*Based on votes as of Tuesday, September 25, 2012.) </p>

  • Is There Such Thing as a Role Model in Baseball?

    When my oldest son was five years old, he quickly scanned the front page of the newspaper over morning breakfast and saw a huge photo of his then-favorite baseball player, Barry Bonds. In a suit. In a courtroom. The caption included the words "steroids" and "investigation," which led to lots of questions that my husband and I tried to answer as simply as possible -- "He's in big trouble because it looks like he took drugs that made him faster and stronger." Eyes furrowed, my son processed the information and clearly understood it was bad news for Bond. ...

  • Quiet Time: 5 Free, Healthy, Whole-Family Activities for Sunday Morning

    Weekends should be blissful, free of the crazy chaos that usually takes place Monday through Friday. But Saturdays can still be filled with shuttling the kids back and forth between practices, parties and play dates -- that antithesis of bliss. If you find yourself eager to etch out quiet, peaceful time with your family, you need a plan. Here's one: Set aside your Sunday morning for special family time, and try one of these five mellow activities: -Camp out! Or at least pretend you did! When you wake up, fire up the grill and pretend your camping. ...

  • What's in Your Summer Bag? 6 Things a Mom Should Always Have on Hand

    A 2007 study reported that the average woman's handbag weighed nearly seven pounds. Apparently, the stat went down in 2010to three pounds, as we started carrying smaller tech gadgets. But those numbers can't be accurate for moms, especially over the summer.Does the content of your handbag change in the summer? Mine does. It became noticeably heavier this past week. Like Allison over at Petit Elefant, I suddenly was carrying more stuff. Summer stuff...for my kids. ...

  • 8 Fun Ways to Get Your Kids Moving This Summer!

    The kids are out of school and while you want them to go outside and play, they want to sit around inside and chill. out.Hello, lazy days of summer.Here's the thing: The kids may not want to be lazy; they just don't know what to do with themselves. After months of school where their every moment is scheduled out, kids sometimes lose their get-up-and-go.Boredom is okay...until their driving you insane with their incessant whines of, "I don't have anything to do!"So inspire them. Kick start their summer vacation with some outdoor fun that the whole family can enjoy:Neighborhood walk. ...

  • Fun (healthy!) Snacks to Make with Your Kids This Weekend

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  • 8 Fun Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day with the Kids

    While Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, it's also a time to remember and pay respect to those in the military who died while serving the U.S. Sometimes the latter gets lost in flurry of backyard parties and festive celebrations that take place over the holiday weekend. How do you encourage your kids to take part in this patriotic day while also acknowledging "Yay! Summer!"?Simple. We'll get you started with our list of eight ways to celebrate Memorial Day with your kids"-Bake red, white and blue Snowcone Cupcakes. ...

  • 5 Pizza Toppings Kids Will Devour

    I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't like pizza. When asked about pizza toppings, the requests are simple: cheese or cheese and pepperoni. Those choices definitely work when you're at a restaurant, grabbing a quick meal on the go, serving up a team dinner or feeding a group of kids at a party. But when you're making homemade pizza, it's time to push the envelope on the food front.I admit it can be tough to convince kids to try new foods or ask them to change something about their their favorite meal. But these simple, delish and (mostly) healthy toppings just might cause them to reconsider. ...

  • Who Plans Mother’s Day at Your House?

    I sympathize with husbands and kids who are trying to plan the perfect Mother's Day for their respective celebrants. I'm a daughter. I help organize my mom's day with my siblings, and the pressure is high to orchestrate a blissfully wonderful day.I'm also a mom to two boys. And I have no expectations for Mother's Day. Okay, I do have one expectation: a simple card that my boys make on their own. But my kids are really generous with their hugs, kisses and words of thanks every day. ...

  • Kid + Camera: 6 Spring Assignments for Your Budding Photographer

    <img src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/470_2350966.0" title="Give the kids a spring photo assignment!" id="2350966" align="left" alt="Give the kids a spring photo assignment!" name="2350966" width="470" height="313" >Do your kids love to grab your camera and pretend their photographers? Encourage them to develop a keen eye for great shots by giving them this spring photo challenge designed especially for kids. <br> <br> <i>Share your Spring photos and any other fun, embarrassing or incredible moments that you have captured on the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/momentsofmotherhood/?_s_icmp=054JNdk3">Moments of Motherhood Flickr Group</a>. While you are here take part in discussions with other moms.</i>

  • 10 Ways to Celebrate Beautiful Spring with the Kids!

    We're one month into spring but the weather already feels like summer! We don't mind at all. Happy to see that April showers have moved on their merry way, we'll just take our spring celebrations outdoors. We'll add a little summer spice to it, too.Celebrate spring with your kids by adding one of these 10 activities to your weekend fun:-Blow bubbles.-Plant flowers. (Herbs and other edibles are fun for kids to grow because they can enjoy their bounty!)-Make homemade lemonade. Let the kids host a lemonade stand!-Have a picnic at the beach.-Climb trees. ...

  • 5 Kid Photos You Must Capture This Spring  

    We love everything about spring, even if it brings April showers. The gorgeous flowers in bloom, the scent of fresh Jasmine flowers in the air, the sight of our kids running around the park on a bright, sunny day. (Yes, we'll also admit that we love that spring means summer is rapidly approaching.) <br> <br> While you're celebrating spring, make sure you snap photos of your family enjoying the awesomeness of the season. And we have five photos you'll want to capture. <br> <br> <br> Share your Spring photos and any other fun, embarrassing or incredible moments that you have captured on the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/momentsofmotherhood/?_s_icmp=054JNdk3" style="color:blue;text-decoration:underline;">Moments of Motherhood Flickr Group</a><span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;font-size:15px;">. While you are here take part in discussions with other moms.</span>

  • What's for Breakfast? 5 Hilarious Waffle Faces

    Looking for a way to add some fun to breakfast with the kids? Whip up a batch of waffles and decorate them with the silliest faces you can make. Better yet? Let the kids get their creative juices flowing and they can design their own funny waffle faces. Use all sorts of fruit and whipped cream (if you want). Turn it into a competition! Game on. <br> <br> <i>Share photos of your child and any other fun, embarrassing or incredible moments that you have captured on the <b><a rel="nofollow" href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AuIBztdn6JDXHQg9Tg0iypowh6U5;_ylu=X3oDMTFra2g4NXN0BG1pdANCbG9nUG9zdEJvZHkEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlUZW1wQXNzZW1ibHk-;_ylg=X3oDMTMyanBub29lBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDYmQwM2NmYTctNDYyMC0zYzkzLWE0MDQtMDA2ZmVjYjg3ZDg3BHBzdGNhdANwYXJlbnRpbmcEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=12o79dmfc/EXP=1333757221/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/groups/momentsofmotherhood/%3F_s_icmp=054JNdk3">Moments of Motherhood Flickr Group</a></b>. While you are here take part in discussions with other moms.</i> <br> <br>

  • Where Do Your Kids Eat Breakfast?

    As much as I love having dinner as a family, breakfast time is my favorite moment of the day. My kids straggle into the dining room with bed head, in their pajamas and toting a book (or several books). They sit at the table and get ready to eat their breakfast. And read. My husband and I serve up eats and sit down with our boys. And it's either a quiet morning meal or one full of chatter. And it does always end with a little bit of chaos.I'm a big believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. ...

  • Tips to Make the Morning Rush More Sane

    I always find it ironic that I've got my family's weekday morning routine down to a science when they only have a few months of school left. It's also comforting to know that the mornings will (hopefully) continue to run smoothly because we've established a pattern that works for all of us. Well, at least until summer break.If you're eager to make your morning rush a little less hectic, there's still time. I've tested many tips over the past five years with my boys. What's worked so far?-Tidy up the house each night. ...

  • 10 Ways to Celebrate Leap Day with the Kids!

    Wednesday, February 29 is a leap day and since it only happens once every four years, it's a perfect opportunity for a mid-week celebration with the kids. (If you need some fun facts about leap year, be sure to read Claudine Zap's post.)Looking for cute ways to insert a little leap year fun into your child's day? Check out these ideas:-Make (Leap) Frog cupcakes for dessert.-Whip up a batch of Frog Eye Salad (via Talented Terrace Girls) with your kids.-Surprise your kids with these adorable (and super easy) frog cookies.-Get outside and play a game of leapfrog!-Jump rope and count by fours. ...

  • 5 Things Your Kindergartener Will Remember from the First Year of School

    Whenever I meet parents who have a child in kindergarten, I always say the same thing: That first year of school is pure magic.Sure, the ups and downs over the course of that school year -- any school year -- are many. Kindergarten brings tough and emotional days as kids (and their parents) learn to adjust to school life and adopt new social and life skills. They hate writing. They love writing. They want to love writing by oh holy cow it hurts their hands and their arms because they are squeezing the bejeezus out of a pencil or crayon.But kindergarten year as a whole? It's pretty cute. ...

  • 5 Ways to Get Involved at Your Kid's School

    The school year is half over (yikes!). While some parents are mapping out summer camp schedules, many others are still trying to figure out how to make time to volunteer at their child's school. (And some of you may still be wondering how you're going to complete mandatory volunteer hours...)Whether you're a working parent or the chief household officer (or both!), finding time to participate in school activities can stretch your scheduling skills. You have an additional challenge if you have more than one child in school and want to volunteer in both classrooms. ...

  • What Do You Do with the Valentine's Day Cards Your Kids Bring Home from School?

    A quick peek around Shine or on Pinterest and you'll see that kids and their parents are busy creating adorable Valentine's Day cards to hand out at school next week.The Valentine's Day card process -- from deciding what to give out through purchasing, making, addressing and signing cards -- is time consuming and causes angst for many a parent and kid. ...