What's In and What's Out

From clothing to handbags, hair to shoes, all month MNH shares what's hot and what's not!

*Photo taken from REAL SIMPLE September 2010 issue

Our All Time Favorites To Date:

LIVE: Greetings my beautiful and cheery door.  Add a NEW color to your lips, wardrobe and entryway this season.  Any high gloss shade that suits your happy winter soul will do.  

DRESS: Hunter Wellington's are classic and here to stay. Love the new cable-cuff welly sock.

GLOW: One word: Clarisonic.  It works!  Your skin will look and feel clean and fresh all year long.

EAT: To die for - Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

NURTURE: CareCalendar.org - A perfect way to lend a helping hand.

HONEYBABY:  Have a seat!  Phil and Ted's ultra lightweight travel seat is safe, sturdy, and fully collapsible. Genius!

A very close second:

NURTURE:  REVIVE those tired eyes -reviewed by MNH's book worm,  Ashley VonHatten

LIVE: Chair Revival -wrap it in some new threads and love it all over again

DRESS: What a girl wants, what a girl needs is a place to put her jewelry

GLOW: "You Don't know Jacques" and the NEW Chanel "Paradoxal" (both perfect for this fall)

EAT: Our favorite diet guru, Nicole and what's in her grocery bag

HONEYBABY: The Crayon Apron is simply precious!

Those that Follow:

EAT: Best (box) brownies -secret disclosed.

LIVE:  Clean windows, great view.

DRESS: BCBG wrap and go.

GLOW: Buxom lip gloss  --MNH favorite colors: Jessica, Katy & our new addition, Bunny!

NURTURE: Any Tracy Anderson (or Kim Wallis-our local STL favorite) exercise regime will whip you into shape.

HONEYBABY: Hip cool boots for boys (or girls) - the MacAlister from CrewCuts

Of course, they made the cut:

GLOW:  Lollia hand creme  -Gift a little something special. Favorite scent - "Wish"

LIVE: best candle - Capri Blue from Anthropologie -for the housewarming hostess

Last, but certainly not least:

HONEYBABY: Darling handmade dresses from Tony Tierney

LIVE: Cozy up with the softest blanket ever - Barefoot Dreams 

Beat the Back-to-School Blues

Invite your child's classmates over for a Popsicle Party.  Limit it to one hour, just enough time for the kid's to say, "HI", have a lite treat and a quick game of chase.  Have it at your home, a local park (with a water fountain) or your child's school playground. Include the moms to lessen your responsibility. All you need is popsicles and napkins (or wet wipes).  

Healthy Kids. Healthy Planet

LunchSkins are perfect for wrapping sandwiches, chips, fruit, anything for a child's (and adult) lunch and you don't have to use and waste all those plastic bags.  We also love the Goodbynn "Classic" and Go Green Bento lunch boxes (yes, boxes!)  Both have several compartments, eliminating the need for baggies. Swap the juices boxes and plastic bottled waters for a reusable aluminum bottle.  Also see ReUseIt.com for more tips and product choices.  

Stay tuned for FRESH ideas for healthy meals and snacks for growing minds and bodies. 

Up and At 'Em

Replace the noisy alarm clock with a dawn simulator.  The gradual light of the SunRise Alarm Clock awakens you the way nature intended.  These are especially useful for cranky sleepheads and habitually late risers. 

What to wear?

Ok, so most of us don't dress our kids in Stella McCartney (shown in photo) but deep down we all want our children to be as fashionable, if not more, than ourselves.  Luckily, several big-name retailers now offer complimentary styling advice and "looks" of the moment. Click here to see a list of retailers we love.

School Mode.

Getting back into the bedtime and morning groove can be challenging after those late summer nights.  Here are a few articles that might be helpful in getting your kids back into the school routine. 

Back-to-School Countdown by Kaboose

About.com -Getting your kids ready for back-to-school

Redbook - Back to School is Back

Back to School - Re-engaging your Children

Bobbi Brown Meltproof Makeup

The whole line is amazing especially the Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. No drip, no smudge, no scraping the eye with a pencil.  It goes on like silk and is definitely the must-have of the Meltproof collection. 

Laura Mercier Sequin Eye Colour

Shimmer shadows twinkle in the light making them a  beautiful choice for evening events and moonlit nights. Apply Laura Mercier Sequin Eye Colour (my favorite shade is Peacock) with a pat of your finger.  It's super easy and long lasting!!

Denim & Rose Face Palette

Bobbi Brown's limited edition Denim & Rose Collection will get you back into your jeans this fall with a face to match.  The face palette includes fresh shades for eyes, lips, and cheeks. It's all there!

Philosophy Beach Party 3 in 1

Don't leave the beach behind this summer.  Wash it in through fall!  

Beach Party shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath- Philosophy

MAC Mineralized Blush Duo

Mineralized Blush Duo by MAC brings a healthy glow to sunkissed faces.  You can blend the two shades evenly or go a little heavier on one then the other for a variation of colors that can take you from one season to the next.   

Checking In?

Bring new meaning to the term, "staying in."  Reserve a luxury suite in a beautiful hotel in your city (the one you would recommend to an out-of-town guest).  Relegate yourself to your room, bathing in the huge tub, ordering room service, and catch up on the new releases that you missed in the theatres.  Have breakfast in bed in the morning, sip a daiquiri pool-side, enjoy a shower to freshen up before checking out and heading home.  Ahhh...

Camping Out

Pack up the gang and head to where there is still no cell service and enjoy the freedom from the rest of the world.  Not much of a camper?  Do your research, there are campsites with modern day facilities while still being at one with nature.  Go horseback riding, floating, hiking, swim in a river and be brave enough to catch crawdads.  Not recommended for more than 48 hours but your family will cherish the memories forever.  

KOA - Campsites for the U.S. and Canada

Brushy Creek - We recommend this campsite for those in the St. Louis area.  If you have a question regarding this campsite please feel free to ask--we experienced it first-hand this summer. 

Send 'Em Packin'

Pick a family friend or a classmate and schedule a child swap.  You take their child/children one weekend and they take yours another.  The rewards are two-fold: your child will get two weekends full of sleepovers, play, and entertainment, and you will get one peaceful adult-only weekend to do all the things that you did before you had kids (if you can even remember).  If you don't have children, we suggest picking a weekend and clearing your calendar, hiding your to-do-list, and spend two full nights and days doing whatever you want. A vacation from obligation, routine, or expectation.

Tour Your Town

We love this idea.  Make a list of all the places in your city where you send a friend visiting from out of town. The best your city has to offer in the way of restaurants, unique attractions or fascinating historical sites and tours.  Include family as well as adult activities.  Print it  and work your way down the list throughout the rest of the summer.  You'll rediscover all the places you love and probably haven't been in a really long time, while renewing your appreciation for the best place on Earth, home.

Summer Concert

Purchase lawn seats, pack a blanket, and take the family to see a summer concert.  Enjoy the outdoors while listening to some great tunes and the BEST people watching.  Click here for tour schedules in your city. (John Mayer, Colbie Callait, Tom Petty, Modest Mouse, Sheryl Crow, and  Dylan, are just a few on tour this summer.)