I am dying to redo my daughter's room. She'll be 7 in March and, with the exception of the addition of a desk, nothing much, decor-wise, has changed in her room since she got her big-girl bed. We did her nursery with gorgeous, sophisticated furniture so it still looks age-appropriate but, truly, I am just ready for a change.  And this whole parenting thing is about me, right? The good thing about making over a room is that it's relatively easy and even affordable to do. Sometimes just a few changes can make a huge difference. And sometimes you need a key piece that anchors the look. Enter: Anna Marie ABCs. From baby to grade-schooler, this personalized, keepsake-quality framed and matted name art is a great statement-maker for any child's room. Choose from a variety of designs, colors and styles to capture the essence of your little (or not so little) one. Kids love things with their name on it and you'll love how the pops of color give your kiddo's room a perfect focus. For more from Anna Marie's ABCs, go to www.myabcname.com. Get 10% off with code Groove.    

Robin Calitri, lead expert instructor at Mountain Creek, talks about the new way to learn how to ski and snowboard—and by new, he means fun and easy, aka trauma-free. If you or your kids want to learn to ski or snowboard now is the time and the Experience Snowboarding or Go Skiing™ program at Mountain Creek in Vernon, New Jersey, is the place. Completed this season, a new $22 million base lodge was built—and it rivals any in the US. Included in the renovation of Mountain Creek is a new and improved kind of terrain for budding snow boarders and skiers.  With such innovations at hand, the Mountain Creek Snowboard and Ski School was charged with developing approaches to learning that are fun, safe and foster return visits. With the help and guidance of the folks at Burton Snowboards, a Progression Center was created to usher new skiers and riders from the parking lots to lessons in a seamless and sensitive manner. The rental process includes an orientation film, which complements an online guide for beginners; a kiosk system for registration; a personal rental guide; a checkout system where everything one needs is available; and bathrooms and lockers in convenient locations. A host ushers you to Progression Pods, where an enthusiastic instructor greets you and immediately begins to make you feel at ease. The ski equipment is even delivered to you on the snow so there's no lugging around to do. Your only job is to enjoy the moment and get stoked! Next ,the equipment is on and students begin to immediately play with ranges of motion movements  that ski and snowboard guru Chris Hargrave promotes. Signage reinforces heel to toe, foot to foot, rotary and flexion and extension movements. Once the class reaches a reasonable size in the Pod, it moves to the mini pipe, which has been constructed horizontally across the slope like a skate ramp. Students drop in to the pipe and the ‘consequence free terrain’ allows them to feel the rush of minor acceleration and coming to a stop as they glide up the return wall on the other side. In the mini pipe, more traditional skills of straight run, side step or monkey hops and ‘going switch’ are experienced. ‘Ollies’ and ‘Nollies’ are toyed with by all. Within a few moments, new sliders are gaining balance and confidence as they practice the "Core Four." There is laughter, noise and encouragement as the instructor leads the new team to success. Additional skills such as the Jersey strut or drag, braking wedge and the Responsibility Code are introduced as tools to venture through "Progression Avenue" with newly acquired Mountain Creek swagger towards the rollers. At the rollers, the instructor leads the group to drop in and head down a very gradual slope consisting of a couple of rollers with a return wall at the bottom. The rollers foster the sensation of a "peak experience." Remember your first sledding experience—how after a few seconds of exhilaration, you come to a stop before hitting the road? Same principle here. The few hundred feet of the rollers allow balance and "Core Four" skills to be put into play. Some sliders may turn 180 degrees so they may utilize "going switch" on this intuitive, consequence-free terrain. There are no class line ups, no going one at a time and no perfecting any movement. The class has been transformed into a team of new friends. Experiencing Snowboarding or Going Skiing’™ in a fantastically designed snow playground. The Perfect Slope offers additional consequence-free terrain upon which groups practice turning and more dynamic use of the "Core Four." Classes proceed to the "Launch Pad" where students are encouraged to try small features which simulate a park environment in a low fear setting. Almost instantly, new sliders are hooked! Does this unorthodox system of utilizing skills common to both boarding and skiing in a learning area designed for fun work? You betcha! In a year of little natural snow or cold weather, the Mountain Creek Ski and Snowboard School is experiencing good numbers of first visits. More importantly,  skiiers and snowborders are returning to lessons at rates which far exceed industry averages.  Mountain Creek is located less than 50 miles from Manhattan and within a short drive for a population of over 20 million people. Combine this with a fantastic new facility, a humongous tubing hill, Bag Jumps™, Kids Kamp, Ladies Club and an approach to learning characterized by laughter, encouragement and exhilaration and we have a formula for success. Robin Calitri helps people to have fun. He is Lead Ski Trainer at Mountain Creek Ski Area, a fishing guide (LongIslandFlyFishing.com) and a respected consultant and educational reformer.

Yesterday my daughter asked me what we are getting Daddy for Valentine's Day. My (scrambled for) answer: Ummm...not sure yet. We can make him something or bake him something. Want to write him a poem? To be honest, I forgot about him. I mean, I didn't forget about him—after all, he's central in what I most looking forward to on Valentine's Day: our date. I did, however, forget about getting him a gift. And though baking and crafting and poeming we will do, I am sure that daughter will insist that an actual gift be purchased and presented. She doesn't play around when it comes to holidays and gift-giving. Luckily, TFG advertiser Grandparent Gift Co. has a slew of appropriate and affordable gifts for these kinds of occasions. We love the "My Daddy's Hands" frame. It's perfect for our man's desk at work and since it's only $19.99 (minus the 15% discount—see below), we can scoop up a few other fun things for him as well. Score! For more great gifts for the whole family, go to www.GrandparentGiftCo.com. Get 15% off with code CUST15OFF.

With February in full effect, the the rush of Valentine's Day is upon us. I am digging it this year. (Normally, I think it's a bit corny.) Yup! It might have taken 35 years but Hallmark holiday finally got me. I am so excited to bake Valentine's Day cupcakes and make valentines with my kiddos and have a special week-day date night with my man. Something else I am also excited about? The Hot Chocolat Organic Body Cream ($19.99) from Nava Natural. Uh, they had me at chocolat—and then the had me again at organic. A direct quote from the product description: Feel smoother, softer, sexier as you treat yourself with this rich mix of natural and exotic extracts and oils. Smoother, softer, sexier—sign me up. For more smoother, softer and sexier organic body, face, hand and nail goodies, go to www.NavaNatural.com.

Krinklz Baby is bringing the noise to the baby gear world with its handmade-to-order, washer-and-dryer-friendly baby and toddler toys and accessories. From baby paper, teething toys and cubes to burp clothes, blankets, word and letter pillows, the Krinklz Baby personalized products are no ordinary gifts to give, thanks to the addition of that extra special crinkly sound that babies crave. Krinklz Baby is currently creating a ruckus with celebrity mommies like Alyssa Milano, Alicia Silverstone, Victoria Beckham, Tori Spelling and recently Keri Russel and Rebecca Gayheart, all of whom have received something from the oh-so smart line. Want to give a customized, cuddly, cute and ever-engaging gift guaranteed to keep baby entertained—and mommy a chance to to breathe (and maybe even return an email) for a minute? Krinklz Baby is a sound choice indeed. For more from Krinklz Baby, go to www.KrinkzBaby.com.  

My new favorite thing is a video gift label. Not familiar with it? That's because it's a brand-new, hot-off-the-presses technology created by our friends at Label Your Stuff. All you have to do is go to the Label Your Stuff website, pick out the label you want to use (choose from a variety of designs) and then personalize it with, well, whatever the heck you want to say. From there, you'll get a great-looking label complete with a Microsoft tag right on it. Lucky gift recipients can use their Androids, BlackBerrys or iPhones to see your special video wishes. There's no better way to say I love you this Valentine's Day than to actually say it to your friends and family. Go to www.labelyourstuff.com for more info and to get 10% off with code TFG10.    

This month marks the six-year anniversary of The Family Groove. And a what whirlwind it is has been—3,000+ pages of original content, awards, accolades, hitting the 200,000-visitors-a-month mark, connecting with inspiring people from around the world, working with scores of amazing charities and helping families find their very own grooves with life in the parenthood has indeed been brilliant. What it's also been is a ton of work, especially for the first four or so years. Not complaining here, just stating. Fortunately, since 2010, we've gotten the business to a place where it runs smoothly and easily (dare I say it out loud!) and just kind of go-go-goes. God bless. The last two years were a time of decompression for me as I learned how to re-enter into the land of the living—living as in not working all the time. It was a huge adjustment  but I committed to it. I committed to learning how to be in the present and I recommitted to be a mom—mom sans computer in front of her, that is. For 2012, my goal is to really live it up with the kids and be present-and-accounted-for every step of the way. Last weekend, we took the kids to the newly revamped Mountain Creek, located in Vernon, NJ (new Red Tail Lodge pictured to the left)—and it was some living indeed.   First of all, Mountain Creek has just emerged from a serious makeover—serious as in $20 million in renovations. It's state-of-the-art all the way, from the immaculate snow-topped (they make their own) grounds to the customer service to the activities the ultra-hip Red Tail Lodge, complete with family-friendly (read: organic and wholesome) food and snacks. Just an hour and a half from my home in South Jersey, the centrally located resort is winter-wonderland-done-right for the tri-state area. Mountain Creek is the only resort to offer the Experience Snowboarding & Go Skiing program, that gives beginners of all ages a unique and intuitive terrain on which they are taught via new methods that foster and expedite learning. The intelligently designed ski and snowboard learning center, created in conjunction with Burton and Snow Park Technologies, the leader in terrain development, takes the place of the ol' bunny slope (aka slope of sheer and total terror, if you ask me). The beginner-friendly snow banks, small rolling bumps and mini half pipe aid novice skiers and snowboarders to learn proper body positioning and progress faster than they would on a traditional slope. Genius. My kids could not get enough of it. No fear here, just a good time from the word go. I am sure a lot of their loving it had to do with their ace instructors, Chuck and Robin, who made them feel like superstars from the minute they met them. Watching my wee ones ski (forget learn to ski—I mean, they were actually doing it by the end of their lessons) was truly one of my proudest moments. It was just truly special to be able to stand back and watch them learn something that will bring them joy for their entire lives. I will cherish those memories forever and I think they will too. My little man is too young for the tubing but the brand new tubing park looked like so much fun and I fantasized that I'd be able to sneak away and give it a try on my own. (Wow—have my fantasies changed since I became a parent!).  Seriously though: Parents, you will want to do the tubing and so will your kids, as long as they are at least 5 years old. Cap off our little local vacation/staycation with an overnight at the gorgeous and perfectly staged Grand Cascades Lodge, part of the Crystal Springs Resort (our fabulously luxurious but still kid-friendly suite had a fireplace and a balcony overlooking the mountains and oozed cozy-chic through and through) and a five-star dinner at the Crystal Tavern and I'd say we had 24 of our best hours we've had in a long, long time. Amazing what you can do with your life when you're not on the computer. It is indeed a wonderful world, dear parents, so get out there and live a little! Don't wait! Your good times are calling! For more on Mountain Creek, go to www.mountaincreek.com.    

A big shout at to Versy, the latest and greatest bit o' sanity-saving baby gear on the market. This insanely cute baby positioner provides full head and neck support to infants ages 0 to 12 months old and does double duty as a feeding (breast and bottle) and playtime essential. The Versy is made in the USA with TDCPP and PBDE-free foam inserts that are covered in plush, cozy, machine washable cotton chenille and available in four fun colors. From feeding to diapering to playing, the versatile Versy adjusts to seated and lying positions and is super light for easy, breezy transportation. (Ah, if only that were true of all the other baby gear you have to haul.) At just $24.95, you'd be crazy not to add Versy to your registry or give one to your best gal pal who's about to pop. Check out more about The Versy here. Get 25% off with code thegroove25.

The TBIG (an acronym for This Bag is Great) from Branded J Collections could not be more accurately named. Available in color ways that are light, medium and dark, the get-gorgeous carryall comes complete with six lipsticks, oil free foundation powder, blush, three eye shadows, three brow shades, one eye shimmer, lip pencil, eye pencil, foundation/concealer and more. But what good is fabulous makeup if you don't have the proper tools to apply it? Nothing! Indeed, good brushes make the look, which is why TBIG also comes with four makeup brushes for a flawless application every time. Beauty booty bonus: Get 20% off with code Jnews. For the best in all-natural, cruelty-free beauty, go to www.BrandedJCollections.com.  

The good eggs at Personal Baby Products by Randesign are sharing their tips for keeping your wee ones warm during the winter: Bundle Up in Loose Layers 1. Several thinner layers are better than one thick layer?. 2. Loose layers hold warm air better. 3. For outer layers: Go for waterproof, thick and fuzzy, fiber-filled and/or wool. Think: Puffy fabrics like quilted fiberfill 4. For inner layers: Synthetic fibers don’t hold water the way that cotton will. Synthetic fibers hold a warm layer of insulated air close to the skin and will greatly exceed the performance of cotton. A few key items to pick up: Hat Scarf Waterproof boots Mittens with warm lining inside and a water-repellent exterior Waterproof coat And, of course, a warm blanket for when they come in from the cold. Our personalized blankets are perfect for babies and little ones. For more tips and top baby must-haves, go to www.PersonalizedBabyProducts.com.