EDITOR’S PICKS

Songs in the Key of New York

Nothing soothes the savage beast like music. Sometimes when the child-induced chaos in our house has reached a fever pitch, I stop (myself from going out the front door—only kidding, sort of), take a deep breath and calmly walk over to the stereo to switch on some music. It’s an almost-instant mood changer for everyone. The rhythms of the music affect the rhythms of the house by helping us all get back into our groove—our (brace for shameless plug) family groove.

Generally, we turn on “our” music in an effort to expose them to the classics and even the new stuff that rocks and rolls—and as a respite from all things kiddie for one dang minute. Lately, however, we’ve been pressing play on Songs in the Key of New York, a children’s CD that’s really for the whole family. It’s a harmonious jaunt through the boroughs of the greatest city on earth. It’s musical, fun, smart and well done, and the littles love it. As a Manhattan expatriate, it makes me feel not so far away from the land I called home, and for them, it’s an entrée to all the amazing things that the city has to offer.
($10, Songs in the Key of New York, www.songsinthekeyofnewyork.com)

At-Home Workouts

I haven’t been able to get to the gym lately. I just haven’t. I used to go at 9 or 10 at night, but lately I have to use that time to work and can’t even spare a half an hour. But I made a commitment to myself to work toward being in super-amazing, bangin’ shape. Eating right is important (and the potato chips and brownies that were my dinner the other night do not fall into the “right” category), but you still have to get your exercise in. Fortunately for me and for you, every month we have a new at-home workout courtesy of fitness guru Lori Sawyer. Let me tell you something, they are goooood. They totally work. Lori knows her stuff. She’s very knowledgeable and, because she’s a mom herself, she knows how to put together workouts that make sense for a busy mom’s lifestyle. So while I can’t get it together to drive five minutes to the gym and hop on a treadmill for a 30-minute run, I can find 20 or so minutes sometime between 5 a.m. and midnight to get my heart rate up and tone my in-my-30s-mac-and-cheese-sneaking-mother-of-two-kids-who-works-all-the-time body. And so can you. You really, truly can do it. Her column is called “Home Body,” and it will get you back into shape. For more from Lori, go to her site, www.mommy-moves.com. She does phone nutrition and fitness counseling, too. I highly, highly recommend it. I met Lori almost four years ago and she was the impetus for me being able to get back to who I was and how I looked. I wish that everyone could feel as empowered and in control as I do—and you can, if you eat right and exercise. So get to it. Beach season is here and so is Lori’s workout of the month.

Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life

If you’re looking for the perfect go-to gift for preschool and grade-school-age kids, then this is the book to give. Written by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life empowers kids with its messages of loving yourself, being fearless, accepting change, giving to others and more. I’ve read a lot of these kinds of books and I have yet to find one that delivers these lessons in a more compelling and effective way. I started reading it to my daughter when she was 3, and it’s still in her nighttime reading repertoire. As she grows, it continues to reach her on deeper and deeper levels and give her the tools she needs to be a confident, happy, sharing, unencumbered, proactive human being. I cannot think of a better, more meaningful gift than this book.
($11.96, Unstoppable Me!: 10 Ways to Soar Through Life, www.hayhouse.com)