Today, Lindsey shares a local self-care gem (that is making my feet twitch in happy anticipation):

I am a runner with ache-y Achilles tendons and a (probably related) on-and-off case of plantar fasciitis. I have wanted to try reflexology for a long time: partially I am drawn to the concept of spots on the feet correlating with imbalances in the body, but mostly I love having my feet rubbed.
The other morning I approached Barefoot Reflexology in Watertown with both anticipation and slight nervousness. Despite a cheerful purple sign, the storefront is shrouded with curtains and you can't see in. Taking a deep breath, I swung open the door and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. Let's just say the insides don't really match the outsides.

Barefoot Reflexology is bright and clean, and the staff is friendly. Within two minutes of walking in I was seated in a dim room with dividers between clients. My technician (Mary) immersed my feet in warm water that had rose petals floating in it. The fact that the water was in a plastic-bag lined plastic bucket was slightly odd, but I told myself it was probably to keep everything sanitary and I quickly stopped thinking about it at all. During the foot soak, Mary massaged my shoulders, neck, and arms. I was already sliding into a happy state of vague oblivion.

Next, Mary dried my feet and indicated that I should sit back on the recliner. The chair was padded, covered in clean white towels, and about the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. For the next 45 minutes Mary massaged my feet, sometimes applying specific pressure to points on my feet but also just giving me an incredibly relaxing foot massage. She used unscented lotion and did not speak. The massage, the quiet music, the dim lighting, and the bed-like chair all combined so that within minutes I was drifting in and out of awareness.

The hour flew by. By the time Mary wrapped my feet in warm towels and patted my shoulder to tell me we were done, I was blissfully zoned out. I padded out of the treatment room, paid the exceptionally reasonable price ($35 for one hour), and floated home to my children, a far more relaxed and reasonable mom than I'd been before. I heartily recommend Barefoot Reflexology for anyone looking to relax and enjoy an hour focused entirely on you.

Image credit: healingdream / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Hello everyone -- apologies for the radio silence! I considered posting from the road but decided to be present and immerse myself in Camp Mighty. It was a wonderful trip, not only for personal/professional reflection and connection, but also to witness and be a part of awesome change. Thanks to the fundraising efforts by Camp Mighty attendees, plus a donation from the Ace Hotel (amazing, btw, if you find yourself in Palm Springs), we raised $25,000 for charity: water, which translates to clean water for 1,250 people. AMAZING. I'm now in recovery mode with work and home matters, but meanwhile, here are some fun ideas to consider in this week's Weekly Blueprint:
November 16: I'm fairly certain these gingerbread men will be caught and eaten.

November 18: Lace up. Skating opens at Frog Pond.

November 18: Lace up again. Winter skating opens at Patriot Place.

At your leisure: Start chipping away at homemade holiday gifts. My friend Gabrielle has a lovely sibling gift tradition with lots of project ideas -- these could be used for any family members.

At your leisure: Paint some pottery. Related to above, Laurel loves painting pottery for holiday gifts. The functional items such as coffee mugs and plates are always a huge hit!

At your leisure: I love Thanksgiving. Check out last year's episode of Life.Style (or simply the associated link wrap) for decor, recipe, and travel toy ideas.

At your leisure: Make a big batch of magic salt -- perfect for all of the cooking coming up this holiday season and great for giving as gifts. We've gifted this salt to family and friends who say that it's now the only salt they use!

At your leisure: Try a new recipe. I made Santa Rosa Valley Salad last night (super, super yum), and plan on making one or both of these spinach dishes this week.

Image credit: felt ice skate ornaments by recycledparts via Etsy

Greetings all! I hope you're all adjusting to the time change. Did anyone else's kids fight bedtime yesterday, despite the "You know, it's actually an hour later than now" argument? And did anyone else not get their extra hour of sleep (my kids still woke up super early)? Anyway, how about a fresh start? Here are some fun ideas for your consideration in this week's Weekly Blueprint:
November 7: If you are suffering from sleep deprivation related to the time change (or hey, just sleep deprivation in general), treat yourself to a really delicious coffee.

November 8: Vote in your municipal election.

November 8: Talk turkeys with your toddler at the Mass Audubon's South Shore Sanctuaries.

November 10: Celebrate locally made goods at AHA! Night in New Bedford.

November 11: A super fun pick for ballet lovers: The Nutcracker Boston Ballet Day at the Boston Children's Museum.

November 11: Pay tribute. My peep Stacey at Boston Central has several Veteran's Day listings on the docket for Friday.

At your leisure: Set aside a bag and start filling it with items for local food drives.

At your leisure: Make this pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting. YUM.

At your leisure: Schedule a date night.

At your leisure: Pick up a new book. This community-driven collection of recommendations offers more than enough fodder to get you started.

At your leisure: My upcoming trip to Camp Mighty served as the impetus to update my life list. Consider starting/editing yours as you look forward into the turn of the year.

At your leisure: Find creative inspiration. I recently joined Pinterest and I must say that I love it as a means of archiving awesome ideas and creative inspiration.

Image credit: Unicorn pops pinned via Etsy

Happy first weekend of November! I hope you've all been rocking this new month. Here are some fun picks for the weekend:

1. Day of the Dead, family style -- including sugar skulls! (Cambridge)

2. A morning chat about color and design? Yes, please. (Bedford)

3. I love that proceeds from this gingerbread house competition will benefit homeless families. (Boston)
4. How cultured! A cinematic kaleidoscope of cats, characters, and circus dreams. (Belmont)

5. Cultural performances and activities abound at World's Fair weekend. (Concord)

6. Rock out with Alastair Moock at the Regent Theatre. (Arlington)

7. It's the perfect time to collect nature treasures. (Mattapan)

8. Help your kids learn how their bodies tick. (Boston)

9. A sweet deal for Bank of American cardholders: as part of Museums on Us, show your BoA card for free weekend admission at the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge), deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum (Lincoln), Worcester Art Museum (Worcester), Cape Cod Museum of Art (Dennis), and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (North Adams).

And don't forget to fall back and reset your clocks Sunday!

Per my previous post, welcome to this new series, in which I'll share everything from events to bargain alerts to other ideas and tips that spring to mind as useful and/or fun for the week. After considerable mulling, I decided to call the series Weekly Blueprint, because I think the name conveys a creative presentation of ideas and plans that are, ultimately, posed for your consideration (vs. including the term "to do," which suggests that I think you must do whatever it is I'm suggesting!). Enjoy, and please do drop me a line if you have suggestions for a future Weekly Blueprint!
October 31: Figure out how to sneak extra layers under your kids' Halloween costumes (long underwear! leggings!). Also, buy candy or other Halloween favors if you have procrastinated as I have.

November 1: Call someone you love and wish them a Happy November. Snap a photo of your kid(s).

By November 1: If this weekend's weather didn't already inspire you to action: procure winter gear. I ordered Laurel's snow bib, jacket, and boots from Lands' End last week and called in to get a priced adjustment when everything went on sale a couple of days ago. They're currently running a 30-50% off outerwear sale. Sweet!

November 1-6: Spread the Halloween wealth. Send candy to the troops (we've done this the past couple of years) or head to Magic Beans for their candy buy back (bring 1 pound+ of candy in exchange for 20% off one toy that day only...I highly recommend the Perplexus if they have it in stock!).

By November 3: Pick up easily lost items (I ordered gloves and hats yesterday) from Old Navy. They are running a 30% off sale until November 3 for cardholders.

November 4-6: Yowza, Christmas is on the horizon. The Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center runs Friday to Sunday and admittedly, mostly I want to see the gingerbread house creations!

November 4-6: Pottery Barn fans will swoon: the PBTeen pop up store arrives at the Natick Mall on Friday. Head over between November 4-6 for giveaways, design exploration, games, and a photo station.

By November 6: Buy one of these killer raffle tickets. Two dollars (or some multiple thereof) will do good + enter you to win a tote valued at $350.

By November 6: Remember that we fall back an hour on Sunday. Oh, darkness.

At your leisure: Browse the Mayor's Holiday Special website for discounted theatre tickets. I'm a big fan of experience-based, usable gifts at the holidays.

At your leisure: Score some off-season deals for yourself. I got some amazing deals at Anthropologie's sale section this weekend; not great for Boston right now, but perfect for my trip to Palm Springs next week.

At your leisure: If you haven't already, it's time to rotate your fast-growing children's clothing. If you have excess, swap with friends, or donate items to local charities such as Room to Grow or Cradles to Crayons. And/or list boxes online with thredUP (and score used gems for your kid).

At your leisure: If you're planning on getting flu shots for your family, book them now. (This reminder comes courtesy of the mom who forgot to take Violet to her flu shot appointment last week.)

Image credit: Lands' End

How is everyone doing getting ready for Halloween? Are you getting dressed up alongside your kids? Laurel is going to be a witch and Violet her black cat companion (Laurel has several years of coordinating costumes planned). I hope you have a fantastic weekend and enjoy this roundup of 16 Halloween inspired weekend picks:

1. The last SoWa of the season will be zombietastic.

2. Critters will abound at Zoo Howl.
3. Trick or treat for a cause at Pru Boo.

4. I'm tempted to go to the Linden Square Halloween Parade & Party just so I can go get my favorite salad at The Cottage afterwards.

5. Burn off the sugar rush at this dance party in Newton.

6. Celebrate Halloween Family Day at the Spellman Museum in Weston (and get inspired to send snail mail).

7. Search for the great pumpkin at Pumpkin Fest Weekend at The Discovery Museums in Acton.

8. Get lost in a corn maze at Halloween Kid's Day at Connors Farm.

9. Explore spooky critters at the Harvard Museum of Natural History's What's So Scary event.

10. Experience the theatre in a new light via the Strand Theatre Boo Bash in Dorchester.

11-16. Thanks to the Audubon, enjoy lots of Halloween and nature inspired activities in Wellfleet, Westport, Norfolk, Topsfield, Newburyport, and Natick.

Image credit: Absurdly adorable Halloween cake pops via Boogaboo on Etsy

Hello everyone -- I hope you've been having a fantastic week! I went off the grid longer than expected due to an amazing trip to California, the residuals of which left me a little loopy (we came in very early off a red eye flight yesterday morning) and also wanting to take a slower, more mindful pace as we re-entered life here at home. I need to take today to square up on various things; meanwhile, if you're interested you can read up on the trip (and see some lovely photos) here, and also, here are a few picks to enjoy this week.

Wednesday, October 26, 4-5pm. Rock the Monster Dance Party with stories, monster making, a monster dance off, and monster-inspired refreshments at the Fox Branch Library in Arlington.

Thursday, October 27, 8:30pm. For grownups or older kids who dig classical music; head over to the free Mahler-inspired mashup at New England Conservatory.

Friday, October 28, 6:30-8:30pm. Enjoy live entertainment, pottery painting, spooky storytelling, guest speakers, and raffles for a good cause at Room to Read Kids' Adventure Night.

Hello friends! I hope you're having a super week. I'm going off the grid for a few days so I thought I'd leave you with this weekend roundup a bit early. Enjoy! Also, a couple of fun media things. I've been meaning to share that a cute little picture of me, Laurel, and Violet is included in the October issue of Parents Magazine, along with a quote in an article on 10 healthy cities for families (Boston ranked #2!). And yesterday I was honored to learn that I was named to the Top 50 Twitter Moms of 2011 list at Babble (and #1 for most likeable...how sweet is that?). Thanks Babble, and definitely check out the rest of the women on the list -- I know many of them and they are truly awesome!
Now, on to the picks for this weekend!

1. A harvest festival in Beacon Hill.

2. Join the pumpkin party at the Boston Nature Center (BYOP or buy one on-site).

3. A quintessentially fall tradition in Boston.

4. Enjoy the pretty at Acton Open Studios.

5. Rock out with Bari Koral in Brookline.

6. Or for classical music lovers: the Boston Youth Symphony (known as GBYSO when I played with them back in high school) is playing this Sunday.

7. A good pick for Berenstain Bears fans.

8. A Halloween romp in Easton.

9. Celebrate the Mystic River.

10. A haunted playground in North Reading.

11. Critter inspired festivities at Boo at the Zoo.

12. A great pumpkin fest at the EcoTarium in Worcester.

And if you'd like to pick apples and pumpkins or get lost in a corn maze, check out this roundup from last week.

I hope you enjoyed the gorgeous weekend! Ours was full of fun stuff like soccer, play dates, baking (to celebrate our oven finally being fixed we made pumpkin bread and spinach pie...yum), and a stellar dinner at Oleana to celebrate my birthday. So. lovely. Meanwhile, I hope you're gearing up for a fantastic week; here some fun event ideas, spanning Halloween festivities, theatrical spectacle, nature exploration, relaxation for the whole family, water sport, and a pick for parents of girls. Enjoy!

Image credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net