Happy first day of June! We're getting a soggy entry into this month and yesterday I was thinking that our fine state appears to prefer weather at the extremes (zero snow, tons of snow, zero rain, ALL THE RAIN). Anyway, I'm happy for the plants and this weather means you especially may need the Weekly Blueprint to plan some indoor adventures (though I also recommend just heading out for a walk around the neighborhood with your kids and getting soaked!). Enjoy!

June 1: The Fruitlands reads a book about its history. (Harvard)

June 2: FREE ASD-friendly afternoon at Discovery Museums. (Acton) 

June 2: Josh and the Jamtones kick off summer at The Street. (Chestnut Hill) 

June 2: Bingo night just for the kids. (Roslindale)

June 3: Grab your instrument and come rock out with your tot. (Acton)

June 3: FREE admission to deCordova Sculpture Park. (Lincoln)

June 3: Taste of Somerville outdoor food festival. (Somerville) 

June 3: Preschool storytime at Gore Place. (Waltham)

June 4: FREE admission to Concord Museum for youth baseball and softball players, coaches, fans and families. (Concord)

June 5: FREE admission for all to The Discovery Museums. (Acton)

June 5: An evening of practicing school readiness skills and having fun. (Boston)

June 5: Share cocktails and conversation at the MFA. (Boston)

June 5: Rockport stays open late each first Friday night. (Rockport)

June 5: Explore the art of American storytelling from the perspectives of writers, storytellers and more. (Salem)

June 5: Celebrate Winchester. (Winchester)

Image credit: North of Boston

Holy moly, end of May you guys! After a rather rough first quarter of the year, May zipped by full of activity and good things and basically crisis-free, so, YAY! This month also included a lot of wonderful content, which I'm rounding up via the Best of May 2015. Enjoy a wonderful last day of May and I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow, in June (which will be a month full of transitions, including Laurel finishing elementary school!)!

Home 

- 5 easy yet awesome table settings

Family Issues

- 7 things I've learned from raising a gifted child

- How to educate your kids about sex and relationships

- Refresh your funny about alcohol humor

Fitness

- Yoga socks + gloves for the traveling yogi

Sleep

- How to handle Jack-in-the-Box syndrome

Travel

- Traveling with kids: The Hotel Viking

- 13 ways to learn about Thai culture

- Office Champions Summit recap + Seattle's finest

Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome

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Image credit: coffee filter peonies via Pinterest

Happy weekend, everyone, I hope you're having a wonderful one! After an unusually busy May, we're trying to take it easy this weekend and keep things very home/neighborhood-centric! I also found inspiration this week to return to music (slow, baby steps!), which feels pretty fantastic. Meanwhile, if you're looking to kick back with some interesting content, here are the reads/visuals that caught my eye this week via Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome:

- When family-friendly policies backfire.

- An evolving view of animals.

- For the Tina Fey and Amy Poehler fans out there!

- How to build a business that fits your lifestyle (featuring my colleague Morra Aarons-Mele!).

- Yelling from the sidelines? It can distract your child.

- Out of the classroom and into the woods.

- Short film Just Breathe helps kids deal with emotions.

- Remember when I was yabbling away about the awesomeness of Priority Bicycles? They've got a Kickstarter going for children's bicycles!

- I am positively obsessed with Meghan Trainor's ukulele rendition of Dear Future Husband.

- Mapping the hourly wage needed to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in every state. (UGH)

- Nonacademic skills are the key to success. But what should we call them?

Image credit: no-bake millionaire's shortbread bars via Pinterest

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're having a great week! I've admittedly been a bit off my game due to the holiday weekend, but I've got a packed work day ahead so it's time to kick things off and focus! First order of business = FUN FOR YOU! Yay! Enjoy this roundup of 28 weekend events, lovingly curated for your consideration! Have a fantastic weekend and check back tomorrow for a great edition of Hey Internet, Keep Being Awesome.

1. FREE evening at the museum for families with children on the Autism spectrum. (Acton)

2. The Bay Colony Brass present a concert for the whole family. (Arlington)

3. A young artist performance of The Sound of Music. (Belmont)

4. Enter the mind-bending world of massive inflatables. (Boston)

5. FREE family concert and instrument petting zoo. (Boston)

6. Celebrate the beauty of the Esplanade with this 5k and backyard dash. (Boston)

7. The East Coast’s largest celebration of craft beer. (Boston)

8. Deaf and hard of hearing day at The Children’s Museum. (Boston)

9. Talented young performers show off their drum compositions. (Boston)

10. The zoo comes uncorked. (Boston)

11. Savor spring on the waterfront during this family play date. (Boston)

12. Treat yourself to a wellness retreat. (Cohasset)

13. Emerson Hospital Auxiliary's annual 5k Run/Walk for Cancer (Concord)

14. Kick off the spring farming season at Powisset Farm. (Dover)

15. Meet amongst the wildflowers. (Framingham)

16. Black and White in the Park deCordova gala. (Lincoln)

17. Celebrate Medford! (Medford)

18. Dog tricks and canine comedy. (Natick)

19. Bio-Blitz Free-for-All features animals, plants, and insects right from our own backyard. (Newburyport)

20. Give back to Mother Nature for all she gave us this past season by cleaning up Wachusett. (Princeton)

21. A soccer game for the whole family. (Revere)

22. Trying to be an artist and a parent? Here’s how. (Somerville)

23. Salute summer with music, dancing, snacks and storytime. (Somerville)

24. Southbridge fest! (Southbridge)

25. Nature, fun, music and more at the Audubon Nature Festival. (Topsfield)

26. A festival of Israeli music, art, dance, fun, food and community. (Waltham)

27. Bands, brew and bbq. (Westford)

28. Experience the sounds and songs of life. (Worcester)

Image credit: New England Wildflower Society

It's time to explore the world again! Our world tour has offered inspiration to learn about Brazilian, German, Swedish, and Polish culture. The fifth post in this editorial series with au pair agency Cultural Care Au Pair focuses on Thailand. Here are 13 ways to introduce your family to Thai culture. And as with the other posts, for my readers outside of Massachusetts, there are recommendations below that can be enjoyed from anywhere!

*** VISIT ***

1. Start to learn the Thai language at the Boston Language Institute.

2. Keep an eye on the Boston University Thai Student Association. They host an annual Thai festival with food and games.

*** SING & DANCE ***

3. Teach your children about traditional Thai folk dances including khon and lakhon.

4. Listen to traditional Thai children songs, such as the Elephant Song.

*** EAT & DRINK ***

5. My Thai Vegan Café in Boston shows that an extensive menu is no problem, even for vegans. I see spring rolls in my not so distant future! 

6. A Brighton fixture for over 15 years, Bamboo Thai offers authentic dishes at reasonable prices.

7. A repeat award winner, Montien Boston offers both Thai food and sushi.

8. Make the popular Thai classic pad thai at home.

9. This warm weather is the perfect time to enjoy a Thai iced tea!

*** CRAFT & READ***

10. Try making this pretty elephant craft.

11. Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho makes for a good bedtime picture book.

12. Another great book by Minfong Ho is Peek! A Thai Hide-and-Seek, which I've read countless times to Laurel and Violet!

13. The Girl Who Wore Too Much by Margaret MacDonald is a folk tale from Thailand about a young girl who is a bit spoiled and has more dresses and jewelry than she really needs. 

So fun, right? Enjoy exploring Thailand and I'm excited to share another installment of cultural educational material next month. Also, totally related: If you've been struggling to make sense of childcare options, Cultural Care Au Pair is co-hosting a childcare panel this week (May 28). Also, on June 13, enjoy a Musikgarten class!

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Disclosure: This post reflects a sponsored editorial partnership with Cultural Care Au Pair. Cultural Care Au Pair is a leading provider of intercultural childcare and educational exchange. Since 1989, Cultural Care Au Pair has placed more than 90,000 au pairs in American homes. Hosting an au pair offers many benefits, one of which includes the opportunity for your family to learn about another country's culture.

Image credits: 1) flag via Wikipedia; 2) compilation graphic by Christine Koh with images via linked sources above.

Last week I traveled to Seattle for the Office Champions Summit. And though I'm a devoted PC/Office user, I was blown away by all that I learned. I'll be sharing more in depth information on specific tools and programs that I think you'll love soon; meanwhile, I decided to experiment and recap the event via my very first Sway. Oh my goodness, this tool is SO FUN! You can see the embedded Sway below, or the full screen version at this link.  

https://sway.com/s/FWFuEgqZEcrQRbSn/embed

Disclosure: This post was inspired by my role as a compensated Office Champions ambassador; ideas and opinions are, of course, my own!

Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a lovely holiday weekend! I am over the moon this afternoon after a gorgeous and inspiring morning running Boston's Run to Remember. It was so moving to see tributes being paid, and personally, this was a bit of a redemption event for me and everything went so beautifully. I'm about to head off for weekend fun so I wanted to drop the Weekly Blueprint early, for your planning enjoyment.

May 25: Complimentary lunch or dinner at McCormick & Schmick's for active members of the US Military and National Guard. (Boston)

May 25: Special access to the Children’s Museum for children with special needs. (Boston)

May 25: FREE admission for all to the MFA. (Boston)

May 25: Hilarious puppet performance featuring elaborate medieval costumes, and creative ways to hide a pet dragon. (Brookline)

May 25: The Toe Jam Puppet Band performs at the zoo. (New Bedford)

May 25: Enjoy great live music, art, fine crafts, and food. (Newburyport)

May 25: See the fledgling herons emerge. (Sudbury)

May 27: Fill your day with art and play. (Lincoln)

May 28: The food and flavors that make Boston awesome. (Boston)

May 28: Learn more about cultural au pairs and child care for your family. (Boston)

May 28: A little dirt never hurts. (Easton)

May 28 - 31: A spectacular mind bending world of massive inflatables. (Boston)

May 29: KidsJam dance party. (Boston)

Image credit: Lawn on D

I love yoga, but my need for yoga increases considerably when I’m traveling and/or training for a long race. When I was in Chicago last month, my friend Nicole introduced me to the concept of yoga gloves and I recently bought this Yoga[Addict] glove + sock set. And this week when I was in Seattle, the yoga gloves/socks were a lifesaver given that my back and neck were a wreck from my flight and my legs were tight from a 12-mile training run.

Yes, I feel slightly goofy wearing them, but they’re perfect for travel! Obviously, the gloves/socks take up very little space in luggage, and they work great (no slipping!). I was so grateful to be able to do a couple of yoga sessions during my trip to help work out my kinks!

Image credits: Amazon

I love yoga, but my need for yoga increases considerably when I’m traveling and/or training for a long race. When I was in Chicago last month, my friend Nicole introduced me to the concept of yoga gloves and I recently bought this Yoga[Addict] glove + sock set. And this week when I was in Seattle, the yoga gloves/socks were a lifesaver given that my back and neck were a wreck from my flight and my legs were tight from a 12-mile training run.

Yes, I feel slightly goofy wearing them, but they’re perfect for travel! Obviously, the gloves/socks take up very little space in luggage, and they work great (no slipping!). I was so grateful to be able to do a couple of yoga sessions during my trip to help work out my kinks!

Image credits: Amazon