Lori, a friend and fellow LiveMom contributor, often ends an email to me with “sniff that baby for me.” And yes, I will go and sniff my newborn baby for her. Come on, admit it… you like clean baby smell, too. When Happy Future, a French line of baby skin care products,...

Tucked away in the Hill Country Galleria is a restaurant called Tony C’s Coal Fired Pizza. Quaint, romantic, family-friendly, modern and dimly-lit are all words that would aptly describe this nice little restaurant, an unexpected gem where one could only imagine some sort of chain-like...

I recently decided I’m ready to start taking family road trips. Being a native Austinite (yes, I belong to that rare breed), I have fond memories of heading down to the Texas coast, visiting family friends in the Hill Country or spending a few days in Dallas as a kid. Playing Travel...

One reason I think so many Austinites are so smitten with the city is the variety and selection of restaurants to choose from. Yes, we Austinites love to eat out. Of course, for parents, eating out can be a welcome break from the routine, a golden opportunity to be waited on instead of feeling...

Whirled Peas Baby Food is an Austin company that was started by a local mom who knows just how busy parents are these days, but who also knows that feeding kids healthy, organically and sustainably-grown ingredients that are sourced from local producers whenever possible is important for their...

When my daughter was younger, we frequently attended Scottish Rite Children’s Theatre productions.  She enjoyed sitting on the ground in front of the stage, starstruck when characters would venture out into the audience and ask questions of the kids seated there.  No matter the show,...

Sometimes, I feel like we are the only family out there that has not had pictures done professionally. Every house I go in has beautiful portraits of families, babies, and children at milestone ages, lovingly displayed. While I think they look nice, I know that we are not photogenic people....

First it was Cafe Mundi. Then it was Little City. My two favorite coffee shops, one where they actually knew my order when I walked in, have closed. When I heard the news that Little City was closing, I literally got all teary-eyed. I call myself a coffee shop junkie, even though I don’t...

If you are into the live music scene here in Austin, you have surely heard of the local band The Bright Light Social Hour. Lately, their name has been everywhere. The foursome is made up of native central Texans: Curtis Roush, Jack O’Brien, A.J. Vincent and Joseph Mirasole. In 2009, they...

Gone are the days of old when, in the rare event of your absence, your husband took your kids to McDonald’s and let them play all day because they couldn’t think of anything else to do. Enter Wonderdads: the Best Dad & Child Activities in Austin, by Wesley Sythoff. This handy...

My twelve year old son has suffered from eczema for his entire life. He had the tell-tale markings of it on his arms and legs as a baby and toddler. Then, as he grew into a pre-schooler, he started to grow out of it. For many years, it was not so much of a problem; an occasional spot would...

At our LiveMom retreat this past weekend at Lakeway Resort & Spa, we were treated to a chef’s tasting menu representing the talents of the new executive chef, Jeff Axline. The menu was a wonderful mix of Texas flavors and gourmet style: down home meets upscale. Axline, or Chef Jeff as we...