The Mindful Mom

One thing moms across the country can agree on: There’s always something they can do better. Be a more present parent. Prepare healthier yet still delicious meals. Make smarter financial decisions. Be a more nurturing partner. Throw the best kid birthday party ever. Not helping matters is the steady social media stream of Pinterest-perfect, impeccably outfitted women doing all of the above, complete with flattering lighting and whimsical fonts. Well, we gathered a bunch of those Moms Who Have It All Figured Out—from the worlds of food, style, finance, parenting, wellness and relationships—and we got them to download their best advice, their most mouthwatering recipes, their genius tips and their time-saving hacks—just for you. The one common thread from the experts? No one has it all figured out, themselves included,…

Whether it’s a smash-cake fest for your 1-year-old, a wild animal-themed soiree for your third-grader or a pampering spa day and sleepover for your tween, there are lots of ways to keep things more celebratory than stressful. Here are some expert tips. (One thing they all agree on? Adult beverages for the parents. Shhhh!) Baby 1 Focus on the food and keep decorations minimal. But of course, high-chair streamers are a must for the classic first-birthday smash-cake pic. —Kelly Senyei, Just a Taste 2 Plan around your schedule to keep everyone napping on time and happy. Babies are content with an empty box and a wadded-up piece of wrapping paper, so don’t waste any of your absolutely precious free time or energy planning an over-the-top celebration. —Erin Gardner, Erin Bakes…

Inspired by the movie Julie & Julia, blogger Lise Ode set out to bake 52 Pillsbury Bake-Off contest-winning recipes—one each week for a year. The former graphic designer launched Mom Loves Baking in 2013 to blog about the experience and then continued the project to showcase her original recipes and photography. “I realized it was the perfect way to combine my graphic design background with my love of baking,” says Ode. Here’s her recipe for chocolate birthday cake, which she made for a surprise 14th birthday party. CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE Serves 8 Ingredients Cake1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (plus extra butter to grease the pans)3 cups cake flour2 teaspoons baking powder¾ teaspoon salt2 cups granulated sugar4 large eggs, at room temperature1 cup whole milk, at room temperature1 teaspoon…

1 Sweet Stacks Bite-sized nibbles—think macarons, cannoli, brownie bites, even Oreos—make a big impact when piled on a pretty cake stand. 2 No-Bake Cookie Pops “You get the same celebratory pizzazz as a traditional cake without all the stress of baking. They’ll pull double duty as dessert and tabletop decor.” —Kelly Senyei, Just a Taste 3 Watermelon Cake Cut a large, peeled seedless watermelon into the cake shape you prefer (round, square, etc). Frost with whipped cream and garnish with nuts, fresh fruit and honey. 4 Frozen Banana Pops Dip half a frozen banana into melted semisweet chocolate, then sprinkle with nuts, shredded coconut and other toppings. 5 Birthday Cake Batter Popcorn A scrumptious mix of popcorn, yellow cake batter, white chocolate and sprinkles. Find the recipe on tastykitchen.com. 6…

Q: We asked moms: Whether it’s an everyday routine or a once-a-year treat, what’s your favorite family tradition? DARCY PETERS Fit Foodie Mom We have “Family Fun Night” every Friday. The goal is to have a meal everyone likes, play a game, watch a movie and bring tablets to bed for about 15 minutes. The tradition may not make me mother of the year, but my kids sure do look forward to it! SARAH POWERS The Mom Hour Last summer we started the “Sunday Night Read-In.” Truthfully, it was because we wanted to get the kids settled down and into bed early on Sundays, but it became something they look forward to. We all get into our king-size bed, light some candles and play soft music, and everybody brings their…

Easy Chiller Freeze grapes to use as ice cubes in your wine or cocktails. You get the chill without diluting the drink. —Kelly Senyei, Just a Taste Simple Sammy Spread store-bought onion-and-chives cream cheese on thinly sliced whole wheat bread. Layer on sliced cucumber and place another piece of bread on top. Cut off the crust and slice the sandwiches in half on the diagonal. —Lise Ode, Mom Loves Baking Fro-Sey! Blend any frozen fruit with any wine (my favorite combo is frozen peaches with rosé), top off your glass with a wedge of fresh citrus and let the sipping begin! —Kelly Senyei, Just a Taste Supermarket Sweep Cut Swiss Rolls on a diagonal and stand the cakes up to create pretty angles. Top mini cupcakes with ready-made royal icing…