One of four cards being offered for the printed Valentine's greetings to support Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.

The day of chocolates, flowers, and dinners with far too many expectations (and far too many prix fixe menus) is upon us-Valentine’s Day! It’s time to uncover shoe boxes for decorating, and it’s time for candid expressions of how your child feels about their classmates as they address each little card.

But before you head to the drugstore to buy stacks of die-cut cards decked with cartoon characters perhaps the folks at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation can tempt you with greetings from St. Louis’s favorite furry friend-Rally Squirrel.

Rally has single-handedly turned the local tide towards he and his garden-digging brethren by doing what squirrels do best-being somewhere he really shouldn’t have been. He won the city’s heart, and this Valentine’s Day the foundation is partnering with Rally to help you win your beloved’s heart or help your child send greetings that give back via personalized Valentine’s greetings and squirrel emblazoned cards.

For just a $10 donation you can purchase a personalized video or a package of 20 printed Valentines cards featuring Rally Squirrel, with the video deliverable to as many people as you want and additional quantities of cards available for purchase. The donations from the “Cards for Kids” program benefit the Dorothy and Larry Dallas Heart Foundation and support efforts to build a playground at the hospital.

Rally Squirrel Valentines can be purchased at Glennon.org or by phone at 314.577.5605 or 800.269.0552. Video greetings will be delivered February 10 at 9am, and printed cards will arrive in the mail before February 10.

This fun video has a look at what they have in store for your Valentine this year…

Image credit: Mad Tomato

Making delicious food is a passion for Mad Tomato’s Executive Chef and owner, Vito Racanelli. When he talks about his dishes there is no mistaking that what you order at his restaurant was created with a Nonna’s care and discerning hands. And now that Racanelli has left his partnership at Onesto’s Pizza and Trattorria, an announcement that the chef made public on January 30, he has the time to focus all of his passion and excitement on the menu and new programs that were recently launched at Mad Tomato.

Community involvement is a common theme you’ll see with many restaurants like Mad Tomato who prescribe to the farm to table movement-and Mad Tomato is poised to take that idea one step further. Starting in February the restaurant is stepping up efforts to serve local charities (pun’s are awesome). During 2012 Mad Tomato is making a drive to raise $10,000 to benefit local charities, and as an extension of this effort they will be hosting special public dining events each month, during which 20% of the day’s dining bills will be donated to local charity partners and will be stepping up their private dining communal table efforts. The first public event is set for February 8 and benefits Caring for Kids, and with another public dining event set for March 29 to benefit Circus Flora.

There are some pretty exciting changes coming to the menu as well…every six weeks. Since breaking with Onesto, Racanelli has more time to dedicate to developing the culinary goals of Mad Tomato, and he explained that since he is actively involved with the kitchen and menu he knows that cooking the same thing for six weeks gets pretty boring-for everyone from cooks to diners. Their new menus will be printed every six weeks and will include a calendar for all upcoming charitable events.

And the restaurant’s dedication to locally sourced, simple ingredients and responsible environmental practices will continue to grow right along with all of the changes. In fact Racanelli said he is hoping to one day be able to make all of the charcuterie for the restaurant if the space were to open up.

Of the charitable efforts Racanelli stated, “Mad Tomato is dedicated to giving back to the community. I have always wanted to do something like this, something that directly helps those in need. I feel a responsibility to share my good fortune of doing what I love to support local non-profit organizations.”

Clockwise from left: Daughter's first birthday, family photos for daughter's first birthday, trip to Seaside, FL, daughter's one year photos, trip to Mount Rushmore, trip to Spain.

For some families holiday card and newsletter planning begins well before the turkey is even on the Thanksgiving table-with photo shoots, the perfect layout and monogrammed stamps to be decided upon there is a lot of love and attention that goes into these yearly communications.

However, some years at my house we are lucky if we have a card in the mail before the midnight champagne toast on New Years Eve. Most of the time you’ll see me busily cropping and retouching a photo that will pass as decent and finding the quickest turn-around print shop in town to get our holiday cards out.

This year is a little different though. Looking back over the last twelve months there have been so many adventures, changes and events that I want to share with our family and friends that, dare I say, I’d like to write a holiday newsletter just to share all of the excitement. But let’s be realistic. It’s not going to happen and even if it did I would venture to guess that only the people who already know about such things would be the ones interested enough to read an entire newsletter dedicated to our year. So what is a momma to do?

This year I’ve decided to go for the gusto, turn my last-minute card printing tradition on it’s ear, and not only order in time to have something of quality to send out but I also want to send a card that will tell the story of our year without having to actually “tell” the story of our year. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Now I have always been a big fan of the Tiny Prints collection of special occasion stationary since I first discovered them a few years ago. Holiday card slacking not withstanding, I have ordered all of our cards, invitations and announcements from them, so naturally in my effort to plan-ahead I went to Tiny Prints first to see what cards they were offering this year that would work for what I had in mind, and I most definitely was not disappointed. For Pre-planned holiday card 2011 I selected an awesome-sauce collage card called Gift Collage:Tomato from Tiny Prints’s holiday card collection to share photos from our favorite adventures over this year.

Call it the new and improved holiday newsletter, but the ability to include six photos in this design means I don’t have to bellyache over the fact that we can’t seem to get a single photo with the whole family smiling and looking at the camera…plus we won’t feel guilty including an awesome shot from the trip to Spain we took this year sans baby. Practically speaking it was a great solution for sharing photos captured with my phone’s camera as well since the photo boxes are smaller and won’t require a super-resolution photo to print clearly.

And it’s the perfect solution for sharing a variety of different “news” items without having to resort to a newsletter!

Disclosure: The author of this post received a portion of her holiday card order for free in exchange for this product testimonial. However, the views expressed herein are completely factual and those of the author, and have been influenced in no way by the company’s communications campaign.

The holiday shopping season is upon us, officially kicking off today with all of the Black Friday sales and insanity. While there are definitely deep discounts to be had, call me crazy, but I just don’t understand missing Thanksgiving dinner, camping outside, or even staying up well past the point when the turkey tryptophan has made me a tired Scrooge just to save on overpriced items at the big box stores.

Evidently there are plenty of people who feel the exact same way as this Saturday has been deemed Small Business Saturday, and many people are pledging their hard-earned dollars to support local businesses by buying their holiday goods from smaller retailers. You might lose out on the adrenaline rush of elbowing your way through a dense crowd for the perfect toy, but by participating in Small Business Saturday you will get a rush of satisfaction by purchasing unique gifts and helping out neighboring businesses.

It is in this spirit that we are presenting a St Louis small business-based holiday gift guide to help get you in the holiday shopping spirit. And we believe these standout gifts will dazzle families around the St Louis area because they not only offer a great opportunity for families to bond, but they also support some great local organizations.

• The Magic House-The great thing about giving a membership to the Magic House is that you can purchase them in many combinations and price points, and it is something that can be used during the winter when playgrounds are out of the question. Memberships can be gifted to the whole family (two adults and up to four children) starting at just $75, or you can even purchase a special grandparents membership for two grandparents and up to four grandchildren with each additional child being only $15. Your membership includes discounts, free tickets and invitations to special events that can be enjoyed all year round.
• The Zoo-For the animal loving family a Zoo membership is another great option. They also offer special grandparent memberships and family memberships, and start at just $65. Your membership includes special discounts, events, free parking and passes for admission to the special exhibits such as the children’s zoo and carousel. Each level includes a specific number of passes, but the number of people who can benefit from the membership is unlimited.
• Little Fishes Swim School Classes-The benefits of early swimming and water safety are limitless, especially if you plan to have a family vacation near the water this summer. Purchasing a gift certificate to cover some or all of the portion of swim classes for the winter and spring sessions at Little Fishes Swim School will give your grandchild the gift of life, and get them ready in time to enjoy the summer. Classes are small, taught in an indoor, salt-water pool, and make a great holiday gift.
• Spanish Clubhouse for Kids-When children are exposed a a foreign language while developing their native language skills have a higher rate of fluency than those who have not. Luckily there is a great place here in St Louis that does just that-Spanish Clubhouse for Kids offers classes for children beginning at 12 months where kids and parents play games, sing songs and learn Spanish in the context of play, together. This is a great indoor activity, and they offer classes during the week and now on the weekends to help children explore Spanish culture and language…and get ready for those college applications early. Classes meets weekly for 40-minutes and each session only costs $125.

Have any other great, small business suggestions for holiday gifts this year? We’d love to hear them! Just leave it in the comments!

Disclosure: Little Fishes Swim School is a client of my personal media consulting business, and while I am paid to handle media relations no additional compensation was received for this placement. None of the businesses contained in this post paid for placement or were made aware of their inclusion prior to posting.

Updated 10/7: This event is only free for children under the age of 14 who register online or with the Magic House, we apologize for any confusion.

Once upon a time families would breeze through the drive-thru lane and fill their children’s bellies with all manner of fried and sugary foods. As fast food restaurants and sugary snacks became more prolific, so did American waistlines.

In the past the battle of the bulge was a fight reserved for our aging population who had to contend with slowing metabolism. But for a growing number of people childhood, a time when our bodies are performing in the best possible condition they can, is when weight problems start emerging. Can you imagine an entire lifetime of being overweight? An entire lifetime not having the energy to run, play and kick? In a small percentage of children weight problems can be attributed to health issues, but for the majority of children and families it is a lifestyle and food options problem.

In St. Louis we are starting to see the emergence of programs geared towards getting fresh, healthy food options to communities that are under-served by grocery stores or farmer’s markets, like the City Greens program run by students at Metro High School. But food availability is only part of the battle, an active lifestyle and education are also important components to fighting the childhood obesity epidemic.

The Magic House St. Louis Children’s Museum recently began offering programming that aims to get children and families moving, and to educate them on how to make healthy living choices. Centene’s Fitness First Fridays at The Magic House on October 7, 2011 from 5:30-9:30pm will focus on healthy smiles as the Magic House teams up with Dr. Jackie Demko’s CODE:SMiLE team, and Delta Dental’s Health Theater program to offer programming focused on healthy choppers and healthy bodies.

This free event will offer children a chance to earn free admission to the Magic House by completing a 1,000 step circuit around the museum, feature a Healthy vs Unhealthy Food Battle Royale (complete with knights in shining armor), and lots of health concious giveaways throughout the event. As an incentive to save your space and dedicate your family’s Friday to getting fit, the first 100 families to register online get a bag filled with items that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

What: Centene’s Fitness First Fridays
When: October 7, 2011 5:30-9:30pm
Where: The Magic House, 516 S Kikrwood Rd

Register Online or by calling 314-822-8900 ext 18

Growing up in a house of picky-eaters we were regaled with stories at the dinner table about starving children in other countries who would be much more grateful than we to have the meal we were being served. I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about the many times I would have happy obliged packing up my meatloaf…or help me, my sauerkraut…to ship to said children.

When you are seven-years-old and being bound to the dinner table by these tales, surrounded by savory dishes and the knowledge that a piping hot pizza is just a phone call away, it is really hard to connect with those starving children in Africa. However, the grim reality is that, according to the World Health Organization, a child dies every six seconds from malnutrition and related illness.

The understanding of just how lucky we are, and just how first-world our problems tend to be, is a difficult lesson to impart on today’s children. And that knowledge gap is a growing concern for many of today’s parents. Creating rituals and experiences that impart knowledge and gratitude is something that a growing number of parents are making an important part of raising their children. And volunteer experiences is one of the top ways that parents are choosing to teach these lessons.

St. Louis parents have the opportunity to put their children’s hands and hearts in touch with those children in other countries who really, truly would appreciate that sandwich or untouched dinner via the World Food Day Commemoration activities that the Donald Danforth Plant and Science Center has planned.

On October 14 and 15 volunteers from around the metro-area, and around the world, will be gathering to help make 500,000 meals to send to children in Africa. Children as young as seven and adults are invited to help with the packaging activities, which will begin at 9am and conclude at 7pm on Saturday, and 5pm on Sunday with workers taking one-hour shifts.

The project is in need of 3,000 volunteers, so even if your family is unable to participate, we are asking our amazing readers to please help us spread the word through the community so they can reach their goal.

What: World Food Day Volunteers Needed
When: October 14 from 9-7, October 15 from 9-5
Where: Donald Danforth Plant and Science Center, 975 N Warson Rd
How: Sign up here to participate

Last year’s World Food Day activities gathered 1,900 volunteers from around St. Louis, who packaged 350,000 meals for children in Tanzania. Each package will contain enough to feed six children, and the packages have a shelf-life of three years.

So bring the family- it’s a great chance to help reach your parenting goals, and to help this World Food Day become an even greater success. For more information check out http://www.danforthcenter.org/world_food_day/

Nestled among the cobblestone streets, and just next door to the Old Spaghetti Factory lies somewhat of a St. Louis institution. I never knew it was there, but for more than 30 years the Delta Dental Health Theater has been teaching kids how to live their healthiest and take care of their pearly whites, right on the riverfront.

I had the opportunity to join an awesome group of moms to enjoy an afternoon of healthy smile education and learn about the Delta Dental initiative, which is aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for children. A hot topic now, what with all of the White House obesity programs and the recent banning of toys in fast food kid’s meals. And I was not only surprised to find it has been there for quite a while, but there was a smattering of mothers in the room who had been there for field trips when they were little.

The kids loved the interactive presentation, aided by an animated toucan, aptly named “You Can Toucan.” (You can even follow him on Twitter to keep up with the theater’s goings-ons and get friendly reminders about self care tips, @YouCanToucan). With the help of a full set of over-sized teeth that light up, the children are lead through a fun lesson about moving, brushing and choosing healthy foods. And what kid doesn’t love a little motivation? All of the kids were handed a nifty pouch after completing the 45-minute program that included toothbrushes and other oral care accessories.

The theater engages children through a variety of educational programs that they offer for children and schools, and they will be celebrating their grand reopening on August 6 with a free Family Fun Day from 10am-4pm. At the celebration kids will have their own brushes with fame (Dora and Elmo, anyone?), there will also be games, face painting, balloon animals- everything you’d expect a family friendly celebration to be. There will even be a reality-show-style talent contest that day.

What: Delta Dental Family Fun Day
When: Saturday, August 6 from 10-4
Where: 727 N. First Street St. Louis, MO 63102
(on Laclede’s Landing next to the Old Spaghetti Factory)

This free event will be lots of fun for kids of all ages, and it is a great opportunity to check out a St. Louis staple if, like me, you missed that field trip bus.

Disclosure: A a Delta Dental Healthy Smiles Mom my admission and lunch were provided by the organization in order to familiarize me and my family with them and their programming. This does not in any way impact the opinions expressed in this piece.

Some of the most precious gifts are made with loving hands at home, and come from the heart. While some last minute shoppers are finding that they have just barely exceeded shipping deadlines and that the perfect gifts for Dad are getting harder to come by, we have a last minute gift giving problem solver that is easy and can get you out of last minute gift freakout mode.

Materials:

Small paint roller
Small, fine bristled brush
Chalkboard paint
Paper plate
Butter knife
Newspaper
Paper towels
Dinged frame from the clearance rack, preferably one with a smooth finish and a colorful pre-cut mat

Directions:

• Find a workspace and really cover that puppy good with old newspaper, I mean really good.
• Remove the glass from the frame and set aside.
• Brush the frame with a clean, dry brush to remove dirt and debris.
• Shake the paint until you think your arms are going to fall off, and then pour onto paper plate.
• Use the roller to brush the paint over the front of the frame. Be careful not to get too over zealous in your rolling, that will just muck the works up. You want a smooth finish… like… a chalkboard.
• Let the front dry for one hour or until tackiness subsides (tackiness is a staple at my house, but you know), then apply paint to back. Use the small brush to paint the sides (since there is little chance you will be writing on the sides of the frame).
• Be extra careful: If you end up with too much paint collecting in the corners and edges that will be flushed with the glass it won’t sit right. While applying coats continue to check those edges and use a butter knife to smooth.
  
• After the back has dried flip it over and apply a second coat.
• Let dry two-days and then rub chalk across the surface to “season” it, if you will.
  
• Replace the glass, write either a rad or very sweet message. Wrap and give to Dad. With full expectations it will be displayed in all of it’s glory for friends, family and co-workers to see. It will be.
  

Cake courtesy of Whipt Cream Bakery

Who can resist a moist, fluffy cake slathered in a heap of sugary sweet icing? Not many people I know. Whether by mix or by hand, getting a great cake at home isn’t as much of a challenge as getting a good looking cake can be.

One of the biggest struggles of the home baker is pulling together a cake that is worthy of a centerpiece for their family celebrations. Unless you are willing to put some time in at your local craft store for cake decorating intensives, or are willing to sacrifice taste for looks by layering fondant decorations about it can be a struggle to make that cake look like it was suppose to in your head. And getting it perfectly baked? There is undoubtedly an art to that as well.

St. Louis bakery Whipt Cream is home to some of the best icing this side of the Mississippi, and some of the most beautifully decorated cakes this side of the Cake Wars television screen. The gals at Whipt Cream are kind enough to have divulged some of their secrets for getting your next homemade cake baked and decorated just right.

1. Give it a rest – It takes some pre-planning on your bakerly part, but any masterpiece takes time. The pro’s at Whipt Cream suggest letting your cake rest for at least 24 hours before you even think about layering or icing. The cool off period will keep it from falling apart and stop those little crumbs from invading your icing and turning it into a surprise confetti cake.
2. Rose nail, it’s not just for summer manicures anymore – Some seasoned bakers are familiar with baking cores, small round cones that are placed in the center of the cake pan then surrounded and filled with batter to help the cake bake evenly. The Whipt Cream folks recommend using a rose nail, which resembles a large thumb tack, instead of a baking core when baking a cake larger than 12″ in diameter.
3. Patience dear Augustus, bake layers one at a time – For a perfectly even bake in a non-convection oven Whipt Cream says place the baking rack in the middle of the oven and bake each layer separately. Again, this is a cake baking marathon to perfection not a sprint.
4. Use your credit wisely… to smooth the edges – Getting a smooth as fondant look with buttercream icing is possible. To get an even and smooth spread the pastry artists at Whipt Cream use of all things an old credit card to smooth the icing layer. Keep a paper towel and warm water nearby to keep the edge clean.
5. Cutting to the core – All this work to tear a cake into crumbling slices just won’t do. Slice your cake perfectly by using a serrated knife for denser cakes, and a well sharpened knife large kitchen knife for your standard variety of desert cakes. Have a large glass of warm water on standby to clean the blade to keep the cuts clean and even.

So what happens when you want a beautiful cake and haven’t trained for that cake baking marathon or don’t have the time? Whipt Cream offers a wide variety of customized cakes and a selection of standard cakes that will knock your socks off. They are becoming known for having the lightest, fluffiest buttercream icing in town so that pudyness isn’t just skin deep. Check out their website, or stop in their store to try out one of their cupcakes… and you only have to thank us slightly profusely for that recommendation.

She's definitely a fan of that icing...

Melody Meiners is a partner and Lifestyles Editor for StLFamilyLife.com. She is a mother, wife, writer and editor living in Kirkwood, MO. She is also the founder and managing editor at Girls Guide to the Galaxy, and she spouts of about parenting on her personal blog, Mrs. SmartyPants.

Disclosure: In order to evaluate and understand the product the author was provided with product or services prior to writing this post. Though opinions expressed in this post is that of the author’s and the author’s alone, and cannot be influenced in any way.

How do you get a whole city of people excited about a commemorative holiday that isn’t of the flowers and gifts variety, and one that doesn’t qualify for free vacation days? Give them free stuff. It always works. In fact, it is scientifically* proven that there are certain tribes of humans who will do just about anything for a free t-shirt or keychain emblazoned with a liquor company’s logo.

Earth Day 2001 is Friday, April 22. The 22nd Annual Earth Day Celebration was a big to-do in Forest Park last weekend, where families could learn more about green living while noshing on green bites from the Pi truck and other local eateries.

The actual, official day of all earthy things is Friday, and there will be businesses around town commemorating the day with freebies and specials while bringing awareness to green living.

Starbucks Free Coffee
One of the first large corporations to lead the charge for responsible business, Starbucks is asking customers to bring in reusable mug into any Starbucks location tomorrow to receive a free hot or cold cup of brewed coffee or tea. They will also be selling all of their reusable tumblers and mugs for 20% off, which, when reused, will get customers 10 cents off their drink purchase the rest of the year.

Free Veggie Plant
With the growing popularity of organic and fresh foods, the ranks of urban and suburban farmers are growing rapidly. Since the last frost it is safe to add vegetable transplants like green peppers, tomatoes, and watermelon to supper gardens. Now through April 26th Eckert’s is offering buy one, get one free on all of their vegetable plants with the coupon below.

Free Trees
Many do-it-yourself junkie have been leaning on Lowe’s for energy efficient appliances and home upgrades, and their website has a lot of great information to add green touches to any home. And in honor of Earth Day, they are giving away 1 million tress on April 23 to celebrate. All customers have to do is stop by their local Lowe’s store to pick one up.

Free Admission to National Parks
Earth Day is about preserving the natural beauty of the outdoors that so many generations have enjoyed. In honor of the holiday more than 400 National Parks are inviting visitors to come in for free for the week, and to enjoy all that their reserves and parks have to offer. In Missouri, that means free admission April 16-24 to the Harry S Truman National Historic Site in Independence, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (lovingly known as the Arch), and Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield and Civil War Museum in Republic, MO.

*Scientific meaning something that marketing people have noticed and employed for years, as evidenced by the crowd of people camping outside of the Chick-Fil-A in Des Peres, in below freezing temperatures for free chicken sandwiches. That really happened.

Image credit: www.vic.edu

Melody Meiners is a partner and Lifestyles Editor for StLFamilyLife.com. She is a mother, wife, writer and editor living in Kirkwood, MO. She is also the founder and publisher of Girls Guide to the Galaxy, and she spouts of about parenting on her personal blog, Mrs. SmartyPants.