With the advent of digital cameras, not to mention the arrival of baby, we are sure your collection of photographs increased exponentially. While you try to get your hands around all those pictures let us show you a few ways to use them that don’t start with printing. read more

For those moms who spend too much time at a computer already, paper scrapbooking provides a creative outlet that can be almost therapeutic. (That and we really like the feel of ribbon and looking at pretty paper. read more

With memories passing by every minute, it is a safe bet to say that most moms wish they could better manage their family photos. Since the last thing you need is more stress, we’ve spent the past six months doing in-depth research to discover the best ways to manage memories. In this era of technology that has given us digital cameras (and the seemingly infinite amount of pictures that go with them, thankfully there are also several tools that can make memory keeping simple.

We’ve got loads of information to share, but first we want to remind you that the trick to stress-free memories is to stop putting too much pressure on yourself. The universal complaint we have heard most from moms was that they just could not keep up. Which is not too surprising given that you often feel like you’re behind before you even start!

The key is not to take an all-or-nothing approach, but instead relish in the progress you make. Your family will be forever grateful for every little bit you do.

If you need more encouragement to get started check out The Big Picture by Stacy Julian, founder of Simple Scrapbooks magazine. Julian’s guilt-free approach to memory keeping is empowering and inspiring — after perusing the beautiful pages of her book, you’ll be dying to start capturing memories of your own.

You’ve got the pictures, now what?

The first step to making memories out of all those megabytes is to organize and delete (yes DELETE! the photos that are less then stellar. Decades ago, a photo was something scarce and precious to be cherished, but these days not all photos are created equal, and you should not be afraid to get rid of photos.

“The average American has 5,000 plus pictures on their hard drive,” said Julian. “You have to be the editor of your own life’s story.”

To make the task of sorting and deleting easier, some kind of photo organization software is essential. We like Google’s Picasa (for PC and Macs or Apple’s iPhoto (for Macs only. Both are free tools that are designed to make photo management easier, and they also provide basic photo editing functions such as cropping, red-eye removal, color adjustments, and so forth.

Regularly download photos from your camera and save them in folders labeled by month — so all photos taken in November, regardless of the event, will be saved all together in the “November 2008″ folder. Filing by month rather than event will make it much easier to find photos later on.

Julian recommends that you sit down once a quarter and review the last three month’s pictures. Delete all the blurry, boring or otherwise bad photos. Then make a “Highlights” folder within your month’s folder and move in only the very best photos. For an excellent and complete explanation of how to organize and simplify your photo stash, check out Julian’s newest book Photo Freedom.

Now that you have your favorite pictures, it is time to decide what you want to do with them. Of course you can print and frame them, but you’ve only got so much wall space. How about scrapbooking?For most people scrapbooking is relegated as kitschy and only for those who are crafty. We say, “Not so!” You can scrapbook in your own style, and now with the wide variety of digital scrapbooking options, you can make a beautiful photo album without even lifting a glue stick.

Julian recommends new scrapbookers start with a “Photos I Love Album.” This simple technique involves taking a scrapbooking page, putting a favorite photo on one side, and then writing down why you love it. From there do whatever else feels right — add a ribbon or other embellishment. Perhaps you have a piece of memorabilia related to the photo that can be incorporated into your design. Remember, all it takes to record a memory is a picture and a few written words to tell the story.

Read on to learn more about Paper and Digital Scrapbooking…

Q: In what situation would you find yourself intentionally balancing on top of a couch and then launching yourself off of it, only to smash your head on the floor below, causing yourself pain and, inevitably, tears?

A: You are 20 months old, and your 3.5-year-old brother just did that exact thing, which means you must do it too.

There seems to be an unwritten law that requires children to covet their siblings’ belongings and also imitate their actions, even if doing so is sure to result in bodily harm, punishment, or both. Like other inexplicable laws of nature, the sibling laws are mysteries to well-meaning parents who will even go so far as to purchase multiples of the same exact toy in order to prevent the tugs of war that end in wailing and misery. Alas, those parents are in for a rude awakening when they discover that multiples make no difference: all of the children will want that one, and not even an exact replica will suffice. read more

Before your child pens that letter to Santa this year, be sure to introduce them to the toys on this list. They’re not the ones advertised during Saturday morning cartoons so your child may not know them, but these original picks are the very best of lesser-known toys.

We’ve skipped the battery-sucking toys with blinking lights and loud noises, in favor of those that make fun the old fashion way. Most are eco-friendly and every one is a tried-and-true kid pleaser.

	Best for Ages 0-1 years Dwell Studio Hand Puppets. These super-cool puppets will liven up playtime or story time. We adore the owl, bunny, raccoon and moose in fun, mod fabrics that have lots of imagination. Collect them all for $21 each at dwellshop.com.
	Fabric Ball Miniland. Little ones love balls, and this fabric “world” features buildings, trees and a cute little car that your baby will love to explore. A soft, little bell is sewn inside to make it all the more fun to shake. $20 at moolka.com.
	Trix from Haba. The colorful wood triangles are secured on an elastic band, so baby can twist and turn into a bright bloom, while developing grasping skills. Made in Germany of beech wood with a non-toxic finish. $9 at maukilo.com.
	Stacking Quartet. Encourage your baby’s obsession with stacking! Sure we love the classic stacking rings, but these adorable little teepees — a chick, mouse, man and house — add a fun twist to baby’s favorite game. $22 at oompa.com.
	Best for Ages 1-3 years Brio Sorting Blocks. We were immediately smitten by the glossy black box in this chic sorter — if only all toys looked this good. Of course what your little one will love is taking the blocks out and putting them back in. $20 at oompa.com.
	Wry Baby Stacking Tower. These skyscraper stacking blocks have the funniest illustrations that parents will appreciate while their little tyke is playing with them Godzilla style. $28 at wrybaby.com.
	Pastel Toys. These toys look precious, but they’re made from sturdy wood with non-toxic milk paint and real working wheels that will stand up to years of play. You’ll appreciate the heirloom quality and the fact that each toy is handmade by a not-for-profit organization that employs adults with special needs. $25 at thesillywagon.com.
	Hammer Ball Set. It is so much fun to pound the balls and watch them slide down that your child will never know they are developing hand-eye coordination. We also love the contemporary bent-wood design. $19 at amazon.com.
	Best for Ages 3-5 years PlanToys 50 Unit Blocks. This most basic toy is an absolute must to encourage your child’s budding imagination. We picked this natural wood collection that is well-priced and large enough for a fun time solo or with friends. $54 at babyearth.com.
	Wood Forklift and Driver. Building skyscrapers out of blocks is hard work, but this wood forklift — that really goes up and down — will help with the heavy lifting. $35 at amazon.com.
	Contemporary Dollhouse. We’re particularly fond of the clean lines of this well-designed dollhouse. The simple structure is a perfect backdrop for imaginative play, and a movable staircase and sliding wall panels allow your child to adjust the interior design on a whim. $125 at giggle.com.
	ImagiPlay Snail Counter Puzzle. Challenge your little one’s number skills and coordination with this colorful puzzle. Try not to help out too much and be sure to lavish them with plenty of applause when they finish. $16 at uncommongoods.com.

– Bettijo B. Hirschi