Taking a Break from Wedding Planning
July 14, 2014My daughter’s wedding is a month away; most of the planning is complete and we are just waiting on the response cards that are past due. So I felt this was my last chance to escape for a few days before the hustle and bustle of the wedding to hang with friends. Finding a dress for the rehearsal Read more (…)
Changing of the Guard
July 7, 2014About 4 months ago, my daughter and I decided upon a NYC hotel for her wedding guests. I had spent weeks conversing, emailing and negotiating until the perfect West Village area hotel was chosen. We picked the Sheraton Tribeca for convenience, location , amenities and friendly cooperation. Working with the sales manager we locked in the wedding Read more (…)
Girls’ Weekend
June 16, 2014I asked my bestie to accompany me to my daughter’s bachelorette party. I thought it would be more enjoyable to have a buddy my own age to pal around with. After some discussion, we decided to leave a couple of days earlier and enjoy the beach ourselves. After 35 years of friendship, we never took Read more (…)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
June 2, 2014Once upon a time there was a beautiful, young bride to be who wanted to step in Audrey Hepburn’s shoes for a day. So on the day of her bridal shower in her own backyard, the tables and chairs were adorned with Tiffany blue covers and chair ties, tables decorated in pearls, the famous black sunglasses, gift Read more (…)
Bridesmaid Shopping for the Over 50 Crowd
March 31, 2014Many girls are pleasantly surprised when asked to be a bridesmaid; imagine my surprise when my daughter asked me to be her matron of honor. I quickly rebutted,” Why do you want me in that role?” She answered, “Because you are the most special person to me.” Of course this response turned on the waterworks. Well now Read more (…)
Moms Night Out for a Good Cause
March 14, 2014New York, NY – This summer, take a break from the kids for a great cause. Grant making charity Walk the Walk is bringing back its bra-baring marathon, The MoonWalk New York City, presented by Empire BlueCross BlueShield, where women and men Power Walk the streets of New York overnight in decorated bras to raise Read more (…)
A Frozen Birthday
March 10, 2014Last weekend on a freezing cold afternoon, I went to a “Frozen” themed five year olds birthday party. Having adult children allows you to forget what those birthday party days were like and the current pop culture of the five year old. The party was decorated with all things “Frozen” down to the two layer cake with Read more (…)
An Engagement Affair to Remember
February 3, 2014What better place to be on a cold winter’s night than in a warm loft apartment over looking the Empire State Building in NYC? I’m used to the 400 square feet studio apartments that my daughters have lived in. This place was fit for a wedding venue. And whoever said New Yorkers weren’t friendly has not had the Read more (…)
Planning a Birthday Bash
January 24, 2014Once a year that special day comes for our lil’ ones… their birthday! Whether they are young or old, birthday parties are always a great way to celebrate. Today we’re giving some tips on how to make that party special, fun, and easy for you to plan! Don’t overwhelm your lil’ ones. A good general Read more (…)
Are You Really Sorry?
November 1, 2013At LLD, our sitters are trained to help children manage inevitable conflicts and unhappiness. However, when children are playing together nicely, sometimes even a small things can become challenging. Dana Rosenbloom, Owner and Therapist at Dana’s Kids, explores how we use “I’m Sorry” in place of fostering meaningful interactions between our children. The Problem: Children Read more (…)
Spotlight: Wedding Services
October 16, 2013It’s Fall wedding season and LLD is here to help. Lucky Lil’ Darlings offers many high-end childcare solutions for your every day needs and your special occasions. This week we’re spotlighting our services that can help out with weddings! Let LLD help make that special day even easier and allow you to focus on the Read more (…)
Shopaholics 101
September 23, 2013My husband dropped me off on Saturday at a friend’s house, just like my dad used to do in high school, before continuing on to a nearby bachelor party for our son-in-law. Meanwhile, we had hours of fun filled shopping planned for the day: places I wanted to go, places she wanted to go and places Read more (…)
Last minute baby shower ideas
August 23, 2013Planning an end of summer baby shower & need some last minute ideas? Provide onesies for all attendees & encourage them to decorate. You can buy iron-on backed material at Joann Fabrics or some place like that then ask everyone to draw some shape, cut it out and have an ironing board set up to Read more (…)
Shower, Shower
August 5, 2013It was a showery baby shower in Toledo, Ohio this past Saturday afternoon. I drove through what seemed like a monsoon with a friend only to arrive and have to carry myself and gifts through the rain. Practically felt a few sprinkles inside as I looked up through the ceiling windows… there was quite a storm Read more (…)
Party on Pier 57
August 2, 2013Join LLD and Baby Loves Disco Wednesday, August 14th at the coolest new space in Chelsea: The Marina at Pier 57. Pier 57 is located on the West side at 15th street and is part of the Hudson River Park system. The newly renovated space, decorated with shipping containers and chalk, features delicious kid-friendly food Read more (…)
How to Get Perfect Party Photos
April 12, 2013We know that party planning is hard work, and you want the perfect pictures to remember all the fun. So, we asked Bethany Kruska, owner of Shutter Happy for some of her tips for creating the perfect photos. Whether you do it yourself or get a professional, these tips are sure to work! As a professional photographer, Read more (…)
Party Guests Under Five? Five Reasons Why Timing is Everything!
January 31, 2013My name is Dylan Glanzer. I am a creative musical party entertainer whose biggest fans are under 5! As a professional actress and singer with a Masters in Early Childhood Education and 20 years in the party business, I’ve helped thousands of parents plan a flawless party so they can relax and enjoy their child’s Read more (…)
Twas the Night Before Christmas Part 1
December 10, 2012When I got married Christmas Eve was celebrated with the in-laws. I would look forward to going to my mother in laws kitchen to see large spreads of delicious food awaiting me. She was a cook by profession. I was preparing food out of boxes at the time. This tradition continued for a few more Read more (…)
Toys for Tots
December 7, 2012LLD is so excited to be a Toys for Tots sponsor this year in all of our cities! Toys for Tots is a great organization run by the US Marine Corps Reserves that collects unopened and unused toys to give to less fortunate children during the holidays. Our Dallas troupe is helping out at the 4th Read more (…)
A Must See: Rockette’s 85th Anniversary Christmas Spectacular
December 6, 2012The Rockettes have always held a special spot in my heart. When I landed my first job out of college with the Radio City Rockettes I was over the moon. My job as coordinator was to manage a troupe of 200 women across the USA with their auditions/interviews, press appearances, shows, etc . Every year Read more (…)
Here We Go a Tree Pickin’ a Tree Pickin’ We Go
December 3, 2012After Thanksgiving the one thing on all the Bell girls’ minds was getting the Christmas tree. So on the Saturday after Thanksgiving all the girls and I would pile into the Dodge Caravan and off we’d go in pursuit of the perfect tree. Over the years we had visited many tree farms and had our Read more (…)
Absolutely Gametastic
November 29, 2012Ever gone to a big event with your kids, hoping to enjoy the speaker, ceremony, or adult company only to find yourself playing mom, taking potty breaks or playing tag instead of getting to enjoy the event you came for? With the LLD Kid Zone, this is no longer an issue! You might be asking Read more (…)
Black Friday Deals
November 23, 2012For some people, the day after Thanksgiving is all about sleeping off the turkey and trimmings from the day before, then digging into the leftovers. For others, the Friday after Thanksgiving has a different purpose: Black Friday shopping. Going out into the swarm of people who have been waiting in line for hour and hours Read more (…)
petiteParade
November 1, 2012Love fashion for kids? We do! Last weekend was the 2012 petiteParade kids fashion show for NYC Kids Fashion week. The event was a huge success, showcasing imaginative, whimsical fashions and products for toddlers and tweens. Each outfit was unique and adorable, as were the kids strutting their stuff on the runway! The fashion designs Read more (…)
Trying to Keep Up…and Loving It!
October 30, 2012When my husband and I were new to the big Apple several years ago, I felt so blessed to be a part of the LLD family as a sitter. My best friend Abbi was a sitter and referred me, as she knew I loved nothing more than spending time with kiddos! And now as the Read more (…)
Trick-or-Treat Country Style
October 29, 2012Halloween at the Bell house was always exciting. The kids just loved this time of year, but I had a lot of work ahead of me helping the kids decide on the right costume and then planning how we would put it together. I always relied on homegrown creativity rather than store bought costumes. The Read more (…)
Touch-A-Truck
October 26, 2012Austin families come support the Austin Children’s Shelter at Gorgeous Millie’s 2nd annual Touch-A-Truck event on November 3rd. Bring your lil’ darlings to see, touch, AND climb into over 20 different vehicles including a fire truck, limousine, ambulance, and police car. There will also be a bounce house, great food, face painting, and a petting Read more (…)
Halloween Party!!
October 25, 2012There are so many party options available in NYC for celebrating Halloween it’s hard to choose which one to go to, so we’ll help you make that decision! LLD is going to be at the Halloween party at The Barking Dog Luncheonette on Halloween hosting a coloring contest! Stop by between 6:30 and 8:30 that Read more (…)
DIY Halloween Costumes
October 19, 2012The countdown to Halloween is almost in the single digits! The question of the hour, of course, is do you have your costume ready? And do you have your lil’ darlings’ costumes ready? There are so many adorable costumes available in stores that need little assembly but are creative and cute, but for the families Read more (…)
Baby Loves Disco
October 18, 2012Philly families are you looking for some great family fun? Come to the Baby Loves Disco boogie this Sunday, October 21, from 12-2:30pm at Shampoo Nightclub for an amazing dance party. Not only will there be TONS of dancing going on, but Lucky Lil’ Darlings will be there too! As if you needed any more convincing to Read more (…)
Columbus Day Weekend Extravaganza!
October 5, 2012Everyone deserves a day off from work or school every now and then and NO ONE gets more excited about a day off than a kid in school. But is it really a day off for the parents? Nothing gets a kid more excited than a short school week and all that excitement usually translates Read more (…)
Apples, and Pumpkins, and Pies…Oh My!
October 4, 2012Two of my favorite things about fall are pumpkin patches and apple orchards. I grew up in the South so these were staples of my fall childhood and continue to be some of my favorite fall activities. Needless to say, I was worried about what I would do in the fall when I first moved Read more (…)
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer
September 21, 2012Love cookies? Want to make a difference? Then we have the perfect way for you to combine these two! Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a non-profit organization that began in 2008 with the goal of raising funds for the fight against pediatric cancer by hosting bake sales and other events across the country.Leman Manhattan Preparatory Read more (…)
Freshmade NYC Open House
September 20, 2012We were so excited to be a part of the open house celebrating Freshmade NYC’s new cooking school and space yesterday. Freshmade NYC is one of our favorites because they specialize in cooking and catering for kids! They offer classes for kids of all ages and emphasize healthy eating that is still tasty. LLD was Read more (…)
September is National Literacy Month
August 21, 2012Did you know according to the National Center for Family Literacy, more than 30 million Americans have reading skills below basic literacy levels? Mom, Dads & Sitters let’s get the kids reading! Check out this FREE READING EVENT in honor of literacy month September 8th and 9th at Theater 80 in NYC. It’s called Boogaloo! Read more (…)
Family Travels gone wrong…it’s all part of the memory
August 16, 2012I spent the weekend with a family that I met nearly six years ago (one of our first LLD families), and we kept getting delayed, canceled, denied…you name it. But it was kinda fun. I have a long history of bad travels. My flights always get canceled or delayed. It’s routine so I’m rarely Read more (…)
Mama Bell Goes to Washington
July 30, 2012Times have changed with my daughters. It used to be going down slides at Geauga Lake now it’s mingling with a former President of the United States. My daughter Jamie invited me for a visit to Washington DC for a congressional reception in which the guest speaker was President Bill Clinton. It was a Read more (…)
Get Your Party on with party SWANK
July 6, 2012Meet Loretta Lester, Co-Founder of party SWANK, a full service event planning company. With a commitment to the client’s vision she creates events that show their personal edge of SWANK. They are dedicated to keeping IT fresh and passionate about introducing diverse and eclectic talent to their clients. With a keen eye Read more (…)
Borrow Baby Couture, The Savvy Solution to Lil’ Ones Fashion
June 29, 2012We love kid’s fashion and we know you moms do too! Who doesn’t love dressing up their lil’ ones in the most fabulous new frock from the best designers in town. But when your lil’ ones are growing so quickly and they only get to wear their special pieces once or twice, we know it Read more (…)
Who you gonna call? HFC!
June 12, 2012We have exciting news for families traveling to the Hamptons this Summer! There is a new, elite, full service concierge service focused exclusively on families and children – Hamptons Family Concierge (HFC). They want to save you time and guesswork – by coordinating and scheduling all of your children’s activities and services. They guarantee the Read more (…)
Pet Hotel…yes it exists!
June 4, 2012We sat down with D Pet Hotel partner Kerry Brown to get the scoop on what they are developing in Chelsea… Okay pet care is becoming way cooler than childcare, what’s with the trend? Childcare and Pet care are actually really similar! Many people view their pups as an extension of their family or even Read more (…)
Get Carried Away by Mama-to-be & Chef Kate Homes!
May 31, 2012I met Kate recently at a local family event & I just loved her story. Here she is to share it with all of you… I started Carried Away Chefs as a personal chef service for busy moms and families after realizing that all my clients’ kitchens had child safety locks on the cabinets… we Read more (…)
Fun in Chicago with Macaroni Kid
May 27, 2012By The Loop Publisher Mom Sara Youngblood, Macaroni Kid Chicago is such a kid-friendly town with all of the wonderful museums, parks, kids-eat-free restaurants and more! But it can also be overwhelming trying to figure out what is going on when. Luckily MacaroniKidChicago is here to help! Listing all of the family-friendly events and activities Read more (…)
Best Kids Dance Party Ever = Family Fun Fest!
May 15, 2012PHILLY FAMILY FUN FEST HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL THE FALL DUE TO OTHER FAMILY EVENTS THAT WEEKEND! STAY TUNED FOR A NEW DATE! Summer hasn’t started…yet. What do you have planned to occupy your kids for the next three months? We have one idea for our Philly Mamas & Papas. Answer: Baby Loves Disco’s Family Read more (…)
LLD Sitters meet Lil’ Chef Sensation Jack Witherspoon!
May 14, 2012Jack Witherspoon, 11 year old cancer survivor & author of “Twist It Up” attends book signing in Grand Central on his first visit to NYC! Our LLD sitters had to meet this kid. Laura, Bridget & I (in photo above with Jack) stopped by the book signing to ask him questions about his recipes, learned Read more (…)
Our Sitters & their Mamas!
May 10, 2012In appreciation of the #1 woman in our lives this Mother’s Day we are highlighting our hardworking sitters & their mamas. Hear what some of our sitters have to say about their favorite person: My mom has given me everything, and I try all the time to give just as much back-Laura W. & her Read more (…)
LLD Kids Zone @QueensMamas Expo
May 7, 2012Last Saturday, May 5th at the Queens Mamas Expo was a day to remember! The organic snacks from Plum Organics were delicious and you wouldn’t believe the incredible giveaways from vendors like Giggle and The Children’s Place. Even the venue was totally out of this world. New York Hall of Science has over 450 interactive exhibits and one of the Read more (…)
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