Motherhood Mondays: Toddler activities?

Toby went to preschool this summer, which was great, but when we were about to sign him up for the fall, we realized that the year-round program costs $53/hour! Can you believe that? Curses, NYC! Needless to say, we didn't sign him up, and instead figured we would just do cool activities with his friends a couple mornings a week.

Specificially, every Morning morning, he goes to the apartment of his best lady friend (who was also his first kiss!), and they do fun stuff. First, they baked banana/blueberry muffins. The second week, they made guacamole, below. The third week, we're planning to carve pumpkins.

Any other ideas for fun toddler activities? Art projects perhaps? Or a jam session with instruments? A parachute could be fun! What do you do with your little ones? Do any of you guys homeschool or teach preschool? Thank you SO much for any ideas! xoxo

P.S. Speaking of documentaries, there's a crazy (but true) one about NYC preschools.

Have a great fall weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? A pipe burst in our apartment last Saturday night (drag), so we've been staying with friends all week. Right now, we're staying at my friend Leigh's house in New Jersey, and I have to say, Toby has become a big fan of the suburbs, with grassy backyards, basement playrooms and minivans you can climb around in. Our apartment is going to seem teeny when we go back! Hope you have a great one, and here are a few fun links from around the web...

If you are around NYC this weekend, Stone Barns is having its annual Harvest Fest.

Everyone's favorite scent.

Lena Dunham is writing a book!

What an inspiring take on beauty.

Little artist costumes.

Easy apple breakfast.

A tattoo for overenthusiasts (like myself).

I want to eat this cookbook cover.

A mountaintop wedding.

Shades of autumn.

Eight birthday traditions to try.

Rad Obama stamp.

Dog ears.

Who wants to ride in this hot-tub boat?!

A few readers asked for more loafer suggestions, so here are:
* Penny loafers.
* Gold loafers.
* Oxblood loafers.
* Less expensive loafers.

Plus, three fall posts you may have missed:
* Hot air balloon ride.
* Pumpkin cupcakes.
* Being outside.

Finally, thank you for all your heartfelt comments on the sleep post. It's amazing to witness how much everyone loves their children and wants what's best for them, and the beauty of that is how we can all figure out what that means for our sweet families. xoxo

(Photos by Stephanie Congdon Barnes for 3191)

Wool throw

For cuddling up and watching movies this fall, here's a cozy throw blanket from the Portland-based shop Adler & Co (which has lots of great things).

10 great documentaries

Are you a fan of documentaries? A while back, I wrote a list of our 10 favorites, but since then we've watched dozens more. So, here are ten more documentaries I'd highly recommend...

* Being Elmo is an award-winning documentary about the puppeteer who created Elmo, many children's first friend.
* Happy explores what actually lifts our spirits; the bracingly honest interviews with people from Tokyo to Denmark to Louisiana offer surprising insights that honestly could change your life.
* Love Etc. follows five couples in New York City: young, old, gay, straight, falling in love, getting married, having babies, breaking up. Heartbreaking and beautiful.
* First Position chronicles five young ballet dancers in an international competition, as well as their wildly different paths to the stage.
* Elvis '56 tells the story of how the naive young singer catapulted to intense world fame in just one year. Endearing and surprisingly poignant. (I just wanted to give him a hug!)
* Bill Cunningham New York profiles the cheerful octogenarian fashion photographer of the New York Times. While biking around NYC on a vintage Schwinn, he changed the way people see fashion.
* Touching the Void recounts the astonishing story of two friends' disastrous attempt to climb a mountain in Peru. A leg is broken, a rope is cut...who will survive?
* Babies was a breath of fresh air when I was (very) pregnant. How reassuring to see four families raising happy children in such remarkably different ways.
* The September Issue reveals how the Vogue editors create the magazine, including fashion shows, photo shoot and lots of passive aggression. A must-watch for fans of The Devil Wears Prada—this is the real deal!
* Born Rich is a documentary about the experience of growing up as a child in one of the world's richest families. Creator Jamie Johnson (an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune) profiled his own social circle, including Trumps, Vanderbilts and Bloombergs. These twentysomethings seem to have perfect lives, until you spot the cracks.

Have you seen any other good documentaries? What have we missed? I'd love to hear...

P.S. 10 more documentaries.
P.P.S. And apologies for the late post today! A pipe burst in our apartment, so we've been a little out of pocket this week:)

Great shoes for fall

To me, loafers always felt preppy (or reminded me of Thriller-era Michael Jackson). But for our most recent hair tutorials, my friend Caroline wore patent black loafers with everything from jeans to dresses, and she looked effortlessly cool and tomboyish. This cute pair also comes in rose gold. I'd love to wear them every day this fall, wouldn't you?
P.S. Parisian wedges.

(Photos of Caroline by Jamie Beck for Cup of Jo. Jeans are vintage Levis; baseball tee from J.Crew; green men's jacket from Nicholas K, and striped dress from Madewell)

Soccer soundtrack

Toby spent most of his soccer practice air drumming. We may be discovering his passion:)

The Best Brussels Sprouts You'll Ever Have

Wow, I'll let this recipe speak for itself; take a look...
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