new social network for parents that we wholeheartedly endorse - momslikeme is a great resource and networking opportunity for momslike you! stop by and check it out here - make some noise, pass it on, and be amongst the founding mommas in your community.

I research everything. I was even hired by the Montclair town municipality to create a map guide called "Make The Most of Montclair" much loved but now out of print. Nowadays Suzy Said steps in to help local Montclair, Glen Ridge and surrounding area parents with free weekly emails, hot tips, coupons, calendar reminders and more on their destination website. We are floating on air courtesy of the balloons graciously being supplied by SuzySaid for all of our kid guests at our Baby Loves Disco North Jersey events this Fall 08. Stop by the suzysaid.com booth at our Baby Loves Disco North jersey events this fall to enter to win a raffled off gift basket of cozy jammies, gifts and more from fellow sponsors Baby Boo

I feel truly lucky to have such a wonderful children's store as part of my community. Baby Boom specializes in personalized gifts and baskets. They also have their own private label of amazing items made of incredibly soft, high quality pima cotton from Peru. This is the place to buy that super special baby shower gift or special occasion kids outfit. Every year since my sons were born it is now a family ritual to go to Baby Boom for them to see Santa (the REAL one from the North Pole) and get their photo taken on his lap. Baby Boom will be joining Baby Loves Disco North Jersey as a sponsor of our November 15th party. Stop by their booth where they will be teaming up with our friends and sponsors SuzySaid.com to enter a raffle to win one of their beautiful gift baskets just in time for the holidays.

My new most favorite place is the super super yummy Mr. Cupcakes in Clifton, NJ My son's goal is to try every single flavor of cupcake. Seasonal flavors include Apple Krisp, Pumpkin Spice and French Vanilla Late. My boys loved the Fruity Pebbles cupcake (with the cereal on top of the buttercream frosting and baked inside) and I loved the Peanut Butterful Chocolate flavor. My thighs hate you Mr. Cupcake, but my family loves you.

My most recent article as a contributing writer to The MotherHood magazine chronicles my recent experience with the chicken pox disease plague that swept through my entire family.  The MotherHood is a free quarterly magazine written for, and by parents, the columnists include a birth-doula, a working-mother, a woman who chose not to have children and a stay-at-home-dad.  My article appears in the November 2008 issue but you can read it now by going to www.themotherhoodmagazine.com or pick up your free copy of the new issue at our November Baby Loves Disco North Jersey event.

Books, every corner of our house is overflowing with them! I get all my books from Watchung Booksellers my very favorite independent bookstore. We visit their children's book room where they hold story times, host book clubs and more Watchung Booksellers – Your Community Bookstore - 54 Fairfield Street Upper Montclair, NJ 07042 (973) 744-7177

The book The Omnivore's Dilemma has changed my families eating habits forever. We shop the Farmer's Market and joined our local CSA. Now, each day my sons collect four organic eggs a day from our pet chickens, Hazel, Trixie, Ruby & Lulu. Our hens (no Roosters!) live in their ultra-modern Eglu chicken coop. I'm very into the educational benefits for my young boys (many Eglu's are sold to schools) and there is an entire chicken related teaching curriculum available on the website. Go to www.omlet.co.uk

We do lots of hands on learning at our home. We have two tadpoles in some stinky water, a weather monitoring station, world maps in our kitchen, countless science toys and more. My company Family-Friendly PR (formerly Kidstuff) specializes in working with organizations that I can wholeheartedly believe in. I recently oversaw a "Build Montclair In LEGO (TM)" architecture workshop for kids incorporating 50,000 Lego's. I'm excited to work with Montclair's NJ FIRST JFLL Lego robotic competitions plus Math For Laughs who create & teach math games geared to your child's interests and www.redrainbowkids.com group including Stories In Motion multi-cultural creative movement and dance education

We're music industry business types in our household so of course we love music (and it pays the bills)! Mama Bridget could be rockin to Band of Horses or rave favorites Daft Punk. The boys love Ralph Covert and retro surf music and we all love Daddy Josh's new work projects, Kerli - and Jon McLaughlin

New Jersey Family Magazine in publication since 1991 is the preeminent parenting magazine in the greater New Jersey area. They're tapped into NJ's knowledge base of moms and dads, healthcare professionals, educators and experts in music, art, sports, childcare, birthday parties and much more. They're widely recognized for the practical parenting information, in-depth features and kid friendly calendar of events, weekly emails, directories and more. Thanks to NJ Family we will have fun face painting and temporary tattooing for the kids at our Baby Loves Disco North Jersey events this fall. I'm genuinely grateful for them.

Amazing Montclair mom, Alma Schneider is the creator of web-blog www.takebackthekitchen.com a site dedicated to overcoming your obstacles to cooking to help you be everything you hope to be in the kitchen. Alma will be taking over and giving her own creative spin to the healthy (and free) snack and drink buffet area for kids and their parents at each of the Baby Loves Disco North Jersey events this Fall. Yum! Alma just also happens to be the founder of local charity www.parentswhorock.com you rock Alma. Alma also offers individualized sessions and workshops.

My boys love to move their bodies to music in crazy ways and they love stories. Finally there is an alternative to stuffy formal recital based dance schools. Stories In Motion has come up with a genuinely child friendly creative movement, dance making, interactive storytelling, and multi-cultural program for girls and boys alike. We are thrilled that Stories In Motion teachers will be leading fun brief dance movement "lessons" on the dance floor at our Baby Loves Disco North Jersey events. Get ready to freeze dance, and your little girl (or boy) is welcome to wear their tutu if they like! Stories In Motion, 1874 Springfield Ave. Maplewood, NJ 07040 (973) 313-1050 as well as locations in Westfield Morristown and Randolph, N.J. www.storiesinmotion.org

For super cool kid clothes without having to trek to NYC I love Minnow They've got the labels I want including Appaman, Tea, Kit+Lili, Imoga and Ismodern. Stop by their booth at the Baby Loves Disco North Jersey events where Minnow will be raffling off chances to win gift certificates for Disco- worthy (or back-to-school-cool) outfits for your little ones. Minnow – 208 Glenridge Ave. Montclair, NJ 07042 (973) 783-0035.

I admire those Zen clutter free environments but since my kids arrived – forget it. The following are the go to local spots around Montclair for baby & kids stuff. For toys: the funky Aunt Jeans Toys & Treats selection is brilliant. For special clothes and baby shower gifts: Baby Boom is a must www.babyboom1.com For kid's furnishings: Saplings in nearby Caldwell is not to be missed. For gifts & decor: Lili Meili and Beau and Semplice For cards etc. Parcel and Montclair Paperie

My family's' dirty little food secrets (fluffernutter sandwiches) were recently revealed by my friend and food guru Karen Diaz Schloss – Read her column at www.montclairtimes.com. I was also interviewed about taking small children to fancy restaurants by NJ Star Ledger's own Peggy O'Crowley (don't ask. we left a big tip!) read Parental Guidance at www.nj.com.blogs When we show our faces we go out for treats at Applegate Farm Homemade Ice Cream or instead order sweets from www.missnickys.com or cupcakes from Flour Patch Bakery.

Some local favorite options to burn off some of that boundless kid energy Lively Little 'Uns at Ashley's Soccer Domaine This ages 1-4 free play program in an indoor dome saved my sanity. We love The Little Gym and Brookdale Park for the whole family

Walking barefoot in paint, sculpting with trash, ink prints using fresh caught fish, now that's what I call art! We loved our classes at The Messy Artist (973) 378-2425, Donnas' Kids www.donnaskids.com and the Montclair Art Museum also have great art classes for kids and more

I get my grown up New Jersey & NY news from www.Baristanet.com, The Montclair Times, NJ Star Ledger, The Bergen County Record and of course The NY Times, TimeOut NY, New York Magazine. CH34 Montclair, NJN12 News