Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 420

Make Room in Your Life for Wonderful Events

Exactly one year ago today, we received official word that we had been matched for an adoption with a baby boy. With all the paperwork and such that is involved with the legal aspects of an adoption, we weren't able to pick him up for a few weeks. However, I remember this day vividly, because it's also my birthday.

Mixed in with the custody application and other documents we needed to sign was a copy of our son's birth record from the hospital. And, on that birth record, were stamps of his...

Do You Know How to Sew?

My answer to that question would be: sort of. I took the requisite home ec/sewing classes back in 8th grade, but that was, we'll say, several years ago. I've dabbled since then, but I haven't done anything really complicated—my crafty tendencies have veered more toward knitting, embroidery, screen printing, etc.

However, I brought my sewing machine back from my parents' house last week, and I'm now filled with anticipation about all the amazing things I can make. BurdaStyle has become my...

3-Ingredient Small Bite: Tomato Onion Salad

Today's 3-ingredient small bite comes from Olga Massov, a self-proclaimed finance geek by day and the cook behind Sassy Radish on the evenings and weekends. A native Russian, Olga mixes traditional Russian fare (herring, pelmeni, and cabbage) and all-American treats like bourbon and barbecue.

Everyone's got a childhood favorite salad, and here is mine. Growing up in Russia, we had no choice but to eat seasonally, and only had this salad at the height of the tomato season. I remember making...

Why Can't I Go to Summer Camp?

Like millions of parents everywhere, I dropped my boys off at day camp this morning. This is the third camp they've attended this summer, but it's the one they've been waiting for. For the past couple of years we've been bringing my older son from Massachusetts to Western New York so he could attend this camp with his cousin. He would bunk with his aunt and Nana for the week and have his own "sleepover camp" experience minus the cabins, sleeping bags and homesickness.

Before I knew we'd be...

Is Honesty the Best Policy in A Job Search?

How honest do you have to be in your job search? I recently wrote a column about how to plug a resume gap – a growing problem for the long-term unemployed. Between June 2007 and June 2010, the number of people who were unemployed for 27 weeks or more grew more than five-fold, to 6.8 million from 1.2 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The long-term jobless now make up 45 percent of the unemployed.

Experts I interviewed suggested unemployed people could fill a gap in...

Spice Up Your Weekly Meal Planning

I've hit a rut with my menu planning. My husband and I have been eating most meals together for more than 10 years, and we have fallen into a tired routine. Yawn! Ho hum. Sigh.

I'm an adventurer when it comes to food -- my husband, not so much.

Now that our son is eating most solid foods, he's a factor in mealtime decisions, too. We like to eat locally grown produce and proteins as much as possible from our CSA, and we go to the grocery store and butcher for grains and fish.

When we joined the C...

Dan Chaon Sends His Reply

Hi, Bookies:

We've heard back from Await Your Reply author Dan Chaon with answers to your questions. Look for his responses throughout in bold-faced type.

From discussion leader Ashley Tate:

 

Do you have an idea in your head about what happens to Lucy after her story ends?

Yes. I have a general idea that she will end up in Rome (she has that plane ticket and the money.) Her story may be something I return to someday, but I've never been to Rome so I would need to do some research.

    

How did you...

Your Money Problems, Solved with Farnoosh Torabi

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the essentials for raising one child through age 17 will cost parents $369,360—anything but pocket change. In our 2010 issue of Real Simple Family, available on newsstands this month, financial expert Farnoosh Torabi helps three families at different stages tackle their finances.

And because she's such a good sport, Farnoosh will also be taking your questions about how to better manage your family's finances, and posting answers to selected ...

Have You Checked out the Ikea 2011 Catalog Yet?

Last week, I got my copy of the 2011 IKEA catalog in the mail. Along with tax rebates and new shoes, the annual catalog is probably on my top 20 list of things I like to get in the mail. And I especially like to look for the NEW! and LOWER PRICE! call outs.

I just did a quick flip through, but here are some of the things that I'm loving:

BRIMNES Storage Bed, $249

 

I've been wanting a storage bed for a while, but most are so ridiculously overpriced. At $249 for the queen this is surprisingly...

3-Ingredient Small Bite: Easy Deviled Eggs

Today's 3-ingredient dish is an update on a classic from Rachel Rappaport, the food writer and recipe developer behind Coconut & Lime, which she started in 2004 as a way to share recipes with her friends. Her first cookbook, The Everything Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, came out this month.

I have a ton of recipes for fancy deviled eggs but some times you just want something quick that's still a crowd pleaser. One day I realized that tartar sauce is a mixture of mayonnaise, spices, pickles...