What's Cool: Getting a squeeze from Jennifer Garner!

We've all had those CRAZY days when nothing goes right…right? I am one of those people who just want to throw my hands up when I have a horrible day, but on October 10, Disney lightens things up and makes you think things might not be so bad when "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY" hits theatres! Thanks to The Moms, we got an exclusive sneak peak of the film, which was based off of Judith Viorst's children's book from 1972.  The film stars Jennifer Garner and Steve Carrell as a married couple with four children who have one of the worst days ever! T + T loved the movie because it was funny. I loved it because it had a strong message about family and how important it is to be happy with the things you have, and not stress the things you don't. After the film we got a chance to meet Jennifer Garner. Not only is she hilarious, but she is SO much like the characters she plays in films – totally charming. She spoke to the kids like they were her best friends and boy did that make them want to ask more questions like what did her kids think about dad being Batman, and whether she lives in a mansion. Before Jennifer left  T&T got a little squeeze from her and they couldn't stop smiling all night! Watch out, Ben! Will you see the movie on October 10? If you do, let us know what you think. Happy Weekend! 

We were not compensated for this post. We received a gift card. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

Behind the Scenes of our New Series: WHAT'S UP, CITY KID?!

We're super excited to announce that we are launching our new video series next week! Get ready for WHAT'S UP, CITY KID?!  Tristin and Tyler are taking you on a fun, super-cool ride through New York City for a behind the scenes look at some great places for families you might not know about. Not a New Yorker? Don't worry, WHAT'S UP, CITY KID?! is going to travel to check out what's cool for families in other cities too! From the most kid-friendly restaurants to the best places to play and create, Tristin and Tyler have got you covered! Make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss the episode launch or any other videos!

In our first episode, we head to the Museum of the City of New York.  I think there is always something new to learn about this big ol' city, so Tristin, Tyler and their friends head to the MCNY to learn the history behind graffiti! You've seen graffiti all over, but you never really hear about the artists. Finally, this art form gets the respect and attention it deserves in MCNY's City as Canvas exhibit. Check out the behind-the-scenes photos below and remember to subscribe to the blog (insert your email in the upper right corner of the screen) and our YouTube page so you don't miss a thing!

What's Cool: Stouffer's Mac + Cheese

Tristin is literally the macaroni and cheese king in my household. He knows how to make it himself, and he's working on making it from scratch with three cheeses. I'm pretty impressed with his love for cooking, but I have been looking for a way to make his favorite meal a little more healthy. Enter, Stouffers. Thanks to The Moms, we were invited to Make Meaning (one of our favorite places to craft) to check out the Stouffers food truck, try macaroni and cheese and learn tips for adding a twist to family favorites from Chef Donatella Arapia. I loved Donatella's tips for sneaking healthy ingredients into everyday meals so kids will eat them. Tyler literally devoured mushrooms in his mac + cheese, in ten seconds flat -- and he's never eaten mushrooms before! I've always been a fan of Stouffers frozen meals, but I never really thought of adding more to the box with different ingredients. Using Stouffers to start, I now I have a few new recipes to add to my weekly dinner routine. Do you have a meal that is a family favorite that you make each week? Do you ever try and spice up old recipes with a pinch of something new?

What's Cool: The Hasbro Bash Ball

With the weather cooling off, I'm really trying to get the boys outside to play as much as possible before we are locked up for the winter. I feel like the summer was pretty much non-existent, but...it is what it is, right? When Hasbro sent over this awesome Bash Ball, Tristin and Tyler were psyched as it was perfect way to give summer the big send-off. This ball can literally do what five different balls do. It's a volleyball, a basketball, and with the holes in it, it's so easy to grab and toss it for dodge ball. As a New Yorker with a pretty small apartment, the fact that this ball can save me from buying more sports equipment that will take up space, is really beneficial. How are you enjoying the last semi-warm days we have left? Are you and your littles getting outdoors? 

All photos by Tiffany Casanova

Tristin + Tyler's Threads: 3 Ways to Rock UGG Australia

You're probably familiar with UGG Australia because of their super-comfy, uber-toasty boots that are a must-have each winter -- especially for women and little girls. Well, let me enlighten those of you who don't know ALL that UGG has to offer kiddos these days. From soft, suede slip-ons, to lace up shoes that can be dressed up or down, UGG has expanded their offerings for little guys, and we are too excited about collecting every pair! Why, you ask? Well for me, it's really hard to get the boys to want to wear dress-up shoes. So the comfort of the UGG shoes on the inside, with the dressed-up, neat look on the outside, makes it easy for the boys to slip them on, skip the whining, and be a little less casual when they have to leave the sneakers at home to go to a meeting or audition. Since these shoes are so versatile, we've shared three looks with you: rocker dude, casual cool and super-preppy! Which look is your fave? Are you a fan of UGG? Do you or your kiddos rock them? xo

We were provided with UGG products for review purposes. As always, all views and opinions expressed are completely my own.

Cooking with Tristin + Tyler: Raddish Kids

Guess, what? I'm never buying strawberry jam again -- thanks to Raddish, a subscription cooking kit for kids. Cooking in the kitchen with kids isn't easy. I personally get a little nervous and want to jump in every thirty seconds and help out even though I probably shouldn't.  I love to see Tristin + Tyler's skills grow on the stove and with knives, but since I don't love to cook, I need a little motivation to keep the boys' progressing. Raddish gives kids the skills and helpful tips they need to complete a recipe, and it all comes right in your mailbox! Don't get me wrong, your child will still need supervision while they work on a recipe, but it was nice to see T+T take charge and get started gathering ingridients and understanding what they needed to do to get the job done using the helpful cards in the kit. I still can't believe that T+T and their 4 year-old cousin Maddie made their own strawberry jam! Honestly, it tasted better than the store-bought version in my fridge. The best part about this adventure was that when they were all done the boys said: "Now we know what we are eating!" Does it get better than that? If you have a little guy or gal who wants to get started in the kitchen, starting with Raddish is a good, safe and fun way to go! xx

Back to Cool Style Guide 2014

I know some of your littles are already back in school so we're a little late (sorry!) -- but since Tristin + Tyler don't start till early September, we've put together a BACK TO COOL STYLE GUIDE to give you our list of fashion must-haves for back to school! We worked with some of our favorite brands to bring you a shoppable mini-magazine full of style ideas. What do I mean by "shoppable"? Well, pretty much every image allows you to click it and go directly to where you can buy it online -- cool huh!? If you're interested in something that doesn't have a link, just leave a comment below and I will get back to you on where you can find it.  It's taken weeks to put this together with me shooting all the images, sourcing the style finds and working around the schedules of our fab models, Madison, Brianna and T&T -- but it was so worth it! Thanks to all who helped get this together! Are you ready?? Click HERE or the image below to check it out! We hope you enjoy!

Let us know what you think in the comments below and HAPPY NEW SCHOOL YEAR! 

xx Tiffany