nj moms guide spring/summer issue

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In this Issue6 Boost Your Libido 12 Make Time for Your

Girlfriends 14 Spring and Summer

Fashion Trends 23 Is Your Child

Seated, Safe & Secure?

28 Mommy Profile:

Owner of Apricot Lane Boutique

33 Confessions: Ketchup is a Vegetable

in my House

Cover photo taken by: Cassie Thomas [email protected]

Inside Fashion Trends photo taken by:Shane Ronan & Cassie Thomas

PublishersChristina CastroJennifer Po

Contributing EditorLaurie Rein

Regional Directors Lisa Becker Cassie RabadeauMarlene Santalla

Art DirectorLisa Ball

For advertising inquiries, email [email protected] or Call 917.586.2650. All written requests can be mailed to: P.O. Box 1521, Cranford, NJ 07016

NJ Moms Guide is owned by Moms Guide, LLC. All Rights Reserved 2013. © No part of this issue may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors in which may appear in this issue. NJ Moms Guide in no way represents or endorses the content of any advertiser featured in the issue.

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Hello, Spring! How we missed you!

Winters are long and dark, but spring fills our world with color, sound and activity. We embrace the start of spring as a time to renew, refresh, and reconnect. During the long winter months, our social life has become sluggish and slow. When was the last time you went out with your girlfriends? In this issue, we ask our NJ Moms Guide staff to tell us their fun places to go to with their girlfriends. Moms, we owe it to ourselves to book fun into our busy schedules!

Like many of us, you may feel like you are coming out of hibernation, a little sluggish and sleepy-eyed, wondering how to get into the swing of things, but for this upcoming spring and summer season, there is so much to look forward to.

Are you ready to spring forward with us? By adding a few of the hottest trends from the Spring/Summer 2013 fashion collections hand-picked by Tracy Schwierk, owner of Apricot Lane’s, in Summit NJ, you’re sure to feel an instant warm-weather glow! Short suits, romantic florals, spring scarves, asymmetrical hems, lace and sheer florals were all over the runways and now they’re ready to march into your spring wardrobe!

The coming of spring is definitely a much needed break from the daily grind and demands of being a mom. Warmer temperatures are just around the corner, and we could not be more excited! Kick off the season of sunshine with our Spring/Summer 2013 print magazine. Enjoy the sunny days ahead!

Jennifer

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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!! Have a story you want to share or an idea for an Article?

Email us at [email protected] with questions, story suggestions or comments.

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The fact is that almost every woman at some point in their life experiences a decreased sex drive. Female libido isn’t a simple matter of becoming aroused and maintaining that feeling to reach orgasm. It involves tricky things like hormones, emotions, and psychology. Women require a proper balance of all these things just to become aroused in the first place, never mind achieving orgasm.

Female libido relies heavily on emotional factors – with love, self confidence, and an emotional connection with their partner being big ones. Psychologically, if a woman’s head isn’t in the moment, then her body can’t often fill in the gaps. Physiologic arousal requires a surge of blood flow to the vaginal areas to not only heighten desire, but also make it easier to achieve a powerful orgasm and satisfying sexual experience. When all of these things work at once, it can result in one of those Harry Met Sally moments!

What can effect your Libido?If it’s a sudden change, a full physical and gynecologic exam is recommended. This would help rule out a medical cause.

If you are on a combined estrogen/progesterone contraceptive i.e. pills or the ring they can sometimes effect your libido.

If you are postmenopausal your decreased libido may be caused by physical and hormonal changes to your body.

Stress from work, children, marriage and financial stresses, can lead to a loss of libido.

Boost Your LibidoBy Shefali Patel

The good news is if you are

experiencing a drop off in your desire there are things that you

can do.

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Just remember to try to re-kindle the sensuality in your relationship. This doesn’t necessarily mean just making the effort to plan a “date night” with dinner and a movie. Try being more spontaneous, maybe plan a one night getaway without the kids, or do something you enjoyed together when you first met.

Dr. Shefali Patel-Shusterman MD FACOG128 S. Euclid AvenueWestfield, NJ 07090908.232.6001www.drshefalipatel.com

Dr Patel-Shusterman is a board certified OB/GYN she attended medical school and completed her residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. She currently lives in Cranford with her family and has her practice in Westfield, NJ. For more information on Dr. Shefali Patel-Shusterman MD FACOG, visit www.drshefalipatel.com.

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Article by-Laurie Rein, Mother of Twins

It’s easy to lose social connections when you take on motherhood. Your life is about taking care of your family. Making plans with friends requires extra effort, especially trying to plan around the schedules of your friends and your spouse or sitter. And when you’re exhausted, getting off the couch at night may feel like a burden. But coming home feeling relaxed will benefit your marriage, health and family.

For the first five months of my twins’ lives, I never left the house. I’m not sure how often I showered or even changed my clothes. I lost touch with the outside world. My role was Mom round the clock. Then, I was invited to meet some girlfriends for a drink.

After finding every excuse in the book not to go, I let go of my mom-guilt and forced my sleep-deprived self to leave the house for an hour. I

actually showered, dug out some pre-pregnancy clothes, put in my contact lenses....and for

about an hour, I felt human again. There’s something about being around girlfriends that lets you escape the stresses of home and feel like your old self.

When was the Last Time you went out with your

Girlfriends?One

of my favorite girlfriends spot is

The Stonehouse in Warren... I love the woodsy atmosphere and have fun

going to drink making night with yummy

appetizers!! Marlene S.

My Favorite

Girlfriend spot is the Red Cadillac in Union which has a great vibe and live

music on Saturdays!Christina C.

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Here are a few reasons to validate a night out with the girls:• Girlfriends offer a support system outside the home.• Every mom deserves a break.• It gives you an excuse to dress up, put on a little make up and just

feel good about yourself. • It gives your spouse an opportunity for

some alone time with the kids. • Everyone will appreciate a happy,

refreshed mom when you get home. Spending time with friends may be as simple as grabbing a drink or lunch, doing some shopping or meeting at someone’s home. If a sitter’s not an option, go for a stroller walk or meet up at a playground and hope to squeeze in some conversation. If your girlfriends don’t live in the area, attend a local mom’s club meeting, take a class or join a book club to connect with other women.

And we all know the challenges of attempting to hold a phone conversation in a kid-filled household.

Luckily, maintaining friendships is easier these days, thanks to email and social networking sites. I’ve personally reconnected with so many old school buddies over Facebook. While I haven’t seen some of these friends in years, I

enjoy looking at their pictures and keeping up with their busy lives.

I don’t have the chance to catch up with the girls as often as I’d like, but I always look forward to those opportunities to have fun and step away from being Mom. And I feel like my children are also learning the importance of making and maintaining friendships.

When I have a rare

moment to meet with a friend, my drink of

choice is usually caffeine. Rockin Joe’s in Westfield

is a favorite of mine.Laurie R.

A great girls

day outing is visiting Lambertsville, NJ. Walk

down cute, historic streets, go window shopping, stop

at the local galleries or go antique shopping.

Jennier P.

During the summer I love to

hang out with my girls at the Parker House in

Sea Girt. We always have a great time listening to

the live music! Cassie R.

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Promote Your Business in the Fall/Winter Issue of NJ Moms Guide

The Deadline is August 30th! For more information contact [email protected]

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AAA encourages parents and caregivers to keep children seated, safe and secure when riding in motor vehicles. As part of its Seated, Safe & Secure initiative, AAA advises parents of infants and young toddlers to secure their children in rear-facing child safety seats for as long as possible, maxing out the upper weight or height limits of the seat. Researchers indicate that toddlers are 75 percent less likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash when they ride in a rear-facing seat up to their second birthday. AAA’s safety advice to parents is rooted in available scientific evidence, and research clearly shows that child should remain rear-facing as long as possible. Empowering parents to follow child passenger safety guidelines helps save young lives.

AAA recommends the following child passenger safety best practices:• Always read both the car seat manufacturer and the vehicle

owner’s manual.• Keep children rear-facing as long as possible—into their second

year of life until they reach the upper weight or height limit of their rear-facing convertible seat (usually around 30-35 pounds).

• Once children outgrow the upper weight and height limits of the rear-facing seat, they can ride in a forward-facing child safety seat.

• Children should use a forward-facing child safety seat until they reach the maximum weight or height for the harness (usually between 40-65 pounds).

Is Your child Seated, Safe & Secure?

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• Children should ride in a booster seat until age 8 or older, unless they are at least 4’9” tall (usually between 8 and 12 years of age) and vehicle safety belts fit properly.

• For all children under age 13, the back seat is the safest place.

AAA offers free child safety seat checks at the AAA Car Care Center - Springfield

Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 – 11 a.m.

Nationally-certified child passenger safety technicians will inspect your child’s car seat for proper installation and use.

For more information on AAA’s child passenger safety resources for parents and caregivers, visit AAA.com/SafeSeats4Kids.

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Meet Tracy and Paul, owners of Apricot Lane in Summit, NJ. After a move from North Carolina and 2 children later, their dream became a reality in May of 2011. Tracy’s love of shopping and extensive retail and customer service and her husband’s business experience, led them to open Apricot Lane.

The 2,000-square-foot boutique is a fun shopping spot for mothers and daughters, as well as girlfriends. Apricot Lane offers contemporary fashions influenced by West Coast trends mixed with East Coast style. Their selection is always changing and only carries six items of every style, so guests can rest assured their outfit will be unique.New Jersey Moms Guide had an opportunity to meet up with this busy, style savvy mom to tell us how she manages as a full time business owner while raising

her two children.

1) What’s your secret to success? Hard work, long hours, dedication, smiling and keeping a positive attitude! This may sound corny, but I always feel like part of my daily outfit is a smile. Customer service is KEY to success and building a relationship with my customers is important. Success is also thinking of everyone’s needs. Having a support system in place is also essential. My family and employees have done a lot for me from tagging jewelry to maintenance of the boutique. Don’t be surprised if you see my two children, Cayden and Sarah, relaxing in the “kids lounge” or offering to help out! In the end my family and friends helped me focus on my customers, buying, marketing and working at the boutique.

2) How do you handle the daily juggle (family, your husband, work)? Wine... (just kidding!) I receive help from my husband, children, mother and father-in-law, friends & family. It also requires planning in advance and maintaining a routine. In the beginning I tried to juggle it all, but after what seemed like a long time, I realized its okay to let others help.

3) A New Jersey mom wants to start her own business. What’s your best advice?Make sure you can smile through any situation whether big or small. Having a great support system and of course plan, plan, plan! Try not to jump in head first without having all your questions answered. Realizing how much time and work goes into a business and that your work day is not just during business hours. Lastly, when you are not working, make every minute count with your family and take in all the special quality time you can get.

The Mommy

ProfileMeet Tracy Schwierk

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In the summer of 2008 in the midst of treatment, my son Nicholas was feeling very frustrated not only about having cancer but how the disease was making him feel. He sat down at the kitchen table, took a piece of paper and wrote the word “Cancer.” Sadly he knew how to spell it. He then asked me how to spell “Stinks,” and ironically drew a flower. We knew it was something special and it was Nicholas’ way of telling the world how a child felt about having cancer. In honor of his survival and his deep determination to help children like himself, Nicholas founded the Cancer Stinks Children’s Foundation with his mission to bring comfort and joy to children battling cancer.

How did you come up with the inspiration for Cancer Stinks? Is it what you expected? Cancer Stinks was founded by my ten-year-old son Nicholas, who is president and CEO. Nicholas has battled cancer for almost 4 years and he knows how cancer has changed his life. Cancer robbed him of his childhood, but at the same time we all have learned so much from his journey. As a family, I feel like we’ve climbed the largest mountain with the heaviest load on our backs. You watch your child endure things that you will never forget. At only ten-years

old, he has an amazing sense of who he is and what he’s been through. On June 7, 2009 on his seventh birthday, Nicholas took his last chemotherapy and proudly dumped the remaining pills in the toilet. We are inspired by Nicholas’ mission, which is to make a change in the lives of kids with cancer. Everything we do for Cancer Stinks is ultimately fulfilling Nicholas’ dream. From delivering “Nights of Love” care packages or sharing his story with pediatric cancer patients, all the hard work in the end is completely worth it. It is nothing I could have ever expected.

What is the most rewarding and hardest part of the job?The most rewarding part is that we did it. I remember the first time Nicholas came up with the idea of Cancer Stinks and how sick he was. At the time it seemed so impossible to imagine. My son’s relationship with each other is the most rewarding aspect of Cancer Stinks. They are close and share a deep connection. When I see them together, I realize that they both are going to be okay. With the help of his brother and Vice President Ryan, Nicholas is determined to deliver as many “Nights of Love” care packages to children. Watching both of them do this is so rewarding to me and words can’t even express how I feel. Nicholas gives patients and their families hope that they can beat cancer too. The hardest part about Cancer Stinks is I always feel like I should be doing more; but I know I can’t be everything to everybody and that’s difficult. I realize now I can only do my best and right now that’s helping Nicholas make Cancer Stinks all it can be.

What advice would you give someone that is interested in starting her own business?Do your research and ask lots of questions. Try to stay focused on what you know is right for your own business. You may question yourself and be afraid of failing in the beginning, but everything takes time. Most importantly, you’ll learn from your mistakes. Now years later, I am proud of how far we’ve come with Cancer Stinks. We still have a long way to go, but I know in my heart we’re on the right track.

To learn more about Cancer Stinks please visit www.cancer-stinks.com


It all started with two words “Cancer Stinks”

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By: Laurie Rein, Mother of TwinsIn my house it does. And so do Fruit-ables juice boxes and pizza sauce. I have to confess that my 4 year olds are not the best eaters. They do snack on fruit and Goldfish (the baked ones, of course). They drink milk if I add choco-late syrup. But vegetables have always been a struggle.I first introduced vegetables in the form of green slime in a jar. It oozed down their faces and made for some cute photos. But of course they preferred the sweet and fruity purees. When they were a bit older, I tried tiny peas and carrots which were catapulted off the plates, like the babies on TV commercials. Those peas can roll!When I began meeting other local moms, I learned there’s a whole world of healthy options that I was not privy to. Some moms made their own purees with Magic Bullets and ice cube trays. Opening a jar still seemed like a simpler option. And there’s some sort of baby “Su-per Food” bible that I missed the boat on. Who had time to read with 2 babies?Now here’s a secret I learned from some Supermoms. There are ways to sneak veggies into unsuspecting food, even cookies and muffins. I tried hiding little frozen veggie pellets in my girls’ grilled cheese. They promptly opened the bread and kicked them to the curb. Did I mention my girls are sharp? I snuck itty bits of spinach into their fruit smooth-ies. Although they stared down the little green flecks, they actually did drink it without questioning. Baby steps.As my girls are getting older...and pickier...and more stubborn, I’m vowing to set a better example myself and eat my greens. I’ll keep try-ing to replace their beloved hot dogs with veggie dogs (that didn’t go over well). Maybe I’ll feel inspired to bake a spinach brownie. And I’ll continue to let them eat their fries. Potatoes are vegetables too, right?

Does Ketchup Count as a Vegetable?

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nj moms guide spring/summer issue

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