Top 5 list

Snack time is often a blessing for moms because it keeps tots quiet, content, and occupied for at least a few minutes of the day — just enough time to make yourself a snack or put your feet up! But similar to breakfast, lunch, or dinner, snack time often means sticky hands, crushed crackers in the carpet, and spills you wish would just magically disappear. No more! Your cleanup count will drastically drop with the following inventions that keep food where it belongs — in the bowl, plate, or cup it was served in, and in your toddler's mouth. Ta-da!

A trip to the grocery store with your little one may seem like a simple, safe outing, but are you aware of all of the shopping cart-related accidents that happen each year? And aside from falls, within the few seconds you put your child in the cart, he or she is exposed to a wide variety of bacteria and germs. According to researchers at the University of Arizona, shopping carts are dirtier than bathrooms, with fecal contamination and E. coli bacteria showing up on more than half of the carts sampled. To help keep your toddler safe (and stylish!) here are some chic grocery cart covers that will provide a nice barrier of protection for your child while you check items off your shopping list.

From full-blown meat eaters to even vegetarians, once you decide you want to adopt a vegan diet, there's a lot of learning that takes place. Being a vegan not only requires a shift in your food selections, but it also requires a lifestyle change. An extension of vegetarianism, a vegan refrains from consuming animal products and avoids products that contain any ingredients from animals. Whether you're going vegan for the betterment of your health, for the environment, or because of your love for animals, here are some books to help you in your quest.

Many people are setting up juice bars in the comfort of their own kitchens. Sure, juicers are pricey, but once you invest in one, you can take your favorite fruits and vegetables and instantly make a healthy fresh juice blend. Juice extracted from a juicing machine can provide you with an abundance of nutritional goodness including vitamins, potassium, and magnesium — but which juicers are worth the money? Here are five of my favorites!

Source: Flickr User mathiasbaert

There are pros and cons of running with an iPod, but for most of us, it's hard to imagine getting our run on without some sort of background music. I'll admit that I'm a bit of an earphone diva who needs just the right pair: some are too big, some are too small, and some just never manage to stay put in your ears — which can be distracting and frustrating all at the same time. To make your running lives a bit easier, I've compiled a list of some of my all-time favorite stay-put earphones, so you can focus on your run time, rather than your technical difficulties.