Winter Minestrone

Courtesy of Gourmet

This soul-satisfying soup is chock-full of winter greens. Its depth of flavor comes from cooking the soffritto—a mixture of pancetta, onion, celery, carrots, and the ribs from the chard. And because this soup must cook slowly, don't worry about prepping all your vegetables before you begin—you can simply chop as you go.

See recipe

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Alloparent Teleclasses

Register for one of Alloparent's teleclasses on a variety of parenting topics, such as Alloparent 101, Positive Discipline, Attachment Parenting, and Managing Tantrums. Teleclasses can be a convenient way for busy parents to learn new parenting strategies and skills. To learn more, go to the Teleclasses tab, and search under the Teleclasses Schedule.

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Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer

This comprehensive, one-stop organizer is an essential tool for the busiest person of them all... mom! Inside the sturdy binder is a system for managing motherhood: calendar pages to keep track of family members' schedules, directory pages to locate everyone from the kindergarten teacher to the carpet cleaner, and planning pages for birthday parties or the family vacation. Helpful sticky notes and tear-out lists make it easy to stay organized, while survival tips and tricks from real moms offer encouragement.

Purchase this and other organizational resources under the Shop tab under Books.

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Tamra Davis Cooking Show: Won Tons

Tamra Davis says, "One of my mommy friends, Catherine is Asian and she knows how to make won tons. I was so mystified by those little dumplings and know that it’s a passed on skill to know how to properly make and wrap a won ton. I asked Catherine if she would teach me how to do it one day during a playdate. The wrapping process can take about 30-60 minutes so it’s nice to have a conversation while putting them together. I was really happy my kids enjoyed them too."

See video here

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Video Contest!

Upload a video of you and your family or community members telling a story about how you have come together, collaborated, or found creative solutions to parenting challenges. Upload a video no longer than 3 minutes onto your profile page, and email us here to enter the contest. Our panel will choose the most inspiring video on June 15, 2010, and the winner will receive the Diamond Produce Sampler of the Month from Diamond Organics for one year. See Sampler of the Month here.

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1. They lighten the load for others in their community.

2. They create balance in their own lives by collaborating with other Alloparents.

3. They contribute to the wellbeing of children and families in their community.

4. They create valuable alliances, networks and collaborative relationships in their community.

5. They improve their communities.

6. They build "social capital", which increases the level of trust and reciprocity in a community.

7. They create happiness and harmony in their families because they are part of an interdependent network that supports them.

8. They have more time and energy to spend with their children and families because they share the load.

9. They provide a valuable service based on mutuality.

10. They are active in their communities in their own unique ways.

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TED Video:

Dave Eggers' Wish: Once Upon a School

Dave Eggers will inspire you in this video, and make you believe that with a creative idea and community involvement, we can do anything. Accepting his 2008 TED Prize, author Dave Eggers asks the TED community to personally, creatively engage with local public schools. With spellbinding eagerness, he talks about how his 826 Valencia tutoring center inspired others around the world.