The weather has turned chilly in the city, which means parents everywhere scramble to one of Boston's museums to entertain cooped up toddlers. But that's not always easy when you have an infant and a toddler; you want to get out of the house, but the idea of fighting the crowds is daunting.  Now that I officially have “two in tow” I’ve been searching for more creative (READ: easier) places to take them that don’t require 1) A lot of walking around, and 2) A huge parking lot.   

The combination of kids, winter, and the city sure is a tough one.  Getting out of the house is key, but it doesn't have to be an epic adventure.  Here are 5 places that are manageable to bring an immobile infant and a toddler with energy to burn.

It is going to be a difficult weekend for many of us in Connecticut. Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. The town is not hosting any public memorials, and has requested all media outlets to stay away. Several faith communities are offering services, but if you don't plan on attending one it is best to give the people of Newtown privacy on this day. 

If you plan to be in the greater Hartford area on Saturday, there will be a  Run of Remembrance & Love event in West Hartford Center. This healing event, hosted by Kicking Asphalt Running Club and Lululemon, will be a 2.6 mile run/walk to remember those we lost and their families. Runners, walkers, strollers, dogs and spectators are all welcome to show support. 

I know I will plan to hug and kiss my son A LOT in addition to praying for those who would give anything to have their children back. I also plan to brighten my spirits by taking advantage of the seasonal events happening this weekend. If you could use something to look forward to, please check out our CT Holiday Fun Guide, December Go List.  Santa Pictures and Holiday Light Shows in Fairfield County and Hartford County, and Holiday Train Rides with Santa. Also check back often on our site. Our Mommy Poppins Holiday Giveaway begins this week and you won't want to miss out on all sorts of great prizes. Over $3,000 worth of prizes!! Enter our Biggest Holiday Giveaway for your chance to win some amazing gifts!

Here are some fun suggestions for this weekend. 

With so many awesome events in New Jersey, it’s going to be hard NOT to get into the holiday spirit this weekend! If you’re looking to take in a classic Christmas show, get your tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Princeton University or the family-favorite Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at The Growing Stage. There are also plenty of opportunities to meet the Big Man himself, whether you hop aboard the Christmas Express at the NJ Museum of Transportation or attend a festive Santa Brunch at Camden Children’s Garden. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

Whether it’s a birthday bash for your little one or a holiday soiree at school or home, parents want to come up with the perfect party favors to send home with their guests. Through the years, I’ve spent a lot of time making homemade favors—and a small fortune buying them—until I stumbled upon these stores. These one-stop shops can save moms time, money and stress, while also offering fun and creative favors you won't find in a mainstream party store. Whether you want to buy premade or get some DIY supplies, there's sure to be something for any theme or celebration. And for more party inspiration, check out our Long Island Party Guide. 

The wonderful thing about brunch is that it embodies a sense of luxury and decadence: Waking up late, lingering over indulgent breakfast foods, and sometimes even drinking before noon! But then there’s brunch in NYC, which often includes waiting ages for a table at crowded and noisy restaurants. That may have been fine when you were childless, but now that you have kids, you're just happy if you can eat some eggs and get home without a meltdown. Hitting a trendy brunch spot and savoring a second cup of coffee is out of the question.

Personally, I’d given up on brunch long ago until a random and fortuitous thing happened. Last fall, I was forced to have breakfast in a hotel and something dawned on me. Hotels are great at breakfast, they are generally kid-friendly and, aside from a few of the famous ones, they never have lines for brunch.

To test my theory, I set out to look for the best hotel brunches with kids in NYC. Over the past six months, I’ve been brunching with my family at hotels all over Manhattan to find out if they really are the special secret I imagined them to be. After months of selfless brunch testing (see the sacrifices I make for you?), the results are in. I’ve discovered some truly off-the-radar brunch spots that you should definitely add to your list. After all, just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the finer things in life—you just need to find the right place to do it.

Train displays are a huge hit around the holidays. We’ve mentioned holiday train shows around Westchester and filled you in on what’s new at the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show. Now we’ve got other ideas in Westchester for train buffs of all ages to see and experience trains and railways. Read on for more details about year round exhibits and experiences, plus a train show happening this weekend in Westchester.

This edition of our biweekly links roundup has news you can use in winter, spring and even next summer! So read on for info on Brooklyn's soon-to-open rinks in Prospect Park, a pair of FREE summer camps currently accepting applications, big changes for Governors Island, some good (it will now be open seven days a week in summer), some not (the ferry is no longer free), plus other notable openings, closings and happenings on NYC's family scene.

I can't say enough good things about my neighborhood. Roslindale Village (and it really is a bit like a village) includes the square and its surrounding neighborhoods, and it is diverse, sociable, walkable, and fun. I feel more at home here than I ever did in the suburbs.

The fact that Roslindale is situated between Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury means that you've probably driven through it on your way somewhere else. Here are twenty reasons to stop and hang out for a while.