I just returned from the BlogHer conference, where approximately 1000 bloggers descended on San Francisco to meet, learn, discuss and recreate blogging. Although I have very little stamina for conferences and was BlogHurting pretty bad by Saturday, I had a great time and was really pleased to finally meet some of the fantastic bloggers that I have been reading, emailing, trading posts with and linking to for the last couple years, but had never so much as spoken to before.

I also had the opportunity to become acquainted with many new bloggers and blogs that I had never read before. This week, instead of our usual linkin' b'logs, I thought I would share some of the wonderful blogs that I read or will start reading now that I know about them. These are some of todays' best writers, who share their intimate, passionate, unique and truthful takes on parenting.

Lots going on this weekend but be warned, it's going to be a hot one so if all you can deal with is staying in air conditioning or being in water check out our Summer Fun Guide for info on places to hop in the water and cool off.

For air-conditioned events, top picks are the Foot and Fiddle Dance Company at the Museum of the New City on Saturday where you can catch a lively dance program that demonstrates how waves of Irish immigration have influenced American dance, FREE with admission. And Summer Sundays at the Gugenheim which includes tours, drawing and children's lterature, $15 per family.

And now for a line-up of the best FREE outdoor events this weekend:

Are you raising a city kid who thinks that milk comes in a carton and apples are from the bodega?  On second thought, we all know New York City kids are way too precocious for that but I would bet that most of your kids feel more comfortable on a subway than they do on a farm.  And, even though they "know" where milk comes from, have they ever actually milked a cow?  

If you are looking for a way to get your kids to connect more to the food on their plate, try taking them to one of New York State's county fairs.  County fairs are filled with animals, award winning vegetables and lots of farm demonstrations. With county fairs every day of the week throughout New York State for all of July and August if you are planning on heading out of the city you should check these listings to see if you can bring Old Macdonald to life for your little one.

Just cause the last time you sat down to read a newspaper was when "pooped out" still meant tired doesn't mean you can't stay up to date with what's going on. We've rounded up the top stories you don't want to miss from the NYC media this week.

Why let tourists have all the fun? At NYCvisit.com you can download a pass that's good for discounted admission to many city museums plus restaurants, zoos and stores, like the American Girl Doll Store.

Parental Discretion Advised.  Listen to an NPR story on a new study that links parents' satisfaction in their own relationships to

The Ciao Bella Gelato Mobile will be in New York over the next week, giving out free scoops of gelato and sorbet, beginning with the Park Avenue Summerfest this weekend. The flavor options are: Tahitian vanilla gelato, pistachio gelato, maple ginger snap gelato, blood orange sorbet, blackberry cabernet sorbet and coconut sorbet. Yum.

You'll find the gelato mobile at the Park Avenue Summerfest on Saturday July 12th between 17^th and 23^rd streets, from 11am-6 pm.

On Tuesday, July 15th, you get a second chance at the Flatiron Chefs event when the truck will be parked on Madison and 24th from 5:30 to 8:30pm.

And then in Tribeca on Friday, 7/18 at the Civic Community Day Fair from 11am-6pm (Murray Street from Broadway to Church Streets).

The truck will also be at the following locations in New Jersey:

There are lots of opportunities for dance this weekend - you can head over to Kid's Day at Lincoln Center's Damrosh Park to learn the basics of ballroom, tango and swing from Pierre Dulaine, the star of Mad Hot Ballroom on Saturday from 11-12:30, tickets cost $5. Or if you prefer to swing for free head down to Battery Park City for their Family Swing Dance where instructors from Dance Manhattan will be teaching Lindy Hop to the sounds of Harlem Renaissance Orchestra's big band, Saturday 6:30-8pm, Free.

If swinging aint your thing, check out Family Day at the 4th Annual Hip Hop Festival

Photos by Leslie Day

All summer long, New York City is filled with beautiful flowers and gorgeous scents. Mommy Poppins' resident naturalist Leslie Day has put together this guide of local wild flowers for you to look for as your explore your streets and parks and some background science so you can turn a walk in the park into a teachable moment.

Linden Tree Flowers (above)
Everywhere you go on the Upper West Side and on streets that have these lovely trees throughout the five boroughs, you smell the heavenly scent of linden tree flowers. Show your children the leafy bracts that each flower cluster is attached to. When the flowers produce seeds, these modified leaves carry the seed clusters to the ground like little helicopters. At night, when you emerge from the subway, you are greeted with this heady perfume. Follow your nose!

At Mommy Poppins we love the blog www.ethansbookshelf.com for recommending great age-appropriate ideas for children's books, and Ethan's Bookshelf has been distinguished as an American Library Association recommended site (one of 14 this year!). Creator blogger mom Jennifer—a former NYC teacher—tells us about literacy and reading styles in this interview, plus summer reading recommendations.

What was your biggest motivation for starting this blog and how has it evolved over time?

I started my website, after my son was born and the blog that goes along with it, Read Imagine Talk (www.readimaginetalk.com) launched just about a month ago. Ethan's Bookshelf was born out of a desire to find work I could do from home that I could really love. Some of my most favorite things to do are read and write, and running the website allows me to do both. Before I had Ethan, I worked as a teacher in NYC. I taught second, fourth and fifth grades. I received my Masters from Bank Street College of Education in Reading & Literacy and then worked as adjunct faculty at Bank Street. I loved teaching in general, but my favorite part of teaching was helping kids fall in love with books and reading. Again, the web site allows me to stay in touch with something I love doing, albeit in a slightly different way!