Summer is officially over and it’s easy to fall into a winter routine filled with sedentary activities and not-so-healthy comfort foods. Don’t let all that pre-summer hard work go to waste now that there is a chill in the air. As a mother it’s hard not to make up excuses like “I don’t have the time” or “I can’t find a babysitter”. But with great programs like Mommy and Me workout classes you can incorporate your child into your exercise plan! There’s no hassle of having to find a sitter AND you get to work out while still spending time with your little one. Not only are these special exercise classes geared towards moms a great way to work out but they're also a good way to socialize and meet other new parents.

We continue our month-long focus on the Upper East Side with a look at all of the awesome indoor play spots in the neighborhood. With Carl Schurz Park and Central Park as its east and west borders, and lots of playgrounds, the UES has no shortage of places to play outdoors. But the area is also filled with indoor spots where kids can run around.

In addition to some free indoor activity spots, there area a slew of members-only kids' gyms like Gymboree, Kidville and Jodi's Gym, the UES boasts more offbeat drop-in play spots, like indoor petting zoo The Art Farm in the City and costume Mecca Let's Dress Up! Here are 12 places for kids to play indoors on the Upper East Side.

It's the most wonderful time of the year again, when the children go back to school and everything on the menu is apple, squash, pumpkin or fig. (Yes, figs are in season now, too!) I can't say I won't miss those drifting, lazy days that sneak up on you, only to deposit a more fully grown child in September, and all that 'where did the time go'-ness and memory-making quickly turns into busy school days and early rising. Of course, as a nostalgist, I find melancholy in all seasons, so let's move along to the food. I love a good fall recipe, and despite sitting in traffic for 50 hours to get there, I also love the bounty from a day spent apple picking. If you don't feel like cooking, we've got some crafts and leafy fun for you as well. Very good for the memory-making.

Can you find: a chessboard hidden in a secret glade, a pond where blue glass grasses grow, a gigantic “Fly Eye,” a black mirror, and an army of frozen men? You can on a scavenger hunt through the incredible sculpture gardens of the LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, an often overlooked East End attraction and a great day trip for anyone interested in outdoor roadside art..

UPDATED: 9/10/12 Many of us are looking for things to do on 9/11 with the family.
The 11th anniversary is upon us and the heartbreak is still there as memories resurface. While 5 months pregnant, I was planning on taking my 3 year old son up to Central Park Zoo on that stunningly beautiful day. We lived on the Hudson River, 2 blocks from Ground Zero in Battery Park City. We experienced the tragedy as it unfolded minute by minute. We didn't know the towers had fallen until we were half way across the Hudson River on a rescue boat. I happened to look up and caught the second tower crumbling to the ground. For weeks, months and even years later we lived and breathed in the aftermath alongside our neighbors and friends. Through the tragedy we experienced the strength and love that can be created in a community of neighbors and strangers. We also gained a whole new appreciation for life that can only be found once you are so close to losing it.

We live in Connecticut now and my children understand the importance of the anniversary each year. We plan to attend a local memorial service and to review the photos and diary that I kept during the days (and years) afterwards; we'll also peruse the kids' 9/11 artwork that I have saved. We will never forget. Here's a listing of child friendly events that are occurring around the state so that your family doesn't forget either.