There’s just something about Legoland California. It’s such a special place that even though you can drive here from Los Angeles or San Diego for a day, you really want to spend the night to be there the minute it opens, go back the next day to the Water Park, or just stay and explore the very underrated and gorgeous town of Carlsbad. Which is why we’ve rounded up the best Carlsbad hotels near Legoland—some within walking distance, some by the beach—all will ensure that you have a wonderful stay in town.

So come for my favorite of the SoCal theme parks, stay for the Flower Fields, the strawberry picking, the charming beach town, the ocean walks, and so much more. Or use Carlsbad as a non-crowded jumping off point to explore all that San Diego has to offer, from Sesame Place San Diego to the San Diego Zoo and so much more.

Time to spring forward into March with a whole lot of green, some self-care and snacking, superb screen time, and even a little madness.

March is Women’s History Month, and it happens to kick off on Mardi Gras this year— that combination of girl power and a party spirit is the mood for this month. All our picks either bring a sense of party and playfulness or they’re self-care, post-play pick-me-ups. With the state of the world, that's right where I want to live. A few things on this list are brand new, but several are just new to me; they’re recommendations from friends, co-workers, and loved ones that I’ve been trying out for the last month and become obsessed with. There’s even a pick from each of my kids.

Read on to discover a way to take 20 minutes for yourself, your new favorite breakfast treat, a family TV show I’ve been waiting for for years, and more.

Down with Omicron; we've picked ten fun and inspiring things to get excited about as we head into 2022.

Just as my kids were finishing up their last days of school before the holiday, the Omicron spike hit. Each day, I watched their spirits dip further as our Nutcracker tickets became useless, our family's traditional Christmas Eve restaurant closed, and family and friends decided it was safest to postpone getting together. When I sat down to write about the things I'm loving for January, I was stumped. Then, as I began to pile through my inbox, our Facebook pages, and the event calendars, I realized there’s actually a lot to look forward to in 2022.

Because this is what Mommy Poppins is about: treasuring the time we have with our kids and inspiring families to have amazing and enriching experiences together. Sometimes that might just be watching a great movie, snuggled up on the couch. And it turns out there are a couple of new ones this month—read on. Or it might be baking with kids; at the top of my list is a dessert that Maureen, our Chicago Events Editor, passed around to our team. My daughter also shared a couple of tips she’s picked up in her school’s yoga class, for how we can all head into 2022 with grace, peace, and joy. I hope you find inspiration in our picks below, and that we all head into the New Year safe, healthy, happy, and together.