When I was little, "happy meal" meant food in the shape of a face. My parents weren't fans of fast food and, with four kids, it wasn't even a bargain. Banana slices with peanut butter for eyes, an apple wedge for the mouth and broken crackers and cheese for all the other features. It was fun! These days, the game has changed. I'm no artist, and my food faces are pretty lame compared to what the internet has to offer.

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Given that we spend an average of a third of each day in the kitchen, it's no wonder that so many great memories are made there. I remember learning to tie shoelaces with the kitchen's tile flooring as a backdrop to my shoes, and helping to water the plants in the large, wheeled planter my parents built and put in the kitchen. My favorite kitchen memory, however, is something I continue to do to this day: More

Kids know how to party! Check out the latest festive celebrations from the Apartment Therapy's Family channel, which posts kids' parties every day. We'll be bringing you a roundup of these inspiring parties every week.

• Violet's Pink Zoo Party
• Ashni's Janelle Monae Party
  
• Daxton's Little Explorer Party
• Casper's Animal Safari Theme


• Harper's Pearl Party

Last summer, the kids and I spent a month in Italy, ensconced in a farmhouse with dear friends near the coast in Marche, with plenty of day trips to gorgeous beaches, amazing restaurants and mad legit medieval festivals. (Yes, this is going to be a tough act to follow. This summer will be a great time to teach the boys that life isn't always crazy perfect. See you at the neighborhood park!) Every morning, I woke up before everyone. (This only happens in a perfect Summer-in-Italy world, thanks to time zone changes.) My friends' son Guido Jack, another early riser, was often waiting on the sofa patiently, curious to see what I would make for breakfast. I felt the need to perform. With limited trips to the grocery store, my surprise options were few. But what about popovers? More

Do manners matter? Well, yes, of course. White gloves may not be relevant in most circles these days, but a little courtesy never hurt anyone. I'm not sure where I got "White Gloves and Party Manners," because my mother wasn't terribly concerned with rules for situations that would likely never happen. (Her advice on complicated place settings: use the silverware from the outside in and, when in doubt, do whatever the oldest lady at the table does, because manners dictate that she's always right.) I teach my own children manners, constantly and without drama, just like my mother taught me.

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A farm to table dinner, when the chef works closely with the farmer to plan the menu, is the most fun way possible to explore local offerings, eat what's truly in season and get to know a few new local people who love food like you do. Normally, I think this treat — not an inexpensive one — should be reserved for appreciative adults. But recently, we had the chance to enjoy such a dinner with our teenaged son — it was a pleasure and I may have changed my tune.

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Kids know how to party! Check out the latest festive celebrations from the Apartment Therapy's Family channel, which posts kids' parties every day. We'll be bringing you a roundup of these inspiring parties every week.

• Charlotte's Peter Pan Party
  
• Kieran's Spring Party
• Bodhi's Little Mustache Man Party
• Matilda's Red Balloon Party
  
• Little Pilot's Lawn Mower Party
  

There are no secrets about food in our home. Our children, if they're paying attention, know where it comes from and what it was doing before it ended up on the plate. Though we don't forbid anything, we aren't shy about letting them know the difference between that fast food chicken sandwich and the chicken we got from Mr. Eubanks at the farmers' market. Much like adults, kids will eat what they want, in spite of what they know. But we like them to know what they're getting into. Take soft shell crabs, for instance. 

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I was out of town for five days. I left food, real food, like vegetables and fruit, all easily indentifiable. I left enough vegetables for a large stir-fry, which I made as an afternoon snack the day after my return, so the aging produce wouldn't go to waste. I married a man who knows how to cook, a man who shuns junk food, who once shamed me for my fast food drive-through habit. I had three wonderful sons with that man. Somewhere along the way, he chose pizza as a food group.

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Your parents may have slipped the occasional note or doodle into your lunch bag, but graphic designer David LaFerriere has taken it one step further, adding a new surprise drawing to his kids' sandwich bags nearly every day. He started snapping photos of the mini works of art and now has a Flickr set boasting over 1,100 photos!

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