Memorial Day is a solemn holiday to be sure. The last Monday in May is a time to remember the men and women who have died while in military service. But in true American style, we will commemorate our fallen soldiers with parties, picnics and parades. It's the first warm holiday weekend of the year and offers the opportunity for the kind of family fun many of us dream about during the long winter months.

But if your family fun involves special activities for the kids, you may want to steer clear of the face-painting table. That little American flag painted on your child's cheek might look cute, but depending upon the paint used, it may not feel so cute. A brand of cosmetic paints by Fun Express, a subsidiary of Oriental Trading Company, has been found by the FDA to contain "significant microbial contamination" and has been recalled.

The contamination came to light after children whose faces had been painted began to suffer from rashes, itchiness, burning sensations and swelling where the paint had been applied. All the adverse reactions occurred on the same day at the same event and involved multiple colors of paint.

If your child has had a similar experience with face paints, the FDA asks that you report it to your state and local health officials or contact them at 1-800-FDA-1088.

But hey, just because the face paint might be iffy doesn't mean you can't still decorate your little one's skin. It's easy to make your own -- all you need is corn starch, cold cream and food coloring. Find the full --and simple -- face paint recipe here.

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Peanut Butter is more than just your child's lunch/allergy. It's big business.

With the recent recall of tainted PB, big name brands like Jif and Peter Pan have seen a drop in sales of at least 20 percent, according to a report by CNN, while the green parenting site EcoChildsPlay puts the number at 25 percent.

More than 1,000 different products are now included in the recall since it was first announced. Consumers, particularly parents, are scared. And they should be -- CNN says that "nearly 600" people who ate the tainted nut products have gotten sick, and eight have died. Died.

Let me say that again – eight people have Died.

What's a peanut butter manufacturer to do? A big information campaign, and coupons, coupons, coupons.

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In March, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of about 20,000 Infantino Lamb Grabby Rattles due to a choking hazard. Now they have added an additional 131,000 rattles to the recall for the same reason. This recall involves the Lion and Lamb Grabby Rattles, which feature a tail piece that can detach and end up in the mouths of children. Infantino has received 10 reports of this happening, fortunately with no injuries resulting.

The recalled rattles are shaped like a lamb and a lion respectively and have a ring-shaped body and an Infantino elliptical logo stamped on the front right foot of the animal. Rattles without tails on animals and those with production codes of 0108 and 0508 are not included in this recall. You can find the production code printed behind the ear in a dial format with the year (08) in the middle of a circle and an arrow pointing to the number on the circle that indicates the month.

These were made in China for Infantino LLC, of San Diego, California and sold at Wal-Mart, Babies "R" Us and other specialty stores nationwide from May 2007 through September 2008 for between $3 and $4 each.

If you have one of the recalled rattles, you should immediately take it away from your child and contact Infantino for a replacement rattle or product of equal value. You can reach them by calling (888) 808-3111 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or by visiting their Web site.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fisher Price have announced the recall of about 200,000 Rainforest Portable Play Yards because one or more of the rails can collapse, posing a fall or entrapment hazard to young children. The play yards were made by Simplicity Inc. and SFCA Inc. According to CPSC, the manufacturer has been unresponsive to their requests for a recall as well as to consumers who have complained about the play yards.

CPSC has received 1,350 reports of one or more rails collapsing, numerous reports of children receiving bumps and bruises when the side rail collapsed and five reports of injuries which included a broken nose, a broken wrist, a mild concussion, a cut requiring stitches and a chipped tooth.

The recalled play yards are portable and sold with a bassinet, changing table and mobile features. They have a Rainforest patterned fabric and themed artwork and bear the Fisher-Price logo. The Simplicity model numbers are: 5310 RNF, 5310RNFC, and 5310RNFW. You can find these model numbers located on a sticker on one of the legs underneath the play yard.

The play yards were made in China and sold at retailers and specialty children's stores nationwide from January 2007 through January 2009 for about $100 each.

If you have one of the recalled play yards, you should stop using it immediately. Although they were not responsible for manufacturing or selling the play yards, Fisher-Price has agreed to assist consumers who own the faulty products. If yours has a Fisher-Price logo, contact Fisher-Price to obtain help in obtaining a replacement. You can reach them by calling (800) 432-5437 anytime or by visiting their Web site.

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Most afternoons, my three-year-old and I curl up on the couch with a snack, her to take a Noggin break, and me to catch up on email. Yesterday, while we took our break, a particular email came through: "Kellogg's Pulls Peanut Butter Crackers in Salmonella Scare."

In light of the King Nut salmonella outbreak, Kellogg's is asking stores nationwide to pull Austin and Keebler brand peanut butter crackers from the shelves. The second that email came through, I looked down at my fair-haired baby, sitting innocently next to me ... munching on an Austin peanut butter cracker.

Gah.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 38,000 Flashing Pacifiers due to a choking hazard. The pacifier us intended for older kids and adults, but should a baby get a hold of it, the pieces could separate and end up in their mouth. In addition, the cord on the pacifier poses a strangulation hazard to babies.

These pacifiers have a yellow heart-shaped mouth guard and handle and come with an attached multicolored cord. LED lights are activated by pushing the handle into the base of the pacifier.

These were made in China and imported by Top Goods Trading, of Temple City, California. They were sold in retail stores in and around Los Angeles from November 2007 through November 2008 for about 50 cents each.

If you have one of these recalled pacifiers, you should immediately take it away from your children and contact Top Goods Trading for a refund or exchange. You can reach them by calling collect at (213) 680-0388 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 535,000 Stork Craft Baby Cribs due to faulty support brackets. These metal brackets, which support the crib mattress and mattress board, can crack and break. When one or more is broken, the mattress can collapse and create a dangerous gap between the mattress and crib rails. This poses an entrapment and suffocation hazard to children.

CPSC is aware of ten such incidents of broken supports, several in which the mattress collapsed. In one case, a toddler sustained bruises to his forehead and in another, a child became trapped in the gap between the mattress and the drop side rail.

The recall involves Stork Craft Baby Cribs with manufacturing and distribution dates between May 2000 and November 2008. You can find the manufacture date, model number, crib name, country of origin and the company's name, address and contact information located on the assembly instruction sheet attached to the mattress support board. The company's insignia, "storkcraft baby" is inscribed on the drop side teething rail of some cribs. The cribs were sold in various styles and finishes.

These cribs were made in Canada, China and Indonesia for Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc., of British Columbia, Canada. They were sold at major retailers including J.C. Penney, Kmart and Walmart stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Babiesrus.com, Costco.com and Walmart.com from May 2000 through January 2009 for between $100 and $400 each.

CPSC urges parents and caregivers to immediately stop using the recalled cribs and find an alternative, safe sleeping environment for their baby. Consumers should contact Stork Craft to receive a free replacement kit, with new mattress support brackets. You can reach them by calling (866) 361-3321 anytime to order the free replacement kit or by visiting their Website.

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In July 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of about 6,200 Taggies Sleep'n Play Infant Garments due snaps that could detach and pose a choking hazard to young children. Yesterday, the CPSC announced that an additional 16,000 are being recalled for the very same reason.

The initial recall involved the Butterfly Applique' and the Fun Dog Print styles. This expanded recall involves garments manufactured before July 1, 2008 and include the Dinosaur Applique and the Pink Toss Print styles. These are one piece footed coveralls with snaps down the front. They were sold in sizes 0-3 months, 3-6 months, and 6-9 months. RN #27829 is printed on the care label sewn into the garment. Style numbers are printed on the hangtag of the garments. The complete list of style numbers can be found on the CPSC Website.

These were made in China for Rashti & Rashti, of New York, N.Y. and sold at Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, Dillards, Nordstrom, and other specialty stores nationwide and Internet retailers from January 2007 through November 2008 for about $20 each.

If you have one of the recalled garments, you should immediately stop using it and contact Rashti & Rashti to receive a refund. You can reach them by calling (888) 594-3730 between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by visiting their Web site.

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Back in June, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Jardine Cribs recalled about 320,000 cribs due to a strangulation hazard. Yesterday, the CPSC announced an additional 56,450 cribs to be included in that recall.

CPSC has received 19 additional reports of incidents where crib slats were broken, nine of them by infants or toddlers while in the crib. In one of those cases, a 22-month-old child fell through the gap made by the broken slat. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

The recall involves three models of Jardine wooden cribs with the date codes specified below. Cribs with other date codes are not affected by this recall. You can find the date code and model number printed on the label located on the inside of the bottom rail of the headboard or footboard. For more photos of the recalled cribs, visit the CPSC Website.

DA715BC - Dark Pine Olympia Lifetime Crib - 2/04 - 1/07
0108L00 - Antique Walnut Capri Single Crib - 7/06 - 11/07
0308C00 - White Capri Lifetime Crib - 12/05 - 11/07

The cribs were made in China and sold at KidsWorld, Geoffrey Stores, Toys "R" Us, and Babies "R" Us stores nationwide, and at babiesrus.com, from March 2004 through January 2009 for between $220 and $330 each.

If you have one of the recalled cribs, you should immediately stop using it and contact Jardine to receive a full credit toward the purchase of a new crib. Jardine will provide consumers with detailed instructions for purchasing cribs in retail stores and online. Contact Jardine by calling (800) 646-4106 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET Saturday, or by visiting their Web site.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 3,000 Newport rubbed black 4-in-1 cribs and matching furniture pieces. The red paint under the black finish paint exceeds the federal lead limits. The manufacturer has received one report of a child ingesting the paint and later being diagnosed with lead poisoning.

The recalled pieces were made in Indonesia for Munire Furniture Inc, of Piscataway, New Jersey and sold at specialty furniture stores nationwide from April 2006 through November 2008 for about $600 for the crib and between $700 and $1,000 for the matching furniture pieces. Additional accessories were sold for about $170.

The recalled cribs and furniture pieces are made of wood and have a rubbed black finish. Only the "Newport Rubbed Black" cribs and matching furniture manufactured in Indonesia between April 2006 and November 2008 are included in this recall. The model number, date, and country of manufacture are printed on the label attached to the side panel of the crib and the date of manufacture is on the back panel of the furniture. The entire list of model numbers and names included in the recall can be found here.

If you have one of the recalled cribs or furniture pieces, you should stop using it immediately and contact Munire Furniture to receive a replacement coupon which will allow you to exchange the product for another free of charge. You can reach them by calling (866) 586-9639 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by visiting their Web site.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 7,000 Jumbo Snowman Snow Globes sold exclusively at Hallmark Gold Crown stores nationwide from October through November 2008 for about $100 each.

When exposed to sunlight, the snow globes can act as a magnifying glass and cause nearby combustible materials to ignite. Hallmark has received two reports of this happening with no injuries reported.

The recall involves a Hallmark Jumbo Snow Globe in the shape of a snowman with model number 1XAG5093 and UPC code 795902066666. The snow globe measures 11 by 12 by 17 inches. The model number and the UPC code can be found on the back of the hangtag.

If you have one of these snow globes, you should immediately remove it from exposure to sunlight and return it to any Hallmark Gold Crown store for a full refund. For more information, contact Hallmark by calling (800) 425-5627 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or by visiting their Web site.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 2,800 Calypso Steel Drums made by Woodstock Percussion Inc., of Shokan, New York. The toy drums contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

The recalled drum is made of steel and comes with two wooden drum sticks and a wooden stand. The sides of the drum are red and the drum pan is black with silver markings indicating the location of notes. Each rim is stamped with #5 or #6, but not all drums stamped with a #5 are affected by this recall.

These drums were sold by mail order catalogs, Web sites and retail stores nationwide from December 2006 through December 2007 for between $50 and $100 each.

If you have one of the recalled drums, you should immediately take it away from your children and return it to Woodstock Percussion for a replacement drum and a $5 credit or payment. You can reach them by calling (866) 543-2848 anytime, by e-mailing safety@chimes.com, or by visiting their Web site.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 1,600 Phil & Teds Dash Buggy Strollers. The frame handle can fail to latch properly and break, posing a fall hazard to children. No injuries have been reported.

The recall involves Phil & Teds Dash Buggy strollers with article #7-1080005 (red) and article #7-10080005 (black). The strollers have a metal frame with three wheels, a cloth seat, and a canopy. You can find the Phil & Teds logo on the crotch piece of the harness and the article number on the safety strap hanging from the handle.

These strollers were made in China for Regal Lager Inc., of Kennesaw, Ga. They were sold at various independent juvenile specialty stores and online from July 2008 through September 2008 for between $500 and $600 each.

If you have one of the recalled strollers, you should stop using it immediately and contact Regal Lager for a replacement stroller frame. You can reach them by calling (800) 593-5522 or by visiting their Website.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 95,000 Evenflo Majestic High Chairs. The plastic caps and metal screws located on both sides of the high chair can become loose and fall out. This poses both a fall and a choking hazard to children.

Evenflo has received over 1,000 reports of these plastic caps and screws falling out. In 140 of them, the seatbacks reclined, fell back or detached unexpectedly and 47 children were injured. In other cases, the screws and caps fell out and were found in the hands and mouths of children.

The recall involves Evenflo Majestic high chairs made before January 23, 2007. The recalled high chairs have the following model numbers: 3001395A, 3001583, 3001633A, 3001669, 3001700A, 3001713, 3001713A, 3001730A, 3001732, 3001732A, 3001733, 3001742, 3001742A, and 3001756. You can find the model number and production date on a white label on the seatback. "Evenflo" is printed on the label and on the push button on the front of the tray.

These were made in China and sold at juvenile product and mass merchandise stores nationwide, including Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory and Shopko, and on-line at Wal-Mart from January 2006 through May 2007 for between $80 and $110.

If you have one of the recalled high chairs, you should immediately stop using it and contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit. You can reach them by calling (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or by visiting their Website.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the recall of about 5,400 Army Figures due to high levels of lead in the paint on their little plastic faces.

The figures were made in China for OKK Trading of Los Angeles and sold at dollar-type retailers and OKK Trading's Website from June 2008 through September 2008 for about $1 each.

The recall involves 7½ inch tall plastic toy figures dressed in Army fatigues and carrying guns.

If you have them, you should immediately take them away from your children and contact OKK Trading for a full refund or replacement toy. For more information, you can reach OKK Trading by calling (877) 655-8697 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or by visiting their Web site.

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