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Celebrities

Miranda Kerr Named Her Son After Her Teenage Boyfriend

July 13, 2011

Miranda Kerr named her son, Flynn Christopher Blanchard Copeland Bloom, after a special someone from her past.

Who did she name him after?

Part of Flynn’s name – his second name Christopher – is named after Miranda’s first boyfriend, Christopher Middlebrook. Tragically, Middlebrook had died in a car accident as a teenager.

“Chris and I had been dating for two years,” the actress, who is married to Orlando Bloom told Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

“After he died, I wrote him a letter that said I hoped to name my first child after him in some way. I told Orlando and he was the one who said he’d be happy to do that. Orlando’s a good guy.”

Flynn was born on Jan. 6, 2011, after being in labor for 27 hours. The model told InStyle Australia the pain was so bad that “I thought I was going to die.

Flynn is now six months old – the painful delivery just a memory now. “When he gives me that smile, my heart just melts.”

Featured

Obese Kids: Should Parents Lose Custody of Their Very Obese Children?

July 13, 2011

Should parents lose custody of their severely obese children?

That’s what Dr. David Ludwig argues – in some extreme cases. An obesity expert at Children’s Hospital Boston, he wrote an opinion piece that ran in the Journal of the American Medical Association which is obviously sparking controversy.

“In severe instances of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable, from a legal standpoint because of imminent health risks and the parents’ chronic failure to address medical problems,” he co-wrote with Lindsey Murtagh, a lawyer and researcher at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

“State intervention may serve the best interests of many children with life-threatening obesity, comprising the only realistic way to control harmful behaviors,” they wrote.

Their piece on the Journal has of course set off a huge debate. But the authors made sure to point out that removing obese kids from the home was not always the best solution and should only be considered as the very last option.

Roughly 17 percent, or 12.5 million, children and teens are obese in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

“State intervention would clearly not be desirable or practical, and probably not be legally justifiable, for most of the approximately 2 million children in the United States with a BMI at or beyond the 99th percentile,” the authors wrote.

Should obese children be taken away from their home and put into care? Or do you think that obese children should not be removed from the home, but rather the parents and kids have an intervention?

What do you think?

Entertainment

Will Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Get Married Soon?

July 13, 2011

Is it about time?

After six years together and six children later, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are reportedly going to be getting married!

The wedding will take place within the next few months, according to Us Weekly.

Where will the couple tie the knot? Will it be lavish as Pitt’s $1 million wedding to Jennifer Aniston back in 2000?

Highly unlikely. Angie, 36, and Brad, 47, would probably rather spend that kind of money helping others or donating to charity.

The A-list couple could hold their wedding at their newly renovated Chateau Miraval in Correns, France which conveniently holds a 16th-century chapel. I can just imagine how beautiful that would be.

The wedding “would be intimate and informal,” one insider says of the gorge couple.

Why the change of plans?

Angie and Brad have gone on record saying that they wouldn’t get married until marriage became legal for everyone.

The kids ask about marriage,” Pitt told USA Today in May of Maddox, 9, Pax, 7, Zahara, 6, Shiloh, 5, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 3.

“It’s meaning more and more to them.”

We can’t wait to see them walk down the aisle!

Update April 2012: Brad and Angelina officially engaged!

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July 13, 2011

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Motherhood

Wordless Wednesday: Kissing Cousins

July 13, 2011

This Wordless Wednesday is brought to you by holding hands, giggles and butterfly kisses.

Featured

What is Time to a Mother?

July 12, 2011

by Christine LaRocque

As a mother, have you every itemized the things you do in any given day to come up with an accounting of how you spend your days? Do you carefully consider how much time, if any, you spend enjoying personal interests?

Brigid Schulte did, and she wrote about it for the Washington Post.

In the feature piece she quotes John Robinson, a 74-year-old sociologist at the University of Maryland who says:

“Women have time. Women have at least 30 hours of leisure every week. In fact, women have more leisure now than they did in the 1960s, even though more women are working outside the home.”

After reading Schulte’s account and reflecting on the arguments presented I have to admit I am one of the lucky few who can boast the enjoyment of a significant amount of leisure time. Though let me be clear, I wouldn’t go so far as to agree that I enjoy 30 hours of leisure time (that is slightly ridiculous).

In fact, if you read the article you’ll see that Robinson’s assertion of 30 hours is in fact, more a question of how one defines leisure time.

Finding enough time to all that needs to be done in any given day can be an ongoing battle. On the surface I would say this is true for me, just as it is for any mother. My weekdays start with the alarm at 5:15 and not stopping until I fall into bed sometime between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. every night. The haze of my routine includes getting two little boys out the door and to daycare in time for a one-hour commute, 8 hours at the office, another hour commute home, dinner, clean-up, a small chunk of time for play and to reconnect with my kids, bedtime battles, and then an hour of protected time all for myself.

Every day, Monday to Friday, get up, repeat. Admittedly it sometimes feels like my life has become some twisted real life version of the movie Groundhog Day.

What we might not always realize as we go through the motions is that while every day may be filled with endless lists of obligations and tasks they are also filled with choices of which we actually do. Do we clean, play, bake, cook, pay bills, or organize play dates? Do we pick up groceries, go to the library, see a movie, or order in dinner? Do we tackle that closet that’s about to erupt it’s so full or fold the mountain of laundry that is gathering in the corner? Do we read a book, surf the net, or watch a television show? The list of choices is endless. The question then, is not whether we have choices, but what we do with those we have.

I make the choice to do things for myself, because by caring for myself I am a healthier, more energized mom. For example, once the kids are settled into bed, I make a choice to protect the time that is left before I retire for the night myself to do things that help me refuel: writing, reading, meditating.

I’m lucky, I have a husband who is hugely supportive and recognizes that this time makes it easier for me to manage our family’s ongoing daily pressures. He’s a hands-on parent, comfortable on his own and very involved with our boys. Knowing this empowers me to be free to make choices for me.

Nevertheless, it’s still about balance, making the choices that feel right at the time and being willing to give up the things that maybe matter less. Sacrifices are made. Sometimes I have to choose to scale back. I’ll stay home in the evenings after work and leave outings for the weekends when the time away won’t be quite so striking for my children. Just as I protect time for myself, so I do the same for my family. I can’t always put off the cleaning or the laundry, there are days when they are the choices I have to make.

Christine LaRocque is a full-time communications professional, wife, and mother to two under five. While trying to manage a hectic lifestyle filled with long commutes and two unruly boys, she discovered that sometimes when you are trying to do everything, you are really doing nothing at all. She writes about managing life as a full-time working mother at Coffees & Commutes.

Featured

How To Make Your Burger Like a Restaurant Burger – at Home!

July 11, 2011

Have you ever had a burger in a restaurant and as you were eating it you thought to yourself (or shouted out loud with your mouth still full) “Shut the front door! This burger is amazing!

Why don’t my burgers at home taste this good?”

Well, folks, I’m going to tell you right now why and how you can make your backyard barbeque the envy of the neighbourhood.

The right beef.

The first step to an amazing restaurant style burger is the beef. Restaurants (the good ones) that serve the best burgers go right to the source and order beef from a local farm. Fresh beef that was pasture-raised and pasture-fed is going to give you the best burger. “But I live in the city,” you say. I know not everyone has access to a farm like I do (living in the country has its perks… but I do miss shopping and Starbucks quite a bit) but even big cities have farmer’s markets and butchers.

Visit a market or find a butcher that gets their meat from the nearest agricultural area to your city and you’ll get some fresh, great-tasting beef. (I’m not knocking grocery stores at all if that’s what’s convenient for you just look for the meat with the latest expiration date or ask the in-store butcher which day they receive their meat order and buy it that day.)

Skip the lean this time.

A big mistake people make is buying lean ground beef. Everyone has become quite health and fat conscious (which is great in most cases!) and buy lean ground beef because it’s healthier. Yes, it is healthier, but it doesn’t make a good restaurant style hamburger. Lean ground beef is great for pasta sauces, meatloaf, casseroles and tacos, but when it comes to burgers a lean to fat ratio of 70/30 is best. Lean ground beef cooks faster than medium and doesn’t have enough fat to keep the burger juicy, the result is an overcooked, dry burger. Now you’re sitting there and thinking “But medium ground beef is so fatty!”. That’s the joy in grilling, most of the fat drips away on the grill leaving just enough to keep the burger moist without making you feel like you’re eating a burger that’s been deep-fried.

Once you have the right beef it’s just a matter of not committing these burger sins:

1. Do NOT mix in a bunch of “stuff”.

If you want a burger that tastes restaurant quality don’t mix in eggs, onions, bread crumbs or whatever else you might be tempted to throw in there (a relative of mine puts in so much Worchestershire sauce it’s ALL you taste). It’s a burger, not a meatball. Restaurant burgers are beef, pure and simple.

A friend asked me “well how do they stick together?!”, that’s where the medium ground beef does the trick. There’s enough fat content to make the beef hold together well. Shape the meat into burger patties making them about 1/4-1/2 an inch bigger than your buns as medium ground beef shrinks up a bit when it cooks.

Bobby Flay has a great tip of pressing into the centre of the patty making a bit of a depression as burgers collect their juices in the centre and puff up making them rounded when they cook. The depression ensures a nice flat burger and not a baseball.

2. Do NOT throw every spice in your spice rack on your burgers.

Restaurants season with salt and pepper, occasionally a wee bit of garlic powder, but if you stick with the S & P you’re going to have a great burger. I like to use seasoned salt personally, which a lot of restaurants use, and I use fresh-cracked black pepper.

3. Do NOT press down on the burger!

I can not stress this one enough! Pressing down squishes out ALL the fat which will result in a dry burger. Most people press down to cook the beef faster (what’s the rush?) or to flatten out a puffy burger, use Bobby Flay’s trick, trust me.

4. Do NOT overcook your burger.

A 1/4lbs burger only takes 3-5 minutes per side (depending on your cooking temperature). If your beef is fresh a little pink is okay, but if you prefer a fully cooked burger use a meat thermometer (if you cut in all the juices run out, and you’re back to the dry burger). The internal temperature of a burger should be 160˚F.

5. Rest your burger.

Once the burger is cooked let it rest off the grill, lightly covered in tin foil for 2 minutes so the juices re-distribute.

Following these tips will give you restaurant style burgers that are juicy, fresh-tasting and comparable to even the best burger joints. Top it with your favourite toppings and enjoy!

eating a burger, how to make a restaurant burger — I’m pretty sure he had to unhinge his jaw to eat this.

Amanda Goetz is a WAHM to 3 kids under the age of 5. Her love of cooking was fostered when she was a preschooler helping her grandma in the kitchen. After a year-long stint as a sous chef, she left the industry to continue cooking as a hobby before the stress and politics of a professional kitchen killed her love of cooking. Now she creates delicious dinners and delectable desserts for her family and friends and blogs about it at The Best Mom on the Block.

Entertainment

Summer Romance In Hollywood 2011: Can You Feel the Heat?

July 9, 2011

What’s happening in the romance department in Hollywood this summer? Jen Aniston has a new beau, George Clooney went running and Kim Kardashian is engaged!

First up, Jennifer Aniston has taken a big step with her new boyfriend Justin Theroux – the pair have been spotted out in public! She’s even double-dating with him and Horrible Bosses co-star Jason Bateman and his wife, Amanda Anka. The couples were seen at one of Jennifer’s favourite restaurants in NYC.

Jen is so happy with her new beau that she has been introducing him to all of her friends. Jen went public with the romance recently when the couple made an appearance at the MTV Movie Awards after-party at the Soho House in Hollywood.

Aniston, 42, and Theroux, 39, first became friendly on the set of “Wanderlust” in the fall, according to People magazine.

Then just last month, Aniston threw a small get-together to introduce Theroux to her best pals, Chelsea Handler and Courteney Cox who approve of the new man in Jen’s life.

But the new romance doesn’t come without some gossip!

Apparently Aniston is being accused of wronging another woman – Justin’s ex! Hollywood costume designer Heidi Bivens is said to be “devastated” after Theroux abruptly ended their 14-year relationship as he became close to Aniston.

Did Jen break up Justin and Heidi’s long-term relationship? Did she do the same thing as was done to her when Brad met Angelina on set and then broke up with Jen?

While Jen and Justin have hooked up, George Clooney and his girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis have split!

Just weeks after her comments about one day being married were published, Elisabetta and George broke up. This can’t be a coincidence! Talks of marriage and kids made George run for the nearest exit!

Canalis earlier told the Italian weekly magazine, Chi, that their relationship is solid and that she wouldn’t be with someone who didn’t want to get married or have kids.

“I am a firm believer in marriage, in the future I will be married. But for the time being I am as happy as I am, I don’t need anything to confim how happy I am,” she said.

Then, George ran!

“We are not together anymore. It’s very difficult and very personal, and we hope everyone can respect our privacy,” Clooney and Canalis said in a joint statement.

Clooney once said: “I love children and I get along with them great. It’s just that I believe if you’re going to be a parent, there has to be something inside you that says, ‘I want a family.’ I don’t feel that sense of urgency.”

While Canalis seems to want marriage and children, Clooney does not!

But love and marriage isn’t lost in Hollywood for all…Kim Kardashian is engaged! New Jersey Nets Kris Humphries popped the question to his girlfriend of only six months, presenting her with a 20.5 carat diamond! The bling surely convinced Kim to say yes!

“OMGGGGGG!!!!!!!” Kim blogged. “It’s true! I couldn’t be happier! Thank you guys for all the sweet messages!!! I finally found my missing puzzle piece, I’m complete,” Kim blogged.

Although no wedding date has yet been set, Kim told US Weekly that she’d like to start trying for a baby right after her wedding!

“Well, I won’t have [a baby] by the end of the year, but maybe we’ll start trying by the end of the year. After the wedding,” she said – which means the Kardashian wedding will be held this year.

And since it’s a Kardashian affair, the wedding is sure to be lavish!

Featured

Cheap Date? Cheap Dating Tips for Parents!

July 6, 2011

by Andrea Woroch

Summer seems to be the season for love but in order to spark a romantic connection worthy of the sizzling heat, parents, whether single or married, need a night away from their kids. As exciting as that may sound, tight family finances make it difficult for moms and dads to get out of the house let alone have fun without the worry of their wallet on their mind.

With a little savvy planning though, parents can create magical dates without blowing their budgets. Stop stressing about money by following these 8 frugal dating tips:

1. Battling Babysitting Costs

Dependable babysitters are often expensive and can quickly hike up the total cost of a night on the town. Instead of hiring a teenager or nanny to watch the tots, consider swapping services with neighbors, co-workers, family or friends for a free night or afternoon out. Otherwise, check SitterCity.com for vetted local babysitters who match your needs and budget.

2. Enjoy an At-Home Date

If finding a babysitter in the last-minute is out of the question and budget, put the kids to bed early and create a romantic date-like experience at home. Set the mood with a candle lit dinner & dancing for two under the stars in your backyard.

3. Banish Booze

Even if you find a dining deal, like an early-bird special, a couple drinks can greatly add to the bill. You might want to hit a restaurant that doesn’t serve booze or make it an afternoon date. Otherwise, plan to drink and dine at a restaurant or bar that offers happy hour prices.

4. Do-It-Yourself

Creativity goes a long way so plan a picnic and pack bottle of wine, some cheese and crackers, and portable speakers with your date’s favorite music uploaded to your iPod.

5. Dial Into Online Discounts

Groupon, Living Social and other group-buying coupon companies offer some great deals — up to 50-percent off — on such entertainment experiences as wine tastings, boat tours, museums and comedy clubs. If you’re worried about appearing “cheap,” redeem the offer when your date is in the restroom. Buy a gift card at a discount from sites such as GiftCardGranny.com. They will save you anywhere from 5 to 50 percent on restaurants and other entertainment activities.

6. Find Freebie Dates

Not all dates are intended to include dinner and a movie. For a fun date idea that doesn’t cost a dime, consider events and activities in your area that are free like hiking, biking or browsing a local flea market. Otherwise, many libraries and coffee shops offer free poetry readings and musical entertainment. Look for art gallery tours or free museum days to improve your cultural IQ while impressing your date.

7. Seek Smart Advice from Your Phone

Use your mobile phone to find local deals and date ideas. The Date Night iPhone app for example will help you find unique, interesting and affordable events that are sure to impress. The app randomly selects a “thing to do” for your next evening on the town, some of which won’t bust your budget.

8. Makeshift Movie Night

Instead of shelling out $20 for movie tickets plus the cost of popcorn, soda and candy, consider hosting a movie night at home. You can pick up free DVDs from your local library or $1 rentals from Redbox. Recreate a theater like experience at home with fresh popcorn (extra butter per request) and your dates favorite candy. Then dim the lights and make sure to turn your cell phones off!

The trick to a successful date is having fun and not stressing out. If you find a suitable date, chances are they will enjoy spending time with you whatever you do regardless of how much money you spend.

Consumer Savings Expert Andrea Woroch has been featured as a media expert source on NBC’s Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ABC News NOW and many more. For more savings tips follow @AndreaWoroch.

Books & Music

Jillian Michaels “Unlimited” is Inspiring: Book Review

July 6, 2011

by Danielle Christopher

Confession time, I have never watched The Biggest Loser. In the promos I see Jillian yelling at the contestants like a boot camp sergeant and that gave me zero interest to read another self-help book. Curiosity got the better of me though, so I began reading Unlimited: How to Build an Exceptional Life by Jillian Michaels a few nights ago.

This quote jumped out at me, “When you live in fear of your own desires and ambitions, you lose sight of your true calling and your true self.” That statement should be read to anyone stuck in a life where they are not being their authentic self. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time in my twenties doing what others thought I should do.

Attitude and actions are the tools to get you your unlimited life. The book assures there will be no hype or false promises. To achieve the end result she will guide you on a self-exploration and discovery through three very specific steps.

It begins to help you identify your passion. There are people who make money doing what they love. There is a difference between thriving and surviving. Founders of You Tube would not let anyone smack them down; they sold their company to Google for 1.65 billion dollars. If you are stuck in a rut, just imagine everything you ever wanted out of life. Dream it and do it. There is a place at the end of each chapter for you to journal your journey to finding your true calling. Honor yourself by feeling worthy of a great life.

Dare to do something out of your comfort zone. There is a famous quote from her show, “To rebuild something from its foundation, you have to break it down first.” There are many quotes from authors whom she admires: Pauel Coelho, Dr. Wayne Dyer and Nietzsche.