Having your first baby can be seriously overwhelming. It doesn't matter how many books you've read — having a whole new life to take care of (and your family/the entire internet overloading you with the millions of products you "need" to buy for your baby immediately) can make your head spin.

So we're here to simplify the process — and separate the needs from the wants. Here's our list of the tried-and-true, no-BS products that really do help when you're starting your new life as a parent. Everything else is just noise (and a ton of plastic).

1. Diapers

Whether you are planning to use disposable or cloth diapers, you'll need plenty. Running out of diapers can be disastrous, particularly at 3 a.m. Do yourself a favor and stock up on various sizes.

2. Onesies

The top clothing item for a newborn is the bodysuit (onesie) — a shirt that snaps together between the legs. It stays in place, it's comfy and it keeps a diaper on. You'll want to keep a few of these around; Carter's bodysuits are affordable, thick and cozy.

3. A swaddle blanket or two

Swaddling mimics the gentle squeeze of the womb, so it's super-comforting, especially to newborns. You'll likely want two swaddle blankets so when one is in the wash, you have another ready to go. Check out the Aden + Anais swaddle blankets ($55 at Aden + Anais), which are generously sized — perfect for easy swaddling.

More: 7 Tips for New Moms to Get Some Sleep

4. Wipes

You'll use these dozens of times a day for wiping hands, changing diapers and more.

5. A portable changing pad

Sure, many public bathrooms have changing stations, but we hate to break it to you: many don't. You'll likely want portable changing pad like the Pronto Changing Station ($30 at Skip*Hop). That way, wherever you are, a clean diaper awaits. And Pronto even has room for extra diapers and wipes.

6. A great bag

Diapers and wipes aren't all you need; you'll likely also have to tote bottles, blankets, outfit changes and even toys along too. A do-it-all bag, such as this one from the Petunia Pickle Bottom line ($189 at Petunia Pickle Bottom), will keep you organized and ready for anything that being on the go brings. Mom hack: If you're looking to save cash, it doesn't have to be a diaper-specific bag. Any old backpack will do.

7. A comfy carrier

Much like swaddling, a good baby carrier mimics the womb and keeps Baby cozy — and close to your heart. Plus, it's just so damn convenient. Check out the popular Maya Wrap, which you can wear in a variety of ways.

8. A solid stroller

All strollers are not created equal. Some have ultra-smooth handling but are beyond bulky when you fold them up. Some are fabulously compact but sheer drudgery to push. If you can, test a few — at the store or among your kind hand-me-downing friends — to see how they work for you. And be sure to try folding the stroller before you commit (both to see if the stroller will fit in your car and to see if it's easy enough to put away).

9. A mobile

When babies are ultra-small, getting away for even a simple bathroom break can be tough. A mobile can help — either by lulling them to sleep or simply by distracting them long enough that you can pee. The Sweet Island Dreams mobile ($50 at Baby Earth) is a very cute option.

10. Nipple cream

If you're breastfeeding, you need nipple cream. Because you will want to ward off sore, cracked, chapped nipples. Try Lansinoh ($7 at Target) or any lanolin-based cream.

Next: More baby necessities for new moms

A version of this article was originally published in August 2012.

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11. Nursing bras (yes, plural)

If you're wearing a regular-old underwire bra and try to pop out a boob to breastfeed, it may work for awhile — but it will be pretty uncomfortable. And you'll ruin the bra pretty quickly. So invest in a few nursing versions — the clipping kind, the stretchy kind or both.

More: 9 Questions Never to Ask a New Mom

12. A portable crib

If you intend to travel with your little one, you'll likely want a portable crib/playpen with a bassinet attachment. You can use it at home or on the road, and it's more cost-effective than a fixed bassinet or cradle.

13. Baby-friendly detergent

If you've been using the hardcore scented stuff on your laundry up until now, it's time to stop. Babies have sensitive skin and need a gentle (unscented or naturally scented) detergent — for their clothes, their cloth diapers, you name it.

More: Do High-Tech Baby Monitors Do More Harm Than Good?

14. Burp cloths

And speaking of washing: Babies spit up (and spit up) often. And when you're burping them, guess where all that stuff goes? Yep, right onto your shoulder. Burp cloths will give that spit-up a non-blouse place to land.

15. Baby soap

Baby baths and baby towels may be more gimmick than necessity (You have a sink, right? And babies do fit in actual towels, yes?), but baby shampoo/soap/lotion is no joke. Don't try to use your own spa stuff on their sensitive skin; get kiddo her own natural, unscented, preferably organic brand.

If you're a longtime fan of Rachel McAdams like I am, then you were probably thrilled to learn that, earlier this week, we all learned that she was expecting her first child. Exciting, right? But after the initial thrilling rush of news, you might have been curious (again, like me) about the details. How long has she been pregnant? Why has she been hiding her pregnancy? And, maybe most importantly of all, who is the fella that fathered her child?

Well, the answer to the first two questions might be slightly vague (she's a couple of months along and she likes her privacy, people!), but we for sure know the answer to the final question. The father of McAdams' child is also her boyfriend of (quite possibly) a little over a year and some change, screenwriter and director Jamie Linden.

More: Rachel McAdams Is Reportedly Pregnant With Her First Child

Linden's more of a behind-the-scenes guy in Hollywood and that's seemed to play to McAdams preferences when it comes to just how public she takes her relationship with him. According to E! News, the pair were first spotted together in 2016 in Paris and Los Angeles and later, at a friend's wedding. However, Linden and McAdams have never attended a major event together — although it remains to be seen if they'll change that policy now that the cat's out of the bag in a number of ways.

According to IMDb and a general understanding of how someone might have to hustle hard for a long time in Hollywood before they get successful, Linden's been actively credited with work on major motion pictures since 2006, but he's likely been working way longer than that. His first credits include screenwriting and co-producing credits on We Are Marshall and Dear John. He also directed Channing Tatum, Oscar Isaac, Chris Pratt and a whole host of other '90s and '00s stars in the ensemble dramedy 10 Years.

More: Our Favorite New Couples in Hollywood

E! News also notes some other fun things about Linden you might not have known, including the fact that he dated Zooey Deschanel for two years, from 2012 to 2014 and that he went to Florida State University for Digital Media Production and Marketing, graduating in 2001. Oh, and here's something doubly fun: The Price Is Right actually helped him pursue his writing dreams.

While speaking with Florida State University's College of Communication and Information's Alumni News, Linden recalled attending a taping of the game show, getting selected to play and then going on to win $5,000 (and a Tuscan wine cart). "The money actually helped me stay in California longer than I had planned," he noted. "I was applying to grad school and simultaneously writing my first script."

The more you know!

By now, you've probably heard the health buzz phrase "gut health" and how it can impact everything from our digestive system to our mental health to everything in between. But what does that actually mean? Turns out, it means a little more than how our tummies feel. We checked in with some experts to get the lowdown on gut health and what it really means.

Your guts & you

First, let's look at the legions of bacteria hanging out in our intestines. While we may think of bacteria as disease-causing agents that lead to doom and gloom, there are plenty of good microbes and other cells that we actually need to maintain proper intestinal health.

"There is now a [...] consensus that the state of our bodies depends on our microbes just as surely as it depends on our nature and nurture," says Dr. Kien Vuu, clinical professor of medicine at UCLA-David Geffen School of Medicine, who practices interventional and diagnostic radiology at UCLA-Olive View Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente.

Vuu notes that the term "gut health" actually refers to the balance between the good bacteria in the digestive tract and the bad and how everything works together to maintain our overall state of being. Our gut microbiome helps break down food and maintain our immune system and also helps regulate feel-good hormones that are primarily stored in our gut. "Maintaining good gut health means having a healthy diversity of good microbes in our gut that allows us to function our best and be free of inflammation and disease," he explains.

Gut health & your health

It's vital to have a good balance of good and not-so-good gut microbes because it can maintain and even improve our overall health. "Having an imbalance of these good [and] bad bacteria in the gut most often leads to malabsorption issues, chronic illness and inflammation, causing diarrhea or constipation and even mental health disorders like depression and anxiety — referred to as the gut-brain axis," says Taylor Engelke, registered dietitian at Nutrimental Healthcare.

What's a leaky gut?!

"Leaky gut" is another term that's often thrown around, but although it sounds like, well, someone's leaking diarrhea everywhere, it actually refers to the health and status of the lining of your intestinal tract.

"The cells which line the gut are very tight together in a healthy tissue, but with leaky gut, these junctions between the cells start to become loose and pull apart, which allows particles from inside the digestive tract to enter the bloodstream, triggering an immune reaction to these foreign invaders," explains Engelke. This can lead to a variety of issues, such as food sensitivities, and symptoms range from cramping, pain, diarrhea and constipation to other non-GI symptoms, such as eczema.

How to maintain good gut health

Good gut health, as you might imagine, starts with the foods we eat. Dr. Joyce Faraj, nutritionist at Mountainside Treatment Center, notes that if you have more of a Western diet (more burgers, fast foods, low intake of salads, fruits and vegetables), you tend to have some of the not-so-beneficial bacteria growing in there. This can be related to higher inflammation levels, which can affect mental health and increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

"Now, if you start feeding it the good things that it likes to eat, such as fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables and increasing your intake of probiotic-rich foods, such as yogurt, you'll make your gut happy and boost the growth of good bacteria," she explains.

Additionally, many look to probiotics as a boon for their gut health. Rebecca Lee, registered nurse and founder of Remedies for Me, says probiotics are naturally produced from bacterial fermentation and can be found in both food sources and over-the-counter supplements.

Good food sources are yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, kombucha and kimchi. If you don't fancy these (or can't get your hands on enough), you can pick up a bottle at your local store. Lee suggests making sure they contain strains like bacillus coagulans, lactobacillus rhamnosus, lactobacillus acidophilus, saccharomyces boulardii, bacillus subtilis or another longer-surviving probiotic. She adds that quality supplements should contain at least 10 to as many as 30 different strains.

Get on your gut's good side

Your gastrointestinal tract is a big part of your body — not just because of its enormous size (the small intestine itself is about 20 feet long!), but because of the hordes of microbes that take up space within it. If you make quality food choices and eat natural sources of probiotics (and take a supplement if you're up to it), you can help fine-tune the nature of your gut health and tip the balance in your favor.

Jaden Smith is a truly interesting character, so you know anyone who dates him for a significant amount of time has got to be pretty interesting themselves — such is the case with Smith's now ex-girlfriend Sarah Snyder.

We shed a single tear when word spread that these two had called things off. I mean, they started dating in 2015 and made it until the early months of 2017. That means in young Hollywood time, they were basically together for like 50 years.

Since then, Snyder has been spotted with Leonardo DiCaprio and seems to be working hard to have a successful career. Here are a few things to know about her.

More: Will Smith Mimics Son Jaden on Instagram, Wins Troll Dad Award

1. She's got a quirky sense of style

Not afraid of bright colors, patches or patterns, Snyder loves a quirky, surprising outfit.

2. She's a model

And a talented one. Her Instagram is littered with the usual social media modeling shots, but she's most recently been featured in Vogue Japan.

3. She's a petite model, at that

She is only 5'5" tall.

More: Jaden Smith Wearing a Dress Gets a Surprising Reaction From Twitter

4. She's a big deal on Instagram

Instagram fame these days is nothing to laugh at, and Snyder is one of the youthful leaders of the pack. At sarahfuckingsnyder, the model has gained a following of 1.6 million Instagrammers.

5. She's not afraid of a little PDA

We're guessing not being PDA shy is a prerequisite for dating one of the Smith kids — and Snyder has proven that she is more than game. The former couple was graphically smooching at NYFW 2015, and there's also this footage of them all over each other at the Pitch Perfect 2 premiere back in May 2015.

Next Up: She's got a record

A version of this article was originally published in September 2015.

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6. She's got a record

According to the Bedford County Police Department via Page Six, Snyder was arrested in June 2015 and charged with one count of larceny in the third degree after allegedly stealing a $15,995 Hermès bag from a New York shopping center in February of that year.

7. She's got champagne taste

She likes to flaunt her expensive items, like this Icebox watch..

More: Willow Smith's 'Topless' Pic: Why Everyone Is Talking About It

8. She's the queen of athleisure

As much as she has expensive, fashionably tastes, she often posts photos of herself in jogger pants, loose sweatshirts and other athleisure-type clothing. Somehow it looks more hot couture than lazy Sunday on her, though.

9. The girl is drop-dead gorgeous

But you probably noticed that already.

10. She may or may not have cheated on Smith

Everything seemed to be great with Smith and Snyder until August of this year, when gossip started popping up saying Snyder had cheated on her BF with a photographer named Gunner Stahl. Neither Smith nor Snyder directly addressed the rumors, but they did make a silent statement shortly after the talk started by packing on the PDA at the New York City premiere of Suicide Squad, where they could not keep their hands (or lips) off each other.

11. She was involved in a Kardashian beef

So apparently Snyder currently has an Insta-feud going with another one of Smith's exes, the one and only Kylie Jenner. For some reason, this information makes us ridiculously happy. The feud is all speculative and based on a couple of very subtle references to each other on Instagram caught by Hollywood Life, so it's totally possible that Snyder and Jenner have a chill relationship — but we all know that is probably not the case.

The Oscars will be here on March 4, and all eyes will be on host Jimmy Kimmel as he ushers in Hollywood’s biggest night. It might be hard to top last year’s envelope snafu, but Kimmel is a pro at handling any mishap or hilarious moment that might happen along the way.

More: Women Are Dominating the 2018 Oscars in Surprising Ways

Over the years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recruited many comedians for hosting duties — from Bob Hope to Johnny Carson and Chris Rock. However, there were a few unusual choices from the acting talent pool along the way.

In fact, the Academy often used three or four actors in any given year from the 1960s to the 1980s. The groupings often didn't make sense, but they were all hot actors at the box office in any given year.

How many of these hosts do you remember?

1. Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra hosted the 1963 Oscars, and he didn’t stay on message. For anyone who thinks politics and award shows are a new thing, take a look at Sinatra’s off-the-cuff speech before the Best Picture winner was announced that year.

“Before we get on with the big one, I’d like to take this opportunity... to speak for just a second to us — we in the picture business,” Sinatra said. “I for one am frankly a little tired of all of the talk about editorials, ‘What’s wrong with Hollywood,’ about runaway production and costs and the star system and how we need government subsidies. I know it and you know it: We need good pictures.”

He never hosted alone again, but he hosted alongside Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope and Shirley MacLaine in 1975.

2. Goldie Hawn

In 1976, Goldie Hawn was the only female hosting with some legendary names in the industry — Gene Kelly, Walter Matthau, George Segal and Robert Shaw. However, Hawn held her own with the boys. She playfully delivered the comedic moments and showed off her charm next to Segal before introducing the presenters for Best Foreign Language Film. It shows you every reason America loves Goldie Hawn.

Hawn returned in 1987 to host alongside Chevy Chase and Paul Hogan.

More: #MeToo May Be Behind Casey Affleck's Break With Oscars Tradition

3. Richard Pryor

In 1977, the Academy delivered another odd combination of actors: Richard Pryor, Warren Beatty, Ellen Burstyn and Jane Fonda. What’s notable about this year is that Pryor called out #OscarsSoWhite long before it became a social media hashtag.

“I am here tonight to explain why no black people will ever be nominated for anything,” Pryor said. “This show is going out to 75 million people — none of them are black. We don’t even know how to vote. There are 3,349 people in the voting thing and only two black people — Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte."

While Pryor did this as a comedic monologue and the audience roared with laughter, everything he said was true.

4. Robin Williams

Robin Williams hosted with Alan Alda and Jane Fonda in 1986, and it was a riot. Alda and Fonda played the straight man and woman to an always-unpredictable Williams as they opened the Oscars envelopes. Alda can barely keep a straight face as Williams welcomes the audience watching from the Philippines.

5. Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase did a solid job cohosting the 1987 show with Hawn and Hogan, so the Academy gave him a solo gig the following year. The New York Times did not favorably review him at all.

"Mr. Chase said he thought he might have offended the Academy when he dropped his trousers as Paul Newman stepped on stage to present an award,” The New York Times wrote. “Then again, saying ‘Good evening, Hollywood phonies' as he took the stage may not have been a wise opening gambit."

Chase never hosted another Oscars.

6. David Letterman

This was an awkward night at the Oscars in 1995. David Letterman prided himself on being an outsider in Hollywood, so it was a weird choice for the Academy to offer him the host job.

The night reached peak awkwardness with the bit in which Letterman introduced Oprah Winfrey and Uma Thurman to each other based on their unusual names. It was an odd bit, but we’ve never forgotten it.

More: Casey Affleck Has No Business Presenting the Best Actress Oscar

7 – 8. James Franco & Anne Hathaway

In a desperate attempt to woo younger viewers in 2011, the Academy locked in James Franco and Anne Hathaway. It was a spectacular failure — other than Hathaway’s Rachel Zoe-curated wardrobe. Franco looked completely stoned while Hathaway overcompensated for his lackluster performance. Don’t ever try this combination again.

9. Seth MacFarlane

Did you forget this one? We tried because in the #MeToo generation, it’s pretty hard to convince anyone Seth MacFarlane wasn’t sexist or rude as the host of the 2013 Oscars. Even though the show drew its highest ratings in years, how can you defend the song “We Saw Your Boobs” now?

10. Neil Patrick Harris

Even though Neil Patrick Harris has had tremendous success hosting the Tony Awards and the Primetime Emmy Awards, many Oscar viewers have forgotten he hosted the 2015 Oscars. He seemed like such a natural fit for the show with his singing and dancing ability, but he fell flat in front of every A-list actor — and he knew it.

“I don’t know that my family nor my soul could take it,” he told the Huffington Post. “It’s a beast. It was fun to check off the list, but for the amount of time spent and the understandable opinionated response, I don’t know that it’s a delightful balance to do every year or even again.”

Don't miss Jimmy Kimmel's second time hosting the Oscars on Sunday, March 4 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern/3:30 p.m. Pacific on ABC.

Forget conscious uncoupling; conscious shopping is where it's at. Maybe you already shop for organic produce for your kids at the local co-op or for sustainable woods when you're decking out the family room. It's becoming easier all the time to do better for our kids and their future planet. And these days, eco-friendly kids' clothing you can feel great about is just a click away too.

Got GOTS? That’s Global Organic Textile Standards. GOTS-certified clothes for kids often cost a pretty penny, but there’s good reason for that: They contain a minimum of 70 percent organic fibers, and all dyes and treatments have to meet stringent environmental criteria. Considering so much clothing is still manufactured with nasty stuff like formaldehyde, PVC and other known carcinogens, well, that GOTS label is a pretty reassuring thing to see on a baby onesie or a toddler romper. And then there's the fact that 20 percent of all water pollution is due to the manufacture of nonorganic clothing. Ugh.

So what can you do to keep your kids — and the water they drink and all that other good stuff — safe? Organic cotton is a great choice and a classic. But it isn’t your only option. Many designers are now crafting kids clothes out of materials such as soy, bamboo and hemp. Soybean fiber, for instance, is so unbelievably soft, it’s even earned the nickname “vegetable cashmere.” Plus, it absorbs moisture just as well as its cousin, cotton. Plus, soy is stronger — and thus holds up better to bony knees and growing elbows — than wool.

More: Adorable Springtime Holiday Outfits for Kids

We’ve rounded up just a few of our favorite eco-friendly kids clothing brands. But there are tons of options out there, so please don't stop with just these recommendations. Seek and you shall find — and you shall buy.

The best part? Some of the clothing lines are actually affordable, so you can pay less to worry less — about the planet and about your favorite small human. Win-win.

1. Pact

Pact has a simple mission: “To create the comfiest clothes in the world without destroying the planet or harming people.” Pact only supplies from fair trade-certified factories and pays its workers a living wage, so you can rest easy knowing any purchase for your little one is having a positive impact. Pact is fab for soft, no-nonsense basics, such as affordable 100 percent organic cotton onesies and tees. And guess what? The brand has basics for grownups too.

2. Babysoy

Babysoy slays with soy (azlon) and soy-blend clothes for wee ones. Their nifty designs have been spotted on the children of A-listers such as Jennifer Garner and Halle Berry. Not too shabby, Babysoy. Check out their rompers and butter-soft blankies; you know Garner and Berry don’t mess around when it comes to their kids.

More: How to "Green" Your Pregnancy

3. Mini Mioche

Mini Mioche clothes are designed and made in Canada, our kinder, fairer and Euro-chic-er northern neighbor. Not only are the crazy-soft baby peplum tops and onesies the sweetest things ever; Mini Mioche is also a fan of style-forward neutrals — which are hard to find in the blaringly bright world of typical kiddie fashion.

4. Kate Quinn Organics & L'ovedbaby

Kate Quinn Organics and L’ovedbaby are two eco-awesome brands available on Amazon — how easy is that? And the designs are downright darling. We especially love the printed baby sacques and kimono onesies from Kate Quinn — and so will your best friend when you gift these at her baby shower.

More:  All-Natural "Baby" Products Moms Can Totally Steal

5. Silkberry Baby

Silkberry Baby will dress your kids in, yes, silky bamboo and organic cotton wonderfulness from birth to first grade or so. The company is located in Vancouver (the Canadians are really rocking this eco-friendly clothing thing), and their stretchy, comfy, breathable designs will make you wonder why bamboo has been missing from your kid's wardrobe (and your own) for so long. And the bamboo print accessories — including hats and bibs — are so sweet, our teeth ache.

6. Hauptli Haus Kids

Hauptli Haus Kids brand is Cradle to Cradle-certified in the following categories: material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness. They're the first kids product to reach this level of certification. Plus, the clothing is completely biodegradable.

7. Milkbarn

But you don't need to stop at clothing alone. In addition to its array of organic cotton clothing and bamboo leggings, Milkbarn also offers bamboo headbands as well as organic cotton bath towels and stroller blankets.

8. Plae

For eco-friendly tootsies, you can't beat Plae, a kids shoe brand that takes every step to minimize its carbon footprint. Plae sources recycled and nontoxic materials (including old milk jugs) and even operates in a solar-powered fair-labor factory.

So there you have it — it's now simpler than ever to keep your little ones in safe, sustainable clothes that protect the planet too. And the variety of smartly sourced, smart-looking textiles and blends continues to grow. The outlook for eco-friendly fashion is definitely bright, and we can't wait to see what Earth-oriented designers will be wowing us with in the future.

Kim Kardashian West might be up on all the latest trends in the world, but she is woefully behind when it comes to her TV addictions. While most of the world has been going through a box of tissues every Tuesday night when This Is Us is on, Kardashian West seems to have missed the memo on that particular piece of pop culture.

More: Kim Kardashian West Shamed for Underwear Pic Taken by Her Daughter

On Wednesday, though, she caught up. She tweeted about how she just started watching the insanely popular show, and asked her followers whether she should keep going.

"I'm starting to watch 'This Is Us.' Who watches it? Is it good?" she tweeted.

And who better to answer that question than one of the show's stars. Justin Hartley, who plays Kevin Pearson on the show, replied with his very serious answer to Kardashian West's question, and we cannot stop laughing.

More: Birth Doula Kim Kardashian West Is Reporting for Leg-Holding Duty

"I watch it. I think it's worth a look," Hartley wrote. "If it were me, I would watch it from the beginning. A good time to start if you ask me. Not too [far] along in the series, yet enough episode to binge if you feel."

More: Kim Kardashian West Sent Valentine's Gifts to Her Least Favorite People

While Hartley did give her some good advice, because This Is Us is great and everyone definitely should watch it, you would think he'd have warned her about what an absolute emotional roller coaster that show is. No one should go in blind. Quick, someone tweet at Kardashian West and tell her to stock up on tissues before she keeps watching.

First there was hygge, the Danish art of making yourself as cozy as possible, Then there was Dutch gezellig, a less expensive, more down-to-earth celebration of the quaint. There was even Swedish fika, a relaxing coffee break when you eat something sweet and delicious. It’s hard not to covet these foreign cultural staples, but we especially love the latest Nordic buzzword: niksen. Translation? To do nothing.

It seems to be both a revolutionary concept and also a silly one. All of us are capable of doing nothing, so why do we need a Dutch word for it? Well, because we’re not very good at it.

More: 5 Ways to Tell if Your Job Is Making You Sick — Literally

If it makes you feel better, we're not alone in our stress mindsets. It sounds like the Dutch aren't particularly good at relaxing either. As Olga Mecking writes in Woolly magazine, "The popular proverb 'niksen is niks,' for instance, means 'doing nothing is good for nothing.' And another popular Dutch saying, 'doe gewoon normaal,' translates to 'just be normal.' In practice, this is a suggestion to stay busy, but not too busy; to rest, but not too much. Above all, it means don’t be lazy. Be productive. Contribute."

In the U.S, we're much the same. We don’t seem to know how to turn off or wind down. We listen to podcasts designed to help us sleep, take vitamins and medications to make us chill out and take endless amounts of advice on how to do more self-care. It’s no wonder. Beyond the stressors of daily life — money, family, politics — we’ve created an expectation of constantly being occupied. We can’t sit still; we can’t slow down; and we even monetize our hobbies.

More: This Project Aims to Change the Way We Look at Mental Health

You might be tempted to correlate niksen to the everyone's-doing-it mindfulness, but mindfulness asks for active, conscious participation in the present moment. Niksen does not. Niksen doesn’t want you to actively, consciously try to do anything. How do you niksen? By not trying to niksen or do anything else at all.

There's a chance doing nothing is actually closer to our natural state of being than we realize. Carolien Hamming, who is a coach at an organization that fights stress and burnout called CSR Centrum, told Lifehacker, “In the wild most animals do nothing two-thirds of their time... They yawn, look around, sit and wait until a little snack comes by.”

More: 13 Things You Never Realized Alexa Could Help You Do

If you’re already the kind of person who leaves yoga class at the end of savasana, this might make you especially uncomfortable. But it could lead to better productivity and creativity, so maybe give it a shot.

A few examples of niksen (in case you’ve forgotten how to be unproductively still):

• Staring out a window
• Laying on a bed and looking at the ceiling
• Sitting on a park bench and watching the world go by
• Daydreaming

Now go get busy doing nothing.

Remember when we thought putting butter in our coffee was the craziest thing we'd ever heard? Well, prepare yourselves, because this coffee trend far surpasses that in absurdness.

It's called cat poop coffee, and it's popular in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.

More: Why Sparkling Espresso Is the New Drink Trend You Need to Try

Cat poop coffee isn't necessarily a new trend. In 2012, NPR taste-tested the questionable brew, traditionally known as kopi luwak (or ca phe chon). And in 2016, National Geographic published a story on the "disturbing secret" behind it. But because it's so rare and in high demand, cat poop coffee continues to gain momentum, making us wonder, "What exactly does it taste like?"

To start, no cats are involved in the making of cat poop coffee. Instead, it's an Indonesian catlike, weasel-looking animal — the civet. First, the civet eats and digests the coffee beans, and the seeds separate in its stomach, where they become fermented. The seeds are then — you guessed it — pooped out. The beans that passed through the civet are then collected, cleaned and roasted.

And these beans aren't exactly mass-produced, kopi luwak is considered the world's most expensive coffee: $100-per-cup expensive. And for 1 pound of these beans? Expect to fork over anywhere from $100 to $600 for a bag. Holy shit.

As far as what it tastes like, kopi luwak is described as a smooth, earthy and less bitter version of the coffee we're used to. It's also recommended you drink it black and avoid adding cream, milk and sugar, as it will "ruin the taste." According to a writer at Brit + Co, who conducted her own taste test, the brewed coffee "didn't have any distinguishing characteristics."

More: Why We'll All Be Sipping Coconut-Flavored Coffee This Spring

By the sound of it, it doesn't seem worth the high price tag. But, hey, if you're a real coffee risk-taker, this might be your next bold move.

Avid Bachelor franchise fans know Clare Crawley well. Her first stint, on Juan Pablo's season of The Bachelor, ended disastrously, because Juan Pablo was objectively the worst. But we always knew there was someone out there for sweet, smart Crawley, even as we watched her try and fail to find love on two seasons of Bachelor in Paradise.

More: One Bachelor: Winter Games Contestant Got Very Busy in the 'Bang Room'

Finally, Crawley's time has come. On the first season of the new Bachelor spin-off, The Bachelor: Winter Games, things didn't look good for Crawley. She was caught between two men, Benoit-Beausejour Savard from Canada, and Christian Rauch, from Germany. On the second episode, she and Savard had a heartbreaking, tearful breakup as Crawley revealed she wanted to pursue things with Rauch, and Savard packed his bags and went home. Later in the episode, however, Rauch revealed his true colors and basically told Crawley she was pretty, but not much else (And she still accepted his rose after that? Come on, Clare).

It looked like Crawley's fourth attempt at finding reality TV love would fail as well, until last night's "The World Tells All" special. Finally, Crawley got her happy ending.

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During the show, host Chris Harrison revealed that Crawley found love after the show.

"The second I got back to Sacramento, I checked my phone, and I had a message from a guy," Crawley explained. "Timing was so off but it was so perfect for me because it was a man that just cared about if I was OK."

At that moment, Savard was brought out from backstage. He and Crawley exchanged I love yous, and he told her, "You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met in my entire life," as he got down on one knee. It truly was one of the most heartfelt and perfect proposals we've ever seen on a Bachelor show.

More: The Bachelor's Ashley Iaconetti Is Hosting a Brand New Show

For now, Crawley and Savard are in a long-distance relationship, while she's still in Sacramento and he's in Montreal. But they're looking for a place to live together and have their happy ending. Congrats Clare and Benoit!

Only one mother was represented on Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics — and she just brought home the gold. NPR reported that Kikkan Randall, along with her teammate Jessie Diggins, handily won the United States' very first cross-country ski medal since 1976 (you know, the era of shiny Dorothy Hamill bowl cuts).

Would you believe Randall was training for the Olympic event just one month after her son Breck's birth? Breck is now 22 months old. Randall, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, with her husband, Jeff, told Time, "My pregnancy went smoothly and in the spring of 2016 we welcomed our son Breck into our family... Within a month I got the clearance from my doctor and worked my way back into full time training. It took patience and the belief that I could work back into shape. I was pleasantly surprised by what a powerful and positive influence becoming a mother was on my ski racing."

In January, Randall posted this sweet snowy pic with Breck, captioned, "Happy #WorldSnowDay2018 everyone! #beanoutsider #catchthatsnowflake."

More: Meet the First Woman Ski Jumper in Olympic History

It's rare that we hear a mom in the public eye talk about the positive ways motherhood has affected and inspired her career — and we want to know more about this awesome athlete and others like her. Randall brought her family with her when she was on the World Cup circuit before the Olympics, and she told Time the multitasking was actually a boon.

"We had an amazing time. I didn’t always get the recovery time I was accustomed to, but I got to spend a lot of time with my son. The results panned out too. Just hours before I won a World Championship bronze medal, I was changing diapers and washing out bottles. Turns out baby chores are great for settling nerves."

Well, damn it. If we'd known that, maybe we'd have started training for the Olympics too. Shoot. Too late for biathlon?

More: Top 10 Team USA Women to Watch at the Olympics

Breck wasn't on hand at the Olympics to see his mom win gold — the little guy stayed with his grandparents while Randall focused on medaling in her fifth and final Olympics. She told The Washington Post before the Games, "I won’t get to see him for a full month, which is going to be really hard because I’ve just gotten so adapted to life chasing around a toddler. But he is doing great with his grandparents... I know he’s in a good place, so now I can focus on what I need to do."

And focus she did, with 24-karat gold finesse. Randall also talked to the Boston Globe about the joy of competing during prime momming years. "In a sport like cross-country skiing where it takes so long to get to the top, you really just start getting to the fun part when you’re kind of in your prime childbearing age. It was something where I didn’t want to have to make a choice either way. I was curious to see if I could do it and thankfully I’d had an amazing career to that point and I was going to be happy no matter what happened. I’ve come back surprisingly strong."

Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu didn't have her period when she landed her historic triple axel at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, but if you ask her, it wouldn't have mattered. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the she revealed that she was menstruating on her way over to the Olympics, but even if it continued while she was competing, it wouldn't have stopper her.

"It's really not that big of a deal. You just stick a tampon up there," she tells the magazine, adding that exercising on the ice during her period can make her feel better. "Periods can induce cramps for me, which I find exercise helps [alleviate]."

Nagasu is the latest athlete to talk about how her period affects — or in her case, doesn't affect — her performance. But is this something she even needs to (or should) address or an important addition to the conversation around menstruation? Like pretty much everything else related to ovaries, vaginas and uteruses — it's complicated.

More: What Aly Raisman Wants You To Know About Periods & Speaking Out Against Abuse

On the one hand, women are so frequently reduced to our menstrual cycles — and how it impacts us mentally, physically and emotionally — and discussing it may only arm those who try to use it to disqualify us (like saying that we're not fit to be president or fly a plane). For example, if a person with severe period pain mentions how debilitating it can be, it may make others think they're not able to function. And the thing is, for a lot of menstruators, that may to a certain extent be true. After all, we know periods can be as painful as heart attacks.

Not to mention that no athlete — or anyone else for that matter — wants people to focus on a monthly bodily function instead of their professional abilities and accomplishments.

But on the other hand, there is still a huge stigma around periods that will only go away if people — including those with a platform, like athletes — talk about it. And that, friends, is what's known as the period paradox: The delicate balancing act between normalizing menstruation, not allowing it to disqualify us and yet having it taken seriously as a health condition worthy of research and resources.

More: Awesome Olympian Talks About Her Period on a Live Broadcast

Periods, for many people, are too gross to even bring up in polite conversation. And that's just as unfortunate as feeling like you have no choice but to stuff a tampon up your sleeve on the way to the bathroom at work. Of course, a lot of menstruators don't feel like they have another option out of fear they — or their work — will be judged by colleagues who know it's their time of the month. This is all part of the problem.

So when athletes like Nagasu, gymnast Aly Raisman and Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui speak openly about their periods — whether it's truly not a big deal to them or if it somehow impacts their performance — it helps everyone. People who menstruate hear that others have the same struggles — or lack thereof — that they do, and those who don't have periods get more accustomed to hearing it talked about like a normal, healthy bodily function. Because it is.

We all knew it was coming. It was only a matter of time before another beloved character on The Walking Dead died. And true to form, the apocalyptic AMC series set up the second half of Season 8 to start with the loss of one of the show's OG stars.

More: How [SPOILER] Feels About Being Killed Off on The Walking Dead

If by some freak chance you haven't yet seen the first half of Season 8, take a minute to examine your life's priorities. Then be forewarned: What we're about to discuss contains plot points pertinent to the finale of this season's first half.

OK, now we're ready for the postmortem (or perhaps premortem) — #RIP Carl. Although Rick's only son hasn't quite succumbed yet, the fact that he got bitten by a walker pretty much spells his doom. While we weren't always crazy about the kid, he really has grown on us over the years.

More: Another Beloved Walking Dead Character May Be Leaving the Show

So where does that leave us? Getting ready to say goodbye again, of course. But not only that, it puts every committed fan on alert because typically character deaths on The Walking Dead tend to follow each other.

Therefore, to help mentally prepare ourselves and thus soften the impending blow, let's take a look at five major characters in peril who could accompany Carl (or follow him shortly thereafter) into the great beyond.

1. Negan

Yes, we realize that in The Walking Dead comics Negan doesn't actually die in the upcoming battles. Rather, he is captured and held prisoner by Rick and his crew. But — and this is a big one — he also develops a strange symbiotic relationship with young Carl in the comics. Not to mention Carl doesn't get bitten in the comics. Since the original storyline doesn't have Carl dying, maybe they'll kill off Negan too. After all, his fate has already been altered by Carl's certain doom.

2. Eugene

It sucks to say it since actor Josh McDermitt is such an ace, but we're ready for Eugene to get his comeuppance. He turned on Rick and the rest of the gang, and that betrayal has led to heartbreak and death for our heroes. He could always redeem himself by sacrificing his life to save Rick or Maggie or any other character who didn't break our goddamn hearts.

3. Morgan

Unlike Eugene, we don't want Morgan to die. In fact, we'd love it if he had a bigger role in the series. Unfortunately, the writing is already on the wall — it has been announced that the character, played by Lennie James, will be making the jump from TWD to its prequel series, Fear the Walking Dead. Granted, this does leave the door open for him to return... unless the way he is written off is via death, which, let's face it, is always a possibility in this world.

More: Andrew Lincoln Reveals Who Is in the Graves on The Walking Dead

4. Maggie

In the comic series, Maggie becomes leader of the Hilltop Colony. We've already seen her presence grow so much the last few seasons, and with it the respect of the other characters for her. Tragically, though, the show could lose Lauren Cohan, the actor who plays Maggie, to contract negotiations. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cohan hasn't committed to renewing her contract for Season 9. It is said that while she isn't seeking parity with her male costars Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus, Cohan would like (and deserves!) more than AMC is bringing to the table right now. The fact that countless other networks are in hot pursuit of the rising star could seal Maggie's fate on the show.

5. Rosita

Rosita has been doing a little dance with death lately, all but willing it to come for her. She's brave, yes, but she's also reckless — and she tends to let her personal feelings cloud her judgment. The hope here is that if someone has to die, perhaps Eugene lays down his life for Rosita. Since they started this journey together with Abraham, it would bring the situation sort of full circle.

After 13 seasons, The Voice is mixing things up. The upcoming season will come with a bunch of changes that should make the competition fresh and more interesting for longtime viewers and new fans alike. What's even better is that they'll up the competition factor, making things a little more cutthroat for the coaches panel, which will include veterans Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, one-time winner Alicia Keys, and newcomer Kelly Clarkson.

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According to executive producer Audrey Morrissey, the new season will include a block button, which will allow a coach to block another coach from adding a singer to their team, as well as a save option, which will allow coaches to save singers who have just been eliminated.

"We haven’t ever really had a defensive move or an offensive-defensive move, so we came up with the block," Morrissey told Variety. "It really sort of speaks to the real competition."

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Coaches are allowed to use their block buttons just one time during the first round of the competition. They can block the other coaches, but if those coaches don't turn around, the block isn't used and can be used again later. Coaches can also combine save and steal buttons, saving an eliminated singer, and giving them the chance to choose whether they want to return to their original team or join the team that used the steal button.

"The coaches love that because there was jeopardy. People didn’t necessarily go back to the [team] they had been on," Morrissey said.

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All of this, plus the addition of Clarkson as a full-time coach instead of just a mentor like she was in past seasons promises some new twists that we can't wait to see play out during Season 14.

Talk about a slam dunk: Three generations of fabulous Knowles women were photographed courtside at the NBA All-Star Game this weekend. This is not your usual "we took Grandma to Target" weekend outing, that's for sure. Dressed to the nines, Beyoncé, her daughter Blue Ivy, and Blue's grandma Tina Knowles (with husband Richard Lawson) all took in the big game — between Team LeBron James and Team Stephen Curry — at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 18.

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Lady Bey and Blue Ivy both rocked awesome shades and killer outfits. On hand was Beyoncé's adorable Karl Lagerfeld white kitty bag, where she stashes Blue Ivy's treats (hey, even the kids of music icons get hangry sometimes). Grandma Tina also held onto Blue Ivy's juice box (awwwww).

Seriously, can we talk about these mother-daughter outfits for a second (and also the hilarious straight-faced kid photobomber behind Blue Ivy)? Blue had on very cool distressed jeans and a rock star-chic black leather jacket, which made us weep for our own Garanimals-clad childhoods. And no battered Star Wars metal lunch box here; Blue Ivy toted a cobalt blue Louis Vuitton bag (retail: $1,820). Beyoncé went with a bright flared skirt in marigold with a cozy chocolate hoodie and clear laced heels. Like you do at a basketball game with your mom.

More: The Last Time Blue Ivy Wore a Dress That Costs More Than My Rent

Bey and Blue had a blast at the game, snapping some selfies and scoping out the other stars present: Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx, Kevin Hart, Jimmy Kimmel, DJ Khaled, Snoop Dogg, Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle. Blue Ivy even hitched a ride with a few cute mascots.

In absentia: Jay-Z. Hey, somebody's got to stay home with the twins, Sir and Rumi. And this time around, Blue Ivy refrained from shushing her mama, as she did — most famously — at this year's Grammys, seen here in the GIF tweeted around the globe.

It's not too shabby being Blue Ivy, that's for sure. We're pretty sure we know who really runs the world now.

You guys, Kourtney Kardashian is thinking about freezing her eggs. She's already mom to Penelope, 5, Mason, 8, and Reign, 3 (all with man-child ex Scott Disick, who is currently dating Lionel Richie's 19-year-old daughter — oh, Scott), but the recent spate of births in the fam has the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star contemplating popping out a few more Kardashakids.

More: Kylie Jenner Shares First Baby Pic & Baby's Surprising Name

In a sneak peek of the Feb. 25 episode of the family's reality TV show, Kardashian confesses to her sisters Kim Kardashian West and Khloé Kardashian that she's pondering freezing her eggs.

“Are you serious? You want another kid?” Kardashian West responds incredulously. Kourtney replies, “What if I do, though? I don’t know what I want! What if I want a kid in the next 10 years? Wouldn’t you rather have the insurance, like, sitting there?”

And when Kardashian West less-than-tactfully mentions that Kourtney will be 50 in a little more than a decade, Kourtney shoots back, “Janet Jackson just did it.”

Kourtney has been dating model Younes Bendjima on the down-low, but says she isn't sure who she'd anoint as the papa of a fourth child. Kardashian West volunteers Disick for the job: “Wouldn’t you just say, ‘Hey, Scott, give me your sperm,’ and they take it in a turkey baster and they stick it up you and squish?” 

We didn't really need that sound suggestion, Kim, but thanks. Eww.

Kourtney shrugged off that idea for now. “If I wanted to have it with my situation right this second, I would take out my IUD and I would get to work,” she tells her sisters. “Right now, I’m good.”

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Strangely, Khloé seems more grossed out by the thought of Kourtney being in love than she does by Kardashian West's "squish" comment. Khloé grimaces and says, "So this is if you're in love and want to fulfill a man's dream of a baby?"

Kourtney, chill as ever, is all like, “Yep. What if I want my love to come into the world? Is that gross to you?”

The "squish" we could have done without, but hey, if Kourtney wants a fourth kid, who are we to deny her? I mean, yes, the Kardashian-Jenners are breeding at the speed of light, which presents interesting scenarios for the future. At this rate, most of our great-great-grandchildren will be coupling with airbrushed Kardashian-Jenners, right? Will this evolve the human race into something far more glam and shiny and bootytastic than we ever imagined? We would watch that episode of Black Mirror for sure.

Ever since Netflix's Making a Murderer took over the true crime world and dominated water cooler talk for weeks, if not months, viewers have been begging for a sequel. And one has been promised, with the same filmmakers at the helm — Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi, who filmed Making a Murderer, announced they were working on new episodes back in 2016.

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But there hasn't been much new information since then, and we still have no word on when that official sequel is coming. So a new filmmaker has taken up the reins, and plans to give us the Making a Murderer fix we've all been waiting for.

True crime filmmaker Shawn Rech has announced that he's working on a series called Convicting a Murderer, which will revisit the case of Steven Avery, but from the perspective of the prosecutors that put him behind bars. Rech promises "unprecedented access to District Attorney Ken Kratz, Lead Investigator Tom Fassbender, and other major players in State v. Avery," and says he'll address concerns raised by the prosecution after Making a Murderer aired that the original filmmakers left out evidence to make Avery look more innocent that he actually looked at his trial.

"We fight for the truth," Rech said in a statement announcing the project. "We’ll present all of the evidence in the Avery case from the perspective of both the prosecution and the defense and see if viewers feel the same way they did two years ago following the first season of Making A Murderer."

More: Stephen Avery Prepares for Court Again After Legal Team Reveals the 'Real' Murderer

This series, though, doesn't have a network, and Netflix isn't involved. Whether the streaming service will get on board still remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: This is going to be the next show that everyone is talking about.

When you think of the term "sex worker," what kind of characteristics come to mind? Most people envision a stereotype: Someone who is desperate, who has no other choice. Something must have gone wrong in their life for them to end up doing such a job.

As a society, we attach negativity to sex positivity. This is especially true when it comes to sex workers. When someone meets me for the first time, they are greeted by a petite, upbeat redhead with a positive outlook and a can-do attitude. They meet a well-educated woman with multiple college degrees and a passion for higher education.

When asked to guess what my career of choice is, sex worker is one of the last things people tend to guess. Once people meet me and realize I'm college-educated and not really any stereotype they have of my profession, they often ask me why on earth I chose to become a sex worker.

More: A Legal Sex Worker on What It's Really Like to Work in a Brothel

Without jumping into a full exegesis of every single decision that led me here, I'll just sum it up by telling you a few things about myself. My first relationship was with another woman, and shortly after that time period I learned it was very easy for me to develop feelings for multiple people at a time.

After some time had passed, I learned a little more about relationship paradigms and stumbled upon an academic paper on polyamorous relationships. This culminated in reading a book by Christopher Ryan titled Sex at Dawn that discusses the prehistoric origins of human sexuality and relationships. It made a lot of sense to me that, speaking from a neurobiological perspective, evolutionary biology dictates that humans aren't naturally monogamous any more than we naturally wear clothes. Cultural norms, gender roles and other hegemonic and counter-hegemonic forces shape the current view of relationships, as does the byproduct of those forces, religion.

After this moment of recognition, it dawned on me that I'm naturally a polyamorous person and that I shouldn't feel shame about being attracted to and being able to love more than one person at a time. More specifically, I was naturally incapable of resisting developing feelings for and being sexually attracted to people outside my existing relationship construct.

When it came to career options, there were countless opportunities afforded to me compliments of my extensive education. Despite holding multiple degrees, I found the relevant jobs to be largely uninteresting, thus sparking my exploration of alternative employment options.

Being a very sexually expressive person, I once tried doing a webcam show. It was a mostly empty experience. I wasn't really challenging myself in any way, and so like I always do, I started looking for something else.

Being sapiosexual — someone who is attracted to intelligence — I thought it might be an interesting experience to work at a brothel since I'm sexually uninhibited and able to sexually enjoy multiple relationships at once as well as to have feelings for multiple people at once. Additionally, I'm able to be attracted to the mind of the people I'm around without the necessity of finding their bodies attractive, and I'm not afraid to try new things. So, with no uncertain amount of pomp and temerity, I went for it.

I found I enjoy this occupation on a much different level than a lot of the ladies here at the Moonlite BunnyRanch. Part of the reason is that I get to offer a genuine girlfriend experience because I connect so easily with a wide range of people from all walks of life. My attraction isn't limited to physicality — if anything, the more I get to know someone, the more engaged and excited I become. I genuinely look forward to spending time with my guests and discovering all the unique ways I can enhance their lives both in and out of the bedroom.

More: Why Seeing a Sex Worker Can Be Good for Your Relationship

The challenging dance of sales with genuine romance and my job is genuinely healing people and making them happy. I mollify their worries and help them recover from devastating things like the loss of a wife or girlfriend, the crushing social shame of virginity and even help those who are disabled and unable to have normal relationships feel the genuine comfort of a romantic partner in a way they may never, ever get to enjoy outside an interaction with me.

I think this is a very noble job. I help others, people in my community, improve the quality of the relationships of couples, get to work with couples to improve their romance, offer sex education and even provide dating advice. Imagine you're terrified of women; wouldn't it be nice to have a dinner date with a girl who you can be not only romantic with, but if you ask can give you pointers on anything you might be doing wrong so you can be more confident when you start dating? I get to do all that and so much more.

So, I suppose the real question is, "How could I not become a sex worker?"

Have you ever considered a vacation in sunny Cincinnati, Ohio? How about Boise, Idaho? Well, according to travel pros Lonely Planet, you absolutely should.

Lonely Planet published its Best in the U.S. list for the eighth year in a row, highlighting the top 10 underrated spots you have to visit.

At No. 1 is California's Redwood Coast, an undeniably gorgeous stretch of redwoods (although, "underrated"? Really?). Rounding out the list is Southeastern Utah, described by Lonely Planet as "quintessential Americana road trip country."

More: 8 Things That Will Inevitably Happen When You Road Trip With Your Kids

Without further ado, the list.

10. Southeastern Utah

From Arches National Park's multicolor sandstone to the breathtaking Natural Bridges, this area of Utah is a sight to be seen.

9. Minneapolis, Minnesota

Why wouldn't you want to visit the happiest state in the U.S.? Boasting new boutiques and farm-to-table restaurants, Minneapolis also has a revamped IG-worthy sculpture garden.

8. Kentucky Bourbon Country

Come to Kentucky for its picturesque rolling hills, stay for its bourbon. Here, you'll find some of the country's most well-known distilleries.

7. Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is not only full of history, it's also an outdoor enthusiast's dream. Here, you'll find a 52-mile bike trail along the James River. After your hike, hit up the city's many microbreweries and cideries.

6. Midcoast, Maine

Go camping, try a pint at a craft brewery, hit up a vineyard, sit down at a farm-to-table restaurant, eat all the lobsters at the 70th Maine Lobster Festival: Maine has it all.

More: 14 Beautiful Destinations to Visit if Adventure Is Your Top Priority

5. Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati might seem like an unusual vacation spot, but its stunning skyline is surprising easy on the eyes. And new to the city is its Brewing Heritage Trail, where you'll find plenty of beer, eateries and fun shops.

4. Florida's Space Coast

From Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral to the new ATX (astronaut training experience) and Merritt Island (where you can go on a nighttime kayak), Florida's Space Coast is a destination the entire family will enjoy.

3. Chattanooga, Tennessee

Rock climbers, hikers and mountain bikers, this one's for you. Chattanooga has some of the best rock climbing and trails in the country. The Ocoee River is also one of the top spots for white-water rafting.

2. Boise, Idaho

Boise has award-winning wineries and craft breweries galore. It's also home to plenty of music festivals, including Treefort Music Festival and Punk in Drublic (a punk rock and craft beer festival). Here, you can also hit the Boise River Greenbelt for hiking, biking, river rafting and more.

1. California's Redwood Coast

You've seen it in plenty of movies, from Jurassic Park to Rise of the Planet of the Apes: the redwood forest. Seeing California's 2,000-year-old redwoods up close is an unforgettable experience, and this year, you can see it for free. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Save the Redwoods League is offering free entry to over 40 redwood state parks the second Saturday of every month.

BRB, packing our bags.

Cursive is a hotly debated subject in education — and in parenting. After all, isn't teaching handwriting somewhat antiquated? It sure hasn’t been especially popular in recent years with its exclusion from Common Core in public schools. But, surprise: Experts say there may be benefits to practicing good, old-fashioned handwriting. And there's actually now an uptick in states passing or working on legislation to make learning cursive mandatory — yep, required — in schools. For example, an Indiana bill requiring the teaching of cursive passed just last month, reports the Tribune-Star. Could cursive be making a comeback?

Cursive’s brain-building benefits have also been documented more frequently in the past few years: It's been proven to stimulate brain synapses and synchronicity between the left and right hemispheres according to Psychology Today. A study published in Psychological Science shows kids retain learning better when they take notes manually (rather than typing). And interestingly, occupational therapist Suzanne Baruch Asherson writes in The New York Times that “The College Board found that students who wrote in cursive for the essay portion of the SAT scored slightly higher than those who printed.” Fascinating!

But there are parents and educators alike who remain unconvinced. Debate.org's "Should cursive writing be taught in schools?" post has a 66 percent yes response. So who are the other 34 percent?

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Mom of two Robynn Markus, for one. She doesn’t see any benefit to learning cursive. “What was the pro of it ever?” she asks.

Assistant professor of education Morgan Polikoff is also of the opinion that cursive should be allowed to die off. “Very small proportions of adults use cursive for their day-to-day writing,” he writes in The New York Times. “Much of our communication is done on a keyboard, and the rest is done with print.” Polikoff argues that the Common Core curriculum now used in schools already has enough subjects; adding cursive would make it less focused.

On the other hand, mom of three Rebecca Morrissey is pleased her older kids learned cursive in third grade at their public elementary school, and she's looking forward to her youngest learning as well. “I’m glad they learned so they can sign their names, read other’s writing and so they (hopefully) can have another traditional way to communicate. Developmentally, I think it improved their penmanship.” 

One mom of four, Hayley King, is so pro-cursive, she even teaches it herself. “I home school — have home schooled — my children and I am very pro-learning cursive. There are many many reasons why, but some of the main ones off the top of my head are learning how to write signatures, reading old documents, etc.” 

Mom of two Claudia De La Torre has a third-grader who is learning cursive. “I love it, and her teacher is also teaching them typing skills,” De La Torre says. “My daughter has sloppy writing, but her cursive is neat.” 

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Some educators and parents remain on the fence. Teacher and mom Lindsey Anderson says it depends on the child’s academic situation. “As a teacher, I’m pro-cursive if the student is reading and writing at or above grade level... but if your kids are struggling, I’d use the time to focus on the basics. In my class, I’d never take time to do cursive if kids couldn’t even read or write at a third-grade level. But ideally, [cursive is] beneficial.” 

Another parent and teacher, Megan Linares, feels similarly. “I taught middle school for 10-plus years, and I completely agree with this. Ideally, [cursive] would be taught, but there are so many students who are behind that I can understand why it is not always taught. The thing that bothers me is that I think it is sometimes not taught because there is so much focus on state testing.”

In addition to testing, texting and typing have also arguably kept kids from cursive. But one entrepreneurial rabbi, Issamar Ginzberg, hopes to encourage handwriting through his new educational flash card game, Cool Cursive. He asks the question: What happens when kids can't use their handheld gadgets to take notes or sign a necessary document? "If you can’t take notes, if you can't write a check or a short note in cursive, it's a boatload of trouble in addition to the loss of an important historical connection,” Ginzberg says.

Practicality and historical appreciation aside, Ginzberg also notes the brain-boosting power of handwriting. “When you write down what you hear, you will remember what you heard much better than just hearing and hoping you remember,” says Ginzberg. “Writing as opposed to typing uses more parts of the brain, which aids tremendously to memory. Better retention means it's not just heard, but actually learned.” 

“There’s a myth that in the era of computers, we don’t need handwriting. That’s not what our research is showing,” University of Washington professor Virginia Berninger told The Washington Post. Berninger has coauthored studies that elaborate on her findings. “What we found was that children until about grade six were writing more words, writing faster and expressing more ideas if they could use handwriting — printing or cursive — than if they used the keyboard.”

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But here's the thing: The majority of the proven benefits of writing by hand are just that: benefits of writing by hand, not necessarily cursive writing in particular. So those who are on the fence about whether learning cursive is any more valuable than simply learning to write and write well — well, they have every right to be on that fence.

Even Ginzberg admits that cursive itself is a less-than-thrilling practice. “The old class activity called ‘penmanship’ that schools had when I was a kid was not fun,” he recalls. “The challenge of gamification and making education fun is the key to keeping the next generation intrigued and involved.”

Luckily, there’s probably an app for that.