Since Harvey Weinstein was accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct in October 2017 and activist Tarana Burke's #MeToo movement became a viral hashtag, survivors have come forward and named abusers from all over Hollywood. On May 24, CNN published a report detailing claims from at least 16 people — eight victims and eight witnesses — accusing Morgan Freeman of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment on film sets and at public promotion events over the course of his 50-year career.

More: #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke on What's Next for the Movement

During their monthslong investigation, several women told CNN that Freeman touched them inappropriately or made comments about their bodies or clothes. The behavior wasn't limited to cast or crew on his films; at least three entertainment reporters, including CNN reporter Chloe Melas, who coauthored the article, said Freeman made inappropriate comments toward them.

In Melas' case, she said she interviewed Freeman at a press junket for his film Going in Style in 2017. She was six months pregnant at the time, and Freeman allegedly shook her hand without letting go, looked her up and down, and said, "I wish I was there." She said he also said, "You are ripe." Cameras caught at least one of Freeman's comments, but not all of them. When Human Resources at CNN reached out to HR at Warner Bros. studios, who produced and distributed the film, they said that the claims could not be corroborated. Melas and her supervisor ultimately agreed that she would not be covering the film.

The report also details damning stories from a woman who worked as a senior member of the production staff for Freeman's 2012 film Now You See Me. She told CNN that Freeman sexually harassed her and other women on set on numerous occasions. "He did comment on our bodies..." she said. "We knew that if he was coming by ... not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms, meaning not wearing clothes that [were] fitted," she said.

Allegedly, all of this behavior occurred in mostly public settings, meaning there were witnesses to the behavior. But just one source in the article — a production assistant who worked on Going in Style in 2015 — said that someone told Freeman to stop his behavior. She said that one day on set, Freeman "kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear." He wasn't successful, though he tried multiple times as she kept moving away from him. She said that eventually, "Alan [Arkin] made a comment telling him to stop. Morgan got freaked out and didn't know what to say."

Let's repeat: Only one claimant out of 16 total is quoted as saying that someone stepped in to defend them. Freeman's alleged behavior is absolutely horrifying, but what's equally horrifying is how often we allow this kind of behavior to happen without saying anything in the moment.

This isn't even the first time Freeman has been in the news for inappropriate comments, as noted in the CNN piece. He was criticized for making sexist comments about his production partner, Lori McCreary, in 2016, which he defended on Today. Be honest: Are you really that surprised?

More: What Happens Now That Bill Cosby Was Convicted on All 3 Counts?

After CNN released its report, The Hollywood Reporter reached out to Freeman's representative for comment. They replied with this statement from Freeman: "Anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone feel uneasy. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent."

Frankly, after all the men who've been named in the last seven months, none of them shock us anymore. That's incredibly distressing, but there's also power in the fact that people are coming forward, naming their harassers and demanding consequences. We applaud these women for stepping up, and we respect those who aren't in a position to do so or don't feel safe speaking out.

Those makeover scenes and etiquette lessons in The Princess Diaries always seemed kind of fun, but the reality of learning how to behave like royalty is infinitely more complex. Meghan Markle, newly the Duchess of Sussex after her marriage to Prince Harry on Saturday, is learning that now. The Daily Mail reported that Queen Elizabeth II has committed Markle to six months of duchess lessons.

More: Meghan Markle's Official Royal Bio Mentions Periods — Here's Why That's Huge

The queen has reportedly selected her assistant private secretary, an Australian royal named Samantha Cohen whose nickname is "Samantha the Panther," to give the lessons. According to The Daily Mail, Cohen got the nickname in the '00s for her "no-nonsense approach." She has 17 years of experience advising the queen, so she's an ideal choice to give Markle the lay of the land, so to speak, when it comes to behaving like royalty.

But it's not just Markle who will have Cohen as a coach. The outlet reports that Cohen is moving from Buckingham Palace to Kensington Palace to guide both Markle and Prince Harry through their first year of marriage.

A source told The Daily Mail, "It will be six months of listening. [Markle] is seeking out advice from a range of people. She is going to proceed with humility. It is not going to be quiet, though. It is going to be a very busy office. She has worked every day of her life. She is used to a demanding schedule."

Markle probably won't have to worry about that. Being a royal comes with a long to-do list. For the rest of 2018, Markle will meet with charities and other good causes through a national tour. She will also go on her honeymoon with new husband, Prince Harry, and the couple will visit Markle's father at his home in Mexico, where he's recovering from open-heart surgery.

Markle's father, Thomas Markle, was originally supposed to walk her down the aisle at the royal wedding last weekend. After a paparazzi scandal and urgent health problems, however, he was unable to make the wedding. The visit will be Prince Harry's first time meeting his wife's father. Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight that he "feels it's very important that he gets to meet Thomas." She added, "Of course, Meghan — who's been really concerned about her father's health — is keen to go see him as soon as possible."

More: You Have to See the Official Royal Wedding Photos Kensington Palace Just Released

Markle has reportedly already started training for her duties under Cohen's tutelage. The Daily Mail reports that Cohen played a key role in preparing Markle for her appearance at the Buckingham Palace Garden Party on Tuesday. The celebration for Prince Charles' 70th birthday marked Markle's first appearance as Her Royal Highness and the first post-wedding appearance for the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

It's the era of reboots and revivals, from Will & Grace to Charmed. One huge proponent of this era of TV is talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who couldn't help asking former Parks and Recreation stars and current Making It cohosts Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman about rebooting their well-loved comedy series when they appeared on her show on May 24.

More: Our Favorite Female Bosses on TV

After DeGeneres showed the audience shirtless photos of Offerman, as is traditional for first-time guests of the show, she asked the actors about how they met. Poehler said she met Offerman in the early '90s "at a house party in Chicago. I was doing improv at the time and Nick was in experimental theater... and he was really scary looking, because you can look quite scary, even though you have the heart of an angel," she said, turning toward Offerman.

The conversation turned to Parks and Recreation, which aired on NBC from 2009 to 2015. According to Entertainment Weekly, the cast has kept in touch since the series wrapped, and it's really clear how much they all love each other. DeGeneres mentioned Offerman's wife, comedian Megan Mullally, who this year reprised her role as Karen on the Will & Grace reboot, and asked about the possibility of a return to Pawnee.

Offerman quipped, "We just had a fitting earlier. We said that if Beyoncé would play the mayor, we'll bring the show back. This is Beyoncé Knowles, the singer, the entertainer." He also said that Poehler is the boss, and Poehler is all for it.

"I'll speak for everybody and say we would all do it. I think we'd all do it someday, it'd be amazing," Poehler said.

More: There Was a Sentimental Parks & Rec Reunion During the March for Our Lives

Parks and Recreation had seven seasons, and the last one took place after a three-year jump into the future. We saw the characters' futures totally spelled out, including marriages, new jobs and families, and 13 episodes didn't feel like enough. A revival would certainly do well, especially in the current TV climate... and it looks like the cast (or at least Poehler and Offerman) are all for it. Will it ever happen? We hope so!

By Chanel Dubofsky

It's official: Suri Cruise is one of Hollywood's best dressed, and she's only 12.

The tiny fashionista attended a gala hosted by the American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on Monday wearing a Dolce & Gabbana gown that many of us can only dream of affording. According to InStyle, the pale blue long-sleeve number, which featured oversize pink roses and a dainty bow around the neckline, cost a cool $1,195.

More: Katie Holmes Envies Other Moms on Social Media, Is All of Us

Yes, Holmes paid the equivalent of six KitchenAid stand mixers for a dress her kid is going to wear maybe... twice (?) and then outgrow. If my mother had allowed me to spend that kind of money when I was 12, I would have blown it all on Nirvana CDs and pizza. Maybe I would have purchased one or seven pairs of black Converse, IDK. It's a good thing I did not grow up in the public eye.

But Suri wasn't the only one making a fashion statement at the event. Holmes, too, wore a designer dress — by Zac Posen, no less — in a similar blue to Suri's. Despite the hefty price tags and my jealousy, the coordinated getups were a sweet mother-daughter moment Holmes is likely to look back on when her daughter enters her teen years, aka this very summer. (I know. I can't believe that either.)

More: Katie Holmes Chills With Beyoncé & Makes the Whole World Jealous

Holmes has made some sacrifices over the past couple of years so she can have more moments like this one. Once a TV darling, she told Town & Country magazine that she's gone more behind-the-scenes to clear up extra time to spend with Suri. "The thing about directing is I can say I have this window and that's when we're getting it done," she said. "My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now. It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood."

Stable, innocent and far more stylish than most. Suri Cruise is one lucky tween.

Children love Memorial Day weekend for its barbecues, lawn activities and beach trips, but it might be time to teach your kids that the occasion is more than just a three-day weekend of family fun. Memorial Day can seem like all fun and games (who doesn't love a day off school and work?), but it's actually the most solemn holiday on the U.S. calendar: For over 150 years, Memorial Day has been dedicated to paying respect to all the men and women who died during their service to the U.S. military.

Memorial Day actually began as Decoration Day back in 1868, when the graves of Civil War soldiers were decorated with flags and flowers. It was renamed Memorial Day in 1967, and in 1968, the last Monday in May was officially declared a U.S. holiday, turning the day into a celebratory three-day weekend before summer begins.

More: Read This Before You Thank a Veteran for Their Service on Memorial Day

If you have a friend or relative who died during military service, that's the perfect place to start teaching your kids what Memorial Day weekend is really about. Put the barbecue on hold, visit their grave, and talk about their place in the family, where they fought and how they died. If you don't have a deceased friend or relative who was in the military, you can still help decorate the graves of soldiers at your local cemetery with flags and wreaths.

Most U.S. cities host commemorative exhibitions, events and concerts at museums and concert venues. Why not check your local listings for details and try to slot a couple of special events into your weekend?

If you fancy taking your Memorial Day tribute on the road (or in the air), consider some of these famous memorial destination spots:

• Pearl Harbor, the World War II naval base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii
• Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the scene of the Civil War's bloodiest battle
• National World War II Museum in New Orleans, which tells the story of the American experience in "the war that changed the world"
• The Liberty Bell, a famous symbol of American independence in Independence National Historical Park in Pennsylvania
• National Mall in Washington, D.C., home to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Constitution Gardens and the U.S. Capitol Building
• Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, which served as a Union Army burial site during the Civil War

If your town doesn't host a Memorial Day parade, you won't have to travel far to find one that does. And sure, on the surface, it's about costumes, music and fun, but by explaining to your kids what the parade represents, you can combine activity with appreciation.

More: Kids Will Love Making These Patriotic Crafts for Your Memorial Day Barbecue

But a meaningful Memorial Day doesn't have to involve battling the crowds. You can engage your kids at home with fun activities and use this opportunity to chat about Memorial Day and what it stands for. Make ice pop flags or decorate a cake in red, white and blue (strawberries, whipped cream and blueberries if you don't want to go too frosting-happy).

Many families find it difficult to associate Memorial Day with fun activities. They may have relatives marching in parades who could soon be deployed in war zones in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan or other dangerous places that don’t often make the headlines, like Niger and Somalia.

Plus, President Trump recently approved a $700 billion defense budget for 2019 — what his administration has called the largest military budget in U.S. history. Whether you agree with that decision or not, you can use the current political climate as a jumping-off point for conversation and debate with your kids if you think they're mature enough.

More: Hate Today's Politics? How to Teach Kids About Tolerance

But remember: Memorial Day isn't about what's going on right now or what might happen in the future. It's about the 1.1 million American men and women who have been killed in all U.S. wars. However you spend the holiday (and there's nothing wrong with enjoying three days to relax at home with your family, because those moments are precious), take some time to think about those who sacrificed their lives.

Wendell Holland's victory will go down in history. For the first time ever, Survivor: Ghost Island's winner had to be decided in a tie-breaking vote at the final Tribal Council after the jury evenly split their ballots between Wendell and Domenick Abbate. We caught up with Wendell on the Survivor finale red carpet to find out what was going through his mind during that tie and so much more.

SheKnows: Congratulations on winning the game! What are you going to do with the $1 million?

Wendell Holland: I'm gonna pay off my law school loans with the money. That will be the whole million [laughs.] Then I will have to win another million bucks. It's a heavy check. This is amazing. I'm going to hold on to this envelope for a long time, but the check is something I'll make sure to deposit soon [laughs.]

SK: Did you know going into the finale that you were going to win?

WH: Yes. We [Laurel Johnson] established such a great bond, and I really felt like she voted for me. I felt for the last 10 months that I was gonna win tonight. But you don't know until you see it written down. In a season of twists and turns, you have to ultimately wait until you hear Jeff read that final vote. It felt great to hear him read it.

More: Fans start petition to get Michael Yerger on Survivor again

SK: Jeff Probst predicted you were going to win the whole game before it even started. Did he ever express that confidence to you directly?

WH: He didn't tell me that. What he did say was that he fought for me to get on the show, which is surprising to me because I've been fighting to get on the show. I walked in during pre-game and I sat down to just chat with him and a few other producers. He was like, "I fought for you to get here. There were some people who didn't want you, and I fought for you." Probst fought for me and I was gonna fight to stay on this thing. I didn't know that I was his pick. I get home, and I started reading about it that I was his pick. A lot of America felt that I was gonna win. I'm thinking that I had just won and I had to hold the secret for all these months. It was surreal to be his pick. It was difficult at first to hold that secret. I had to wait for my season and watch Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers first. I was able just to keep quiet and be a fan of the show.

SK: What was going through your mind during the tie vote?

WH: Everyone casts their votes, and I was thinking, "Thank God. This season is over. I can just go eat whatever I want at Ponderosa." Jeff comes back out, and he says, "I'll read the votes." Even then, I thought he was joking. I was like, maybe he jokes with every season. Then he starts reading the votes. It was a tie. A few seasons ago, they let us know what the tie-breaking rule would be. The third person left at the final three has to cast the tie-breaking vote. I knew Laurel was gonna vote for me, and so did Dom. I was happy and burying my face a little bit, kind of smiling and smirking. Dom's face was drooping a little bit like he was thinking, "I can't believe it's a tie. I thought I had it in the bag." I think Dom told me he thought he was gonna win eight to two or something like that. I think a few of the jurors changed their votes in final Tribal. I had to really swing for the fences, and rely on my social game. It really paid off.

More: How Survivor inspired Kellyn Bechtold to fight cyberbullying

SK: You were very superstitious in the fire-making challenge that you had to stick with the purple workstation. Did you truly believe in the Survivor curses?

WH: Yeah, I believed it. I was on Naviti until I was on Yanua. Naviti, the purple tribe, was beating the crap out of the orange tribe. We were just killing them. Call it superstition or whatever. I would love to sit at the purple table for this one last opportunity at beating the orange. It seemed like it paid off.

SK: Were you superstitious in other elements of the game?

WH: I wasn't really superstitious. The purple team just had to beat the orange team a lot. That whole Malolo thing, I didn't want any parts of it ever, even when they divided our teams. I didn't want anything to do with anything orange out there.

SK: It seemed as if you and Domenick were inseparable out there. Why were you so connected with Domenick?

WH: Dom and myself were two of the older guys on our tribe. We were in casting together months prior, and we exchanged a few looks back then. You can't talk to anyone, and he just seemed like a Northeast kinda guy. He's a New Yorker. I'm a Philly boy. We're close. On the island, we just started feeling each other. There were a lot of young guys out there, we're both the old guys so let's work together. He's a tremendous player, and I think I'm a pretty good player, too. These two strong players can come together, and we can try to make something good out here. Something good came of it.

SK: Since the edit always leaves so much out of the show, what else do you want people to know?

WH: In the edit, they don't show a lot. I was very close with Kellyn and Bradley to start. Those were the people in original Naviti I wanted to go to the end of the game with. I found myself after the first swap getting close with Dom. I knew I wouldn't work with him because I was going far with Kellyn and Bradley. After the first swap, it was me, Dom, Morgan, Noble and Angela. Me, Dom and Morgan got very close then. The four Malolos that came over blindsided Morgan. That was a bonding moment for me and Dom. We both got slapped in the face. We both realized it was game on. That kind of turned both of our games up a lot. That was the turning point. I got lucky because it could've been me. It could've been Dom that went home, but it was Morgan, unfortunately. She was another person that could get far in this game. At that point, we got very close and it was game on.

More: This is the Survivor secret Bradley Kleihege doesn't want you to know

Do you think Wendell is the right winner for this season? Join the conversation by leaving a comment in the section below.

The last time Will Smith produced a full-length record, it was 2005, and the world looked very, very different. In the 13 years since, he's focused mostly on his acting career and his family — which means occasionally dealing with rumors that he and his wife of 20 years, Jada Pinkett Smith, are divorcing. On May 23, Smith shared a video on YouTube that served two purposes: putting those rumors to rest and announcing new music.

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

In the video, Smith says, "When I was at my peak, I was doing a television show, a movie, and an album every year. So it was like churning out that kind of creativity. What happens is, you get to a point where you get empty, so I'm excited. I'm reenergized, and I'm creating wildly like I used to."

The video also features a brief clip of a song called "To the Clique," wherein Smith raps about his personal life. He refers to his marriage as "20 years of swagger" and tells critics to "stop the divorce rumors and mind your damn business." He also drops references to his long, illustrious career ("Everybody wanna do Will Smith numbers / I don't know if your life got that many summers") and calls his family — Pinkett Smith, their kids Willow and Jayden and Smith's son Trey from his previous marriage — "the real-life Incredibles."

Like all celebrity couples, especially ones who last longer than a few years, Smith and Pinkett Smith have faced divorce rumors multiple times. Typically, they don't address them, which makes this song an interesting choice. In 2015, when several outlets ran with an unconfirmed story claiming they were headed to divorce court, Smith wrote on Facebook, "Under normal circumstances, I don't usually respond to foolishness (Because it's contagious), But, so many people have extended me their ‘deepest condolences’ that I figured — ‘What the hell… I can be foolish, too!’ So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over & over-again-ness… Jada and I are… NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Around the same time, Pinkett Smith told American Airlines' in-flight magazine, "Every year there’s a new one. And I’m like, ‘Here we go. Get ready. Are ya holdin’ on tight?'"

With this new song, Smith gets a little more explicit in not only addressing the silliness of these rumors, but reiterating how devoted he is to his family. Willow made headlines recently after she sat down with her mother and grandmother on Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk talking about her armpit hair and relaying a conversation wherein her father said he's glad she's not "curvy" because he wants people to look at her mind before they look at her body.

More: 9 Times Will Smith Was the Most '90s Ever

Perhaps Smith is trying to prove that he's still got it, even after 13 years, or perhaps he's just trying to get back in everyone's good graces after that comment? The content of his new song is far racier than anything he produced in his heyday... but of course, it's just a teaser.

They didn't win Survivor: Ghost Island, but they're very happy Wendell Holland did. SheKnows talked with the five other top finalists on the finale red carpet about their thoughts on Wendell taking the $1 million prize. We also found out if they all truly believed in the curses and superstitions behind this season's haunted theme. Plus, we squeaked in a few extra questions about the game with each of them, too. Enjoy!

Domenick Abbate (runner-up)

His thoughts on losing to Wendell after the historic tie-breaking vote:

You can't ask for a better guy to win. He's such a giving person outside of this game. He has a furniture business. He and his crew are constantly going out and doing work for the homeless. He's got the greatest heart you've ever seen. He's funny. He's hysterical. He's one of my best friends, and I couldn't be happier for him.

On how he thought the votes were actually going to play out:

I thought I would win six-four or seven-three. I knew I didn't have it locked going in, but I did know that I was really good at articulating a point. Wendell in past Tribal Councils, even though his vibe was chill and everyone loves him, he would struggle trying to get a sentence out at times. Maybe he was just playing me the whole time. He really brought a good game to final Tribal. He was able to speak very well. I thought going in that even the few people I may not have, I thought I can tell a better story than him. If I want to prove to them why I'm better at this game than him, it's my job to do so. I felt really confident in my ability to do so. I said, "I can articulate a story or a point better than he can, and that's where I'm gonna win this game."

On if he was seriously planning on sacrificing his Immunity to face off against Wendell in a fire-making challenge:

I was very serious. The problem is that we had never witnessed the final four fire-making challenge. We heard that we had to do it. We knew that Season 35 did, but we never witnessed it and never knew the repercussions of it. Ultimately I didn't want to do it. I said maybe Laurel can beat him, maybe Angela can beat him. But when I saw how discouraged they were about going up against him, I said no one can do this job but me. Am I here to play this game and as hard as I said I was gonna play? Or am I gonna back off and use my ability to speak at final Tribal to see if I can or can't win this thing. I ended up taking the safe route, and that's the regret that I have to this day. I should've really just hit the gas at that point.

On if he believes in the Survivor curses:

Sure, I believe in the curse. Don't we all believe in the curse? If you think about it, I chose the Cagayan urn and that's when Woo decided he wanted to go up against his fiercest competition. Technically that's what I did. I got the Cagayan urn, and I went up against the toughest competition in the game. I took the honorable route. It's what I wanted to do. It's the way it fell into place. I guess I never reversed that curse, so it's gotta be real, right?

Behind-the-scenes moment we didn't get to see:

We had a lot of fun. There was one moment that was really fun. In the slingshot Reward challenge where Wendell won the tacos, we all went back to camp bummed we didn't win. We still had three-quarters of a bottle of rum from the merge feast. I said, "Kellyn, let's make the best out of this day. We all went out and got a pot full of crab. We were cooking crab, drinking the rum getting drunk and having a great time. I remember this really great moment where we were swinging the bottle. As I was putting the bottle down, one of the crabs were running out of the pot. I was like, "Kellyn, your dinner is getting away from you." We just laughed on the floor. We had these really fun, genuine moments. How do you not put that in? That's the good stuff, but there's a story that they need to keep to. It is what it is.

How he got on the show:

I applied a few times. The first two times I did apply, I was kind of treating my application like a job interview. This last one was really good because I was stuck in traffic. In my truck, I have an iPad mount. I just finished watching a finale, and Jeff said, "If you think you have what it takes, send us a three-minute video." So I was sitting in traffic aggravated, and I hit record on my iPad. I just started saying, "This fucking Long Island expressway is driving me crazy." I just was the real me with my frustration and my anger of being in traffic. That's what did it. I had to do another video after that, something more elaborate. But that's the one that got me the phone call.

More:  How Survivor inspired Kellyn Bechtold to fight cyberbullying

Laurel Johnson (third place)

On why she voted for Wendell to win the game:

Those two guys both made a great game deserving of winning. They were my two closest allies in the game. I saw how hard they both worked. They both deserved it. I gave Wendell the edge for his social game. I think Dom burned a lot of people on his way out, and didn't manage the relationships in the way that Wendell did. Wendell was like a brother to me. It was kind of a toss up between the two of them.

On how it felt being forced to break the game-ending tie vote:

It was an emotional roller coaster. Going into final Tribal thinking I have a shot at winning the title of Survivor out here, and realizing things weren't quite going my way. Finding out that I lost was crushing. Then to have to cast the vote to break the tie was awful. It wasn't a moment I was expecting, and it wasn't a vote I really wanted to make. These guys played a great game. I would've been happy for either of them, but I hated that I had to be the one to take it away from Dom. He also deserved it.

On why she believed she had a chance to win going into the final Tribal Council:

I was a bit disappointed in the portrayal. I thought I had a better shot than what came across. I thought I would've had Donathan and Angela's vote, which I didn't. I thought I would've had a few more Malolo votes. I don't think it came across the way these guys burned some people on their way out the door. The fact they had really pissed off a lot of the jury who wouldn't be thrilled to vote for them. I knew they played a louder, flashier game. I knew I might be in trouble there if the jury was seeking the big moves. It turns out that's what they were seeking. I thought I would do better than I did, but I knew it was gonna be tough.

On people who accuse her of riding coattails to the end of the game:

I was frustrated by that. I think you saw I was the one that was deciding the votes in all those moves. I could've easily swayed the game in the other direction, but then I'd just hand it to people who are going to turn around and stab me in the back. That vote that was Chelsea and Kellyn, they wanted me to flip with them. Kellyn had just burned me the vote before by throwing two votes my way after spending the entire day telling me she was with me. I thought I would have time to get them later, but I ran out of time to get them. I hate the perception that people think I was riding coattails because those guys wouldn't have been there without me.

If she believes in the Survivor curses:

Angela Perkins (fourth place)

On why Wendell was the right person to win:

I think he had control of the game and did a lot behind the scenes. You didn't see him really building relationships, but he did. He made really intimate connections. There's nothing that Domenick did wrong, Wendell just played a better game.

On if she believes in the Survivor curses:

How she got on the show:

I applied, but my process was a little bit different than anyone else's. I had just recently retired from the military, and my kids were getting ready to go away to school. It was like a three-year process. I had a huge turn of life events and it just worked out. I had a few of the producers that believed in me. I had applied.

Why she thinks everybody kept her in the dark when it came to making decisions on who to vote out:

I play the game with loyalty. The majority of the cast was worried if I knew any of the information and somebody else would ask me about it — especially the person we were plotting against — I would tell the truth. They thought I was a liability because I was so loyal. Trust and honesty was a huge value or me out there.

Donathan Hurley (fifth place)

On why Wendell deserved to win the game:

He showed qualities I wanted to show out there. It all ain't about Idols. Wendell really played a very strong social game. He helped a lot with the shelter, and he was just someone that played the game that I want to play. I always wanted to be second in command, and I couldn't because I ended up alone at some point. I always wanted to be the glue. He reversed the curse. Winners like him now can win. These guys both played wonderful games. It was just about what kind of game emulated what kind of winner I wanted to see for this season.

His thoughts on that shocking tie-breaking final vote:

The superfan in me comes out. I was like, "Are they going to announce the winner now like they did in Borneo?" Then I realized it was a tie. I was like, "Oh my God, this is Survivor history." I was absolutely shocked. I could not believe it happened. I think it was neat that you had two big players, and it came to that. It was insane.

On overcoming his early challenge struggle to dive deep in the water:

I love that moment. I will never back down from that moment. I know a lot of people had a problem with it, but that was me out there. That was something I had to overcome personally. I was a smoker for 10 years before this. I quit three months before the show, so I wasn't in the best physical shape. I was told to get to the dock and stay there, but I looked back and James was like dying. I had to do something. I took in so much water and I couldn't catch my breath. That's the story. I had just had to take a minute to collect my breath because I'm a great swimmer. If I ever get to go back I will be in more physical shape and not have to have people debate about if I was good or not. I quit smoking for sure last February. I quit the day before I went to finals in casting. That whole week had me tore up, but after that I was smoke free.

Behind-the-scenes intel:

Chelsea was a big player out there. She deserves a lot more than what was shown. We had this big threat in Wendell, but we also had a huge threat in Chelsea. She was a player out there, and I wish more people got to see that.

On getting a $10,000 gift from Sia:

I met her right after I walked off the stage, but I was a crying mess. She was probably like, "Oh, this poor child" [laughs.] She was amazing. She consoled me, and after I was finished I told her I was a huge fan of her music. She was like, "I love you on Survivor." It was an exchange that I'll never forget. It's crazy. I'm gonna try to help mom and grandma out with that money. This is what it's for. It's for them. They're going to be well taken care of after this.

More:  Chelsea Townsend finally gets to tell her Survivor story

Sebastian Noel (sixth place)

His thoughts on Wendell winning the game:

Wendell deserved it. He played his heart out. He won everyone's heart from start to finish. He's he nicest person you'll ever meet. He built all of our shelters. He was actually a pretty decent spear fisherman, and he was my best friend out there besides Jenna and Chris. We bonded. If he was in the final three and I wasn't, he was getting my vote no doubt. Every morning him and I would take a bath and walk the beaches with these beautiful pieces of coral. We bonded so well out there. It was incredible.

On experiencing the history-making tie vote:

It was incredible just to watch that go down for the first time in Survivor history. As a fan, it was cool to watch, too. Before the final Tribal I tried to figure out how the votes were gonna go for the jury. I asked around on who everybody was voting for. It kind of looked like it was gonna be a tie, and then it ended up being one. It pretty much shocked everyone. I thought he was going to read the winner right there.

On how he started dating Jenna, another contestant from this season:

Pretty cool story. It started on the flight out there. We're not supposed to talk to anyone. This beautiful lady sat down next to me in a two-seater in the back of the plane. We talked the whole way, and we hit it off from the start. It carried on through the game. We snuggled every night. She kept me warm, and she was my best friend out there. We didn't want to show it because every time a relationship pops up on Survivor, they end up going home the next couple of days as a power couple. We didn't want to do that, but as soon as we got back to Ponderosa, we've been dating ever since. She took a trip down to Florida about a week after the show, and we knew we were destined to be together. She's hopefully a keeper for the rest of my life. She wanted me to announce my love for her in the finale, but I didn't get to say anything. I wanted Jeff to say something about it.

How he got on the show:

I did an open casting call. I tried out once. Brendan, from our season, tried out for 16 years. I went to it once. I always wanted to be on the show. I thought the open call was my call. It turned out to be amazing. Look where I'm standing right now. I'm on the red carpet at CBS.

Do you think the jury made the right choice in picking Wendell as the winner? Join the conversation in the comments section below.

Babies > roses, especially when they're this cute, right?

Ali Fedotowsky, who starred in the sixth season of The Bachelorette, has given birth to her second child, a boy, with her husband, Kevin Manno. The couple broke the exciting news on Instagram on Thursday.

"Our sweet boy has arrived! Born 5/24, 12:57am at 21.5 inches and weighing 8lbs 11oz.," she captioned a sweet black-and-white photo of the Mannos snuggling their new bundle of joy. "We are so grateful and bursting with love!"

In another photo, Manno gushed over his wife's strength, calling her "the strongest person I know." Awww.

More: Ali Fedotwosky Flaunts Amazing Pregnancy Body in Bikini

Fedotowsky looks amazingly calm and rested in each pic considering she was in labor for over 17 hours. In a series of Instagram Stories, she and Manno documented the waiting process. One video shows her looking incredibly uncomfortable yet somehow very well put together in a hospital bed as her husband talked into the camera: "Update: No baby yet. We've been here 17 hours, in this bed for 17 hours, getting frustrated but hanging in there. [She's] still laboring; it could take a while longer." I hope they save this video and show it to him whenever he acts out.

The little boy is the couple's second child; their first, Molly Sullivan, will celebrate her second birthday in July. Though the new parents have yet to release their son's name, we have no doubt it will be adorable and meaningful, just like their daughter's. She's named after both her maternal and paternal great-grandmothers, Molly Fedotowsky and Eva Sullivan.

More: Bachelorette Star Ali Fedotowsky's Baby Name Honors Two Special Ladies

Days ago, Fedotwosky wrote a sweet blog post honoring her first child and outlining her hopes for her family's future.

"As your brother comes into this world, I want you to know how much we've treasured this time with you as our only baby. But we truly believe that your world is about to get so much sweeter with the addition of your brother," she wrote. "You have so much love to give and we know you will be the best person in his life. He is one lucky little boy to have a big sister like you to look up to. Always look out for each other."

Excuse me. I've got something in my eye.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have moved on with their lives in many ways since Jolie filed for divorce two years ago, but there's just one thing that is still keeping them deep in the divorce proceedings: the custody agreement for their children.

More: Angelina Jolie Is Reportedly Dating Again, but Doing It Differently This Time

According to E! News, who wrote up two reports on Thursday regarding the issues still brewing between the separated actors over their unsolved custody issues, Pitt and Jolie are still going back and forth about where their children should be based. Right now, that issue over their home base revolves around Jolie's desire to have her children accompany her to London while she films Maleficent 2 and Pitt strongly feels like their children should be in Los Angeles, with him as he works on a new movie.

As one source told E!, "The latest issue is that Angelina wants to film in Europe for months and take all six kids with her for the duration of the shoot. Brad is opposed to that and is blocking it from happening. Brad will be filming in L.A. for the summer and wants to see the kids on his regular custody schedule."

This disagreement over where their six children should live feels like a solvable problem, considering that both Pitt and Jolie have the means to shuttle their children between London and Los Angeles as needed. However, this source claims that both actors may prefer just being annoyed at one over this rather than working it out logically.

"[Brad's] not OK with his kids being away for months. He feels that Los Angeles is their home base and this is where it is best for them to be," the source claimed, while also noting that Jolie is "furious" about this disagreement. Yikes, guys, can we take a step back and breathe? Surely there's an easy solution to this problem.

More: What We Know About Brad Pitt's New Friend & Total Catch Neri Oxman

Jolie and Pitt have been working with a temporary custody agreement since December 2016, where Jolie has had the children for most of the time and then they've had visits with Pitt. This agreement has allowed Jolie to bring her brood with her to various international speaking engagements and events, which might be one of the reasons she's fighting for them to come to London — she's spent a great deal of time with them in this new agreement.

Neither Pitt nor Jolie have released statements about this ongoing issue at this time. But folks, this feels like a problem that two grown adults can fix, so why not give it the old college try and work it out already?

Stretch marks are a natural part of life… or are they? It seems we’re never done debating whether they can be avoided, treated or gotten rid of altogether. And although it seems women as a whole are becoming more accepting of them and other parts of our natural appearance — like body hair — stretch marks are definitely still a sore spot for some. Even I’ll admit that it took me a long time to embrace those squiggly lines across my chest and thighs instead of trying every “miracle” product to get rid of them.

Now, while we agree that what a woman does with her body is definitely her choice, it’s high time we got to the bottom of what is and isn’t in our control. Ahead, two doctors — Dr. Harold Lancer and Dr. Howard Sobel — debunk the biggest myths about stretch marks, from treatments to prevention (if that exists), and explain how they actually form.

More: The Connection Between Skin Care & Gut Health

Partially true: Stretch marks are a natural part of body development

According to Lancer, this is true in some cases. Sometimes, it has to do with a rapid shift in weight, and other times, it can depend on your gene pool, puberty or hormone (such as estrogen) production. In laypeople’s terms, women can't necessarily control whether they have them or not.

“Stretch marks may occur after puberty, although there are also familial traits, ancestry or hormonal traits (estrogen) to consider too. But there’s usually a body mass shifting with either weight gain or weight loss or fluid retention that causes a stretching component to the skin,” he says. This includes pregnancy too.

Sobel agrees, saying, “Stretching of the skin is the most common cause, but stretch marks can be caused by hormonal changes, medications and stress that weakens the elastic fibers in the skin.”

False: Stretch marks occur only in women

This is complete fiction, but Lancer notes they’re usually much less common in men (maybe about 1 percent of cases). When men do develop stretch marks, it usually has to do with medical therapies or weight and body mass shifting.

True: Stretch marks change color

There may be truth to this. Most stretch marks start ruby-red or violet and eventually lighten to pink or pale pink. Ultimately, color fluctuation will depend on the person’s ancestry and ethnicity. And none of these colors indicate a problem, as stretch marks aren’t a threat in any way to your health.

More: 17 Ways to Cool Off Your Skin This Summer

False: You can make stretch marks disappear with products

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in general, topical treatments alone aren’t going to prevent or resolve stretch marks. However, there are some things you can do to at least minimize their appearance if that’s what you want. First, hydration makes a huge difference.

“Keeping the skin moisturized does help increase the skin’s elasticity and treat symptoms of existing stretch marks including itching and irritation,” says Sobel. He highly recommends a daily moisturizer like DDF Moisturizing Dew, but remember this will only lighten the marks, not cure them.

And according to Lancer, you can also use retinoids to fade their color a bit. “There are really high-potency over-the-counter retinols, but you have to be careful in using them, so it should be under the supervision of a board-certified dermatologist,” he says.

Ultimately, if you are serious about eliminating your stretch marks, the best thing you can do is consult a board-certified dermatologist for cost-effective, more therapeutic treatments.

“At the [Lancer] practice, there’s a complete history taken to make sure there isn’t some internal physiological flaw, like adrenal gland function disorder or ovarian dysfunction,” says Lancer. “If necessary, maybe some physical lab studies are conducted, just to fully ensure there isn’t some outstanding medical disorder. Then, topical retinoid therapy for two to four weeks before engaging in any procedural therapy.”

More: 5 Products That Actually Help Prevent Stretch Marks

False: Tanning can cover up stretch marks

Tanning actually makes stretch marks look more prominent. If this is hard to understand, Lancer suggests thinking of them as scars.

“Scars don’t have functional melanocytes to the same extent as non-scarred skin. Stretch mark-damaged skin has an unreliable skin-repair mechanism, so chances are they will not tan to the same color as the rest of the skin, so it’s not a good idea.”

False: Diet has no effect on stretch marks

We know it seems like a “stretch,” but according to Lancer, “If you have a highly inflammatory diet, then your metabolism is going to lead toward being overweight. Chances are it’s going to increase the propensity for a hidden trait for making stretch marks more visible.”

Sobel agrees, adding that “along with daily moisturizer, it’s important to drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated. Vitamins A, C and E also help keep your skin healthy as well as repair damaged skin and can be found in foods such as avocados, berries, carrots, oranges, nuts and bell peppers.”

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Maybe some of us are like those models in the tampon ads — romping through the park, taking charge in the boardroom or laughing over a salad (as one does) — completely unbothered by period pain or the agonies of the PMS that comes before it. The rest of us, however, meet our monthly cycle with an ugly array of cramps, sore and swollen breasts and overall body achiness — and, of course, the foul mood accompanying this pain.

We know that we can make an appointment with our OB-GYN or at a local clinic and get some measure of relief in the form of hormonal birth control or pain medicines; however, some of us don't necessarily want to take the inevitable painkillers that are prescribed. There’s good news: Trained medical professionals can offer us all-natural remedies that soothe our pain.

More: How to Navigate Yoga During Your Period

Magical magnesium & other dietary strategies

Dr. Prudence Hall, a gynecological surgeon and practitioner who founded The Hall Center, tells SheKnows that menstruators who experience the most severe cramps have low levels of magnesium. She recommends that people who are prone to cramps take a nightly magnesium supplement. Magnesium helps to preserve good muscle tone (and the uterus is, essentially, one large muscle) and nerve function. We can also add magnesium to our diets by eating leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and avocados, Hall notes.

If we’re the bathing beauty types, then we can add Epsom salts to a warm bath — the heat of the bathwater will relax tense muscles, and the Epsom salts contain magnesium according to Hall. She also advocates upping our omega-3 intakes since omega-3s — whether consumed as a supplement, or in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, oysters, flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts — are powerful anti-inflammatories, which can help cramps and other menstrual-related swelling.

Adding these supplements to our diets and our daily routines can ease our period pain. But cramp relief can be fun, even exciting — Hall recommends getting amorous, with a partner or with ourselves, as an all-natural painkiller.

More: Why Periods Are an Environmental Issue & What You Can Do About It

“Although it may sound counterintuitive, having sex — and orgasms — will definitely help relieve pain due to the hormones released into the body,” she says.

She also suggests that people with period pain talk to their doctors about prescribing oxytocin — a natural hormone that has the effect of decreasing menstrual cramps and general body aches while also producing an overall feeling of well-being. What’s not to like about that?

Cannabis can help

Oxytocin isn’t the only feel-good, or at least feel less-bad, chemical we can use. Dr. Jordan Tishler, a Harvard-trained physician and cannabis therapeutics specialist who has practiced with the Veterans Administration, tells SheKnows, “Cannabis is a powerful pain reliever based on the effects of THC and other cannabinoids on both peripheral (at the uterus) and central (brain) mechanisms.”

Tishler explains that the smooth muscle found in the uterus and fallopian tubes have CB1 receptors that are triggered by THC and cause relaxation. "Similarly, THC triggers CB1 receptors in the spinal cord and thalamus that decrease pain signals,” he adds. Not only that, but according to Tishler, the anti-inflammatory properties of “other lesser known cannabinoids like CBD and THC-A" may help with the pain and bloating. And if that weren't enough, he says that THC is also helpful for the mood dysphoria (aka depression and irritability) associated with PMS.

But before we dial up that guy we knew back in college (or see if maybe those cool girls down the hall have the hook-up), we should know that, as Tishler puts it, “most recreational users use way more than is good and helpful for medical purposes… the THC does the heavy lifting.”

More: How the U.S. Differs From the Rest of the World When It Comes to Periods

He stresses that people should consult with their doctors and get a referral to a trained cannabis specialist. Though we may think of medical marijuana dispensaries as one-stop shops, Tishler counsels us that, “dispensaries are sales shops and should never be trusted to give medical advice.”

For some people, these natural treatments for period pain and PMS can be very helpful — and, even, well, fun (at least, if we’re doin’ it right). However, if we’re experiencing severe, debilitating period cramps or unmanageably heavy period flows, we should still contact a trained and trusted medical professional.

I've never been the biggest fan of any Bachelor Nation program. It feels like a mortal sin, I know, to not be into the emotional roller coaster ride delivered by The Bachelor, The Bachelorette or any of their spinoffs. I have friends who thrive on the drama, who follow contestants on social media long after a season has wrapped up, who became so invested in the world of Bachelor Nation that it gives them life. I get it; I have my own next-level obsessions.

But Season 14 of The Bachelorette — Becca Kufrin's season, which premieres on Monday — can't come soon enough, and I'm so, so excited for it. How did I get here?

More: Is Becca's Bachelorette Promo the Best Yet?

I grew up during the big boom of reality TV in the late '90s and early '00s (back when The Real World and Survivor ruled the roost), and I've come to understand the inner workings of reality TV. There's a certain level of theatricality and hollowness to these shows, regardless of what you're watching. People latch on to character archetypes, dial up their antics, needlessly pick fights or cry or do any number of other things to get some precious screen time.

The respective worlds of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are no different. Viewers might know that everything is heightened, but that's part of the fun (or so I've been told over the years). A little soapy melodrama never hurt anyone, my friends would insist. "This is good, fun TV!" folks said, earnestly defending these uber-popular dating shows.

But seeing men and women brazenly compete for the affections of one lucky single person felt too weird and too fake. Why would I invest my time in watching people get so wrapped up in those initial feelings of love that they could believe it's anything deeper than a fling? How could these shows honestly expect me to believe two people were ready to get engaged after just a few weeks? It was madness, and I wasn't into it in the slightest.

More: Becca's First Bachelorette Poster Goes Where No Bachelorette Poster Has Gone Before

Earlier this year, when I heard about what happened during the finale of Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s season of The Bachelor, it was like a switch had been flipped. I always knew the success rate for couples who came out of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette were low, so knowing that Luyendyk didn't end up with the woman he'd proposed to — Kufrin — wasn't the surprise. What did surprise me was the truly awful way in which Luyendyk chose to break their engagement.

Seated right in front of her, with cameras rolling, Luyendyk chose to tell Kufrin that he wasn't in love with her and that he wanted to really try a relationship with Lauren Burnham. And as Kufrin tried to maintain her composure (that didn't last long) and process being dumped while on TV, my heart went out to her.

I mean, how ridiculously cruel can you be? Yes, this kind of brutal moment is reality TV gold. It's a rare jewel in The Bachelor's crown and will appear on every "Greatest Moments" list from here to eternity. But to see Kufrin put through the wringer for the world to see rather than be respectfully given the time and space to process, to be turned into some zoo animal to be gawked at for our amusement — it really hurt me. And it made me pissed at Luyendyk for allowing that to happen.

More: Chris Harrison Gives a Big Tease About Becca's Bachelorette Suitors

The way Kufrin was treated at the end of that Bachelor season gave me flashbacks to all the cruel ways I'd been dumped and subsequently resolved to triumph. A life well lived in the best revenge, in my opinion, and it seems that Kufrin chose to go that way as well.

The marketing for her season of The Bachelorette has focused on Kufrin getting her happy ending on her own terms. In posters, she boldly stares into the camera, daring you to pity her. She's here to find true love, and this time, she's going to get what she wants. Even the first trailer for her season brands her "an independent woman" who is putting that awful Bachelor moment in the past as she power-walks her way to a happy ending. It's so, so badass.

So, here I am, eagerly waiting for Monday to arrive so I can tune in for my first-ever Bachelorette viewing. That feeling of solidarity and recognition of Kufrin's emotional journey over the last few months has resonated deep within me. I'm cheering for her, and yes, I want her to get everything she wants.

Providing toddlers with healthy sustenance can be quite a challenge for many parents. One day, they love something, the next day, they toss it to the dog. They want to snack all the time, but they won't sit down for a meal. They put everything their mouths… except actual food. And if you’ve got a picky little person on your hands, what on Earth do you feed them? We spoke with pro meal planner Julie Sharron (of Busy & Broke) about feeding picky toddlers — and she gave us some tried-and-true recipes to keep all your progeny fed and happy.

More: Calming Foods for Hyperactive Kids (Yes, Really)

Sharron has plenty of snacks in her arsenal; after all, she has a toddler of her own. String cheese, sugar snap peas, seaweed sheets, lentil puffs, berries (so many berries, all the berries), tangerines and peanut butter crackers are her go-to options for easy everyday snacks. But if she's having an ambitious week, she has a couple of easy and healthful go-to recipes she knows her kids love.

Veggie muffins recipe

Sharron likes this recipe because she likes knowing her toddler will eat their vegetables and get lots of iron and fiber to boot. The zucchini can be shredded on a cheese grater, but she recommends a food processor for the carrot and spinach.

Yields 18

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup honey and/or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon citrus zest (optional, but recommended)
• 2 cups (about 1 medium) finely shredded zucchini
• 1 cup (about 1 big or 2 medium) finely shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup finely shredded spinach (optional, for extra iron)
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cup blueberries (optional)
• finely chopped almonds/peanuts/walnuts for topping (optional, but adds protein)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the cups of your muffin tins lightly with cooking spray. This recipe makes 18 muffins, so you'll need 3 small (6-muffin) tins or 1 large (12-muffin) and 1 small muffin tin. Or you can work in batches. Just make sure you allow the muffin tin to cool and regrease the cups between batches.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, honey/syrup, molasses, eggs, vanilla and zest well. Mix in the shredded veggies. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, mix together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
4. Gently stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until just moistened.
5. Fold in blueberries.
6. Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full with batter. Sprinkle nuts on top if desired. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

‘Mo' pasta recipe

A recent favorite of Sharron's daughter's is something she calls fancy Hamburger Helper, but her daughter calls, "Mo' pasta!" She says you can use any kinds of spices you like (and as much or little as you like), so it's great for using up spices that are about to be past their optimum freshness date. Just make sure you stick to a theme and that the spices taste good together and with the other ingredients.

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• Oregano (to taste)
• Garlic powder (to taste) 
• Red pepper flakes (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with basil
• 2 cups minced carrots
• 2 zucchini, diced
• 1 pound (16 ounces) elbow macaroni, cooked
• Grated Parmesan (for garnish)

Directions:

1. In a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, preheat the olive oil. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 60 to 90 seconds.
2. Add the ground beef, stirring frequently and cooking until no longer pink, breaking it up if necessary as you cook.
3. Add the oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to taste. Start with just a few pinches or shakes and keep adding until you like what you taste.
4. Stir in the carrots and zucchini, turn the heat to low and cook for an hour or so until the zucchini and carrots are softened but not mushy.
5. Stir in the cooked macaroni and serve warm garnished with Parmesan.

If you’re getting frustrated with your child’s “eccentric” tastes, keep in mind: This too shall pass.

“I've known toddlers who will only eat freeze-dried peas and hummus and others who will only eat waffles and chicken nuggets,” says Sharron. “Kids are so weird. You've just got to throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks (literally, in some cases).”

That said, meal planning with a picky toddler at home can be challenging. Sharron recommends keeping what she calls “toddler tapas” (aka anything you can just toss onto their plate that you know they'll eat) on hand while planning more normal meals for the rest of the family.

“Offer them the family meal, but if they reject it, at least you'll have a backup plan without resorting to cooking an entire new meal for the toddler,” she says. “The more your kid is exposed to your food, the more likely they'll get curious enough to try. However, I know from being a working parent that sometimes you just cannot fight that fight. Lean on those snacks! I usually do a combo of veggie/protein/fruit, like a string cheese with frozen peas (weirdly, a toddler fave — try if you haven't) and berries.”

As for toddler-friendly meals, Sharron has a few great ideas. “Shoutout to Dr. Praeger's spinach tots! Those things are a lifesaver,” she says.

Other recommendations include:

• Beans and cheese with avocado (“My kid loves [it with] sour cream, aka ‘ice cream,’ and Cholula.”)
• Scrambled eggs with spinach
• Mac and cheese ("I like to add frozen riced cauliflower and frozen peas to boxed mac and cheese.")
• Veggie chili with rice (this is a simple mix-and-dump that makes so much food but is insanely cheap) 
• 3-ingredient banana pancakes ("Though I add vanilla and cinnamon since I can't leave well enough alone.")
• "Toddler pizza" (heat up a tortilla with sauce, veggies and cheese on a skillet or pan)

For parents interested in exploring the topic further, Sharron recommends reading the book First Bite by Bee Wilson. “It totally changed the way I think about food, especially about introducing new foods to my kid,” she says.

But the bottom line? Don't stress. "With toddlers, everything is a phase," Sharron explains. "There aren't really any adults that will only eat white bread with the crusts cut off and Plum Organics pouches. If your kid is happy, healthy and has a handful of healthy food that they enjoy, you're doing great. Keep cooking and trying new things yourself. At the very worst, at least you'll be eating well."

Hi! I'm Pauline and I have ADHD!

See how easy that is to say now that I've had six years to get used to the idea? That’' right, folks. I was diagnosed at 34 and realized that my brain could operate on more than one speed when I started taking medication. It. Was. Life-changing.

But if you'd asked me what I was thinking when I heard "Diagnosis: ADHD," it was a lot less "go with the flow" and a lot more total Muppet flail.

These were my reactions when I got diagnosed with ADHD.

More: 8 Text Message Convos People with ADHD Can Totally Relate To

1. "Wait — what did you just say?"

My doctor smiled at me from the other side of his desk. "You have ADHD. I recognized it almost immediately. It's not that hard for me to spot in a patient since I have the condition myself."

My mind raced through a montage of my life. I couldn't decide if I was relieved to have a diagnosis or if I was annoyed that the diagnosis meant I wasn't "just quirky."

2. "My husband is not going to believe this"

I grabbed my iPhone and texted my husband to come in from the waiting room. "You tell him when he comes in," I said to my doctor.

"He says I have ADHD," I blurted out the moment my husband walked into the office with our daughter. Behind me, the doctor chuckled. "OK," I said, turning to my husband as he sat down beside me, "I told him you wouldn't believe it."

My husband laughed. "Actually…"

3. "Let’s multitask!"

So, I was sitting there trying to listen to the biggest and most life-changing news ever, and suddenly my hands felt empty. Fidget spinners weren't sold at gas stations yet — because they weren't invented yet — so I went with option No. 2. The moment my iPhone was in my hands and my right thumb was speed texting like a pro, the world was beautiful again.

4. "Self-regulation, people!"

My husband glared at me for having the attention span of an over-caffeinated squirrel for needing my iPhone while the doctor explained my diagnosis.

"Don't worry," I said to him and my doc. "I am totally listening now."

And guess what? The doc had my back. He told us that people with ADHD focus better on one thing when their brains are doing multiple things. Doing just the one thing, like listening to a whole bunch of new information at once, could result in overstimulation. Self-regulation tools FTW! I tried not to gloat as I sat taller on my seat, no longer hiding my iPhone while the appointment continued. My husband glared at me again when I blinked prettily at him.

More: 8 Tips for Working With ADHD & Making It Through the Workday

5. "You said you cleaned!"

"Let me guess," the doctor said to my husband, "When you get home from work, you see your wife looking exhausted and proud of all she’s accomplished during the day, but the house looks like a hurricane hit it."

My husband nodded carefully. "Is this a trap?"

"No," said the doctor.

"Yes," said the wife.

6. "But I did all the things!"

"And," the doctor said to me, "when he asks why you're so tired, you get angry because you did all the laundry, put some away, vacuumed, put the dishes in the dishwasher away and filled it back up again with the dishes from dinner last night. You even squeezed in a workout, talked to your mom on the phone, caught up on family news back home and started working on a blog post after you got the frozen lasagna in the stove for dinner."

I lifted an eyebrow. "Are you stalking me?"

He laughed again. "No, I am you."

7. "Points for trying!"

"You started all of these tasks," the doc said, "But you didn't finish them. The washed clothes were put in the dryer, but you forgot to turn it on because you decide to put the clothes in the dryer away first. Halfway through, you remembered you needed to vacuum, leaving the basket on the bed and all of the dresser drawers pulled out. You finished the bedroom and were about to vacuum the hallway when your daughter said she was thirsty and needed a cup. So you emptied the dishwasher, gave her a cup, put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and forgot to turn it on. You worked out, but you can't find the DVD case, so you put it in a Barbie movie case, which means you aren't going to find it the next time you need it. The battery on the cordless phone is dead because you set it near but not on the charging base after talking to your mom. You didn't blog because Facebook distracted you, and dinner was not going to be lasagna because it takes an hour to cook — it's dinner time right now, and it's frozen rock solid in the stove you never turned on."

BINGO.

More: 8 Secret Thoughts People With ADHD Have About Everyone Else

8. The good, the bad & the ugly

The good: I realized I was relieved. This was great news! I wasn't an unfixable mess!

The bad: Wait! How am I supposed to remember to take the pills that help me remember?

The ugly: And suddenly, my great-aunt from Mexico serving a warm cuppa joe at bedtime when she babysat 5-year-old me made just as much sense as that time I left the witch hazel in the freezer.

This post was brought to you as part of a sponsored advertising collaboration. A version of this article was originally published in September 2017.

The weather is finally warming up, the sun is out, and Memorial Day weekend finally here. It’s the unofficial start of summer, and people are planning their warm-weather getaways.

More: 20 Juicy Peach Cocktails for Sipping by the Pool

The summer staycation is an ideal retreat for many of us who can’t afford to or have no time to travel. And as long as you can find a pool, lake or an ocean, that's really all you need, right? Well, KFC is celebrating summer staycations and pool fun by giving consumers a chance to win a limited-edition pool floatie inspired by Colonel Sanders himself. Yes, really. Sadly, it isn't actually for sale, so you have to enter for a chance to win one of these truly unique floaties.

It doesn’t matter if you are at a resort in Cancun or at a local beach, you will get tons of attention if you float by with the colonel, we have no doubt. It's also pretty decked out: It has two cup holders: one for a beverage and one for a bucket of chicken. I mean, if you've got chicken and a cold beverage, what else could you possibly need?

More: 15 Super-Cute Snacks That Will Make Your Pool Party a Hit With the Kids

To enter for a chance to win this one-of-a-kind pool accessory, all you have to do is visit the KFC floatie website and submit your email.

It's been a minute since we've heard from John Travolta and his wife of nearly 30 years, Kelly Preston. The pair was most recently seen at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where Travolta was promoting his new film, Gotti. Interestingly, the couple's trip to Cannes renewed the public's interest in the couple's relationship to Scientology and, thanks to some new claims reported on by The Daily Beast, there may be a darker, more intense aspect to Travolta and Preston's lives as practicing Scientologists than we know.

More: Leah Remini Is Switching Gears From Scientology to Jehovah's Witnesses

According to The Daily Beast, Travolta made some comments connecting his work and beliefs as a Scientologist during a group interview of mostly young filmmakers and actors. Specifically, he was speaking about some of his more famous film roles and how Scientology gave him some tools to achieve success. Since Travolta so rarely speaks publicly about his life in the church, the comments have grabbed our attention.

"I practice Scientology, and we do very simple things to get ourselves in better shape: take care of yourself, get good sleep, be better parents, be productive, be motivated," he apparently told the group. "It sounds simple, but they all contribute to your well-being.”

Travolta's sunny depiction of how Scientology positively affects his life seems to be in contrast with the allegedly darker and stranger relationship he has to the church — and it seems that for better or for worse, he will never leave. The Daily Beast spoke to Jeffrey Augustine, an ex-Scientologist who noted that Travolta benefits from certain protections that Scientology offers (especially when it comes to the dogged and unsubstantiated rumors that he is a closeted gay man) and that he supports Preston's (whom Augustine calls a "'true believer'") relationship to the church.

"John loves aviation more than Hollywood but because of Kelly he’d never leave Scientology," Augustine told The Daily Beast. "He loves his family. He’s just got a dark side and he’s reckless. But he really has no reason to want to leave the church. People at his level never see the ugly side of the church. Plus he’s got OSA [Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs] as his own private Mafia if he gets into trouble."

While Augustine didn't elaborate on specific examples of Travolta's dark side or what kinds of reckless behavior he's engaged in, it certainly isn't a comforting endorsement of one of Scientology's golden members. Even former high-ranking, powerful Scientology executive Karen De la Carriere went on the record to say that Travolta is "a bad boy who likes risky sexual adventures," but again, provided no specific examples.

Meanwhile, The Daily Beast's report claims that Preston is a more fervent believer, an "anchor" for Travolta, and is completely inured to negative claims about Scientology from the press.

"The church has a very intense indoctrination to prepare you for anything you might hear," De la Carriere told The Daily Beast. "It’s like a pre-emptive strike in case something uncomfortable comes up. Kelly’s been trained to not believe what she hears in the media. She’s been trained to think that these are evil people making things up."

More: According to Leah Remini, John Travolta Can Literally Get Away With Murder

Neither Travolta nor Preston has issued a response to The Daily Beast about the claims made by Augustine or De la Carriere. That said, these new hints as what life is really like for this celebrity couple will undoubtedly make you stop and wonder what's really going on in the Church of Scientology.

Move over, Mediterranean diet — there's a new European eating plan in town. Much like its Mediterranean predecessor, the Nordic diet also emphasizes eating fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains, but instead of olive oil, it incorporates canola oil (also known as rapeseed oil).

The Nordic diet has its roots in the cuisines of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland and appears to have many of the same health benefits as the diets of their Southern European neighbors. For instance, a 2011 study out of Uppsala University found that Nordic diets decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, while a 2015 Danish study published in Nutrients journal indicates that it is associated with a decreased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In addition, a 2014 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the Nordic diet could also lead to weight loss.

So, what you should eat if you want to try a Nordic diet? The 2015 study looking at diabetes risk measured the participants' intake of fish, cabbage, rye bread, oatmeal, apples, pears and root vegetables, so that's a good place to start.

More: Is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet for You? Why You Should Try It & How to Start It

If you need additional guidance or food ideas, take a look at the Baltic Sea diet pyramid, created by the Finnish Heart Association, the Finnish Diabetes Association and the University of Eastern Finland. Foods like Nordic vegetables, roots, cabbages, peas and Nordic fruits and berries make up the base of the pyramid, representing the foods that should be eaten most frequently. Next up are common Nordic grains, like whole-grain rye, oats and barley, which have high fiber content. After that comes fish, low-fat or fat-free milk products and canola oil. Foods like processed meat, butter, sweets, chocolate and sweet bakery products should be consumed in moderation, as should alcoholic beverages. Water is recommended to quench thirst.

More: What You Should Know About the Fast-Metabolism Diet

"There are several things I like about the Nordic diet," Lauri Wright, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told CNN. "First, it is plant-forward and reduces meat consumption. Second, the Nordic diet has a core principle of sustainability, emphasizing local and fresh, which I think is very beneficial for the environment and for health."

So, if you're looking for some safe, healthy food guidelines, the Nordic diet might be one to try. Stock up on the cabbage and fish!

Hey, now. Marky Mark's daughters don't want to hear about your good vibrations when it comes to their dad, thanks very much. On Wednesday, actor Mark Wahlberg chatted with Ellen DeGeneres on her show about all the shirtless pics and videos he's been posting on social media. He's been a gym rat for his upcoming project, Six Billion Dollar Man, and everybody's impressed by his new extra-buff body — except for his daughters.

“My daughters get very annoyed by the pictures,” said Wahlberg. According to the actor, his two girls want him to cover up that razor-sharp six-pack: “I get, ‘Dad, put a shirt on,’ all the time, even when I have a shirt on. If I have one shirt on, they’ll say, ‘Put another shirt on,'" he said.

More: Mark Wahlberg & Michelle Williams Have a Huge Pay Gap in Their Latest Film

But the hottest of dad bods comes in handy occasionally, Wahlberg admitted, when it comes to his daughters' boy crushes. “At first… they don’t like it when I scare the boyfriend, and then all of a sudden they’re like, ‘Dad, can you come see me at school?’ ‘Cause they want me to come and scare the boyfriend,” he quipped.

DeGeneres took the opportunity to tease Wahlberg about his daily routine, which involves waking up at 2 a.m. to work out and then play golf (yup, even on vacation) and going to bed by 6:30 p.m. — or 7 if he's feeling crazy.

More: Why Mark Wahlberg Says He'll Never Revive Boogie Nights

“Wow. You are boring,” DeGeneres told Wahlberg, who didn't seem to mind the razzing at all. The actor seemed relaxed as he talked about his family life. He and his wife, model and designer Rhea Durham, have four children: Ella Rae, 14, Michael, 12, Brendan Joseph, 9, and Grace Margaret, 8.

Wahlberg was pretty excited to receive a bit of affection from his eldest, Ella Rae, the other day. “The other day, I got a hug,” he told DeGeneres. “Got a hug, then I tried to go in for a little more, like, ‘Hey, what’s going on? What are we gonna do next week?’ And [she said], ‘Stop, Dad.’ [then I said,] ‘I love you.’ [and she responded,] ‘Shut up, Dad.’”

”‘Did you have a great time? [I said, and she said,]’ ‘Enough, Dad, be quiet, Dad,’” Wahlberg continued. “And then the voice raises and I just [give up]. I had a little chuckle, though, ’cause I still got the hug.”

Hang in there, Marky Mark. Only three more teenagers to go. You've got this. As long as you keep your shirt on.