Food Network host Ina Garten's new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro doesn't hit shelves until October, but luckily, we won't have to wait until then to get a taste of what she has in store. The Barefoot Contessa author just shared a sneak peek for all her die-hard, avocado-loving fans: a tomato and avocado salad recipe.

More: 18 Incredible Salad Recipes Perfect for the Summer Months

Yesterday, Garten tweeted out a photo of the light, refreshing salad along with a link to the full recipe on her website.

"My new book Cook Like A Pro doesn't come out until October, but I've been making the Tomato & Avocado Salad so much this summer I just had to share it with you early! Hope you love it as much as I do!" she captioned the tweet.

Perfect for these sweltering summer months, the salad recipe calls for not one, but two Hass avocados (Queer Eye's Antoni Porowski, eat your heart out!), your choice of cherry or grape tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, red onions, baby arugula, freshly ground black pepper and olive oil. We're salivating just reading this recipe.

Amazingly, this is Garten's 11th cookbook — and her first cookbook in two years. "It's full of delicious and accessible recipes, tips and techniques for home cooks so you can cook with confidence," she wrote in an Instagram caption back in April when she announced the cookbook.

"Over time it's just gotten easier, and I have a running list of dishes and flavors that I like," Garten told People magazine in April. "For example, I love braised short ribs, and this time I'm braising them in a whole bottle of red wine so it's got a deep, deep flavor. And then I paired them with grits, which I decided needed something interesting, so I put blue cheese in them. And it turns out the blue cheese and red wine are a really great combination."

More: Ina Garten's New French Stove Is Beautiful, Super-Exclusive & Very Expensive

We aren't the first to get an advanced look at the cookbook, though. Earlier this week, actor Jennifer Garner spent some time with Garten and had the opportunity to flip through the upcoming cookbook, calling it fabulous.

"I understand if this brings up big feelings for you, but I spent the morning with @inagarten. In her barn kitchen, in her garden, having coffee...yes. It's true. I even got a sneak peek of the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook— #CookLikeAPro— it's fabulous. Thank you for the perfect morning, Ina, you are beloved for a reason. I can't wait to continue the conversation."

Is it October yet?

It’s only a matter of time until your kids start asking about the birds and the bees. It starts out innocently enough. “So-and-so at the bus stop told me how babies are made.” *Gulp* I’m guessing you know how this goes…

Today, kids pick up a lot of their sex education from their peers and on the internet. There’s a huge amount of misinformation and not a lot of safe spaces for them to ask questions, much less have a positive, productive dialogue. The first step to telling them what they need to know is to listen to them.

“A really good way to determine what to tell your kid is by paying attention to what they talk about as well as answering their sex/gender/relationship questions when they ask them,” Dr. Carol Queen, a sexologist, tells SheKnows. “You can also ask the kid if/how they're hearing their friends talk about something so you can address any misinformation in your response.” 

More: Yes, People With Disabilities Have Sex & Deserve Sex Ed

But with so much information out, it can be challenging to tell your kids what they need to know in a way that's age appropriate. In order to do this, Queen suggests rather than looking for specific topics to cover at each age, respond to the child's curiosity and need to understand what they hear. 

“Don't tell the kid every single thing you know about a topic; keep it pretty simple and let them ask you for more detail if they need it,” she says. 

Queen reminds us that some caregivers won't be able to safely discuss sex with their kids. “Being ‘too open’ might be an issue in a custody battle, for instance,” she says. But instead of being the type of parent that won't answer any questions at all (or in much detail), Queen suggests letting the child know that they asked a good question, and that it's not a problem that they are curious. 

"You can insert at least a little sex-positivity that way," she adds. "It's never OK to shame or berate a kid for sexual curiosity.”

For your reference, here are some of the most common questions kids ask their parents (or other adult guardians), complete with answers from OB-GYNs, sexologists, sexual health experts and educators. 

Where do babies come from? 

"Depending on the age, maturity and readiness of the child asking this particular question, it’s always important to be ready to respond in a calm and honest manner. In the simplest of terms to a young child, the answer may be 'Babies come from mommy’s tummy,' or to an older child, it may be 'Babies come from mommy uterus.'

"Hopefully, as a mom, you are promoting body confidence with your child from an early age. Teaching your daughter/son about her/his body using the correct words when talking about body changes that happen with puberty makes these types of questions easier to address as children age."

— Dr. Sherry A. Ross, OB-GYN and author of She-ology: The Definitive Guide to Women’s Intimate Health. Period. 

Can teenagers have babies?

"Yes, teenagers can have babies. If a girl has her period, is releasing eggs and has sex, she can conceive a baby. You can leave it at that or add your family’s values and beliefs onto having sex at this age, keeping a baby at this age, etc…. depending on what the child is wanting to know, age appropriateness and agreement between parents if more than one are raising the child.” 

— Dr. Juliana Morris, a licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed professional counselor and sex educator

How can people have babies if they’re not married?

"What I would say in general (and this depends on age appropriateness and that the child already knows the basics of sex and doesn’t need to be taught what sexual intercourse is) is: 

"'People have babies in lots of different ways. It is so neat to hear how someone came into the world and into a family. Some people conceive a baby through having sex with each other. Sometimes the two people are married, but sometimes two people aren’t married but love each other or are in a relationship. Sometimes someone gets pregnant and didn’t plan on having a baby, but then are so happy they get to be a parent. 

"'Sometimes a couple or one person decides they want to have a baby and go to the doctor and he/she helps conceive a baby in a fertility clinic. A person also may have a baby because they decide they want to adopt a baby. This happens when a biological mother and father decide it is best for someone else to raise their baby and a person or couple agree to raise the baby in their family.'" 

— Dr. Juliana Morris

More: How to Tell Your Partner You'd Like an Open Relationship

Do all boys have penises & all girls have vaginas? 

"No! Most do, but you can feel like a boy or a girl (or maybe neither one!) regardless of the anatomy between your legs. How you feel about this is called your gender identity, and because it affects how you feel about yourself and how you want people to treat you, it's pretty important. 

"Bonus info: Most girls and women do have vaginas, but that may not be the sexual part they feel is most important. They also have a clitoris, and that's also where a lot of their sexual pleasure comes from."

— Carol Queen, sexologist

Do you have to be married to have sex?

"No, people have sex for many reasons and within many kinds of adult relationships. If people love each other and want to have sex but not get married, they can, and they are often called 'lovers' or 'partners' then." 

— Carol Queen, sexologist

How do two moms/dads have sex?

"People of any genders can do similar things when they have sex because sex in relationships is a way to care about each other and make each other feel pleasure. Things that everybody can do include kissing, cuddling, holding, stroking, licking and playing with sex toys. 

"If you already know about sex being about penises and vaginas, that's a good start, but all these other things are very important too — sometimes the most important things. So, if a couple both have vaginas, there may be stroking, licking or putting fingers or sex toys inside. If a couple both have penises, they might like to stroke and lick too. 

"Some people get pleasurable feelings from their anus too. Some like touch on the outside, and some like sex toys or fingers or penises inside. People who like this will use lubricant to make it more comfortable and safer, because with no lubricant, it can hurt and cause damage." 

— Carol Queen, sexologist

What is a blow job?

"A 'blow job' is classically understood to mean a person putting [another person's] penis in their mouth. The receiver is usually a cis man — but of course [this] includes all penis-owning people of any gender or identity. A blow job consists of licking, sucking or any other form of mouth-to-penis activity. This can also include putting a mouth on a dildo as well — not all blow jobs are for necessarily a penis attached to a person’s body all the time."

— Gigi Engle, sex educator

What does "eat me" mean?

“'Eat me' can mean a couple of things — it might mean asking someone to put their mouth on your vulva, penis or anus. But there are a wide variety of meanings in sexual play when someone says 'eat me.' Usually, though, it refers to a request for oral sex."

— Gigi Engle, sex educator

What are condoms? 

"Condoms are a form of birth control and sexually transmitted infection protection. They provide a barrier between a penis/vulva/mouth/anus, etc. during sexual play. There are male condoms: a sleevelike piece of latex (although there are multiple types of materials, such as polyurethane or lamb skin). 

There are also female condoms or internal condoms: a barrier that goes inside the vaginal canal. Sexual health professionals, myself included of course, highly recommend the use of condoms during all sexual play to avoid the transmission of STIs."

— Gigi Engle, sex educator

General tips for talking about sex with kids

Because there's no way of addressing all the questions your child may ask, Morris has these general suggestions:

• Keep answers short and sweet.
• Make sure you answer what the child is actually asking.
• Find out what the child already knows or is thinking.
• Answer honestly, but that doesn’t mean you have to tell the whole truth if the full truth isn’t age appropriate. 
• Let the child dictate if he or she wants any more information beyond the initial question.
• Ask if they have any questions after you answer.
• Know you don’t have to answer it all at once or answer perfectly. You can always go back and revisit it on your time after regrouping and researching.
• (Optional) Ask if they heard the question or topic from a friend, family member, another child, TV or online. 
• Praise them for asking you about it.

And if you'd like some additional information or resources, Morris recommends the following:

• Sex Etc. is a teen-run website affiliated with Rutgers University. 
• Scarleteen has a parenting section and an adult-moderated dialogue board for teens.
• Sex Is a Funny Word is a great read by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth. 
• The Sex & Pleasure Book has a decent section on how to talk to kids about sex. 

If Heisenberg is the one who knocks, then it's Jesse Pinkman who breaks hearts. Actor Aaron Paul stole the show at Breaking Bad's special 10-year-anniversary panel at Comic-Con in San Diego, California, by dressing his adorable 5-month-old daughter, Story Annabelle, in a mini hazmat suit and bringing her up onstage. 

More: Aaron Paul Is Going to Be a Dad, & We Can't Contain Our Excitement

The look, as many fans will recognize, is one that Paul's character often wore on the AMC series as he cooked up meth in the middle of the New Mexico desert with his former teacher (played by Bryan Cranston). I'd never thought I'd say this but, mon Dieu, babies in drug-making costumes are cute as hell. Just look at that tiny face mask! 

Paul's wife, Lauren Parsekian, captioned a photo of her husband and daughter with Cranston, "Breaking Dads." It seems a great sense of humor runs in the family. 

Despite this being baby Story's first time at the massive comics convention, she seemed to handle herself like a pro. Who knows? Maybe she was meant for the spotlight just like her incredibly photogenic and talented parents (in addition to looking like a model, Parsekian is the cofounder of The Kind Campaign, a nonprofit organization that combats bullying). 

More: 7 Adorable Things Aaron Paul Has Done for His Wife

Paul seems to be adjusting well to life as a new dad. Back in March, he shared a tear-jerkingly sweet Instagram post celebrating his wife and daughter, saying they were a "constant reminder of how lucky I am to be alive." 

"To be parents. What a blessing," he added. "What a miracle life is." 

Though they may look perfect at all times, Parsekian explained earlier this year that things haven't always been sunshine and rainbows since she gave birth back in February. In a lengthy Instagram post, she got real about having mastitis, a painful condition caused by infected and inflamed breast tissue.  

More: Lauren Parsekian Opens Up About This Awful Breastfeeding Condition

"This post labor chapter has been rough at times," she wrote. "Recovering from labor is no joke. I'm definitely on the mend in that department but...breastfeeding. Oh man." 

"While it's been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life, I have developed Mastitis twice within 3 weeks," she continued. "For those of you who don't know what that is, it's an infection from breastfeeding that creates severe flu-like symptoms. Yesterday I was fighting a fever that almost hit 104. It was the sickest I have ever felt. The pain and aches were unbelievable."

Hopefully, these painful parenting moments are few and far between so the Parsekian-Paul family can focus on the fun things — like dominating the costume game. 

The nightmares started immediately: I dream I'm sleeping soundly and awake to a pounding on the door so loud it rattles the walls and renders the white-noise machine useless. It’s the Administration for Children’s Services, and they’re here to take my baby.  

One caseworker is carrying an oversize black duffel bag and starts filling it with toys and clothes and diapers while the other picks up the baby and walks out the door. They say nothing to me: They simply arrive, depart and break my world. I chase them down the street, screaming after them that they forgot Bear-Bear, the brilliantly named bigger-than-the-baby stuffed animal. They drive off and leave me standing in the street, barefoot in the snow.   

I wake up from this imagined hell to the baby babbling in her crib, the white-noise machine drowning out the sounds of Manhattan and blood pulsating in my ears.  

My baby is still here. But someday, she might not be, because she’s not actually “my” baby. She’s a foster child.   

More: Not Your Mom's Adoption: What the Process Looks Like in 2018

Buttons — a nickname cleverly chosen because of her little button nose and propensity to tug on my shirt buttons (sometimes tugging them entirely off) — arrived at my apartment after three hours' notice from ACS. I became an insta-mom, which is not unlike any other mom except that instead of a squishy infant, I suddenly had an 11-month-old baby who crawled across my floor and kept trying to gnaw on my iPhone.   

The love I felt for Buttons was instant and fierce, which is to say: I became her mother.   

Coming from a family with two internationally adopted cousins, fostering and adoption were always my plan. My reasoning was simple: There were so many horrific foster homes out there. I wanted to be a good one. And since I was fast approaching 35 with a career in technology management and a spectacularly supportive arsenal of friends and family, I decided it was time. I completed the requirements to become a foster parent: training, a home study, background checks, fingerprints and a volume of paperwork equivalent to that required to rent a luxury apartment in Manhattan.   

I knew that my love for children wasn’t contingent on biology; I grew attached to cute babies on the subway (puppies too). I could love any child. And yet I naively, stupidly, thought I could just foster. That I would be able to eventually give back a child I loved — because that would be my role as a foster parent. My friends and family all laugh about that now. I laugh the hardest. The idea of giving back Buttons is inconceivable to everyone in our lives, especially me.   

Two months after Buttons arrived on my doorstep, I met Chloe, Buttons’ biological mother. Prior to being placed with me, Buttons was in the custody of Chloe, who was herself in foster care. After Buttons was removed from her care, Chloe vanished for nine weeks, whereabouts unknown. She missed Buttons’ first birthday, her first steps, her first words.  

When I received the call that Chloe had surfaced and wanted to see Buttons, the nightmares became more vivid, more sweat-inducing; they took longer to recover from. But despite the nightmares, nothing could have prepared me for our first visit.  

More: How to Raise a Creative Child

Chloe was young, 17 at the time, and beautiful. Her eyes were bright, and her smile was wide yet shy. She approached Buttons in the foster care agency visitation room with the energy and familiarity of a mother greeting her child. Buttons recoiled and ran to me. I was unsure whether that was because she didn’t remember Chloe or because she did.  

After several more unsuccessful attempts to get Buttons’ attention and affection, Chloe sank into the vinyl couch and sobbed. I offered her water, tissues and then privacy.   

The visits thereafter improved, but only marginally. They were still supervised, still in a small room and still consisted of Buttons fleeing from Chloe and finding comfort in my or her babysitter’s arms. 

Over time, I learned more about Chloe: her family, her history, her goals. During one visit, during which I sat in the room with Chloe and Buttons, Chloe spoke of her plan to get a job in fashion and get Buttons back. She wanted to provide a good life for Buttons and give her everything she had never had while growing up herself. She spoke with hopeful determination akin to someone making New Year's resolutions on Dec. 31, which is to say without acknowledging the true depth of the situation — the fact that Chloe has an abuse charge on her record and that her child is in foster care. Chloe getting Buttons back would involve far more than a stable job in fashion and the funds to buy Baby Gap jeans.  

I want Chloe to succeed in life. I want her to be a productive member of society, to have a job that supports her, to break the generational dependency on social and government services, to get her mental health managed with the proper combination of therapy and medication. I want her to experience sobriety, healthy relationships and days that don’t involve blinding rage. I want her to be happy and at peace.  

I wish her all the good she hasn’t yet experienced — but only after Buttons is permanently mine. And I hate myself for that.   

Children aren’t placed into foster care for being fed fast food instead of organic cuisine. ACS doesn’t pluck children from their homes because they skinned their knee when the parent wasn’t paying attention. They’re placed into care for neglect and abuse, a range of stories that contain only sadness and horror — stories that make you cringe and ones that make your insides ice cold.   

Everything about foster care is sad, maddening and bewildering — except for the children. Except for Buttons.  

More: I Don't Regret Giving My Son Up for Adoption

Buttons offers face-engulfing smiles and squeals of delight when we play. In the morning, she stands up in her crib and shouts, “Hellooooooo!” at me until I pick her up. She then snuggles into my neck for a moment before wiggling to get down and play. When she cries, she turns to me for comfort. She calls me “Mama!” with the exclamation mark — always loud, always excited, always making a statement. How could I let her go?   

I can’t, and I won’t — not emotionally, anyway. 

Buttons’ current foster care goal is reunification. I don’t know if I will have to give her up or if I will someday be her forever family. I won’t know until I either adopt her or she returns to Chloe. If the latter happens, I don’t know how I will recover — or if I ever will. 

I don’t know what the scene would look like if Buttons is reunited with her birth mother. But I imagine I won’t actually end up standing barefoot in the snow — and Buttons won't actually be yanked from our home in the middle of the night. If it happens, it will likely be a “normal” visit at the agency with a simple hug and without Buttons understanding the permanency of the goodbye. But if it does happen, I will ensure she’s holding Bear-Bear.  

August 11, 2014 will mark the 4th anniversary of Robin Williams' death – and his daughter Zelda is beginning to honor his memory early by posting a tribute to her dad the day before what would have been his 67th birthday.  

More: 20 Lessons Robin Williams Taught Us About Life & Love

"It's that time of year again. Everyone who has dealt with loss knows the pain of certain anniversaries, moments full of memory that come round like clockwork and usurp all others, no matter how hard you may try to prepare for or avoid them,"  Zelda wrote on Instagram. "These weeks are the hardest for me, and thus, you'll see me a lot less, if at all."

Williams' birthday falls just 10 short days after Zelda's (who turns 29 years old on July 31), so as mentioned in her caption, with both their birthdays and the anniversary of his death coming up, July and August are likely bittersweet months. That's why she's decided to take a break from social media and focus on self-care. 

More: 11 Things We Learned From HBO's Robin Williams Documentary

"It's harder still to be expected to reach back. So while I've got the strength, consider this my one open armed response, before I go take my yearly me time to celebrate his and my birthdays in peace.

Before wishing her "Poppo" an early birthday in the Instagram message, she encouraged fans who wanted to honor his memory to volunteer or donate to charities in his name, especially the Challenged Athletes Foundation the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and the Reeve Foundation. 

Zelda posted a screenshot of her Instagram photo and message to Twitter with the caption "Tata for now." Within 24 hours, fans had showered her with love and shared how Williams affected their lives, too. One fan replied, "I knew your dad at the very end of his life but the beginning of my sobriety. We attended the same aa meeting on Thursday nights. I am so very sorry for your loss. Many of us experience grief around the anniversary of his death - I know I do. Hang in there love."

More: Why Robin Williams Was a Significant Part of My Life

The last time Zelda publicly made reference to Williams was on Father's Day when she tweeted, "To all those missing dads today, go out and do something to make you happy, hard as it may be. It's what they'd want."

Since Williams' passing, Zelda has worked on numerous projects including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series (voicing the characters of Mona Lisa and Y'Gythgba); she also appeared in episodes of Stitches and Criminal Minds. Her latest film Locating Silver Lake was released last April and her newest project – a horror anthology series titled Dark/Web – is expected later this year. 

Someone alert the NFL (but maybe not Joanna Gaines) because Drake Gaines is ready for his shot at the pros.

Former Fixer Upper star and lover of all things demo day Chip Gaines took advantage of a perfect Texas summer afternoon by taking his 13-year-old son out to the lake for some good old-fashioned daredevil action with nothing but a boat, a Jet Ski and a football. 

More: Chip Gaines Accomplished a New Big Goal

On Thursday, Gaines shared a video with his nearly 4 million followers that featured a remarkable — and totally dangerous — stunt in which he threw a football into the blue abyss. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Drake rode in on a freaking Jet Ski and caught the ball, not even pausing to do a celebration dance à la Remember the Titans.  

"You gotta take a break every once in a while," the father of five captioned the video, which we're sure nearly gave the better half of Magnolia a heart attack. 

More: Chip Gaines Just Announced the Birth of His 5th Child

This summer has indeed been busy for the Gaines family, who welcomed their newest member, Crew, in June. At the time, Chip Gaines shared his excitement on Twitter by saying, "And then there were 5." 

"The Gaines crew is now 1 stronger," he continued. "10 beautiful toes and 10 beautiful fingers all accounted for, and big momma is doing great." 

After seeing his latest adventure with his oldest son, we can't help but wonder what wild adventures the handyman has in mind for little Crew's 10 fingers and toes in the future — though we're guessing it might have something to do with water sports. 

More: Joanna Gaines Shares Super-Sweet Family Tradition

In the meantime, it seems like everyone in the family — Chip, Joanna, Drake, Ella Rose, Duke, Emmie Kay and Crew — is having a good time taking things slowly as they soak up the summer sun. 

It's nice to see the Gaines gang unwind a bit after wrapping their popular HGTV series earlier this year. While they're still working hard on Magnolia, which includes a home decor line and a stylish new restaurant, it must be nice for them to have the cameras off as they cherish new memories with their expanded brood. 

You’ve probably been hearing the gospel of extra-virgin olive oil for years now. It’s good for everything, it seems, from greasing up a sauté pan to whipping up a salad dressing — even moisturizing skin or conditioning hair.

Most of its popularity is, of course, due to its purported health benefits. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it contains antioxidants, seems to reduce inflammation and may even reduce blood pressure.

But extra-virgin isn’t the only olive oil on the shelf. What is up with the other forms of olive oil, and what are they good for?

First of all, it’s worth noting that olive oil actually has some pretty stringent rules about quality. The International Olive Council outlines them in detail in a report from 2012, and oils are monitored for their levels of trans fat and unsaturated fat among other things.

With that in mind, here's what you should know about the different types of olive oils.

Extra-virgin olive oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is an unrefined oil, meaning it retains much of the flavor of olives as well as many of the nutrients, such as modest amounts of vitamins K and E. It also has to meet a series of strict chemical standards, like containing less than 0.8 grams of oleic acid (an unsaturated fat). While there has been some brouhaha over EVOO's smoke point (the point at which oil burns and releases free radicals), it's mostly been oversensationalized — you can easily cook olive oil to 405 degrees F. “Cold pressed” and “unfiltered” EVOO is considered even higher quality for being less refined, and it'll probably cost you a little more.

More: 15 Creative Ice Cream Flavors You Can Make at Home

Virgin olive oil

Virgin olive oil is essentially a step down from EVOO on a technical level. It also isn’t held to as rigorous taste, aroma or chemical standards as extra-virgin olive oil, though it will still have some of the flavor qualities of the original olives.

Olive oil

Olive oil is olive oil that has been processed (typically heated) and refined to remove impurities. This is done to improve the shelf life of the oil, but it also eliminates many of the benefits of EVOO, such as omega-3 fatty acids, and its taste. It’s then blended with virgin olive oil to improve the flavor and appearance. It's important to note that the more refined an oil is, the less aroma and flavor it has — but it also contains less bitterness. As oils are refined, their smoke point goes up, so if you were cooking at particularly hot temperatures, this form of olive oil may be a good choice.

More: 10 Dry Rub Recipes That'll Truly Up Your BBQ Game

Light olive oil

Light olive oil is an olive oil that has been even further refined, which makes it less aromatic, and it has a more neutral taste. If you think it's going to be lighter in calories, that is not the case. In fact, light olive oil is higher in trans and unsaturated fat than EVOO. 

More: Boozy Popsicle Recipes to Keep You Cool All Summer Long

Suffice it to say, if what you're looking for is to get healthier qualities from your olive oil, you're better off sticking with extra-virgin. If what you need is a quick oil to fry potatoes in, light olive oil will do you just fine.

If you've walked through a Target lately, you know it has finally arrived: back-to-school season. No, school hasn't started yet, but now's the time to start stocking up on school supplies, revamping any lunch ideas Pinterest board you've got and, if you're up for it, purchasing a fresh batch of back-to-school clothing. (Did you shudder at that last item? Because same.)

If you're planning on a back-to-school clothes shopping spree, chances are the pressure feels real. Not only do you have to keep kids under control while shopping (because no, they may not get solely 20 different Black Panther or Wonder Woman T-shirts), you also have to ensure you're picking up every essential they'll need throughout the school year.

To make things only slightly easier on you (because we aren't here to offer our babysitting services — sorry), we've created a whole checklist of every back-to-school clothing item you could possibly need.

More: Where Parents & Teachers Can Get School Supplies for Free This Year

Tops & bottoms

The clothing you choose will vary depending on your child's age, gender, where you live and if the school requires uniforms (but if it does, why are you reading this list?). Our biggest tip when it comes to back-to-school shopping is: If possible, get at least one top-and-bottom clothing pair for every day of the week. That way, you're (hopefully) only looking at doing laundry once per week. Here's what your kid will likely need in the clothing department.

• Eight to 10 shirts
• Four to six long-sleeve shirts, including a dressy top for special occasions like after-school functions
• Two to four sweaters/sweatshirts (including pullovers and hoodies)
• Seven pairs of pants/shorts (mix it up with jeans, khakis and leggings)
• One to two coats (depending on the climate where you live)
• Scarves, mittens, beanies, gloves, etc. (think ahead and prep for the winter season, again depending on your climate)

Shoes

Your kid will likely need sneakers as well as sandals/flip-flops, plus dress shoes (see below under "special occasions").

• Two pairs of sneakers (one for playing around, another one for school)
• One to two pairs of flip-flops/sandals/slip-on shoes

More: The Pros & Cons of School Uniforms: Moms Weigh In

Basics 

As with other clothing items, having extra undergarments will help prevent you from becoming a slave to the washing machine.

• Ten to 14 pairs of socks
• Ten to 14 pairs of underwear

For special occasions

Your kids likely won't need a ton of dressy clothing for school, but it doesn't hurt to have a few options for any after-school functions that pop up.

• One pair of dress shoes
• Two to three dressy tops (including a nice sweater)
• Two to three dressy pairs of pants/slacks
• Two to three skirts/dresses
• One to two pairs of tights

May the odds be ever in your favor down those aisles.

You might know Zoe Saldana as a green, extremely strong extraterrestrial or a large-and-in-charge blue royal Na'vi. Although she doesn’t actually look like the characters she plays in Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar respectively, their fierce and playful personalities match hers perfectly.  

It makes sense that the actor blends power and play in her everyday life because she has a ton on her plate: work, activism and three baby boys — twins who are 3 and a 1-1/2-year-old. Amid her busy schedule, we had the pleasure of catching up with Saldana as she enjoyed an Italian getaway with her family. 

Among talking in Italian to her children, telling us she wishes she could send us photos of them dressed as jaguars and tigers, and eventually sending them outside to play, we found out quite a bit about Saldana. Ahead, in her own words, she tells us how she treats herself, how she and husband Marco Perego find time together and most important, her comfort food. 

Her definition of self-care

"I think it’s a mixture of definitely having good hygiene while trying to work with your body’s natural scents. Like, whatever your body’s natural essence or scent or smell it is that you have, match it with the products that you use. I think there are so many products that we like to use for ourselves that don’t necessarily match our chemistry, like our physical chemistry. That means taking the time to go and invest in good brands, finding them and going through different products and testing how everything is on your body — how it smells in the morning, and the afternoon and then in the evening. I think it’s the best thing you can do for yourself because self-care is always being super-clean and taking a bath, washing your face and flossing right before you go to bed no matter how late you get home, but also trying to match your body’s natural temperature."

Learning to invest

"I think it’s a combination of both [learning self-care from a young age and having it change as I grow older]. I was always taught to take pride in the way that I clean and maintain myself. I think using a lot of home remedies and natural products like olive oil and things that are super-pure, like shea butter, are things I learned growing up as a New Yorker. But I’ve also learned as I grow older to invest in brands, not necessarily expensive or inexpensive brands, but to look into how these brands are put together, the pride that the company takes into making their products for their consumers. It’s important to know what you’re putting on your body or skin, the specific ingredients. I like nurturing myself by paying close attention to what I’m doing with my body."

Hero beauty products

"I really like Davines. It’s an Italian brand, and I like them because they use a lot of organic ingredients for their line. And for face, I’m a huge fan lately of Dr. Hauschka, but I also like to wash my face with regular Cetaphil from the pharmacy. I love it."

Her ultimate day off

"Oh, my God, I would sleep. I would sleep in the most comfortable bed that’s not too soft and not too hard, with pillows not too thin but not too thick, the perfect temperature, and perfect darkness in the room so my mind won’t just turn on. And I would sleep maybe 18 hours. I haven’t slept for eight hours straight in, like, three years! [Laughs]

"It has to do with the fact that our children are still so very young. We have a set of twins [3 years old] and a 1-1/2-year-old. So their demand for their mommy is exceptionally high right now. They’re so vulnerable and so codependent, and I know as they get older it’ll get easier. I’ll be able to go back to my earlier routines and things that I used to do when I had a lot more time to dedicate to myself. But right now, my husband and I, we do what we can, and we’re grateful — even if it means staying up later so we can spend time together and have conversations. Right now, the best thing that we do when we have those 30 minutes off is that we reminisce on how fun it was when it was just us! [Laughs]"

On her go-to comfort food

"Oh, my gosh, there’s too many, just too many. But so many of them have rice in it. I love rice. I grew up with rice. It’s a part of my heritage. I also married into a culture where rice and pasta are comfort food. Anything with rice I completely live for!"

In our series “Operation Recharge,” we task celebrities and influencers with sharing what self-care means to them as well as the activities, products and treatments they indulge in for downtime done right.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

For a long time, I thought getting shingles was something that could only happen to you once you reached the age of 60 or older. But after a friend of mine had it in his 30s and was in quite a bit of pain, I realized it's not a virus only older people can get. 

We spoke with doctors about the shingles virus and this is what you need to know about the virus, how to protect yourself and who can get it.

What is shingles?

Shingles is a painful rash caused by a viral infection according to Mayo Clinic. And yes, there is a connection between chicken pox and shingles. You can get shingles if you've been infected with the chicken pox virus, also known as varicella zoster virus, or VZV, Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, physician and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells SheKnows, adding that as you age, the virus will "reactivate and will manifest itself as shingles."

More: Urgent Care Centers Overprescribe Antibiotics — Here's Why That's a Problem

If you've had the chicken pox, the shingles virus lives within you and will for the rest of your life, even if you only had a few chicken pox as a child.

What are the first signs?

The first sign of shingles is typically pain in your skin. "It will be restricted to one half of your body (left or right)," says Adalja, then will be followed by a blistering rash. As soon as the rash is visible or the pain you are having pre-rash is so bad it interferes with daily life, he says you should see a doctor right away. 

Who can get it?

If you think of shingles as exclusively an illness of the elderly, think again. According to Adalja, anyone in their 20s and older can get shingles, although the likelihood of getting it does increase as we age because our immune system becomes less robust.

How do we contract shingles?

Besides having had chicken pox earlier in life, shingles can come on for a variety of reasons. For instance, if you've had a recent organ transplant, an autoimmune condition or cancer, you may be taking immunosuppressant medication, which can cause your body to be unable to fight shingles. Another factor is stress. "Psychosocial stressors can lead to alterations in immunity, allowing shingles to occur," Adalja explains.

Maggie Berghoff, a licensed nurse practitioner and functional medicine clinician who has treated college-age patients for shingles, tells SheKnows it’s typically caused by “a crashed immune system from lack of sleep, vitamin and mineral deficiencies or stress."

More: Why Some Cold Medicines Moved (& Stayed) Behind the Counter

Vaccinations

You've probably seen the ads for the shingles vaccine on TV, but when should you get it? Adalja recommends that people over the age of 50 get the vaccination and says that it's highly effective and works by boosting the immunity one possesses against the virus.

"It's important if you do get shingles to know that the imbalances and damages being done inside the body," Berghoff adds. These imbalances can be resolved by working with a functional medicine practitioner, which will help prevent future outbreaks.

Is shingles contagious?

If you get the shingles virus, you should stay away from those who have not had their chicken pox vaccination as well as people who have never had the chicken pox, because while you can’t spread shingles, the virus can cause an outbreak of chicken pox.

If you are having pain on one side of your body and a blistering rash, it’s important to realize it could be shingles and not ignore the symptoms no matter how old you are — this is not a virus that only affects people over a certain age, and it’s important to know how to protect yourself.

Jaime King has landed a new role, and it’s a far cry from the four years she spent as Southern belle Lemon Breeland in Hart of Dixie. Netflix has ordered an eight-episode, straight-to-series run of Black Summer — an offshoot of the SyFy zombie drama Z Nation. And, as you’ve likely deduced by now, King is set to star. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, King will play a mother in the spinoff who has been separated from her daughter. As any determined mother would, King sets off on a journey to find her child, intent on stopping at nothing until they are reunited. 

More: Jaime King Is Totally OK With Being an Imperfect Woman

Along the way, she comes across a small band of American refugees. There, in this new America, she faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles on her journey in what is hailed as the deadliest summer of a zombie apocalypse. 

The spinoff is the brainchild of Z Nation creator Karl Schaefer along with Z Nation director/producer John Hyams, who will act as co-showrunners on the new project. 

The original Z Nation is still going strong, returning later this year for its fifth season. 

Adding a spinoff to the franchise echoes the path of the other major zombie apocalypse on television: The Walking Dead. However, that spinoff, Fear the Walking Dead, has failed to capture the same fanfare maintained by its predecessor. So, it will be interesting to see how Z Nation fans (and doomsayer fans in general) respond to Black Summer.

More: Jaime King Shares an Emotional Update on Son’s Heart Defect

Casting King should certainly work in the show’s favor. Although King’s most memorable role in recent years has been Hart of Dixie, the actress’s movie career has included several horror roles, including My Bloody Valentine, They Wait, and Silent Night. 

In the life of an entertainer, every so often a role comes along that defines them — and Taylor Swift may have just found hers. According to multiple reports, the pop star has signed on to star in a film adaptation of the iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway musical, “Cats.” Swift’s Insta-famous felines, Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson, must be so proud. 

While Swift’s role hasn’t yet been announced, Variety did confirm a few other exciting casting details. Co-starring in the musical adaptation will be Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen and James Corden. Directing the adaptation will be Tom Hooper, who famously directed the 2012 film adaptation of Les Miserables. 

More: The Way Taylor Swift Prevents Her Music From Leaking Is Some Real James Bond Shit

One of the most successful and arguably best-known musicals (it’s the fourth-longest-running in history), “Cats” was adapted by Webber from a T.S. Eliot’s book of poems titled Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The musical follows a special breed of cats known as the Jellicles, who are different from regular cats in that they have a chance to be reborn. 

Variety confirms that Hudson is set to play Grizabella, a former “glamour cat” ostracized for her former lady-of-the-night ways. However, she ultimately gets to sing “Cats” showstopping song, “Memory.” 

The roles of Swift and her other reported co-stars haven’t yet been revealed. But we’d put our money on McKellen playing Old Deuteronomy — the eldest Jellicles cat and the one responsible for announcing which cat will be reborn. 

More: Taylor Swift Refused to be Victim Blamed at Her Sexual  Assault Trial

As for Swift, well, she sounds perfect for playing the part of Jennyanydots. Known as The Old Gumbie Cat, Jennyanydots spends her nights teaching mice to do productive things like crocheting as opposed to destroying homes. Swift has joked about her grandma-like behavior before and teaching tiny woodland creature to sing and sew sounds right up her alley. 

No matter what role she winds up in, though, it’ll undoubtedly be a dream come true for the self-professed crazy cat lady. 

As time wears on, we come to accept certain things. For example: If you eat an apple every day, you won’t get sick. Or if you step on a crack, your mother will wind up in a hospital somewhere with a suspiciously inexplicable back injury. Similar to the way we regard these age-old "-isms," we’ve come to understand that if it’s good enough for Duchess Meghan of Sussex and Jennifer Lopez, it’s probably worth trying. We’re no fools.

Luckily for us, the latest and greatest in beauty wellness comes from none other than the new Duchess of Sussex herself. People generally call it “that weird inner-mouth massage” or something along those lines, but it actually has a name: sculptural deep-tissue buccal facial. Of course, these things go for $250 an hour. (Hey, if they work and you can afford them, by all means — go for it!) But for those of us who don’t want to spend a small fortune on a kinda weird-sounding inner-mouth massage… our time has come.

StyleCaster sat down with Danna Omari, founder of New York City’s famous Noy Skincare, to learn more about the techniques she uses during the buccal facial. Unsurprisingly, we learned that it’d be nearly impossible to recreate the exact facial at home (which is probably why they cost $250). But Omari let us in on some massages and skin secrets that you can try at home — so, obviously, we’re going to tell you all of them.

Danna Omari’s instructions for at-home DIY face massage:

• Prepare: Always cleanse and prep your skin first. After cleansing but before applying serums/moisturizers, use a cosmetic roller to punch micro-channels through the outer layer of dead cells so products can penetrate into the skin. This works great to plump fine lines and wrinkles. You can also include this step prior to applying oil before your massage.
• Massage: Massage the cheek and jaw area with your fingers, starting from the center and moving outward in a circular motion. Bend your index and middle fingers and place them on your jawline, moving from your chin toward your ear. Be firm but gentle. Repeat 10 to 15 times. Do the same on the cheekbone. With both hands, use your index finger and thumb, making slight pinching movements where you’d get crows feet around the eyes, going in different directions.
• Work your facial muscles: Stick out your tongue as far as you can about 10 to 15 times. Puff you cheeks 10 to 15 times. For nasolabial folds (laugh lines), move your tongue back and forth along your inner cheek. Do this 30 times in the morning and 30 at night. Repeat on the other side. Then do the same movement on both sides while slightly squinting or grinning.
• Finish up: Use a cold jade roller (stored in the fridge) to calm, de-puff, increase circulation and achieve a healthy glow.

More: Celebrity Aesthetician Shani Darden’s Tips for Improving Skin Texture

Later, we spoke with the spa manager at the Marigot Bay Resort in the Caribbean — Saint Lucia to be exact — to learn about DIY face masks. Darcel Beausoleil says you can make them with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. And there’s a method to the madness — Beausoleil’s recipes generally consist of a cleanser/toner, an exfoliant, a base (to hold everything together and create an even consistency) and a moisturizer.

Beausoleil had a lot of recommendations, so we broke it down into some recipes for you.

Darcel Beausoleil’s instructions for at-home DIY face masks:

To mattify oily skin

Apply the following mixture to a clean, dry face. Leave on for 10 minutes before washing off.

• Oats: help with dry, itchy and irritated skin
• Ground oatmeal: exfoliates skin
• Cocoa powder: rich in antioxidants
• Honey: hydrates skin
• Coconut oil: nourishes skin

To rejuvenate skin

Apply the following mixture to a clean, dry face to stimulate blood flow and slough off dead skin. Leave on for five minutes before washing off.

• Cinnamon: exfoliates skin
• Honey: hydrates skin

To calm inflamed skin

Apply the following mixture to a clean, dry face to improve hydration and repair the skin barrier. Leave on for 10 minutes before washing off.

• Avocado: contains natural oils that are effective for calming/hydrating
• Ground coffee beans: contain antioxidants that reduce inflammation, act as exfoliant
• Whole milk: improves paste consistency and has calming effect on the skin

To tighten pores

Apply the following mixture to improve skin tone. Leave on for 10 minutes before washing off.

• Honey: hydrates skin
• Lemon juice: evens out skin tone
• Egg white of one egg: tightens pores

More: 9 Low-Key Face Masks You Can Wear Comfortably While Traveling

In the event you don’t have all the right ingredients for a full mask, we also asked Beausoleil which ingredients could be applied to the skin individually and what effects they’d have on your complexion. Here are her suggestions:

• Coconut or olive oil: cleanses and moisturizes skin
• Coconut or shea butter: works as makeup remover and moisturizer
• Tea bag (herbal and non-caffeinated, like lavender or chamomile) soaked in water: acts as toner
• Epsom salt, ground coffee beans or cocoa powder: cleanses pores, helps improve circulation, acts as antiaging and wrinkle-fighting agent

More: 5 Things Dr. Pimple Popper Wants You to Know About Skin Care

Luckily for us, these masks are efficient, inexpensive and easy to make. (Not to mention expert-approved and perfect for summer-ready skin) So, next time your bank account is in the red, ditch the spa treatment and opt for the DIY version. Everything is better from the comfort of your own bed, anyway.

Originally posted on StyleCaster.

Swelling is one of the more common human experiences, but it can be uncomfortable, and it can mean our favorite shoes or rings no longer fit. But why do our limbs and appendages balloon up like that? SheKnows talked with Dr. Robert Danoff, a family medicine physician at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia, to get a little bit of info on why swelling happens, what we can do about it and when to seek help from a doctor. 

Sitting or standing

Yes, most of us spend a lot of our days either sitting or standing up. It can be part of our jobs or life at home, but too much can contribute to puffy feet or swollen ankles. According to Danoff, sitting or standing for hours on end can contribute to a temporary decrease in your body's ability to have quality circulation. 

"What happens is that the muscles in your feet, ankles and legs relax and don't contract as much as when you are active," he explains. "This in turn causes the blood flow to and from your feet, ankles and legs to slow down. As a result, a temporary pooling of blood and fluid happens in those areas, leading to some swelling."

To combat this, change positions on a regular basis. Put your feet up or get up and walk around. He says this will help your muscles contract and expand and get your circulation back on track. 

Exercise or heat

Exercise or simply being out in the heat can also lead to some puffiness. Danoff says that the heat triggers a cooling response in our bodies, which causes us to sweat, and the blood vessels toward the surface of our skin expand. This results in swelling, so make sure you pop your rings off before you exercise or go out into the heat. Otherwise, you'll probably have to wait until your body cools down to notice a reduction in your swelling and get them off.

More: The Reason Your Hands & Feet Are Cold All the Time

Too much salt

Salty foods are yummy, but overindulging may be contributing to your swelling problems, says Danoff. "Most of it comes from bread, fast foods, deli meats, canned food and processed snacks," he explains. "Whether the name is sodium, baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, monosodium glutamate or other names, the result is often the same — too much salt can lead to fluid retention."

To combat this, buy items that don't have a ton of sodium on board (this usually means skipping fast-food dinners and processed foods) and watch that saltshaker. Concentrate on other flavors instead of adding more salt, and you might not miss it at all. 

PMS

PMS… ah, that never-forgotten friend that visits us a week or so before our periods return each cycle. It's chock-full of all sorts of "fun" symptoms, including irritability, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, sore breasts — and swelling, especially in the hands, feet or legs, caused by water retention according to Mayo Clinic. To prevent PMS-induced swelling, it's especially vital to avoid excess sodium during this time, although there are no guarantees you'll be swell-free.

Pregnancy

Another cause of swelling is pregnancy, particularly during the second and third trimesters. Hormones abound during pregnancy, which can cause some ligaments and joints to temporarily expand, says Danoff. He also notes that the size and position of the baby can decrease circulation, which can result in swollen hands and feet. Prolonged standing and sitting can exacerbate this problem, and it can become more of a issue toward the end of the day.

Putting your feet up when it becomes noticeable (or beforehand if possible) can cut down on pregnancy swelling, but Danoff says that if swelling in the hands, feet and face comes on suddenly, contact your doctor as soon as possible, as this can indicate a problem. 

Certain medications

Medications can help treat conditions or diseases, but some can have side effects — including swelling, says Danoff. "Certain blood pressure medications as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers have the potential to contribute to the side effect of hand and ankle/feet swelling," he explains. 

Your doctor or pharmacist can help determine if your medications could be contributing to your swelling, but don't stop taking your medication just because you think it's making you puffy — always speak to your doctor first. 

Certain health conditions

While most swelling is temporary and resolves quickly, there are certain health conditions in which swelling is a symptom and should be explored by a physician, Danoff explains. 

"There are medical conditions such as lymphedema — the lymphatic system is not working properly — liver, heart and kidney disease as well as diabetes, thyroid disease, arthritis and allergic reactions that can also contribute to swelling of your hands, legs and feet," he says. 

More: 7 Important Things Your Feet Could Be Telling You About Your Health

Swelling is a normal physiological response to certain conditions, medications, our diets and our hormones, but some cases can require a doctor's knowledge. If you don't have an easily attributable cause (such as heat or PMS), it's important to be evaluated by a doctor. If you have other symptoms, such as pain, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain or rapid development of swelling, he says you should see a doctor as soon as possible. 

Otherwise, check your salt intake, put your feet up or stand up and walk around at work — it may be just what your swollen hands and feet need. 

By AnnaMarie Houlis

Science says happier people are raised by parents who do this one thing, according to Jeff Haden. But I need to ask: What if the parent has no idea how to properly execute this thing?

According to a study from the University College London, people who perceived their parents as less psychologically controlling and more caring as they were growing up were likely to be happier and more satisfied adults. I get that. I can see the huge advantages of having a solid, caring and warm foundation versus the mind games and emotional blackmail tactics usually employed by parents of yore and perhaps even now. Only a mother knows how to instill gnawing guilt and a father’s disapproval can crush even the most accomplished adult.

More: These Childless Women Are Happy — So Why Won’t Anyone Believe Them?

That being said, if we the parents are the products of overcontrolling parents, how can we be expected to raise happy adult-children? Would we even know how? Children learn what they live, and I, like many, learned the direct opposite of a caring and warm environment.

So, being an avid believer in modeling behavior, I decided I needed to learn how to be happy. This seemed a rather odd goal because I didn't consider myself to be unhappy, but I wasn't necessarily happy. Sure, things were good, but I always found myself pressed for time, worried about something or rushing to do everything. My responsibilities as a mom, wife and worker always seemed to get in the way of just being happy, or more important, I let those things get in the way of my happiness.

The takeaway is that the No. 1 most important thing any parent can do to nurture their child’s happiness, contentment and confidence as an adult is to show them not only how to do all those things, but what it looks like.

So, what does happy look like? Do you know? Are you modeling happy? If you asked your children right now, “Do you think mommy and/or daddy is happy?” you would be shocked at their answers.

Younger children tend to say their parents are happy most of the time with the exceptions of: when their parents get home from work, are stuck in traffic, paying bills, shopping, getting the car fixed, fighting about money, etc.

Adolescents on the other hand will say their parents are never happy. “They’re always stressed out. They’re miserable because they’re broke all the time. They hate their jobs. They never laugh. They have no idea how to have fun. They don’t even smile.”

More: 3 Women with Nontraditional Family Dynamics Show How Communal Care Works for Them

Talk about a reality check. How do you think your children would grade you on the happiness scale?

Think about it. Our children usually don't do what we tell them to do, but they always do as we do, even when they say, "I will never say that to my child," or "I will never do that with my children." I would wager big money that in 10 to 15 years, they will be doing and saying the exact same things they swore they would never do or say. And this is why it is so important to make your happiness as the parent your No. 1 priority.

Taking care of yourself — your physical, mental and spiritual well-being — is paramount to teaching your children how to value themselves. They need to see you tend to your own happiness so they will know it's OK to take time for themselves, to do whatever it is that makes them feel recharged, refreshed and happy with how they show up in the world, and more important, to those who matter most.

More: This Mom's Viral Post About Front-Load Washing Machines Is a Warning to All Parents

In a nutshell, your child's adulthood happiness depends on your happiness right now. The happier you are, the more energy and ease you will have to literally swaddle your child in warmth and caring.

Originally published on Fairygodboss.

Just when you thought the royal kids of Prince William and Kate Middleton couldn't get any cuter, along comes evidence to the contrary. Case in point? Prince George's beyond-precious official photo to celebrate his fifth birthday on Sunday.

More: Prince George Is Turning 5! Here Are His Best (and Worst) Gifts

Kensington Palace unveiled Prince George's royal cuteness on its social media accounts, saying, "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to share a new photograph of Prince George to mark his fifth birthday -- thank you everyone for your lovely messages."

Young George looks dapper in navy blue shorts and a complementary white shirt with blue piping! The official photo was taken in the garden at Clarence House in London by photographer Matt Porteous. According to Us Weekly, the photo was taken on another special occasion: the July 9 christening of George's baby brother, Prince Louis. 

More: Prince George's Cutest Moments of All Time

The eldest of Kate and William's kids, George is reportedly "very protective" of his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and little Prince Louis. Per Us Weekly's source, George is your typical five-year-old (you know, as typical as a royal kid can be) and "loves anything on wheels." 

Although Princess Charlotte has been stealing headlines lately for her cheeky behavior, George has had his fair share of media-monopolizing moments as well since his birth in 2013. It was his birth — the birth of Britain's new heir — that set off the global fascination with Kate and William's growing family. 

He has since wooed the world on numerous occasions, including his first day of nursery school, meeting the Obamas, attending royal family functions and, of course, welcoming his siblings into the family. On May 19 of this year, young George served as a page boy in the wedding of his uncle, Prince Harry, and his new aunt, Meghan Markle. 

More: Prince George Already Has a Non-King Backup Plan

In short, Prince George is growing by leaps and bounds, and his newest official birthday photo is proof. Even George's famous father can't help but marvel over how fast his firstborn is transitioning from baby to big boy. 

"William says they have surprisingly deep conversations these days and his view of the world is absolutely fascinating to him," an insider told Us Weekly. "I never thought I'd see the day when George is talking to me about the value of sharing or the importance of happiness. He's a bright boy!" 

Supergirl just made super-history. In a barrier-breaking development, transgender activist Nicole Maines has been cast on the CW drama as TV's first transgender superhero.

The big news, which was revealed on Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con, marks a monumental shift in representation and role parity for the LGBTQIA community. 

More: 7 Things You Need to Know About the Transgender Population

Maines will join Supergirl in its fourth season, which premieres this fall, and is set to star as Nia Nal (aka Dreamer). Per Teen Vogue, Nia is described as "a soulful young transgender woman with a fierce drive to protect others." She works at CatCo Worldwide Media, along with Supergirl herself, Kara Danvers. 

Speaking to Variety shortly after the historic casting was announced, Maines admitted she was excited and nervous in equal measure. 

"I haven't really wrapped my head around it," she said. "It feels fitting to say with great responsibility, comes great power. I'm nervous because I want to do it right." 

If Maines seems familiar, you may have seen her in the HBO documentary The Trans List. Or perhaps you read about her — in 2013, she helped set the precedent allowing trans people to use the bathroom of their choice. Maines is also the subject upon whom author Amy Ellis Nutt based her upcoming book Becoming Nicole.

More: Supergirl's Biggest Problem Is Kara's Constant Immaturity

The actor/activist also recently weighed in on the casting controversy surrounding cisgender actress Scarlett Johansson playing the lead role of a trans man in the film Rub and Tug (Johansson ultimately decided to step down from the role). 

"Cisgender actors don't take trans roles out of malice," Maines told Variety. "I think it's just failure to realize the context behind having cisgender people play transgender characters because we don't see the same issue with sexuality." 

Maines elaborated on the importance of that context, noting that cis actors playing trans characters does the community a major disservice. 

"And with trans folks, we have a lot of people accusing us of just playing dress-up for whatever reason, and that's not true. And so having trans people play trans roles shows that we are valid in our identity and we deserve to exist as we do. And so when we have cisgender actors play trans characters, it furthers that stereotype that we are playing dress-up, which is not true," she said.

More: Supergirl Fans Are Right to Hate on Tyler Hoechlin as Superman

Right now, though, Maines is celebrating a big win for the community with her Supergirl casting. 

"We can be whoever we want, we can do whatever we want, we can be superheroes, because in many ways we are," she told Variety, adding, "We've had trans representation in television for a while, but it hasn't been the right representation." 

Reality TV is about to get a whole lot more entertaining if the latest rumor about The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills turns out to be true. According to the buzz, Denise Richards could be joining the Bravo series for season nine. Dear TV gods, let this be true. 

Per Us Weekly, a source close to the actor confirmed that, yes, Richards will be signing a deal to come on board "next week at the latest." 

More: Denise Richards' Love for Charlie Sheen Must Be Unconditional

Although filming hasn't kicked off yet, certain details about the upcoming season are already known — like, for example, Richards' potential castmates. In June, Us Weekly revealed that Teddi Mellencamp would also be joining existing cast members Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley and Lisa Rinna. 

This wouldn't be Richards' first foray into reality TV, of course. From 2008 to 2009, she headlined her own reality series on E! called Denise Richards: It's Complicated. 

More: Lisa Vanderpump Wouldn't Leave Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Would She? 

RHOBH would be a logical progression of Richards' reality TV career, considering she is in fact a real housewife of Beverly Hills... well, sort of. The neighborhood fits the bill, and she was married to Charlie Sheen. However, that union ended dramatically in 2005 amid allegations from Richards that Sheen had physically abused and threatened her. 

Sheen and Richards have two children together, daughters Sam and Lola. In 2011, Richards adopted a third daughter, Eloise. 

As a single working mother of three, Richards would make a dynamic addition to RHOBH. And judging by recent events unfolding in the press, it wouldn't be a bad time to pick up another revenue stream. 

More: At Home With Denise Richards

In May, the actor was sued by Malibu stable Cross Creek Farm, which alleged that Richards had failed to pay for months' worth of boarding for her horses, Hansel and Lily. The total owed, according to People, was $47,667.05. 

If found guilty and the amount left unpaid, Richards would reportedly be at risk of losing her horses. However, according to The Blast, Richards has no intention of letting her equines go. The outlet reported that she enlisted Sheen to help settle the debt. 

Richards' reps have yet to respond to a request for comment. 

Former Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams recently took to Instagram to disclose that she was seeking inpatient help for depression and suicidal thoughts. On social media, women of color both praised her bravery and wished her well in her continued mental health journey while wondering what the world would be like if everyone who wanted or needed mental health services could get them. 

In a society that now has mental health on the tip of its tongue more than ever, women of color are having a parallel but nuanced conversation about access, social and cultural stigmas and other roadblocks that keep making mental health services a difficult terrain to navigate. 

Minorities & mental health

According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, Native Americans have the highest suicide rates compared to other populations in the United States. Additionally, only 8.6 percent of Asian-American adults are reported to have sought professional help with mental health challenges according to the American Psychological Association. 

Similarly, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention indicates that only 20 percent of Latino individuals with symptoms of a psychological disorder talk to a doctor about their concerns, and only 10 percent contact a mental health specialist. 

Furthermore, Black people are 20 percent more likely than the general population to live with mental health conditions like major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. These are just a few of the staggering statistics about people of color and mental health treatment. 

More: A Black Woman's Depression Story

Barriers to treatment

As difficult as it can be to even address mental health issues, wanting to seek treatment isn't enough. For many, accessing the help they need is beyond their reach.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness provides more insight into some of the roadblocks that stand between Black people and getting the mental health care they need, including our faith, spirituality and community factors, reluctance and inability to access mental health services and provider bias and inequality of care. 

Ashley Zachary, a self-employed, Black woman in her late 20s, has lived through most of these barriers to mental health access. She has had difficulty finding mental health care as an uninsured person, which has been exacerbated by the anxiety of knowing that most providers require payment out of pocket. 

Additionally, Zachary tells SheKnows that her preference of finding a Black woman therapist has made her search even harder. Although the internet and other resources make it easier now than it was in years past, she says that finding a provider is still not easy. 

“Even if I can’t go [to see a Black female therapist], seeing that Black women mental health professionals exist, are out there doing the Lord’s work, makes me feel better,” Zachary says.

From a provider perspective, Samantha*, a therapist with a quickly growing practice in an large metropolitan area, explains how important it is for her to be a resource for other women of color. She says she will, of course, treat anyone. She knows firsthand the difficulties — cultural and otherwise — that keep women of color off therapist's couches and out of treatment.

“When a woman of color comes and sees that commonality, she’s more likely to tell her friends that ‘I have a therapist who looks like me and shares my life experiences,’” she says.

For some, part of those life experiences can include the role that religion and community play in seeking mental health care. 

More: These Are the Signs of Depression

“Nobody talked about it in my family,” Zachary says, pointing out that she had to learn and navigate other family members’ own struggles with mental illness in addition to her own. 

Accessing assistance & care

Women of color are seeking support and help on social media and through myriad technologies that were not available even 15 years ago. Some women of color utilize Facebook groups and small in-person gatherings are places they feel they can go for support. 

While these methods of support are groundbreaking, helpful and fulfill a need in communities of color, it is clear there is a lot of ground to make up in getting mental health services to the people who need them. 

Therapy for Black Girls, a website run by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford fills in some gaps. Harden is a licensed psychologist in Georgia, and in addition to providing articles and other support through the therapy for Black girls site, she also provides a list of mental health professionals who specialize in supporting and treating Black women and girls.

In these cases, women of color are taking the reins and making support, care and treatment available for each other in ways those outside that demographic are not. Perhaps this will grow into mental health support for women of color coming from other demographics, but for right now, these women are doing it for themselves.

Queen Elizabeth II is a really good gift giver. According to The Daily Mail, Duke Harry and Duchess Meghan (née Markle) of Sussex have a new home at Windsor Castle. Not only does the property sound remarkable and the perfect spot for privacy, but it also has a ton of history.

More: The Royal Wedding Literally Took Oprah Winfrey's Breath Away

Apparently, Meghan and Harry can now also call Adelaide Cottage home. According to Daily Mail's source, Queen Elizabeth "offered the Grade II listed property to the newlyweds as a gift. The source claimed that the couple had been for a viewing, liked it and will move in soon."

No official comment has been given from the British royal family or Kensington Palace regarding Meghan and Harry's reported new property. 

The cottage sounds fabulous and exactly what the newlyweds need. Per The Daily Mail's source, "There are seven gated entrances and exits to Windsor Castle so the newlyweds could come and go without worrying about being photographed."

More: Meghan Markle & Queen Elizabeth II Take Their Relationship Public

The house is also reportedly near Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's private apartments at Windsor Castle and close to the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, which The Daily Mail notes Harry sometimes frequents.

As for the architecture of the cottage, the main bedroom apparently has "a coved ceiling with gilded dolphins and rope ornament from a 19th Century Royal yacht." Oh, and there is also reportedly a "marble Graeco-Egyptian fireplace." Adelaide Cottage is also quite historical and once had a well-known face living there, which The Crown fans will appreciate. Group Captain Peter Townsend, aka Princess Margaret's lover, resided here for some time. 

More: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Honeymoon Destination Was Finally Announced

In addition to Adelaide Cottage, the queen also reportedly gifted York Cottage to Meghan and Harry as a wedding present. In May, 9News in Australia reported the head of the royal family was expected to give the married duo this particular cottage at Sandringham Estate. Currently, Meghan and Harry are living at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, as it was first revealed upon their engagement in November 2017. 

Wherever Meghan and Harry decide to live permanently, it sure sounds like they have a lot of options.