Option 1: Don’t celebrate at all

Re-examine what the holidays — be they religious or cultural — mean to you. You may have heard that the company REI closes for Black Friday to encourage customers to “go outside.” "We think that Black Friday has gotten out of hand," said Jerry Stritzke, C.E.O. of the chain that specializes in outdoor and fitness gear. Maybe your family’s passive aggressive, overtly aggressive and simply wrong behavior has also gotten out of hand. Maybe you don’t have any close family to be with or have been through a family trauma and need some space. Winter is hard enough already, isn’t it? Maybe you just need to get away from it all.

There is a speaker from Al-Anon (a families and friends of alcoholics group), Father Tom W., who gives talks with names like, “How to live in the world with crazy people.” He is honest and funny, and while I don’t remember the exact quote, he mentioned a friend who dealt with Christian family holidays by traveling to non-Christian countries. The point he made was, if you keep seeing those people every year, who is the crazy one? Maybe it’s time to take a year or more off from all that nonsense. You can still do things that are fun for you and potentially enjoy some time off work, or out of town. Or sometimes just a day off at home — a mini staycation — is ideal.

You may choose this option on your own, and you may find there are more anti- or un-holiday folks in your midst than you had realized.

Option 2: Celebrate with family — on your terms

You think they are crazy, they think you are crazy — and that’s how it is. Maybe you want to be a fire-walker and see them anyway. That’s your choice. If you go into that fire, wear your own homemade protective gear, or get some upgrades from a therapist or good friend on how to bring a cloud of self-love with you when you go into unfriendly places full of old landmines. If you’re into mindfulness meditation or guided imagery, I recommend this short “sacred pause” guided awareness activityfrom Tara Brach. Or, if you have time, try this longer talk on self-love by Buddhist teacher James Baraz, who I was lucky enough to hear speak in Richmond, Virginia.

Maybe the people you are with for the holidays honestly aren’t your favorite people. Knowing that is OK — because reality is better than pretending sometimes. Maybe you love them, and maybe you’re not sure about that — maybe you love them to death, but they are infuriating. You know how they say, "Put on your own oxygen mask first." You really don’t want to go into a charged family scenario without your oxygen mask. Make self-care a priority and see who you want, when you want, for as long as you want. Your needs, schedule and voice are important, right? Be your own delegate at the great table and maintain your bubble of personal space.

You don’t have to take on any invitation to argue that is thrown your way. You can listen to yourself and try to respond in a way that feels right for you. You can be imperfect. For some people, taking lots of walks, watching TV or cooking can help get them through an uncomfortable or scathingly awkward day with family.

Option 3: Create your own traditions

The holidays have all been made up by various people, so make up your own! Celebrate the Last Taco Night of December or the First New Socks of January. You may have heard of or celebrated a “Friendsgiving,” which is a friend-oriented Thanksgiving celebration. Another great example of a unique holiday plan in New York City is to let Humans of New York find you a Christmas family, a program set up by the über-popular photography and contemporary sidewalk anthropology site Humans of New York. Some people may choose to volunteer, go skinny dipping in icy water, dress like a naughty elf or stay in their pajamas all day watching any show in which there are British accents while drinking Bailey’s and hot chocolate.

The point is, you have one sweet and sour life that is all your own. If the traditions created by the humans who have come before you aren’t really your thing, don’t feel the need to be tied down by them. By being creative and true to yourself in how you spend your winter holidays, you may be creating more wiggle room for those around you and those yet to come as well.

So, do what you want.

Don't you hate it when you're getting ready to trim the Thanksgiving turkey, reaching deep inside its cavity to pull out all of that delicious stuffing, only to learn that the poor thing was pregnant? There is truly nothing sadder than reaching into a turkey and pulling out a little baby turkey.

Good thing it could never really happen. Just don't tell that to the poor prank victim in this video from two years ago, who is so upset over the prospect of murdered baby birds that she forgets that turkeys, like all birds, lay eggs.

Or that all turkeys, including baby turkeys, have, you know, heads. You have to appreciate how dedicated the mother is to this prank. She keeps the camera trained on her daughters and doesn't break character even once until her gullible daughter starts sobbing. It almost seems cruel. But more than that, it's hilarious. And you should definitely do it.

More: Woman selling a sofa on Facebook falls for cruel prank

Using the same basic principle of turducken, it's pretty easy to pull this classic prank on your own family members this year. All you need is a turkey, small fowl, like a Cornish game hen or squab, and a sucker. Just place the smaller bird inside the cavity of the big one, cover it with stuffing, and let the oven work its magic. Then, ask your unsuspecting victim to unstuff the bird when it's finished cooking, and enjoy the look on their face when they realize they're responsible for cooking a turkey that was in the family way. Have they no heart? Fortunately salty tears make a wonderful brine for a more succulent Thanksgiving turkey.

More: Prankster dad fills entire house with thousands of plastic balls

We'd also like to recommend that you go ahead and ratchet this prank up to 11 by stuffing your "baby" bird with a hard-boiled egg, because double the trauma, double the fun! Don't forget to get a video of whichever gullible patsy you pull this on. Together, we can make the pregnant turkey prank a Thanksgiving tradition.

More: 10 Ways you're cooking your turkey wrong

And remember, kids: If someone is really invested in having you scoop the stuffing out of a turkey-hole, they could be trying to pull one over on you. Don't fall for it.

I was looking through his cellphone in an attempt to figure out why he wasn't receiving group texts when a text message came in from a young lady that included a picture. On the top of his phone, there was a flash of vulva followed by the words “I’m wet.”

My husband was sitting nearby but didn't see what I had. I stared at him and made a weird noise.

“What?" he asked. I explained what I saw but told him not to look. It didn't seem appropriate to show him a picture of a minor's genitalia. But that didn't stop me from searching through my son's phone to see what had been going on between them.

More: My kids are definitely going to sext, and that's OK

It turned out this young lady, who was a few months shy of turning 18, was the only one sending pictures. My son, who at the time was barely 13, didn’t seem to know what to do with the pictures and messages, because his usual reply to her was “Wow” or “Nice,” with the occasional “Mmmm.”

This girl was apparently stringing along a steady boyfriend in her own grade while promising my son, a freshman in high school, that she loved him the most. She played the needy, clingy sex-nymph character as if it were a script, written just for her.

I read my husband the texts and felt Mama Bear kick in full-force.

When we finally confronted my son, we could see he was horrified, but he also felt very attached to this girl, swearing he was “in love with her.” It turned out that after school, the two would often walk home together, stopping in the park to make out passionately before parting ways.

I knew it would be near impossible to keep them from one another, especially since they saw each other every day at school and rode the same (and only) bus.

There was one more complication. The girl’s father was one of my husband’s bosses — a really mean one, too.

It was a unique, delicate situation that required discretion. We didn’t want to create a bigger problem by disclosing what had been found. But we also didn’t want our son to communicate with that girl any longer.

I knew telling my son and the young lady to stay away from one another wouldn’t work. They might nod and agree, then secretly continue to meet and exchange messages. It’s what I did as a kid and what many teenagers do. I had to find a way to scare them enough to keep them apart, but keep the upper hand so that they would maintain their distance.

I decided to do some research, looking up the laws for child pornography in our state. I printed and highlighted two copies, and told my son to call the girl and tell her to come over to our house.

More: How to create a cellphone contract for kids

When she sat down, I introduced myself and my husband, and I handed her and my son the highlighted state laws. I asked them to read them quietly and let me know when they were done.

When they finished reading, I explained that I had discovered the text messages and pictures that she was sending our son, and that according to the laws, they constituted distribution and possession of child pornography. I explained to both of them that even though they are minors, it was still illegal, and I pointed out the penalties for such crimes.

Both kids looked terrified (as they should have).

Then I said to the young lady, “Since you are very close to turning 18, any sexual contact you have with my son can be reported as abuse. I will not hesitate to call the police and file a report against you. If you were to be convicted, you would be a registered sexual offender.”

At the time, we were living in Virginia, and the state laws were clear: Any possession of pornographic images of a person under 18 years of age was considered a Class 6 felony, making them eligible for a prison sentence of five to 30 years. In the Commonwealth, no distinction was made between adults and minors who possessed pornography, meaning teens who sexted were committing serious crimes.

She looked down at her hands and almost cried.

I asked the young lady to promise me she would no longer communicate with my son in any way, and in return, I would not tell her parents or call the police. She readily and happily agreed. She also apologized profusely. I told her that she had the potential to have a great life, but making choices like this could do more harm than she could imagine. I encouraged her to think twice about sending nude images via text or email because they live forever on the Internet and may cause her embarrassment in the future.

Before she left, I gave her a hug and wished her well. It wasn't easy — but I felt it was the right thing to do.

As punishment, my son lost his phone and Internet access for six months, and when his privileges were reinstated, they came with the caveat that we have every password to every account, and would regularly monitor his interactions.

Thankfully, the young woman moved away shortly after her 18th birthday and, as promised, never contacted my son again — except to leave one note in his locker that said, "You have a really nice mom. I’m sorry for getting us in trouble. I’m glad we met and I’ll miss you, but we have to do what’s right. Take care.”

More: Is she a honey or a hussy? When you don't like your son's girlfriend

In the end we learned something important: Keep a level head when you find your child has engaged in something as serious as sexting. Also, use the laws to your advantage. While our method of dealing with this sensitive subject may not have been ideal (I realize that now) it was the best way we felt we could handle it at the time. Whatever you do, make sure you prioritize your child’s safety above all else. And while you’re at it, you may want to check their phones now and then.

We all can imagine a day in Futureland, where turkeys are made entirely of their more succulent appendages, but alas, with that deliciousness comes a great deal of sacrificed dignity.

1. Leg lust

Finally, after hours of cooking or awkward conversation with a cousin in inexplicable cargo jorts, whose name you're unsure of and you are too embarrassed to ask afterward, it's time to eat. You sit, perhaps primly, gazing over the spread and deciding what you'll eat: biscuits (yes), sweet potatoes (hell yes), green bean casserole (eh), cranberry sauce (hard pass). That's when you see it: Glistening with deliciousness and the tastiest shade of golden brown, a sexy turkey leg. Two of them.

2. Attempting to kill an interloper with a dirty look

Oh, crap. Cousin Jorts is eyeing up your prize. Better stare him down. Don't hold back. Funnel all the hatred you felt crawling down I-95 in bumper-to-bumper traffic with all those people who didn't seem to understand what an indicator was for, and focus it on the man who is wearing denim cutoffs in late November. Yes, feel the rage. Oh, no. You felt too much rage, and now you've gone and given him the finger. Are those tears? Abort, abort!

3. Volunteering to carve the turkey

To distract from your faux pas, volunteer to carve the turkey. How hard can it be? Your idiot sister-in-law did it last year, so you're guessing not so hard.

4. Regretting volunteering to carve the turkey

Dammit, it is hard. How can someone who thinks nuclear is pronounced "nuke-you-lurr" and passes on Facebook sisterhood chain letters have been so adept at handling sharp objects? Then there's the leg: Once you get to it, you're going to have to wrestle with turkey corpse to separate bone from socket, which is a) gross, and b) impossible. Watch in dismay as practically half your bounty is left attached to the turkey's butt.

More: The 8 stages of hosting Thanksgiving for the first time

5. Soothing your shame of failure with the comforting thought of delicious dark meat

Whatever. You have turkey leg on your plate now, so your job is done. Pass the knife to Jorts, pretend you're going to high-five him, leave him hanging anyway, and think about how your mouth is about to be really happy.

6. Pretending that you might attempt some sort of graceful drumstick handling

You use a delicate pincer grasp to lift the bird appendage to your mouth, and immediately realize your mistake. Your grasp is tenuous, your fingers, slick. You have two choices: Admit early defeat, and place the leg back on your plate, or abandon all pretense and shove this mofo in your mouth, stat.

7. The initial greasy stage

Good girl. You chose the undignified option. There is no dignity at Thanksgiving. Just ask your aunt and uncle, who are whisper-fighting about what sounds like an office affair not two seats down from where your drunk older brother is slumped face-first in the gravy. This is when you realize that the thing that makes dark meat so moist is what appears to be about 6 liters of pure meat grease.

8. Gnawing through crispy skin

What is this made of? Kevlar? You can't get a good grip, and you're sorely wishing you'd worn your retainer all those years ago. Quick! Puncture it with a canine! Yes! Now we're cooking with gas.

More: The 10 stages of making pancakes we can all relate to

9. Finding your first bit of gristle

Ugh! There's nothing like the telltale crunch of tooth on cartilage or the unmistakable twang of a snapped tendon to remind you that this turkey used to be an actual animal as opposed to a tasty meat morsel. Ew, it's so gross. Gag a little, then muscle through it because this is turkey leg we're talking about, dammit.

10. Becoming a repulsive caricature of your former self

At some point you realize that everyone who isn't wasted is fighting, so take this opportunity to turn full Gollum, and just tear this bad boy apart, picking at it with your fingers, tearing chunks off with your teeth, sucking bits out from under your fingernails... Girl, you do you.

More: Thanksgiving games to keep kids from driving you crazy

11. Confusion

You've been eating for what feels like hours, and yet you don't feel particularly full. How can that be? Oh. Turns out turkey legs are a culinary lie — meager bits of tasty meat propped up by lumpy bits of gristle and welded onto the knobbly bits of the bone.

12. Defeat

Forget this turkey leg. Seriously. Jorts is already on seconds over there, so swallow your pride, and ask for whatever other meat there is. What's that, Jorts? Just the neck? You're giving Jorts the finger again. Better just slink away.

13. The final greasy stage

You are covered in bits of meat butter, have alienated half your family and don't know if the relationship you have with your cousin will ever be the same again. A fine sheen of turkey sweat covers every inch of exposed skin and... Hey, what's that on your plate? Oh yeah, the other turkey leg!

14. Leg lust

That's when you see it: Glistening with deliciousness and the tastiest shade of golden brown, a sexy turkey leg...

SheKnows caught up with Rodriguez, who explained that he owed each of his boys — Lance is 8, and Christopher is 5 — a Transformer toy for the outstanding work they had done in school for the past three weeks. He knew that Lance had shown an interest in filming reviews of his toys, so Rodriguez suggested they do an "unboxing" video of their rewards. "We're a playful bunch, so I said, why not get a quick laugh?" he said. "I replaced the toy in Christopher's box with a bag of beans, which he hates eating, and I replaced the toy in Lance's box with a bag of celery, which he won't eat."

More: I won't help my kid with her homework, even if it means she gets it wrong

The results were definitely over the top, which Rodriguez expected. "They can get very dramatic when they're upset or are totally expressing themselves, so I was sure it would be good," he told SheKnows.

It was very good. The kids are quite outraged, with Lance shouting about how hard he'd worked for his reward. Both are soon mollified, however, by their dad giving them the toys they'd earned.

Rodriguez says the reactions he's getting from the video are pretty varied. Some think it's hilarious, but not everyone does. "Some say that the kids are spoiled for crying and that I reinforced that behavior by giving them their toys," he said. "I don't think so, for they did work pretty hard to deserve to be given the toys." He notes that they don't typically act like that when they don't get what they want, so he couldn't really be mad at them for freaking out in a such a big way — after all, they worked hard and were really looking forward to their rewards.

More: 8 Tips to help your child become an independent learner

The Rodriguez family places a lot of emphasis on respect, hard work and doing well in school. "The reason I push my kids is because, without exaggeration, I grew up with people that were very dangerous in the late '80s and early '90s — Jamaica, Queens, New York, when it was a drug-infested haven for violence, robbery and prostitution," he told SheKnows. "Just to give you an example, a local junior high school teacher smoked crack in my neighborhood. Some of my peers ended up dead, in prison, on the street or simply unemployable. I know that could happen to anybody, and education is the only escape from a life of utter despair."

He says that he, as such, has a vested interest in his sons' schoolwork, monitors their homework and has even taken to YouTube to educate himself on Common Core methods, since (as with many parents) this was not the process used when he was growing up. He has instituted a pretty efficient rewards system as well. "What I will do, at times, is offer to reward them after behaving for a couple of weeks," he explains. "When I place the order, it takes a week or two to get here, and they know they have to behave while the toy is in transit — otherwise, they won't get it. This probably happens around five or six times a year, and they have to really work for it."

More: 4 Times you need to let your kids fail

So this really cute, over-the-top video is the result of a system that two parents have put in place to help their boys grow up in the best way possible. Rodriguez knows what hard work can do to change the course of someone's life — he says he is living proof of that — and he wants to keep giving his kids the chance to excel and have fun while they're at it.

Before we get into it, let's have a quick review of what happened during the last episode of Below Deck. The CliffsNotes version, if you will.

• Amy Johnson told Lucas that Dakota was telling people they had sex.
• Lucas freaked out and denied it, even though we viewers knew it happened.
• Lucas approached Dakota, but she just hid under a blanket in her bed like a weirdo.
• The whole gang went out for a last hurrah and Lucas got drunk and told everyone that he and Dakota "f***ed."
• Dakota laughed like a maniac and kept saying that it "was awesome."
• Dakota and Lucas had a few weird conversations where Lucas admitted that he seriously messed up/wants nothing to do with Dakota.

More: Below Deck: 8 Things we hope to see in the Season 3 reunion

Needless to say, it was strange, and most of us were left wondering so many things, including what on earth is going on with Lucas and his girlfriend back home now. But! Here's where things get really weird: According to Dakota, Lucas has texted her since the show wrapped/before the Below Deck reunion. Is she telling the truth?

More: Captain Lee gives his sassy but definitive thoughts on everyone's most-hated chief stew

If you take a leisurely stroll on over to the "Where are they now?" Below Deck page on Bravo.com, you'll see what most of the Season 3 cast members are up to. When Dakota is asked, she gives a seriously long, seriously rambling answer that makes it seem as though she never thought her words were going to be seen by human eyes.

In addition to revealing that she spent time "crushing" Europe with her "hot model friends" over the summer and how she contemplated opening a food truck in Hawaii, Dakota claims the following: that Emile Kotze visited her in California; that Connie Arias "calls her constantly"; that she and Kate Chastain may become best friends; that she has cooked for Captain Lee and his wife; and that Lucas texted her and "really loves her." It's beyond strange — especially since Captain Lee and Arias flat-out deny Dakota's claims and since Kotze made no mention of ever visiting Dakota in California in his interview. But, the thing about Lucas... hmm... that's actually kind of believable.

Lucas wasn't interviewed for the piece, but it goes without saying that we'll hear from him about this at the reunion. It also sort of goes without saying that he'll deny it, just like he denied sleeping with Dakota in the first place. Like many people, I'm not the biggest fan of Dakota, but the way in which Lucas denied hooking up with her at first was just plain scary. He was so adamant. So convincing! And being that he was definitely the saner one out of the pair, it's likely that everyone would have believed him, were their rendezvous not caught on tape.

More: Below Deck's Kate Chastain: 7 Reasons she makes the show worth watching

I've always been a fan of Lucas and, again, I'm not exactly president of the I Heart Rocky fan club, but I don't know. As bat-crap crazy as her little interview on Bravo is, I tend to believe her that Lucas has texted her, if for no reason other than to get on her good side before the reunion.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist — or a moron — to know that Dakota is going to get killed on the reunion. Not only did everyone have it out for her during the season — for good reasons (her not working, her complaining, etc.), she's been talking crap about everyone on social media, which doesn't bode well. However, that said, I'm nervous for the girl. The way Lucas treated Dakota and bad-mouthed her after they had sex was pretty sleazy, and yet she's still the odd one out.

If Lucas denies texting Dakota, it's going to be pretty hard to believe him. That said, if he did, no doubt Dakota saved the messages. In which case, he'll look like a big ol' liar. Again.

What did you think of Dakota?

Paquin was bashed for looking fat and/or pregnant as well as slammed because haters thought her hair color was too dark against her fair skin tone.

More: Anna Paquin wants bisexuality to be normal and mundane

Well, Paquin wasn't interested in hearing any of it, and she rightfully took to Twitter to express her disgust at the comments.

This is far from the first time Paquin has spoken out about body issues in Hollywood.

More: Ariel Winter slams body shamers with the perfect pic (PHOTO)

In a 2010 interview with Self, Paquin explained that body image triggers were a part of the job in Hollywood.

"People don’t have to tell you overtly that it’s better 'for you to be smaller.' It's one of those things that’s instilled in you, that it’d be really unfortunate for you to not fit the sample size. I think that’s a shame," she said at the time. "If you’re not in shape and you don’t look a certain way you might not get the parts you want. If the character is written as hot and fit, yeah, of course you feel some pressure to make sure you look that way, whether that’s right or wrong. I wish it wasn’t an aspect of the job, but I’d be lying if I said it isn’t something I think about."

More: Pink just slammed body-shamers in a hilarious but positive way

She's also far from the first celeb to take a stand against body shaming as of late. Victoria's Secret model Bridget Malcolm recently took to Instagram to fight against skinny shamers and Ariana Grande fired back at rude comparisons.

How do you think celebs should handle the influx of Internet hate?

But now the sculpted concept has jumped to another part of the head: your hair. Hair contouring, a term coined by Marc Trinder, a U.K.-based stylist and art director at Charles Worthington, refers to the method of placing hair color in a way that uses light and shadows to alter the appearance of the face. So how exactly does this trend work? We tapped the minds of colorist Miguel Angarita from Mizu Hair Salon in New York City and Nick Penna, owner and lead stylist of SalonCapri in Boston, to get the details.

“Hair contouring is when you apply highlights and lowlights — so dark and light tones — on your hair to actually contour your face, similar to makeup contouring,” explains Angarita.

More: Peacock hair color on women is gorgeous and captivating

Using your hair to accentuate your face? Can this be? “As a colorist, you can apply color to parts of the hair — most commonly, with face framing highlights to highlight and accentuate features,” Angarita insists. “You can also use it to alter face shape to seem slimmer and more defined.”

How it works and how to ask your stylist for it

There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to hair contouring. The trend is based on the idea of strategically placed highlights and lowlights, so first, it’s important to think about color. The combination of highlights and shadows is what makes hair contouring work.

“A light color shade draws the eyes towards the area and a darker shade (placed near a lighter shade) works to draws the eyes away from that area,” explains Penna. “Overall, hair contouring is meant to be subtle and natural looking. There should never be a major difference between the lighter and darker shades that your stylists will use,” he adds.

More: Smokestack hair color trend is worth obsessing over for fall (VIDEO)

Needless to say, as a form of highlights, this more intricate balayage technique requires an experienced colorist that can literally "paint" on your highlights or lowlights on very specific parts of your hair — i.e., this isn’t a ‘do you can try with an at-home kit. You need someone to match up colors just right.

Secondly, as anyone who’s had a great highlight job (or worse, a bad one) knows, the placement of the highlights is everything. And not only is the placement key, but like a good cut, it should vary based on your unique face shape.

“Go into the salon and talk to your stylist about your face shape. What you like about the shape and what areas may bother you a bit,” says Penna. “The goal of hair contouring is to help a woman highlight her best features or hide the ones that may make her a little self-conscious.”

Thinking of trying the hair contouring trend for your next salon visit? Because face shape is critical in hair contouring, we’ve created this cheat sheet to help you know how to ask your stylist for the perfect ‘do specifically for you.

Round faces

Those with a round face generally have very strong bone structure but wish to elongate their face. Ask your stylist to apply light tones around the hairline, from ear to ear and then paint on darker tones underneath the ears and toward the lower ends of the hair. “This brightens and elongates the face, while giving your face more of a point,” says Angarita.

More: The best hairstyles for round faces

Oval faces

Those with a more oval shape can have a bit of fun with their contouring. “An oval shape is really most people’s ideal face shape, so hair contouring for someone with an oval shape may end up being painted strands all around the face and roots in an effort to just brightening up the face and skin tone and to make it look a little thicker,” says Penna. To accentuate an oval face, ask your colorist to add depth with a thick texture and shine.

More: Makeup tips for oval faces

Square faces

Those with a square face have a more prominent jaw and have wider facial features, and similar to a round face, the goal with contouring is to elongate. “Colorists should use multi-tonal layers of light and dark highlights or lowlights that are applied to the corners of the face and around the jawline and temples, says Angarita. This will soften facial lines and add more depth to the face, adding overall balance and highlighting the facial structure, he adds. Specifically, ask your colorist for darker shades right next to the face or cheeks to draw the eyes up and down and lighter shades towards the top of the head and at the end of the strands.

More: The right pixie cut for your face shape

Heart-shaped faces

Finally, those with a heart-shaped face should aim to make their faces appear more oval and widen the jaw area. To do this with color, ask your colorist to weave light highlighted pieces around the jawline, ears and tips to soften the bottom half of the face and reserve darker shades for the roots.

But don't worry — they're happy tears.

More: Sister Wives: Did Meri give the other wives an STD?

The kids are now officially part of the polygamist family, which includes Brown's four wives and their now 17 children.

Interviewer Tamron Hall was shocked by Brown's emotion, explaining that she'd never seen him cry before.

"The adoption, there's a sense with the feeling that, you know, everything is so perfectly right," Brown explained in between tears.

"You know what, it was magical," Brown said of the experience. "It was just so, so surreal and I was spinning and it was like, 'Hey listen, there's two lottery tickets left and one of them's the million dollar winner,' and I'm just waiting for the other foot to drop."

More: Sister Wives' Janelle and Meri enter therapy to deal with their drama

Check out the full sneak peek of Brown's emotional moment below.

Despite Kody's obvious joy, his wife Meri was notably quiet.

Meri legally divorced Kody so that he could legally marry Robyn to adopt her children. Though the two insist they are still spiritually married, Meri was caught up in a catfishing scandal that has everyone wondering about the status of their relationship.

More: Sister Wives: 6 Reasons Meri should leave the family

"I was dealing with a lot of other external issues during the whole filming of this season," Meri explained as to why she wasn't as present throughout the adoption. She agreed there was some detachment but "not because of the family."

She is, no doubt, alluding to her catfishing scandal and how that relationship unfolded in a surprising and hurtful way.

Sister Wives airs Sunday at 9/8c on TLC.

Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian had their wedding entirely planned. All the details were arranged. Their friends and family were looking forward to a catered meal at a beautiful venue. They were all set to revel in tradition and get hitched the way so many other happy couples do. But then the couple thought about the amount they were spending on their wedding. They decided to cut back to a city hall wedding with a small gathering afterwards and donate all the money they would have spent to the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge.

Wow. They managed to raise $17,500 for the charity, which helps settle Syrian refugees by hooking them up with families who can sponsor them. They even asked that, in lieu of gifts, their guests give to the cause. Pretty impressive.

More: Jilted bride-to-be ruins her wedding dress in the best way

This is the kind of thing that makes you realize that the wedding industry in our culture has become out of control. Bear in mind: It costs as much for two people to get married as it does for a family of four from Syria to get settled in a new country and be fed. It seems like a no-brainer, right?

When you think about what weddings are all about, it sort of makes it clear that a couple like this has a much better chance at long term happiness than a couple who spends $50,000 on a wedding they treat like the most important thing in the world. Perspective, people. It's just a day.

More: Bride presents dad with "Certificate of Purity" on her wedding day

Through their generosity, a family will now be saved. An entire family. And guess what? They still get to be married. They still get all the love and joy. They just also get the warmth that comes from feeling like they did something for others to celebrate their union. That has to feel a lot better than any carving station or centerpiece.

Congratulations to this couple. They are starting off on the right foot, indeed.

The cuteness factor makes it worth the time and, luckily, one of our favorite nail art experts, Miss Pop, helped create this awesome turkey design. She broke it down into steps that are fairly straightforward. Bit by bit, step by step, you can design the heck out of these turkey nails.

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A new Kickstarter campaign created by a group called LIVIN Farms wants to produce the first edible insect desktop farm, and it has raised $65,000 of its $100,000 budget so far.

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That's right — portable worm farms are ready to slot onto your kitchen counter, in between the toaster and the blender, so you can begin incorporating mealworms into your diet as your main source of protein.

With factory farming and the dine-out, eat-out culture we currently live in, it's difficult to keep up with what's actually in our foods and where it comes from, says designer Katharina Unger.

And since many of us live in apartments or smaller properties, the idea of raising our own protein sources is near impossible. But Unger says that's all about to change, especially if you can stomach the idea of little worms on your dinner plate, in your salad and on the end of your fork.

The United Nations even suggests that eating insects is the perfect answer to feeding the world's growing population.

It's expected that by 2050 there will be 9 billion people on the planet, according the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization report, Edible Insects.

To cope with that population growth, current food production would have to double — something that would contribute to environmental issues, pollution and land scarcity.

"We need to find new ways of growing food," the U.N.'s report said. But are bugs really the answer?

More: Top 10 weird foods you should try

It certainly seems like a good option, especially since bugs don't emit greenhouse gases and can survive on organic waste, meaning they don't contribute to the huge resources needed to farm grains, which feed livestock.

"One third of valuable fertile croplands are currently used only to feed the grains harvested to animals," the Kickstarter campaign reads.

"While seeking alternatives to industrially produced foods, many of us would prefer to avoid GMOs or pumping animals full of hormones."

Some restaurateurs have even caught on to the idea, with Britain's first insect-only restaurant opening in Wales this month.

The aptly named restaurant Grub Kitchen promotes the use of sustainable local produce as well as the use and consumption of edible insects. It hopes to give people a "full understanding of the nutritional benefits and positive environmental implications behind this novel and innovative new food."

What do you think? Would you give edible insects a go? Let us know.

More: You don't want to know how these foods are made

Warning: Major spoilers about last night's Scandal below. Do not continue reading unless you want to know all the crazy details about what went down.

More: Scandal theories: What's in store next for Olivia and Fitz?

As The Huffington Post wrote in its poignant article about the reproductive rights story line, the scene, although brief, was a stark departure from the show's now trademark valiant monologues. In fact, there was very little dialogue.

In the moment, Mellie filibusters for reproductive rights while Olivia gets an abortion, all set to "Silent Night" in the background. But this scene didn't need words. Just because it was short didn't mean it wasn't one of the most riveting moments in the show's history and in television's history, for that matter.

Our country is deeply divided on the issue of reproductive rights. But the show didn't shy away from the controversy, though in Rhimes' fashion, she clearly let you know that she disagrees with the more conservative arguments.

And people were stunned.

But that shock's not a bad thing.

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Whether those feelings of shock were from a place of deep appreciation or disagreement, it was impossible to turn from this episode and not have a sincere and moving reaction.

Shock gets people talking. Shock helps educate the ignorant. And, hopefully, that shock will lead to some important revelations for some people who might not have previously realized that women's reproductive rights aren't just important but vital to have a healthy society.

The way Rhimes presented Olivia's story in that episode was also brilliant. Not once did Olivia say she was pregnant, and we had no idea what she was doing at the clinic until she laid down on the table. She didn't even confirm she'd had an abortion or tell Fitz about the experience. And she also didn't seem to regret the decision at all.

The significance wasn't that Olivia had this huge decision to make that deserved to be stewed over for episode after episode, but rather that she had the choice. She didn't want to be a mom. She wasn't ready to be with Fitz forever in that capacity. So she made the decision that was right for her.

Whether you agree with abortion or not is your own personal prerogative. That's the whole point! We all get to have a say in it and make the decision for ourselves based on our own moral compass.

And a woman making the decision to get an abortion can be not shocking.

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She can make the decision and then go on with her day to the next issue that needs to be tackled.

The point is she gets to make the decision.

What did you think of Scandal's reproductive rights-themed episode?

His status pops up on your feed all the time, he's always the first suggestion when you're tagging photos, and your mutual friends start looking like your only friends, at least online. But what happens if that relationship ends? Before now, not a whole lot. Despite you having reverted your status back to "single," Facebook didn't seem to acknowledge the huge emotional shift that just occurred. You would have to actively untag yourself from all your photos together, and, in some cases, block your ex's activity completely.

However, thanks to a little sensitivity over at Facebook, the act of breaking up online just got much easier. The powers that be have now put a whole new set of preferences in place so you don't have to continue to be bombarded by your ex's social media presence. Breaking up is hard enough, and there's no reason it should be all on you to build up some social separation when you need it most.

More: Long-awaited Facebook 'Dislike' button gets a thumbs-down

You'll still have to face the "oh no what happened?!" comments from your friends when you make the status change, but from there, Facebook will jump in and give you a hand. You will be prompted to edit how much you want to see of your former significant other, and this includes status updates, photos and event attendance. So if he just friended six new ladies at the concert you and he were supposed to go to together, you don't have to know about it.

The greatest thing about this new feature is that it allows you to see less of your former partner without them being any the wiser. So it's not like you're outright blocking or un-friending them, just electronically uncoupling from them, as Gwyneth Paltrow might call it. Of course, if you want to keep stalking your ex online, Facebook gives you that option too, no matter how unhealthy it may be.

More: 5 Reasons to unfriend someone on Facebook

Facebook will also do its best to stop suggesting you tag your former sig-o in your photos. The last thing you'd want when you're uploading your first picture of you and your new beau is for Facebook to assume it's your ex, right? Although I suppose tagging him as your new main squeeze would be a pretty full-proof way to show him you've moved on and make him crazy jealous. Not that I'm trying to give you any ideas! Plus, if you want to untag yourself from all the old photos and posts you had with your ex without going through them one by one, Facebook gives you that option too.

You can also limit what your ex sees of your posts, both past and present, regardless of his current privacy settings. Or you can still decide to go the old route of picking and choosing which posts he sees and which ones he doesn't, so he knows you finally got that promotion, but not that you spent all last weekend drinking wine alone and watching Gilmore Girls reruns with your cats.

More: Facebook is trying to save you from falling for joke articles

Now if only we could edit accidental run-ins at local restaurants and parks like this, then everything would be just perfect!

Australians are fond of the odd class, or seven, from time to time. But while we may be known as beer guzzlers, wine may now be our national drink of choice.

We drink it on winery tours in the Barossa Valley, we buy it as a gift when we don't know what else to get, and for some, it's the perfect addition to a quiet night in or a nice accompaniment to a picnic on the weekend.

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But for those with a particular penchant for plonk, this might be hard to take in. Apparently we've been drinking it all wrong, especially when it comes to red wine.

When you order a glass of wine at a restaurant, do you ask for it to be served on ice? No? Well, that's the problem right there.

According to local wine producer Taylors, 80 per cent of Australians drink their wine at room temperature. Now, that would be fine, except sometimes room temperature can get up to a stifling 30 degrees C in some parts of the country, and that just won't do when it comes to a fine glass of wine.

If we were drinking our glasses of red in Europe, on the other hand, then leaving a bottle at room temperature would be fine, because on average, it'd probably be a brisk 14 degrees C.

But can this difference in temperature actually pose a threat to the taste and quality of your favourite bottle? Absolutely! The temperature a bottle of wine is kept at can drastically affect how it matures.

"The reason for this is the organic reactions that take place in the wine are governed by some basic laws of chemistry, including one that says reactions occur more quickly as temperature increases," says WineMinder.

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"In fact, these reaction typically double in speed for every 10 degrees increase in temperature. So add 10 degrees and the rate doubles; add another 10 and it's four times as high as before."

If the wine is stored at excessively high temperatures, over 30 degrees C, for example, the wine can actually be completely ruined within just hours. Those bottles of red wine are not going to last an Australia summer unless they're in the fridge, that's for sure.

If drinking chilled red wine is a bit hard for you to swallow, then perhaps try these crisp wine varieties. They're not as robust as your Bordeaux and might just be light enough to get you to give it a try.

• Tempranillo: Tempranillo is an early-ripened variety which is light on the palate, given its low acidity and sugar levels.
• Beaujolais: Hailing from the Beaujolais wine region in the southeast of France, Beaujolais red wine has a fruity taste and is best served at around 12 degrees C.
• Shiraz: With spicy and peppery notes mixed with full-bodied depth and a hint of sweetness, shiraz tastes delicious chilled too.

But really, it all comes down to personal taste. Pop a bottle of your favourite red wine into an ice bucket, and see if you prefer it served chilled.

Do you drink your red wine cold? Let us know below.

More: Wine makes you more attractive and 10 other reasons to pour yourself another glass

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This is a question that 2,768 British mums were asked during a survey conducted by the British Association of Beauty Therapists and Cosmetologists (BABTAC), and the results may surprise you: Two in three mothers (68 percent) allow their daughters under the age of 8 to receive professional beauty treatments.

The results were published in Scratch magazine, and state that mums were asked how regularly they allowed their daughters to have professional treatments, with 41 percent revealing that they left it for special occasions while 33 percent of parents allowed their daughters to have "regular" treatments.

But why are parents taking their daughters to receive professional beauty treatments like manicures, hair removal, facials and professional makeup?

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According to the organisation, three-fourths of these mums claimed that the reason for these treatments was because they improved their child's confidence. Some 61 percent of mothers said it was a "great chance for me to bond with my daughter" and 69 percent stated, "My child wants to fit in with her peers." However, there were also 12 percent of parents who chose to take their child for professional treatments because they "make her look better."

It's no secret that child beauty and pamper parties in the U.K. have become big business in recent years, and a quick Google search shows just how many pamper party services are out there. But is the emphasis that these treatments place on beauty adding unnecessary pressure for children to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty?

BABTAC spokesperson Lesley Blair shed some light on this subject. Speaking of the results she said, "Most parents of young girls know how much interest they can take in their mum's makeup bag and how they love to have their nails painted. It's not unusual for children as young as three or four to imitate their mother and want to be a part of the beauty regime; all that is just harmless fun and a part of growing up. If you think about how popular children's pamper parties are, where the little ones are decked out in glitter and are given manicures and pedicures, it's no surprise that mums like to treat their little girls every now and then."

But is allowing your child to have professional beauty treatments a bad thing? Should they not wait until they are older?

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"There is not necessarily any harm in that kind of thing, providing it is a special treat and not an everyday expectation," Blair said. "Kids should have the chance to be kids, without worrying about what they look like; they will spend enough time thinking about that in a few years' time when they are teenagers! The real trouble comes when they pick up negative behaviours and traits, getting on the bathroom scales and criticising their reflection in the mirror, and then feeling that they need these treatments in order to boost their self-esteem. During this time in a girl's life, she is very vulnerable and impressionable, so it's important to work on their confidence so they are happy with their natural selves."

Are you one of these mums who allow their daughters to get beauty treatments? Or are you making your child wait until their teens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

From wedding bouquets to fairy gardens, succulents can decorate just about any space. So, here's how you can have your very own piece of romantic paradise in any setting you choose. Terrariums are great for the office, the kitchen and can even add a little Zen to a bathroom.

Start by gathering all the necessary supplies and picking out your favorite succulents. When choosing the right container, consider the succulents' sizes and textures. Ideally, you'll want a completely glass bowl or vase — because half the fun is seeing the layers of the terrarium. Hint: Go to the dollar store. I found everything I needed there — for $1 each!

I used several kinds, including hen and chicks, string of pearls and rosas (Graptopetalum). If you are using plants from your own garden, be sure to snip the rosettes in the right spot.

Layer the river rocks first — but be careful. They can crack the glass. This layer helps with drainage, so your plants aren't sitting in water if you happen to give them too much. Then top the rocks with 2-3 inches of potting soil.

Make a small hole in the soil. You can use a pencil or the end of a spoon.

Then, insert your first succulent and squish the dirt around it, so it stays secure. Looks beautiful already!

Continue to add more plants. Choose plants that differ in texture and height and consider colors as well. (Mine were just varying shades of green.)

If you are doing this indoors, take the store-bought plants out of their plastic containers and put them in a large bucket. You can then choose which portions of the plant you want to use — and it will save you, big time, on mess.

For the finishing touch, sprinkle crushed rock (like those used in fish tanks) or sand on top of the soil and around the plants. Hint: Try to avoid (as best you can) getting the rocks or sand in the plants because it's kind of hard to get out.

You will most likely have extra plants, since a terrarium only requires just a few sprouts here and there. So, why not make gifts while you've got everything laid out? I made several more for my co-workers.

How to make a succulent terrarium

Supplies:

• Variety of succulents
• River rocks (or stones about 1 inch in size)
• Potting soil
• Decorative crushed stones or sand
• Glass container (at least 5 inches tall)
• Shovel
• Scissors
• Paper towels
• Large bucket

Directions:

1. Gather all your supplies and succulents. If you are using succulents from your garden, cut the tops or gently pull the leaves and lay them out on a paper towel. Rinse out the glass container. Remove any price stickers from the bottom.
2. Add the river rocks, carefully, into the bottom of the container. This level should be about 1 inch to 1-1/2 inches high.
3. On top of the rocks, shovel 2-3 inches of potting soil into the container.
4. Create a small hole in the soil, about 1 inch deep, and insert the first succulent.
5. Continue to fill in with other succulents, but be sure to leave some empty space between them. (To avoid mess, remove the plants from their plastic containers and place them in the large bucket.)
6. Top with crushed stones or sand.
7. Water the terrarium sparingly. If it stays moist too often, it may grow mold. To avoid this, let it dry out completely before watering again.

More on indoor plants

12 House plants that turn your home into paradise
Say goodbye to artificial plants and put a fig tree in every room
6 House plants you can keep alive

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Christmas is the time for cringeworthy jumpers, Christmas trees with bright lights, sequins and glitter and, now, seasonal temporary tattoos. That's right — this year jewellery brand Mr. Kate has created a line called BeautyMarks, which is at the top of our beauty wish list.

The temporary tattoos (which you can wear on your wrists, hands, forearms, basically anywhere), are all hand-drawn by the designer and feature ethereal designs as well as snowflakes — making them perfect for Christmas.

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The tattoos last for two to four days and can easily be removed with body oil, the website states. But the best part is that the designs are completely cruelty-free and are not tested on animals, because really, beauty should never come with a cost to our furry friends.

Temporary tattoos have definitely enjoyed their time in the spotlight this year, with Rihanna debuting her new line of gold temporary tattoos in collaboration with JacquieAiche.com, and the runways being filled with temporary tattoos (including Kendall Jenner for Tommy Hilfiger during New York Fashion Week). They're a lot easier to get than detailed henna pieces, and most likely cheaper. The Mr. Kate BeautyMarks "The New Makeup" White set will only set you back around £8.

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Will you be rocking snowflake temporary tattoos this winter? If you're not sold you may want to watch the video below and see just how beautiful they really are.

Festive temporary tattoos don't stop at snowflakes — if you fancy Christmas trees or holly, shop from designers John Smith or Tea Leigh, both via Tattly.

Let us know your thoughts on this super cool, new beauty trend in the comments below.

1. Even computers recognize.

2. Oh no. It's happening.

3. At least he knows who's really in charge.

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4. Sure, honey. For the kids.

5. Funny how that tends to happen. Over and over.

6. No one needs to see your tongue, kiddo.

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7. There are many more surprises in store, trust us.

8. Murphy's grossest law of parenting.

9. You have to get your giggles where you can.

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10. He may as well learn now.

As much as we savor Thanksgiving Day, our minds are already filled with anticipation of the following morning as we envision colorful Christmas lights, silver baubles and the reading of The Night Before Christmas. These events are mentioned over the carving of the turkey and the mashing of those wonderful russet potatoes. However, there is one tradition that is left unspoken: the making of the fruitcakes after the Christmas tree is trimmed.

Oh yes, I am one of those people who still makes and bakes fruitcakes, wrapping them in liquor-soaked muslin to ripen over the course of the month.

You know some traditions will never end — and that is what makes them so comforting, cozy and glowy. I have decided I actually like the idea of being remembered as the quirky mom who would never give up on her fruitcakes. Besides, I like to have a few on hand to give to neighbors and the postman.

I begin the day after Thanksgiving by waking up bright and early and immediately brewing a fresh blend of our favorite Christmas coffee, while Christmas music serenades us all. We often eat pumpkin pie for breakfast with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream on top. This is still a day of splurges and celebrating our family time together. I treasure these priceless moments — they are a time when I hold dear the bygone celebrations and eagerly anticipate the events of present day.

We usually feel quite energized after our coffee infusion and the task of bringing all of those plastic containers down from the attic, filled with Christmas joy, doesn't seem quite so daunting. This task is the one that brings out all the moans and groans and the children reminding me that I promised I would not fill them as full from Christmas past (but, of course, I did).

I am forgiven quite quickly for overstuffing the containers, as the children begin to unwrap the yellowed and torn newspaper from each of the decorations that were carefully wrapped, tucked and nestled into the plastic bins.

The reminiscing begins. I sit back in my favorite yellow floral chair, plop my pink fuzzy slippers on the well-worn ottoman and listen to the voices of my children. Even though our children are grown now and have children of their own, they become delighted with the memories of holding and unwrapping their childhood Christmas decorations. Christmas time truly does bring the child out in all of us, and I love seeing them as children once again.

These adults of ours — they went from towhead tots to grown men with beards and little girls who have turned into beautiful women with children of their own. Today, they all set aside their adult armor, without realizing it, for a few hours. Without even noticing, the magic of the season slowly seeps in and engulfs us all.

The Christmas music station is on, and Burl Ives is singing one of my favorite Christmas songs, "Holly Jolly Christmas." My mother's heart is already bursting with Christmas joy when our oldest son starts laughing first — his laugh always tickles me.

He is holding one of his many Christmas ornaments from his childhood days, and even though I feel certain he saw this one last year, he cannot quite believe he made this ornament out of a flower pot when he was just a child. He also cannot imagine me saving it for so many years. I am a mother — I save many things, like the gold-colored rigatoni shells that are meant to look like angels, which each of the girls made when they were youngsters.

Black Friday is the day our family defines the traditions of the season. We eat well, sip, chat, laugh, remember and create new memories to uplift us throughout the years. Our Christmas tree is the story of our lives, each branch is host to a decoration, a beautiful reminder of where we came from and where we are going.