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New law will end 35 years of DIY abortions for some Canadian women

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When one 14-year-old got pregnant on Prince Edward Island, she took desperate measures to induce her own abortion at home. First, she tried throwing herself down the stairs, a trick older girls had said would work. Then she tried poisoning herself with various household substances. Finally, she rammed her abdomen into a table. When she induced her period, she breathed a sigh of relief.

More: 14 Myths about abortion that need to be debunked

Unfortunately, this grim story isn't as unusual as it ought to be. For women living on PEI who've found themselves with unwanted pregnancies, inducing pregnancy at home through dangerous, DIY methods has been chillingly prevalent. This should come as no surprise, given that for nearly 35 years the isolated island hasn't offered publicly funded abortions. Thankfully, the situation is set to improve dramatically for Island women, as the government just announced that they plan to offer abortion services — a big move in a province where many conservative Islanders are anti-choice.

“We recognize that Islanders, including Members of the Legislative Assembly, have strong personal beliefs on this issue; we also recognize our obligation to provide timely and professional health care, without discrimination," said Premier Wade MacLauchlan in a press statement.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced his support for MacLauchlan's announcement on Twitter:

Trudeau tweet

Trudeau tweet

These services couldn't be more needed. Dr. Colleen MacQuarrie gathered stories — like that of the 14-year-old girl who put herself in grave risk to end her pregnancy — of women's experiences dealing with unwanted pregnancies on the island in her study, "Trials and Trails of Accessing Abortion in PEI." The experiences these women and girls share show their willingness to turn to desperate means when their reproductive choices are limited.

More: Abortion advocacy group takes province to court

One woman tells MacQuarrie that she remembers taking "like, 12 birth control pills" because she was unaware that the morning-after pill was an option. When that didn't work, she asked her partner to physically assault her, in hopes that it would end her pregnancy: " ...we decided we would get him to punch me as hard as he possibly could in my stomach about five or six times, until that was too much for either one of us to really go through anymore," she says.

Clearly, the announcement that the government plans to provide abortion services will be life-changing for many Island women. Right now, the only safe abortion option for PEI women involves expensive travel to neighboring provinces, which many can't afford. But MacQuarrie, along with the pro-choice group Abortion Access Now, backed their government officials into a corner by taking the province to court earlier this year. By not providing publicly funded abortions, PEI was directly violating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

PEI government tweet

PEI government tweet

In response to their challenge, the provincial government just announced that Health PEI will start planning a new women’s reproductive health centre, offering everything ranging from medical and surgical abortions to additional services, which could include postpartum support services and pre- and postnatal counseling.

Moving forward with the reproductive health center is a step in the right direction to make DIY abortions a thing of the past.

More: Has Trudeau lived up to his promise to be a feminist PM?


Jennifer Lopez called out for fat-shaming herself on The View

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Jennifer Lopez got a lesson on body image on The View today when she criticized a photo of herself.

Lopez was discussing her natural weight fluctuations when she said she looked chunky in a selfie that flashed on the screen — and Whoopi Goldberg quickly set her straight.

More: Leonardo DiCaprio had the best reaction to Jennifer Lopez's prank text

Jennifer Lopez on The View

Jennifer Lopez on The View

"I was a little bit on the chunky side there, as you can see," she said, pointing out the photo.

As Raven-Symoné threw her hands up the air and walked away in mock disgust, Goldberg immediately hopped out of her seat. "Do we need to show you what chunky looks like?" Goldberg exclaimed. "This a little bit on the chunky side, OK, Jennifer? That is not the chunky side."

More: Mariah Carey reignites feud after Jennifer Lopez tried to squash it

Lopez immediately backtracked on her body-shaming of herself, saying, "Not chunky! That's not what I meant! I fluctuate, I fluctuate. I go up and down like seven or eight pounds all the time, you know what I mean.

"When I'm doing the show [in Las Vegas], I go down, I get slim, and then when I stop, I'm eating — and I get chunky," she said. "Not chunky, but you feel it. For a dancer."

But for now, her Vegas residency, All I Have, is keeping her trim. "I love to run. I still enjoy it, but right now, because of the Las Vegas show, dancing is a big part of my workout, and cardio. I do low-impact cardio because it's so much dancing," she said.

More: Jennifer Lopez films a makeup-free video with a shirtless Casper Smart

Here's a recent selfie Lopez took of herself looking decidedly not chunky.

Jennifer Lopez selfie

Jennifer Lopez selfie

How to get free doughnuts, ice cream and more food this April

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It may be time to pay your taxes, but thanks to these April free food deals, you can still have some fun.

1. Free doughnuts at Krispy Kreme

This April Fools' Day (April 1), Krispy Kreme is celebrating its annual doughnut harvest by giving out one free glazed doughnut per customer at participating stores. See a list of non-participating stores here.

2. Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day

Ben & Jerry's is hosting its biggest celebration of the year on April 12, Free Cone Day. Show up to your local Ben & Jerry's between noon and 8 p.m. on the 12th, and get a free scoop of the flavor of your choice in a cone or a cup. Better yet, if you're willing to brave the line again, you can go back for another scoop.

More: The downside of extreme couponing

3. Olive Garden's buy one, take one

Purchase one entrée at Olive Garden for lunch or dinner, and get a second one to take home at no additional cost. The offer includes unlimited soup or salad and breadsticks with the dine-in entrée. Offer is valid throughout April.

4. Buy one, get one free at Krystal

Through April 24, Krystal is offering buy-one-get-one-free deals on biscuit sandwiches, Country Fried Steak and Country Fried Chik Krystals and burgers with these coupons.

5. Maggiano's Classic Pasta on the house

This April, purchase one Classic Pasta in restaurant at Maggiano's, and get a second Classic Pasta to take home at no additional cost, through the 20th. Prices start at $13.

6. Free pizza at Papa John's

Place an order online at Papa John's now through April 4 using the promo code FREETHROW, and get a coupon for a free large pizza with up to three toppings, valid through the 17th.

More: 5 steps to couponing the easy way

7. Free sides at Taco Cabana

Through April 3, buy two fajita tacos at Taco Cabana, and get a drink, chips and queso for free with this coupon.

8. Free burger at Mooyah

Download the Mooyah rewards app, and get a free burger when you use it for the first time.

9. Free coffee for retirees at Burger King

Now at Burger King, AARP members can get a free 12-ounce coffee by showing their membership card.

More: 17 ways to save at the supermarket that don't involve extreme couponing

Mischa Barton's diva behavior is having an effect on DWTS

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Mischa Barton's return to television is quite exciting for some, namely those who get to watch her on TV. For those who have to work with her, according to Radar Online, it's a nightmare. An insider shares that Barton is "just not coming off as a nice person" to her fellow cast and crew members on the Dancing with the Stars set.

More: Mischa Barton's financial woes just got even worse

"It is really quite unfortunate because when she first came on the show, members of the cast and crew said they were hoping that she was going to be the person that they used to love watching on TV. They were actually really excited to meet her," says Radar's insider. Her diva behavior means the team has ended up avoiding her instead.

The insider continues, "Some people are claiming that Mischa is the most self-entitled and rude celebrity that the employees of the show have ever had to work with! She does not discriminate who she is rude to, either."

More: Mark Ballas' mysterious injury might just keep him from DWTS

Even more surprising — and hilarious to picture — is Barton refusing to engage with her fellow dancers. When Geraldo Rivera was kicked off the show this week, she was the only person who didn't hug him goodbye, says the source. "Misha (sic) had practically no response at all to Geraldo getting kicked off. All that did was add to the feeling on set that Misha (sic) does not want to be there, and she just wants to take the money and run." Mischa, be nice to your elders! Then maybe they won't rat on you to the tabloids.

More: The O.C.'s Mischa Barton sues her mom for stealing from her

My daughter asked me if she had to get tattoos like mine when she grows up

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There is no chapter in the mommy handbook about how to show your progeny your new ink. This fact occurred to me the morning I woke up with the word now lettered on my inner forearm in black Courier typeface.

More: How to help your kids feel less anxious on social networks

I'm not exactly prudish when it comes to body art. I already had one tattoo — a sun on my inner ankle, which my then 6-year-old daughter loved. However, when she asked about its birth, I told her it was part of my misspent youth, a totally different story from the move her thirty-something mother had just pulled.

In the end, I walked downstairs and held out my arm, which was covered in what appeared to be Saran Wrap. "Want to see Mama's new ink?" I asked brightly.

She grabbed my arm and stared at the word. "Huh," she said. "Do I have to get a tattoo when I grow up?"

You know what? It was so not a big deal. Here's the thing: Both of my tattoos are related to my mental health. I have anxiety disorder, and that manifested itself into an eating disorder in high school and postpartum anxiety after my girl was born. I've been on medication for about 10 years, ever since my now 12-year-old turned 2. My tattoos: The sun on my ankle is there for when it's not in the sky; and the word now on my inner arm reminds me to stay in the present instead of ruminating on the past or panicking about the future.

I worry more that my daughter will develop anxiety than I do that she'll tattoo herself.

More: 7 reasons I've stopped helicopter parenting my middle schooler

In some ways, my tattoos have been helpful parenting tools. When she does get herself worked into a tizzy about an upcoming homework assignment or emceeing the school variety show, I have her touch the "now" on my arm.

"Stay with me," I say. "Right now you're healthy, I'm healthy, we're here, and we love each other. Right now everything is okay. Don't worry about tomorrow, just prepare for it."

When I was growing up in the rub-some-dirt-on-it ’80s, I don't remember parents talking to kids about mental health. Now I see teaching our children how to be resilient mentally as well as physically and spiritually as our duty as parents. I wish it was a subject in school: Self-Care for Beginners. Some of us only came to self-care late in life and actually had to tattoo reminders on their bodies. Ahem.

In the past six years, the world has changed a lot, but tattoos still rattle many of my midwestern relatives. Recently, I was back home in Iowa and bought a thick bracelet at one of my favorite stores. "See, it doubles as a tattoo cover-up!" I crowed, sliding it over my "now."

"Why would anyone care if you have a tattoo?" asked my daughter.

Indeed.

More: #WhatDoITellMySon is something I've never had to ask myself, and I'm sorry

Kelly Clarkson, Olivia Wilde and more celeb mom photos of the week

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We have rounded up the cutest, sweetest, funniest and most heartwarming photos from celebrity moms on social media. This week, many of our favorite celebrities were sharing cute Easter photos, including Kelly Clarkson, Kendra Wilkinson, Kourtney Kardashian and Mariah Carey. Ivanka Trump shared an adorable family photo with her new baby Theodore, while Olivia Wilde and Alessandra Ambrosio round out our list of the most buzzworthy celebrity moms on social media this week.

Kendra Wilkinson

Kendra Wilkinson and family

Kendra Wilkinson and family

Kendra Wilkinson celebrated Easter with her husband, Hank Baskett, and their two kids, Hank Jr. and Alijah, at the Playboy mansion. The 30-year-old Girls Next Door alum recently appeared on Kocktails with Khloe and said she plans on being open and honest with her kids about Baskett’s reported affair with a transgendered model, which happened two years ago when she was 8 months pregnant with Alijah.

More15 celebrity parents who've gotten real about raising kids with autism

Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner

Kourtney Kardashian Easter

Kourtney Kardashian Easter

Kylie Jenner posted this photo on Instagram (which already has over a million likes) as she celebrated Easter with her big sister, Kourtney Kardashian, and Kourtney's kids, Penelope, Mason and Reign. The reality stars sat in the grass as the kids hunted Easter eggs around them — while Kourtney appears to be taking a selfie. Quality family bonding time.

Next Up: Kelly Clarkson's daughter does not like the Easter bunny

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Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson's daughter River

Kelly Clarkson's daughter River

Kelly Clarkson’s daughter River is just the cutest — even when she is crying while sitting on the Easter Bunny’s lap. Clarkson, who is pregnant with her second child, joked in the caption that River loves the Easter Bunny "about as much as she loves Santa.”

Kelly Clarkson on Easter

Kelly Clarkson on Easter

Not to worry, however, because Clarkson shared this picture of a smiling River as she found the golden egg during her Easter egg hunt. How cute is her Finding Nemo basket?

Ivanka Trump

Ivanka Trump's husband

Ivanka Trump's husband

Ivanka Trump shared this sweet photo of her husband, Jared Kushner, snuggling with their newborn baby boy, Theodore James, along with their daughter, Arabella Rose. Ivanka, who is the daughter of Donald Trump, also has a son named Joseph.

Next Up: Olivia Wilde hits the dentist

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Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde's son Otis

Olivia Wilde's son Otis

Actress Olivia Wilde shared this photo of her 2-year-old son, Otis, as he visits the dentist. Wilde, who is engaged to actor Jason Sudeikis, joked that they must have given him “the good drugs” since he is so well-behaved. As if he couldn't get any cuter, she recently told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview that Otis’ favorite singer is Beyoncé and that he once (unsuccessfully) tried to get her attention while at the basketball game.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio

Alessandra Ambrosio

Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio looked gorgeous in a floral gown as she snuggled with bunny rabbits, dogs and her two children, Anja and Noah, as they celebrated Easter. The 35-year-old is engaged to her longtime fiancé, Jamie Mazur. Ambrosio has now hung up her Victoria’s Secret wings, however, and has started her own clothing line called ále by Alessandra.

MoreJessa Duggar puts her baby in a car seat, and the world freaks out

Ciara

Ciara, Russell and Future

Ciara, Russell and Future

Singer Ciara shared this photo as she and her new fiancé, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, and her son Future have a fun day at Disneyland. Due to religious beliefs, Ciara and Wilson have a no-sex policy until they get married, which Ciara says has been a challenge, but she feels like it has allowed them to grow their friendship.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey on Easter

Mariah Carey on Easter

Creepy or cute? I’m leaning towards creepy. Mariah Carey shared this photo of the Easter Bunny standing over the bed of her sleeping twins, Moroccan and Monroe, with an Easter basket.

Carey later shared a photo as she dyes Easter eggs with her daughter, wearing gloves, of course, to prevent her hands from staining.

Lyle Boudreaux's romance woes on Party Down South are far from over

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Are Mattie and Lyle headed for a hookup — or, better yet, a full-blown relationship? That was the question on everyone's minds at the close of the last episode of Party Down South so, suffice it to say, it's been a long week of waiting to find out if they, uh, sealed the deal.

Alas, this week made it known pretty early that Lyle and Mattie are not meant to be... at least not right now. As Lyle explained as he got out of bed, "There might be a place in my heart for me and Mattie, but I just got out of a relationship and I'm not ready to get back in another one."

Womp, womp.

Oh well, there's always next season — damn it, no there's not. I suppose we'll have to resort to stalking these guys on social media to see if anything ever comes of their flirtation. We've all got our crosses to bear, right?

Because the housemates apparently didn't want to join me in mourning the loss of the potential power couple Mattie and Lyle would have been, they all decided to head out on the boat for an afternoon of fun in the sun.

After gently trying to jostle Tiffany from her slumber (aka totally manhandling her), the Terror Twins become resigned to the fact that the gang is just going to have to leave her behind for the day — presumably to recover from the internal injuries they just gave her.

Once at the sandbar where they decide to shore their boat, Lyle wastes no time hitting on, well, "everything with a vagina," as Murray so eloquently put it.

At some point in his socializing, Lyle comes across a group of people from Europe. This sparks an intense debate among Daddy, Walt and Murray over whether or not Europe is a continent. And while you might assume Walt and Murray were laughing hysterically at Daddy for claiming Europe wasn't a continent, it was actually the opposite.

PDS
Image: CMT

Daddy was right, and now the joke's on the Terror Twins. I mean, surely someone told Walt and Murray that Daddy was right and Europe is a continent. Like, they realize this now, right?

"They are always busting Daddy's chops, and sometimes rightfully so, but don't sleep on Daddy," SallyAnn Salsano, 495 Productions president and founder, and creator and executive producer of Party Down South, told SheKnows in an exclusive interview.

"He's actually got more going on than you might expect. Sometimes he drops some knowledge, and we are all just as blown away that he is right as when he has a crazy Daddy-ism. And if no one told Walt and Murray that Daddy was right, they are about to find out the same time as America!" Salsano revealed.

It turned out to be an afternoon of unexpected occurrences then because — despite Murray "gettin' the grill fired up and ready" for Boudreaux to "come over here and drop the meat on it," aka getting a girl's number — Lyle wasn't interested in calling any of the ladies he spent the day priming.

On the other hand, Tiffany was dialing up a storm trying to reach her offshore boyfriend, Bubba. As you'll recall, he told her he had to work through the weekend but was actually plotting a surprise visit.

PDS
Image: CMT

When Bubba arrives, Mattie and Hott Dogg sneak him up to Tiff's room and lure her there. Hooray! They pulled off the surprise! Apparently kind of miraculously, since Hott Dogg typically can't keep a secret to save her life.

More: Party Down South insider weighs in on Tiffany Heinen's major boyfriend drama

So, for the moment, all seems right with the world. As Walt puts it, "One thing that kinda keeps the house calm is Tiffany getting the D."

PDS
Image: CMT

Later that night, the housemates decide to celebrate Bubba's visit with a trip to a local piano bar called Savannah Smiles. Daddy, who is back to his typical Daddy-isms, exclaims, "I'm gonna bend somebody over the piano and play pork chops on their ass."

Pork chops, ha! Gotta love that guy.

Things seem to be going well until Lyle bets some dude 60 bucks that Daddy can beat him in an arm-wrestling match. Daddy does, naturally, but then Lyle's money disappears. This causes Wild Lyle to come out in the worst way and, ultimately, Boudreaux gets the boot.

For real, though, I'm dying to know: Did the footage ever get reviewed to find out who jacked Lyle's money?

Yes and no, according to Salsano. "Out of pure morbid curiosity, we did and it didn't give any clear answers. It was there and then it was gone, but no clear evidence as to who [took it] or how it went missing," she explained. "That said, word to the wise: don't steal from Lyle. He will clearly go full-on baboso if he thinks you cheated him."

More: The Party Down South crew rocks NASCAR, but [SPOILER] winds up crashing hard

Other interesting happenings at the bar include Daddy stealing a girl right from underneath Walt's nose, only to have the girl introduce her baby daddy... who wants Daddy to join them in a threesome.

Mattie got propositioned about a porno last week, Daddy for a threesome this week — clearly, Savannah is a lot kinkier than I remember it being. (Planning my next visit now.)

But back at the house, things have gone downhill fast for Wild Lyle. Although chatting with Tiffany and Bubba seems to cheer him up after he admits he is still destroyed over Santana, he takes a turn for the worse after they go to bed.

PDS
Image: CMT

In fact, he decides he needs to call Santana and make it perfectly clear where things stand. "You know what? F*** you," he tells his ex when she picks up the phone. Yep, I'd say that's pretty clear.

By the time everyone else gets home, Lyle has been reduced to a sobbing, screaming mess in the yard. Fortunately, his ol' buddy Walt is able to talk him off the ledge. He might suck at geography but, by God, that Walt can give a good pep talk.

Inquiring minds want to know, though: Is this the closure Lyle needs, or is that still forthcoming?

"In relationships, I always feel like full closure never comes until months and months later, no matter what conversations take place," said Salsano. "When you're that far in with someone, there are bound to be triggers all over the place that take time to heal. I will say, however, that there is more to come with these two before it's all said and done."

Interesting, indeed.

After all of that, it seems the only one still in the mood to party is Daddy. And by party, I clearly mean host a frickin' raver in his mouth. At 2 a.m. this guy (who must have a freakishly high metabolism) gets it goin' with literally every. Single. Thing in the fridge.

The next day, the gang decides to take their battle of the sexes that began with last week's Segway race (which the ladies won, holllaaa) to the paintball field. This time, the girls do not emerge victorious — I blame Walt's outfit for distracting them. It was mental warfare; I'm sure of it.

PDS
Image: CMT

The girls did earn some pretty cool battle scars to show for their loss. Plus, assures Salsano, they didn't lose for lack of trying.

"I think a few of the girls had some pent-up hostility that day! Most of the girls killed it, which I loved, of course. Obviously, Walt doesn't mess around and is good at whatever he does. For me, I just always love the girls versus boys stuff, because the girls usually put the boys in their place."

PDS
Image: CMT

Then, since it's the last Saturday ev-er for the Party Down South-ers (excuse me while I ugly cry for a minute), everyone decides to head out to the bar. Mattie, in particular, is super stoked to "go out with a bang." You know, quite literally. She's on the hunt for some Vitamin D, y'all.

Everyone is having a blast, but perhaps none more so at first than Mattie, who is poundin' back shots. She straight up asks one dude to go home with her, and he does a vanishing act. This only fuels Mattie's drive to bag a marlin.

Outside, she pulls out all the stops, making out with some guy to entice him to come back to the house. Only the guy turns out to be a tool and cruelly walks back to his friends, making a fool of Mattie.

More: Party Down South insider spills on the most bizarre moment in PDS history

What's up with that, bruh? Sounds to me like these idiots are just intimidated by a woman in charge of her own sexuality. "Oh, for sure!" Salsano emphatically agreed. "In person, Mattie has such a presence. No. 1, she is stunning and No. 2, she is tall, lean and in the best shape of her life. So it's always one of two things: either guys are too intimidated to approach her, or they want to knock her down. Either way, their loss."

Amen to that. Still, after 10 weeks of radio silence, Hurricane Martha makes her debut — but we'll have to wait until next week to see if she gets downgraded or becomes a full-blown Category 5.

I thought I lost my hermit crab until he turned up four years later... alive

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Growing up, my family vacationed most summers in a beach town just up the coast from us. There, seemingly every street corner was punctuated with a store selling souvenirs, American flag beach towels, personalized bottle opener key chains and hermit crabs.

More: 12 DIY cat condos that are hip and modern

One summer, I actually managed to convince my mom to let me bring one of these shelled pets home with me. I named him Big Pete, because he was by far the biggest hermit crab any of us had ever seen. He had a large, white shell with broad spirals on it.

He was amazing.

For months, my siblings and I took great care to feed him, soak the sponge in his tank, fill his water bowl and even let him scuttle about the dining room tabletop, much to my mom's disapproval.

Then a hurricane rolled through our town in September of that year, and our house was hit hard — a massive pine tree that had once stood guarding our home was uprooted and fell on the back side of the house.

Sadly, it was the side of the house Big Pete's enclosure was on, and in the chaos, his tank hit the floor and broke open. The next morning, as we began sifting through the debris, we made the discovery. Naturally I was heartbroken. Big Pete was one of the first pets we'd had in my household that was solely my responsibility.

More: 18 animals in cups that are so adorable we may drink them up

But life goes on, as it were, and by the time our house was put back together, I was feeling pretty patched up too. Over the years, we would tell stories of Big Pete every time we saw a hermit crab. We never got another because, well, no one ever seemed to measure up to Big Pete (quite literally).

Fast-forward to around four years later, when my mom was getting a new washer and dryer. When she scooted the old machines out of their longtime resting places, she spotted something. There, fiddling about in the dryer lint and fuzz that had accumulated over the years, was Big Pete.

Alive. I kid you not.

Recently, when the subject of hermit crabs came up and I began recounting the now legendary story of Big Pete's insane survival skills to a friend, it got me wondering: What other weird things can hermit crabs do? To be honest, I didn't know much about the species.

So I did a little digging, and here are some of the pretty amazing things I found out about our little shelled friends.

1. They can live a long time in captivity

Birthday GIF
Image: Giphy

While we were amazed Big Pete had managed to survive for so many years on his own, apparently he could potentially have kept on truckin' (as long as the food and water sources he'd managed to find held out). The normal life expectancy of a hermit crab in captivity is five to 15 years, but there are tales of hermit crabs living as long as 40 years in captivity!

Next: There are lots of different types
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2. There are many, many, many types of hermit crabs

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Image: Giphy

I suppose I always just assumed all the hermit crabs dotting tiny tanks at beach stores were the same type of hermit crab. If I'm being really honest, I never knew there was more than one type of hermit crab. But to my surprise, there are more than 600 species of hermit crabs in the world — although only a few are available as pets.

Next: Crab diet

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3. They aren't picky eaters

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Image: Giphy

I don't really remember what we fed Big Pete, although I'm sure it was mom-approved. However, another fun fact about hermit crabs is that they have a healthy appetite. Not in the sense that they eat a lot, but in that they'll try just about anything. These little fellas are omnivores whose diet isn't that different from a healthy human diet. They'll eat fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, popcorn, crackers and even some meats, like tuna. (Note: The core of their diet should be commercial pet crab food.)

Next: Antennae aren't just for looks

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4. Their antennae serve a special purpose

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Image: Giphy

Hermit crabs' antennae sure do make them look even cuter, don't they? That's not all they do, though. In fact, the two sets of antennae essentially give the crabs their sense of smell. They are what you call chemosensory organs. And although their eyes also kind of look like antennae, they aren't — they simply sit atop the ends of optic stalks.

Next: They're not actually hermits

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5. Their name is a misnomer

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Image: Giphy

Hermit crabs earned their name for the way they tuck up into their shells and tote it around, but the truth is that these guys aren't hermit-like at all! Rather, they're very social creatures who thrive in groups. In their natural habitat on the beach, they are often seen chillin' in groups of 100 or more.

Next: Shells aren't just for looks

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6. That shell isn't just decorative...

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Image: Giphy

Hermit crabs don't just like mollusk shells; they need them for protection. Unlike other crabs, hermits don't have a hard exoskeleton area over their midsections to protect their vulnerable abdomens. They rely on the shells they inhabit to do this for them. Wondering how it works? Well, the crab's tail actually clamps on to the shell from the inside, allowing the crab to maintain its position in the shell.

Next: They can get kinda picky about their shells

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7. And the hermit crab has a system for choosing the perfect shell

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Image: Giphy

I figured that when a hermit crab needed to swap shells, it would just scurry along until it came to the next bigger shell of the bunch. However, the process is a bit more sophisticated. Hermits can be pretty picky about their shell, which is why there should always be a wide variety in their enclosure. When it's time for your crab to make the switch, it will use its larger claw to gauge a potential shell's opening by sticking the claw into the opening. When the crab finds a fit it likes, it flips the shell over and crawls in.

Next: It's kinda hard to tell when they're dead

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8. Super still? Don't hold a hermit crab funeral yet

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Image: Giphy

Tragically, many a hermit crab owner has mistaken an immobile crab for a dead crab. Here's the thing, though — hermit crabs are prone to prolonged periods of lethargy, particularly when they are molting. Unless you detect a strong fishy or salty smell emanating from the crab, don't assume it is dead just yet. Wait a few days to be 100 percent certain before saying sayonara to your shelled friend.


Netflix uses John Stamos to pull cruel April Fools' joke

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April Fools' Day is cruel for a number of reasons, but none so sexy and upsetting as this faux John Stamos documentary courtesy of Netflix. In John Stamos: Human, Being, a documentary that will sadly never see the light of day, Stamos teases fans with the story of "What is John Stamos? Teenage heartthrob. Worldwide brand. What is a star? A bad boy? A good guy?"

More: John Stamos, Lori Loughlin admit to real-life romance before Full House

In a masterful bit of engineering on Netflix's part, fans are calling for a real version of this documentary. Give the people what they want!

fan tweet 1

fan tweet 1

fan tweet 2

fan tweet 2

More: John Stamos spotted on a sweet date after revealing he's seeing someone

In a continued April Fools' Day prank, People claims that Stamos had a meltdown while at the Netflix offices to film said trailer. According to their article, they've obtained footage (which, to be clear, is nowhere to be found, although we would love to see it) of Stamos "throwing a glass and hurling profanities." Uncle Jesse, we know you would never do anything like that.

"This is DISGUSTING NETFLIX way to protect your TALENT," Stamos tweets. "Netflix thinks they can make MY BRAND into a JOKE??"

john stamos

john stamos

john stamos 2

john stamos 2

If there's one thing this trailer makes clear, it's that Stamos knows exactly what his brand is: hot older man. Watch the full video below.

john stamos

john stamos

More: John Stamos says that, yes, he and Lori Loughlin made out

Sister Wives fans rejoice — the Season 7 cancellation rumors were false

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More: Sister Wives family welcomes baby 17 

Sister Wives fans, be joyful! After reports that the show would not be returning for Season 7, it seems that TLC has in fact renewed it. Rumors of a cancellation surfaced after Kristyn Decker, Christine Brown's aunt, told media that the show is fake, citing the family's recent move from Las Vegas to Los Angeles as a play for ratings. The family initially moved from Utah to Las Vegas to escape the state's anti-polygamy laws (another ratings boost).

Season 6 was certainly a turning point for the show. Christine told Kody that she felt deeply disconnected from him, and he pretended to care for a second before going back to devoting all his attention to Robyn, who was then pregnant with his 18th child. Meri and Janelle took steps toward resolving their issues with each other, but that got quickly overshadowed by Meri's catfishing scandal, which also succeeded in taking over the entire Internet. Oh, and there was also the small matter of Kody divorcing Meri, his legal wife, and then legally marrying Robyn so he could adopt her three children.

More: Sister Wives fans go nuts over Maddie Brown's engagement pics (PHOTOS)

Fans are pretty unified in their feelings that Robyn is Kody's favorite, and Season 7 spoilers indicate that the new season will focus on Robyn and Kody and not so much on the other wives, who will effectively be wallpaper. Christine, Janelle and Meri have indicated that they're not the happiest with the current situation, and there are certainly plenty of reasons for any one of them, if not all, to leave the show. While Meri's scandal seems to have abated in real time, it's not clear what the repercussions have been on the inner workings of the Brown family — has it all been overshadowed by Robyn and Kody's new baby? If the show is actually getting renewed, we might find out the answers, for better or for worse.

More: Sister Wives star Kody Brown marries fourth wife

Are you thrilled that Sister Wives is coming back? Will you watch, or are you totally sick of Kody and Robyn? Tell us in the comments.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

sister wives family slideshow
Image: TLC

Duck Dynasty's Willie Robertson snagged a sweet new gig with Fox News

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In addition to hunter, reality star and Duck Commander CEO, Duck Dynasty's Willie Robertson can now add Fox News employee to his résumé.

The network announced Friday that Robertson will officially be joining Fox News as a contributor, helming a 45-minute podcast on Fox News Radio. The podcast will feature celebrity interviews and will focus on faith and family issues, according to Fox.

Willie Robertson joining Fox News

Willie Robertson joining Fox News

Robertson's big podcast debut is Monday, April 4 when the first three episodes will be released, including an interview with Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson, according to Us Weekly.

More: Duck Dynasty's Willie Robertson sparks outrage for officiating adulterer's wedding

Faith and family are obviously topics Robertson is well acquainted with. He is the proud father of five children and his wife, Korie Robertson, announced several months ago that they are in the process of adopting a sixth child.

"We've had a lot of questions about the cute kid popping up in our photos lately," Korie wrote on Instagram in January. "We are excited to be in the process of adopting a new son! He's been with us since May, but we wanted some privacy and time for him and our family to bond before telling the world (It's a bit of an adjustment coming into this big, crazy family, ha)."

Duck Dynasty Adoption

Duck Dynasty Adoption

"He's amazing, and we are all so thrilled to have another kid around the house. Couldn't keep the good news to ourselves any longer!" Korie continued. "We appreciate your prayers and support for our family!"

In addition to being a family man, Robertson and the rest of his extended family are also very outspoken about their conservative values. Robertson takes a softer approach to topics such as homosexuality than some of his other family members, but still takes the stance that being gay is a choice.

"Some of the things he said in that interview I didn't agree with and I've even said so, and he's even come out and said, 'Yeah, that was a mistake,'" Robertson said in a 2014 interview after his father, Phil Robertson, caught some major backlash for comparing homosexuality to bestiality. "With things leading to bestiality, it was a mixed bag there of things. And then he quoted a Scripture, and that's what's in the Scripture. What I want people to know and what we've said over and over and over is that we love everybody."

Will you be tuning in to Robertson's new podcast?

I quit a great job I loved because they wouldn't give me family leave

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I had just earned an "Employee of the Month" award for all of my hard work and dedication. I was a model employee, and I assumed my efforts would be rewarded with understanding when I needed something from my employer. I was dead wrong.

It was decade ago, and I was in desperate need of exactly the kinds of provisions that just became law in the New York, where a sweeping new paid parental and family leave program is the most comprehensive in the nation and expected to set a huge precedent for other states.

My then-fiance's mother had been sick for a few months, and we noticed she wasn't exactly herself at Christmas, but we didn't think too much of it until she was rushed to the hospital not long after. Every night after work, we navigated rush-hour traffic to get to the hospital, eating dinner in the family break room as each of his siblings took turns visiting their mother. Doctors talked about her prognosis, and her daughters tried to keep their spirits up, but it was clear to me that this strong matriarch, who raised nine children alone after her husband's death, had reached the end of her time with us.

More: Doctors were banned by law from helping a pregnant woman

My fiance was no stranger to death. When he got home from school one day in his teens, he was greeted by the news that his father had taken a nap and would never wake up. His oldest sister told me he didn't come out of his bedroom for a month, listening to heavy metal music and processing his grief as only a teenage boy can.

When his mother got sick, he wouldn't talk to me about it. He closeted himself alone in his office after we got home from the hospital, and I could tell that he was teetering on the brink. I knew he needed me, so I went to my employer and asked to work flexible hours for a few weeks. I didn't ask to take leave, just to leave work a little early each day to spend more time with my fiance and his family at the hospital, and I planned to finish my work when I got home each night.

More: You know you were raised by a cop if ...

At the time, I was a technical writer for an international cellular provider, and working at home was just another part of my life. I logged in to work from my family vacations and on weekends to make sure fires were put out.

My manager told me the company didn't offer flex hours, and because we weren't married yet, my fiance didn't quality under the provisions of FMLA, which would have only provided me with unpaid leave anyway. When I asked to take unpaid leave outside of FMLA, they denied my request. They weren't willing to offer me any flexibility whatsoever as my future mother-in-law spent her last few weeks in the hospital, and I did the only thing I thought I could do — I quit.

I never told my fiance I quit. I told him they fired me over something or another, but the truth was that I knew my family needed me more than my employer, and I didn't want to work for a company that cared so little about me while demanding that I routinely put my life on hold for them. His mother died two weeks later with her son by her side, as I waited in the waiting room. When he walked out of the room, he sobbed like I had never seen anyone sob, and walked straight into my arms, and I know it mattered that I was there.

I was lucky that quitting was an option for me. Only a few years prior, I had been a struggling single mother living on the brink of poverty. The only reason I had the opportunity to quit that job to spend time with my fiance and his dying mother was because we were living together, and I knew his salary would cover us for a month or two. After his mother's death, I quickly found a new job, and that time I made sure to join a company that offered comprehensive paid parental and family leave programs.

A few years later, my younger daughters, twins, were born premature. We were each given 12 weeks of paid parental leave by our employer, which we used to be by their sides in the neonatal intensive care unit until they came home six weeks later. By combining my parental leave with sick and vacation time, I was able to spend nearly five months at home with my daughters while receiving full pay, and I never lost sight of the care my employer extended to my family when we needed it.

More: Bern down for what? Leggings, lighters and other brilliant Bernie Sanders products

At that time, my company was one of the only ones in the nation that offered such generous leave programs. Even though they benefited me tremendously, I've never forgotten what it felt like to be on the other side. The ability to care for our loved ones, whether in birth or in death, shouldn't depend on our employer. It's a basic human right, and it's about time that we began treating it as such. New York's programs are a step in the right direction, but it's time to implement paid parental and family leave on a national scale.

Squeezed into the last day of the legislative session, the new program mandates up to 12 weeks paid family leave to care for a new child (whether biological, adopted or a foster child), or to care for an ill parent, spouse, domestic partner, child or family member. The leave will cover both men and women, allowing new fathers to take off just as much time as new mothers, and it will guarantee employees their jobs when they return to work. It also does away with many of Family and Medical Leave Act's (FMLA) loopholes and is funded by $1 per week employee contributions, rather than being employer funded.

Cannoli nachos break tradition in the tastiest way

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Sicilians will definitely get nervous about the idea; I know my husband did when I told him what I was making. Cannoli nachos? In Sicily, cannoli are special, sacred and taken very seriously. And we all know how delicious they are. But miles away from the island, we can create something fun using the same ingredients, but with a twist — nachos made of cannoli dough and dip made of sweetened ricotta, sprinkled with crushed pistachios or chocolate chips.

cannoli nacho dough
Image: Rowena Dumlao-Giardina/SheKnows

Once you dip the freshly fried cannoli nachos into the ricotta dip, you will forget all about what shape they are, because they are unmistakably the one and only cannoli flavor we all love. My husband dipped his first nacho with uncertainty, but he gave me a thumbs-up and ate some more. Yes, I was forgiven for making the traditional cylindrical-shaped food in nacho form — it's still the same taste he grew up with.

Cannoli-nachos-vertical
Image: Rowena Dumlao-Giardina/SheKnows

Cannoli nachos recipe

Serves 4 – 6

Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sheep's or cow's milk ricotta
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (add more if you like it sweeter), divided
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons lard or butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Marsala wine
  • 2 tablespoons espresso
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 quart peanut or canola oil, for frying
  • Crushed pistachios or chocolate chips, for sprinkling

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Using a fine mesh strainer, push the ricotta-sugar mixture through with the help of a spoon or rubber spatula. Let the mixture fall into a new bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and then set it aside.
  2. In a mixer, combine the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and the cocoa powder. Add the lard, egg, Marsala, espresso and vinegar. Mix well, and shape into a ball.
  3. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough on a wooden board, and then slice it into triangles, like nachos.
  4. In a deep frying pan, heat the oil. When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, drop the cannoli nachos into the pan. Don't overcrowd them; work in batches. When they have reached a golden brown color, take them out with a slotted spoon, and transfer them to a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
  5. Sprinkle with crushed pistachios or chocolate chips.
  6. Serve the cannoli chips immediately with the ricotta as a dip.

More recipes with ricotta

Ultimate blueberry-ricotta pancakes
Chocolate, ricotta and pear hand pies
Crostini with drunken figs and ricotta

Laying down sex positions that make your bodies touch from head to toe

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Man on top, woman on top, but what about those sexy moments when you're sharing so much skin space that you can't tell where one person ends and another begins? Laying down sex positions will put you into more physical contact with your partner than you ever thought possible — for those times when you can't get enough of him (or her) and want more, more, more. These lie-down moves can also be used for a relaxing quickie when you're too tired to pull off sexual acrobatics in bed.

But let's not forget the mega-bonus: Try out these moves, and you'll increase your chances of having the big O.

More: 7 Sex toys for the ultimate female orgasm

"Skin-to-skin contact triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin," says clinical sexologist Kat Van Kirk, author of the ebook The Married Sex Solution. "Oxytocin is known as the 'bonding' hormone. It gives us a sense of well-being and emotional intimacy. Skin-to-skin contact can also help women become more aroused, increasing lubrication and blood flow to the pelvic region."

Done and done. It's time to set some beds on fire!

1. The Layer Cake

The Layer Cake
Image: Becci Burkhart/SheKnows

How you do it: "Lie flat on top of one another either facing one another or away from one another. Be sure to insert the penis first before lying down," Van Kirk says. "If she is on top, she can grab the edge of the bed or the headboard to propel herself forward and back on him. If he is on top (she is usually facing down in this case), he can intertwine his arms under hers and use the grounding to create motion on top of her."

Why it's red-hot: "The beauty of this position is that either he or she can be on top controlling the motion. Very often when she is on top it allows perfect positioning for the clitoris to get stimulated against his pelvic bone. The Layer Cake allows for complete body-to-body contact. You can keep your legs straight or intertwine them. Plus it doesn't disturb the covers too much. Therefore, keeping you both nice and cozy."

More: 6 Self-lovin' sex positions for your 'me time'

2. Stacked Snakes

Stacked Snakes
Image: Becci Burkhart/SheKnows

How you do it: "She lies on her stomach with her hand beneath her pelvic bone for extra friction. He lies on top and enters from behind, allowing his body to rest against her entire length," says Jessica O'Reilly, Ph.D., sexologist and author of The New Sex Bible.

Why it's red-hot: "This is one of the best positions for her orgasm, as she can use the extra weight (of her own body and his) to grind against her hand or a vibrating toy into her pelvic bone to stroke the shaft of her clitoris. By squeezing her legs together, she can take both lovers' pleasure to the next level."

More: Hot, hot, hot woman-in-charge sex positions

3. The Reverse Slither

The Reverse Snake
Image: Becci Burkhart/SheKnows

How you do it: "He lies flat on his back. She lies flat on top of him on her back so that her backside is against his front. Her head lies next to his as she slides him inside," O'Reilly says.

Why it's red-hot: "This rear-entry position is both intimate and exciting. Both lovers' hands are free to wander, and his lips are perched perfectly next to her ear for some sweet (or dirty) thoughts."

Updated by Bethany Ramos on 3/21/2016

Scott Disick just shared the most innocent photo we've ever seen of him

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Scott Disick’s #TBT photo makes us yearn for a simpler, more innocent time when rich children could sip cocktails on wildly expensive tropical vacations without repercussions.

Disick posted the photo from long ago on his Instagram account yesterday, and while the girl with him remains unnamed, she could be (but definitely is not) a young Kourtney Kardashian.

Scott Disick TBT

Scott Disick TBT

"Way back when I was young and getting it #stbarths," he wrote in the accompanying caption.

Notice how all three of his kids look exactly like he did!

More: Kourtney Kardashian addresses rumors that she and Scott Disick are dating

Regardless of whoever this long-ago possible crush might be, we know one thing for sure: she can never hold a candle to the love he still feels for his ex, Kardashian. Earlier this week, he gave fans huge hope for a future reconciliation with his baby mama.

"She's like my best friend," he said on the Australian radio show Kylie and Jackie O. "I'll love her 'til the day I die."

While he did clarify that they are not currently back together or even considering it at this point, they do spend tons of time together and they are not ruling out anything for the future.

"I don't think anything is ever simple," Disick said. "But, you know, I'm not the first person in the world that's gotten separated from a significant other — we're just trying to make the best of it, and life goes on.

"Things aren't easy, but, you know, things are going very well right now, and I'm just happy that we're able to be on good terms at the end of the day… You know, I never thought a lot of things would happen in my life the way they did, so I don't really rule anything out," he said. "I have no plans in my mind of what's going to happen. So, you know, if things are meant to be, maybe they will be. I really can't say yes or no."

More: Scott Disick awkwardly comments on Kourtney Kardashian's nipple photo

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

kourtney and scott through the years


The Ranch may be Netflix's biggest failure yet

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As Netflix has amped up the amount of original content they've been releasing over the past couple years, viewers have been showered with a plethora of amazing shows, including House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, Daredevil, NarcosJessica Jones, Grace and Frankie, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and more.

But as the Netflix catalog grows, we've also seen some misses hit the small screen. Flaked and Love were subpar compared to the awesome shows mentioned above, to name a few — but did The Ranch just set the record for the worst Netflix show to date?

More: 9 things to know about Netflix's new original series The Ranch

Being that the newly released sitcom is one part The Big Lebowski, one part Terms of Endearment, two parts That '70s Show and revolves around a dysfunctional farming family trying to save their beloved ranch, well, the show seemed promising. But not even the stellar matchup of Sam Elliott, Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher and Debra Winger could save this series.

In fact, many Netflix viewers were left wondering if the April 1 release date of The Ranch wasn't a coincidence.

Tweet about The Ranch 1

Tweet about The Ranch 1

Tweet about The Ranch 2

Tweet about The Ranch 2

Tweet about The Ranch 3

Tweet about The Ranch 3

One of the glaring faults of the show is the strange juxtaposition of a traditional sitcom format with an overreaching effort to seem topical and edgy. On the traditional side, the show is shot on a cheap-looking studio set before a live studio audience, and the actor's delivery of lines is in the old-fashioned style of say the words, wait for the laugh, then continue.

While the set and the acting harken back to a time and place where hearing the word damn on prime time TV was unheard of, the characters on The Ranch let the four-letter words fly at whim.

Sam Elliott gif
Image: Giphy

There are also pop references gone wild — we're talking Shania Twain lyrics, Tom Brady Deflategate references, the moon landing, Obama being elected president, Al Gore's global warming conspiracy and more, all before the 15-minute mark. It kind of seems that, like several other current shows (I'm looking at you, Supergirl), The Ranch overuses pop culture references in an attempt to seem progressive and relevant.

For a show that is trying so hard to seem fresh and edgy, why use the antiquated laugh track?

Then there's the curious case of Kutcher's accent. Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's bad, sometimes it's really bad. And then there are rare moments of clarity, and he'll utter a "hi, mama" in a perfect Southern drawl.

More: Shark Tank's Ashton Kutcher wins new fans by sticking up for entrepreneur

It's safe to say Kutcher has a couple shekels tucked away by now and could definitely afford to cough up the pocket change to work with a dialect coach for a session or two. If you're gonna put together a budget for a new series and hire an awesome cast, why not put a little effort in? In fact, that's kind of the theme for the whole show: it feels like everyone showed up on set and half-assed it.

Another fault of the show is the squandering of the classic Masterson and Kutcher chemistry. While there some Kelso and Hyde-esque qualities that peek through (Kutcher's Colt is the zany personality while Masterson's Rooster is the straight guy with the witty one-liners), the writing fails to let the previous chemistry of the two actors shine.

Hyde and Kelso gif
Image: Giphy

The Ranch is not without highlights, however. It's a guilty pleasure to watch Winger drop some serious F-bombs, some of the jokes do land, Elisha Cuthbert is a breath of fresh air as Colt's ex-girlfriend, and it's punctuated with moments of honesty on Elliott's part throughout — but would we expect anything less of him?

The biggest tragedy is that this show had so much potential. Perhaps it's just because hopes were so high for The Ranch, but the show might go down in history as one of Netflix's biggest disappointments.

What did you think of Netflix's The Ranch?

The 'tampon' that makes period sex way less messy

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Some women find sex more pleasurable while they're menstruating, but for many of us it just doesn't sound that fun. Maybe it's the extra prep and clean-up involved. Maybe it grosses you out. Maybe you just really like to have sex on top of a pristine white comforter on a white rug in a white room wearing a white thong!

More: Women share hilarious ways to make a late period arrive

Whatever your reasons for skipping sex during that time of month, menstrual discs are here to save the day. Made from some hypoallergenic, BPA-free magical material, Flex discs are disposable blood barriers. You can leave them in for up to 12 hours at a time, they won't cause toxic shock syndrome, and they can be worn alone (i.e. look ma, no pads!). Oh yeah, and unlike regular tampons and menstrual cups, you can keep them in during sex.

Image: The Flex Company

I just have two questions: First, how does one get them in and out, exactly? I've done my fair share of fishing for lost tampons and I've used a menstrual cup, so I'm well aware how far things can get wedged up there. And the Flex disk has no string or any apparent way to grip it? (Although women get the Nuva ring in and out no problem so it's probably easier than I think.) And second, why don't we just wear these things through our whole period and ditch tampons? They sound way cleaner and easier.

That's the goal, actually, says Flex CEO Lauren Schulte. “Flex is so shockingly comfortable that women tell us they forget they’re on their period while they’re wearing it,” she says.

More: Get PTO during your period - sexist or completely genius?

The sexy-time selling point is just a bonus, an ingenious way to use sex to market feminine hygiene products. And it worked! Over 20,000 people have pre-ordered the disc (it's not available to ship until September, sadly) and of those, 25 percent are men.

"We’ve built a product that allows couples to increase their opportunity to have sex by 23 percent," Schulte says. Which is awesome. But you know what's even more awesome? Having a "tampon" I only have to change twice a day and will never make me sick. Sign me up.

We did a little research and apparently there is a menstrual cup, Softcup, that claims you can also leave it in during sex. So, happy Friday folks, here's to getting frisky.

Avocado boats make a simply perfect handheld dinner

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It's a meal we all know well. The kids are away at slumber parties. Or you're divorced, and it's their night with their dad. Or you don't have kids, and your partner is working late. Or you're single. It's the Alone Meal, and too often it means a bowl of cereal. But what if you cut open a creamy, ripe avocado and filled it with protein-packed pulses? You would feel well fed, that's what.

More: Pulses: 15 game-changing ways to eat the food of the year

Here are three incredibly easy avocado boat recipes from Pulse Pledge and Nutrition Stripped.

Avocado boats, three ways

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Sesame cabbage

  • 1/2 head red cabbage
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Nama shoyu sauce

Spicy black bean

  • 2 cups black beans
  • 1/4 cup organic salsa of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)

Curry chickpea

  • 2 cups chickpeas
  • 1 tablespoon curry seasoning blend
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Optional garnishes for all flavors: fresh herbs (like cilantro, chive or parsley), fresh lime juice.

More: 35 time-saving recipes brought to you by rotisserie chicken

Directions:

Sesame cabbage

  1. Add all the ingredients to a medium-hot skillet, and cook until tender and soft, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Spicy black bean

  1. Add all the ingredients to a medium-hot skillet, and cook until warm. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Curry chickpea

  1. Add all the ingredients to a medium-hot skillet, and cook until the chickpeas' skins are firm and slightly crisp. Adjust seasonings to taste.

To assemble

  1. Halve each avocado (1 avocado per serving), remove the pits, gently remove the avocado flesh from the skin, and place in a small mixing bowl.
  2. Combine the avocado flesh with 1/3 cup of whichever filling you'd like to use, and stir to combine. Use this filling to fill the avocado skin. Serve immediately.
  3. Store leftover fillings only in an airtight glass container, and open the avocados only when you're immediately serving.

Pledge to eat pulses once a week for 10 weeks, and enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card at Pulse Pledge.

More: Kung pao chickpeas: Turn a favorite Chinese takeout dish vegan

How I became that mom breastfeeding a 4-year-old

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I never intended to breastfeed my baby until she was 5, but that is exactly what happened.

Ever was barely 2 months old when she was finally released from the hospital. She had been seriously ill with the RSV virus and poked, prodded, turned, exposed, squeezed and poked some more during her stay. She had blood removed and food entered through tubes, needles in almost every available place on her 12-pound body and a close call with a ventilator. With her home at last, my husband and I set up our baby’s breathing treatments and watched her chest to ensure she was breathing. Ever began to emerge from the shock of her severe illness and was again nursing greedily.

During the second day of hospitalization, she slept in a coma-like state, unable to suck, fed through a feeding tube. When she finally began to breastfeed again, it was with extreme prejudice. She would plant her kissably wide mouth around my nipple and glance up at me with those two-colored eyes, watching me steadily as she sucked.

More: Gorgeous photos show badass mom breastfeeding two toddlers at same time

Her expression was heartbreaking: a mixture of desperation (please let me nurse, I really need this) and love (I need you, Mommy). Her miniature, pudgy fingers grasped the fat of my breast, and the length of her short body softened, finally.

It soon became obvious to me that the only time Ever could truly relax now — after hospitalization — was during breastfeeding. Since our return home, I had commented to my husband that Ever’s face had taken on a wizened appearance, as if she were continuously attempting to solve a riddle. What happened to me? she seemed to ask, searching my face as I held her body, bruised head to toe, in my arms. I cooed to her, slept next to her every night, held her all day, but it was the breastfeeding that gave her solace: the rhythmic sucking, the kneading of my flesh under her fingers, the sound and feel of my heartbeat against her pressed ear, the smell of my skin, the enveloping arms of her mother — every signal sent said to her that she was safe.

So began our youngest child’s fervent devotion to breastfeeding. We have four children, and I have nursed a total of 11 years among the three I birthed. Yet I never had a child so utterly in love with nursing as this. As the months and then years passed, I joked to my husband that I would be nursing this one in kindergarten.

Ever turned 5 at the tail end of last year, and the day of her birthday, we had a "no more nursies" party, where our last child said goodbye to nursing. Goodbye to all that, I said gaily, milk breath and cuddle bug falling asleep with droopy mouth and freed nipple. Eff that, our daughter might as well have replied, refusing to play the game. She took the presents and sulked at bedtime. Despite all this, her lack of true heartbreak made it clear she was finally ready.

More: This mom's insanely short labor sounds too good to be true, but it is

I loved nursing Ever as a baby and toddler and had a sentimental feeling about it as the toddler years came to an end, but sentiment is not love. I was ready for the nursing to be over, as my nipples had started to get sore and my body to feel irritated. At times I felt exactly like a mama cat we used to have, who began swatting her kittens in the head with a clawful paw once their nursing bodies became too bulky. But I could see clearly how much Ever received from it.

She is a bright and independent girl child, stubborn and impossible at times, staking her claim in a sibling unit of olds as the only true little, but when I tried to wean her at 3 and then again at 4, she wept piteously. I recognized a different urgency to her crying than with my other children. Ever was heartbroken to lose the act that had always provided security and comfort regardless of circumstance. I decided it was more important to her than it was to me and let her continue.

Still, I wanted to set the expectation. I had landed on her fifth birthday, as she’d be distracted with the celebration of her party and immersed in the local TK, or transitional kindergarten, program. So after her failed weaning at 4 years old, I told her, “When you turn 5, that will be your last nurse. When you turn 5, it’s time to stop nursing. That’s how it works.” Ever nodded quietly, fiddling with my bra strap.

Throughout her fourth year, I was able to casually remind her of the approaching change and talk to her about how, as we grow older, we let go of some routines and replace them with others. After her last nurse, I made sure bedtime was still a place of physical affection and comfort. Ever flourished in TK , and the transition of weaning and school was wonderful. She did tell me, unforgettably, "Thank you, Mommy, for giving me nursies. I really loved it, and it made me happy.” I know, sweetie.

More: When a friend has a miscarriage, shut up and listen

Our relatively quiet and domestic story is just one of thousands upon thousands of stories of women who breastfeed their child past the typical year or 2 mark. Ever did not breastfeed until 5 for any reason other than I saw that it would be best for her, and so I embraced it. Many choices I’ve made over years of parenting have sprung from that same simple foundation.

There has been such a cultural fuss over extended breastfeeding, and yet to me and my family, it simply was. As Ever grew past 3, she rarely nursed outside of bedtime or during illness, and each time as her body grew limp with relaxation and her eyes — one blue, one hazel — met mine, that moment was nothing but love.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

breastfeeding celebrities
Image: Alyssa Milano/Instagram

Sex positions for conceiving a girl that new parents swear by

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Catch any expecting parents in an honest moment, and they'll tell you that they did have a preference on the sex of their baby. Some parents-to-be dream of a family full of boys, while others can't imagine a home without a lovely little girl in the bunch. If you're thinking pink, there are a few sex positions that could tip the odds in your favor.

But before you throw caution (and condoms) to the wind, there are some things you need to know about pre-conception sex. So far, there isn't any research to support a foolproof gender selection method based on sex position. There are plenty of old wives' tales, stories from parents who claim their approach worked and even a Chinese conception chart that pins potential gender on a mother's age and month of conception.

More: 6 differences between couples who make it out of a rut and those who don't

Sure, nothing in life is guaranteed, but it's always fun to try. Check out our favorite sex positions (and dietary and timing tips) rumored to boost your probability of birthing a baby girl:

Try girl on top

Hoping for a girl? Then you might want to hop on top during sex! Again, while no single position can guarantee your baby's gender 100 percent, Dr. Ava Cadell, spokesperson for The Experience Channel and renowned love and sex therapist, says that to have a girl, the woman should be on top so that she can control the depth of penetration. Instead of "going deep,” your partner should ejaculate as close to the opening of your vagina as possible. This will make it much more difficult for the male sperm to reach your egg, since they have a shorter lifespan than female sperm do.

Do it missionary style

Turns out, good old-fashioned sex could be your golden ticket to getting pregnant with a girl. "Some believe that the best position to conceive a girl is the missionary position,” notes Stacy Rybchin, founder of My Secret Luxury. "Sperm with the X-chromosome (female sperm) travel slower and can survive up to five days.” Because penetration isn't typically as deep in this position, the sperm have a longer way to go, giving the females a clear advantage.

Rybchin's observations, which support both missionary and girl-on-top positions, stem from one of the original theories of natural conception, called the Shettles Method. The Shettles Method has been keeping parents-to-be busy between the sheets since the 1960s, when Dr. Shettles explained that male sperm may be faster in his book, How to Choose the Sex of Your Baby. As such, Dr. Shettles also endorsed "shallower" sex positions that give female sperm a fighting chance for couples hoping to conceive a girl.

More: How couples turned around their sexless marriage

Experiment with spooning

Another common sex position believed to help couples conceive a female is spooning. And what girl doesn't love to spoon, right!? This position, like the others mentioned above, allows for shallow penetration only, therefore upping the chances of a female sperm actually reaching and fertilizing the egg first.

Because of the shallow penetration, spooning may also fall within the Shettles Method since it can keep those speedy male sperm away from the cervix.

Next Up: Time it just right

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Time it just right

According to experienced nurse and midwife Carmen Kosicek, RN, MSN, couples trying for a girl should have intercourse more frequently, stopping two to three days prior to ovulation. "The female sperm live longer, up to 72 hours,” she explains, "so the theory behind this would be that the sperm left around when the egg is present would be the female sperm.”

Don't orgasm during sex

We realize this tip sounds sort of awful, but if your heart's set on having a baby girl, then it's important to resist the urge to orgasm! After an orgasm, your body produces chemicals that cause the vaginal environment to become more alkaline. Apparently, male sperm thrive in this type of environment, while female sperm prefer the more acidic one pre-orgasm. (The Shettles Method also puts the kibosh on having an orgasm precisely because an alkaline, post-orgasm vagina is less friendly to female sperm.)

More: 22 Sexuality terms you don't know but probably should

Examine your lifestyle

Dr. Cadell points to a study done by researchers at the University of Exeter in England, which surveyed 740 first-time mothers, as well as a study by Maastricht University in the Netherlands, to prove her point: "Both studies confirmed that to boost the odds of conceiving a girl, women should say yes to calcium and magnesium rich foods, such as yogurt, tofu, milk, oatmeal, almonds, spinach, broccoli, beans, cashews and oranges.

Conversely, they should steer clear of foods high in salt and potassium, like potatoes, bacon, bread, shrimp and smoked salmon. The reason for this? In short, the diet is thought to enhance the acidity of a woman's body, and thus her uterine environment, making it easier for those female sperm to thrive and survive, of course. And while high stress levels are never recommended during pregnancy, it is interesting to note that periods of significant stress, like the 2006 earthquake in Greece, have been followed by a lower male birth rate.

Marriage slideshow

Marriage slideshow

Updated by Bethany Ramos on 3/23/2016

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