Growing up without a relationship with a father sucks. It's day after day of disappointment, hurt and feelings of inadequacy and anger, summed up and sloppily gift-wrapped on Father's Day. It's the day when we are supposed to acknowledge and thank the men in our lives who cared for us, made sacrifices and ultimately set the standard for which other men who follow are expected to meet. Meanwhile, for many fatherless daughters, Father's Day can elicit an emotional ambiguity and pain that many of us don't even learn to express until well into adulthood, if ever at all.

More: Why kids need an emotionally intelligent dad (and how to be a better one)

Whether we have a father who is still in our lives, albeit through only rare sightings and tumultuous visits, or he's gone altogether for a full abandonment, there are certain thoughts and experiences only other girls with daddy issues can understand.

1. At one point in time, we were forced to celebrate Father's Day

Our mothers covered for our fathers when we were kids. They made excuses for why he wasn't there, but assured us that he really, really wanted to be. When Father's Day came around, she'd buy a nice card and mug and insist that we send it to him. And we did this, year after year, until we were either old enough to make decisions for ourselves or when we officially lost his address — whichever came first.

2. There are no Father's Day cards that say what we mean

There are times we've tried to buy a Father's Day card, just off of pure general practice. We'd make our way to the card aisle at the last minute, only to have it remind us one last time of how insignificant our relationship with our father really was. We'd literally cringe at cards that read, "Thank you for always being there for me" and eventually just give up on buying a card altogether. Even the seemingly generic cards saying "For someone special..." would require us to muster up the strength to sign.

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3. Even the best mother does not take the place of a father

There's so much debate lately about whether or not it's right to recognize a mother on Father's Day. We know it's technically not right, but it's our reality. She couldn't take us to father-daughter dances, but she was the first person we considered to walk us down the aisle. Unlike kids with a mother and a father, she was all we had, and she did her best to fulfill the role of two people. For that, she gets celebrated not only on Father's Day but also on every day we stop to think about how much she's done for us.

4. We're not posting pictures with our dads on Father's Day

No, we won't block you from our timeline if you do post, but understand that we will not be doing the same. Either we have to scramble to even find a non-Polaroid picture or it's simply not on the top of our minds or hearts to do so.

5. Father's Day becomes less painful when we have children of our own

Eventually, we master the art of not finding a man like our fathers, and if we're lucky, the man we marry and/or have children with will be far more deserving of a Father's Day celebration. He will show us exactly what the love from a father looks like, and we will live through our kids' excitement of celebrating their dad on Father's Day. We'll be able to find a card with just the right words and post pics of him affectionately posed with our children. As mothers, we won't expect nor accept a Father's Day wish because we've already had our day. Ultimately, we will find pure joy in celebrating the holiday on his behalf and less for the fathers we missed in our own lives.

More: Men describe the first moment they really felt like dads

Ari Adams is a lifestyle and parenting blogger, author and cyber hippie. She’s the lady behind the blog Love, Peace, and Tiny Feet, where she shares the memorable and sometimes crazy experiences of balancing parenthood, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and finding love and peace in imperfection. You can keep in touch with her on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram.

There's a first for everything, but this is one first that we're particularly excited about: The Bachelorette is coming to Canada.

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The hit reality TV franchise has expanded its search for love and will now give one lucky Canadian lady the opportunity to find romance when it airs on W Network this September, and we already know who that lady will be: Jasmine Lorimer.

Lorimer, who's a Kenora, Ontario native, has been named as the show's leading lady, and she seems to be in the series for the right reasons.

The 27-year-old beauty has been described as "refreshingly open, honest and not afraid to laugh at herself," all of which are incredibly important qualities when looking for "the one," and it's this sort of honesty that viewers crave.

"I've been feeling a bit restless," Lorimer said during an interview with Entertainment Tonight Canada. "I've dated here and there and I haven't found anything that works. I hadn't really been too good at dating."

Working as a hairstylist in British Columbia, Lorimer has been described by the show as a "small-town girl at heart" with an "artistic nature and adventurous spirit" — a statement that's confirmed by a glance at her Instagram account, which shows that Lorimer is a lover of the outdoors and various activities including skiing, paddle boarding and camping.

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Apart from what has been revealed about Lorimer in the press release, according to HELLO! magazine, you may also have spotted her in the music video for Canadian country duo King and Cash.

But being The Bachelorette is a role that Lorimer doesn't take lightly. While we've seen some contestants on the hit franchise who we didn't think were really in it for the right reasons (let's not name names), we hope that Lorimer is looking for love — and according to her statement, she certainly appears to be.

"It is such an honour to be Canada's first bachelorette," she said in a press release for W Network. "This opportunity came at the perfect time for me and I couldn't be more prepared to embark upon this lifelong adventure."

As for the men competing for Lorimer's love? So far, we do know of one: according to Global News, Eddie, an oilfield logistics coordinator was chosen as Canada's crush, and he, along with 19 other men will be in the running.

More: The Bachelorette's JoJo Fletcher realizes how scary Chad is, but is it too late?

TV host Noah Cappe (who you may remember from Food Network Canada's Carnival Eats and Great Canadian Cookbook) will take on hosting duties for The Bachelorette Canada when it premieres on W Network this fall, and he shared his thoughts on whether the Canadian version of The Bachelorette will differ from the American version.

"The Canadian version, the only thing I think will kind of be different are the people," Cappe told Entertainment Tonight Canada. "I'm a little bit biased being a good Canadian boy, but we've got an amazing group of Bachelors and our Bachelorette is the best, and I feel like they represent Canada."

While we're sure Lorimer will make a great Bachelorette, there is hope that the network will diversify if the show makes it to a second season. Barb Williams, executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Corus, said that next season The Bachelor or The Bachelorette could be a person of colour.

"It's entirely a possibility. We are watching the diversity issue just about explode. We should have been much more conscious and purposeful about this years ago," Williams told The Star. "But we are finally coming to our senses about this and who our viewing population really is. We should make sure they are reflected in every way, so certainly none of that stuff is off the table."

Are you excited to learn that The Bachelorette is coming to Canada, and do you think they made a good choice with Jasmine Lorimer? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

One woman is covering her face, chest and arms with swirling dots of glow-in-the-dark neon paint while another paints orange brushstrokes around her eyes, making her look like a tiger. I begin drawing ab muscles onto my stomach with electric pink paint because why not? We accessorize our looks with glow bracelets and necklaces that sit in a pile in the front of the room. Although it sounds like we’re getting ready to go take drugs in a field at a music festival, that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re here to exercise. Welcome to Buti Glow Yoga, or Buti ‘Glowga’ as it’s often called, the ravelike fitness craze that’s shaking up a yoga world that sometimes takes itself a little too seriously.

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The class at LA’s The Bridge Mind Body Movement yoga studio makes big promises that it will help us “shake off any stress and baggage from the work week” while connecting us to our “primal essence and inner feminine power.” I'd had a long day punching my keyboard and just needed to unwind at a yoga class, and this was the only one offered in my neighborhood on ClassPass. After hitting the reserve button, I worried it would be too woo-woo but knew I couldn't back out without risking a cancellation fee. But any reservations I had quickly vanished once I grabbed a brush. As I start dotting paint on my body with this group of total strangers, I started to feel calmer than when I walked in. I felt like a kid again.

“As adults, we rarely get to play,” says instructor Theresa Lee. “I love seeing how creative people are with the paint. It is all part of nourishing the soul, connecting the mind and body, and creating a self-love practice.”

When Lee switches off the lights and the back lights come on, the real work begins. As she moves her body gracefully to the pulsing rhythm of electronic music and hip-hop, leading a fast-paced workout fusing primal dance moves, flowing asanas and plyometrics, we all try our best to follow.

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Created by trainer Bizzie Gold, whose celebrity clients have included the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Buti Yoga is unique in part because the practice involves almost nonstop rhythmic circular movements of your hips that tone your core muscles. Buti Yoga may be playful, but it’ll kick your ass. And what does the paint have to do with working out? “The painting and the black lights enhance the practice because it is dark and we are glowing," Lee says. "It allows people to feel more free and confident.” 

I love the freedom the body paint and black lights add to the class; it helps me stop worrying about what I might look like as I try not to collapse into a neon heap of my own limbs. Instead of being forced to stare at my sweaty face and shaking legs under harsh fluorescent lights in the mirror, I only see the painted marks on my body and everyone else. At one point, I got so caught up in the moment that I even confused my neighbor’s neon reflection for my own.

Lee is seemingly inexhaustible. We bounced up and down in a squat position so long that my legs began to feel like rubber bands ready to snap. I looked in the mirror, and all of my body paint had bled together into dripping neon pools of sweat. I looked less like a glowing goddess at this stage and more like a sweaty swamp monster. We pounded the floor to connect with the beat of the music, which helped me get out of my head and stop intellectualizing what we’re doing and just power through it.

“Buti Yoga is a challenging practice and maybe even uncomfortable at times," Lee says. "But if you do the work, you will experience so many physical and energetic benefits. The electricity and power in the room during a Buti Glow class is magical. Most people's reactions are, ‘That was hard but so fun!’”

And she’s absolutely right. At the end of class, I sank into my mat, feeling like I'd overcome any anxieties I had before class. The only thought that concerned me at the moment was: “When can we bust out the paints and do this again?!”

More: Cat yoga is the new fitness trend for you and your fur babies

When you turn to the internet for relationship advice, you have to be prepared to hear some home truths. People don’t tend to hold back when they have their computer screen as a shield.

More: A bad date story that takes 'I'm not looking for anything messy' to a new level

One woman discovered how true this is when she took to Mumsnet for dating advice recently. User Nephilim1964 asked the community for their thoughts on a particularly difficult relationship dilemma. She revealed that her eldest daughter, 34, had stopped talking to her, cut her off from her grandchildren and berated her on Facebook after she discovered Nephilim1964 was dating a much younger man.

Nephilim1964 said she was almost 50 and her partner, who she began dating last November, was 24. "Does anyone think that my daughter's justified in her behaviour," she asked, "Or am I in the wrong for embarrassing her by taking a younger partner?"

The hundreds of responses from Mumsnet users were mixed, but the ones that stood out were particularly harsh. Many people echoed the views of Nephilim1964’s daughter, telling her she was "embarrassing" and that the entire situation seemed "incredibly weird and inappropriate." One poster even gave her very specific advice on age-gap relationships: "24 and 50 is an inappropriate age gap. Half your age plus 7 is the minimum. I couldn't even imagine getting off with a person that young and I'm 5 years younger than you."

More: Let's stop pretending being married at 40 is the only way to be happy

The attacks didn’t stop there. Having gone into some detail about her personal circumstances, Nephilim1964 found herself being slated for other decisions she had made, such as "leaving" her teenage daughter with her dad to move closer to her eldest daughter, who was going through a divorce.

Obviously, if you post a controversial problem on an online forum, you have to expect some pretty strong opinions. But why do people have to be so cruel? If the woman and her partner are both happy, the fact that he’s younger should be irrelevant.

We can’t help but wonder what the response would be if Nephilim1964 was a man dating a much younger woman. Would he have been attacked so viciously? It's unlikely. Older men dating younger women has happened for centuries, which goes some way to explain why older women dating younger men is more likely to raise eyebrows. But it happens, so it's time to get over it.

In recent years, age-gap celebrity relationships where the woman is older have caused no end of scandal. Demi Moore was married to Ashton Kutcher (15 years her junior) for several years, but the public never quite seemed to accept their union. When U.K. TV presenter Caroline Flack dated One Direction’s Harry Styles (14 years her junior) she was faced with such disgust and hatred that she couldn't leave her house without getting verbal abuse, even being called "paedophile" and "pervert." Habitual boundary-pusher Madonna's relationships with younger men have earned her no end of criticism.

Compare this to the older celebrity men who date younger women. Sean Penn dated 15-years-younger Charlize Theron. Jay Z is 12 years older than wife Beyoncé. Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones have 25 years between them. It’s not that these age gaps have gone unnoticed — but they certainly haven't been reported with such judgment and criticism. Older men practically get a pat on the back for bagging a much younger woman ("He's still got it!") while a woman who dates a much younger man is immediately labelled as embarrassing, sad or disgusting.

Nephilim1964 left the Mumsnet conversation with her dignity intact. "I think it's time for me to stop posting on here, and just be incredibly grateful that I'm not as intolerant as some […] on this thread," she posted. "I can handle constructive criticism, but the vitriol that has been spewing forth since I started this is actually quite saddening. It really hasn't occurred to some people that we might actually just enjoy being together."

It may be a cliché that age is just a number, but clichés are clichés for a reason. How many of us actually feel our age? People are complex and the sum of so much more than the date on their birth certificate. If an age gap isn't an issue for the couple in the relationship, it sure as hell shouldn't be an issue for anybody else.

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After 35 years, I guess I never really expected to meet him. I always knew that I was the odd man out in my family.

My build, my blonde hair, green eyes and curls always made me stand out in family photos, but it was something that we chose not to talk about. Because above all else, these people were my family, despite only sharing our mother’s DNA. I have two half-sisters and a half-brother. I have a mother and a stepfather. It was more important to love the ones who stood by my side instead of missing the one who chose to leave.

More: Being a single mom on Father's Day is the pits

In 1978 I was born to an unwed, single woman who had just turned 20. She delivered me alone, signed the adoption paperwork alone and left the hospital without a child. She was the fourth child in a Catholic family, a bit wild, a bit lost and a bit shamed for getting pregnant. As the story goes, adoption wasn’t in the cards for me. My biological father refused to sign the paperwork, my mother couldn’t bear the loss of her child and my grandmother decided that she wanted to raise a sixth child.

As the years ticked on, my mother married and had three more children. Being the oldest of four kids, my role was clear. I was the trailblazer.

But there was a division. I was different. I begged silently for my biological father to come for me, to wrap me up in his arms and take me where I belonged. To show me people who looked like me, acted like me and just once give me that feeling of belonging. It’s a terrible feeling to not believe you belong in your own home. I wanted the safety of having my own tribe.

But he never came, and we never talked about him and I never shared my feelings of sadness, anger and resentment for the people I lived with. I did what any teenager would do — I made my own tribe. One that felt like family, one that I finally belonged to.

My friends, my tribe, were almost all from happily married families with sisters and brothers of their own. I felt secure. I felt wanted. For the first time in my life, I didn’t long for something I didn’t have.

My tribe grew and expanded over the years. Marriages, babies, death and long distance moves didn’t (and don’t) matter. These people are my tribe. They are my safety net when I am walking the high wire. They are still who I go to when life thoroughly sucks.

So it seemed only fitting I was celebrating Christmas with them when my biological half-sister reached out to me on behalf of my father in 2014. My tribe advised against meeting her. Like the terrible listener I am, I did the exact opposite. We agreed to meet, just her and I at a bar because I knew I was going to need booze. I was nervous and sweaty despite it being January, but she was kind. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the familiarity of her appearance; but I told her to give our father my number. I told her to have him call me. I would answer the phone and I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to meet the man I had given up on so long ago.

Three days went by, and he didn’t call. Four days and then five days. As the week rounded out, I was angry. I had made a huge mistake. I opened myself to getting hurt by a man who hurt me for 35 years. His silence resulted in this blog post. My half-sister read it and sent it to him. I was mortified and relieved. He had finally heard what I had to say. That blog post started a chain of events that not even I fully understand today.

He called shortly after he read it. We set a date to meet face-to-face. I let him pick the day. He picked the next day — a bold move, which I respected and was terrified of. Years of mystery and anger and finally apathy would come to a head in less time than it takes me to pick out living room furniture.

In an only-my-life moment, it turns out I would be meeting him in his home less than five miles from where I grew up. I passed my childhood home and started shaking. I spent 15 years living down the street from him, two half-sisters and two half-brothers. As the realization set in that he knew exactly where I was my entire life, so did the overwhelming desire to vomit. I pulled over, looked around at the familiar houses and streets, settled myself and decided that I had come this far, so I should soldier on. I pulled into his driveway relieved because I had never been there before. In small towns, there aren’t many people you don’t know.

More: 25 kids whose love notes to Dad will make you bust a gut

It was a relief that I hadn’t accidentally met the people I share this strand of DNA with. One more big breath in and I got out of my car. I exhaled and knocked on the door.

As he opened the door, I started to panic. What the actual fuck am I doing here? I was happy before. I had long since resolved my feelings about the mystery man on the other side. At least I thought I had. We talked for hours. I drank beer and listened to him tell his story. He drank wine and listened about the years I spent alone, and finally about my tribe. I told him that I didn’t trust him. That they don’t trust him. That I don’t trust anyone. He said he understood. I asked him what he wanted. If this is what he wanted? He said he did. I didn’t believe him. I didn’t believe him that night and as the year progressed, he taught me that my instinct is almost always right.

As the months wore on, the visits became fewer and the messages stopped. I could ask what the problem is, or why he withdrew over this past year, but I won’t. I won’t because I deserve better. I will not spend my precious time wondering or wishing for something different. This is who he is, and by extension who his family is.

I don’t need another man in my life. Of all the amazing people I have surrounded myself with, the tribe that I have created, the one position that never could be filled was the one of the father. I shouldn’t say I need a father, because I have lived quite happily for most of my 37 years without one. But I wanted one. I wanted to be someone’s little girl. The apple of someone’s eye. I wanted that person to love me without prejudice and be present. Not an afterthought. It seems most of my life I had been just that: an afterthought. From the day I was born in 1978, to my mother’s marriage, until my tribe formed, I was an afterthought. Maybe because I am strong, and resilient. Maybe because I wasn’t anyone’s number one.

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I don’t know why he has disappeared from my life once again, but I do know that this is the last time. I learned over the last 12 months that I never needed a father. I have all the love and support I could ever want or need. I have a tribe of friends and family that I trust, that love me and that have stuck by my side through it all.

They have seen the worst and have helped me celebrate the best. They have cried with me and for me. We may not all share the same DNA but there is a love that transcends blood. I realized that I am not an afterthought. I am strong, independent and resilient. I wish him nothing but the best in this life, but I won’t be in it.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

It's easy to forget that Nick Jonas has been in the industry a long, long time. So long that he's had red carpet mishaps — and he's learned to laugh about them. He told a story on The Tonight Show about a very unfortunate moment with a weed lollipop that could have been very, very public.

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The night before the Young Hollywood Awards, Jonas took a weed lollipop from a friend's wife. "I never do this — never happens," he said. But it certainly hit him, because the next day he woke up with his head spinning.

"I'm hearing these voices," he said. He tried going back to sleep, eating, showering, and finally he had to get ready for the show. You can tell Jonas was clealry under the influence by the red suit and sunglasses he wore on the red carpet.

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Even worse? The lollipop had him feeling frisky. "Out of nowhere, I get a NARB," Jonas laughed. "A NARB is a no apparent reason boner." Fallon cued the photos of him walking around — for an entire award show — with his hand covering his crotch.

It was only a few short years ago that Jonas was wearing a purity ring. Ah, the journey that life takes us on.

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The wife of late actor Patrick Swayze is being forced to deny accusations that she regularly abused him, even when he was dying of cancer.

A so-called friend of Swayze and wife Lisa Niemi claims the actor was kept a prisoner in his own home during his dying days, forbidden from receiving visits from his family, and was a victim of vicious attacks.

"He loved her with all his heart but it was a serious love-hate relationship," the source told Radar Online.

"She would beat on him and he would beat on the walls and furniture. They fought and I covered up a lot of that — they destroyed hotel rooms, cars, their house... it was abusive.

"She wouldn't hit him with stuff — she would claw at his arms and neck. She would punch and slap him. As he got sick, he was defenseless," the friend added.

"Cancer brought him from 180 pounds to 90 pounds. She always had the upper hand because he wouldn't hit her. He was adamant about never ever laying his hands on her."

More: Patrick Swayze's widow, Lisa Niemi, finds love again

The source also said that Swayze's brother, who cared for him when Niemi couldn't be there, would regularly find Swayze laying in his own filth.

"Lisa would be gone for hours doing whatever she was doing and Donnie would come in and Patrick would be lying in his own feces and pee," he said.

Another friend close to Swayze's mother claims Niemi banned anyone from visiting him in the two months before he died — including his own mother.

"Could you imagine not being able to see your son who is dying?" the source told Radar. "It was unexplainable. There is no excuse for it and I don't know what Lisa was thinking."

Patsy Swayze died in 2013.

But Niemi denies all of it. Her rep told the Daily Mail, "It is categorically untrue. It is that simple."

Swayze and Niemi were married for 34 years before he died of pancreatic cancer in 2009.

Khloé Kardashian has spoken at length about her weight loss and newfound commitment to a healthy lifestyle — not that she really needs to, because it shows in the daily Instagram shots and Snapchat videos of her busting her butt in the gym, often at ungodly hours of the morning. But it's something that is frequently discussed, as is everything else in Kardashian land. And her new interview with Harper's BAZAAR sheds more light on not just the physical changes her body has undergone since losing approximately 40 pounds, but the mental changes, which are often the hardest part about a weight loss journey.

I would know, because, like Kardashian, I too have lost about 40 pounds; and even though this is pretty much where our similarities start and end, her journey has served as an almost mirror image to mine.

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Kardashian told Harper's Bazaar that she never set out to lose weight, but instead found solace in the gym, on the elliptical, watching Real Housewives, while her marriage to Lamar Odom was crumbling. She says she "loved that solitude" and that the weight loss was an unintended side effect. "I never thought about the number," she says. "When I started seeing that I could lose weight — because I just thought my body would never change — I started taking it more seriously and eating better."

This hits super close to home for me, as I struggled with a 30-pound weight gain during an incredibly rough patch in college. It took two years out of college — and an assumption that this was my new body and it would never change — before I discovered that it wasn't just adding in exercise or restricting calories that would change my life, but an entire overhaul of the way I looked at myself to see true, lasting change.

More: Khloé Kardashian demands respect from Kris Jenner

Of course, I don't have access to Gunnar Peterson, trainer to the stars, but it's Kardashian's attitude after the weight loss that resonated with me. As she explains to the magazine, "I definitely think the fashion industry, and people in general, look at me more now that I've lost weight. Even on shoots, I would never have options for clothing. There would always be this attention on Kourtney and Kim, but I was too much work for [stylists] or they had nothing in my size. I wasn't even that crazy big!"

She adds that those same stylists are now clamouring to work with her at her new weight, lamenting, "[stylists] actually said, 'I just can't work with you' — because I was too big. That always hurt my feelings, of course." Now, she says, "I'm just like, 'F*ck you. I'm not going to reward your bad behavior.'"

Like Kardashian, I too noticed I was treated differently by the outside world (albeit, not celebrity stylists, because I'm just a normal person, not a Kardashian)... but this became one of the hardest things to cope with in my case. Suddenly, I felt like peoples' compliments on my appearance always had an underlying meaning of "you look great now, but wow, were you hideous before!"

More: Is O.J. Simpson Khloé Kardashian's real dad?

The extra attention my new body received still makes me uncomfortable, especially when it falls under the male gaze, as it so often does. Those 40 pounds, in a way, served as armor for me to hide behind, and now that it's not there, it feels like all eyes are on me, which makes me even more uncomfortable than being overweight.

Kardashian's attitude is the one to have, for sure — she was no less confident before than she is now, and that's the ultimate takeaway from it. And the fact that she recognizes the bad behavior of those petty stylists? That is what makes her beautiful, at least in my eyes.

Kardashian admits she's still insecure, especially with the thousands of negative comments she receives on her social media feeds and in the constant Kardashian coverage, but she doesn't let anything stop her from being her badass self. I may not be ready to post gym selfies or pose for glamorous photos a la Kardashian, but I'll certainly try and channel her the next time I'm feeling insecure about a number on the scale, no matter what that number may be.

What do you think of Khloé's comments about her weight loss? Are they inspiring to you?

Butterbeer is the favorite drink of Harry Potter and his wizarding friends. Mix up your own batch of plain butterbeer or adult butterbeer (with rum!), and make some fun butterbeer ice pops while you are at it.

After visiting Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter last month, I came home dreaming of butterbeer. Butterbeer is what all the cool wizards drink while in town at Hogsmeade.

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This version is made with cream soda, butter and rum extracts and is topped with a mixture of whipped cream, marshmallow fluff and a little more rum extract. So tasty. To kick it up a notch for the grown-ups, you can add a little dark rum instead of the extract. Doubly tasty!

You can also use either version to freeze into ice pops. Note that if you make this for any Harry Potter fan, he or she will immediately become your very best bestie.

More: Incredible Harry Potter-themed wedding is pure magic

Harry Potter butterbeer recipe (regular, with alcohol and ice pops)

Yields 1 drink of each or 4 ice pops

Total time: 10 minutes for drinks or 1 hour (freezing) for ice pops

Ingredients:

For nonalcoholic butterbeer

• 2 cups cream soda
• 1 teaspoon butter extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract

• 2 cups marshmallow fluff
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon rum extract

Directions:

1. To make the topping, in a mixer, whip all the ingredients until light and fluffy. Set aside.
2. To a mixing glass, add the cream soda, butter extract and rum (either extract or dark rum). Add ice, and shake well. Strain into a drinking glass.
3. Add a layer of the topping.

For ice pops

1. Mix 2 batches of either version of the butterbeer.
2. To an ice pop mold, fill 1/4 with the topping.
3. Freeze for 10 minutes.
4. Fill the remaining ice pop mold with butterbeer.
5. Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Condensation dripping from ceiling joints over pesto pasta, quesadillas and couscous; ready-to-eat veggies just sitting, uncovered, on a prep table. Is this your worst food safety nightmare or a Whole Foods Market plant? It's both, my friends. Both.

More: The FDA sure is in hot water over how it handles food recalls

The FDA just sent Whole Foods Market a warning letter about one of its plants. They have 15 days — a fortnight, if you will — to clean up their act or else "subject [their] firm and products to further actions, such as injunction or seizure."

More: Why all those huge food recalls are actually good news

An injunction means an order to stop doing something. So, they may have to stop all work at the plant, which if you ask me kind of should have happened already. This is a plant where listeria was found, so could someone please explain to me why it's even still open?

I haven't even told you about all the safety violations. There's the condensation leaking all over everything; foods are left uncovered; workers aren't washing their hands between tasks, and when they are, dirty water is splashing over what should be sanitary surfaces; employees are cleaning equipment the wrong way; hand sanitizer is going all over the place. I mean, you can read the list of safety violations — if you dare. It may put you off from buying pre-packaged foods anywhere for quite a while.

More: Big ol' Kellogg recall could send you running for your kids' lunchboxes

Even though it's so very shudder-inducing, I'm glad the FDA's letter is out there for all to see. And I'm glad Whole Foods Market is being told to get its act together. But doesn't this make you wonder what else is going on out there?

No one expects to have their baby spend time in the NICU immediately following birth. But once the shock of your situation wears off and the reality of having a baby in the hospital sets in, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Asking questions is a great way to learn about your baby's needs and to figure out what you can do to help in their care. Here are 15 questions to ask when you're the proud parent of a NICU baby.

More: Oh boy! This woman did not deliver the baby she thought she would

1. What does that term mean?

NICU doctors and nurses use medical terms all day long and can often forget that to the lay person, it sounds like they're speaking in another language. It's absolutely OK to speak up if you don't know what something means. They want you to be informed about your baby.

2. Can I sit in on rounds?

Most NICU teams have a daily meeting where they discuss your baby's prognosis, recent lab reports and next care steps. At many hospitals, parents are welcome to sit in and be part of the discussion. It's a great way to feel involved.

3. Can I hold him?

It's amazing how many parents think they can't hold their baby and how many nurses don't offer because they assume you already held them or don't want to. There are certain situations where no touching is the best option, but don't hesitate to ask if you can hold your baby, have skin-to-skin time or even attempt breastfeeding (most NICUs offer privacy screens if you'd like them).

4. What can I do to care for my baby?

Speak up if you'd like to help the NICU nurses check your baby's vitals, bathe them, feed or change them; after all, it's good practice for when Baby gets home. Most nurses have a set time when they perform these tasks — coordinate with your baby's nurse so you can be present and lend a helping hand.

5. What are the visiting hours and policies for the NICU?

Some hospitals will allow just one visitor or two, and many have strict polices regarding child visitors. The policies vary by hospital, however, so ask before anyone makes the drive to avoid disappointment.

More: This Sister Wives home birth sounds painful... for the baby

6. Is there free parking or reduced-fee parking for NICU parents?

Even at a few dollars a day, hospital parking can add up quickly. If there's no NICU parent option, ask about a long-term parking pass, which may offer some savings.

7. Are there overnight facilities so I can stay near my baby? If not, what is the NICU number so I can call to check on them at night?

Not every NICU parent is lucky enough to have their baby be close to home. Some hospitals have a few overnight rooms with beds and a lottery system for parents to want to stay with their babies overnight. Even if there's no free lodging, many hospitals have a reduced-rate deal with a nearby hotel or can connect you with a local non-profit that offers free accommodations in people's homes.

8. Will my baby be assigned the same nursing team for the duration of his time in the NICU?

If you form an attachment to a particular nurse, don't hesitate to ask if they can be assigned to your baby when on duty.

9. Can I bring clothes for my baby?

Once your baby gets the all-clear from the doctor, dressing them in teeny, tiny onesies is not only fun, it can help you feel more like you're a parent doing typical babycare things and not just a medical caregiver.

10. Can I bring a blanket or toys for my baby?

Some NICU parents sleep with a blanket or stuffed animal at night and ask to have it placed near or with the baby so they have their parent's scent nearby between visits.

More: Parents reveal the worst advice they've ever gotten

11. Does my baby qualify for any special services while in the NICU or once they are released?

Visiting nurses, occupational therapists or even public assistance may all be available to you once your baby is ready to graduate from the NICU and head home.

12. Are there any preemie parent support groups or services I can partake in?

Being a preemie parent can come with a range of new emotions. It can really help to connect with those who are going through or have been through the same experience.

13. Is there a place to pump and store milk?

Not every preemie mom wants to breastfeed, and even those who do may find their preemie is unable to feed from the breast. Pumping will help build up and keep your supply going until Baby is able to latch on, and often breast milk can be given to Baby via a tube.

14. Can the monitors be adjusted?

If you get alarmed any time your baby's monitors beep, ask the nurse if it's possible to direct the screens away from your line of sight while you hold and visit with your baby, so you can focus on bonding, not the beeps.

15. What is my baby's prognosis and when will they likely come home?

Knowing what health challenges may lie in store for your baby and when they'll come home can help you prepare for life after the NICU.

Bethenny Frankel has gone public with her new relationship with Dennis Shields, and as you might guess, there’s already major drama. In order to set the record straight, Frankel went to Twitter to clear up any false accusations — including the one from LuAnn de Lesseps who threw major shade that Frankel is dating a married man.

Frankel addressed most of the drama with a reply to a fan with this tweet, saying, "I'm dating a separated married man.I'm married.I went to high school w his ex wife 30 yrs ago. Any other questions?”

More: Bethenny Frankel has a new man and this one could really stick

Obviously, she’s already over this topic, even though it just started.

Her tweet pointed out a very important distinction that she, and the rest of the Housewives, need to start using. They all need to start being more clear about whether or not the men they’re dating are separated. Especially when they continue to hurl the “it’s disgusting you’re dating a married man” insult back and forth.

More: 7 guys Bethenny Frankel has reportedly dated since splitting with Jason Hoppy

Frankel and the other Housewives are all 45 and older. That means that dating gets a bit more complicated. No matter who we are, the older we get, the more baggage we carry around with us. So, yes, it’s more likely that older women would date married men, but it’s not the same as being a mistress. The men they date are more likely to have complicated histories which may mean separations instead of divorce. Sometimes that’s the easier route to choose because of money or convenience.

More: Bethenny Frankel reportedly dating a new man — and it's not Eric Stonestreet

For the Housewives or people online to equate a healthy, but complicated, relationship to an affair is just unnecessary drama. Sure, technically it’s the truth but it doesn’t paint the whole picture. All it does is reduce a relationship that makes two people very happy to a seedy affair. We don’t need more hate like that in the world.

Presidential campaigns are always great fodder for comedy, and 2016 is certainly no exception. Knowing this, I went into this season expecting plenty of political jokes on America's Got Talent. What I did not expect, however, was to hear a political joke from a contestant who will not be able to vote in this presidential election, or the next one.

Even Howie Mandel could not prepare me for the awesomeness that was about to transpire, although he certainly tried:

Lori Mae Hernandez's comedic talent was clear from the moment she stepped on stage. She absolutely nailed the timing of her bit, as well as the vocal delivery. The content was, at time, pretty dry, but there's only so much you can say about being a babysitter. Thankfully, she rescued the bit with a quip about Donald Trump that both the judges and the audience loved. They even rewarded her with a standing ovation!

More: Contestants 70 years apart in age steal America's Got Talent spotlight

I'm usually tough to please when it comes to comedy, but the line, "Weren’t you a host of a reality show? You wanna be President of the United States?" elicited a chuckle.

Full disclosure: I am not a Trump fan, so naturally, I'm going to find this a lot funnier than his supporters ever will. And Hernandez's joke was not exactly the type that would appeal to both supporters and detractors, as is the case for certain quips about, say, Bill Clinton. Still, I like to think that even Trump supporters could appreciate Hernandez's gutsy approach to the audition process.

More: Simon Cowell excited fans with his new TV gig

Following Hernandez's brief Trump roast, Twitter went wild. A few people went so far as to suggest that this single joke should deliver her straight to the finale.

I think it's ludicrous to suggest that one moderately funny joke about Trump is enough to get into the finale, but I do appreciate Hernandez's willingness to go beyond the expected babysitting jokes and bring a political figure into the fray. She will have to fight her way into the finale like everybody else, but if she continues to take risks, she can go a long way in this competition.

More: Howie Mandel apologizes for tacky bulimia joke on America's Got Talent

What did you think of Lori Mae Hernandez's Donald Trump joke? Comments and share your opinion below.

Shannon Miller is a former Olympic gymnast, health and wellness expert, mother of two and a pro at juggling her busy schedule. We asked her how she keeps up a healthy, balanced lifestyle for herself and her kids.

More: What Chef Judy Joo eats when she's too tired to cook

Here’s what Shannon picks when she’s alone and on the go:

After a long day, cooking needs to be quick and easy. Grilled chicken with broccoli and rice is a fast and healthy meal to whip together, especially when it’s been prepared beforehand. My other go-to is a healthy salad. My goal is to always have ingredients great for salads on hand, such as hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, chickpeas and blue cheese crumbles, so I can throw everything into a bowl for a flavorful meal.

More: What Padma Lakshmi eats when she's too tired to cook

And when it comes to feeding her kids, these are her go-tos:

One of my all-time favorite meals to make for my family is homemade chicken soup. Over the weekend, I’ll make a large portion, freeze leftovers and defrost on a weeknight after a long day. My kids also love lasagna, which is another easy meal to freeze and defrost during the week. Lasagna is easy to serve with a side of "power punch peas,” as my kids call them.

Miller says she also relies on her Juice Plus+ vitamins to make sure her kids are still getting all their nutrients when she can’t get them to eat their extra veggies.

More: What Giada De Laurentiis eats when she's too tired to cook

The honeymoon is apparently way, way over for Bachelor in Paradise's Lacy Faddoul and Marcus Grodd. They were married on the show, but according to Grodd, he's barely heard from Faddoul since the cameras went away.

More: Ben Higgins' exes are flocking to Bachelor in Paradise — including our favorite

In a new interview with Life & Style, Grodd shares that it's been two months since he's heard from his supposed wife, calling her a "runaway bride." He continues, "We had this fantastic relationship, and then it totally vanished. It was like she ran away."

More: Carly Waddell releases "statement" about her Bachelor in Paradise breakup

The couple's wedding was for the cameras in one important way — it wasn't legal. But to listen to Grodd's story, he was ready to walk down the aisle for real the second they reunited at home. “When we came back, we were supposed to start the paperwork [to make everything legal.] But she stalled,” he says. "I feel duped." By a reality TV star marrying him on a reality TV show.

He explains that Faddoul advised him to get his own place instead of moving in together. He went through her phone and found "flirtatious" text messages. The last he heard from her was two months ago, when they went to dinner. “She just cut off all communication,” he says.

She's certainly been around, live-tweeting the most recent season of The Bachelor and, perhaps, responding to Grodd's interview.

More: Bachelor in Paradise reportedly nabs Ben Higgins' most dramatic suitor yet

Canning is my jam. Corny, I know, but totally true. I love how canning can be so methodical, so therapeutic and so satisfying. I wanted to share a special recipe with you all, and I hope you love it as much as I do. It is very similar to the recipes many of your grandmothers canned in yesteryear for good reason. This recipe is a simple, easy recipe for brand-new canning beginners.

More: Everything you ever needed to know to prep for canning season

My grandmother's wild plum jam is simple, delicious and not too sweet. It's one that I have loved eating on toast at her place all my life. From what I have read, wild plums can be found in a wide variety of places around the world. I have found that once you reveal that you are a canner (or want to be!) people are very willing to share produce for free or cheap, so I'd ask friends and neighbors before paying high prices in a market.

The recipe will work with regular plums, but the tart plums that grow wild are more of an amber color and have a different flavor. Store-bought plums are sweet — and not much else. Wild plums are sweet, tart, sunny and more. Seek out wild ones first and then resort to the grocery-store variety. This recipe yields about 4 measuring cups of jam, but bear in mind that wild fruit has a lot of variation and your recipe may yield a quantity greater or less than this — and that is OK.

More: Slow cooker peanut butter and chocolate cake — a seriously sinful dessert

Wild Plum Jam

Ingredients:

• 5 cups sugar
• 5 cups pitted wild plums (you can rough chop or run through a food mill first if you desire a smoother spread)
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Boil all ingredients together for 15 minutes, stirring often.
2. Follow safe water bath canning practice outlined in any good canning book or on the USDA site. This site is kind of like the Bible; it is the final word on canning safety, but it is sometimes hard to read, lengthy and dated.
3. Ladle the hot jam into hot jars one at a time. Leave 1/2-inch headspace (the distance between the hot food and the top edge of the canning jar). Put on lids and rings, and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remember to adjust for changes in elevation: Add five minutes to the total processing time for every 1000 feet you live above sea level. Remove jars carefully from the water bath when the time is up and place on a towel-covered countertop.
4. Listen closely for the lids to seal (they will make a satisfying "ping" noise) in a few minutes or up to 12 hours later. Leave the jars undisturbed on the countertop for up to 24 hours before you label and store in a cool, dark space.

How to can:

Supplies:

• One large pot and rack
• One preserving pan in which to cook the jam
• One small saucepan or pot
• One jar lifter and funnel
• Jars, brand-new lids and matching-sized rings

Directions:

1. Prepare your water bath canning pot. This should be a large pot, at least three inches taller than your tallest canning jar. Use a wire canning rack or a silicone trivet in the bottom of the pot. I like wide-mouth half pints for jam, but use whatever canning jars you have on hand. Just check the rims of the jars first for cracks or chips. Fill the pot and jars with hot tap water. Be sure the water covers the tops of the jars by about three inches and bring to a boil on high.
2. Fill a saucepan or small pot with hot water and coordinating brand-new canning lids and matching-sized rings and bring to a simmer. Brand-new lids are a must because used lids will not seal.
3. Prepare the following jam recipe in a preserving pan as the above pots come to a boil and continue following the canning steps.

Additional facts about the jam

• You don't have to can this recipe. You can ladle the hot jam into sterilized (boiled) jars and put canning lids on them and store in the refrigerator.
• The jars may seal if you just put the hot jam into the hot jars. That does not mean the jam is shelf-stable; it just means it won't leak out if you tip it over, at best. Processing the jam jar in a water bath for 15 minutes means the jam is shelf-stable up to a year. No water bath processing means it is fridge-stable for a month.
• In fact, if you are storing this in the fridge, you can cut back on the sugar, and the only effect will be the thickness of the jam. Play around with this and embrace the idea that wild produce will produce different preserves from place to place and from batch to batch.

More: 20 things only real country girls understand about life

If you are looking for more beginner-friendly canning resources, head to my site, www.thedomesticwildflower.com, to learn more!

“I worry about my kids,” a presenter at a conference I recently attended said. “When we grew up, we played outside. We interacted with friends. We formed memories. What memories are today’s children going to have, since they’re spending childhood staring at screens?”

He went on with his presentation, which I’m sure was insightful and interesting. I couldn’t get past his opening comment. He was around my age, which meant he was likely raised in the era of cable television and video arcades. I then realized that all of this talk about “kids today” and their tablets and smartphones was just talk.

More: My kid is gorging herself on TV this summer, and I don't feel guilty at all

I didn’t have a smartphone when I was a kid. I couldn’t text my friends to ask what they were wearing to school the next day. But when I was 11, my parents ran a separate “kids only” phone line so my sister and I could talk to our BFFs for hours without tying up the main phone.

I couldn’t spend hours blowing up candy or shooting birds into pigs’ fortresses, but when I was 12, my parents brought an Atari home. We spent hours playing Pac-Man and Frogger. I had a Merlin, which allowed me to play tic tac toe and blackjack. All of those games gave us plenty of things to do besides talk to our parents or play outside.

Most of my childhood and adolescence were spent with my nose buried in a book. The '80s was a big decade for young adult fiction. I read every cheesy teen romance that came out. As I got older, I read V.C. Andrews and Stephen King. At 15, I was more likely to be sitting in a corner, reading, than playing basketball with the neighbors.

My grandmother always had piles of magazines when we visited. I’d spend the two weeks we were there reading True Story and old National Enquirers, hoping nobody would tell me I had to go outside and play. I think of that when I see my stepdaughter playing on her phone while visiting her own grandparents. Same behavior, different format.

More: I use my cellphone to ignore other moms — not my kid

Would my childhood memories have been stronger if I hadn’t spent so many hours watching MTV and reading about children who were locked in an attic? Doubtful. The truth is, I have fond memories attached to those things. And, I set down my book when something interesting was happening. I spent time with friends and relatives and had a full life, just as kids today do, and they’ll remember their friends and relatives just as we do.

Granted, outdoor time is good for kids, just as it was healthy when we were kids. I can’t buy into the theory that my generation spent 15 hours a day outdoors and stared at the screen very little. The only difference is that we often shared a screen with everyone else in the room, while today’s devices let everyone separate themselves.

More: How do you sum up fatherhood in five words or less? These dads did it

But to say our generation had it better because our vice was MTV instead of Candy Crush is just wrong. You can limit their screen time. You can even tell them that “back in the day” you played outside instead of staring at a screen. After a while, you might even start believing it. But other Generation Xers likely know the truth — because we were there.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

We hear about single moms all the time, but the stories about dads wrangling the parental duties on their own are few and far between. It's unfortunate, because if you were raised by a single dad your upbringing was probably pretty awesome. It was likely filled with adventures and lessons and fourth downs and memories that have completely fulfilled your life, but... it was also awkward at times. So, so awkward.

If you're a woman that has been raised by a single dad, you've got a thorough grasp of that awkward endeavor of enduring adolescence with a man that likely doesn't have a clue what a day in the life of a woman is like.

More: Kids attempt to draw their dads and, well, you gotta see this

You probably turned out just fine, but that doesn't mean that you don't completely understand the struggles.

1. You had zero help in the hair and beauty department. It probably didn't take that long for you to realize you would be left to fend for yourself when it came to braiding your hair. You may have learned that lesson the hard way after entering the fourth grade with what was supposed to be a braid ... but instead looked more like the remnants of a girl whose hair had weathered a hurricane.
2. The hell that is purchasing tampons with your dad. You don't understand the meaning of the word awkward until you're explaining to your dad the difference between the regular tampons and the super ones.
3. The book that was strategically laid on your pillow that depicted the birds and the bees. Sex talk? What sex talk?
4. The Taser and/or Mace that accompanied your driver's license. Because if Dad couldn't be around to protect his little girl, a Taser would most likely get the job done.
5. Every crush you ever had was immediately criminalized. It doesn't matter whether your crush walked around with a picture of Jesus around his neck — to dads this is actually a strategic move on your crush's part used to lure you into the back seat of their car where they would promptly de-flower you. Yes, "de-flower."
6. You're a great griller, but a less-than-stellar cook. You can work a propane grill better than you can a crock-pot, and you can definitely eyeball the perfect steak without having to cut into it.
7. You don't need anyone to help you change a tier. Another thing that accompanied your driver's license was "roadside assistance 101." During this overwhelmingly terrifying lesson, you learned that you're probably going to be taken at some point, how to assemble an engine, jump start a car, use your safety whistle and change a flat tire. If only this sort of attentiveness had been shared with you when you were learning how to do your makeup, you might not look so much like the Joker (the scary one) when you try to accomplish the perfect cat eye with your liquid liner.
8. Puberty was pretty much the worst. Again, there was probably a book or a brochure hidden in your bathroom somewhere that explained the hell that was happening to your body, but not much else.
9. You had an "exit outfit" that you wore to hide your actual outfit for the night because your dad was certain it was too revealing. Teenage girls raised by single dads are basically modern-day Clark Kents.
10. You had the hardware store memorized at an early age. No sir, I don't need your assistance finding the drill bits.
11. You never learned how to ask for directions, so you're especially attentive to road signs. Thank goodness for GPS, because you were taught that you were basically a failure at life in general if you asked for directions when you were lost.
12. You pretended that your boyfriend didn't exist for months so that your dad wouldn't find out about him. Who's Ryan? Oh, just this guy you've been dating for the last two years — you're planning on getting married and have the names of your future children picked out, but it's really not that serious.
13. Not being able to talk for a substantial part of your life because of third downs. Or while someone was pitching, shooting a free throw, fishing, etc.
14. Not being able to talk because someone was putting. Or during their back swing.
15. "Rub a little dirt on it." Scraped your knee? Rub a little dirt on it. Broke your ankle? Rub a little dirt on it.

More: 25 kids whose love notes to Dad will make you bust a gut

If you were raised by a single dad, there's a good chance that you hit a few bumps in the long and awkward road of adolescence, but that didn't prevent you from turning out any less awesome than your friends. Really, what kind of 16-year-old girl can change a tire and grill a steak? A freaking awesome one!

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Yolanda Hadid announced via Instagram that she's leaving RHOBH after what was a tumultuous season for her, and I think it's honestly for the best. She expressed her gratitude to fans for their "love and unwavering support" for the four years she was on the show, adding that she's "grateful for the housewife experience" and all that it's brought her.

I'm not at all surprised by Hadid's decision to exit the show — after all, this recent season didn't do many favors for her. Hadid's struggles with Lyme disease were front and center for the entire season, with Hadid intending to set out on a mission to act as an advocate for the hundreds of thousands of Lyme disease sufferers around the globe. But instead, what Bravo aired was a sloppy mess of Munchhausen allegations and questions about the legitimacy of her illness, which is undoubtedly the exact opposite of what Hadid hoped for.

I will admit that I was looking forward to Season 6 of RHOBH because I have a personal connection with Hadid's plight — I watched my mom struggle with chronic Lyme disease for nearly three years before she was diagnosed, as doctors told her she had everything from lupus to fibromyalgia to depression. She was given steroids to mask the pain, antidepressants to help her "snap out of it" and the promise of 10 good years before her mystery disease would win out over her life. All the while, the Lyme bacteria wove deeply into every joint and every muscle fiber, doing further damage to her body.

More: Yolanda Hadid has her fair share of critics thanks to this bikini pic

Not that I ever want to see someone struggle with any illness, but I felt relieved that Hadid was using her status as a public figure to shed light on the very scary, very complicated world of Lyme disease. The thing about Lyme disease that the average person simply wouldn't understand is that it involves so much more than a simple tick bite and a course of antibiotics.

Most health professionals acknowledge standard cases of Lyme disease, in which a person is bit by a deer tick and infected with the disease. A bull's-eye rash, along with some standard symptoms including joint pain, fatigue and weakness appears. The person goes to the doctor, gets tested, receives a standard course of antibiotics and they're well on their way to feeling better... right?

Well, for most, that is the case. But for some, like Hadid and my mom, that's just not how simple it ends up being. If Lyme disease isn't caught right away (tests for Lyme disease are inconclusive, and often come back with false negatives), it can take years trying to figure out what exactly is going on. While you're doing that, the Lyme bacteria is multiplying and weaving deeply into every part of your body, including joints, muscles and the brain and heart. The symptoms (including but certainly not limited to fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, heart palpitations, mood changes/depression, anxiety, brain fog, etc.) are similar to other conditions, including chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, arthritis and fibromyalgia. Lyme is often called "the great imitator," so diagnosis and treatment can take a long time, if it's even ever properly diagnosed.

More: Does Yolanda Hadid have the right to ask for spousal support?

Add to that the fact that the medical community is conflicted on if chronic or late-stage Lyme disease actually exists, and you've got a one-two punch. Many physicians refuse to acknowledge its existence, thus leaving sufferers without many options, desperately searching for a cure.

When Hadid decided that she was going to use her celebrity as a way to teach people about the harrowing effects that this disease inflicts upon hordes of people every year, I applauded her. I watched my own mom lie in a bed day after day, unable to move, before a Lyme-literate doctor saved her life and started her on a course of treatment that was right for her.

But what has happened has sparked a debate with more than just her fellow Housewives doubting her. Between the "sick selfies" vs. "happy selfies" and the claims that two of her children, Bella and Anwar Hadid, are also suffering, I completely understand why there's confusion about her intentions.

More: Yolanda Hadid looks healthy and radiant in her latest photos

I don't doubt that Hadid is ill and I truly do believe she has good intentions, especially with the release of her forthcoming book on the topic. I just wish that Bravo wouldn't have spun the entire sixth season of RHOBH around doubt and questions in Hadid's case.

When she appeared at the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in 2015 and gave an incredible speech, some of which was chronicled on the show, I cheered for her. Things like that are what Lyme sufferers around the world need. What they don't need are more people doubting if they're really sick or if it's just "all in their heads."

Do you think it's for the best that Yolanda Hadid is leaving RHOBH? Let us know in the comments.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below.

Former Bachelorette Andi Dorfman turned pain into profit with her book It’s Not Okay: Turning Heartbreak Into Happily Never After, and her ex-boyfriend Josh Murray is totally, totally fine with it. Unless, of course, you ask him.

More: Andi Dorfman has pretty awful things to say about her time on The Bachelor

In an interview with In Touch Weekly, Murray says he's over the drama. Still, he steps up to defend himself against Dorfman's claims that he was never there for her. “The way I’m depicted is just very sad,” says Murray. “I think it’s sad when someone has a platform to help people and they use it to exploit something and tell fictional stories to hurt somebody else. But unfortunately, drama sells.” Murray, who is currently starring on E!'s new reality show Famously Single, knows that better than anyone.

“At this point, I don’t even care about the backlash from her book,” he continues. “My friends and family know the real me, and that’s all that matters.”

More: Hold up! Have you heard about Josh Murray's (Andi Dorfman's ex) new TV gig?

In the book and in public, Dorfman is very open about the very real pain she went through as a result of their breakup. She told Cosmopolitan that "first of all, wine" was a key component of getting through her breakup, and it's hard to tell if she's joking. Either way, let's wish JoJo Fletcher a happier marriage, or at least a more amicable breakup, than these two had.

More: Andi Dorfman opens up about her most "volatile and f***ed up" relationship