Quantcast
Channel: What's New
Viewing all 33701 articles
Browse latest View live

Lightened-up sandwich recipes

0
0
Eating right doesn't have to mean bland food. These lightened-up sandwich recipes are full of flavor but won’t leave you feeling guilty.

Fewer calories, tons of flavor!

Eating right doesn't have to mean bland food. These lightened-up sandwich recipes are full of flavor but won't leave you feeling guilty.

Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins

If you're still holding tight to that New Year's resolution to eat healthier, we have good news for you — light lunches don't have to be boring! By swapping mayonnaise for Greek yogurt, adding flavorful ingredients and using Arnold Sandwich Thins, your lunch is not only tasty but it's also light. For those of you keeping track of your Weight Watchers PointsPlus values, you'll be glad to know these rolls are only 3 points and 100 calories each. So go ahead, eat up!

tuna sandwich

Mediterranean tuna salad sandwich recipe

With bursts of flavor from sun-dried tomatoes, onion and capers, this is not your usual tuna sandwich!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 can tuna in water, drained
  • 3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tablespoon sweet relish
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • Pepper
  • Arnold 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, tomatoes, onion, parsley, capers and relish.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mustard, olive oil and pepper, to taste. Pour yogurt mixture over tuna mixture and stir to combine.
  3. Spread tuna mixture onto Sandwich Thins.
chicken salad sandwich

Crunchy creamy chicken salad sandwich recipe

Jazz up chicken salad by adding crunchy almonds and celery, plus grapes that pop in your mouth.

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chunk chicken, drained
  • 1 cup halved red grapes
  • 3/4 cup chopped celery
  • 3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds
  • 3 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Arnold Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, grapes, celery, almonds and cranberries.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken mixture and stir to combine.
  3. Spread chicken mixture onto Sandwich Thins.

More light meal ideas

Classic cooking lightened up: Chicken Parmesan
Lightened up lamb tagine
2 Slow cooker meals under 250 calories


Behind Emma Stone's unbelievably unflattering W cover

0
0
Um, maybe W is trying to do something "different" for its February cover? It's different, all right. Here's why.

Emma Stone gives the Oscar Nominations

When you browse the newsstand this month, Emma Stone on the cover of W will jump out at you — for all the wrong reasons.

Stone, one of the most effervescently gorgeous stars in Hollywood, looks like she's posing for a kidnapper. Her blonde hair is shaggy and frizzled, her complexion washed out from a harsh flash, her eyes look like they're two different sizes, and, anyone remember the end of the original Fame where Coco was taking off her shirt and crying while a fake French director crooned at her, "It's tres jolie, Coco, tres jolie!"

Yeah, Stone's taking off her top just like that. Looks like someone's holding a gun on her.

Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling: The hot, "writhing" memories>>

Inside, the photos are no less weird: Stone with dark roots standing barefoot on a dirty floor, her limbs poking out awkwardly from beneath a too-short black dress; Stone huddled on the ugly carpet of an anonymous hotel room looking hungover.

"It looks like Lindsay Lohan's career somehow: shrunken, empty, alone, slightly defiant, a bit deluded, totally exhausted, and sad," wrote Go Fug Yourself's Heather Cocks.

What gives, W?

Seems W was actually going for the grungy, downtrodden look: They hired German photographer Juergen Teller to shoot Stone.

Teller is well known for his seamy style. He photographed Victoria Beckham crumpled in a shopping bag and Kate Moss in a dirty wheelbarrow with filthy hair. Speaking of Kate Moss, Teller was one of the first photogs to use the unconventional beauty, who, with her janky teeth and diminutive stature, was considered too weird-looking for print.

Friday's Fashion Obsessions: Blake Lively and Emma Stone>>

Teller has also photographed himself naked and smoking a cigarette on the grave of his father, an alcoholic who committed suicide. And he's perhaps most notorious for his photo series Louis XV, dirty to a Mapplethorpian degree and highlighted by a shot of Charlotte Rampling playing a grand piano while Juergen splayed himself widely atop it, nude, every single private part on full, bright display.

Wow. Guess Stone should count herself lucky that awful hair was as bad as it got on her shoot.

Image courtesy Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

The Mentalist's Amanda Righetti has a new baby boy

0
0
Amanda Righetti, best known for her role on The Mentalist, has just welcomed a baby boy with husband Jordan Alan.

Amanda Righetti pregnant

Amanda Righetti's about to start receiving a whole lot of blue blankets: The Mentalist star welcomed a baby boy on Thursday, People reported today.

The new baby's name is Knox Addison Alan; if those two first names sound familiar, it may be because Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt used the name Knox for one of their twins , while Addison is a very popular modern baby name, though usually for girls. Viewers may also know the name from a popular character on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, Dr. Addison Montgomery.

Righetti — who is best known for her role on The Mentalist, though she also had pivotal parts on The O.C. and North Shore— and husband Alan had opted to keep Knox's gender secret in utero, joining a growing number of celebs to make that choice.

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills kept mum on the gender of baby Beatrice, born in 2003; Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky opted to keep the gender of now one-month-old baby girl India private as well.

Celebrity moms who do it all>>

Holly Madison didn't tell the gender of the baby she's pregnant with, but boyfriend Pasquale Rotella accidentally let the cat out of the bag in October, tweeting a sonogram pic with the message "I already miss my girls."

Singer Lily Allen, who tragically lost a baby in 2010, opted to keep the gender of her next baby private in utero: She gave birth to daughter Marnie Rose on Jan. 10.

With all these celebs keeping the gender of their baby as "a surprise" for family, friends and the public, can celebrity gender-reveal parties be on the way?

Josh and Anna Duggar threw themselves a gender-reveal party of sorts in 2009 by cutting into a pink cake on the TODAY Show; what will attention-seeking currently pregnant ladies like Jessica Simpson come up with?

Image courtesy Nikki Nelson/WENN.com

Rise from the ashes: Beat homeschool burnout

0
0
If you have homeschooled your children for any length of time, you're familiar with the term "homeschool burnout." Many of us have fallen victim to burnout at some point in our homeschool journey. Feelings of frustration, inadequacy, anger and exhaustion can all be signs that you might be at the end of your rope when it comes to home-educating your children.
Frustrated homeschool mom

If you have homeschooled your children for any length of time, you're familiar with the term "homeschool burnout." Many of us have fallen victim to burnout at some point in our homeschool journey.

Keep burnout at bay

Feelings of frustration, inadequacy, anger and exhaustion can all be signs that you might be at the end of your rope when it comes to home-educating your children.

I have come to learn that burnout isn't necessary and can be avoided altogether. Here are six attainable steps to keeping homeschool burnout at bay.

Take care of you

My husband always reminds me of the life-saving instructions we receive on airplanes: "Secure your own oxygen mask before assisting your children." If we don't take care of ourselves then we can't properly take care of our families, let alone homeschool them. We have to make ourselves a priority and pencil in that "me time."

Sleep - Get your ZZZs, 7 to 8 hours a night when possible. Just like our children, when we don't get enough sleep, we become cranky and short-tempered. Sleep can help strengthen your immunity, improve your memory, aid with weight loss and so much more. We need a good night's sleep in order to tackle the day and juggle the many hats we must "wear" as homeschool moms.

Exercise - Getting in a small amount of daily exercise will increase stamina, benefit overall health, boost your mood and make you feel better about yourself! Something as simple as a 30-minute walk with or without your children will do wonders. Don't forget to stay hydrated! The general rule is to keep yourself from getting thirsty.

Focus - It's essential that we take time to quiet the mind and control our thoughts. Whether this be a quiet time in the morning before the kiddos wake up or a mid-day family quiet time, take a daily break. For me it is a daily quiet time and prayer. If God has brought me to it, he will bring me through it!

Get organized

S.O.S. - Create simple, organized solutions for every area of your homeschool. Lose the clutter! Clutter is anything that is obsolete, time-consuming and de-energizing. Make sure there's a place for everything and everything is in its place. There is nothing more frustrating than losing precious time to disorganization.

Plan your schedule

Make a homeschool schedule, but try not to overschedule. Set realistic goals, allowing for creativity and spontaneity in your learning. We are essentially trying to nurture a love and lifestyle of learning in our children. Socializing is a good thing but packing your week with activities outside of the home can be taxing and cause undue stress to the entire family.

Plan your days. Even a loose schedule is better than no schedule at all. Plan your lessons, chores, meals and play time. I don't have a timed schedule but I do have a plan and routines for each day.

"He who every morning plans the transaction of the day and follows out that plan carries a thread that will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life... But where no plan is laid... chaos will soon reign."
~ Victor Hugo

Take it outside

Take a little time to enjoy some fresh air. I give my sons at least three outdoor breaks throughout our homeschool day. When they go out to play I often go with them to watch the birds and take in the sun. There is something about sunshine and fresh air that feeds the mind, body and soul.

Winter nature study: Taking your homeschool outdoors>>

Don't compare

Don't compare yourself to your fellow homeschool moms or public/private school children. Trying to keep up with the mom that grows her own organic food, makes bread from scratch, has her children two grade levels ahead and speaking three languages will only leave you with feelings of inadequacy. We each have our own struggles to overcome and goals to achieve; there is no need to heap on the added stress of comparison.

Find support

Support and a sense of community is crucial when it comes to homeschooling. Homeschooling can be somewhat isolating and just as we want our children to play and socialize with other children, moms also need time to unwind and share with fellow homeschool moms. Whether it be a local homeschool group, co-op or an online homeschool community, finding support, empathy and fellowship is a necessity.

If you are experiencing homeschool burnout, you have more than likely lost sight of your goals. Remember the reasons why you started homeschooling in the first place — it may be that you have gotten off track from the real purpose of having your children at home.

The greatest lessons your children will learn, lessons that will carry them into adulthood, are the lessons they learn from watching you cope with difficult situations, lessons in patience, grace, respectfulness and perseverance.

Tell us

If you have dealt with homeschool burnout, what worked best for you to recover and or prevent it?

More homeschooling tips

Free and frugal homeschooling
Understanding homeschool laws
Set up a preschool classroom in your home

Comcast sick of Matt Lauer fallout, censors Chelsea Handler

0
0
Comcast is said to be so fed up with the Matt Lauer backlash over Ann Curry's departure from the TODAY Show they allegedly told subsidiary network E! to stop cracking jokes at Lauer's expense.

Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately.

Chelsea Handler is reportedly in hot water with Comcast executives after her recent dig at Matt Lauer. Lauer is the current co-host of NBC's the TODAY Show, while Handler headlines her own show, Chelsea Lately, on E!. Both networks are subsidiaries of NBCUniversal which is ultimately owned by the mass-media giant Comcast.

An exclusive source for the New York Post leaked to the newspaper that Comcast is unhappy with Handler's recent portrayal of Lauer on a Chelsea Lately episode in which she makes a joke about Matt's unhappiness — and some say unsupportive behavior — toward former co-worker Ann Curry.

Matt Lauer blamed for Ann Curry's firing>>

During a recent show, Handler aired the now-infamous clip of Al Roker telling Dateline he pooped his pants at the White House. Chelsea then drew similar parallels to Matt Lauer and Ann Curry's working relationship. Said Handler, "This isn't the first time a TODAYShow cast member was in the news about this sensitive subject. For years it was common knowledge that Matt Lauer spent every morning s******* all over Ann Curry." Ouch.

Why Ann Curry was fired from the TODAY Show>>

The source for the New York Post says Comcast is uneasy over the dig and would like to shift the public's focus away from the fallout of Ann Curry's dismissal. The story goes that Comcast executives told Chelsea Lately writers, including Handler, to avoid the subject of Matt Lauer and Ann Curry. Says the source, "Chelsea's writers were warned to lay off Matt. They don't want them making more fun of Matt and the Ann Curry situation right now."

Watch the joke Chelsea Handler makes about Matt Lauer below:

Photo courtesy of WENN.com

Betsy Andreu: The woman firing back at Lance Armstrong

0
0
Betsy Andreu is the new, heroic face of the Lance Armstrong scandal: a woman who refused to let the now-disgraced cyclist ruin her family despite Armstrong's calculating attempts.

Oprah asks Lance Armstrong about Betsy Andreu.

In the wake of the Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah Winfrey — Part 1 aired Thursday night while the conclusion airs tonight — one woman, Betsy Andreu, is at the center of the media firestorm around Armstrong's doping confessions.

So who is Betsy Andreu? If you're following the Lance Armstrong doping confession, you've no doubt seen Andreu on countless media outlets; she was most recently a featured panelist on Anderson Cooper 360 last night, and this morning talked to Good Morning America. Andreu is one of the more captivating individuals to emerge from the shadows of Armstrong's shady past for simply one reason: she never stopped telling the truth.

Betsy Andreu: Lance Armstrong "deserves to lose everything">>

Sports Illustrated columnist Austin Murphy commented in his article yesterday, titled, "Betsy Andreu always knew that Lance Armstrong doped," that Andreu would continually reach out to Sports Illustrated to correct Murphy's often "fawning" attitude over Armstrong. Writes Murphy, "At a time when a fawning media competed to compose paeans to Lance Armstrong , she struck a discordant note. If we were enterprising enough to search for it, she told us, we would find that there was more to Armstrong's story than met the eye."

One of my favorite anecdotes Murphy writes about Betsy Andreu was her quick-witted comment about Lance Armstrong's heroic reputation. "I think your yellow [Livestrong] bracelet is cutting off the supply of oxygen to your brain," she said in an email to Murphy.

Video highlights: Armstrong's arrogant interview with Oprah>>

During Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah on Thursday night, Betsy Andreu came up as one of the first people to proclaim that Armstrong doped, and that his career was a lie. Oprah mentions that Andreu overheard Armstrong tell his doctor he used several banned substances while receiving treatment for testicular cancer. That's how close Betsy Andreu was to Lance Armstrong: she was in the hospital with him, supporting him, during his near-fatal cancer battle.

Betsy Andreu's relationship with Lance Armstrong shows what a chilling person Armstrong really is: a true phony. Betsy Andreu is married to Frankie Andreu, who rode with Lance Armstrong during the 1999 Tour de France. Frankie admitted in 2006 to blood doping and later testified he witnessed Armstrong dope on several occasions beginning in 1996. Betsy Andreu also testified under oath about what she saw and heard in the hospital.

Lance Armstrong apologizes to Livestrong>>

The testimony was later released to the public and Armstrong went on the offensive — calling Betsy Andreu crazy and utilizing his power and influence to ruin her husband's cycling career. In sum: he attempted to destroy the lives of Betsy and Frankie Andreu, two of his closest, dearest friends, simply for telling the truth. Several years later, Lance Armstrong doesn't even seem to really care beyond intellectually recognizing the idea he might have caused Betsy and Frankie Andreu a lot of pain.

Andreu spoke with Sports Illustrated earlier this week. "Let's just say he acknowledged the hurt he caused us. I prefer to keep the rest of it private… Frankie was one of the best friends Lance could've had. I, in turn, became his friend. And he tried to destroy us, and threw us away."

Now, Betsy Andreu is just hitting her stride. Andreu and her family suffered for years at the hands of Armstrong with public smear campaigns and character assassinations. This is Betsy's chance to finally expose Lance Armstrong's true character, and she isn't wasting any more time waiting for the right moment. Viewers who tuned in to Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah were likely surprised and how cold — and perhaps even mentally unstable — Armstrong appeared. He rather blankly acknowledged that his actions toward Betsy Andreu and her family were wrong, but lacked any emotion or human connection to his past behavior.

We commend Betsy Andreu for never giving up hope and never allowing Lance Armstrong to bully her into silence. Andreu will be featured again on Anderson Cooper 360 immediately following the worldwide exclusive broadcast of the conclusion to the Lance Armstrong interview on Oprah's Next Chapter.

Watch Betsy Andreu discuss the Lance Armstrong interview on Good Morning America below:

Photo courtesy of WENN.com

Teach your child about other religions

0
0
World Religion Day is held on the third Sunday of January each year and aims to promote inter-faith understanding. The day celebrates all religions with events held around the world to acknowledge and emphasize the common themes across different faiths.

Faith

World Religion Day is a great time to talk to your child about different faiths. Whether you are a devout believer in a particular religion or not, it's healthy to expose your kids to various faiths in order to promote tolerance and harmony.

Read about different religions

Gandhi and the Spelling Test - FarFaria appStart with the basics by reading. Even very young children can be exposed to various religions and faiths through books. Head to your local library where you can find endless stacks of books about religions around the world. Here are a few titles that you might consider:

If your kids can't get enough of your iPad, use it to your advantage. Try the FarFaria app. This iPad app, dubbed “the Netflix of storybook apps” by USA Today, offers numerous stories helping to explain different global faiths and our commonality as one big human family. Your children can get immersed in stories from David and Goliath and Noah's Ark to Gandhi and the Spelling Test and The Life of Buddah.

Take part in a World Religion Day event

Special events are being held around the globe to celebrate World Religion Day. At WorldReligionDay.org, you can find a calendar to find the nearest event or meeting near you. All these events promote harmony, unity and peace among people of different faiths. A World Religion Day event may be the perfect opportunity to introduce your children to new religions for the first time.

Visit various places of worship

Whether you are devoutly religious or unsure of your faith, you can visit other places of worship outside your own religion or denomination. Even if you don't believe what is being preached, you and your children will learn how many of the core values are the same across a number of religions. Virtues such as kindness, generosity, patience, faithfulness, love and many more are valued by many.

Talk to your kids about religion

Exposing your kids to different faiths shouldn't be a once-a-year event on World Religion Day. You should teach your children about faith every day of your lives. Some parents don't know where to begin with young children when it comes to faith.

With so many different religions, and the expansion of secularism in school systems, how do parents successfully teach their children their own and other religious convictions? The answer isn't a simple one — it requires time, perseverance, and more than anything else, being/living the example.

We talked to Scott W. Ventrella, author of Me Inc.: How to Master the Business of Being You, and radio show host. Ventrella's nationally syndicated radio show, "The Business of Living," focuses on managing the most important aspects of life, including religion and spirituality. He provided the following guidelines for parents looking for ways to introduce religion to their children:

  • Educate your children. All religions contain certain rituals, traditions, practices and beliefs that are mostly unique to a particular faith system. Be sure your child understands what these are. This can be accomplished through formal religious education or simply visit different places of worship and speak to spiritual leaders.
  • Follow your particular religion's practices.
  • Act consistently with your belief system; don't become a "do as I say, not as I do" parent.
  • Share your own faith journey.
  • Learn about other religions. Teach your child about other faith systems and the importance of respecting other religions.
  • Make it a way of life. Help your child understand the importance of practicing their faith 24/7/365; not just on occasion.
  • Seek God everywhere. Show your child that in addition to formal religion, they can find God anywhere, not only just in a congregation, church or synagogue. In everyday life, they need to feel that they are never alone, that faith is also experienced outside of a building, in nature, in other people, in reflection, gratitude and prayer.
  • Make faith time, family time. Designate time for quiet reflection, gratitude and prayer; together as a family.
  • Take time to answer any questions your children might have and avoid being judgmental if they don't understand or completely agree with you. Keep this up beginning in the early years right up through adolescence. At a certain point , a child will make up her own mind about God, faith, religion, etc. Once she's arrived at this point, respect whatever decision she might have made. As parents, we have to learn to let go, taking comfort in the fact that we've done all we could in providing the proper foundation.

More about teaching your children about religion

Teaching kids about racial and cultural diversity
How to give kids a spiritual foundation

Teaching kids tolerance and diversity

Inaugural luncheon recipes

0
0
Jan. 21 is Inauguration Day and, while it’s a very important day politically, what’s even more exciting is the luncheon that follows. This year celebrate presidential style with some of the recipes from the very feast that the president will enjoy.
Menu
Inaugural luncheon recipes

A presidential feast

Jan. 21 is inauguration day and, while it's a very important day politically, what's even more exciting is the luncheon that follows. This year celebrate presidential style with some of the recipes from the very feast that the President will enjoy.

The White House posts all the menus from current and past inaugurations, dating back to 1981, including recipes since 2001, so that home cooks can enjoy the luncheon along with the president. Impress guests with a menu inspired by the inaugural luncheon, which has been a tradition for well over a century.

Inaugural luncheon 2009
Photo credit: U.S. Senate Photo Studio

The recipes for the inaugural luncheon are always elegant riffs on classic American flavors. This year, you'll find steamed lobster with New England clam chowder sauce, hickory grilled bison with red potato horseradish cake and wild huckleberry reduction, and Hudson Valley apple pie with sour cream ice cream. Make the exact recipes or use them as a jumping off point for an inaugural luncheon of your own.

Get inauguration-themed items and decor from Etsy >>

Steamed lobster with New England clam chowder sauce recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the steamed lobster tails:

  • 1 gallon water
  • 1/4 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon white wine
  • 3 star anise
  • 2 cups mirepoix
  • 4  lobster tails
  • 1 large bowl ice water

For the New England clam chowder sauce:

  • 1/4 cup minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 2 cups canned clam juice
  • 20 Little Neck clams, rinsed in cold water
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup diced carrot
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon gold potato
  • 1 cup diced leek
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Pinch cracked pepper
  • 1/4 cup tarragon, chopped at the last minute

Directions:

For the steamed lobster tails:

  1. Combine the water, salt, white wine, star anise, and mirepoix in an 8-quart pot and bring to a boil.
  2. Place lobster tails in a another 8 quart pot and carefully pour boiling liquid over lobster tails. Allow to steam for approximately 6 minutes.
  3. Remove the tails from the liquid and put in the ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process. Remove tails from ice and begin to remove lobster meat from the shell.
  4. Cut each lobster tail into 6 large pieces, place in an ovensafe dish and add 2 tablespoons of water to the dish. Cover with a lid or foil and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  5. Reheat lobster at time of serving by placing it in a 170 degree F oven for approximately 15 minutes.

For the New England clam chowder sauce:

  1. Combine the shallot, garlic, white wine and clam juice in a bowl.
  2. Place a large heavy bottom pot on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Carefully place clams in bottom of pot. Pour shallot liquid over clams quickly and cover with lid. The clams will begin to open after a few minutes.
  4. Once the clams are opened, remove the pot from the heat and place clams in a bowl to cool .
  5. Remove the clams from their shells and roughly chop .
  6. Strain the shallot liquid and place into a clean saucepot on medium heat to reduce by half .
  7. In a separate sauce pot, saute the diced vegetable in the canola oil with pinch salt and pepper for 3 to 4 minutes on medium heat.
  8. Add the clam liquid and heavy cream to the vegetables and bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and allow sauce to reduce until your desired consistency and the vegetables are tender. The sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon.
  9. Add the chopped clams and chopped tarragon to the sauce. Spoon over the lobster just before serving.

More Recipes

Get the rest of the inaugural luncheon recipes here .

More presidential food and drink

Home brewers really want President Obama's beer recipe
Election day Jolly Rancher infused cocktail shooters
Michelle Obama's school lunch program makes kids hungry


A letter from the Tooth Fairy

0
0
This is a true story about the most ridiculous and adorable move a person has ever made on behalf of parents, the Tooth Fairy and pleading children.
Girl writing a note

This is a true story about the most ridiculous and adorable move a person has ever made on behalf of parents, the Tooth Fairy and pleading children.

Parenting help from a guy without kids

Autumn's letter

Once upon a time, there was a 9-year-old named Autumn who had long hair that tangled easily. Since she was 9, she didn't want to brush it religiously but she also didn't want short hair. Every morning her mother would work her way through the rat's nest created during the previous day and night. Every morning Autumn would yelp and wail at the pain. Finally, overcome by the situation, Autumn's mom said it was time for a haircut.

Who hasn't been there? Nearly every woman has been in that exact situation, either as mom or a daughter. All the detangling spray in the world couldn't get out the tangles from a hard day's play. And, who has time to brush their hair when there's iCarly to watch and Barbie houses to rearrange? Distraught over her impending loss of hair, Autumn sought help from the only person she could think of: The Tooth Fairy.

This has to be handled just right. Nine is a tricky age when kids begin to see the truth behind "magic." You don't want to squelch a child's wonder, but you also have to teach your kid there are consequences for their actions.

Enter Guy Without Kids, a friend of Autumn's parents. When he heard about Autumn's attempt to beg a miracle from the Tooth Fairy, he decided she deserved a response. He was aiming for a letter of "credit denial." What he wrote was a pretty creative peace negotiation.

Tooth Fairy Letter

This guy could teach the Parental Peace Negotiations 101 class. In this instance, Autumn wasn't denied the existence of fairies nor did they give in to her plea. If she wants to keep her hair long, she's going to have to learn to take care of it then reapply to the Tooth Fairy.

It's kind of genius. It's very adorable. And, even though he didn't mean for it to be, it's a reminder not to take away your kid's wonder when you're on the verge of losing patience.

Well played, Guy Without Kids.


Autumn's letter to the Tooth Fairy.
Autumn's letter courtesy of her mother.

More parenting humor

Real couples share their This Is 40 moments
Liar, liar! Top 10 lies moms tell
I heart autism... sometimes

Big names announced to present at the SAG Awards

0
0
The third round of presenters was announced on Thursday for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Big names like Ben Affleck, Taye Diggs, Naomi Watts and Robert De Niro will hand out the awards on Jan. 27.

BenAffleckSAGpresenter

The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are gearing up to be a star-studded event as the third round of presenters was announced on Thursday. This year, expect big names like Hugh Jackman, Justin Timberlake, Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence to grace the stage of the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles on Jan. 27.

The SAG Awards honor the best in film and television from the union that represents actors, broadcasters and stuntmen working in the entertainment industry. It's the only televised awards show to honor performers only. The categories do not represent any behind-the-scenes industry jobs like directors, producers or cinematographers.

The SAG Awards show first debuted in 1995 and has become an awards season indicator as to who might go home with a gold statuette on Oscars night in the acting categories. This year's hotly contested races in Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role categories are going to be closely watched Academy insiders.

The final ballots are voted on by the full SAG membership, which consists of over 100,000 members, larger than any other guild in the entertainment industry.

The latest names to join the list of presenters for the late January show include Ben Affleck, Robert De Niro, Taye Diggs, Liev Schreiber, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts. The presenters represent former nominees/winners like Affleck, Diggs and Washington as well as current nominees like Watts for her role in The Impossible and De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook.

Already announced was this year's Lifetime Achievement Award which will go to Mary Poppins actor Dick Van Dyke and be presented by 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin and The Dick Van Dyke Show collaborator Carl Reiner.

The show will air simultaneously on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, as well as being telecast internationally for the U.S. military serving overseas via the American Forces Network Broadcast Center.

Image courtesy of Hudson/WENN.com

The Vampire Diaries recap: Race for the cure

0
0
The immortals of Mystic Falls are back and in a desperate search for the cure. These vampires are willing to do anything to find it — including kill one another.

Rebekah messed with Stefan

No one really dies on this show. Ever. Except maybe the mayor. But other than that, it doesn't matter if you're stabbed in the heart, tortured, burned alive or exposed to UV rays — no one knows how to stay dead in Mystic Falls. I'm still expecting Pastor Young and the council he set on fire to rise again. But at the same time, everyone's always exerting a lot of energy to kill someone. I'm not sure this is the most productive use of their time.

One-track mind

Rebekah is back with one goal in mind: find the cure. In fact, that's everyone's mission. It's kind of shaping up to be a Smokin' Aces or Snatch kind of season. She's enlisted the help of one of the original vampires, Kol, to torture Professor Shane for some answers.

But Bonnie has worked some of her magic to protect Shane. The spell somehow links Shane to April so that as he's getting drowned and tortured, April feels it all too. So she lingers on the brink of death until Stefan comes along and shares his blood with her and saves her.

Shane confesses

Even though he tries to play the role of a tight-lipped POW, Shane does let a few things slip. He admits that he caused the council explosion and is channeling all the death energy to perform "expression" magic. Weirdo. He's also interested in seeing the warlock Silas return. Shane knows where he's buried and how to bring him back from the dead . But this is a problem and Kol is like, "Oh, hell no." So he kills Shane.

But wait for it… Shane isn't really dead! Was he protected by Bonnie's magical powers or is he possibly a vampire?

Things you should know

Elena is still in love with Damon . Damon's still acting like a jerk. Stefan is still butt-hurt about the whole thing. Damon and Klaus are training Jeremy and trying to get him to kill more vampires so he can finish the Hunter's Map. And more important than anything else: everyone seriously, seriously wants the cure.

Photo courtesy of the CW

Recommended links

The Vampire Diaries recap: Bloody Christmas
The Vampire Diaries recap: Brotherly bonding on Bourbon St
Age defying celebrities

Lindsay Lohan now an escort after January eviction?

0
0
Is Lindsay Lohan an escort? Michael Lohan says Lindsay's mom, Dina Lohan, is pimping out Lindsay to pay for their high-priced lifestyle.

Lindsay Lohan in London as an escort?

Lindsay Lohan as a high-priced escort? The rumor that Lohan might be an escort for wealthy men is gaining ground thanks to Lindsay's dad, Michael Lohan, who recently told the tabloid Star that he believes she's resorting to such lengths to maintain her lifestyle. Star says Michael Lohan told them, "She is getting paid to date rich men, Dina is pimping her out — it's disgusting."

Lindsay Lohan doesn't get J-Law's Golden Globes joke>>

The news that Lindsay Lohan could be an escort first came to light on Wednesday. Gawker picked up Star magazine's story about Lohan and published the reported history of a few rich men who say they paid an escort service to secure Lindsay Lohan as their date. To be clear: the story does not allege Lindsay Lohan has sex with men in exchange for money. Star says Lohan gets paid around $100,000 for major events and was rumored to have spent New Year's Eve in London, England with Prince Abdul Azim of Brunei. RadarOnline also ran the Lohan escort story.

Lindsay Lohan's most recent court appearance>>

Michael Lohan has since retracted his statements and told TMZ he doesn't know where Star is getting their information from since it certainly isn't him. "By absolutely no means did I ever make such a statement," he said to TMZ, and continued, "Sure, Lindsay and [other celebrities] make personal appearances and get paid for it! Sure, she and they get paid to go to birthday parties and other occasions! But for ex? Are you kidding me? I would never say that because she would never do that — it never happened."

It gets ugly: Dina Lohan claims Michael Lohan raped her>>

Michael Lohan has a shaky reputation with daughter Lindsay, so we're not entirely sure he isn't splitting hairs. Star never accused Lohan of prostitution, they simply implied she was available to go on dates with wealthy men, a claim they say Michael Lohan confirms. Individual dates with men is not the same line of work as making an appearance at a club or restaurant for a major event.

Given Lindsay Lohan's continued downward spiral — mentally and financially — we would not be surprised to find out Lohan is an actual escort sans sex. However, more evidence is needed to confirm such allegations.

What's unfortunate for LiLo is that media outlets, at this point in her career, are actually running what would have been purely outlandish stories 10 years ago. Now, the public isn't really sure where Lindsay Lohan's rock bottom is.

Could Lindsay Lohan really be an escort?

Photo courtesy of Spiller/WENN.com

New H&M sportswear fuels fashion

0
0
When it comes to exercising, function shouldn’t overpower fashion. This year, don’t wait until after you’ve dropped a few pounds before you go shopping. With H&M's new ladies' sport collection, there are plenty of ways to combine looking great with feeling great.
H&M sportswear
H&M Sportwsear
Seen here: Sports jacket

Look fab while you
get fit

When it comes to exercising, function shouldn’t overpower fashion. This year, don’t wait until after you’ve dropped a few pounds before you go shopping. With H&M's new ladies' sport collection, there are plenty of ways to combine looking great with feeling great.

Getting in shape is already enough of a challenge, so affording the sportswear to do it shouldn't become a struggle of its own. For this, H&M put their shoes on the track and just released a stylish new ladies' sports collection with activewear and accessories starting at just $10.

Tops, bottoms and in-betweens

The new collection includes basic gym wear like fitted tops, sports bras, running pants and tights, reflective vests and sleek jackets. Fun water bottles, socks and gym bags are also part of the collection.

Here are a few of our fave looks!

More fitness

Top 10 functional exercises for full-body fitness
The spin on spinning
Weight loss help from The Biggest Loser

James Franco set to direct Beautiful People

0
0
James Franco is set to become a triple threat when he directs, produces and stars in the upcoming film Beautiful People, about the life of hairstylist Jay Sebring.

JamesFrancoBeautifulPeople

If Hollywood seems quiet to you this week, it's because the stars and filmmakers have all headed to Utah to cover the Sundance Film Festival. The annual festival, founded by Robert Redford in 1985, showcases some of the best in independent film seeking distributors.

In news announced exclusively on Deadline Hollywood on Friday, actor James Franco is taking a turn behind the camera as director and producer on the new film, Beautiful People. The biopic will highlight the life of playboy hairstylist Jay Sebring, and is written by first-time screenwriter Lauren Wild.

Sebring was a Hollywood stylist who unfortunately found himself in the same location as Sharon Tate on the night of the Charles Manson clan murders. He had formerly dated Tate, but they remained friends after their relationship ended and the actress married director Roman Polanski.

Franco is also set to star in the title role about the jet-setting man who was a hit in Hollywood social circles in the 1960s. There is no word yet on when the flick will begin filming.

However, the Oz: The Great and Powerful star is hitting Sundance this year with another film he co-directed, Interior. Leather Bar., as well as Lovelace, which has seen its share of publicity already.

The Sundance Film Festival runs from Jan. 17-27 in Park City, Utah.

Image courtesy of Ian Wilson/WENN.com

Read more on James Franco:

James Franco gets naughty in red light Justin Bieber parody
Trailer: James Franco is Oz: The Great and Powerful
James Franco robs the cradle to find new girlfriend

Gluten-free Friday: Green chili and cheese cornbread

0
0
Green chili and cheese cornbread makes a great side to many main dishes: Think chili, hot soup or pulled pork sandwiches. You might want to consider making a double batch of this great-tasting cornbread!

Gluten-free Friday: Green chili and cheese cornbread

Packaged mixes can be great to make life a little easier when you're cooking. Glutino's Yankee Cornbread & Muffin Mix is a gluten-free mix that fits the bill. For this recipe, we've added corn kernels, cheddar cheese and green chilies to the mix to give this cornbread some kick!

Glutino and Gluten-Free Pantry have an array of wonderful gluten-free mixes, snacks, baked goods, and frozen foods that taste great. Just what you need when you're looking for a little help with food prep!

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows.com tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten free.

Green chili and cheese cornbread recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 package Glutino Yankee Cornbread & Muffin Mix
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1-1/3 cups low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 ounces chopped green chilies
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly spray an 8 x 8-inch pan with the nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mix and sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and melted butter.
  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together.
  5. Fold in the corn kernels, green chilies and cheese.
  6. Pour into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden.
  7. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Kick it up with this cornbread recipe!

More gluten-free recipes

Asian-style noodles and shrimp
Easy onion soup with herbed croutons
Eggplant boats with millet and vegetables


Will the cast of Les Mis perform at the Oscars?

0
0
Will there be singing at this year's Oscars? According to the latest rumors, audiences may see a group number from the cast of Les Misérables.

LesMisOscarperformance

Will there be music numbers at this year's Academy Awards? Well, according to hints dropped by Les Misérables star Samantha Barks in an article in Britain's Daily Mail, this might be true.

The young star is currently on the road in a touring production of the musical Oliver!, so she was unable to join the rest of the cast at last week's Golden Globes. However, she has been given permission to attend the 85th Annual Academy Awards and miss a few days of her show.

The British paper is reporting that the cast will possibly perform together in one of the ensemble numbers like "One Day More", or "Do You Hear The People Sing." The other rumor about the performance is that a medley of greatest hits from Les Mis might happen with each of the soloists taking a moment in the spotlight. This might involve Anne Hathaway's breathtaking "I Dreamed a Dream", Barker's "On My Own, Hugh Jackman's "Bring Him Home", or Who Am I?"

If this news turns out to be true, it would be exciting for the Oscars audience, both in the theatre and at home. Last year's ceremony failed to include any musical numbers, even though two colorful tunes were nominated for Best Original Song from The Muppets and the animated film Rio.

What is true is that this year's executive producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, promise a real variety show. When SheKnows attended the Oscar Nominations on Jan. 10, we had a chance to speak with both of the producers about the show.

Zadan shared some insight about the Feb. 24 ceremony with SheKnows: "We decided we were going to do a show about celebrating the movies rather than wait for the nominations to come out. Now that the nominations are out, we can incorporate the movies that are nominated into our show but we're going to be a very, very entertaining show this year."

Meron also added, "There's been criticism in the past about The Academy being very stuffy and mired in tradition, but I think what we're doing…  is kind of blowing some of the cobwebs and dust away and allowing this to really be relevant."

If the news about the Les Mis cast — and the rumor that Adele will sing the Oscar-nominated Skyfall , is true — this stands to be one of the most-talked about Academy Awards shows in decades.

Image courtesy of WENN.com

From the Funky Bunch to The Fighter: Our favorite Mark Wahlberg moments

0
0
Between filming a basketball flick with the Biebs and doing double-duty as producer and star of this year's crime thriller, Broken City, Mark Wahlberg is back in the spotlight in a big way. Check out a few of our favorite Mark moments in time.

Mark Wahlberg as Marky MarkGood Vibrations

When New Kids on the Block hit the scene, Wahlberg became a household name — Mark’s older brother Donnie shot to fame as a member of the boy band every girl and her sister was obsessed with. But, with help breaking into the music biz from his older bro, Mark soon showed the world that he had the right stuff, baby. He and his dancers hip-hopped onto the scene as Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, putting out a platinum album thanks to shirtless singles like “Good Vibrations” and “Wildside.”

Divine in Klein

There are some things in life that are simply meant to be. One of them, without a doubt, is Mark Wahlberg’s super-sculpted bod wearing nothing but Calvin Klein skivvies in gigantic ads for the ubiquitous brand. During Wahlberg’s two-year contract with Klein, women everywhere rejoiced at the sight of the star’s rock-hard physique on display in a sexy slew of advertisements. Marky Mark’s abs several stories high on a Times Square billboard? Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Mark Wahlberg with His Family at the Hollywood Walk of FameCall him Daddy

Between his overtly sexual song lyrics and — oh you know — that whole arrest record for assault, Mark Wahlberg didn’t exactly have a reputation for being Mr. Sensitive. Our perspective shifted, however, when he and on-again-off-again model girlfriend Rhea Durham welcomed daughter, Ella Rae, in September of 2003 . He turned into an adorable pile of gushy daddy goo, and we found another reason not to take down that Marky Mark poster secretly plastered on our closet wall.

Nicole 4 Eva

In the 1996 thriller Fear, Wahlberg starred opposite Reese Witherspoon as a disturbed drifter who falls in love with her character Nicole, forces her BFF to sleep with him, breaks her best guy friend’s neck, cuts off her German shepherd’s head and — along with his motley crew of thugs — vandalizes her family’s house before being stabbed with a peace pipe and pushed out a window. And yet, we still wanted to ride the rollercoaster with him . Ahh, good times.

Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter

The Luck O’ the Irish

While we’ve been on board with Wahlberg’s acting skills since his breakthrough role in The Basketball Diaries, he’s weathered his fair share of skeptics over the years. We know… such sacrilege! He silenced the snarks in 2010, though, when he produced and starred in the The Fighter. He devoted five years to the project, and his hard work paid off — he was brilliant as Boston boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, and costars Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Melissa Leo all got award noms for their roles.

Mark Wahlberg at the Premiere of TedBetter off Ted

We knew he could dance. We knew few others could rock a pair of tightie-whities like him. But, until the release of Ted in 2012, we didn’t realize just how frickin’ hilarious Mark Wahlberg was. He flexed his comic muscles in a big way as an average Joe whose best bud is a foul-mouthed teddy bear prone to pounding back the brewskies, humping cash registers and slinging obscenities. For his part, Wahlberg toed the line between straight-laced and lewd — and we couldn’t get enough of this bear-ly appropriate bromance.

More on Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg just wants to do the weather, all right?
Man Candy Mondays: Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg in Ted: When action stars flex their comic chops

Images, top to bottom, courtesy of: WENN.com, FayesVision/WENN.com, WENN.com, Anneke Ruys/WENN.com

"I beat Meryl" explained: Lawrence's joke lost on Streep

0
0
When Jennifer Lawrence busted out the words, "I beat Meryl" at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, many weren't sure what to think. Among the confused were Meryl Streep's daughter, and randomly enough, Lindsay Lohan!

Meryl Streep

Why was Jennifer Lawrence bragging about beating Meryl Streep from the Golden Globes podium? Take heart, knowing that if you didn't understand exactly what was going on Sunday night, you were far from alone!

In the days since Jennifer Lawrence picked up her first Golden Globe Award for Silver Linings Playbook, inspected it and told the audience, "Oh, what does it say? 'I beat Meryl!' much has come to light. It turns out the young star was quoting a scene from 1996's The First Wives Club!

Awesome! Jennifer Lawrence to host SNL, Lumineers performing >>

Not everyone got that reference immediately, however, and many wondered if the 22-year-old was simply gloating after having actually beaten Meryl Streep, who was nominated for her role in Hope Springs.

Even Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep's own daughter, didn't get it. She told Vulture, "I thought she was just being cute."

"I also didn't realize that Jodie Foster was quoting Molly Shannon with that 'I'm 50, I'm 50, I'm 50' thing," Mamie Gummer added. "There was a lot that was sort of lost on me."

Also lost? Lindsay Lohan, who tweeted Sunday, "Words cannot express how much I LOVE Kristen Wiig. And no1 should ever mess with a legend, such as Meryl Streep."

More 2013 Golden Globes coverage from SheKnows>>

In our defense, how were we supposed to expect Jennifer Lawrence to bust out a The First Wives Club quote? Little Ms. Hunger Games was only 6-years-old when the flick came out!

Check out Jennifer Lawrence's "I beat Meryl" explanation here:

Did you get Jennifer Lawrence's Golden Globes Meryl Streep joke?

Image via WENN

Lance Armstrong movie is already in the works

0
0
All eyes are on Lance Armstrong. The athlete's been hit with a wave of bad publicity, thanks to his drug scandal. As he takes to the airwaves to explain himself, producers are looking to adapt his story. Get ready for Lance Armstrong: The Movie.

Lance Armstrong

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Over the past few months, Lance Armstrong has been the talk of the town. Unfortunately, it's for all the wrong reasons. The famous cyclist was stripped of his medals amidst doping allegations, which he finally admitted to last night.

Video highlights: Armstrong's arrogant interview with Oprah>>

The world watched as Armstrong sat down with Oprah Winfrey for part one of an explosive interview. Interest in the scandal is at an all-time high, and therefore, Hollywood has come a knocking.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, producer-director J.J. Abrams is looking to turn Armstrong's story into a feature film.

Lance Armstrong to confess to doping, apologizes to Livestrong>>

Abrams' production company, Bad Robot, and Paramount have acquired the rights to the upcoming book, Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong. It's written by New York Times sportswriter Juliet Macur and is scheduled to hit shelves this June.

"Macur covered cycling and Armstrong for the Times from his recovery from cancer through his seven Tour de France victories to the inquiries surrounding his use of PEDs."

Several other producers have tried to bring Armstrong's story to life, but they never made it past the development stage. Perhaps Abrams will have better luck?

Armstrong's interview with Winfrey pulled 3.2 million viewers with its initial airing. The repeat earned an additional 1.1 million, bringing a total of 4.3 million viewers for the night. It gave the once-struggling network a major boost.

Oprah and Lance Armstrong: The Worldwide Exclusive Part 2 airs tonight at 9/8c on OWN.

Are you interesting in watching a movie based on Armstrong?

Photo credit: WENN

Shailene Woodley's excited about her Spider-Man gig

0
0
The Amazing Spider-Man sequel will have a double dose of beauty. Not only will Emma Stone reprise her role as Gwen Stacy, but she'll be joined by newcomer Shailene Woodley. The actress is "stoked" about the film and can't wait to work with the cast.

Shailene Woodley

Last year, Sony Pictures rebooted their popular Spider-Man series. The hero got a modern makeover with Andrew Garfield, who shared the screen with real-life love Emma Stone. In 2014, the duo will return for another adventure — with a new threat.

Jamie Foxx to fight Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man 2>>

Rumor has it that Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx is set to player Spider-Man's latest nemesis, Electro. But he won't be the only one standing in the way of the hero's happiness. For those of you familiar with the comics, you know Gwen Stacy isn't the sole love of Spider-Man's life.

Shailene Woodley's pivotal role in The Amazing Spider-Man 2>>

Cue the other woman! The sequel will present the feisty red-head Mary Jane Watson. The role will be played by Shailene Woodley, who recently spoke to MTV about the part.

"Spider-Man has always been my favorite super hero dude, since I was a little girl. I think there's something really special about flying. When I watched the previous Spider-Man [with] Andrew Garfield, he made me feel invincible," she said. "I think Marc Webb is amazing. I'm so stoked to work with Andrew and Emma."

They haven't begun filming, so Woodley's still in the dark about some of the story. "Honestly, I don't know too many details about the film yet. But yeah, we'll see."

Foxx and Woodley aren't the only newcomers. Dane DeHaan also joined the cast as Harry Osborn. The role was previously played by James Franco, while Mary Jane was tackled by Kirsten Dunst in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

The Amazing Spider-Man sequel is scheduled to hit theaters May 2, 2014.

Photo credit: Brian To /WENN
Viewing all 33701 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images