Ring in the New Year together

Although New Year's Eve is typically considered a holiday for the grown-ups, celebrating with your kids can be such a blast! Here are some fun ideas for ringing in the new year with your kids, including party ideas, fun crafts and ways to celebrate without keeping them up until midnight.

Make a time capsule

You don't have to dig a hole in the backyard to create a memorable time capsule with your kids. In fact, this can easily become a fun and special New Year's tradition for your family! Print out a survey that every family member needs to complete, with questions such as these: What's your favorite food right now? What is the best thing you did this year? Include the survey and a photograph of each family member and put them all in a special box. Add to the time capsule each year with the same survey of questions. It will be so fun to read from year to year and even five or 10 years down the road!

Throw a family-friendly bash

Remember all those friends that you used to spend New Year's Eve with, pre-kids? Well, now that you're all in the same parenting boat, there's no reason why you still can't get together to celebrate the new year! Invite them all over with their kids and throw a big, family-friendly New Year's Eve bash, complete with champagne... and juice boxes. Tell your friends to bring pajamas for the kids and set up movies, popcorn and sleeping bags for the little ones so that everyone can stay as late as possible.

Get inspired

The simplest but also the most memorable thing you can do with your kids on New Year's Eve is to sit down as a family and make a plan for the year to come. Get a big piece of poster board and go crazy brainstorming things you want to do as a family, places you want to travel, projects to conquer and goals to accomplish.

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Who doesn't love a skinny appetizer? These stunning apps have fewer than 100 calories apiece and still contain your favorite ingredients, like goat cheese, chives and salmon! Plus, they all take less than 30 minutes to prepare. What's not to love?

Sun-dried tomato pesto crostinis

Each little crostini is full of Mediterranean flavor, not calories! Each crusty and delicious bite only has 77 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. These pair lovely with a light-bodied red wine.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Yields about 12

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of crusty French bread
• 8-1/2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the bread slices on a baking dish and coat with cooking spray. Bake for about 4 minutes and then flip. Cover the other side of bread with cooking spray and bake another 4 minutes.
2. To make the pesto, blend the sun-dried tomatoes, basil, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper and garlic cloves in a food processor until smooth.
3. Once crostinis are golden brown, spread about 1-1/2 tablespoons of sun-dried pesto on each piece of bread and garnish with Parmesan.

Goat cheese-stuffed mushroom caps

These delicious bites only have 82 calories a piece! The rich goat cheese and chives pair perfectly with a glass of crisp white wine!

Yields 8

Ingredients:

• 8 baby bella mushrooms
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese
• About 4 tablespoons fresh chives
• About 4 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the stems off the mushroom caps and discard.
2. Stuff about 1/2 ounce of soft goat cheese into the mushroom caps. Drizzle each cap with about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake caps for about 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh chives .

Salmon-topped cucumber bites

Want to save a bunch of calories but keep the flavors you love? Sub out cucumber for bread! You get the same crunch with 75 percent fewer calories. Each of these salmon bites has only 20 calories and pairs beautifully with Champagne!

Yields about 28

Ingredients:

• 1 medium cucumber
• 5 - 6 ounces smoked salmon, flaked
• About 4 ounces creamy horseradish sauce
• Chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Peel the cucumber and then slice into 28 slices.
2. To assemble, top each cucumber with salmon and a dab of horseradish sauce. Garnish with fresh chives.

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Grilled cheese is a classic lunchtime staple. However, we are taking that basic sandwich and turning it up a couple notches! This sandwich is packed full of gooey cheese, caramelized onions and barbecue slathered pulled pork. It's going to take your basic lunchtime sandwich and turn it into your new favorite lunchtime sandwich!

Caramelized onion and barbecued pulled pork grilled cheese recipe

Yields 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

• 2 slices thick sliced bread
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup warm barbecued pulled pork
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions
• 2 slices white sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet add 1 tablespoon butter. Heat over medium-low heat until melted.
2. While butter is melting add one slice cheese onto one piece of bread. Top with pulled pork, onions and other slice of cheese.
3. Add to pan of melted butter and cover the pan for 5 minutes to help melt the top layer of cheese. Take off the lid, top with other slice of bread and let cook until the bottom slice of bread is toasty and brown.
4. Before flipping add in another tablespoon of butter and let it melt. Once melted gently flip the sandwich and cook until brown on the other side.
5. Cut in half and enjoy!

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Brandy's engagement to Ryan Press has been confirmed as the real deal by the singer's rep! After speculation arose over a photo posted to Ms. Norwood's Instagram page Wednesday, news broke her music executive beau did indeed pop the big question.

Fans of Brandy first began to wonder if an engagement had occurred when a photo of a heart-shaped rose petal appeared on her personal account. Text digitally placed over the romantic image reads, "Like a rib, I'm one within you. We're unbreakable-inseparable! #howhigh," which are lyrics to one of the 33-year-old's singles.

Brandy cries to Behind the Music: I'm not a murderer!>>

E! News confirmed Brandy's engagement with her rep Thursday, while reflecting on marriage talk from just months ago.

"I keep hearing about a ring. People keep calling me, hinting to me about it, but I don't know," Brandi told Sister2Sister magazine in August. "I'm going to be patient and let it happen and just let it be...I guess it will happen when it's the right time."

Brandy and Monica reunite for new duet>>

Brandy previously told People her 10-year-old daughter Sy'rai "loves Ryan, and he loves me for sure. But I don't have a ring," though she made sure to note an expensive bauble wasn't what mattered most. She added, "I told Ryan I'd marry him with a bubble-gum ring."

Brandy and Ryan Press first went public as a couple on New Year's Eve 2011, when they were spotted canoodling in Las Vegas. While there's no word yet on when a wedding will take place, late December seems to be a special time for the pair.

Congratulations to Ryan Press and Brandy on their engagement!

Image via WENN

With the new year approaching, it's time to start thinking of our New Year's resolutions. Why not involve the whole family this time and vow to have a healthier, more adventurous 2013?!

Family food goals

We typically set New Year's resolutions as a way to make ourselves and our year a little better. Whether we want to lose weight, start exercising, get out of debt or be more giving, we set these goals with good intentions in mind. This year, instead of setting goals for just you, set some that the whole family can enjoy. Setting New Year's resolutions for the family holds everyone accountable, making you more likely to stick to them.

Eat dinner as a family once a week

Seems simple enough, but with different schedules and activities it can actually be hard for families nowadays to enjoy a meal together. Make it a goal to sit down as a family once a week for dinner. Do a set night each week or look at everyone's schedules a week in advance and pick a day that works best each week. The choice is yours — just make it happen!

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HBO's series Girls returns for its second season on Jan. 13, and the cable network has just released a second trailer to help fans prepare.

The new trailer promotes what looks to be a continuation of all the first season's completely unrealistic scenarios, which Lena Dunham and the gang try to pass off as run-of-the-mill twentysomething behavior. In the second trailer alone, we see co-bathing ; a continuing relationship with someone that started off as a creepy, older one-night stand; and an incredibly dramatic dinner among friends.

Will it ever end?

Probably not. Despite its unrelatability, brattiness and utter ridiculousness, Girls pulled in tons of viewers for HBO and earned favorable ratings. And of course, there are moments of relatability. You see the characters wanting the guy you just broke up with or falling victim to a highly dysfunctional relationship.

Still, the girls of Girls are made up almost entirely of self-centered, entitled female characters who act strong but are inevitably weak and rather poor excuses for females. Sure, Hannah is far from perfect looking, and her "quirk" comes out as just annoyingly strange. But does that mean the only relationship she can have is with someone who is even more messed up? One incredibly disturbing split-second shot shows Hannah on top of someone who looks to be Thomas-John , the boyfriend of Jessa . Someone, please slo-mo the crap out of this trailer and tell me otherwise.

Last season featured virgin, awkward sex with a mentally unstable quasi-boyfriend, a "crack-cident," a pregnancy scare , tons of joblessness and a completely unfathomable portrayal of property values in Brooklyn. It also included way too many pretentious, "I'm unique" comments from Hannah and her gang.

The latest trailer starts off with Hannah's line "I've always marched to the beat of my own drummer." In other words, expect more of the same from Season 2 of Girls.

Images courtesy of WENN

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While Kings of Leon fans would no doubt rather see an addition to the band's discography, they'll have to make due with a new member of the family, instead.

Kings of Leon's drummer, Nathan Followill, and his wife, Jessie Baylin, welcomed a new Followill to the world on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee. Their new daughter, Violet Marlowe Followill, weighed in at 7 pounds 13 ounces, the drummer's rep told CNN.

In recent years, the band has done more familial multiplying than musical addition. Taking a break from the music scene, the band — made up of four Followill brothers and cousins — has spent more time focusing on their relationships than their careers. In the last two years, they've each reached some very personal milestones. In September, bassist Jared Followill wed Martha Patterson. The family also welcomed two other cousins into the mix. In June, lead vocalist Caleb Followill and Lily Aldridge welcomed daughter Dixie Pearl. The year before, in May 2011, Knox Cameron Patrick was born to Matthew Followill, lead guitar, and Johanna Bennett.

Kings of Leon have been on hiatus since October 2011. During a show in Texas in July 2011, a slurring Caleb Followill appeared to be drunk on stage. He left for a "brief moment" to throw up but never returned, leaving his brothers and cousin to apologize. A few days later, the group canceled the remainder of their U.S. tour dates. Then, after completing tour obligations in Australia, the band announced their hiatus. In August 2012, Jared Followill and Mona member Nick Brown released their song "No Tell" under the name Smoke & Jackal.

When a fan on Twitter asked if the new project marked the end of Kings of Leon, Jared replied, "Not even close." He went on to promise that work on their next album would begin shortly.

With all the new babies and ladies in their lives, the Followill boys ought to have plenty of inspiration for a new album. Will the musicians' children end up just as gifted as their dads? We hope so.

Congratulations, Followills!

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It's inevitable: From the second you share that you're pregnant, you're bombarded with unsolicited advice — from in-laws to mom friends to complete strangers, everyone has an opinion.

9 Months of advice

With a few tips and a sense of humor, you'll be able to navigate nine months of unsolicited opinions, old wives' tales and even the most absurd advice with your sanity intact!

Doctor blame-game

If you're overwhelmed with old wives’ tales and aren't up to listening to a theory about how your baby can steal your beauty if it's a girl, or you need to dodge a risky morning sickness remedy from a well-meaning grandmother, "My obstetrician says... " is always a good place to start. When all else fails, blame it on the doctor. It's an easy out, and it reminds everyone that you do have an expert advising you.

Mum's the word

If your birthing method, your position on vaccines or other decisions that you're making for you and your baby are at odds with your in-laws' opinions, sometimes it's just better not to engage with them over it. While it's tempting to try and educate them about why you're choosing to have a home birth or are opting not to circumcise, consider staying quiet and saving your sanity. If you're never going to see eye-to-eye on a controversial pregnancy or childbirth topic, it's better to avoid conflict and keep a few things to yourself.

Stranger intervention

A smile and a nod as you move along, or a simple "interesting" can help you diffuse well-meaning but often-annoying strangers who seem to be drawn to pregnant women like magnets. If you find yourself stuck in a store line with them or can't easily walk away, try the stranger advice trifecta: smile, nod then distract. Acknowledge them with a quick smile and nod, then hop on the phone, grab a check-stand magazine to read, or quickly find another distraction. If you're the non-confrontational type, this is a great way to say thanks, but no thanks.

Agree, until the novelty wears off

While most people genuinely feel they're doing you a service, or simply enjoy reliving their pregnancy experiences by sharing them with you, some people love to give advice because it makes them feel like an expert. They'll take every opportunity to educate you, and the only way to put an end to it is to agree with them until the novelty wears off. When you encounter these advice-givers, try agreeing with, “Yep. You're absolutely right,” or, “Agreed. My doctor told me that very thing this morning.” If you have nothing new to learn from them, they'll ultimately move on.

Look but don't touch

Whether it's extended family or complete strangers, advice-givers tend to have one thing in common: They often like to get up close and personal while they dish out their opinions. More often than not, that means going straight for a belly rub. Physical contact is one area you might be compelled to draw a hard line on with a knee-jerk, "Don't touch." If you're not the just-say-no type, try a quick block with the hand partnered with, "You don't want to do that. My morning sickness kicked into high gear today and I'm this close to losing it again." Then, smile as they suddenly find it in themselves to respect your personal space.

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Cookies always brighten the day! For a rich, special cookie treat, these flourless chocolate-cranberry crinkle cookies are the perfect choice. If you'd like, you can even replace the cranberries with chopped walnuts or perhaps a different dried fruit. These are festive and rich cookies that will make anyone's day!

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.

Flourless chocolate-cranberry crinkle cookies

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

Yields 48

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups gluten-free powdered sugar, plus extra to dust with
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred
• 3 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup gluten-free chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease the top of the paper.
2. Mix all the ingredients together so the batter becomes smooth. This makes a very soft batter.
3. Drop the batter onto the baking sheets, by about 2 teaspoons' worth.
4. Bake for about 8 minutes. The cookies will spread and crinkle slightly.
5. Remove from the oven, keep them on the baking sheets and allow them to cool completely.
6. Once completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar if you’d like.

Bite into these rich cookies for a special treat!

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Spend New Year's Eve with your little ones this year!

New Year's Eve with kids

Sure, it's not the same as hanging out at the coolest club or hitting the hottest party in town — but you can still have fun while ushering in the new year with toddlers and young kids.

Check out these kid-friendly recipes>>

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Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

First Larry Hagman, now Stormin’ Norman? And President Bush is in ICU? What’s happening here? We are losing all of our nation’s bad a**es! December has been a rough month for heroes . Schwarzkopf is known to those of us over the age of 20 as the general whose coalition forces successfully booted Iraqi forces out of Kuwait. When we saw him in front of a map, it made us almost feel sorry for anyone who got in his path . He also reminded us of our grandfathers who came from a generation where you just did what needed to be done, without complaint. Schwarzkopf is a dying breed indeed.

Image courtesy PNP/WENN.com

Ray Collins

The music industry also has taken a big hit this month. Latina sensation Jenni Rivera died in a plane crash at the beginning of the month. Now Ray Collins, who formed Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa, has passed away from a heart attack at age 75. Fontella Bass, of “Rescue Me” fame, passed away on Dec. 26, also from complications resulting from a heart attack. Let’s move on to some happier news…

Baby Caspian

Neve Campbell’s baby with J.J. Feild isn’t new , but revelation that he was actually born, and his name, is. Campbell told The Talk that she wanted her baby boy, who she named Caspian, to have a unique name like hers. Well, she certainly succeeded in that goal. Isn’t Caspian also a sea? Neve must not have cared for Red, Black, Bering, Mediterranean, South China or Arabian.

Image courtesy Michael Wright/WENN.com

Kate Winslet-Rocknroll

Speaking of unique names, Kate Winslet has just entered into wedded bliss with Ned Rocknroll. Not surprisingly, this is not Ned’s real name. His birth name is Abel Smith. You should know he’s also not a musician. He’s a businessman. And by businessman we mean a trustee baby whose uncle is Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. Abel works in Uncle Dick’s space travel division. Uh-huh. Ned not-Rocknroll has been married before, to British socialite Eliza Pearson. Can you say social climbing tool? Oops, did we say that out loud? We love, love, love Kate, so we hope that we are grievously wrong about Rocknroll and that he turns out to be a loving and long-term companion and not a Totaljacka**.

Image courtesy WENN.com

Chestnuts are a winter treat that add a unique, rich flavor to soups. This soup has been lightened up to balance all of the heavy recipes of winter. Instead of cream, white beans are used to thicken and add a creamy texture.

Chestnut white bean soup recipe

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chestnuts
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
• 1/4 cup sherry, plus extra
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
• 1 can white beans
• 1/2 cup 2% or non-dairy milk

Directions:

1. Cut an x into each chestnut and then roast them at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes. Peel the shell and skin away from the meat of the chestnut .
2. In a Dutch oven, sweat the onions, carrots and celery with a bit of salt and the olive oil. Cool for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft. Add the chestnuts and thyme leaves.
3. When a brown glaze begins to appear on the bottom of the pan, add 1/4 cup sherry and scrape the brown bits into the vegetables.
4. Add the stock, some pepper and the white beans. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Allow the soup to simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
5. Ladle the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the milk on low heat. Add more as needed to reach the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with a splash of sherry.

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There's nothing like an interesting cocktail after a hard day's work. If every evening is a surprise, there's always something to look forward to. At least once a month, treat yourself to one of our readers' 10 favorites of the year as chosen through Facebook likes.

If you're an old-fashioned kinda gal, try this old-fashioned with cherry-infused bourbon. Sure, you can buy cherry bourbon, but we're willing to bet you'll try making your own when you see how easy our recipe is.

To some people, there's nothing like a fresh-from-the-oven oatmeal cookie — except maybe an oatmeal cookie shot. Whether you like the classic, oatmeal raisin or something with a hint of orange, these three oatmeal-flavored cocktails will make you feel like a kid again .

It seems our readers are big fans of dessert-themed cocktails. The next cocktail on our list blends the tang of lime with the sweetness of cream to create a fun shooter for summer parties on the patio. They're a must-try for margarita lovers.

If you'd like the explanation of how these work, we recommend watching the episode of The Big Bang Theory where Raj realized he can talk to girls when he's been drinking. If you mostly just care about the cool effect these two layered favorites create, we recommend clicking the link below .

We're not surprised so many of you loved these. Milkshakes with liquor? Nothing could be better on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Choose from key-lime pie, raspberry cocoa or strawberry-cherry orange .

There's nothing better than cider to warm you up after a long day making snow angels and losing snowball fights to the kids. This set of spicy cider recipes even includes nonalcoholic options for the kiddos.

The Hunger Games is one of the most critically acclaimed books and movies recently made. It's no surprise that the cocktails based on author Suzanne Collins' richly drawn characters made our top 10 list. Better yet, these drinks are just as colorful as they are delish!

As long as it's got alcohol, it still counts as a cocktail, right? You guys certainly seemed to think so. You loved this recipe for fruity frozen cocktails as much as we did.

Two of your favorites this year were the pumpkin and watermelon kegs. They're definitely a showstopper at any party. No matter what time of year it is, you can make one of these DIY kegs to hold your favorite party beverage.

This one isn't just delicious, it's adorable! With a host of premium liquors and liqueurs and multicolored sprinkles just like the ones your mom put on cupcakes when you were a kid, this sweet martini is a party in a glass.

Honorable mention for the top cocktails of 2012

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Amusement parks

Theme parks often offer special events and hours during the holidays, such as Disneyland in Anaheim, California, which is open until 2 a.m. on New Year's Eve. Security patrol, monitored activities and an enclosed environment offer teens a safe New Year's Eve option so that parents can rest easy.

Don't forget safe driving rules

There are many options for safe New Year's Eve celebrations for teens, but if your teenager will be on the road this New Year's Eve, review safe road rules, including no drinking and driving or texting while driving.

"End the night right: If you fear that your driver for the evening may have become under the influence during the course of the night, do not — under any circumstances — get in their vehicle," advises Kevin Markham, Ford Global Driver Safety, Dearborn Development Center and Ford Motor Company's Driving Skills for Life program. "Your parents or sibling won't be mad if you call late for a ride; in fact, they should be happy you made the responsible and safe decision."

Read up on safe driving rules for teens>>

With the right choices and parental ground rules you can help make this a safe New Year's your teen won't soon forget!

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New Year's Eve cocktails

Be tickled pink

Upgrade your New Year's Eve with one of these glamorous cocktails.
Not only are they pretty to sip, but you'll look good doing it.

This New Year's Eve, celebrate with a drink that's sweet, festive and glitzy all at the same time. If you're single, you won't be for long. Grab a cocktail and find a partner to lock lips with before the clock strikes 12.

X-Rated resolution

Created by Travis London

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 ounces X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
• 3/4 ounce rice milk
• 1/2 ounce honey syrup
• Fresh blackberries

Directions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, shake all ingredients except blackberries.
2. Top with blackberries for garnish.

The midnight kiss

Created by Travis London

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
• 4 ounce sparkling rose

Directions:

1. Pour sparkling rose in a Champagne flute and top with X-Rated Fusion Liqueur.

Lucky 13

Ingredients:

• Lemon slice
• Granulated sugar
• 1 ounce X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur
• 1-2 dashes orange bitters
• 4 ounce sparkling rose
• 1 teaspoon grenadine

Directions:

1. Rim a Champagne flute with sugar by rubbing it with a cut lemon, then dipping it into white, granulated sugar.
2. Pour X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, orange liqueur and bitters into a mixing glass. Shake with ice. Gently strain into sugar-rimmed Champagne flute.
3. Top with chilled sparkling rose.
4. Gently drizzle grenadine into the glass, allowing it to settle at the bottom to create a layered effect.

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Party on NYE without kids?

New Year's Eve is a tricky holiday for parents.

It's hard to find childcare that allows you freedom to attend a swanky party. And even if you have a reliable babysitter, it’s likely you'll be paying a premium for her services. Taking your child to an adult party may be an option, depending on the circumstances of the gathering. Following the proper etiquette will ensure you and your host a drama-free night with the kids in tow.

The rules on taking your child to a holiday party can seem murky in some instances, especially if it's a family member's or even a best friend's fete. In order to clarify some of the holiday party madness, SheKnows asked for advice from acclaimed etiquette author and expert Jodi R.R. Smith of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting. Her advice follows:

Make sure you child is invited and do not presume it includes your adorable toddler even if it's your best friend's party. If the invitation includes "and family" that is a green light to bring your kids.

"Pick up the phone and call to get a lay of land," Smith says. Find out details like how many other people will be attending, what food will be served, where will kids be during the party, will there be a supervisor on hand and, finally, is the house child-friendly. A necessary part of this research is understanding what will be available for your child at the party and what you need to bring — extra diapers, special foods, etc.

"I encourage parents to be very thoughtful about the situation they're putting their child in," Smith says. "As a parent it's your job to be responsible for your child; it isn't the host's job."

Parents should think about the noise level at the party. If it's a small, quiet cocktail party, you should opt to leave your rowdy brood at home for the night. On the flip side, if you have a newborn, and know there will be smokers in the house, leave the baby at home.

Feed your child ahead of time and take extra food, but be conscious of others with allergies who might be in attendance. No nuts!

While you may enjoy staying for the duration of a three-hour cocktail party, your child might not fancy the idea. Tell host in advance that you could be leaving early, depending on your child's mood.

"My rule for play dates and parties is leave before the blood and tears," Smith says. "If you see your child is about to have a meltdown, get out."

Find out if the kids are happy and well. If they break anything, Smith says fess up right away and always offer to replace the damage.

Read more on kids and New Year's Eve

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Someone is back in the dating saddle again! Tom Cruise is officially back on the market after he was seen in New York City flirting with a new girl.

The New York Post uncovered the mystery gal on Thursday as Cynthia Jorge, a manager at the Lower East Side restaurant Beauty & Essex. Apparently it was the 26-year-old who made the first move by slipping her business card to the 50-year-old Cruise, who was dining at the establishment.

The article has friends describing Jorge as, “really nice...she doesn’t want to be an actress, she just wants to have fun. She’s young and single."

The duo was spotted out on Dec. 18 dirty dancing at the hot club LeBaron in Manhattan, with Cruise later escorting Jorge to the home she shares with her mother. That one sighting spurred instant media attention for the restaurant worker. She stayed home from work on Wednesday and Thursday to avoid the media glare.

The Queens native is no stranger to dating celebrities, though. She formerly dated American Pie star Seann William Scott. It's unknown how long the two dated, but Scott is currently engaged to Victoria's Secret model Lindsay Frimodt.

Cruise's friends are downplaying the date between the Jack Reacher star and Jorge, telling E! News, “He’s single and will be talking to women — all of whom he won’t be instantly dating,”

Another source who is friends with Jorge told People, “Cynthia told me they went out for drinks and it was nothing but a casual night out."

While this doesn't sound like love at first sight, it's clear Cruise is over his marriage to Katie Holmes and ready to move on in the New Year.

Image courtesy of PNP/WENN.com

Did you know you can cut a lot of calories just by changing your shopping list? We've put together a list of some simple changes you can make to reduce your daily caloric intake without completely depriving yourself.

Sour cream

Any Tex-Mex or baked potato fanatic can't live without this tart, cream topper. But you could definitely live without the calories. Opt instead for nonfat plain yogurt, which has almost one-third the amount of calories per serving. No-fat yogurt is almost as good , so that's also an option.

Either works especially well in flavorful dips. Experiment with different brands. Which one you prefer often depends on what it is you like about sour cream.

Ground beef

Ground beef is one of the most convenient go-to proteins when you've had a long day at work. It's versatile in that it can work in a variety of dishes with different flavor profiles. It's also got more than 200 calories in just 3 ounces! Even extra lean ground beef tops 200 calories. Vegetarian "beef" crumbles, on the other hand, have 75 percent fewer calories without sacrificing much flavor. Most recipes can be easily modified to use them.

They're supposed to be used in place of precooked beef, though, so in long-cook recipes, you may need raw meat. In that case, opt for ground turkey. It has more calories than the veggie crumbles, but a lot less than ground beef. Add a bit of Worcestershire to either the crumbles or the ground turkey to get a richer, meatier .

Eggs

While eggs aren't considered the danger food they once were, they are higher in fat when used whole. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg in most recipes.

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