LilSugar

Do You Check-in on Your Children During the Night?

LilSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:00:03 PDT

Actress and mama of six Angelina Jolie stars in the thriller, Changeling, a film about a woman whose son is kidnapped. Saying that is her biggest fear, the celeb admits to checking on her children in the night. This is a common practice among many parents. Do you partake?

Source

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria Christens Baby Estelle

Tara Block — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:00 PDT

Queen Elizabeth II isn't the only female monarch in Europe celebrating milestones this year. Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and her husband of two years - her former personal trainer Daniel Westling - welcomed a baby girl in February, and today she and the rest of the Swedish royal family attended baby Princess Estelle's christening at the royal chapel in Stockholm.

Princess Estelle is second in line to the Swedish throne after her mother, thanks to the succession law that was changed in 1980 to allow the eldest heir to inherit the throne, even if the firstborn is a woman. Currently, Princess Victoria is the world's only female heir apparent, but if Prince William and Kate Middleton have a daughter, she may follow in Princess Victoria's footsteps. The UK's rules of royal inheritance are in the process of changing to allow firstborn girls to reign even if they have younger brothers. All 16 Commonwealth realms must come together to put the law into action - and until they do, Will and Kate's firstborn, if it's a girl, may or may not be in line for the throne. Some speculate that the uncertainty is the reason Will and Kate have been postponing having children, something that traditionally happens right after the marriage.

While we wait to find out how female royalty will fare in the UK, check out more photos of Sweden's little Princess Estelle during her christening ceremony now!

Why Everyone (Even 20-Somethings) Should Make a Will

Business Insider — Tue, 22 May 2012 00:15:44 PDT

Getting a will is not just for those who are on the cusp of retiring. People of all ages should consider writing one, says Business Insider. Here's why.

Despite the well-known fact that everyone alive today will kick the bucket at one point or another, nearly 60 percent of Americans admitted in a 2011 poll conducted by online legal service Rocket Lawyer that they didn't have a will.

In fact, one-third said they'd rather do their taxes, get a root canal, or give up sex for a month than lay out their dying wishes in black and white.

All right, let's not get out of hand now.

Making a will these days is easier than ever, and if you've been putting it off simply because it seems daunting, then you could be making a big mistake.

"You do it for your family's [future]," says Rocket Lawyer founder Charley Moore. "[A will] enables you to start thinking about issues like whether you have the right insurance coverage, life insurance, and ways of replacing your lost income."

Whether you're 22 years old and just ran your umpteenth marathon or you're ready to retire, laying out an estate plan should definitely be near the top of your to-do list.

It's one of the three most important documents every adult should have.

Here are the other two, according to Moore:

A living will: Also called an advanced healthcare directive, a living will is where you lay out all the nuts and bolts of your end-of-life care. If you wind up in a coma or unresponsive in the hospital, then a living will can help your family decide how to handle your medical treatment.

Durable power of attorney: Choose an attorney you trust to administer your estate after your death, says Moore. He or she will be objective (unlike family members), and their entire job is to follow your wishes.

Read on for more.

Four Girls, One Room: How to Share a Space With Style

Kate Stahl — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:03:14 PDT

We're not the only ones who have redecorated our houses with a little help from Pinterest. When Shannon of Googie Momma was brainstorming how to fit her five children (four girls, one boy) into two bedrooms, a pin from another mom-to-many blogger inspired her to create a bunk room for her girls. The end result was a magical shared space for four little heads to rest. Keep reading to check out all the red, aqua, and striped details. They might even inspire you to try for four kids - or at least to host some super-fun sleepovers!

Source: Googie Momma

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

Be Wary of Chemicals: The Safest Sunscreens on the Market

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:42:05 PDT

It's hard enough to remember to put on sunscreen when you leave the house, but now you also need to make sure your sunscreen is safe to use. The Environmental Working Group has just released its 2012 Sunscreen Guide, and in order to make the list, a sunscreen must be free of oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate, not have an SPF above 50, and must be broad spectrum (protects against both UVA and UVB rays).

What's wrong with oxybenzone? Although it does a great job of absorbing ultraviolet rays, some studies show that it can be absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. The Environmental Working Group and toxicology experts believe this can disrupt hormones, damage cells, and potentially lead to skin cancer. Other experts disagree, like the American Academy of Dermatology, and oxybenzone has been FDA-approved since 1978 for use in children older than 6 months.

Keep reading to find out what else you need to consider when buying sunscreen, and for a list of the safest sunscreens on the market.

RIP Queen of Disco Donna Summer

Annie Scudder — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:01:34 PDT

Disco queen Donna Summer has passed away at 63. The singer reportedly suffered complications from lung cancer. Her family has released a statement, saying they are "at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and continued legacy." She's survived by her husband and children. Born on New Year's Eve in 1948, Donna was influenced by Michael Jackson, The Supremes, and Janis Joplin growing up in Boston. Donna eventually moved to Germany to star in Hair, when the Broadway musical moved to Europe, and she picked up fluent German. She would marry and divorce a German man, Helmuth Sommer, but she kept his name in a way, changing hers from Donna Gaines to Donna Summer.

Even if you didn't grow up going to disco clubs, you probably know the words to many of her iconic songs, which include, "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," and "Love to Love You Baby." Tells us which hit was your favorite, and check out photos of the disco icon through the years now.

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden Take Their Little Ones to the Sydney Zoo

Allie Merriam — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:11:40 PDT

Nicole Richie and Joel Madden hit the zoo in Sydney today with their children Harlow and Sparrow Madden. The foursome checked out the giraffes and even offered the animals carrots. Nicole and Joel led the way for their kids, with Harlow and Sparrow sharing an adorable moment in their stroller. Joel was happy with the treatment they received at the park. He tweeted today, "Thanks Toronga Zoo for having us today with the kids. They are still buzzing from it. Can't get enough. We'll be back fo sho."

The Richie-Madden family is together in Australia while Joel works on the Aussie version of The Voice. Joel and Nicole celebrated the series and its high ratings at a big bash last week. Nicole's been busy with TV work of her own. In fact, her reality series Fashion Star wrapped up last night - did you catch the season finale of Fashion Star?

Bachelorette Breakdown: First Impressions From the Premiere

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:09:48 PDT

Welcome to a new season of The Bachelorette, everyone! First of all, is anyone else as excited as I am to see Emily Maynard take the reigns, or roses, as it were? She is sweet as apple pie and I don't know anyone that doesn't love a Southern belle, least of all the gentlemen vying for her affections. I use the term "gentlemen" lightly, as several of them displayed relatively ungentlemanly behavior on this week's premiere.

As per Bachelorette tradition, the premiere included a basic primer to who Emily is, the limo intros with the guys, some time for Emily to mingle at her party and eventually give out the coveted First Impression rose, followed by the first rose ceremony. Let's have a quick rundown of the episode's highlights, shall we?

Find out our take when you read more.

How to Establish Financial Independence

Kiplinger — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:15:54 PDT

Becoming completely financially independent can be scary, but it's also very liberating. Kiplinger gives advice on how to establish your financial independence.

Not only is it difficult for us twentysomethings to wholeheartedly embrace adulthood, it's often also a challenge for our parents to let us go. Baby-boomer parents are generally known for mollycoddling their children, even after we move out of the house and into our own adult lives. Some parents have shown up for their kids' job interviews, and others have called up human resource departments at their adult kids' workplaces to complain about bad performance reviews or to negotiate salaries on behalf of their children.

They may mean well, but such extreme helicopter parents are actually hindering their children from growing into independent adults. "If a child is receiving too much help, then they have no incentive to succeed or become independent," says Erin Baehr, of the financial planning firm Baehr Family Financial, in Stroudsburg, Pa. "They may also be setting themselves up for some possible financial trouble down the road."

We certainly don't want that. At the same time, as young adults, we shouldn't be so dead set on finding our independence that we end up punishing ourselves by turning down valuable financial guidance and support from Mom and Dad.

So how about meeting in the middle? You can stay open to your parents' assistance but also set limits on how involved in your life you want them to be. For example, when it comes to parental career advice, Marty Martin, a financial psychologist at Aequus Wealth Management Resources, in Chicago, suggests you say, "Mom and Dad, I would really appreciate any advice you may have before I go to my job interview, and I will contact you after it happens. But I really need to do this on my own."

Read on for more.