LilSugar

lil links: Usher and Son Have Fun in the Sun

LilSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:33:47 -0700

Usher and his adorable son have fun in the sun - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Matthew McConaughey says, "Sure, maybe" to question about more kids - Celebrity Baby Blog
Grains like millet can stop your nausea - Cookie
Pregnancy recipes should be healthy and delicious - Health
Swine flu alert! How far would you go to keep your kids healthy? - Parentdish
Suit up for Summer with Bummis eco-friendly reusable swimmi diapers - Inhabitots

Celebaby Roundup

LilSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:00:08 -0700

Celebrity babies and kids were out in full force this weekend and were scattered all over the world. Valentina Pinault traveled all the way to Venice for her parents' wedding, while Pax and Maddox Jolie-Pitt were treated to Dunkin' Donuts in New York. Of course, there were plenty of other celebaby sightings this weekend, so here's a look back in photos.

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Lil Links: Usher, Mark and Forest on the Joys of Fatherhood

LilSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:00:34 -0700

Usher, Mark and Forest dish on the joys of fatherhood - Celebrity Baby Blog
David Banda's dad worries about Madonna's divorce - Celebrity Baby Scoop
Cool Mom talks to Dr. Phil about free range moms and helicopter moms - Cool Mom
Angelina sparks breastfeeding buzz - Fit Pregnancy
A bed for princesses - Cookie
Super crafty costume contest, feel the magic! - The Poop
How to make dinner with your toddler under foot - Alpha Mom
Is it the end of amniocentesis? - Parent Dish

Celebaby Style: Baby Usher

babysugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:09 -0700

Baby Usher has got some big shoes to fill as his daddy has made quite a name for himself in the music world. A fashionable papa to boot, it seems the lil guy is keeping up to speed with his own little suede boots on the playground. Swinging the afternoon away with his parents at a Beverly Hills park, I'm sure the tot was thinking to himself, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! Yeah, Yeah! Yeaah!"

Complimenting his prepster look of jeans and a red polo, the wee fellow sported some dapper footgear. Check out the selection of similar brown suede booties below.

Kid Express Infant/Toddler Max Demi Boot - $51.95	First Walker lace-up boots - $29.50
Timberland Asphalt Trail (Toddler) - $60.00	pediped Andy (Infant) - $32.00
Primigi Toddler/Little Kid Ground Chucka Boot - $65.95	Timberland Kerplunc (Infant/Toddler) - $50.00
Timberland Infant/Toddler Authentic 6" Boot - $49.95	Primigi Groungy (Infant/Toddler) - $65.00

Flynet

Monday Morning Celebaby Roundup

babysugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:08:11 -0700

While we rested, Tinseltown families played - hustling to parties, premieres and the Kids' Choice Awards. Jennifer Meyer and Ruby celebrated with Nicole Richie and Harlow. Will Smith and his clan strutted down the orange carpet. And other celebs held their standard park playdates and went to the Farmer's Market. Check out who did what in our mongo Monday morning gallery.

To see the rest of the pics, read more.

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Source, Source and Flynet

Delilicious: Ring in Rosh Hashanah With a Round Apple Challah

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:30:16 -0700

Let the celebrations begin! Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown tonight, and the holiday is filled with Fall flavors to kick off the Autumn season. As a religious celebration, Rosh Hashanah is ripe with foods that symbolize the cyclical nature of the calendar and the sweetness that comes with the new year.

To usher in the holiday, we brought the kids to the kitchen so they could enjoy the fun of whipping up a modern twist on the classic challah, or egg bread. Unlike traditional challahs, this one is round (to celebrate the cycle of a new year) and includes plenty of apples and sugar to guarantee a sweet year ahead. Best of all, the bread can be enjoyed by everyone throughout the year.

See the recipe and step-by-step directions when you read more.

New Year's Apple Challah
From Tammy's Recipes

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil or melted butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons dry yeast
5 to 6 cups flour

Apple Filling
3 cups coarsely chopped apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice (skip if apples are tart)

Egg Wash
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon sugar
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven dough ingredients, in order listed. Stir in a cup or two of the flour, then add yeast.

2. Add enough additional flour to equal about 5 cups, and stir/knead into a smooth dough, adding additional flour if needed. Knead dough for 8-10 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45-60 minutes.

3. Place apple filling ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.

4. Punch down the risen dough, kneading to remove excess air bubbles. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough into a large round, about 1/2-inch thick. Spread apple mixture over the dough.

5. Fold the edges of the dough over the apples and continue to fold/roll the dough to make one big lump with the filling enclosed. Let rest 5 minutes.

6. Grease a 10-inch springform pan. Place springform pan on a large cookie sheet (to catch any leaks during rising/baking).

7. Using a sharp knife, cut off chunks of the dough and place them in the prepared pan. You should end up with 15-20 chunks of dough (though a particular number doesn't matter). The apple pieces should be randomly dispersed throughout the dough chunks. Sprinkle with any escaped apple pieces.

8. Combine the egg and sugar, and then dab the egg wash over the top of the dough. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired. Cover gently with a piece of plastic wrap and place pan in a warm location to rise.

9. When dough has almost doubled in size, preheat oven to 350 degrees and then place baking sheet/springform in the middle of the oven (remove the piece of plastic wrap first, of course!) to bake for 45-55 minutes or until done. When I make this, usually the edges of the top get well-browned before the middle is cooked. So, after about 25-30 minutes, I cover the darker areas loosely with foil - sometimes forming a large loose "ring" of foil (with no foil in the middle) to lay on top.

10. When challah is done, remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out of pan onto a cooling rack and cover with a clean towel until completely cool.

Print recipe with images | without images

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Make Your Child the (Rice Krispies) Apple of Her Teacher's Eye

babysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0700

What does every teacher get on the first day of school? An apple. Smiling faces would be more than enough for any educator, but parents often usher them in with a less than shiny fruit that ends up in the teacher's lounge. In an effort to do something fun the night before my daughter's very first day of preschool, together we made Rice Krispies apples that I hope won't be tossed into the compost.

To see how to make these tasty delights, read more.

Using the same ingredients (plus one) that you use for regular Rice Krispies treats, melt the marshmallows and butter in a pan or bowl. Add some red gel dye to the mix. When the mixture is a lush red, add the cereal to the mix and stir. Instead of pouring the mixture into a pan, make baseball size balls and lay them out in pans that can be refrigerated. Once they have cooled off for a little bit, take them out and sculpt them into apple molds. For my stem and leaf, I used a diced up caramel and half of a green sugar candy. Using a straw, poke a small hole on top and add a leaf and a stem. Wrap it up in cellophane and tie a ribbon around it. Attach a card with your child's name and that teacher will be begging for apples year-round!

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Mary Lynn Rajskub's Lil Valentine Walks Her Down the Aisle

babysugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Best known as Chloe O'Brian on 24, actress Mary Lynn Rajskub walked down the aisle to marry her beau Matthew Rolph over the weekend. The actress didn't have her father walk her down the red carpet. Instead, the couple's lil one-year-old son, Valentine, ushered her to the altar as Elvis's "A Little Less Conversation" played in the background! The family stood together for a Las Vegas-style ceremony as 20 guests witnessed their marital moment. The Julie and Julia co-star told People:

We didn't know that getting married at a casino in Vegas with Elvis could be so romantic. . . . Our wedding was beautiful, spontaneous, and intimate. We are so excited to officially be husband and wife.

Though just a tiny tot, the wee cupid certainly played an integral part in pinning his parents together for a ceremonial event in Sin City.

Would you have your child participate in your wedding ceremony?

Non Voyage: A Capital Celebration Where You Need DC to Be

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:16 -0700

If the new administration has your family dreaming of our nation's historic roots, a trip to Washington DC is sure to inspire the next generation of public servants. We continue our week of big-city non voyages in the nation's capital with activities and food that will help families recreate the DC experience without breaking their wallets.

The National Mall is lined with some of the best museums in the world, and one of the most popular is the National Air and Space Museum. Teach your budding astronauts about the history of manned space flight and then have them create their own rocket ship that will transport them to the moon. Rockets can be built out of blocks, cardboard or with any scraps you have lying around.
The International Spy Museum is one of the most unique places to visit in DC, where children and adults alike can learn about the CIA and FBI's covert operations and the techniques used to keep the nation from harm. Recreate the experience with a backyard scavenger hunt where lil ones can search for hidden treasures and practice their detective skills. Don't forget the trench coats and magnifying glasses to make them feel official.
Even in the age of email, everybody still loves to get mail and the National Postal Museum shows kids how their letters get delivered. Visit your local post office and have the kids pick out their own stamps and mail letters to their family and friends. See if the postal workers will allow your tots to view the sorting machines in the back too.
It's hard to imagine what life was like before cars, computers and modern conveniences, but Mount Vernon, George and Martha Washington's home, does just that. Give your children the colonial experience by turning off the phone and computer for an afternoon of retro cooking with recipes from the birth of our nation, including johnny cakes, shepherd's pie and apple butter.
Washington DC brings Southern hospitality and Northern sophistication to the Mid Atlantic and the city's food reflects those cultures. President Obama has already visited the famed eatery, Ben's Chili Bowl, where the deliciousness is used to smother hot dogs, sausages and burgers, so make some of those goodies at home. The Obamas are also ushering in a new era in organic cooking at the White House so take your youngsters to the local green market or farm and let them choose the ingredients they would like to nosh on that night.

Approaching Adoption: The Domestic Option

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:00:13 -0700

Not all mothers meet their babies at birth. For some, connecting with their child is more a labor of effort and love. Celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan, Edie Falco, Calista Flockhart, and Nia Vardalos have put familiar faces on adoption and made it a household word. Hopeful parents have reasons ranging from fertility issues to choice in deciding to adopt domestically. The process involves the placement of American-born children with US-based parents and can be facilitated by an agency, like New York's Spence-Chapin or a private attorney. Firms match birth mothers and adoptive families and usher them through the process while lawyers often work with doctors who have patients interested in handing their children over for someone else to raise.

Qualifications: Once families register with an agency, they go through a home-study process, which involves criminal and medical background checks, a safe home and stable living environment inspection, a financial records review and monitoring of marital status. The family also submits a letter to prospective birth mothers explaining why they want to adopt.

To see the rest of our look at domestic adoption read more.

Timeline: The average domestic adoption takes 12-18 months. The most lengthy part of the process is the home study that can take up to five months. According to Spence-Chapin, single parents tend to wait longer than married couples because birth mothers are the ones making the choice. Once a family has been selected and the baby is born, the families must sign the terms of their agreement before the child is placed. After placement, many states require three to six months of monitoring by a social worker before the process is considered complete.

Costs: Domestic adoptions through an agency range from approximately $12,000 to $30,000. Some use a sliding scale based on the couple's income while others, like Chicago's The Cradle, charge set fees. These costs include everything from registration to the fee paid to the birth mother.

Considerations: Before deciding to adopt, parents should be comfortable with the idea of what it means to be an adoptive family - that their child might not resemble them and that questions will arise throughout their offspring's life. Future moms and dads also need to choose between an open adoption - where birth parents and adoptive parents agree to ongoing contact of some kind throughout the child's life, be it exchanging letters or medical records or a closed adoption, where there is no contact once the baby has been placed.