LilSugar

Wee Are the World: I Believe in Zero, Do You?

LilSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 PST

As a mom, I take tucking my two safe and healthy kids into bed for granted. In the time it takes for us to go to work, to school, to the playground and run errands, laugh, eat, and make memories, 25,000 children around the world die of preventable causes. It's unfathomable - the pain their mothers endure and that this is happening in 2009. That's why I believe in zero. Join Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of US Fund for UNICEF and mother of three in the movement to make that number zero. To find out how you can get involved,

read more. Getting involved is easy. Advocate on behalf of the children by signing a Presidential Initiative to make child survival policy a priority, donate whatever you can, or recruit your family members and friends to get involved. Teach your children that they can make a difference.

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Winners

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:20:23 PST

The mood of the Grammy Awards was a bit somber this year in the wake of Whitney Houston's shocking death, but the show went on, and the statues were all handed out to the winners. Adele owned the night, picking up multiple awards, including those for record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year.

Plenty of other folks received Grammys too, including Kanye West, The Foo Fighters, and Taylor Swift, so to see the full list of winners, just keep reading.

50 Geeky Date Ideas For Valentine's Day (and Beyond)

GeekSugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:30:10 PST

Coming up short for Valentine's Day date ideas? If you and your sweetheart are more of the geeky persuasion, simply hitting up an overpriced restaurant just won't cut it. We brainstormed 50 date ideas that incorporate science, tech, and video games, for a special Valentine's eve. But don't limit yourself - tackle these date ideas all year!

Bundle up, pack a dinner picnic, and head to the park for some stargazing.
Watch Contact (for the millionth time).
Go to a science museum.
Hit the natural history museum and check out your favorite dino bones.
Go retro - grab a roll of quarters, a slice or two, and hit the pizza parlor arcade.
Build your own planetarium with glow-in-the-dark stickers.
Catch up with the Doctor Who craze by watching the series from the beginning.
Throw a Star Wars party for two.
Whip up a batch of Cloud 9 mojitos (complete with mason jar glasses) and have a Battlestar Galactica marathon.
Visit Nerdy Day Trips and find geeky stuff to do near you.
Go to the planetarium.
Take a dream vacay to the Hobbit Hotel in New Zealand.
Spend a few romantic nights in the Hobbit House of Montana.
Visit the actual Lord of the Rings movie set.
Travel to the Chott el Djerid salt lakes in Tunisia, which were transformed into Luke Skywalker's home on Tatooine.

See the rest of the list after the break!

We Bought a Zoo: Damon Puts on the Hard Sell

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:05:00 PST

The simple premise of We Bought a Zoo is laid out right there in the title, and with no hint of irony. The "we" is Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) and his two children, who are looking to make a fresh start when the death of Benjamin's wife still has them reeling six months later. When Benjamin finds his dream home, he accepts the caveat that the house is built on an old zoo territory, and that he must renovate it to save the animals. It's a story that's hard to swallow at first, but the underlying layers and an impressive performance from Damon make it go down easy.

Damon shows his range as an actor yet again, in a role that's a lot more complex than it seems initially. Though Benjamin is renovating a zoo, the story is really about a man struggling to accept his wife's death and his role as a single father. With another actor in the leading role, the film could be relegated to a tale that's both mawkish and emotionally manipulative, but thanks to Damon, you can't help but love and root for Benjamin. Sure, you care a little about the fate of the animals, but more than anything else, you just want this guy to catch a break.

To see what else I liked about We Bought a Zoo, just

read more. There's a hint of romance between Benjamin and head zookeeper Kelly (Scarlett Johansson), but Cameron Crowe is wise to focus more closely on Benjamin's relationships with his kids than his employee. In fact, the movie may have benefited if the romantic subplot was left behind altogether. Johansson seems out of place in Kelly's dowdy duds, and as charming as Benjamin is, it seems unlikely that a 28-year-old would want to jump into a relationship with an older man who makes no attempt to hide the fact that he's not over his recently deceased wife. Child actors are hit or miss in Hollywood, but We Bought a Zoo features an impressive cast of rising stars. I defy you not to fall in love with Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Benjamin's precocious and utterly adorable 7-year-old daughter Rosie, who will make your heart melt as she slaps together PBJ sandwiches and chases the zoo animals. Colin Ford has a heavier burden to carry as Rosie's troubled teenage brother Dylan, who is coping with his mother's death and his fractured relationship toward his father. Though Dylan is obnoxious and frustrating at times, Ford brings a depth to the character that's only annoying in the sense that it's a realistic portrayal of an adolescent. Thomas Haden Church and Elle Fanning are also assets to the cast, as Benjamin's disapproving older brother and Kelly's spacey cousin, respectively. And, of course, there's the menagerie of animals, who shape the story without stealing the show away from the humans that care for them. It's an important feat, as you never question that the heart of this film is in the personal connections, not in the cute creatures that affect their lives. We Bought a Zoo perfectly fits the movie mold for holiday time; there's something for kids, something for adults, and a little bit of magic for everyone.

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Announcing the 2012 Grammy Award Nominations

Rose Curiel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:51:21 PST

For the second year in a row, the Recording Academy has given a hip-hop artist the most Grammy nominations. Last year, it was rapper Eminem with eight, and this year, Kanye West leads the nominees with seven chances at the golden gramophone, including a song of the year nod for "All of the Lights." West is also nominated twice in the rap album of the year category for his collaboration with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne and his own album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Brit crooner Adele wasn't far behind Kanye, picking up six nominations for her album 21, as well as a shot at song of the year with "Rolling in the Deep."

Bruno Mars also did well, racking up six nominations (that's down one from last year for those keeping track), while newcomers like Nicki Minaj and dubstep artist Skrillex are up for the best new artist category. See what other artists have a chance of walking away with a Grammy during the February 12 award show when you read more

Isla Fisher Has Her Hands Full With Little Elula and Work

Lauren Turner — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:45:40 PST

Isla Fisher carried Elula to their car in LA yesterday. The busy mom had her hands full with her daughter and a variety of beverages, including a Perrier, a bottle of milk, and an iced drink. Isla and her family returned to the West Coast after spending most of October in Isla's native Australia. The foursome relocated Down Under while Isla filmed The Great Gatsby with costars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. She took a break from the cameras to celebrate husband Sacha Baron Cohen's 40th birthday with a boat ride.

Isla has since switched gears from the big-screen adaptation of The Great Gatsby to a cameo on Bored to Death, which aired last week. Sacha has his own project in the spotlight as well since his children's movie, Hugo, hit theaters over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Isla Gets Bored as Sacha's Hugo Arrives in Theaters

Katie Henry — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:35:01 PST

Isla Fisher was full of laughs as she left a meeting in LA yesterday. The actress stepped out for a casual appointment in a cozy polka-dot sweater that she paired with a denim skirt and boots. The week started off on a high note Monday night when Isla's Bored to Death cameo aired on HBO. She's expected to star in a couple of episodes in the current season of Jason Schwartzman's and Zach Galifianakis's show.

Isla and her family are back in the states following an extended stay in Australia, where she filmed The Great Gatsby on location with Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire. The updated adaption of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic isn't due out until next Christmas. However, Isla's husband, Sacha Baron Cohen, has a new film opening today. He's one of the famous faces gracing the big screen in Martin Scorsese's 3D children's film, Hugo.

Source of Einstein's Genius on Display in Philadelphia

Kelly Schwarze — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:17:08 PST

When Albert Einstein died in 1955, the literal symbol of his brilliance - his brain - was preserved and pieces of it divided between research institutions for academic study. Now the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, a medical history museum specializing in medical oddities, has some of those samples on display to the viewing public.

Forty-six slides containing pieces of Einstein's brain were donated to the museum by a neuropathologist from the city's children's hospital who wanted to ensure this bit of medical and scientific history was properly preserved and shared with the public.

The majority of the samples remain at Princeton's University Medical Center, where the autopsy of the groundbreaking physicist was performed at the time of his death. Researchers studied Einstein's brain over the last five decades searching for any physical clues when compared to other brains to explain the genius of the Nobel Prize winner.

For more information on visiting the exhibit, check out the Mütter Museum website. Are you interested in seeing the display in person?

Tori Spelling Shares Time Management Tips For Moms

Tori Spelling — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:31:05 PST

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. Having just given birth to her third child, Tori recently shared her tips for trying to make the most of the hours in the day.

Time, there's always too little of it! As moms, we are especially time-strapped. And if we're working, time is at even more of a premium. Given all the demands placed on us, it can be easy to feel like we're just going through the motions, fulfilling our responsibilities without truly enjoying them. But it doesn't have to be that way. Here are a few tips for balancing your needs with those of your family and your job:

Batch tasks – This is a great tip for increasing productivity in your work life as well as your personal life. For example, if you find that checking email distracts you while you're working, spend an hour each morning cleaning out your inbox, then turn off your email notifications for a few hours and concentrate on the task at hand. If you have a bunch of errands to run, do them all at once. Spend a Sunday afternoon cooking a bunch of dishes to eat throughout the week.
Overestimate – When planning a complicated day with multiple drop-offs, pick-ups, and to-do items, it's best to overestimate how long each item will take. Take everything into account, from traffic to how long it takes your little tyke to pick out socks.

Delegate – Guys hate asking for directions; we hate asking for help. But you can't be in two places at once, so when your calendar gets insane, make sure to get help from your husband or your close family or friends. Remind yourself that it's okay to give control to someone else you trust.
Quality Time All the Time – Even the most mundane tasks can become "quality time." Try to make your daily tasks fun for your kids by allowing them to participate. For example, when you go grocery shopping, let them take an active role in picking out groceries. Cook dinner together and catch up in the car on the way to school. These little moments are the things your kids will remember when they get older. What are your most cherished childhood memories? Chances are they're simple, everyday activities.
Take Care of Yourself – You don't have to book an expensive massage to take care of yourself, although that's a nice treat every now and then. Taking care of yourself is more about allocating time to do things that make you feel good: putting on your makeup in the morning, going for a jog in the evening (bonus points if you're also pushing a stroller), or painting your toenails before the polish completely chips away.
It's also about making healthy choices that are best for you. For example, going to bed early instead of staying up to answer emails will make you a much more productive person the next day. As they get older, your children will admire that their mother is someone who takes care of herself – after all, you are modeling behavior that you want them to emulate someday!
Remember to Breathe – As busy, multitasking women and moms, sometimes we overlook the simplest way to get through our day: taking a moment to breathe. Pausing to focus on your breath can help you to quell nerves and stress or simply clear your mind. Simple, but effective!

How do you balance it all? Share your time management tips in the comments below.

More great stories from ToriSpelling.com:
'Til Death Do Us Part: Elderly couple dies holding hands
Happy Halloween!
Ask me anything!

Yes, You Can and Should Help Save a Child in Africa

BabyCenter — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:31:01 PDT

We're excited to share this post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we will be bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Amy Graff about how moms can combat the famine in Africa.

A debate recently erupted on the BabyCenter Facebook page over whether the United States government should provide education, food, clean water, vaccinations, and other health services to those living in poverty-stricken Africa. Many Facebook fans sympathized with moms and children suffering in under-resourced areas while others felt that we should turn our back to the famine in Africa and focus on those who are struggling in our own country.

And then the discussion spiraled into a heated political discussion.

Honestly, I don’t think this should be about politics. Yes, it’s about government, but it’s not about left and right. It’s about right and wrong. It’s about whether you value a child’s life or not.

Related: Did I Overreact?

This discussion was sparked by a Facebook post about my visit to the White House. On Tuesday I stepped inside the West Wing with a group of 10 other moms to meet with Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden, USAID Administrator Raj Shah, and National Security Council Senior Director Gayle Smith.

We were invited to the White House because over the Summer we traveled to Kenya on a trip organized by ONE, a nonpartisan advocacy group dedicated to fighting poverty and preventable disease in Africa (join ONE Moms). You might remember some of my Momformation blog posts about visiting a hospital where doctors treat kids with malaria and watching a health-care worker test a family for HIV. We observed US investments savings lives, and now we were bringing our experience back to Washington DC to let lawmakers know that these programs are effective and working.

Dr. Biden chimed in with stories about her recent visit to a Somalia refugee camps in eastern Africa, a part of the continent that’s experiencing the worst drought in 60 years, the worst famine in 20 years, and ongoing violence. She consoled women and children trying to survive in the largest camp in the world. It was originally built to accommodate 90,000 people and is now overflowing with nearly a half-million impoverished people. In Somalia, a child is dying every six minutes.

“It’s so bad,” Dr. Biden said. “It’s worse than you can ever imagine.”

Keep reading to learn what we can do to help save a child in Africa.