relationships

We all know the moms who always want to rain on your parade and always need you to bring sunshine to brighten their day. They suck the energy out of the room and, frankly, out of you, but since they're your friends you stick it out. But if keeping toxic mom friendships is having a negative impact on your life, it may be time to reconsider how you deal with them.

Keep reading.

Whether you're a first-time bridesmaid this wedding season or have 27 dresses hanging up in the back of your closet, it's good to keep in mind bridal party faux pas. So we chatted with real brides to find out their pet peeves. Here are 10 things you didn't realize were annoying the bride in your life, plus practical tips for avoiding these mistakes.

Being MIA
Why it's annoying: By not responding to emails, missing showers, or skipping out on favor-making night, you are slacking on your duty to support the bride and might make her regret asking you in the first place.
How to avoid it: You don't need to drop everything else in your life to be a bridesmaid, but you should make it a priority. It doesn't take much effort to reply enthusiastically to her emails with wedding details, and if you can't make a shower or bachelorette party, go the extra mile and send along a gift or card after picking up the phone to tell her why you won't be able to make it.

RSVP'ing For a Plus One Who Wasn't Invited
Why it's annoying: As VIPs, bridesmaids should have leeway to invite a guest. But it's not respectful to just assume if your invite is addressed to just you.
How to avoid it: Talk to the bride about it. Explain you have a guy in your life you think would get along well with everyone. If he's someone you're hoping to take things to the next level with, she'll likely support your quest to find love like she has.

Get eight more secret pet peeves below.

Sweltering Summer days are on the horizon, so before you head to the pool to cool down, read our tips on how to keep your furry buddies from overheating, too.

• Make sure your dog or cat is well-hydrated. Soaring temperatures and being in the sun will dehydrate your pet fast, so make sure their water bowls are full, and if they spend a lot of time outdoors, keep a water bowl outside as well.
• Try to walk your dog early in the morning or at night, when the sun isn't blazing. If you have to walk him during the day, protect his paws from hot asphalt with dog booties. While exercise is always important for your dog, you can ease up on the intensity during the hot Summer months.

• Speaking of exercise, take advantage of lakes and beaches, or even doggie pools, in the Summer and kill two birds with one stone. Not only will your dog be getting plenty of exercise, he'll also keep cool while splashing in the water. Oh, and it's also a great way to have fun and bond, so make that three birds with one stone.

• Since your cat would probably rather sweat it out than jump into a body of water, look to other ways of cooling her down. A simple technique is to dampen a towel with cold water and gently pet your cat with it from the top of her head to her tail. You can also place the dampened towel in a cool spot in your house for her to lie on. For extra comfort, you can create a cool retreat out of a cardboard box (let's be honest, all cats love boxes). Line the box with a light fabric and place it in a cool corner of the house. You can spruce it up even more by tossing in some of her favorite toys or an ice pack stuffed inside a sock for extra chill.

For more tips on how to keep your pets cool in the Summer, just keep reading.

Keeping couples in mind, we found everything you and your man need to hit the road this Summer. Whether you're on your honeymoon, visiting the in-laws, or simply adventuring, essentials like the perfect playlist will bring you closer together and keep the conversations going between pit stops. So print out those Google maps and check this list twice; here's to Summer 2013!

• Road-Trip Stationery ($7): Road-tripping for your honeymoon? These little cards are a fun (non-email) way to let your bridal party and loved ones know how your adventures are going.
• Conversation Starters ($25): Before the silence gets awkward, turn to these cards. They will keep the conversations going for hours, no matter how long you've known each other!
• Travel Wine Glasses ($13): First things first, don't drink and drive; but if you're planning on stopping for a long picnic or to watch the sunset, turn to these acrylic wine glasses . . . and your favorite vino.

Check off your entire list of road-trip essentials after the break!

This question is from a Group Therapy post in our Community. Add your advice in the comments!

We all have had bad relationships and wanted to take revenge at some point for being hurt by the one you love. I was eating lunch today and a friend and I were talking about how much we hate cheaters. She told me a story of what she did to her boyfriend when she found out he was cheating. She didn't tell him she knew instead she talked him into getting a tattoo. She chose it so she wrote her name on paper and kissed the paper with heavy lipstick and had that tattooed on him. After it was all finished, which it took a couple visits to finish, she packed her stuff and said look I even kissed your ass good bye. So now he has her name and lips on his butt.

Do y'all have any good stories?

Have a question of your own? Post it anonymously in Group Therapy for advice!

Thanks to some high-profile scandals and recent films, we've been introduced to the controversial diagnosis of sex addiction. But what about "love and sex addiction"? In the midst of her highly public (and toxic) on-again, off-again relationship with Chris Brown, Rihanna has allegedly checked herself into a women's sex and love program. The gender-specific treatment (similar to AA) includes group meetings, equine therapy, and individual counseling. To better understand what it means to have a love and sex addiction, we looked to the program itself at the Center for Relationship and Sexual Recovery at Recovery Ranch in Tennessee. What we learned is that we probably all struggle with addictive love and sex behavior at one time or another.

Here are the "addictive behavior patterns" to look out for:

• Endlessly searching for "the one"
• Attracting troubled, addicted, abusive, or otherwise emotionally unavailable partners
• Mistaking sex and romance for intimate love
• Using sex and/or love to mask loneliness or unhappiness
• Changing one's appearance through excessive dieting/exercise or surgery
• Using seduction, sex, or other schemes to attract or hold onto a partner
• Multiple extramarital affairs
• Compulsive masturbation with or without pornography
• Making sexual advances toward individuals in subordinate power positions
• Dressing seductively to attract attention, take risks, or feel empowered
• Having sex in high-risk locations or situations
• Inappropriate sexual and relationship boundaries (e.g., engaging in a relationship with a married man or boss)
• Trading sex for drugs, help, affection, money, status, or power
• Having anonymous sex or repeatedly "falling in love" with strangers

There are also female archetypes of love and sex addiction, like "Lucy the Love Addict," who's always on the hunt for the perfect guy, and "Dora Danger Girl," who's compared to Samantha on Sex and the City. What do you think about love and sex addiction? Do you know anyone (including yourself) who could use some relationship rehab?

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, HowAboutWe. Today, Alison Leiby has a handy quiz for you to find out if there will be a third date.

1. How did he ask you to go on a second date?

a. He called you and asked you out to dinner on Saturday night.
b. He texted, "U up?"
c. You waited outside of his apartment so you could "casually" run into him and then proposed going out again yourself.

2. What did you do for a second date?

a. Dinner at a cute restaurant that you had mentioned to him when you first met.
b. Ripped shots of rail liquor at a bar below his apartment because he was already there and asked you to meet up with him.
c. You planned a day of watching soccer and eating Vietnamese food, because that's what his profile says he's into.

3. Who paid on the second date?

a. He paid for everything, even splurged for champagne.
b. You split the bar tab, to the penny.
c. You paid for everything — and splurged for strawberry shortcake even though you're allergic.

4. How did the second date end?

a. He walked you back to your apartment where you shared a really romantic kiss.
b. He left your place early in the morning saying he had "a lot of stuff to do today."
c. He went to the bathroom halfway through the date and still hasn't come back.

5. How often are you talking to each other?

a. You message each other pretty regularly.
b. He texts you on weekends, but only after 1am.
c. You are constantly contacting him: texts, emails, calls, Facebook chats, Twitter messages, LinkedIn requests, inter-office mail.

6. What do you talk about when you're together?

a. Cooking, which is a shared interest.
b. The wild party he went to last week that was "loaded with models."
c. Mostly about him: when he wants to get married, how many kids he wants, if he prefers the suburbs or the city for raising a family.

7. What was his last text message to you?

a. "Great time tonight!"
b. "sure"
c. It's taking too long to scroll back because all of the recent texts are from you.

8. What song best describes your last date?

a. "Everlasting Love"
b. "Part Time Lover"
c. "Obsession"

9. What is his name in your phone?

a. His full name.
b. "Dave blue shirt"
c. "The Beau" with a heart next to it.

10. What is your name in his phone?

a. Your full name.
b. "Sarah uptown"
c. Do Not Answer

To find out what your results mean, head to HowAboutWe: QUIZ: Is There Going to Be a Third Date?

Check out these other great stories from HowAboutWe:

• Why the Sex on Mad Men Is Better Than the Sex on Game of Thrones
• Anti-Pervert Stockings For Young Girls Going Out
• This Prank Is SO Mean (But SO Funny)

Forget romantic couples getaways. With its long days, hot nights, and opportunities to take time off for an adventure, Summer might be the best season to be single. Whether you plan to plop on a beach with your best girlfriends, explore a European city with your sister, or even have a full-on family vacation scheduled with the whole clan, there's always hope for a steamy Summer romance. Relaxed and free from everyday stress, you'll be open to letting fate run its course as you get to know someone you never would have met in your normal life. And without the pressure to determine the relationship, you can keep things light and fun. Below you'll find six tips to help you make the most of a Summer vacation fling.

• Test out the local delicacies. If you're headed to the south of France or a beach town in Spain, take a Summer fling as a chance to practice your foreign language skills between make-out sessions. Even if you're staying stateside, hooking up with the local in your vacation destination will give you an inside experience a tourist could never have.
• Find friends with benefits. While on a vacation with your girlfriends, find a group of guys you can all hang out with. Even if there isn't a love connection with everyone in the gang, it will make your romantic adventure more fun for everyone and might spark lifelong friendships, or at least some Facebook friendships.
• Go outside your comfort zone. Do you refuse to date bartenders in your own city? Maybe you have a strict six-foot height requirement for your potential mates. Ditch your long list of dating rules and regulations while you're on vacation, since the relationship has an expiration date anyway. You'll probably realize how silly they were and never go back to them!
• Keep your priorities straight. Finding someone to hold hands with on the beach or cuddle with back at the hotel should not be the purpose of any single girl's vacation. You'll want to have quality time with your friends, family, or whomever you traveled with in the first place. If you do meet a special someone, keep in mind he was a complete stranger mere days ago.
• Stay realistic. You might think your Summer fling is handsome, funny, smart, and sexy, but that doesn't mean you're meant to be together forever. Think of it like The Bachelor — sure it's easy to fall in love in paradise when you're not faced with any of life's real challenges, but once you get back to the real world you might realize there were a lot more details you needed to know about this person. Remembering that should help you keep some perspective and manage your expectations postvacay.
• Be safe. This goes without saying, but if you end up having sex, be sure to use a condom. If you're going to a remote resort or don't plan on having access to a car or store, pack some ahead of time just in case!