TresSugar

Family SUVs: Is Safety or the Environment More Important?

LilSugar — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:30:48 PST

Lots of moms buy organic, compost, and recycle before they load their kids up in a gas-guzzling SUV to transport them to soccer, take them on a nature hike, or pick up more energy-saving light bulbs. There's a campaign for families to go green, but much is also to be said for keeping children safe on the open road. The logistics of space - fitting an entire family and their belongings and friends inside a car - aside, lots of moms and dads feel more secure in a large vehicle because the streets and freeways are already swarming with them. And who wants to take a chance with precious cargo? When it comes to motoring around town, which do you consider more: safety or your carbon footprint?

Pricey Country Roads: Gas Prices Hit Rural Americans Harder

LibertySugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:45:59 PDT

Americans everywhere are shocked and stressed as gas reaches the all-time high with the national average at $4 per gallon. But, common outrage does not mean common hardship. High gas prices impact rural USA the worst.

Those living outside cities are facing tough decisions, especially in the Southeast where public transportation is lacking and commute distances are sprawling. For farm workers, sports-utility vehicles actually have some utility; but, it's much more costly to fill up pick-up trucks and vans. To adjust, some are cutting back on meat, others are borrowing money for gas, and some are searching for scarce jobs closer to home.

Faraway from rural America, Saudi Arabia is calling for a summit on astronomical oil prices. The Saudi Information and Culture Minister said that the kingdom wants to ensure that there are no unwarranted or unnatural oil price hikes that could impact international economies, especially those of developing countries.

Perhaps oil producers like Saudi Arabia are worried that high prices will force people to reduce their demand. Hearing about the struggles in rural America, it's difficult to imagine how consumers won't try to kick their oil addiction as soon as possible.

Source

Victoria Beckham Goes Chic in China to Launch Her Special-Edition Land Rover

Molly Goodson — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:50:01 PDT

Victoria Beckham struck a pose on the red carpet in three different outfits at an event to reveal her latest luxurious project, the Range Rover Evoque special edition, in Beijing, China, on Sunday. Victoria spoke about the mini SUV, saying, "I brought a naivety to this project because I have never designed a car before. But it feels real . . . When I first started working with the team I did a lot of research, and created mood boards to show the team my love of timeless and classic design. I looked at yachts, luxury jets and classic cars."

Victoria brought her daughter, Harper, along for the trip to China, and she's been sharing their adorable travel outfits on her new Facebook page every day. Victoria also showed off her playful side with a series of snapshots of her journey in Asia. The Beckham girls are far away from their boys at the moment, though the whole family was together last week to celebrate Victoria's 38th birthday.

Top 5 Motherhood Moments You Don't Want to Miss

Circle of Moms — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:03:55 PDT

Here's another post from our friends at Circle of Moms! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and motherhood stories from our partners at Circle of Moms, including this post from Mary Beth Sammons about moments moms don't want to miss.

At the risk of sounding like my mom, I’ve come to realize our kids do grow up so fast. Even though some of the moments (like the teen years) can seem brutally drawn out, my mom was right. One moment, my kids were just babes in arms, and the next, they are walking, talking - and then marching on stage for their high school diplomas, hoisting a futon and my life savings into the rear of the SUV, and heading away to college. And all of these milestones have been such tearjerkers for me.

All of these moments - their first steps; their first words, etc., are events that we moms long for, but when they finally happen, we are sobbing wrecks. I've shed a bucket or two raising three kids; here are the milestones I've found to be the most emotional.

Firsts: Smiling, laughing, rolling over, talking, and walking their first year. The first smile is a moment moms dream of. I’ll never forget when my son was born, and the doctor and nurses rallied around his incubator, proclaiming, "This kid is rolling over." A jock is born, flashed through my mind. When my oldest daughter uttered, "Mama," my heart exploded with joy. And when my baby, now in college, turned her giggle into a guffaw, laughing and laughing at her siblings, it made me weep.
Hurts: Would that we could raise our kids in an emotional cocoon. The first time I realized I couldn’t protect my kids from life’s hurts took place at my oldest daughter’s 2-year-old birthday party. I remember sitting in the kitchen with the other moms and smiling with glee as pint-sized kids in costumes (her birthday falls near Halloween) raced down the hall to the bedrooms. Suddenly there was my little pink tutu-clad ballerina, and she was crying. The other kids had raced into her room and left her standing outside in the hall on the other side of the door. My heart broke, foreshadowing many heart-tugging moments to come.
School Beginnings and Endings: Nothing brings tears to a mom’s eyes like leaving a sobbing preschooler who is holding onto your arm with all his might, screaming, “Mommy, don’t leave me!" I still choke up when I revisit those first school days - and every time I walked out the door and left my toddlers with a babysitter. But then fast-forward, suddenly your youngest is decked out in cap and gown and walking down the aisle of the high school gym with a diploma in hand. Kleenex, please.
Sports Drama: Standing on the sidelines, witnessing your son wipe out on the soccer field, and accompanying him to ER with the paramedics can make a mom’s heart tremble. Comforting a daughter when she doesn’t make the tennis team cut also pains, and watching a coach scream at your kid - that one brings out the Mother Bear in me.
Departures: The hardest moments, at least for me, have been facing the "roots and wings" milestones, when it's time to let the little ones fly from the nest. All through high school and curfew violations, teen temper tantrums and dealing with moods, I thought I would welcome college. But the whole time I was setting up the Ikea-coordinated bedding and fumbling with the steel futon in my kids' new dorm rooms, then hugging them and heading home by myself, I felt differently.

I remember calling my sister after dropping off my son a couple years ago and sobbing, only to have her remind me, "You said all through high school how college couldn’t come soon enough." And yet it did.

Which milestones have been the most emotional for you?

More great reads from Circle of Moms:
Can a marriage withstand a sex slump?
Eight activities for energetic toddlers
Signs you have a strong-willed child
Ten hilarious baby onesies
How to deal with your child's back talk

Beyoncé and Blue Go Gray For Their Latest Outing

Katie Henry — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:51:20 PDT

Beyoncé Knowles carefully stepped out of her custom-designed SUV in NYC today wearing electric yellow stilettos and holding on to Blue Carter. The girls ran out for a midday meeting before returning home together. Beyoncé wrapped Blue in a fur sling and coordinated her own look in a matching sweater topped off with a bright manicure.

We first saw Beyoncé wearing a similar cobalt nail color in February when she made her first postbaby appearance, and then most recently when she attended an Obama campaign fundraising event with Mrs. Obama. It seems even when Beyoncé and Blue have to separate the little one is still on her mind. Hopefully Blue will be able to join her famous mom on the road when Beyoncé headlines three exclusive shows at Atlantic City's brand-new Revel Resort.

Katie Holmes Grins and Bears a Blustery Day

Lindsay Miller — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:27:19 PDT

Katie Holmes stepped out of a chauffeured SUV in NYC today, smiling and chatting on her cell phone. Katie was solo as she headed back to her apartment, but she's been spending a lot of time out and about in the city with Suri lately as Tom Cruise gears up for his next role in New Orleans. Katie's mother, Kathleen, even paid the girls a visit to make the most of their girls-only time. Katie was also seen enjoying some alone time last week as she headed to a performance of Evita on Broadway. She hasn't appeared on the big screen since her turn in last Summer's Jack & Jill, but she's been keeping busy with her other duties, including her role as designer for her joint line with Jeanne Yang, her stylist. The duo was recently featured in a special issue of The Hollywood Reporter dedicated to Hollywood's top star and stylist pairs.

Robert and Kristen Hang in LA Just Before the Breaking Dawn Trailer Hits!

Allie Merriam — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:28:05 PDT

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart hit the town in Hollywood with friends on Saturday night. The couple checked out a show on the Sunset Strip, then piled into an SUV with pals on their way home. Robert and Kristen returned to California recently following a jaunt to Paris, where they made the Fall Fashion Week rounds together. Kristen, the new face of Balenciaga's perfume, attended a variety of shows and parties, including a big Louis Vuitton bash with Robert.

This weekend was all about box office record-breaker The Hunger Games, but in just a few months the spotlight will return to their Twilight franchise. The last of the Twilight movies, Breaking Dawn Part 2 will be out in November. Today, we've got an exciting look at Bella Swan in her new state - check out the just-released Breaking Dawn 2 trailer!

Beyoncé Knowles and Daughter Blue Ivy Seize Their City Day

Allie Merriam — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:42:20 PST

Beyoncé Knowles held her daughter Blue Ivy Carter yesterday as they left their Manhattan home. Little Blue Ivy, who's just two months old, was bundled up in a fuzzy blanket as Beyoncé and her pals piled into an SUV. Beyoncé and Blue went to Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, where they apparently spent a day out on a blanket with grandma Tina Knowles. The Knowles-Carter clan have been hanging out in the Big Apple since Blue's January arrival. Her dad Jay-Z, though, will soon take off for Texas to make an appearance at SXSW. He'll perform at a March 12 American Express-sponsored show that's scheduled to be streamed live on the Internet. Blue Ivy has already had a few fun adventures of her own, including multiple lunch dates with her mom and dad.

Daily Tech: Building 3D-Printed Robot Dinosaurs

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:49:42 PST

Find out why researchers are building 3D-printed robot dinosaur skeletons - Geekosystem
A new report says women are more likely to unfriend - Newser
How "Sharktopus" changed modern cinema - Cracked
Samsung Galaxy S III specs leaked - Geek.com
Why is The Lorax selling SUVs? - SlashFilm
Lego model of the ISS created while on the ISS - Dvice
Mass Effect 3 gets a TV trailer - GeekTyrant

Reese Witherspoon Jets Out of LA in Style

Lauren Turner — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:59:07 PST

Reese Witherspoon headed to a flight at LAX yesterday. She had help from a driver and bodyguards unloading her bags from her SUV, but went through security solo. Reese headed out of town after recently wrapping up a press tour for This Means War that took her overseas to Paris and London. She made time for friends in the UK though, and met up with Gwyneth Paltrow and Stella McCartney for dinner at The Arts Club. Since then, Reese popped up in NYC, where she reportedly checked out the Broadway hit, Book of Mormon. Her most recent getaway may mean she'll miss the Oscars fun in LA this weekend, but she's been in on the action as one of many hot Academy Award winners in the past.