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Stop-Motion Save-the-Date Video Will Blow You Away

Tara Sharp — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 13:10:40 PST

When it comes to weddings, people's creativity never ceases to amaze me. First there was the Muppets proposal video and now this incredibly awesome stop-motion save-the-date video. I've seen my share of wedding-related videos, but this one really takes the cake. Incorporating sailing, a play on words, and stop-motion, it's a heartfelt and creative way to share the love.

See the cute video when you keep reading!

What I've Learned From Baby Number Two

Rebecca M Gruber — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:15:00 PST

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 Carolyn Robertson about lessons learned from a second child.

Motherhood has been a very humbling experience so far . . . which is a nice way of saying it’s knocked me on my ass many times over. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been midconversation with another grown-up and suddenly realized that (a) my breasts are leaking, or (b) I have a crusty old food stain on my shirt, or (c) I am decorated with Little Mermaid tattoos and sparkly dinosaur stickers and Phineas & Ferb Band-Aids.

I assumed, though, that I would have a much better handle on things the second time around. Sleep issues, tantrums, separation anxiety, potty training: been there, done that, bring it on. And then I met my second daughter.

Here are a few things that I’ve learned from baby number two:

Sleep training doesn’t always work: I was one of those moms who swore by sleep training. CIO works, I’d tell my mom friends. It’s not fun, but if you stick with it, it works. My oldest, after all, started sleeping through the night and never stopped after we let her cry it out at 6 months old. Well, it turns out it doesn’t always work, after all. I did everything exactly the same with Amelia, but at 21 months old, she’s still not a great sleeper.
Sometimes babyproofing really is necessary: I read in some baby book that we do our kids no favors when we babyproof the home - they have to learn limits, after all. Made sense to me! So with our first, we did the bare minimum (baby gate on the stairs, potentially poisonous stuff out of reach) and took care of everything else with a firm “no touch!” and gentle redirection. Worked like a charm. We figured we’d do the same with our youngest, but as it turns out our little angel loves to body slam the window screens and climb into the fireplace. Everything - everything - goes in her mouth. We tell her "no," we redirect, and she laughs and becomes that much more determined. Our house is now so childproofed that even I have trouble getting into the kitchen cupboards.
No two kids are the same: My first is shy and cautious - my second would run into traffic to hug a stranger. My first is sensitive and gentle - my second is a crazy little steamroller. They are different in every way imaginable, and I’m starting to see that all those tried-and-true tricks that worked for one probably won’t work for the other.

One last thing I’ve learned? You really can love another baby as much as you love your first. I harbored secret fears that I would never be able to love any other child with the depth and intensity that I do my older daughter. I was wrong.

What did you learn from your second - third or fourth - child?

More great reads from BabyCenter:
What does a stay-at-home mom do all day?
Is Strawberry Shortcake looking a bit trampy these days?
Five children's books that celebrate Black History Month
Seven adorable mobiles for any nursery
Is a 6-year-old too young for boarding school?

Dark Tide Trailer: Halle Berry Goes Swimming With Sharks

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:41:25 PST

If you miss Shark Week all year, perk up, because the Dark Tide trailer is here. Halle Berry plays Kate, a shark expert who stopped swimming with the fearsome creatures when her mentor was attacked and killed by a great white. Her fear is enough to keep her out of the ocean until she gets the opportunity to revisit the shark-infested waters on the dime of a danger-seeking businessman, alongside her ex-boyfriend (Olivier Martinez).

Any movie with a great white baring its teeth brings up my lifelong Jaws fear, but the movie feels like a cheesy sequel to Into the Blue or The Deep Blue Sea, only with the inclusion of an Oscar winner. Berry is a great actress, but it doesn't look like she's flexing her acting muscles so much as her ab muscles. To see Berry in her bikini and facing down sharks, just keep reading.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Arrive in Bosnia Holding Hands

Lauren Turner — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:17:18 PST

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie continued their travels today with a stop in Sarajevo, where Angelina is attending a press conference and a screening of In the Land of Blood and Honey. Angelina has received plenty of recognition for her directorial debut, and she was honored with a Cinema for Peace award just last night. Brad was by her side at the show after he attended Sunday's BAFTAs solo. Blood and Honey is also currently in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, where Angelina and Brad posed for the cameras together over the weekend. The red carpet fun will continue at the Oscars later this month since Brad is nominated for best actor and Angelina will be presenting. Be sure to fill out BuzzSugar's Oscars ballot before the big show for a chance to win an iPad 2 and a Prada case!

McDonald's Axes Cruel Caging Practices For Pigs

Susannah Chen — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:06:58 PST

Just a few months ago, McDonald's was under serious fire after it was discovered that its main egg supplier was committing severe animal cruelty violations. Now the Golden Arches is taking a step in the right direction by announcing its plans to handle its pigs in a more humane and sustainable way.

Yesterday, McDonald's said that it will require pork suppliers to stop using gestation crates, cages that keep individual sows in very close quarters while they're pregnant. McDonald's is one of the world's biggest buyers of pork, which is used to make bacon, ham, sausages, and McRib sandwiches.

No doubt, McDonald's is bowing to increased pressure from animal rights activists. PETA's fully supportive of the decision, as is the Humane Society, which calls it "important and promising."

The pork industry, on the other hand, is up in arms over the fast feeder's decision, defending the stalls as a "conventional" practice. Where do you stand? Since McDonald's is modifying its animal treatment practices, are you more likely to make a trip there?

Jennifer Lopez Stops by The Tonight Show to Chat Idol, Her Coconuts, and Valentine's Day

Katie Henry — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:58:00 PST

Jennifer Lopez, wearing a chic black dress, stopped by The Late Show last night in LA to chat with Jay Leno. Jay began by getting Jen's thoughts on the passing of Whitney Houston. Jen described her voice as "the pinnacle" of greatness in the music industry and called the entire situation "sad." The conversation switched to a lighter subject when Jay asked about her latest TV projects, American Idol and ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen. As for Idol Jen said her job on the panel is to "keep it fair" when her fellow judges Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler get distracted by pretty contestants. Meanwhile, in regards to working with her ex Marc Anthony Jen said they "had a lot of fun."

Jen and Marc have moved beyond their breakup and both seem to be moving on with new relationships. He's been spotted on the arm of Shannon de Lima and Jen's been enjoying romantic beach dates with Casper Smart. She wasn't sure about her Valentine's Day plans, but did mention receiving a necklace in the shape of coconuts, which happens to be her nickname for twins Max and Emme.

Whitney's Chris D'Elia Is Back With More Relationship Advice

Annie Scudder — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:00:09 PST

Single and looking for eligible, normal guys? Don't move to LA, says Chris D'Elia, who plays a lovable and hilarious boyfriend on NBC's Whitney. That's some of the advice the standup comedian dished out in response to our readers' questions. Yesterday he addressed your Valentine's Day dilemmas, and today's he's back to tackle general dating and love debacles.

Is it fair to barter TV shows with my fiancé? As in, two hours of The Bachelor equals half of a football game?

Chris: Look, I don't like football, but if I did and I wanted to watch it, then I would expect to have to sit and watch something like The Bachelor, and I would try my best to get into it, or at least find why she liked it. The other alternative is like, "OK, I want to watch football you want to watch The Bachelor, then let's agree on something else." But then neither of you get to watch what you want to. For The Bachelor, I'd want to watch Dexter.

Where do normal men hang out in LA? If you can solve this mystery (preferably with a chart that includes days of the week, locations, and "type" of guy) I guarantee you could sell it for millions in addition to making this single lady very happy.

Chris: I don't think that's a fair question. I think people move to LA because they're not normal.

What's the best way to suggest to any man that he needs to get some new clothes?

Chris: The worst thing you could do is beat around the bush, or side step it. You got to just say it. But I had an ex, and she was like "you got to get Converse," and she kept saying it - "get Converse." I was finally like, "OK, I'll get a pair of Converse." And I got a pair of Converse. I got those regular Chuck Taylor ones, but I literally got every single color of the Converse, and I wore them all the time. And a year later, she was like "All you wear is Converse." So you have to be careful with that, you'll create a monster.

Why do men need their man caves?

Chris: I think that men think they need their man caves. They don't really do. They think they want them, and then the second they do get them and they have alone time and time away from the girl, and the girl is really cool with giving them alone time, then that's when they, or at least I, start to think, "So, why are you so cool with me being alone? What's wrong with me that you don't want to be with me every second."

How can I ask my husband to do housework without sounding like a task master?

Chris: Don't make a list. Don't pin anything up on the fridge. I'm a dude, obviously, and when I'm not in a relationship, I don't do any of that stuff. I don't do laundry until I want to. But if I live with a girl, you have to do it when she wants to or when we want to, which sucks. That totally messes up my day. So just come out and just say it. Just have a good attitude about it and don't wait until you get frustrated.

How would you describe your perfect woman and how could she attract your attention?

Chris: Tweet at me. That gets my attention. The number one thing is, you have to have a good attitude. Find the humor and the fun in things that aren't even fun. The two things that turn me off completely are negativity and if a girl's cheap. I mean, I'll pay for everything, but if a girl just mentions it, that's a turn off. That and DON'T WEAR FLIP-FLOPS. It's terrible. I mean come on. Put something on your feet. What if you have to run away? You're dead.

I'm moving in with my boyfriend next month and it's the first time I'm living with a man. What should I prepare for? Get the answer and much more advice from Chris below!

Reese Witherspoon Wears Red Ahead of the Valentine's Release of Her Romantic Comedy

Lauren Turner — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:15:05 PST

Reese Witherspoon was just one of the lovely ladies to appear on the Late Show in NYC yesterday. She stopped by in a bright red dress to promote This Means War and shared a funny story about having to explain the term "d-bag" to her mother. David Letterman also welcomed Sports Illustrated's newest swimsuit cover girl, Kate Upton, and her fellow models. The 2012 Swimsuit Issue was unveiled last night while Reese's romantic comedy hits select theaters today - both just in time for Valentine's Day!

Spanish Fiesta: Crema Catalana

Lauren Hendrickson — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:14:42 PST

Ever since my trip to Barcelona, I love to travel back down memory lane by making the dessert I discovered on my travels, crema catalana. Many of us have had crème brûlée, that famous French dessert that Amélie loved to crack with a spoon, and this Spanish caramelized custard will surely give you the same satisfaction. The Spanish recipe is lighter, since the custard is milk-based, unlike the French version that uses cream.

Traditionally, the Spanish add a bit of lemon zest to the custard, but grapefruit, lime, or orange zest would be a great addition. The recipe is not complicated, but pay close attention once you have added the eggs because too much heat can result in curdling.

To caramelize the top, you don't need a fancy torch; just stop by the local hardware store for a propane torch, which will surely save you a couple bucks. Or skip the torch altogether and just use the broiler in your oven.

Sweeten up your next meal and keep reading for the recipe.

Kate Middleton Heads to Liverpool For Her Latest Solo Stop

Allie Merriam — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:47:35 PST

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, embarked on her second-ever solo official visit this morning. Kate wore a brown coat from Hobbs in English city of Liverpool to stop by The Brink, an alcohol-free bar that provides assistance for those suffering from substance abuse. The bartenders even created a smoothie for her called "The Duchess" that includes bananas, almonds, and honey. The organization's vocal group, the Raucous Caucus Recovery Chorus, sang for Kate as well.

Later today, Kate's scheduled to continue her tour of the area with stops by Alder Hey Children's Hospital and Ronald McDonald House. Last week, Kate Middleton went to the National Portrait Gallery, a museum of which she is a patron, to see their new Lucian Freud exhibit. She's making appearances alone while her husband, Prince William, serves with the Royal Air Force in the Falklands. It's their first Valentine's Day as husband and wife, but Kate and William are choosing to spend the holiday serving their country.