Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, Only $4.99 per Year!

donderdag 12 september 2013

Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine, Only $4.99 per Year!

If you are a fan or Rachel Ray or have someone in the family who is, check this out! Today only, get a 12-month subscription (10 issues) to Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine for only $4.99 from DiscountMags.com!

One reviewer from Amazon.com wrote, “Rachael Ray’s ‘Everyday’ magazine is a mixed bag of goodies for foodies. It’s colorful, fairly kitschy, the recipes easy to read and follow. It’s the food equivalent to PEOPLE magazine with its coverage of celebrities and vacation destinations.”

Each issue of Every Day with Rachel Ray includes her 30-minute meal recipes, entertaining ideas, menu planners and Real Cooks Networks.

Every Day with Rachael Ray Magazine (reg $39.90) $4.99, through 09/12
Use coupon code KRAZY at checkout
Final Price: $0.49 per issue

Offer expires tonight, September 12th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Purchase a new subscription, renew an old one, or gift to a friend! Not a cook? Use code KRAZY to save 20% on any magazine subscription at DiscountMags.com.

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Has Gretchen Rossi Finally Burned Every Bridge in Orange County?

dinsdag 10 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Rebecca Stokes 1 hour ago

Vicki Gunvalson never does anything halfway. If you're friends, you are best friends for life. She will have your back and woohoo it up with you until the cows come home. Those cows will be drunk from the vodka Vicki has given them. But it goes both ways. Because, if Vicki hates you, she will finish you like a bad guy in Mortal Kombat. You will be KO'ed. 

Just ask Gretchen Rossi. Wait, maybe don't ask her -- she might start singing at you and no one wants that. It's not exactly news that Vicki and Gretchen loathe each other the way I (and all sane people) loathe fishpaste. But the way Vicki's talking lately, Gretchen might have finally gone too far.

In a recent interview, Vicki couldn't even rile up rage about her co-star:

Gretchen and I haven't talked since the reunion. I have no desire! (laughs) Put it that way. I don't know what she's up to. I have no desire.

It's more proof that this past season, Gretchen burned every bridge she had in Orange County. Slade doesn't count as a bridge. He is more like the gas you throw on the bridges to make sure they burn faster. She could have had a friend in Tamra, but Gretchen lies like Lydia McLaughlin's mom smokes weed -- All. The. Time. Tamra gave her so many chances to fix things, but Gretchen couldn't even admit she was wrong.

Even mellow Heather Dubrow couldn't muster fondness for Gretchen after she decided to use the taping of one of Heather's guest appearances as just another place to perform the Gretchen-Is-God show. If no one is even talking to the woman, will she be back next season? I'm all about a Housewives feud, but the idea of a season-long session of the silent treatment verges dangerously close to experimental theatre for my liking.

Do you think Gretchen will be back next season?

Image via Bravo

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of Real Housewives. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rebecca Stokes

Rebecca is a writer who lives in Brooklyn with her cats. She is probably even at this moment spilling food on herself.

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5 Hot Styles Every Mom Must Have This Fall

zondag 8 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by April Daniels Hussar 9 hours ago

Now that the kids are back in school, it's time to focus on our own fall wardrobes, right?! Right! There are a lot of really fun and wearable trends for fall, and in a perfect world, budget would be no issue -- we could try them all!  However, most of us live here in reality, so we have to pick a few affordable but impactful items to rev up our closets for the next season. Here are my top 5!

What item are you most craving for this fall?

Image via Macys.com

var UGC_HOST = "http://ugc-01.cafemomstatic.com";var current_slide_num = 1;var slideshow_url = "http://thestir.cafemom.com/beauty_style/160772/5_hot_styles_every_mom";var short_url = "/beauty_style/160772/5_hot_styles_every_mom";var slide_id = "";var from_social = "";var current_slide_id = '109901'; Updating your bag is one of the easiest and least stressful ways to put a new... VIEW MORE

Image via Marshalls

Updating your bag is one of the easiest and least stressful ways to put a new spin on your look. The sky's the limit as far as how much you CAN spend on a new bag, but blowing a mortgage payment isn't necessary. Scope out places like Marshalls and T.J. Maxx for scores like this glam designer handbag. ($39.99, available at Marshalls)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR April Daniels Hussar

is a California girl transplanted to the wilds of suburban New Jersey, and is a shoe-loving, book-obsessed writer and mama.

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The Best Eye Creams for Every Budget

woensdag 4 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Rebecca Stokes 9 hours ago

Fall is gearing up, and that means everyone is back to school, back at work, and the fun late nights of summer are no more. As we know, getting back on track can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle and leave you with a one-word vocabulary: "coffee." The dark circles and puffiness under our eyes give us away -- that is, if folks aren't immediately clued in by our scowls.

In a bid to fake that refreshed look, we find ourselves scouring the web or aisles of our pharmacy for the perfect magic potion. It's hard to know what's worth spending money on, and what's the equivalent of throwing our cash pointlessly at squirrels. We've got three eye-cream winners, one for every budget. Read on to find out what they are!

For a quick, budget-friendly fix, I am obsessed with Aveeno's Smart Essentials Roll-On Eye Treatment ($9.97, mySupermarket). While it espouses the splendors of its "active natural" ingredients, I dig it for slightly more high-tech reasons -- well, one reason: the metal roller applicator ball. It soothes and cools immediately, making you feel totally refreshed. Keep it in your purse, or (pro tip) in your fridge for that extra dose of oomph!

For a slight splurge, may I humbly present you with Mario Badescu's Herbal Ceramide Eye Cream ($18, Nordstrom). Still under $20, this nice, mild-smelling cream goes under eyes and on crows' feet to super-moisturize. It's rich without becoming oily or too heavy on your face. Buy seven of them. (Sometimes I use it on my elbows in the winter, true story.) It is the best.

And now, let us visit a dreamland of luxury-living with La Mer 'The Eye Concentrate' ($185, Nordstrom). This here is the mother of all eye creams -- in case the adorable spoon that comes with it didn't tip you off. La Mer's infamous 'Miracle Broth' as good as turns back the hands of time, so it's basically Cher-approved (it absolutely is not).

What's your favorite eye cream?

Images via MSVG/Flickr; mySupermarket; Nordstrom; Nordstrom

Filed Under: aging, bags, skin ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rebecca Stokes

Rebecca is a writer who lives in Brooklyn with her cats. She is probably even at this moment spilling food on herself.

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Every Married Woman Needs a Plan B in Case of Divorce

maandag 19 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by The Stir Bloggers 2 hours ago

I don't know about most divorced ladies, but I saw my split with my husband coming -- by a few years. I'd brought it up a few times, and he kept talking me out of it, which was sort of a relief. But I knew I was just postponing the inevitable. So I came up with the list: My Plan B. Everything I needed to put in order before I could divorce my husband for real, this time.

I'm so glad I made that list and followed through with it. I'm glad I didn't wallow in denial -- or in false hope. Some might say I doomed my marriage by giving up that hope and planning for the worst. But who's to say what the worst is? I say planning for a split is the most hopeful thing a woman can do.

First on my list was to get a full-time job with health insurance. Before I'd just sort of pieced together a career with freelance this and that. But if I was going to be on my own, I'd need much more stability. No more swinging from vine to vine. Plus, I knew I'd need a reason to get dressed and leave my home every day. I knew working from home in my pajamas would not be conducive to my recovery.

But it wasn't enough for me to just get "a" job -- because I had time, I went after the writing career I'd never thought before I could pull off. Something about taking the bold step of admitting I was headed toward a divorce also emboldened me to stop monkeying around with my career and start working at something I actually wanted to do. As long as I was thinking about what I wanted my life to look like, it just made sense to apply that to my career.

And then I got a hold of my finances. I should have been doing this all along, but I created a spreadsheet tracking all my expenses. I wanted to find out if I could actually make it on my own. To my great relief, the math all worked out.

That's not everything from Plan B, but it's enough to show something interesting: Planning for the "worst" outcome actually improved my life before I even started to divorce my husband. Suddenly it was no longer about giving up -- it was about making smart choices and planning for the future. Even if I hadn't decided to divorce, I would have been moving ahead with a clearer vision of what I wanted my life to look like.

You never know what's going to happen next. It may not be divorce -- your husband could die suddenly. Anything could happen. Viewing your life through the lens of "what if" can be just the motivation and perspective shift you need to make changes that will make you happier regardless of what happens with your marriage.

Have you ever made plans for what you'd do if you lost or divorced your spouse?

Image via Horlia Varlan/Flickr

Click "Like" if you're a single mom — and proud!
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Baby Dies After Eating Laundry Pod: What Every Parent Should Know

zaterdag 17 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 23 hours ago

Remember the two-year-old who was rushed to the hospital and put on a ventilator after swallowing one of those single-use laundry detergent pods -- which he mistook for a piece of candy? It happens all too often, and sometimes it's fatal. A seven-month-old baby died after eating a laundry pod. His mother had set down a container of the pods in a laundry basket on the same bed where her son was sleeping and left the room just for a few minutes. But by the time she came back he had already eaten one and was eating another. He died later in the hospital.

So far in 2013 there have been 5,000 incidents of children eating laundry pods. This is the first death. But every time I turn around, another laundry detergent maker has introduced another line of those pods. Here are some new laundry safety tips every parent should be aware of.

1. Keep all laundry detergent, pods or not, far out of reach of children at all times. They shouldn't even be able to climb up to where you keep them. Don't allow small children to help with the laundry by using the pods.

2. If you use pods, keep them in an opaque container so children can't even see them. The clear containers they often come in look like candy containers, and can help lure children.

3. Some manufacturers are selling pods in opaque containers -- yay! Always use this container for the pods, and only the pods. Always return it to its place with the lid firmly closed after use.

4. Avoid leaving children alone anywhere near laundry facilities or even just the detergent.

5. Keep the phone number for your local poison control center handy. You can look up that number on the American Association of Poison Control Centers Website.

6. If somehow your child does ingest any part of a laundry pod, try to get them to drink a glass of milk while you call your local poison control center, or 800-222-1222, or your doctor immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting.

7. If your child gets detergent on their hands, rinse thoroughly immediately.

Last year concerned parents posted a petition for the Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the safety of laundry detergent pods. Alas, it only got 17 signatures. But with 5,000 new incidents and now this death, I'm wondering if it's time to revive that petition. In March the U.S. CPSC sent a warning to parents about using laundry pods.

Do you use laundry detergent pods?

Image via US CSPS/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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6 Things Every Sports Mom Must Keep in Her Car

vrijdag 16 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 3 hours ago in Big Kid

When you're going to a sporting event with a child, be it a professional one or that of an older sibling's, you best come prepared. In case you hadn't noticed, kids don't have the same attention spans we do, and sitting outside can get boring or uncomfortable real fast when you're a small fry.

So, stock up. Stock up on any and all things that will keep your child entertained and fed and warm when the initial thrill of "hey, this is cool!" wears off.

Here are 6 things every sports mom needs to keep in her car at all times.

1. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. A hungry child is a super unhappy child. And, in turn, a hungry child leads to a sad, frustrated mama. Keep non-perishables -- pretzels, trail mix, water -- in the car for when innings go extra long and you don't feel like buying your child their fourth hot dog.

2. Folding chairs. Keep a few of those collapsible nylon chairs in the trunk at all times. When they're a permanent fixture in your car, you don't run the risk of ever -- gasp -- forgetting about them. Also, you get to avoid lugging them in and out of the house.

3. Blankets. They say it's a good idea to keep a blanket or two in your car at all times for emergencies, but they're bound to come in handy when outdoor games go into overtime. Cold kids equal no bueno.

4. A tricycle. When things get real, time to bust out the tricycle. No child can resist the sight of a teeny-tiny bike just begging to be ridden.

5. A pen and paper. Try to get your little one involved by inventing a game about the game you're watching. Ask them to keep track of how many times the ball is kicked or how many time-outs there are. They'll love feeling like they're a part of things.

6. A camera (with or without film!). Ask your child to be the "photographer" for the event. They can either take pictures for real or simply make a game of it, acting like they're a member of the press!

How do you keep your little one entertained at sporting events?

Image via OnTask/Flickr

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5 Things Every Mom Should Do With Their 'Big Kid' Before the Next Baby Comes Along

donderdag 1 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 3 hours ago

Right now, I only have one child, but from what I hear, there are a wide variety of emotions that come into play before baby #2 makes his or her debut. And I can only imagine. When I think about having another child, I look at my daughter and think, "Gosh, how could I possibly love someone else this much? My heart is filled to the brim!" Okay, that's a little cheesy, but that's the honest to god general sentiment. Then I think about adding the hormones from pregnancy into the mix, and oof. The whole thing seems so ... emotional. But I'd like to have another baby someday. Maybe even two. But I, like all moms, want to be sure to soak up every minute with my "big girl" before the next baby makes their grand entrance.

Who knows what will happen if/when I'm pregnant next, but if I do have another, I plan on doing these five special things with my daughter during the last month of my pregnancy. While it's still just me and her.

1. Let her stay up late, watching movies. Everybody knows "staying up late" is a truly special thing for kids. Especially if there are movies and popcorn involved. This isn't something your kid should do all the time for obvious reasons, but it's an "exciting" thing for them, and kind of shows them that they're officially a "big kid".

2. Take a long, leisurely nap together. For most moms, nap time is when we get stuff done. One day, let everything just be, and crawl up with your little one and sleep when he sleeps.

3. Go on a "date" together. This, of course, should still be done once in a while after baby arrives, but having a really special day together -- just you and big brother or big sis -- is such a sweet and fun way to show how important they'll always be.

4. Get him or her excited for being a big brother or sister. Tell them all about the awesome perks of being the older sibling. You can also purchase one of those cute "big sis" or "big brother" shirts or books.

5. Let them sleep in bed with you. If you don't co-sleep, invite your kid into bed with you for the night as a special "treat". Though you may want to schedule this one for a good two or three weeks ahead of your due date, so things don't get confusing once baby arrives.

What things did you do to make your older kid feel special before you had another?

Image via Edwart Visser/Flickr

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28 Totally Bizarre Questions Every Mom Has Asked Herself

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AppId is over the quota

Lately, I've found myself asking my readers rhetorical parenting questions in a not so overt attempt to assuage guilt and make sure I'm not alone. Last week's guilt driven query was: Is it wrong for the "Tooth Fairy" to steal money from one kid to pay the other?

PS: The answer according to my Facebook Fans is a resounding no. Whew. Though I fear that armed with this knowledge, I may be asking them next week if the same goes for paying the pizza delivery guy. Oh well.

That said, I'm guessing there is a slew of questions every mom will ask herself at least once -- here are just a few...

1. At what age do I have to tell them babies don't come from your belly button?

2. Is it wrong for the "Tooth Fairy" to steal money from one kid to pay the other?

3. What the hell sound does a chick make? Does it go peep-peep or chirp-chirp? Or does it squeak? (Wait, it may only squeak if you step on it, crap.)

4. Is it really worth it to fight over them brushing their teeth every day, twice a day? I mean, they're just gonna lose them all anyway, right?

5. How much longer before one of them realizes I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing?

6. Will I ever be able to wash all my body parts during a single shower?

7. How many times in one day can a child utter the word mom/mommy? How many times in an hour? A minute? A second?

8. How can such a tiny adorable thing produce such an offensive disgusting odor?

9. If I freeze right now and act like a statue, will he fall back to sleep so that I can exit the room, or did I just screw up my whole night by checking on him (again)?

10. Is it creepy that I want to snuggle with them forever?

11. What did I do today that they will bring up years from now in therapy?

12. Will my kids ever eat things that one couldn't find on a kiddie menu?

13. Does jumping in the pool not count as a bath?

14. Will my child still be using a diaper/binky/blankie when she walks down the aisle?

15. Why does it seem like they're the messiest right after I clean up?

16. Will it ever be possible to make it across my house without stepping on or tripping over a Lego, Barbie, ball, skateboard, drum stick, puzzle piece, My Little Pony, or something they got in a Happy Meal?

17. Is it considered child labor if I tell them part of the reason I had them was to answer phones, let the dog out, and bring me water?

18. When did I go from being the most awesome person ever to the most uncool person to walk this Earth?

And these are the top 10 from my readers (thanks guys!):

19. When will he learn I really DON'T have eyes in the back of my head? - Lynn

20. How long will "kisses" make everything feel better? - Amy

21. At what point will they understand the words coming out of my mouth, THE FIRST TIME?!? - Steph

22. How much longer 'til they turn on me like rabid dogs? - Carolyn

23. Will my husband and I EVER be able to sleep alone/naked/all night again? - Kimberlie

24. At what point did I become my mother, and is this really a bad thing? - Loren

25. Do they deliberately aim for the wall next to the toilet? - Daniel

26. How much longer 'til I get to go over to THEIR houses & mess everything up? - Joanne

27. How much longer can I keep telling them it's the law to learn to swim? - Sarah

28. When can they get jobs? - Michele

You know you wanna add one ... go for it!

Image via Someecards.com/JennyFromtheBlog

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5 Awesome iPhone Photo Tricks Every Mom Needs to Know About

woensdag 31 juli 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 3 hours ago

Odds are, the thing you use to take photos with most is your iPhone. Particularly if you're a mom who has to lug around a ton of extra stuff for the little people in your life, bringing a big, bulky camera everywhere you go is just out of the question. It's kind of a bummer, because nothing beats the quality of an actual camera (especially a DSLR one), but fret not -- iPhones can take really beautiful pictures, as well. And the effects and apps are bar none.

Here are 5 iPhone photo apps and tricks every mom needs to know about.

1. Shapely. Shapely is an app that allows you to frame your photos pretty much with any kind of shape you want -- hearts, circles, stars. You also can add text to your photos, which makes it perfect for sending to grandparents via text or hard copy after printing them out. And it's free.

2. The LifeProof case. The LifeProof case protects your phone from everything short of a nuclear explosion, so feel free to take it into the ocean or pool -- and go underwater with it. Yep, you can get cool, artsy, underwater pics of your kids swimming around if your phone has the LifeProof case on it. Pretty rad.

3. Kaleido Lens. This free app lets you play around with the photos you've taken, making them appear as if they were taken with a kaleidoscope. No, you wouldn't want to do this to every photo, but once in a while, a pic just lends itself to this feature. And totally not something you could do on a regular camera.

4. Path On. Like Shapely, Path On lets you add text to all your photos. But this is their specialty. Arrange words any which way you like across photos. "Happy Father's Day!" across a cute pic of your kiddo? Grandpa says, "Yes, please!"

5. Facetune. Sadly, we're all critical of how we look in photos. But with Facetune, we needn't be. This app allows you to "fix" your appearance (even though you don't need to) any which way you want. Whiten your teeth; hide your laugh lines; banish your blemishes. All at the touch of a button.

What photo apps do you use?

Image via Kaleido Lens

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1 Important Thing Every Pregnant Woman Needs to Ensure a Healthy Baby

vrijdag 19 juli 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 17 hours ago

Hey pregnant ladies -- now you have one more reason to try and get a good night's sleep. Poor sleep can disrupt your baby's immune system. It can also lead to lower birth rate and other complications. "Our results highlight the importance of identifying sleep problems in early pregnancy ... since sleep is a modifiable behavior," says lead researcher Michelle Okun. So now you know. Get plenty of sleep, future mamas. Okay? Okay. End of post.

"Oh but wait," sleep-deprived women everywhere cry out, "what if we have INSOMNIA?!?" It's helpful to know that your baby's immune system is linked with your sleep, but there's a million other reasons why pregnant women would want to get a good night's sleep already. Not many people actually deprive themselves of sleep on purpose, you know? So if you know it's good for you, but you still can't seem to get enough sleep, what can you do?

1. Work with your doctor. This should probably be your first step, before trying any home remedies. There may be significant health issues or symptoms that are causing your sleeplessness (besides pregnancy, which is not a medical condition, I know). And your doctor will know about any complications you should be aware of.

2. Set the stage. Before you go to bed, dim the lights and try to limit your screen time. Reading a book or magazine before bed will better help your mind to relax; watching TV or going online can stimulate your mind too much right before bed. Make sure your bedroom is cool. Don't bring anything work-related into your bedroom if you can help it, and definitely not into bed with you.

3. Get some exercise. There are many reasons to exercise during pregnancy -- one of them is that it will help you sleep better. Exercise in moderation and check with your doctor about any modifications you should make. Even walking and yoga will help.

4. Rescue Remedy. Herbal sleeping aids are generally not recommended for pregnant women. But some doctors are all right with taking Rescue Remedy just to quiet your mind before bed. You'll want to check with your own doctor, first.

5. Take a nap. As a pregnant woman, you are officially entitled to a nap when you need it.

Do you have trouble sleeping while pregnant?

Image via Bart Everson/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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