'Teen Mom' Farrah Abraham Misses Daughter's First Day of School to Party

vrijdag 30 augustus 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Jeanne Sager 3 hours ago

Let's say it's your daughter's first day of school tomorrow. What do you do? Get to bed early so you can leap out of bed, make her pancakes, and take a ton of photos? Or do you go the Farrah Abraham route and stay out partying until the wee hours, a few thousand miles away from home? The Teen Mom is getting major flack this week for missing her daughter's first day of school.

Photos on Twitter prove Farrah was in New York, partying it up after the VMAs with the likes of Jenny McCarthy just hours before daughter Sophia started her first day of pre-K back home in Texas. The folks over at Radar did the math (and checked flights out of New York) and have proven it would have been impossible for Farrah to make it home in time for her daughter's big moment.

But does that make her a bad mom?

More From The Stir: 'Teen Mom' Star Isn't Afraid of Being Criticized

I'm going to go out on a rather precarious limb here and defend Farrah.

Yes, you heard it.

So what if she wasn't there for her daughter's first day of school. It's pre-K. The kid has at least 13 more first days of school in her life.

And OK, so this was a biggie, her first first day.

But you know what? We don't always get to be there for the biggies because we can't be tethered to our kids 24/7. I remember going to daycare to pick up my then-1-year-old daughter after a long day of work, and she walked to me. The sitter graciously did not mention whether she'd walked earlier in the day, but my brain tells me that she probably did. I missed it. I MISSED my daughter walking for the first time.

Was I partying? No. I was working.

Which is kind of the same thing for Farrah at the moment. She's trying to build a career as an actress (God help us), and that means having her face seen at events like the VMAs. In the long run, having a job that puts food on the table for little Sophia is more important than being there for one particular moment.

Do you think Farrah is a bad mom for missing Sophia's big day?

Image via Twitter

Click "Like" for the latest on the Teen Moms. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jeanne Sager

writes articles for The Stir by day, slays closet monsters and bounds through bedtime stories with her elementary schooler by night. The Phineas and Ferb soundtrack reverberates through her brain.

More
?

reacties | | Read More...

Kim Kardashian Attends First Post-Baby Party But Won’t Show Us Her Dress

maandag 19 augustus 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 1 hour ago

Something happened at a very special party over the weekend. It was like stars aligning. It was a meeting of the minds. It was like peanut butter meeting jelly, the sunset meeting the beach, cats meeting the Internet. Kim Kardashian met the CEO and co-founder of Instagram, Kevin Systrom. And then she posted a photo of them together. On Instagram. Oh my Yeezus, it's so meta I've got a headache now.

But this is some way for Kim to come out of hiding. Um, she's still in the shadows. Kim, why are you hiding? Is this on purpose? You know we already saw you in a flannel at the doctor's, right? (Awesome chambry cover-all, by the way. I totally bought five just like it as soon as I saw that photo.) Here she's practically behind Kevin. Hey Kim, it's not like you to be so camera shy.

Well anyway, still exciting for her. I just picture Kim shaking Kevin's hand and saying, "Oh wowww, you invented like the next best thing to TV. Instagram is like my faaavorite." 'Your favorite app?" Kevin asks. "My favorite TOY!" And then Kim pulls out a phone and takes a selfie, which Kevin photobombs. Just kidding, of course Kim wanted him in the frame. She's prettier than he is.

Or was taking the Kevin photo just another way for Kim to take a selfie without revealing anything from the neck down? Oh who cares, she looks great and has a big smile. Excellent use of shadows there.

So the woman who normally can't wait for the world to see her latest outfit, who blows thousands getting ready for every event, who makes a point of getting her photo taken in just the right lighting -- this is what we get? Man, I don't even KNOW YOU anymore, Kim! I bet Kanye loved this look, though.

Do you think Kim is feeling camera shy because of the baby weight?

Image via Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Click the "Like" button below if you're Krazy for the Kardashians! 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.  

More
?

reacties | | Read More...

An Open Letter to the Parents Planning an All-Boy Superhero Party

dinsdag 13 augustus 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 12 hours ago

Over the weekend I happened to see a letter to an advice column that nearly made me spit out my Sunday brunch coffee. A 5-year-old girl was invited to a boy's superhero-themed birthday party. And then she was uninvited (unvited?) because of the party's "masculine" theme and invited to a separate party just for girls. The writer was trying to figure out how to explain this to their daughter and also wondering if they should say something to the host because "something about this feels wrong." Yeah, something here feels wrong, but I just can't put my finger on it ... hmm ... oh yes, I've got it: Wow, that's hella sexist.

The social guru responded that the parent shouldn't mention anything to the host. And that's reasonable advice -- I can see how bringing it up would just lead to conflict. But for those of us who are, let's just say, not so afraid of conflict, I give you: An Open Letter to the Parents Who Planned the Boys-Only Superhero Party.

Dear parents,

You have the right to plan whatever kind of birthday party you want, even if it's just boys. I don't really think that's a big deal. It is inconsiderate to invite someone (especially a child) to a party and then rescind that invitation. Even if it was your 5-year-old who informed you that he didn't want girls at his party, it's his parents' role to teach him about how kindness and tolerance translates into polite behavior.

But that's not the biggest issue for me. No, what I'm really concerned about is the sad delusion you've been laboring under that superheroes are somehow exclusively "masculine." I just -- really? Did we grow up on the same planet? Here, let me show you this list.

Wonder WomanBlack WidowZatannaStormPower GirlJean GreyRavenHillary Clinton (Haha, kidding! Sort of.)StarfireBlack CanaryHuntressBat Girl

And if that list seems a little short, it's only because I don't have all afternoon to type out all these names of female superheroes. I think you get my point.

I mention this because I pity anyone who cannot see any place for women and girls in the superhero world. Know who my son's favorite superhero was when he was 3 or 4 years old? Wonder Woman. He kept a Wonder Woman action figure wrapped in his little fist during every waking hour. He was so obsessed, I would buy three or four action figures at a time lest we lose one on the playground. And I was happy to do it, because I was so grateful for the opportunity it afforded to shape his view of women.

When we recognize female superheroes, we are imagining all kinds of possibilities for girls. We are inviting girls to imagine themselves as powerful, fast, strong, magical, yes. But we're also encouraging our sons to recognize those traits in the females around them. The women and girls in my son's life are fierce -- starting with me, hopefully. It's simply short-sighted to close a boy off from seeing females that way. Your son is going to meet some fierce females in his lifetime, and it'll be his loss if he fails to appreciate or even respect that power.

But hey, there's always the sixth birthday party.

Sincerely,

Diana Prince

Do your sons know of any female superheroes?

Image via J D Hancock/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.  

More
?

reacties | | Read More...

Donut Hole Recipe That Will Be the Smash Hit of Any Party

maandag 29 juli 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 11 hours ago in Food & Party

You like donuts, right? (Of course you like donuts, who doesn't like donuts?) But have you ever tried making them? They're kind of a pain in the butt -- and they don't always turn out as planned. Womp, womp. A much easier (cuter) version is the donut hole.

I promise you, you won't break out into a cold sweat trying to make this positively adorable, unbelievably delicious dessert. And it will, without question, be the smash hit of any barbecue or party you bring them to.

Donut Holes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour1/3 cup sugar2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp salt1 egg1/2 cup milk2 tbsp melted buttervegetable oil1/4 cup sugar (for the topping) (optional)3 tbsp cinnamon (for the topping) (optional)1/2 cup confectioners sugar (for the topping) (optional)

Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Add in milk, egg, and melted butter, and mix until well combined.

2. Fill a large skillet or medium pot with vegetable oil, about 2 inches deep. Using a fry thermometer, heat oil to about 375 degrees F. Make sure it stays around that temperature each time you fry the dough.

3. Place cinnamon-sugar (mixed together) and confectioners sugar toppings in two separate small bowls. Set out several stacked paper towels next to the stove for drying the doughnut holes, along with a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.

4. When oil is ready, place about 5-6 teaspoonfuls of dough at a time in the oil and fry on each side for about 1 minute (2 minutes total). Remove from the oil and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil. Then, using a fork, roll doughnut in either the confectioners sugar or cinnamon-sugar mixture. Then place on cooling rack to cool slightly before serving warm.

Image via manda_wong/Flickr

Click the "Like" button below to get a tasty recipe every day on Facebook.
?

reacties | | Read More...

'Town Crier' at Royal Baby's Birth Was Just a Party Crasher Who Fooled Millions

donderdag 25 juli 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Nicole Fabian-Weber 14 hours ago

Tony AppletonHey, remember that time the town crier announced the birth of the royal baby? He stood in front of St. Mary's Hospital, dressed in his traditional garb, gave a speech, rang his bell, and all the U.S. journalists standing in front of him were like, "Whuuuh? Nobody told me about this part." Well, he was just a party crasher. There was some on-air debate between reporters as to whether or not he was legit (I happened to be tuned in to Natalie Morales and Matt Lauer's back and forth -- they didn't think he was the real deal, FYI].) And, yep, turns out he's just a royal family superfan, like you and me.

Town criers. They're just like us.

His name is Tony Appleton, and he is a town crier, but he has no affiliation whatsoever with Kate Middleton, Prince William, or anyone in the royal family. He lives in Romford, England, not London, and he's a self-proclaimed "royalist". "I was not invited," Appleton told Yahoo in an interview. "I just crashed the party. I got out of my cab and I stood in front of the steps, because I didn't think I would be allowed on them, and I did my bit. It was great."

For those of you who missed Tony's bit, or were too confused to process what he was saying, here's what he read off his scroll:

On this day, the 22nd of July in the year 2013, we welcome, with honorable duty, a future king, the firstborn of Their Royal Highness the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the third in line to the throne. And our new prince is the third great-grandchild of Her Majesty the Queen and the grandchild of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. May he be long-lived, happy, and glorious, and one day reign over us. God save the Queen!

While it's slightly odd that Appleton decided to appoint himself the crier of the event, the guy didn't hurt anybody and he got to live out a dream. So that's cool. But I'm kind of wondering where security was. You'd think if a man or woman who wasn't supposed to be screaming crap started screaming crap, he or she would be hauled off. You'd think the guards would be informed of every little thing that was going to happen throughout the day. Everyone just stood there and watched Appleton -- and they let out a massive applause afterwards. Kinda weird.Thankfully, Tony wound up being a normal(ish) person who meant no ill-will to anyone. He simply wanted to get in on the festivities of the day and demonstrate his love for the royal family -- and demonstrate he did. This, for sure, will be one of the many things we remember when we look back at this moment in history.Tony Appleton, ladies and gentlemen.Did you think the town crier was real?Image via Jeff J Mitchell/GettyClick "Like" for more on the Royal Family.
?

reacties | | Read More...