Photo by rach_jaco

"Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away." It's Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary this week, so I thought I'd do a link roundup toasting to this beloved series.

Sesame Street gets a New York City address. — Parent Dish

The Sesame Street your toddler watches isn't the same as the one you watched. See how the show has changed over the years. — NY Times

How well do you know Elmo? Take the quiz. — Lil Sugar

The 50 best Sesame Street moments. — Babble

You can watch your favorite Sesame Street video clips, both new and old. — YouTube

What's your favorite Sesame Street memory (either for you or your child)? Who was your favorite character?

Related posts:

Should Cookie Monster be the Veggie Monster?

Elmo on Your iPod

Ricky Gervais Meets Elmo

Hachette Filipacchi announced yesterday that they're giving Metropolitan Home the ax and that their December issue would be their last.

Hachette is down to one shelter publication (and a former place of employment of mine) Elle Decor. Whew, am I glad I switched when I did!

I hate seeing these great titles and amazing editors go. So sad.

Has your favorite magazine folded?

Domino Magazine Folds: A Moment of Silence Please

Southern Accents Magazine Folds

The Fall of Home Magazines

Photo from ABC.com

Favorite new TV shows — in CafeMom Hollywood, moms are talking about their most-liked new television series of the Fall 2009 season.

Do you have a favorite new TV show?

New TV shows making the fave list in CafeMom Hollywood:

• Accidentally on Purpose
• Community
• Cougar Town
• Flash Forward
• Glee (love love love!)
• Mercy
• Modern Family
• NCIS LA
• The Forgotten
• The Good Wife 
• The Vampire Diaries
• Trauma
• V (I still haven't gotten over the original! eek!)
• White Collar 

Of all the new series on the tube this season, what's making your favorite TV show list and why?

Related posts:

Are You Disappointed in Your TV Shows?

Fall TV: Monday Night Lineup

Fall TV: Tuesday Night Lineup

Fall TV: Wednesday Night Lineup

Fall TV: Thursday Night Lineup

Fall TV: Weekend Lineup

14 dainty dessert recipes. — Woman's Day

Pint-size food recipes. — Martha Stewart

If you must have cola-fix, opt for the mini-Coke. — That's Fit

Healthy mini-pizza recipe. — Yahoo! Shine

Do you ever serve miniature foods? What's your family's favorite?

Related posts:

Mini-Meals Are a Hit With Kids

Toddler Meal: Mini Meatloaves

Toddler Meal: Mini Breakfast Frittatas

Photo by AshBayGrammy

Here on CafeMom, we talk about abortion, but mostly just to say whether we agree with it or not. Rarely, does someone "TALK" about abortion...until now. Thanks to AquarianPath for being courageous enough to come forward with her story...

Below is an excerpt from a journal post by CafeMom AquarianPath.

 Yes, I've aborted before. It wasn't an easy decision. My husband and I made it together.

No, I don't regret what I did. But the reality is something that I don't expect other people to understand or comprehend, empathize or sympathize with.

So, here I am opening myself up and making myself vulnerable. Why? Because it's ok. Not everyone will get it...I always try to remain as open and honest as possible. Even if it hurts. I refuse to be like the horribly mean-hearted people who only look on the surface of an individual, judging them when they have no right. So yes, I'm afraid to open up, but here's my story:

I miscarried in January 2006. I lost my brother in February 2006. I wound up with a tubal pregnancy in April 2006. Then my oldest son had a severe break down and was hospitalized. We were supposed to get PCSed [permanent-change-of-station] to Dover, Delaware, but that was put off because of my son's illness. My uncle died in July 2006.... and I ended up pregnant again. I aborted because I panicked. I honestly couldn't do it.

We were transferred to Dover in September 2006, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2006. I went through the most horrific and terrifying battle of my life. It changed me and how I viewed the world....and how I viewed myself and the abortion...

I knew the cancer wasn't from the pregnancies or the abortion. Because I had been having symptoms of cancer since I was pregnant with my second son back in 2004-05 (bleeding from the nipple, and pain in the breast after I gave birth to my second son). So the cancer was already there when I miscarried, terminated, and aborted.

However, I still can't help but feel that I was punished. Does that mean I regret aborting? Not exactly. I regret I was in that situation and I was a coward. But I still felt that it was the right choice. Confused? Yeah,I was too. This is what you get when you look behind the facade and see the raw complexities of human emotions...

Click this link to read the rest of her journal post about abortion.

Related Posts:

License Plates: The Best Place for an Abortion Debate? 

A Mom Confronts the Possibility of Down Syndrome 

A Romantic Comedy About Abortion

Photo by 1avon-mom

I love that my kids are only 18 months apart because they enjoy the same toys, games and activities and play so well together. Their closeness in age also means they fight really well together, specifically screaming, name-calling, punching, and hitting.

I've learned from other moms in Tween Titans that often this does not stop when they are older; the yelling and hitting just escalates to the next super-frustrating level.

Help for sibling rivalry is a common question on CafeMom, as are the typical remedies: time-outs, withdrawal of privileges, etc. One mom in a recent Tween Titans post said her friend actually duct tapes her two children back-to-back and makes them do things cooperatively for a few hours.

Not sure what CPS would say about that, but some of these other creative solutions from moms in the group seem like they actually might work. Embarrassment seems to be a theme ...

• I let my daughters, 13 and 11, go at it until it's over, and if it gets too rough, I tell them to take it outside in the backyard. But I want to add that neither of them has ever seriously hurt the other.
• I have used written rules with set consequences (from Family Rules) for about a month and a half and it does seem to be better. They don't yell near as much, the hitting (when I am right there) is way down, and the name-calling has all but stopped.
  

• My kids get work for fighting with each other. We have a job jar. I also make them do nice things for each other, and depending on the infraction, they might get to pick what the other does for them or we decide. 

• They write apology letters to each other, or an essay about why they should be respectful or about their particular offense.

• I make my 13 year old and 11 year old sit down and write 25 reasons why they love their sibling. It kills them to do it, but what they write is hilarious. One time my son wrote, "I love my sister because she laughs like a dude." My daughter wrote, "I love my brother because he makes me smile even when we're getting yelled at."

• My 10 year old twin girls were always fighting in the car. I make them hold hands and kiss each other at red lights. Even the threat of this makes them stop fighting and keep their hands off each other. I pull the car over when they refuse to hold hands.

• My husband has threatened to make our son and daughter stand by the road and hug each other LOL!

What creative punishments have you doled out to get your tweens and teens to call a truce?

Related posts:

"I Wish the Baby Were Dead"

Girl Fight: Sister Who Can't Get Along

Photo by luna_moon

CafeMom Momma_Halo was tired of hearing scary and emotional childbirth stories and posted a Journal asking for funny delivery stories. And moms, um, delivered. Here's a sampling. But you've just got to visit her Journal for the rest because it's Monday. You need to laugh some more.

-- I was given an epidural so the doctor could stop mid-delivery to check the baby's mouth (she'd had a bowel movement in the womb, very dangerous). I was sitting there with only the baby's head out when hubby said something stupid. I started laughing and couldn't stop. 

Finally my doctor told me to stop laughing because I was pushing the baby out and she wasn't ready to catch her yet.  After we were all done, both the doctor and the nurse told us that they have never before uttered those words stop laughing during a delivery before. I was the highlight of their week.

-- I went to the wrong hospital. I delivered at Northside. Yeah, well, l they have three locations! I thought I would deliver in the one closet to my doc's office. NOPE. I had to deliver at the hospital 40 minutes in the other direction. I loved the hospital I went to for the tour. And I'd pre-registered there and everything!

-- Before I gave birth, I was talking to my sister on the phone telling her how many contractions I was having. She's like, "OMG, you're in labor!" I was making tacos and she was screaming at me to call the hospital, I told her, "I'm not going anywhere until I'm done with my tacos." She's like, "How can you think about food when you're in labor?" Well, it was tacos.  

-- My husband did great till the brought the hypodermic for the the episiotomy. DH was standing by my waist and his eyes got HUGE, nearly stumbling and passing out. He then grabbed the bed and pulled his wobbly self up and pants in my face "OMG, did you see the size of that needle?" Then he stumbled and nearly passed out again.

-- When I had my third c-section, I remember laying there terrified and everyone in the room started laughing hysterically. I was so confused and I kept asking "What the h**l is so FUNNY?" over and over because no one would answer me. The only answer I kept getting was "it's ok, it's ok" in between laughs. By the time they brought my son to me they told me: He was breech. None of us had any idea! When they cut me open and pushed on the top of my belly to deliver the head, his legs popped out instead and waved so wildly in the air that they had a hard time catching them. So now it's our little joke that Gavin was born to hit the ground running.

What's your funny delivery story?

Related posts:

Childbirth Tips from a Labor and Delivery Nurse

Did You Have an Orgasm During Birth?

I'm always so inspired by hearing other women's stories of how they've lost weight, increased their fitness, and adopted a more healthier lifestyle, aren't you?

Mom_love07 has graciously agreed to share her weight loss journey with us. She's a 21-year-old mama to daughter, Addison, 2, and lives in Illinois. Her goal? To be more active and lose 100 pounds in one year. Each week we'll check in with her to see her progress and give her words of encouragement! But first, let's hear a little bit about why she's embarking on this important journey...

CM: How much do you currently weigh?

I weigh 240 pounds exactly.

What is your goal weight? 

My goal weight is 140 pounds.

How long do you expect it will take you to lose this weight? 

I am honestly not sure. I know it will take a bit, so I am going to say a year.

What is your strategy for losing weight?

My strategy for losing weight is: being more active. I have been walking a lot more with my daughter; but because it is getting colder, I am going to have to find a new way. I have also started doing sit-ups and lifting weights. I am only doing a simple arm curl now with a 10-pound weight.

I am not exactly "dieting," but instead watching what I eat and how much I eat of it—basically watch my portions. And, I will be eating every two hours, with my last meal being between 6 pm and 7pm—that way I don't let myself get too hungry, and then gorge on something that isn't good for me.

Oh, and for 30 minutes a day I am going to turn on the radio and just dance with my little one. This week I am also going to check out the Fitness videos on the On Demand and try a few out.

Have you always been overweight? What are your reasons for wanting to lose weight now?  

According to the standards and charts that govern those, I would have been considered overweight because of my height to weight ratio. I have been about 5'6" since the beginning of high school. And before I became pregnant, I weighed between 130 and 140 pounds, but I never considered myself overweight then.

I want to lose weight because I want to be more healthy. I want to know that I will be there for my daughter and be able to do all those things with her that she may want me to do. I also want to lose weight before I even think about having another child. I do not want another one for a good three to four years, but if I don't lose this weight now then it will be even harder.

I am sick and tired of being overweight. And after I had my daughter, I only weighed about 200 and was losing some. But these past two years held many unseen challenges—family deaths and weddings and such—and things became overwhelming for me, and I gained the weight then.

What do you think will be the biggest motivator for helping you to lose weight?

My biggest motivator will be my little girl. I am doing this, first, for myself, but, second, for her. I am not setting a good example for her. And as I said I want to be around for her for along time.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you on this weight-loss journey?

The biggest challenge will probably be those times when I weigh myself and seem to not have lost anything even with my hard work. I also think the holidays will be tough, too. Also, because it is getting colder out, I will have to do more inside, and it will just be easier to not do it.

Thank you to Mom_love07 for taking us on her journey! I'm so excited for her and know she will do great! You go, girl!

Let's offer some words of encouragement and support to get her started!

Related Posts:

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How Did You Lose the Weight?

If you could smell like Pam Anderson, would you?

That's a weird question. But I would imagine this beach babe would smell like a combination of coconut oil with a surf and sand vibe. And I'm right -- sort of. Pam just launched her first perfume line, complete with a day and night scent.

Malibu Blue has hints of wild berries and white florals, and Malibu Pink combines sandalwood, caramel, and vanilla bourbon. Both sound like they would smell really good. Prices start at $39 and the line is found in drugstores.

"I am a drugstore whore," Pamela told People magazine. "I worship drugstores. You have to pull me out of them. My dream is for every woman to be able to go to her favorite drugstore and buy an affordable fragrance which will make her feel sexy."

Pam's perfumes are cruelty free, eco-friendly, and a portion of the proceeds go toward PETA.

So now that you know the details, are you interested in Pam Anderson's fragrances?

Related posts:

Pamela Anderson's New Gig: Eco-Designer

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Do You Have a Signature Scent?

Photo by forevermom75

Do You Think It's Too Early To Put Up Your Christmas tree?: that's the question CafeMoms are discussing over in Advice for Moms.

So far the "Yes" vote is winning (although about 35% of you say "No, it's *not* too early").

What's about in your home?

Since we get a real Christmas tree every year and the trees never seem to thrive in our house (hello, pine needles EVERYWHERE), it's way too soon for us to get our tree. I did have an egg nog latte the other day though. Mmm, 'tis the season!

Are you raring to go full force into holiday shopping and holiday decorating? Or do you want to wait until after Thanksgiving to get started? Maybe you even wait all the way up until the week of Christmas to decorate?

For you early birds, here in one CafeMom's Christmas tree for you to enjoy.

What kind of holiday decorator are you: fanatic, steady as she goes, or total procrastinator?

Related posts:

Do You Have a Real or Fake Christmas Tree?

Little Kids vs. Christmas Tree. Who's Winning?

A Christmas Tree Theme: Do You Have One?

Photo by Arichey85

Sugar, and spice, and everything nice...that's what these Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes (baked by Archey85 and found via Cake101) are made of...

Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes from KraftFoods.com

1 pkg. (2-layer size) spice cake mix

1 pkg.  (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 pkg.  (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

Heat oven to 350ºF. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin; mix well. Spoon into 24 paper-lined muffin cups.

Beat ceam cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg. Spoon over batter, swirling gently with small spoon. Bake 18 to 21 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.

For topping: Stir 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg into 1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping; spread over cooled cupcakes.

Thanks to Arichey85 for sharing the recipe!

Do you make cupcakes for the holidays? What kind?

Related Posts:

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Photo by Damo Momo

We've all seen the maternity shirts with the funny sayings on them -- everything from Love Hurts to I'm Not Fat, I'm Pregnant.

Some of them can be a bit brash, but this Bun in the Oven t-shirt ($25) from Damo Momo is more subtle.

Made from bamboo and organic cotton, Damo Momo's collection also includes a long sleeve version of the Bun in the Oven top, as well as solid color dresses and a few other items. They all look super comfy.

In my travels on the web I saw a shirt for my husband that said Real Men Make Twins -- silly, I know. But good for a giggle. I didn't buy him the shirt...instead just emailed him the photo for laughs.

Do you wear maternity shirts with cute or funny sayings on them?

See this poll at CafeMom.

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See this video at CafeMom.

Dum...dum...dum dum dum. Just hearing those first few chords of the song makes my heart go pitter-patter. Free Falling by Tom Petty is my favorite song of all-time. I can literally hear that song over and over again and it never gets old.

I think it's more the melody than the lyrics that make me love it so much. The lyrics aren't particularly inspiring, but those three chords (G C C G D) played over and over again is music to my ears (corny pun intended). DusterMommy asked this question in Answers and here are some of the responses that moms gave:

russian-mommy: I like alot of songs so this was an extremely hard question to answer. But mine would be Butterfly Kisses. I love that song cause it reminds me of my mother and I before she passed of cancer.

mamma84: I love Semi-Charmed Life and Where Have All the Cowboys Gone. I know there are a lot more but I can't remember them.

casperskitty: Into the Mystic by Van Morrison, an all-time favorite, and mine and hubby's song This Year's Love by David Gray. I have my favorite verse tattooed on my left shoulder. Admittedly, neither of these songs get much airtime, but I play them at home a lot.

Wow, all such great songs (everytime I hear Butterfly Kisses, I totally cry!).

What's your favorite song of all-time? Do you like because of the melody, lyrics, or because it reminds you of a certain time in your life?

Related posts:

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Photo by JSVDP

Loved this post over on MomLogic: The 10 Stages of Toddlerhood in Words.

This list sounds about right to me. Pretty sure #6 and #9 are going to be top tens in Leo's language favorites for awhile. LOL.

I'm wondering how your toddler's language matches up to their list.

What stage of language is your toddler at? Or maybe language has been a challenge — large or small — for your tot. Tell us about it.

Related posts:

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Photo by ventichaitea

I'm just so impressed with the 11 year old girl who helped to deliver her mother's baby at home. She's just five years older than my son. He's only mastering opening the door with the key. It's amazing to think what he'll be capable of in a couple of years.

Kierra Nubin called 911 when her laboring mom reported that the baby was starting to come out.

"I need an ambulance now," the girl told the 911 operator.

The operator told the girl to tell her mom to assume the most comfortable position, and have her to take deep breaths between contractions. Nubin continued to relay the information to her mom.

Seconds later, Nubin cried that the baby was coming!

Big sis will have quite a story to tell baby sis Marnia in a few years.

Click to see a transcript of the 911 call.

Would your Big Kid be able to act so calm and collected during an emergency? Do you think they would be capable of helping you through and unexpected childbirth?

Related posts:

Let Your Big Kid Stay in the Delivery Room?

I exercise first thing in the morning, so I rarely eat before working out: first, because I don't have time, and second, because eating so early in the morning makes me nauseous.

But some fitness exerpts recommend eating before exercising because they say it can give you more energy and help you to last longer, especially during a hard workout...

It is possible to "train" yourself to eat before working out. I actually did this last summer when I was training for a race. I was getting light-headed during some of my longer morning runs and found that if I ate a small, healthy snack before running, I felt stronger and felt better. 

But I had to start with teeny tiny portions, and work up from there. My first few runs post-eating were not pretty, but I got better as the summer continued.

Here are few good foods to eat before exercising (recommended to me by my local running store):

• Small banana
• Small apple
• 1 cup non-fat or low- fat yogurt
• Juice
• Half a slice of wheat toast spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• Small handful of trail mix (with nuts, raisins, etc.)

Do you eat before working out?

Related Posts:

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Photo by AshBayGrammy

A Spanish company has developed an iPhone application that will analyze your baby's cry and tell you if she is hungry, tired, annoyed, stressed or bored.

Then it will give you tips on how to deal with one of those five emotional states of infant screaming.

The Cry Translator uses sound analysis technology and is selling for $10 now, but that price is expected to jump to $30 in Apple's app store after tomorrow.

I guess it's possible that a baby's cry contains detectable meaning. Just yesterday I told you that babies cry in their own native languages.

I'm curious if this application really works -- the company says it's 96 percent accurate -- but I wonder more about whether learning this information makes a lick of difference. Most moms resort to everything to get their babies to stop crying anyway.

If this worked on your current cell phone, is the Cry Translator something you would ever consider buying?

See this video at CafeMom.

No Impact Man is the new documentary chronicling eco-obsessed New York City writer Colin Beavan and his family's radical upheaval of their big city lifestyle (his wife Michelle and toddler in what looks like sheer guilt and intimidation). The goal? Go one year without leaving a carbon footprint.

I'm exhausted just thinking about such radical change on my own, let alone while raising a child. Is this really the way to going green?

Not to mention, is this even remotely possible for most American families who have to, you know, get to work and take care of their families day to day, which means counting on basic transportation methods, buying milk in a plastic container, and using electricity.

If nothing else, though, Colin and his family have gone to an extreme that the rest of us can learn from (and pick and choose from...). No doubt many of his methods in deprivation can be adopted in smaller ways by the rest of us.

Are you going to see No Impact Man, have you read the No Impact Man book, or have you been following Colin Beavan's blog?

Have you changed your lifestyle an any one extreme and greener way in the name of saving the planet?

FreeTalk BuddyCam, $19.99

I live 1,500 miles away from all of my relatives. It's hard, especially around the holidays.

I talk to my mom on the phone almost everyday, but it's not the same. I've been trying to talk her into doing the webcam thing for quite some time now. Bless her heart, she's so not tech-savvy, so I've been unsuccessful. But these little things can make a big difference.

Your kids can talk to Grandma and Grandpa that live far away, or if your SO is stationed somewhere, webcams make the distance seem not quite as far.

We know how many of you guys have to be away from loved ones, so we're giving away a set that includes a FreeTalk BuddyCam and a Skype starter kit (headphones and mic).

You can download the software for free at Skype.com.

To enter to win, just answer this question:

Do you have any friends or family that live far away? If so, where?

One (1) CafeMom who replies to this post with a comment by 11:59 pm (EST) on Saturday, November 14, 2009, will be chosen at random to receive a FreeTalk BuddyCam and Skype Starter Kit set.*

*No Purchase Necessary. Starts November 10, 2009 at 7:00 am (EST) and ends November 14, 2009 at 11:59 pm (EST). Open to U.S. residents, 16 years and older, who are CafeMom members. Void where prohibited. Click here for the Official Rules.

Photo by thomasfam14

The toddler years are the perfect age to start teaching your kids manners and good habits.

CafeMom MrsManners aka: Angela Pitre, owner of the CM group Manners for the Modern Family and MannersMadeFun.com, is here to help.

Dear MrsManners:

My daughter is in daycare and has started biting other children. What should I do? I'm concerned that my daughter will be thrown out of the daycare.. -- Anonymous

From: MrsManners

If you find out your child is biting, it's best to be as proactive as possible. Start by talking to the preschool and asking them as many questions as you can. You are looking for clues because a child bites for many reasons, such as jealousy, frustration, anger, attention, stress, habit, trying to seek control, self protection, and so on. Your job is to try and figure out what triggers the biting so that you can begin to correct the behavior.

If you have done your research beforehand and I am sure all of you have, you know most daycare centers and preschools have a biting policy. Hopefully you know your center or school's policy, and you should work within the guidelines of that policy to prevent your child from getting expelled from the school.

Here is the real kicker, ladies. You are going to have to talk to your child. If you can get your child to talk about why he or she is biting, you may be able to solve the problem a lot faster. You can't do this by attacking the child though. You have to make sure that you have your temper in check and are ready to talk. Hopefully you are going into the situation armed with some fore knowledge from the caregivers about what was happening before the biting incident took place.

First, establish why your child bit. Then talk about other ways that he or she can handle the situation, such as, using their words. Remember to keep an open mind; you never know what may have driven your child to bite. If it was because the same child at school keeps taking the same toy away from her every single day and one day she just snapped, then you may need to talk about better ways to handle that. While she wasn't right to bite, she does need to know how to stand up for herself in an appropriate fashion.

If you are there when your child bites, swoop in and address it right away! Stay controlled with your voice but be stern — "No biting! Biting hurts people and we DO NOT hurt people!" It may be appropriate at this point in time to remove your child from the setting to give them a moment to calm down and possibly talk about what happened some more.

Ladies, preschoolers bite. It is an unfortunate but common issue. It is one that you need to deal with as swiftly as possible, and you may find that you need to get a little creative with the way you handle it. Because there are SO many possible scenarios, I would love to hear from some of my fellow CafeMoms about how you have handled biting. Don't forget by sharing your information and knowledge you may just be helping a fellow Mom who is at her wits end!

Don't forget to submit your manners/behavior questions in a comment on this post or via PM to Cafe Sheri!

Is your child going through a biting stage? If you have gone through a biting stage, how did you handle it? What worked and what didn't work?

Related posts:

Does Biting Back Really Work?

What to Do When Baby Bites

How do I get my 2 y/o to stop biting?

Photo by Time Inc. Digital Studio

courtesy of InStyle

We all have different body types, but we don't see stores called Pear Shapes Shop Here or Busty Ladies Clothing Only -- there's one store and all the clothes are lumped in. Which can make it hard to find the right clothes.

Sometimes it gives me a headache trying to find out. And if you are like me, and hate trying on clothes when shopping, it means lots of returns.

InStyle magazine has a feature called Shop Your Shape: Ten Outfits for Day or Night -- and they take some of that guess work out of the shopping equation.

That's good news!

If you're busty, this look (above right) works well.

Why? This tailored button-down shirt and blazer are specifically made to fit ample chests without looking sloppily oversize. Cuffed jeans and heels add extra polish.

Photo by Time Inc. Digital Studio

Why? The trousers are cut roomier in the thighs. The jacket falls below the hips -- shorter, it would accentuate the behind; longer, it seems matronly.

Check out InStyle for more body types and the best looks as well as info on where to buy these items.

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Photo From Hip Hostess

Cheese is and forever will be my weakness. That's precisely why I wouldn't dare trust myself around mini blue cheese balls rolled in bacon (from Hip Hostess).

What a perfect appetizer to serve to my guests before Thanksgiving dinner! Hip Hostess suggests serving these cheese truffles with plenty of fruit to balance the saltiness from the cheese and bacon.

Mini Cheese Balls Rolled in Bacon from Hip Hostess

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 (4-oz.) container crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (a.k.a. blue cheese)

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup cooked and crumbled bacon

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Cover tightly, and chill at least 1 hour or until firm (can chill up to 3 days).

Roll cheese mixture into 3/4-inch-round balls. Roll each ball in bacon. Serve immediately, or cover and chill until ready to serve. If chilled, let stand 30 minutes before serving.

What's your favorite way to serve cheese during the holidays?

Related Posts:

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Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

"We are over the moon," actress Tiffani Thiessen says about her pregnancy.

The former 90210 and Saved By the Bell star and her husband, Brady Smith, are expecting their first baby in May.

What a great looking couple!

Tiffani is currently on USA's drama White Collar and it will be interesting to see if her impending motherhood will be written into the show. 

I loved her in the original 90210, but I have a feeling being a mom is going to be her best role yet.

Congrats to the couple!

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A great DIY project to create a striped woven rug. — Woman's Day

The black-and-white stripe will never go out of style. — Apartment Therapy

Brighten up accessories with this easy striping project. — My Home Ideas

A roundup of pretty painted stripes. — Casa Sugar

Six ways to decorate your home with stripes, without making it look like a circus tent. — Yahoo! Shine

Do you have any striped patterns in your home?

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See this video at CafeMom.

The creators of the "Got Milk?" ads launched a new campaign today to convince schools to continue to serve chocolate milk to students. Their reasoning? Sugary flavorings are the only way to get kids to drink milk.

Supporters for the "Raise Your Hand for Chocolate Milk" campaign (including Rebecca Romijn) maintain that schools should serve chocolate milk because without it, kids choose juice, soda, and water and miss out on the calcium, vitamin D, and potassium that dairy provides. Moreover, they say that chocolate milk has only 60 calories more than white milk, and "that's nothing" compared to the nutrients they are getting.

But nutrition experts disagree, saying that chocolate milk should not be served in school because kids get too much sugar (which is heightening America's obesity problem). They believe kids will drink white milk if it's the only milk offered.

Where do you fall in this debate over whether schools should serve chocolate milk? Do your kids drink chocolate milk or white milk?

Related Posts:

Doughnuts for Breakfast in Public Schools? 

Should Kids Learn Nutrition in School?

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