News

Tragedy: A Family Dog in Cali Mauled & Killed a 3-Day old Newborn

Posted on April 23, 2016

A San Diego family is in grief today after their dog mauled and killed their 3-day old baby.

According to San Diego police, the parents were in a bedroom watching TV on Thursday, April 21, when the mom coughed suddenly, startling the dog which was lying in bed with them.

The dog was startled and unexpectedly attacked the baby, said San Diego Police Sgt. Tu Nguyen with the department’s child abuse unit.

The parents drove to a nearby hospital where the newborn was pronounced dead.

“It’s such a horrific, tragic incident they are going through,” Nguyen said.

H/t LA Times

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BumpNews

Prince George Looked Adorably British While Meeting President Obama; Let the Memes Roll!

Posted on April 22, 2016

So you guys know how I am enamored with Prince George and think he is just the most adorable thing ever, right? I’m glad the world got to see why I adore this little munchkin so much when Kensington Palace released a photo of the 2-year old in his cute white bath robe shaking United States President Barack Obama‘s hand with dad Prince William nearby.

He had stayed up past his bedtime to the chance to greet our leader who is in the UK visiting, coincidentally during the week that the Queen turned 90!

He is making the rounds in social media and all the blogs! I foresee plenty meme in the future! ha!

I wholly anticipate the memes to start rolling out any second now.

photo: Kensington Palace

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BumpNews

Eco-Friday: Save Money on Your Home with These 5 Upgrades

Posted on April 22, 2016

Fifty-five percent of global online consumers across 60 countries say they are willing to pay for products and services from companies committed to positive social and environmental impact, according to a report from Nielsen. Fortunately, it’s now the mainstream for retailers and manufacturers to offer a wide variety of eco-friendly products and upgrades. Brands are listening to their customers and continuing to develop the green products they want. Here are five money-saving, eco-friendly upgrades to get started.

Dishwasher drawers

Skip the large dishwashers if you live solo or as a couple. Dishwasher drawers are perfect for smaller homes and apartments. Fisher & Paykel make a single-drawer dishwasher that’s Energy Star-qualified. The dishwasher blends in with your home decor and leaves more room for cabinets, storage and other eco-friendly appliances.

Remember that your homeowners insurance typically only covers the repair of structural damage — it doesn’t touch appliances and systems in your home. You’ll need to invest in a home warranty from a company like TotalProtect to cover the repair or replacement costs when appliances break down from everyday use.

Smart thermostat

Heating and cooling systems are often left on all day while at work or away. In some cases, you have no choice but to let them run or face a freezing home with cracked water pipes when you get home. Meanwhile, a smart thermostat like Nest can learn your habits and adjust around your life. Nest creates a cooling and system schedule and can adjust when your needs change. On average, Nest saves up to 12 percent on heating and 15 percent on cooling bills for a savings of nearly $145 a year.

Energy-saving windows

Install Energy Star windows and skylights to lower your overall energy bills and save money. But more importantly, you can help reduce your part in greenhouse gas emissions. The low-emissivity coatings on Energy Star-certified products can also help reduce UV sun damage to your furniture and carpet. From a money-saving standpoint, homeowners can save anywhere from $101 to $583 a year when replacing single-pane windows. You’ll also save the environment up to 6,205 pounds of CO2 a year.

Lighting

Light-emitting diodes, or LED lighting, prove an energy-efficient alternative to incandescent bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing your home’s lighting with LED and Energy Star rated bulbs can save $75 each year. Meanwhile, 90 percent of the energy from incandescent bulbs is given off as heat and wastes resources and money. Other eco-friendly lighting choices include Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) bulbs and eco-friendly halogen incandescents.

Bamboo flooring

Quality bamboo flooring is less expensive and more durable than its wooden counterparts. Bamboo grows rapidly and regenerates itself in around seven years, while it can take trees 40 to 50 years to replace themselves. Bamboo is also easy to clean and gives a modern, clean aesthetic to your home. But like any flooring, the trick is to invest in a quality product. Cheap bamboo flooring will dent and scratch and need replacement sooner. Always go with a reputable, top of the line retailer and product to get the most out of your home upgrades.

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Parenting

Happy Earth Day: 15 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Everyday

Posted on April 22, 2016

Today is Earth Day but April is Earth Month.

I found this cute blog post I did in 2010 on my first “mom blog” The Mischiefmakers that essentially was a 15 images pictorial of my family showing 15 ways to celebrate Earth Day every day, 365 days a year.

Enjoy…

To Celebrate Earth Day Every Day….

mount a tall hay mountain…

dig in as deep as you can…

go for a hike and take the path less traveled…

enjoy man’s attempt to recreate the nature (a fountain in the middle of a lake?)…

find a hermit crab living along the shore line…

take a long walk on the grassy knoll…

enjoy the trees blossoming to their peak in spring…

go fly a kite…

…and see how high you can let it soar…

make sure you capture family holidays (like this Easter pic in the backyard)…

when you can, catch the sunset near the dock of a pier…

challenge yourself and join an athletic team…

climb a big rock…

let your family know you love them…go on and give them a hug and a call…

when you can, experience the REAL EARTH and enjoy it for what it’s worth…

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Celebrity

That Time Prince Guest Starred on ‘Muppets Tonight’ (VIDEO)

Posted on April 21, 2016

Among the many tributes to the late great Purple One I’ve seen today was this adorable appearance by Prince performing with muppets on the first episode of season two of Muppets Tonight on ABC in 1997.

The appearance was iconic and even included a cute music video.

It was a Variety type show, like with Saturday Night Live, the guest is featured on several skits.

The episode was called “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince” and was during the time, he was in a spat with his label Warner Brothers and he didn’t use his name.

During hisappearance, he starred in a parody of Hee Haw called Hoo Haw that took place in a cornfield while wearing overalls and a straw hat.

It showed that his Highness didn’t take himself too seriously.

Check out the episode:

Love it!

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BumpNews

My Superfan Tribute to the late GREAT Prince Rogers Nelson

Posted on April 21, 2016

(Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures)

I am an 80s kid and I was introduced to Prince when his career was just popping off.

I was, of course, too young to be listening to his music which had adult themes. I really didn’t understand most of it anyway. I just thought he was cute and I loved his look and the sound.

When I was in elementary school, I tricked my immigrant parents into taking me to see “Purple Rain” at the movie theater. They weren’t too knowledgeable about the ratings standards and had no clue it was Rated R. Oh yeah, my 6 year old sister came along too. They thought it was a musical. ooops!

It didn’t take too long for them to realize the musical drama and love story about a troubled aspiring musician and band leader playing the competitive music scene in Minneapolis was too grown for their kids.

Luckily for me, they didn’t make me leave during the risque scenes but rather told me to cover my eyes with my poncho.

My dad enjoyed the film and therefore I didn’t get punished afterwards either.

The 11-year old me was blown away! Not only did I think Prince was super cute, but I loved the energy of his music and even at that tender age, I could sense there was something magical and special about him. He had a certain mystique, a je nai c’est quoi, if you will.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 27: Musician Prince performs onstage at the 2006 BET Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on June 27, 2006 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

I loved every single on that Purple Rain Album and much of his subsequent records even after he left The Revolution and formed other bands and collaborated with other stars like Sheila E, Sheila Easton, Vanity, and others.

I grew up listening to his music and after I got my first job at 7-Eleven a few years later, I could finally afford to buy his cassettes and play them back on my tape deck.

My baby sister and I would dance to his tunes in front of the mirror at home and would sit and wait for someone to order up his videos on the Video Music Jukebox on the weekend when my parents went to work. We rocked to him when his videos would come on MTV or we’d hear him on the radio.

I don’t know which one of his songs is my favorite. I think “Kiss” is up on the list as is “Pop Life” and “Raspberry Beret” and “Alphabet Street” and “U Got that Look” and “Hot Thang” and “If I was Your Girlfriend“. The list goes on and on.

Eventually, I’d go to college and one day after getting a job, I’d get a chance to join his official fan club and land a coveted floor (3rd row reserved for Fan Club members) seat during his concert stop at the then MCI Arena in Washington, DC. I swear there were a few moments during his set that he and I made eye contact and connected.

Whether it (the eyes connecting part) happened for real or not, I was so happy to be in that moment, absorbing the essence of a true performer, one who could play multiple instruments, command a stadium, seduce thousands of women at the same time, all while balancing on a pair of 5 inch boots!

There will be no other performer like Prince in this or any future generation because he was/is irreplaceable.

As one of his SUPER FANS, I am still in shock of the news that he has passed away. I am grateful however, that he leaves a wonderful anthology of great music (including some yet to be released to the public which I intend to get whenever they become available).

Thank you, Prince Rogers Nelson. You played the soundtrack to many of our lives. Thank you for the music, the memories and the nostalgia that will be with us forever.

Rest in Paradise, dead friend in my head. Love you!

images: Warner Brothers, WikiCommons, Screencapture Youtube

And his first hit which I loved dearly was “I Wanna Be Your Lover”. Check it out here!

Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover (1979)

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BumpNews

We’re in Another Cycle Where A Bunch of Hot Models are Preggers

Posted on April 21, 2016

Every once in a while a bunch of hot models (like here and here and here) get knocked up at the same time and we collectively hate them. And when I say “hate”, I mean “get jealous of them for staying relatively hot and thin and looking like they just ate a big meal, not like they’re incubating another human being in their uterus, while we’re sitting over here 6 years later, still looking like we just gave birth two days ago.”

ha!

Anyway… we are in a new round of a bunch of models being pregnant and they’re online and in social media looking cute, as usual. Here are where you can find recent pics:

Victoria Secret model Behati Prinsloo shared a sexy baby bump photos (US Weekly)

Former model and current actress Liv Tyler (The Leftovers) took a stroll with a friend and Instagram shared it (PopSugar)

Another Supermodel Bar Rafaeli did a swimsuit bump share too. (In Style)

Model and new mom Chrissy Teigen shared a super cute photo of herself holding a new daughter Luna, affectionately called LuLu (Celebrity Baby Scoop)

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BumpNews

Here are 10 Things to Do to Avoid Spring Allergies

Posted on April 20, 2016

With Spring, we welcome warmer weather and more opportunities to play outdoors. Spring also is a time when many children and adults feel the effects of allergies. Allergens can be in the home too.

Most people don’t realize that their home is probably making them sick, says Robin Wilson, founder and CEO of Robin Wilson Home in New York City and an ambassador to The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, but there are simple solutions to help eliminate the “wheezes and sneezes.”

Here are her tips for help contain some of the sources of allergy suffering:

1. For allergy and asthma sufferers, make sure and use hypoallergenic pillows and anti-allergen or hypoallergenic pillow cases and covers. Wash your pillow case once a week, your pillow protector at least once a month and wash your pillow at least twice a year. Replace pillows every three years

2. Don’t use a vinyl shower curtain because it holds mold more easily and off gases. Use a nylon curtain instead. It’s also less expensive.

3. Use non-VOC paints which won’t off gas, leave an obnoxious paint odor and stir up asthma or allergies. It looks just as good on the wall as regular paint.

4. Avoid wall-to-wall carpeting. Tile and hardwood floors are a much better choice, but must be vacuumed or cleaned on a regular basis to eliminate dirt and dust. Shake out and vacuum area rugs on a regular basis as well. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter.

5. Watch for mold in the dishwasher and refrigerator pan which can build up quickly in the kitchen.

6. One of the biggest trends today is eco-friendly cabinetry because it has no formaldehyde adhesives and is made with low VOC stains. Consider frameless cabinets which won’t collect as much dust.

7. Use slip covers on sofas and chairs which can be washed regularly to eliminate dirt and dust.

8. Keep pets out of the bedroom, and bathe them often to reduce the dander.

9. Freeze stuffed toys for 24 hours to kill dust mites and other bacteria that may have built up.

10. Keep windows closed at night so pollen from outdoors don’t get in and settle on surfaces.

Following these tips should help minimize the sneeze attacks this Spring.

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Celebrity

Naya Rivera and Tamera Mowry-Housely’s kids Make big Debuts

Posted on April 20, 2016

Naya Rivera and Tamera Mowry-Housley made a big public first with their respective newest baby.

Rivera and her son Josey with husband Ryan Dorsey are on the cover of Fit Pregnancy & Baby‘s latest issue.

Meanwhile, The Real co-star and her husband Adam Houseley let their baby girl Ariah work her very first red carpet at the Milk + Cookies story telling event in Los Angeles, California this weekend.

The Sister-Sister star also brought along to the event her adorable son Aden. The Tia and Tamera reality star shares pics of her kids occasionally in social media.

Ariah’s first red carpet at #milkandbookies Dress @zara Shoes @verocuoio_shose Make-up @anthonyhnguyenmakeup Hair @marciahamilton Styling @jasonbolden Ariah outfit @bluraine_
A photo posted by tameramowrytwo (@tameramowrytwo) on Apr 17, 2016 at 7:17pm PDT

Rivera is more limiting.

She says in the magazine that she usually avoids over sharing photos of her son.

“I try to keep [shots of Josey] to a minimum,” the Glee alum said in he mag. “Don’t get me wrong. I want to post photos of him every day because he’s so cute, but I try to just post mostly on holidays, because some things should be kept private. Obviously, doing a magazine cover with him was a big decision, but I know it’s something we’ll look back on and cherish.”

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Tips

Earth Day is Coming & Here are 30 Blogs to Help You Reduce Your Family’s Carbon Footprint

Posted on April 20, 2016

Bellyitch rewind

This winter, my husband went away to visit family and attend events at his native Trinidad and Tobago. While he was away, I woefully neglected to take out our recycle bin and forgot to ask our sons to do so as well. That meant, for two weeks, our pizza boxes, egg whites, milk cartons and such piled up and overflowed in the backyard. When I went over to tsk tsk shamefully and peer at it, that’s when I was struck at how large our carbon footprint is. The pile was so high.

Lucky for me, I recalled GoNannies had submitted a guest blog post a little while back where it curated 30 blog posts that helped families like mine do a better job of using earth resources. This post is perfectly timed to share today for Earth Day and Earth Month is coming up this April:

As information about climate change and the damage it could cause continues to be discovered, more and more families are realizing the importance of managing and minimizing their carbon footprint. Making a difference in the health of the planet by making a conscious effort to reduce the ecological impact that your household has is the socially responsible, ethical thing to do. These 30 blogs all feature posts underlining the importance of that task, and offer tips, hints and tricks for turning your family a bit greener.

My family’s carbon footprint

Energy-Efficient Home Improvements

Not only will energy-efficient upgrades to your home help the planet, they’ll also save your wallet each month by translating into noticeable reductions in energy costs. These five blog entries detail some of the upgrades you can make to turn your home into one that has less of an ecological impact, and will also cost less to maintain.

Sustainable Dietary Habits

Making changes to your dietary habits is an effective way of reducing your carbon footprint while also enjoying healthier, more wholesome foods. These five blog posts detail not only the importance of sustainable eating, but also include tips for how to make the switch with your family.

Recycling and Repurposing

The environment created inside a landfill is one that’s typically anaerobic due to how tightly garbage is compacted. The lack of oxygen in this environment means that even biodegradable refuse may not break down properly, which is one of the reasons why recycling is so important. Repurposing items that you might ordinarily discard can also help you save money, and will keep them out of your local landfill.

Transportation

Changing the way that your family commutes to work, school and activities is a small but significant step in the direction of ecological responsibility. Carpooling, participating in ride share programs, and utilizing mass transit are all viable alternatives to driving a car with one or two occupants, and these changes do make a difference. These five bloggers discuss their experiences and share their knowledge about earth-friendly transportation.

Reducing Waste

While keeping garbage out of landfills and managing your family’s carbon footprint is of vital importance, learning to manage and reduce your waste as a group is a great way to instill the importance of green living in children, teaching them responsible practices that they’ll remember in adulthood.

Teaching Kids Earth-Friendly Habits

It’s important for families to reduce their carbon footprints as a household, but it’s also important that kids learn the necessity of living an environmentally-responsible life as they grow up. Good habits start when children are still quite small, and these five bloggers tackle the issue of imparting green values to little ones.

Stay GREEN everyone!

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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt

Dishwasher drawers

Smart thermostat

Energy-saving windows

Lighting

Bamboo flooring