Blog Posts by The_Stir

Ann Taylor holiday dressFall, winter, and I have a love/hate relationship. I oh-so-love the chilly season's beautiful scenery, absolutely adore all the eggnog filled holiday corniness, and man do I look forward to my dad's loaded sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving and grandma's tri-layer Italian Christmas cookies. But ahhh, there lies my problem. Colder months and my waistline, well, they don't always get along. At all.

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All those special occasions, work parties, holiday parties, parties just because we have nothing else to do and it's cold outside -- they tend to involve a whole lot of extra eating and drinking and, as a result, adding a few pounds.

So what's a frustrated, bigger (if only slightly) fashionista to do when it's time to get holiday fancy? Don't fret my fellow seasonal indulgers, there are loads of great dresses out there perfect for holiday fun that can conceal your trouble spots. Here

lips kissing"Sex Confessions" is a series featuring your naughtiest bedroom secrets and fantasies. Some will sound familiar, others may give you ideas, some will turn you on, and some are dark and twisted. You might want to sit down for this.

Today Laurie* is spilling the beans about the naughty photos she takes of her husband ... and what she does with them. Laurie is awfully proud of her husband's package. The couple, who are both in their 30s, enjoy taking steamy pics of each other before, after, and even during sex. Full-frontal nudity. Penetration. Oh yes, she has photos of all of it. She says they love reviewing the photos for their own pleasure and it turns them on ... kind of like looking at a porno mag, only they are the stars. What her husband doesn't know, however, is that she shows her friends as well. Let's hear her reasoning, shall we?

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I might earn myself a lot of haters for this one, but my husband

sexual bucket listThe cool thing about kids is that they're direct evidence that you are not a virgin! OK, OK, I know there are other cool things about kids, but the reality is that these little things created from sex actually cramp your sexual style.

They don't have to, though. Sex after baby can be just as hot as sex before. It's just different. We wrote a sexual bucket list a few years ago that was good for everyone, but it seems we need one specifically for those awesome first 10 years of parenthood.

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With no further ado, here is the sexual bucket list for parents. Here are the 50 must-do sexual acts for parents. The sexual bucket list for moms and dads! See below:

1.) Sex in the car (cause you can't do it anywhere else!).

2.) Sex in the rain (because you'll get caught inside!).

3.) Trying to finish as the kids bang on the locked door.

4.) Drunk, after a Saturday date night.

5.) In the shower while you're

Can you: name most of the characters on The Cosby Show? Sing the theme song to The Facts of Life? Remember what you had for breakfast?

I stumped you on the last one, right? I know, that's because you, like me, have Momnesia. Momnesia is the reason I call my cellphone because I've lost it ... and then answer it, because I've already forgotten I'm the one calling! (Sound familiar?)
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On this week's episode of The Jenny Isenman Show, I sit down with Sharon Rowley, organizational blogger and mom of SIX, to talk about the embarrassing gaffes we've made, and the memory tricks we rely on to get through a day.

Watch after the jump to find out:

• That you're NOT alone!
• The trick to long-term memory.
• How to be your own announcer.
• Why my hot, shirtless barista should load your dishwasher.

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baby handThis story of a mom giving birth in her bathroom with only the assistance of her 6-year-old daughter is proof that there is power in love and being calm during labor. Of course, a fast delivery also helps. And a kid who watches medical shows.

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That's exactly what happened when Kay Goodby, 28, of the UK went into labor in the middle of the night. Francesca, Kay's 6-year-old daughter, heard her mom screams when her water broke in the bathroom of their home. She came into the room and calmly starting talking her through the birth. Dad Michael went downstairs to call the paramedics, but Francesca was so effective as a midwife, baby was born before he came back upstairs.

Francesca, who wants to be a doctor when she grows up, told her mom she could see baby's head starting to crown. She went and got clean towels, and without panicking, told her mom to push. She told the Express UK, "I had to keep mummy

crying babyIf there's one helpful thing I think women would do well to learn and accept while they're pregnant, it's that it's okay to ask for help when the baby arrives. While we all want to be, and perhaps think we will be, that mom who has everything under control, no problem, the fact is it's hard, and sometimes you just need help.

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The key, however, is knowing how to ask for help the right way. Gawker got a hold of a Facebook post complete with a Google doc from a new mom who was not shy at all about asking friends and family for help, which is good. Except it's how she asked that is so incredulous. Here's a taste of what she suggests people should do for her written in what comes off as the most condescending, self-centered tone possible.

She starts out pleasantly enough:

SAD. An appropriate acronym for the "winter blues," SAD stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. The symptoms begin in the fall and generally lift around May of the following year. While SAD is typically milder than other depressive disorders, it is still not easy to cope with and manage.

But millions of people suffer from seasonal depression. Here's how to cope with SAD and find your happy again.

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1) Exercise those blues away - While exercising in the winter isn't always the easiest thing to do, what with the plummeting temperatures and black ice and all, it's important if you feel those winter blues coming on to get your body moving. Try doing some housework on days that it's too cold to go outside. Not only will you feel accomplished, but you'll also get your blood pumping and those endorphins (our natural pleasure chemicals) released.

2) Natural sunlight - Even opening the

chicken noodle soupYou know what I'm craving after these two East Coast storms? Some good old-fashioned chicken noodle soup. That just sounds like the coziest, most soothing food I could have right about now. And it feels like exactly what I need to get myself ready for this winter that's just around the corner.

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Here's a chicken noodle soup recipe that'll warm you to your bones. The recipe calls for egg noodles and I love that -- but of course you can use just about any other kind of pasta. And you can use canned or boxed chicken broth. But I've included my own recipe for homemade chicken broth -- and it couldn't be easier. The secret is to roast the bones first. That gives you an extra-rich flavor.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe via Food Network

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2