Blog Posts by The_Stir

mascaraWhen you're a mom, there's nothing more important than convenience. Balancing a hectic schedule doesn't leave much time for a beauty routine, so it's important that whatever products you're using go on quick, stay on long, and look great. You don't need any muss and you certainly don't need any fuss. With that in mind, I've pulled 5 must-have products that will change the way you think about makeup. The best part about all of these is that you don't even need a mirror to apply -- they're that simple. You have to pay a little extra for this convenience, but you can't put a price on your sanity, can you?

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cheek stain
Tarte cheek stain, $30

I was applying this exact blush, sans mirror, when a mom of two stopped me and asked me where I got such a miracle product. Putting this on is so easy, and it looks fantastic. Since it's not a powder, you get a great dewy, natural look that lasts for hours. Just rub on your

overpopulationIn completely non-shocking news, Michelle Duggar does not believe in overpopulation. Along with other non-beliefs such as birth control and spending more than $25 for a haircut, Duggar says that "the idea of overpopulation is not accurate." Whatever that means. I'm not sure how an actual thing that exists can't be accurate, but logic isn't Michelle's strong suit. What is is making babies and she's going to keep on doing it because every baby is like a flower. Or something.

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Listen, if that lady wants to keep beating up her uterus until it falls right out, that's her business. But she should at least recognize that more children do take up more resources, no matter how many hand-me-downs are worn. Those things have to be washed, do they not?

On the other side, you've got people who actually plan their family based on the potential carbon footprint. You know those people, right?

When your relationship fizzles and you break up with your significant other, there's this weird hole in your life. It's hard to know what, exactly, to do with that emptiness. Do you want to be friends with your ex? SHOULD you be friends with your ex? CAN a friendship between two people who once dated work?

The answer, I think, is somewhere between yes and no.

Let's find out what you need to think about to stay friends with your ex (or not).

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First things first. If you want to be friends with your ex -- actual, solid friends -- you're going to have to make certain you don't have any lingering feelings for him and he doesn't have any lingering feelings for you. It's very easy to slip back into old routines when you should be getting over the person. You broke up for a reason, remember?

One of the biggest reasons to stay friends with your ex is (weirdly enough) to help

little girlNo mom wants to think that her sweet little girl could possibly metamorphosis into a mean girl. That the little girl who you had tea parties with and watched as she lovingly moved a kitten out of harm's way could turn into a bully.

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Everyone hates a mean girl. But I'd rather my daughter turn into a mean girl than the victim of a bully. My daughter has gotten bullied. Both of my girls have gotten bullied -- in preschool no less. Kids are mean these days.

A classmate, who somehow at the tender age of 4 knows how to withhold affection, was torturing my youngest. This kid is a master manipulator and her bullying isn't reserved just for my daughter. She is an equal opportunity mean girl. Honestly, I don't care for this child at all, mostly because she made my daughter cry for about 3 months.

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This child likes to tell

All this warm weather talk has me so anxious for summertime to hurry up and get here already! After seeing this image, I am convinced that I need to try and find a spot for a hammock because I can't think of a better place to spend a lazy summer afternoon, can you? Hammocks make me feel like I'm on vacation!

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Find 5 other equally dreamy hammocks below.

Porch fan, open shutters, cold drink? Yes please!

When I imagine living in the South, this is what it looks like. I want to settle in with a good book and forget about the rest of the day.

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Everything about this room seems utterly warm and relaxing, the hammock included. But the materials make it feel adventurous and exotic at the same time.

I love how this patio is screened in with trees and ferns -- the whole thing feels so peaceful and zen. The indoor and

skimpy prom dressSometimes I think high school administrators spend far too much time contemplating the skimpiness of female students' attire. Case in point: The current prom dress guideline trend, ostensibly designed to ensure that no girls show up at the formal looking like -- well, like a word Rush Limbaugh would use. Among the "banned" gowns at most schools are those with super-low backs, cut-outs, and/or low, low, low, low, low necklines.

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She hit the flo'/She hit the flo'/Next thing you know/Shawty got low, low, low, low, low

In case you're wondering, I'm not referencing a hip-hop anthem from five years ago arbitrarily. That song ("Low" by Flo Rida) has everything to do with proms and skimpy dresses and why banning them is pointless.

See, reporters get all kinds of assignments, and over the past few years, several of mine have involved prom fashion. These required actually attending

skittlesThe weirdest fallout from the Trayvon Martin shooting has to be this: Skittles are flying off the shelves. This is the candy Trayvon was holding when he was killed by George Zimmerman. Ever since then, the candy has become a symbol for Americans' outrage over the killing and the shocking aftermath.

If the hoodie symbolizes racial profiling, Skittles must symbolize youth and innocence. Spellman College students are re-selling them to raise funds for Trayvon's family. They're showing up at rallies and memorials. But ... should the company that makes Skittles, Wrigley, donate the extra profit?

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Wrigley has already been accused of profiting from Trayvon's death. But they're playing it super-safe. While they're "saddened" by the killing and respect the family, they feel it's "inappropriate to get involved or comment further as we would never wish for our actions to be perceived

shampooWe are all busy moms, and sometimes we truly deserve a good luxury splurge to make us feel pampered and appreciated. Things like a trip to the spa or salon are an awful lot of fun, but they can also be quite pricey, which is why it's good to spread them out a bit.

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But we can make our fun indulgences a little less few and far between simply by spending less money on beauty products that we use every day. Believe it or not, expensive isn't always better. There are plenty of quality products on the market that work just as well as all of the fancy designer brands and deliver the same (if not better) results.

1. Shampoo, Conditioner & Hair Styling Products - I'm semi-ashamed to admit that I used to be a huge shampoo snob who wouldn't even dream of buying hair products anywhere other than at a salon. But then one day I was out of shampoo & conditioner and I happened to be at the