Beyoncé Decided to Star in “The Lion King” for This Very Sweet Reason

by Shahrzad WarkentinMay 1, 2019

Kids can play a pivotal role in a lot of big life decisions and for one superstar, it meant taking on the role of a lifetime. In a recent interview The Lion King director Jon Favreau revealed that Beyoncé took on the part of Nala thanks to her kids.

While fans have gotten plenty of glimpses of the new remake of The Lion King in the latest trailer, one key character that remains elusive is Nala, who is voiced by Beyoncé. Her voice will not only fill a pivotal role as a character, but also as a singer and it’s all thanks to being a mom.

How Jon Favreau's #TheLionKing landed Beyoncé https://t.co/8Vu1bEzX6v

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) April 26, 2019

“I think that part of [her joining the film] is that she’s got young kids, part of it is that it’s a story that feels good for this phase of her life and her career, and she really likes the original very much. And then, of course, there are these wonderful musical numbers that she can be involved with, and my God… she really lives up to her reputation as far as the beauty of her voice and talent,” Favreau revealed about Beyoncé in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“Although her persona onstage is bigger than life, she’s very down to earth and is very much dedicated to having a life that is human-scale,” he added.

The Bey-hive doesn’t have much longer to wait for what is sure to be an incredible performance. The Lion King hits theaters Jul. 19, 2019.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Tyler Mitchell for Vogue, via Instagram

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Hilaria Baldwin’s Post About Her Possible Miscarriage Is So Important

by Shahrzad WarkentinApril 9, 2019

Despite the role of social media in openness about parenting and the experience of pregnancy, a taboo still remains when it comes to talking about miscarriage and pregnancy loss. When Hilaria Baldwin posted about her possible miscarriage last week, it served as an important reminder for that it’s okay for women to open up more about this difficult subject.

Baldwin shared a moving post to her Instagram feed explaining that although she is still technically pregnant, she is most likely experiencing a miscarriage. “I always promised myself that if I were to get pregnant again, I would share the news with you guys pretty early, even if that means suffering a public loss,” the mom of four and wife of Alec Baldwin shared.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hilaria Thomas Baldwin (@hilariabaldwin)

“I have always been so open with you all about my family, fitness, pregnancies…and I don’t want to keep this from you, just because it isn’t as positive and shiny as the rest,” she wrote in the lengthy post, explaining “the embryo has a heartbeat, but it isn’t strong, and the baby isn’t growing very much. So we wait—and this is hard. So much uncertainty…but the chances are very, very small that this is a viable pregnancy.”

Previous research indicates that anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage; the March of Dimes estimates that as many as half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage but happen so early, the pregnancy may not yet have been detected. Despite this, miscarriage is a topic many women find too painful to discuss, and understandably so. But as Baldwin’s post shows, being open about the experience can help other women going through the same experience realize they are not alone and miscarriage is a common experience that can happen to any expecting mom.

Baldwin wrote, “I’m hoping, that by sharing this, I can contribute to raising awareness about this sensitive topic.”

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Hilaria Baldwin via Instagram

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Is Spray Sunscreen Safe For Kids? Experts Weigh In

by Shahrzad WarkentinApril 5, 2019

Spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner, which means kids will be spending more time out in the sun. Now is the perfect time to restock your sunscreen stash, but before you go on that Target run, the question remains: is spray sunscreen safe for kids?

Every parent that has spent even a minute trying to rub sunscreen onto a squirmy toddler can see the value in spray sunscreen. It’s fast and easy, but is it really the best choice? Not always. Some sunscreen is better than none, but according to experts, when given the choice parents should opt for using lotion rather than aerosol sprays.

photo: bryan via Flickr

“A spray can seem really convenient because you can just spray and off you go,” Dr. Jean Moorjani, a pediatrician at Orlando Health’s Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children told POPSUGAR. “The tricky thing about the spray is the way it’s made. Aerosol versions are going to be thinner than lotion, so you don’t really know how much sun protection your child is getting because a lot of these sprays have to be administered all over. They’re known to miss spots, even though it seems like they get everything.”

There is also the chance that kids can end up inhaling the aerosol spray. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration recommends avoiding spraying sunscreen near the face. Dr. Albert Yan, a pediatric dermatologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Pediatric Dermatology says the best method is to spray the sunscreen in your hand and then rub it onto the skin.

The other problem with sprays is that people often don’t apply enough. The American Academy of Dermatology advises one ounce per use, which means a six-ounce bottle of spray sunscreen contains only six applications for one adult. As a general rule of thumb you should be able to see the sunscreen on your skin to know that you’re using enough.

When shopping for a sunscreen it’s also important to purchase one that offers the right type of protection. The AAD advises shoppers to look for labels marked “broad spectrum” and “water resistant” and to opt for sunscreens with an SPF rating of 30 or higher.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Sesame Workshop’s Newest Muppet Will Teach Preschoolers to Code

by Karly WoodMarch 26, 2019

We’ve been waiting since June 2018 when Apple first announced a partnership with Sesame Workshop to hear about the lineup of planned programs—and now we know one of them will be a new coding TV show for preschoolers!

The announcement came at Apple’s huge press event on Monday, Mar. 25 by none other than Big Bird himself. Joining him on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino was his new Muppet pal, Cody. The show is one of the first kids programs for the Apple TV+ platform, a new streaming service that offers originally-produced movie and television content straight from Apple.

photo: Courtesy of Apple

Newcomer Cody told his audience that, “By teaching preschoolers about coding, we’re giving them the opportunity to change the world!”—and we couldn’t agree more. In addition to being a solid foundation for all things tech-related, coding also offers teaches kids how to use critical thinking skills and collaborate with others.

Currently, neither Apple nor Sesame Workshop have released the name of the show, nor how they plans to present coding tutorials to its audience of young learners. Despite not having all the details, one thing remains clear: Apple is building the next generation of programmers from the ground up.

––Karly Wood

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Bill & Ted Are Coming Back for a Most Excellent New Adventure

by Shahrzad WarkentinMarch 26, 2019

Everyone’s favorite time-traveling dudes are officially coming back! A Bill & Ted 3 movie is in the works and this news is most excellent.

Give your air guitar skills a workout because Bill and Ted are headed back to the big screen for more historical hijinks. Of course, after this many years, actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter aren’t exactly teens anymore—which means the plot will be a little but different. Bill and Ted are all grown up, but their friendship remains the same.

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A post shared by Bill & Ted 3 (@billandted3)

According to a press release, Bill & Ted 3 Face the Music will pick up years later when the now middle-aged best friends set out on a new adventure. Their new journey begins “when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it and bring harmony to the universe.”

You can be sure there will be some familiar faces along the way as the release promises that they’ll be joined by a few music legends.

Bill & Ted 3 Face the Music hits theaters next summer on Aug. 21, 2020.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: billandted3 via Instagram

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Millions of Butterflies Are Migrating North & Here’s How to See Them

by Shahrzad WarkentinMarch 18, 2019

If chasing butterflies is your family’s idea of a dream day, then you might want to pay a visit to California where the Painted Lady butterfly migration is currently underway. All you have to do is look up for an amazing view!

Following rainy periods in Mexico and the southwest United States, the orange and black-winged Painted Ladies, also known as Vanessa cardui, make their way north in droves this time of year, which makes for an incredible sight.

BUTTERFLY WATCH: Millions of butterflies are flying through LA on a #Butterflymigration. Have you seen any in your town? https://t.co/R3YA0XRnhq pic.twitter.com/75qJNfDesY

— KCAL News (@kcalnews) March 13, 2019

“We were seeing at least 100 of them a minute,” Doug Yanega, senior museum scientist at the University of California, Riverside’s Entomology Research Museum, told Los Angeles Curbed.

If weather remains mild, Yangea explained, the butterflies will continue to make their way across the skies as they they travel even further north in the next few months. Then in August they will make their way back down south again in a second migration for the winter.

It’s not a migration, it’s an invasion! Painted ladies everywhere in my garden, they are coming all the time, shadows over the skylights! A truly remarkable event!#paintedladies #Butterflymigration #FridayFeeIing pic.twitter.com/DuyrgdOw41

— Michele Steer (@Michsteer) March 15, 2019

Can’t make it to SoCal? You can always set your eyes on Twitter and Instagram where videos of these winged beauties are filling feeds for the moment with the hashtag #butterflymigration.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: Martina Misar-Tummeltshammer via Unsplash

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Could the Disney Princesses in “Ralph Breaks the Internet” Get Their Own Spin-Off?

by Shahrzad WarkentinMarch 8, 2019

If the Disney Princesses in Ralph Breaks the Internet were your favorite part if the sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, you’re not alone. Fans across the internet are hoping to see the princesses get their own spin-off—and the film’s directors agree.

In a recent interview with the A.V. Club, Ralph Breaks the Internet directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston agreed with fan sentiment that the princesses would be the perfect stars of their own film. “When you’re in Stockholm, and they’re saying like, ‘Have you considered doing a movie just about the Princesses?’ I think it’s an idea worth exploring because everywhere we go, we hear that response. ‘Oh my God, I love the Princesses like that,’” said Moore.

photo: YouTube

“Not just the scene meeting Vanellope and talking about what it means to be a princess, but then to see them in action—it does feel like there’s something to that—that people are finally seeing the Princesses do what you’ve always believed they could do, but you’ve never seen it before,” he continued.

For now the idea remains just an idea, unfortunately, as there are no official plans in the works for a spin-off. But maybe if we all find some important water and stare really hard, our dreams will come true.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Chrissy Teigen Wants to Publish Your Recipes at Her Brand-New Website

by Keiko ZollFebruary 27, 2019

It might seem kind of crazy that in 2019, model, mom and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen doesn’t have a website, when it seems like so many other celebs do. But you can Google it for yourself: there’s no chrissyteigen.com—for now, at least. According to Teigen herself though, that’s about to change. Not only that—she needs our help to make it awesome!

“I am finally going to have a WEBSITE on the INTERNETS!” Teigen announced on Twitter Wednesday.

oh man…after mannnnnny years of talking about it and muccccch work by many extraordinary beings, I am finally going to have a WEBSITE on the INTERNETS!

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 27, 2019

Not only is Teigen finally getting a website, we also know she’s opening it up to her community of fans, specifically when it comes to our all of our tasty recipes. “I want to fill it with recipes upon your arrival,” she tweeted. Teigen encouraged her fans to reply to her tweet with their suggestions.

I want to fill it with recipes upon your arrival (new! not the same from the books) – I would love for you to tell me what I should make! Please let me know here and I will screen grab and tag your questions or recipe requests on the site!!

— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) February 27, 2019

Fans are DEFINITELY excited about this big news. One Twitter user basically articulated something I think pretty much every busy mom can relate to—the infamous “What’s for dinner?” game and more specifically, how Teigen could save our day:

Can we sign up for daily emails with you telling us what to make for dinner with the recipe and ingredient list?

— Becca (@bhendricks6781) February 27, 2019

Some totally playfully chided Teigen for “getting with the times,” as it were:

https://twitter.com/ParkerMolloy/status/1100848017522024448

We can on the online, On the World Wide Web! We can use Googs to find it!

— Dr. Ouiser Boudreaux (@EdPsychMama) February 27, 2019

Others are just wrapped up in the pure excitement of it all:

omg i expect your website to teleport me to a magical place full of light and whimsey, no pressure

— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) February 27, 2019

And another def threw some major shade at Gwyneth Paltrow’s (in)famous website, GOOP:

https://twitter.com/coffeedregs_/status/1100846710509719552

What her website looks like, what the actual web address is—all of that remains to be seen. Teigen has quite the Instagram and Twitter following, so having a website—filled with fan-suggested recipes—gives us all one more awesome way to follow along her culinary and mom journeys. We can’t wait for the big reveal.

—Keiko Zoll

Featured photo: Courtesy of Amazon

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Here’s How Much Screen Time Little Kids Are Really Getting, But Is It Too Much?

by Shahrzad WarkentinFebruary 1, 2019

Yet another study weighs in on the topic of screen time. This researchers examined the following questions: how much screen time do kids really get—and is it too much?

Screens are ubiquitous in our now digital society and at some point all kids will be exposed to them, no matter what you do. The question remains: does the amount of exposure matter? A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics found a link between excessive screen use in kids and delays in development. The study concludes, “When young children are observing screens, they may be missing important opportunities to practice and master interpersonal, motor, and communication skills.”

photo: StockSnap via Pixabay

The study included 3388 moms and kids tracking their stages and screen use at 24, 36, and 60 months. On average, kids aged 24, 36, and 60 months in the study were watching approximately 17, 25, and 11 hours of television per week, “which amounts to approximately 2.4, 3.6, and 1.6 hours of screen time per day.”

So how much is too much? A recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health suggests that kids should have no more than two hours of screen time per day to avoid impacted kids’ cognition. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids under 24 months should have no screen time other than video chatting, while those ages two to five-years-old should be limited to no more than one hour of quality screen time per day.

With so many different studies and recommendations it can be hard for families to know what to do, but ultimately it’s up to parents to decide what is best for their own kids.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

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Up to 3,000 More Amazon Go Stores Could Arrive in the Next 3 Years

by Shahrzad WarkentinSeptember 25, 2018

Grocery shopping without waiting in line is probably every mom’s dream—and now that dream might just come true as Amazon Go stores will reportedly open at 3,000 locations across the country. An Amazon spokesperson told Red Tricycle, “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation”—but here’s what we do know right now.

According to a Bloomberg report, Amazon plans to rapidly expand its cashier-less Amazon Go stores with 3,000 locations set to open by 2021. With four Amazon Go stores open already, the cashier-less store concept is still being fine-tuned as some locations feature mainly grab-and-go eats while others also have a small selection of grocery items. Despite the difference in offerings, the overall idea is to make a quick stop at the store fast and easy by eliminating the need to stand in line and pay.

Amazon Go shoppers simply use their Amazon smartphone apps to enter the store. Sensors on the shelves pick up data from what’s taken off the shelves and how much it costs. Paying is even easier as customers can pay via the app while they walk out of the store.

The only question that remains is where these new stores will be. Location is a major part of convenience, especially in major cities where limited parking and transportation are big factors. Skipping a line is a big plus for families, but not if you have to park a mile away. “Amazon Go already has no lines,” Jeff Lenard, vice president of National Association of Convenience Stores, told Bloomberg. “The key to success will be convenient locations. If it’s a quarter mile from where people are walking and biking, the novelty of the technology won’t matter. It’s too far away.”

Even so, the idea of having a truly grab-and-go shopping experience rolling out nationwide is exciting all the same.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured Photo: Amazon via YouTube

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