The Oscars: Red Carpet Best and Worst

As awards season comes to end, unfortunately so does our time to scrutinize each and every celebrity on the red carpet.  Well we still have on last hoorah as our favorites graced the red carpet at the Oscars.  The Academy Awards is perhaps the biggest award show of the whole season, but the stars were seriously lacking in the fashion department this year.  The only person willing to take a risk this year was Gwyneth Paltrow, who happen to be Perez Hilton's best dressed winner.  But I can agree to disagree with Perez Hilton on this one, and I'm sure it won't be the last.  So without further adue:

The Best

BRONZE

Tina Fey

Presenter

This dress flatters her body nicely and her hair was simple, yet very pretty.  Her whole look is very Tina Fey.  Love it.

SILVER

Jessica Chastain

The Help - Best Supporting Actress Nominee

The colors look gorgeous with her skin tone and I like how her hair is simple so it doesn't take away from the dress.

GOLD

Penelope Cruz

Attendee

As my roommate said, it's not even fair to try to compete with Penelope Cruz ever and at this red carpet, she looked like a goddess.  A++

The Worst

BRONZE

Shailene Woodley

The Descendants - Best Picture Nominee

She doesn't look horrible in this dress, but it's a little matronly for her age of just 20.  The dress is plain and covers every inch of her body.  Can't you see Meryl Streep wearing something like this?

SILVER

Wendi McLendon-Covey

Bridesmaids - Best Original Screenplay Nominee

Sorry Wendi, you are not at your high school prom.  This dress is a littttle tacky for your age.

GOLD

Angelina Jolie

Attendee

There was a point in time when Angelina was held on a pedestal for consistently wow-ing us with her red carpet looks.  But she's had a rough season this year.  Perhaps it's her pose in this dress that is just ridiculous..

And in case this catastrophe hasn't been exploited enough, Ryan Seacrest definitely takes the cake for the worst fashion disaster of the night:

LEAP for joy!

Let's all LEAP for joy, because today is LEAP DAY! This is a special day that only comes once every four years.


LBR dogs are LEAPING for joy all over the place, because they're so happy that they have wonderful foster homes or have already found perfect furever homes of their very own.



They're also reminding you to LEAP TO IT and do all those things you've been putting off, like sort through your old toys, clean out your crates, or donate to LBR.


Donate to LBR? Wow, what an LEAPING good idea! LBR is trying to get all its supporters to donate $29 dollars in honor of LEAP DAY, February 29th. It's a small amount, but it makes a huge difference to all the LBR dogs out there. Donations go to help with emergency medical care, routine vaccinations, heartworm treatment and preventative, and food for all the boxers of LBR. You can donate here. (You can donate any amount you want if $29 is too much.)


Let's help make even more boxers LEAP for joy as LBR helps them on their way to a furever home.

Edit: Thanks for your donations, everyone! Today LBR has raised $1,198.00!! That's going to go a long way to help some sick pups.

A lazy day...

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn. Sorry guys, I'm just having trouble moving this morning... One of those sleepy Mondays after a hard weekend of snoopervising Mom do yardwork. Looks like my LBR buddies are having the same problem.

I need to get me a napping spot like LBR foster Lucca. That looks cozy!


Or maybe I could just experiment with some new sleeping positions like LBR foster Timber. I bet he gets some great snores out of that!


Maybe the secret is just to have a buddy to snuggle up to, like LBR foster Carney and his new foster sister, LBR alum Ellie.


Sometimes a toy is what you need to sleep tight, like Blaine here...


Some guys don't need any help sleeping. LBR foster Bexar just takes his naps wherever he can get them.


But LBR alum Bacall knows it's the human factor that lends to the best naps of all.


As for me? I'm just dog tired.

Fundraising for Marie Curie Cancer Care

Today in school we dressed in yellow and raised money to support the work of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Many of our families have been touched by the disease and today we were proud to help to fund some of the work of this remarkable charity.

For more information about Marie Curie Cancer Care, please visit Marie Curie Cancer Care

Crocodile Creek Comes to Town!

The waiting is over! This week we saw our new play equipment being installed and the children were so excited! Our official opening will be in two weeks, when the equipment will be ready to play on.

Our thanks go to the Big Lottery Fund for their magnificent contribution of £10,000 and to all members of the school council, Miss Miles and Ashley, the Business Manager, for negotiating with suppliers, commissioning the work, agreeing with the whole school community on what was required and overseeing the installation. We are so proud of you all!

A very good dog.

I want to tell all of you about a wonderful dog. His name is Spruce, and he's one of the best dogs I know.


He's a wonderful big brother, both to his fur and skin brothers.


And he's about as charming as they come.


He's curious and investigative.


And he enjoys every minute of life!


The busy ones and the quiet. :)



He works hard as a babysitter.


And as a model.


He loves his family.


And most of all, he loves his mom.


Today Spruce's mom had to make the hardest decision any mom ever does. See, Spruce has been sick lately with an autoimmune disorder. They tried to find something that would help, but he just hasn't been the same guy anymore. Spruce's mom was very selfless, and instead of thinking about all the time she still wanted and needed with her baby, she only thought of what was best for him. She didn't want him to keep suffering, so today they're helping him to the Rainbow Bridge.

Everyone at LBR is devastated, because Spruce and his family are very active volunteers. His antics and how loving he is with his brothers have made us laugh and cry and say "awwwww" a whole bunch. He's only two years old, and we thought we would have him so much longer.

So this post isn't about a death. It's about a life. A wonderful life that, even though it was far too short, touched so many people.



He was a good dog. That's about the highest compliment I can give. Godspeed, Spruce. We're sure going to miss you!

Healthy Habits for a Lifetime Oral Care Challenge

My son actively brushing his teeth.

My mother is probably going to kill me for telling you this but she is frightened of the dentist. She goes but let's just say it is a stress inducing situation for her.  She is the first to admit that her dental phobia comes from not being taken to the dentist regularly as a child and thus having dental problems. Because of her experience, she made sure that I was at the dentist early. Not only do I not fear the dentist but despite having had to have a couple of fillings, I have never had a shot of novocain. Yes, I have a high tolerance for pain but because of my regular dental visits I've never had a deep cavity they have always been on the surface and needed a couple of seconds of drilling.

You can imagine with my history, I started my son at the dentist as soon as possible! He starting going to a Pediatric dentist at 18 months. I won't say that it was easy for him but the older he gets, the less fearful he is of the dentist. Admittedly, like 50% of children between the ages of 5 - 9 my son does have a cavity. Early on I made the mistake of allowing him to brush on his own and learned that I should help out in the process.  We are learning about great oral care together and so when asked to participate in the Reach and Listerine Healthy Habits for a Lifetime Oral Care Challenge I immediately said yes!

Despite all I know about good oral health, I am not the best about it. Yes, I brush my teeth twice a day but that clearly is not enough. At my last dental visit I was told I have BEAUTIFUL teeth but mild gingavatis. Easily preventable with flossing. I HATE flossing but during this challenge I am not only going to brush - which by the way misses 75% of your mouth - I am going to rinse with Listerine and floss for the next three weeks.

My son's rinse Batman, matches his toothbrush!

And since it takes 3 weeks to develop a habit, I am setting the foundation for a lifetime of healthy oral care. My son is getting in on the fun too. We've already started by using a timer for brushing his teeth and he is rinsing too! Flossing is a little more challenging but we are working on that. You can find

I'll update you in a few weeks and let you know how we do!


Disclosure: I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood

as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Wholesome Choices

I am all about healthy living but I am also realistic. I truly believe in everything in moderation and admittedly sometimes I am NOT very moderate. However, for the most part I to try to make healthy choices. So, I am partnering with McDonald’s on their Wholesome Choices Blogger Program! Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing my own tips and ideas for making more wholesome choices in your every day life. 


I'm sure your first response to this is MCDONALDS???!!!! Nothing healthy there! However, you might be surprised. After attending the kick-off last week I learned that there are a number of things on the menu under 300 calories. I actually had a yogurt parfait with fruit and granola which is 160 calories. I skipped the granola and left some of the fruit in the cup. I topped it off with a cup of water. For a quick snack this works for me, especially if I am busy running around and don't have time for breakfast. 

At the kickoff we also met Andrea Riggs author of Get Body Beautiful. 

She provided us with a few strength training exercises that are total body workouts, only take a few minutes and will be a wonderful addition to my running regiment. 

Over the next few weeks I will also be hitting LA Fitness to mix things up a bit. I can't wait to see how making small changes will effect my overall outcomes physically! 

You can follow McDonald’s on Twitter @McDonaldsATLand check out their website for real-time promos, meal ideas and how to make the most of your McDonald’s experience:http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices.html

McDonald’s partnered with bloggers such as me to participate in its “Wholesome Choices” Blogger Program.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the products used, and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. McDonald’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Mom says it's pancakes for dinner tonight. Woohoo!! Let's party!


...Hey, how'd Cinderella get more beads than me??

More smell mail time!

Today was another pet fair for Legacy Boxer Rescue, and you know what that means! More smell mail!! Mom brought me lots of good stuff today.

Ooh, here's Saber. He's a handsome guy, even if he was so excited he wouldn't look at Mom's camera.


Ooh, and Mr. Freeze! I don't think I've sniffed him before. What a handsome guy he is.


Aww, there's my sweet buddy Zia. I hope you find your furever home soon, you deserve it!


Modena is absolutely beautiful, isn't she? I just love the brindle furs. (Like my beautiful Valentine Mayzie. ;))


This is the sweetest girl in the whole pet fair, Marshmallow. She had everyone eating out of her cute little paws.


Little Missy, I love you so much. You always look so happy!


Apparently Higgins did NOT like having the flashy beast in his face.


Pretty girl Pink, modeling for dog food ads.


Atta boy, Asa-Boy! You're going to knock 'em dead with that gorgeous coloring.


Aww, there's pretty Arietty and her pretty smile!


Miss Aideen was much more relaxed at this pet fair. She was scared at the last one, but she's finally starting to realize that all the scary people won't eat her.


Ah, and finally Geez Louise! She definitely looks alert. I wonder why...


Ah-hah! She had to protect us from a sneaky invade. Smart Geezy, you know that only kisses can defeat the monster!


That was fun, Mom! Let's do it again!