Funny Friday: The Hungry Games
As a fan of The Hunger Games books and movies (just saw the second one at the theater and it ROCKED, by the way), I laughed out loud at this video produced by Pretty Darn Funny. Make sure you stick around to see the quote at the end. Loved it. Enjoy, and Happy Friday.
Life with Ladybug: 50 Shades of Gray
By Shannon Magsam, Ladybug’s mama and co-founder of nwaMotherlode.com
My mom has owned a beauty shop for as long as I can remember, so my hair has been many different shades. I’ve played around with browns and reds and even a short foray into blonde (not my best look).
But my current shade wasn’t mixed up at any hair salon. It’s au naturale, y’all.
At my hair appointment yesterday, my colorist confirmed it: I’m 90 percent gray. To drive home the point, she said, “If you let it go, it would be salt and pepper. Mostly salt.”
Thank you for that clarification, hair lady who’s way younger than me.
Speaking of young, I’m not old enough to be almost completely gray. So I’m not just going to lie down and join AARP. I’ll fight it with every strand of jet black hair I’ve got left (and all those fake black hairs, too).
I guess you could say I’m just not ready to go back to my roots.
We all know people who’ve decided to embrace their steel-colored locks and they actually look good. However, my gray hairs are a dull, lifeless color.
A few years ago I decided to go back to black. And people started complimenting me. They couldn’t pinpoint what they were noticing, exactly, but something.
“Have you lost weight? Something’s different.”
One woman that I had not seen in a while told me at a conference: “You look … better.”
Um, thank you. I think?
So no, I’m not ready to strip down to nothing and share my boingy grays with the world.
I have a new question for my colorist, though: Can you color eyebrows?
Oh, and when I was at the salon, I also asked my stylist for a shorter ‘do. For some unknown reason, I feel compelled to grow my hair out in the summer and chop it all off in the winter. Exhibit A:
Y’all be safe out there today. I just walked outside and slipped on an icy water hose, so I know it’s slick! 
And that I’m clumsy.
Doc Talk: How to prevent the dreaded UTI
If you’ve ever had a urinary tract infection (which is not-so-lovingly nicknamed UTI) then you KNOW how painful it is. It’s a serious, drive-you-insane level of pain. And since we’re only a few weeks away from the holidays, we KNOW you don’t have time for one of those, right?
The good news is that, while it might not be possible to prevent every UTI, you can do a lot to keep yourself in the clear and out of the doctor’s office, begging for relief.
We asked nurse practitioner Megan Morgan, APN, to give us a run-down of the best ways to ward off the dreaded UTI.
Click the play arrow below to hear Megan talk about the steps you can take to prevent future UTI’s.
NWAMotherlode.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is for informational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor if you have questions about a medical condition. Don’t delay getting professional medical advice because of something you read online. This website doesn’t necessarily recommend or endorse any specific tests, doctors, products, procedures or opinions discussed on the site.
Good Gossip: What makes Adam Levine cry?
Love a little gossip but hate to do something you teach your kids not to do? Yep, we get it. That’s why we only spread around the “Good Gossip,” — celebrity news minus any mean stuff. So have as much as you want because this “dish” is all guilt-free.
As always, this feature is sponsored by Great Day Farms, a national brand based right here in NWA. Look for their products at the Walmart Supercenter. Click HERE to like them and get coupons on their Facebook page.
Ian Somerhalder, the actor slated to play Christian Grey in the upcoming movie, Fifty Shades of Grey, is featured in People magazine with his favorite cat named Moke. He said he rescued the cat on the set of Lost in Hawaii and walked him on a leash on the beach, adding that he got lots of dates that way. (Just a guess… but we’re thinking there may have been more to it than just the cute cat.)
No worries, country music fans. Longtime married couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill are just fine, despite the nutty divorce rumors they have to battle from time to time. Faith Hill joked that, when she read the latest rumor about their impending $135 million dollar divorce, she said, “Let’s do it! We’ll take the money and run away together!” Tim and Faith have started the second run of their show at the Venetian Casino in Las Vegas. When their three daughters aren’t in Vegas with them, Faith said “it’s kind of a nice little rendezvous.” Sounds like they’re doing just fine.
Chris Powell, the personal trainer who transforms severely obese clients on the show “Extreme Weight Loss,” just welcomed another baby into his family with wife Heidi. Their daughter, Ruby Lane, was born on November 16th and joins three siblings, Cash, Marley and Matix.
Here’s one more reason we love Jennifer Lawrence. When asked to lose weight for her role in The Hunger Games, she refused to get super skinny, telling the producers: “We have the ability ton control this image that young girls are going to be seeing. Girls see enough of this body that we can’t imitate… and this is gonna be their hero.” We think her gutsy move is as deserving of praise as her starring role.
And last but not least… did you see the cover story of Adam Levine in People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue? Wowza. There are plenty of swoon-worthy photos, but we think some of the interview answers are equally as eye-opening. For example, Adam said he has a good cry every once in a while. “If I don’t do it for a long time, I’ll need to induce crying, so I’ll watch E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, which is clearly the best movie ever made. I’ll watch it and cry like a baby.” Levine also says he wants to be a dad someday, although he’s not sure about the timing. (He is now engaged to model Behati Prinsloo.) Check out People magazine for photos of each of Levine’s tattoos and what they mean. And be sure to read the congratulatory note written by fellow Voice judge Blake Shelton. It’s hilarious.
Source: People magazine, December 2, 2013, 2013 edition
Good Gossip is sponsored by CCF Brands, a Northwest Arkansas company which makes Great Day All Natural Eggs. These eggs are produced by happy hens who are fed premium vegetarian diets with no animal fats, animal by-products, or antibiotics. Great Day Farms also offers hard-boiled eggs, which you can find in the deli section of the Walmart Supercenter. (Love the hard-boiled eggs because they’re peeled and ready to eat! Perfect in salads.)
Provide gifts of thanks to military families from the Silver Star Tree
We mamas are always looking for ways to instill gratitude and empathy in our kids. And at Christmastime, opportunities to help others in need are abundant.
Since today is #GivingTuesday, we wanted to highlight one of those opportunities. We also plan to share some other Ways to Make Difference in Northwest Arkansas this holiday season over the coming days.
We absolutely love this initiative for military families in our area. Pinnacle Hills Promenade will once again be working with Camp Alliance to host the Silver Star program. It’s a way to say “thank you” and raise the spirits of local service members and their families.
DATE: Silver Star tags may be chosen through Dec. 18 (drop off unwrapped gifts by Dec. 19)
LOCATION: Food Pavilion at Pinnacle Hills Promenade
DETAILS:Look for the Silver Star Tree at Pinnacle Promenade’s food pavilion and select a nominated service member or family off the tree to buy a gift (or gifts) for this holiday season. After shopping, drop off your unwrapped gifts at the food pavilion Silver Star tree. There will be volunteers there to take your gifts and wrap them. The presents will be distributed to the military families on Dec. 20, from 5-7 p.m.
For more information visit www.campallianceinc.com or www.silverstargift.org
Stay in touch!