Rebecca Romijn: Being a mother of girls has softened me

By Jenny Schafer, McClatchy-Tribune

The always gorgeous and down-to-earth Rebecca Romijn has conquered the world of modeling and acting. Now the successful 37-year-old “Ugly Betty” star is a mother of multiples. Rebecca and her husband Jerry O’Connell welcomed their adorable twin daughters — Dolly and Charlie — in December 2008. Celebrity Baby Scoop sat down with the model mom and discussed the challenges of raising two at once, the joys of motherhood and the importance of making time alone with your partner amidst the trenches of twins.

Celebrity Baby Scoop: Is Dolly the one who looks like you?

Rebecca Romijin: Yes, Dolly is the one who looks like me and Charlie is the one who looks like Jerry. Jerry’s mother just sent us a photo of Jerry’s...

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City kids get lesson in bacon, bloodshed

By Monica Eng, Chicago Tribune

My 7-year-old loves bacon.

She loves it almost as much she loves pigs who are still alive.

And so our recent farm visit to witness a slaughter was not easy.

For years I’ve been talking to Miranda and her brother, Joe, about appreciating the sources of our food. I’ve introduced them to the farmers who provide our fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs and meat. They’ve met many cows, chickens and hogs who even more directly provide us with that food. But what they hadn’t seen was how those happy hogs become the ribs, bacon and sausages on our plates. Miranda agreed to see it; Joe stayed home.

We were at Faith’s Farm in Kankakee County, where owner Kim Snyder invited her friends from the city — chefs, farmers...

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Ten coaching lessons to help athletes reach their potential

By Jack Perconte, McClatchy-Tribune

One of the most frequent requests I hear from my students’ parents is, “Can you make him a major leaguer?”

I always respond with a laugh and “Only he can do that.” My point is that parents and coaches can help players immensely, but ultimately it will be up to the players themselves to reach their potential.

Many factors, including God-given talent, love of game, dedication and luck, are just a few of the necessary ingredients to make it to the top. Parents and coaches can help athletes develop, but there comes a point when athletes have to take control of those factors and it will be up to them to reach their potential.

However, at a young age parents and coaches will be the player’s early and most...

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Book review: ‘P.S. I Hate it Here’ compiles camp letters

By Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune

Imagine your alarm if you were to get this letter from your kid who is away at camp:

“I am still alive!!! Love, Stanton”

Or this: “Dear Mom, TAKE ME HOME! From, Rose”

Or: “Dear Mom, Guess what? Love, Leslie” (Ominously, a chunk of hair is attached.)

These are a few of the terrifying, lovely, funny and touching letters gathered in “P.S. I Hate It Here: Kids’ Letters From Camp,” a handsome, actually quite beautiful, little book.

Those of a certain age cannot look at that title without thinking of the great Allan Sherman (who was born in Chicago) and his 1963 musical ode to the miseries of camp:

Hello Muddah, hello Fadduh,
Here I am at Camp Granada.
Camp is very...

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Take naming inspiration from TV

nameberry.com

Every new TV season or so we like to check out the recently launched shows, as well as those still running, for any interesting names that have emerged since the last time we looked. Most scripters continue to come up with the obvious and the formulaic, giving their characters names like Jessica and Jeff and Rick and Robin, Amy and Andy.

But there are some who do think out of the box — though usually for not more than one character per show. The list below steers clear of reality shows, so no Khloes or Kourtneys, and no cartoon characters or kiddie shows.

Girls

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FDA addresses big egg recall

By the Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Food and Drug Administration chief Margaret Hamburg said Monday her agency is limited by law to a mostly reactive stance on food safety and argued that it needs a more “preventive approach.”

Giving a series of network interviews in the wake of the egg and salmonella breakout, Hamburg said the FDA is taking the issue “very, very seriously.” At the same time, she said Congress should pass pending legislation that would provide her agency with greater enforcement power, including new authority over imported food.

“We need better abilities and authorities to put in place these preventive controls and hold companies accountable,” Hamburg said as she discussed the approximately 1,300 cases...

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Who will care for the kids if both parents die?

Aisha Sultan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Attorney Mary Elizabeth Coleman flipped a coin in her office to settle the gut-wrenching, worst-case decision her clients had deadlocked upon for weeks.

If both the husband and wife died simultaneously, the care and custody of their children came down to heads or tails.

It’s not the first time she’s had clients unable to agree on a guardian for their children.

“It’s one of the biggest hurdles to getting a will written,” said Coleman, whose practice is based in University City, Mo. But it should not be the reason preventing parents from taking care of their affairs.

“A will is basically an instruction book to probate courts about what you want to happen to your stuff and...

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Haypenny Handmitten stylishly solves stroller dilemma

By Maureen Dempsey, Hybrid Mom

Every mom — whether from the city or suburbs — can relate to this scenario: Bundle everyone up and load the kid(s) into the stroller. Stop to answer the calls for a snack; remove gloves. Stop for a coffee; remove gloves. Stop to pick up and clean the dropped pacifier; remove gloves. Stop to answer the phone buried at the bottom of the diaper bag; remove gloves. An hour later, wonder where one or both of your gloves went. Lose yet another pair this year.

Emily Billington knows this cycle. As a mother to two boys under the age of three, and a resident of Brooklyn, New York, she has spent her fair share of time pushing a stroller and losing mittens, gloves, and other various winter accessories. Always a creative type, she set to...

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Ohio Department of Aging launches Grandparents Day photo contest

Grandparents Day is Sept. 12, and, to celebrate, the Ohio Department of Aging is asking Ohioans to submit photos of grandparents and grandchildren working, learning and serving together via the agency’s page on Facebook.

“Each day, our state and communities benefit from the diverse ways five or more distinct generations interact at work, at play and through service to others,” said Barbara E. Riley, director of the department. “We need everyone’s help to show the world how the strength of our generations makes us a great state in which to grow up and grow old.”

Starting today, Ohioans can visit www.facebook.com/OhioDepartmentOfAging and post their Grandparents Day photos to the department’s wall....

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Werewolf chow: From new ‘Twilight’ cookbook

By June Naylor, McClatchy Newspapers

If your kids are caught up in the “Twilight” craze, why not translate the madness into kitchen magic? That’s the idea behind “Love at First Bite: The Unofficial Twilight Cook Book” by Gina Meyers (iUniverse, $14.95). Within its 200 pages are family-friendly recipes, as well as plenty of “Twilight” trivia. An easy sweet snack, this treat is easy enough for kids to make with a little guidance.

Werewolf chow

• 9 cups rice cereal, such as Chex brand
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup peanut butter chips
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups powdered...

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