It was a wild night around the globe with the celebration of New Year's Eve, and stars got in on the action, too. Jay-Z and Coldplay sang in 2013 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, while Jenna Dewan watched fireworks with husband Channing Tatum in St. Barts. Rachel Zoe spent a tropical evening with friends, and Sofia Vergara said goodbye to 2012 with fiancé Nick Loeb.
That's not all that went on — click through to see how all the celebrities partied into the New Year!
New Year's is my favorite time of year, and Champagne is my favorite drink. So it's no surprise that when I came across a recipe for Champagne cupcakes last week, I nearly jumped out of my seat with excitement. These cupcakes have Champagne in the batter, in the pastry cream filling, and in the buttercream frosting. How much more exciting can this dessert get?
There are quite a few steps involved in this recipe, but I was able to whip up a batch in just a couple of hours. These would make an impressive addition to any New Year's party, or if you're planning a sweet night in to ring in 2012, cut the recipe in half and enjoy them yourself!
For more on these fabulously festive cupcakes, and for the recipe, keep on going.
It's the New Year and time to get back on track, jump-start your January, and get fit for 2012. We're dedicating the month of January to helping you set your path for the rest of the year. Each week we're breaking down different fitness fundamentals — and week two is all about running. Yep, it's time to get a little cardio. And to help motivate you, we're giving away amazing prizes to help you get fit!
This week we are giving away a year's supply of running shoes from one of our favorite brands — Asics. Enter and you could be one of three lucky winners to receive a year's supply of Asics running shoes (that's about five pairs)!
This giveaway has ended.
Check us out on Facebook where we will be keeping our own fitness diary and providing tips, advice, recipes, and workouts for all of our fans. If you're craving more fitness gear and goodies, enter our Under Armour giveaway for $500 to Under Armour and our KIND Healthy Snacks and Magimix giveaway for a year's supply KIND Healthy Snacks and a Magimix Food Processor. Good luck!
If writing a book is always the resolution left behind once the calendar runs out, make 2012 the year to finally get your novel out of your brain and onto the page. The fear of being rejected by publisher after publisher can set you back, but more than ever, self-published novelists are turning to ebooks to make their mark on their own.
Ebooks are gaining some serious ground in sales, even being recognized by the New York Times Book Review. It just goes to show that if you've got an awesome manuscript, you don't have to wait for a publisher to pick it up — you can self publish on digital formats with limited to no investment. Find out how you can get your ebooks on Kindles, Nooks, iPads, and mobile devices all around the world with the outlets below. Happy writing!
But wait, there's more — see the rest of your options after the jump.
It's easy for the holiday season to take a toll on your physical and mental health. Delicious treats tempt at every turn, and our already busy calendars become even more crammed with holiday parties, gift-shopping, and visits with relatives. To help you stay healthy amidst the flurry of food and festivities, we asked our savvy Health and Fitness Moms to share their best tips for holiday well being. Here's what they said.
1. Plan Ahead for Parties
“Holidays are a time to celebrate, but it doesn't mean you have to throw your health out the window with the crinkled wrapping paper. One thing that helps is that age-old mantra of 'everything in moderation.' If I know I'm going to a party, I will try to cut back on sweets and salt earlier in the day and up the veggies and fruit. A quick snack of protein, like a stick of string cheese, before venturing out to parties or shopping can also help curb binging.” –Gina Jacobs Thomas of Full of It…
2. Drink Plenty of Water
“Drink plenty of water. It is easy to mistake the feeling of thirst for being hungry. Water will help to fill you up so you won't want to eat that extra slice of cheesecake.” –Maria Fruscello of Is my motivation hiding under all these toys?
3. Don’t Make Excuses
“Don't make excuses: ‘I don't have time during the holidays.’ ‘I am too tired.’ ‘I need to relax during the holidays.’ ‘I'll start again after New Years.’ ‘I'll make up for it.’ Be true to yourself and the healthy lifestyle you are choosing! Sure you can have a piece of pumpkin pie after Thanksgiving dinner, but don't eat more than a slice.” –Kim Hall of spinningitall
4. Try Bite-Size Pieces of Treats
"The holiday season is defined by great food and festivities. We should enjoy it. For me I find that it is fun to 'try' things. Rather than engulfing a serving of high-calorie dessert I do bite-size pieces. I will get a dessert plate and put a tablespoon of three or four different holiday goodies on it. I always eat the healthy stuff first so I don't crave something sweet and over indulge." –Anita Harless of Running Against the OdDs
5. Substitute Ingredients
“Do a festive flip with your food! Switch the bad out and substitute the good into all the things you love! Use 1/3-less fat cream cheese instead of the full-fat version. Trade a cup of whole-grain flour for the bleached white kind. Use a little grape seed oil to grease your pans instead of butter. Chop some cancer-fighting kale into that salad! Look for ways to sneak stored sunshine and nutrition into all your holiday meals, and your families' health will thank you!” –Bethany Learn of Fit2Be Mama
6. Manage Stress with Me Time
“I demand some ‘ME’ time. It isn't always easy to carve out the time, but even 10 minutes makes a huge difference. That time can be spent doing just anything from working out to sitting and reading a book. For me, I spend my me time doing yoga or I meet up with my girlfriend for coffee very early in the morning while our families are still sleeping. Sometimes we are full of conversation and other times we quietly sit and sip our morning java. For me it is a great way to regroup before I start the day." –Carly of Chubby Chicks Run Too
7. Take Half Portions
“Take a half portion. When something is too tempting to pass up, halve what you would normally take. This usually satisfies your craving.” –Amy Rhoads of Push Play Fitness
8. Keep Expectations Realistic
“My expectations are realistic. I no longer cram my personal or family calendar with holiday activities. We make time for those events and outings that are truly special and meaningful. That way, I enjoy the season and savor the moments watching my children revel in the holiday magic. If we miss something, I don’t fret.” –Kate Cardon Parish of kateschannel
9. Don’t Leave Extra Treats Lying Around
“I DO NOT under any circumstances keep the treats IN MY HOUSE! This is key. If I am going to a party and am bringing treats with me I prepare them, at max, the day before to make sure I don't snack on them in the days leading up to the event. I leave leftovers with the host. And what happens when I'm the hostess? Brace yourself... I throw it out! Seriously. If I am going to be tempted to finish off a plate of deliciousness (aka brownies, etc.) ... I mean, not that I would, um, EVER do that... I just throw it in the trash. Stuffing it in my face for no apparent reason is much like throwing it in the garbage except that it sticks to my butt and thighs... Don't feel bad about doing this. If you just CAN'T bring yourself to throw it away, package it up and either take it to work or donate it to a food bank.” –Laura of Wife, Mother, Athlete
10. Sign up for a Race
“You can find a fun local race to do just about ever month of the holiday season. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's. Sign up early to take advantage of cheaper race prices, and put it on the calendar before it gets pushed out by other holiday busyness. You'll be amazed how much more you can enjoy that Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas turkey with a race under your belt! Don't forget to invite your friends and family to come train and race with you, or just cheer you on!” –Amy Nelson of Run Mom Run
Finally, remember to give yourself a break about sticking to a 100% healthy routine. As MCM Mama shares, “I cut myself some slack. That doesn't mean I go crazy not exercising and eating like crazy, but I don't stress when I do. Somehow, being able to do what I want helps me make healthier choices.”
Read all the answers from our savvy Health and Fitness Moms here.
Image Source: flossyflotsam via Flickr/Creative Commons
When you're a parent of young children, celebrating New Year's Eve until the wee hours of January 1st just isn't an option anymore. Don't worry though: a fun kick-off to 2012 is still possible! With the help of these tips from our Party Planning Moms, on everything from how to do the countdown to terrific activity suggestions, you'll love ringing in the New Year with your little ones.
1. When to Do the Countdown
An obvious dilemma of celebrating New Year's Eve with children is that the main event occurs long past children's bedtimes. The countdown solution? Embrace the fact that it's always midnight somewhere.
For example, JoAnne Wuneburger of oh goodie designs offers a kid's countdown at noon, while Jillian Tohber Leslie of Catch My Party is one of many west coast moms who celebrate on a New York schedule: “We still get the anticipation of a countdown and our daughter gets to stay up a little extra late, but no one (including my husband) has a meltdown at 11:45pm. :)”
If you bravely decide to stay up to midnight, put a plan in place for when the kids start to fall asleep. Jodie Valenti of Party NV explains her strategy for throwing New Year's parties that are both child- and adult-friendly: "After the ball drops we have all of the children get into their jammies and curl up in the den with a movie (most usually pass out at this point) and the parents can have some uninterrupted adult time."
2. What to Serve
Festive drinks are a fun part of New Year's Eve, and there's no reason that a kid-friendly celebration can't include them. Jennifer Kirlin of BellaGreyDesigns offers "fun beverages like a sparkling punch and ginger ale," while Jodie Valenti of Party NV tries to accommodates everyone: "I set up a kiddie bar with different non-alcoholic mixes so that [the kids] can have some fun, and of course an adult bar for adult beverages!
As far as food goes, Shandra Ward of Signature Style Design and Lifestyle Blog keeps it simple with "kid-friendly food like turkey sliders, ham and pineapple skewers, and honey fruit salad and other bite-sized foods." For an extra cute treat, Staci B. Golden of lizard & ladybug makes “countdown cupcakes with marshmallows to look like the ball at Times Square.”
3. How to Make it Fun
While many moms celebrate New Year's Eve just with their immediate families, others say they've had a great time in the past at parties where kids and old acquaintances alike gather to sing Auld Lang Syne together. As Jodie Valenti of Party NV shares, "We like to have a 'kid-friendly' New Year's Eve because almost all of our friends are in that stage of life. It makes it easier for everyone, plus the kids really enjoy themselves."
No matter who's there, many moms suggest that the secret to making it fun for all is to turn New Year's Eve into a game night. As Jillian Tohber Leslie of Catch My Party shares, “We all played Dance Central on Kinect for the Xbox. Watching the dads take a turn dancing was an absolute blast.” Similarly, Jodie Valenti of Party NV relays: "We have both kid (video games, board games, foosball, etc.) and adult (games & conversation) activities and even some that co-mingle, like karaoke...."
Of course, don't forget to stock up on little horns, streamers, confetti, or balloons for whenever your countdown happens. "When we get down to "midnight" we blow horns and pop balloons," shares Jennifer Kirlin of BellaGreyDesigns. "The kids have so much fun."
Make this year the best one yet! Even if you haven't made official resolutions regarding pets, here are five ways to have a fresh, fun start to 2011.
Besides the litany of diet and money-saving promises we all make ourselves in the New Year, many of us also make beauty resolutions. For instance, in 2011 I'm resolving to stop biting my nails (again), take better care of my skin, and keep wearing sunblock every day. Will you be making any beauty commitments to start the New Year off right? Share your beauty resolutions (and any others you want to discuss) in the comments, and I'll do my best to help you with tips for making them easier and more successful.
Source: Flickr User cjc4454
Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member CourtneyOutLoud from the Lovely Little Vignettes group:
During the winter months, I crave brightness. Some people call it seasonal affective disorder or some other fancy name, but I just know that by the end of December, I want bright, light, and cheery. This need has manifested itself in different ways throughout my life ranging from an inherent need to dress in bright patterns during the Winter months to turning on every light in the house come dusk. Fortunately for my electric bill, this year manifested itself in a need to create a bold and lively table setting for our New Year's Day brunch.
Since most of our friends are parents and a night of partying isn't in the cards anymore, we have opted for a low-key New Year's Day brunch. The gathering is low-key and informal with kids hiding under furniture and the occasional lap dog or two stealing a breakfast sausage. I wanted the table to reflect this mellow vibe but still be vibrant, as the event is the first "official" social gathering of our friends.
Keep reading to see how Courtney achieved this vibrant and mellow vibe.
