It seems Beyonce spared no expense when it came to her baby girl’s birth. Any why would she? She’s Beyonce. TMZ has released photos of her beautiful hospital suite which costs around $700-$800 per night. A tad expensive, yes, but that’s not an insane amount. Her posse used about four rooms during her stay – evidently her entourage travels with her for her birth – ew.  Why? In case she decides to record an album during delivery or needs a sequins bodysuit? Anyway, so four rooms would’ve run her about $3,200. Again, not a big deal when you’re sitting on kabillions of dollars. Click image below to see more of her hospital suite!

So why so much drama about Beyonce’s baby? It really didn’t cost a ton if the above info is correct. Wait, there’s more! On Wed. of this week the NY State Health Department got  “complaints from new parents who claim they were mistreated by the staff at Lenox Hill Hospital while Beyonce was giving birth in the VIP room.”  The parents who were having babies in the hospital while Bey & Z were there said, “they were neglected by staff and prevented from visiting their newborns … due to the drama surrounding the superstar.” Gee, ya think?

Let me tell you this, had I given birth at my hospital while a HUGE superstar like Beyonce was there, I would’ve delivered my baby myself with a bedpan and a sheet. I’m 1,000 times certain I  would’ve been totally ignored. They ignored me most of the time anyway! Talk about ruining a special moment for you and your family. Who cares about your normal, boring baby when BEYONCE and JAYZ are birthing royalty down the hall. Seriously? You know I’m right.

The baby rumors continue to swill about and who knows what’s actually true. All I know is that kid is gonna hear the most unbelievably cool nursery rhymes ever.

Wait, what’s that noise you’re hearing? That would be the sound of “cha-ching” from Burberry, because they get to dress another designer-clad munchkin. Score!

Isn’t it interesting how well-timed her baby news is? It’s almost like her new pregnancy is part of the grand Kardashian marketing plan since she just launched a mom focused web series called Kourtney’s Mommy Blog at E! Online (the very company people have been petitioning to drop Kardashian nonsense.) I guess you aren’t a legit mommy unless you have multiple kids…

Get the full scoop on HLNTV.com

Image: HLNTV.com

Hadley Freeman said it best, “Paltrow is wearing officially the most ridiculous thing she has ever worn to a fashion ceremony, and that is saying something. It is not only see through but it is a crop top and a high waisted skirt, ie the two most unflattering garments of all time.” Amen, sister.

What do you think? I think it’s hideous. Here’s a link to E! so you can see all of the gowns of the evening.

Image:  Steve Granitz/WireImage

Evening and bridal gown designer Liz Fields, who is based in New York, is hosting her 1st Annual Military Gala, a launch extravaganza that will kick off an effort across the country to give away gowns to women within the military family. The gala will be the perfect setting for Liz to showcase her new collection of bridal gowns, destination wedding dresses, special occasions niche designs and evening gowns. But, part of her dream to make military ladies’ dreams come true too.

At the heart of the gala will be military couples which run the spectrum of boyfriend-girlfriend, engaged, and married couples. They will celebrated and treated to a memorable evening of food, drinks, dancing, entertainment, prizes, giveaways and unbelievable surprises. Liz Fields is happy to partner with amazing sponsors like Lacy Pool, the stylist and buyer for Serendipity Bridal, who has teamed up with Kendra Scott and Toni Federici to create the looks. Additional sponsors include the Army Wife Network and Silver Eagle Distributors/Anheuser Busch.

I can’t let the cat out of the bag, but I’ve heard an American Idol Finalist will be performing and my beautiful friend Holly Mills-Gardner, a former Miss Texas, will be emceeing the fashion show and festivities as they unfold. Plus, the entire show will be televised on CMT in the Fall. How fun is that?!

The dust has been vacuumed, the dumpster has been removed, our POD has left the driveway and all of our new pals at HGTV’d have moved on to their next project. I hope it involves a few naps, because those folks are worn out! The BIG REVEAL was this past Sunday and my head is still spinning! I keep walking into my ultra-fabulous, posh, functional and sparkling, new rooms and wonder, “Whose house is this?!? It certainly isn’t mine!” I’m still not touching anything out of fear that I may mess up something. Although the fresh flowers are starting to wilt, so I’m going to have to replace them. Even the flowers are cool. I mean, really? These folks are goooood.

I’d like to give a special thanks to four local companies who helped us survive and enjoy this surreal experience:

#1 – Austin Paperhanging for the stunning, precise and perfect job they did hanging all of our new wallpaper.  You won’t fully understand until you see the room in person. It’s a HUGE area and DIFFICULT job and they did SUPERBLY. It’s mind boggling.

#2 - Aero Designed Systems who installed our brand new AC unit. Yep, our AC broke right in the middle of filming our episode of HGTV’d. It was about 103 degrees outside too. Aero worked quickly and the customer service was outstanding.

#3 – Let Us Do The Cooking was possibly the highlight of each day. This is a catering company located in Killeen, TX, and they brought us the most mouth-watering, fantastic food I’ve ever eaten. Yes, ever.  (Sorry, mom!) The corn casserole was stupendous, the green bean casserole was heavenly, the desserts were insane, the entrees were perfection, etc.

#4 – Central Market made the most beautiful & tasty HGTV’d cake. I had to print the logo from the hotel’s black & white printer, but Central Market was like, we’re so awesome, we’re going to do it with all of the red shades anyway! Not only was it pretty, but also yummy! We walked around with red lips all day and didn’t even care.

Here's a pic of the old chandelier coming down. You should've seen how high they had to go to make this happen. My knees were weak!

Here's a shot of David with Austin Paperhanging doing what he does best. You should've seen the precision. If you ever decide to this, leave it to the pros.

We took a million pics in front of that truck. We also saw various neighbors posing it with as they walked by...

Another shot of the gorgeous cake. Central Market knows dessert!

This pic was taken on my way out of the hotel on reveal day! I was a nervous, excited wreck. This is my annoying thumbs-up pose that I did repeatedly. Yes, that's gonna be a pleasure to watch on TV. Oy!

I’m not able to post pics of the finished rooms, but tune in for my next post when I finally reveal our celebrity designer.

Did ya miss something? Wanna know where to submit your casting video? Here’s MommyQ is Getting HGTV’d: Part One

What do you think? Do you have the guts to be HGTV’d????

Have you ever wondered what’s it’s like to be HGTV’d? I can pretty much sum it up in one word, AWESOME. For the past five days, my family has been taking an exciting, unbelievable, unpredictable, loud, consuming and mind-boggling journey with HGTV as they redo our multiple areas in our home for the new show, HGTV’d. I can’t give away all of the juicy details, but I can give you a little sneak peek. First, a few FAQs…

How did we get on the show? We submitted a video just like everyone else.  Go do it now! They’re casting in DC/Virginia, Miami and Chicago, people! Why did we get picked? Honestly, I have no idea. We’re totally nuts and fearless? Perhaps. The producers told me we were fun and open to wild ideas and our house had good “bones.” Are the homeowners totally in the dark about knowing who their designer is? Absolutely! We had no clue who our designer was until Tanika Ray opened the truck door.

It’s a totally once-in-a-lifetime type of surreal experience. The demolition was one of the wildest aspects. It’s pretty wild to have parts of your house torn apart when you know what’s going to happen. Imagine how crazy it is when you DON’T know what they’re going to tear down. I’m in awe of the entire team, because they are incredibly respectful of us and our home, not to mention how much thought and effort they put into each design idea. I encourage you to submit a video and see what happens. Trust me, it’s an experience you will never forget.

I’ll be dishing about it for the next few days, so stay tuned. Well, I gotta be sequestered. I’ve been kicked out and the big reveal is tomorrow!!!!

They tore out useless walls. We didn't realize they were useless, but we learned...Ha!

The noise was insane! The buzzing, whirling & hammering. The kids were troopers!

Our home was transformed into a fully functional TV set. Our kitchen was a huge work station, our yard housed a tent for meals and carpentry and our guest room was the make-up room. Yeah, you know I loved that part!

Get a load of this banister. You'll understand more about this when the episode airs, but OMG...I love what I'm seeing thus far!

Stay tuned for Part Two! I’ll talk about our TOTALLY RAD designer and what it’s like to work with ridiculously talented and funny peeps.

First of all, I’m a HUGE fan of the show. In fact, my husband and I both watched it religiously. We totally freaked out when we realized we missed a show last week. But with all of the fabulousness comes some unfabulousness. In honor of my love for this new show, I will point out its flaws. Just like I do with my husband. Think of it as constructive criticism, NBC.

# 10 – Carson Daly’s smug looks. He always smiles like he knows something really funny, but the rest of us aren’t in on the joke.  And it’s something like you have a piece of Arugula in your teeth and he’s secretly laughing at you, but he’s not gentleman enough to point it out, leaving you to look like a fool. He’s that kind of smug.

#9 – CeeLo without sunglasses. It’s just too weird to see his eyes. He looks much cooler with glasses, so there should be a rule about that. It’s like he’s a total rockstar with glasses and just a normal guy in strange outfits without them.

#8 – Twitter updates with Alison. I get the whole “let’s incorporate social media into a live to show to make it appear really live” idea, but it doesn’t work quite right. The room likes a telethon or something. To make it more cutting edge, they should talk about the bad tweets referencing Christina’s crimped hair or her big mouth or her intoxicating personality. Remember, what makes social media real is the fact that you can’t control it.

#7 – Not enough Adam Levine. This guy is a total babe in a bad boy/hottie/rockstar way. You now, like Carson wishes he could be. We need to have more one-on-one air time with him. Maybe NBC could do a “Deep Thoughts with Adam Levine” a couple of times per show. He just looks so adorable in his tight little shirts and tight cardigans and skinny jeans. More Adam, NBC. More. Adam.

#6 – Less theatrics on stage. I totally agree with Blake. Those goofball dancers are totally ridiculous and unnecessary. They’re incredibly distracting, just like the absence of CeeLo’s enormous watches. I did like the performance with Vicci and her drummers, but the shadow dancing is way too cheesy. I also thought the Mad Max-inspired duet with CeeLo and Vicci was like an explosion of Velveeta. Serious cheese.

#5 – Christina’s hair. One of my hilarious friends @WendiAarons tweeted this, “Christina Aguilera’s hair is so pretty. I wonder what it’s made from.“  That pretty much sums it up for me. The only thing worse than Christina’s awful hairdos was the stress her boobs must have been feeling, knowing they could be popping out on national TV at any moment. Those braids – the big one on side and the tiny one on the other – forced me into therapy. They looked like alien tendrils and now I have nightmares about them.

#4 – Too many bald women. If there had only been one, it would’ve been totally neat and hip. But with two beautiful bald-headed women battling it out, they kind of killed each others’ thunder. It’s like when my husband and I get ready to go out to dinner and inadvertently wear the same color, looking like the world’s dorkiest couple ever. I can tell him to go change, but Frenchie couldn’t tell Beverly to go grow some hair real quick.

#3 – The way Carson Daly holds a microphone. He looks like a creepy dude trying to choke a …uhm, er…wait a second. Sorry, already griped about him.

#2 - CeeLo without both watches. In addition to the sunglasses, he should have to wear two diamond encrusted watches at all times. I saw him with one on each wrist in one show, so it was distracting to see him without them. I was thinking,” Poor CeeLo. Is he having financial trouble? Where’s the other watch. Did he pawn it?  I’m worried about CeeLo, gosh darn it. Is he okay? CeeLo!?!”

#1 – Lack of a tacky trophy. With all of the glitter, sequins, shadow dancing, costumes and alien tendrils, there should’ve been a huge trophy presented to the winner. How do you know you’ve won something unless you get a crazy, horrific, worthless trophy in the shape of The Voice hand-with-microphone? The first thing that should go through your head after wining is, “Holy crap! I won!” The second is, “Where am I going to put this awful thing?”

In all honesty though, a huge congrats to Javier Colon. I honestly believe he has won the toughest singing competition ever. His duet with Stevie Nicks was epic. Dia Frampton is a stunning, unbelievable star too. My heartfelt congrats to them both! Until next season…

Wanna hear the real fake real fake real bigfoot roar?Join Bobo and his friends every Sunday. It’s hilarious.

If you haven’t met Martha yet, this is a great opportunity to introduce your children to this clever and well-spoken canine. This week will feature new episodes of Martha enjoying outdoor activities like camping, canoeing and watching fireworks with her friends. We got to see Martha’s Slumber Party of the Weird and The Long Rotten Summer/The Case of the Shattered Vase. In addition to the entertaining stories and great vocabulary words, kids also learn why they shouldn’t watch scary movies right before going to bed. (A lesson I should revisit myself.) Look at those cuties playing with their new plush Martha pups!

Summer Fun Week:
Monday, June 27th – Martha’s Slumber Party of the Weird (2 parts)
Tuesday, June 28th – Martha puts Out the Lights (2 parts)
Wednesday, June 29th – Escape from Flea Island/ No Dogs Allowed
Thursday, June 30th – Martha in the Hold/Get Along, Little Doggies!
Friday, July1st – The Long Rotten Summer/The Case of the Shattered Vase

Click, click, click:
- Don’t forget to visit Martha Speaks online for terrific games. My son’s new favorite? Make The Band. It’s hilarious!
- Watch my son’s impromptu interview about why he loves Martha Speaks.
- Martha has gone mobile! You can download Martha Speaks Dog Party App.

Disclaimer: PBS did supply me with a DVD of the new episodes and 10 swag bags. My opinions are my own. If I didn’t personally love this talkative pup, I wouldn’t write about it. Promise.

“Sometimes being a leader is tougher than winning.” That’s a pretty important lesson for children to understand. Thanks to Walmart and P&G bringing back Family Movie Night, the made-for-TV movie, “Field of Vision,’ will bring that message home. The movie boasts a star-studded cast like Faith Ford (Murphy Brown) and tackles serious issues like bullying. It will air tonight (June 11th) on NBC at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT.

I was lucky enough to attend a behind-the-scenes movie event as a guest of Walmart and P&G a few years ago and after speaking with the producers, writers and actors, their passion for family-friendly entertainment was evident. Family Movie Night films like “Field of Vision” address topics relevant to all families in an attempt to provide not only a fun experience for the viewers, but an opportunity for parents to start a dialogue with their kids about these issues. As the mom of two young boys who, I appreciate their dedication.

Here’s a synopsis of the movie:

Through mysterious footage captured on an old malfunctioning video camera, Sinclair High School’s star quarterback, Tyler McFarland, learns that some of his teammates have been bullying Cory Walker, a troubled new transfer student. Aware that sharing this information with the coach might get his friends kicked off the team and ultimately cost the school the state championship, Tyler must choose what’s more important: winning or doing what’s right.

As these events unfold, the camera also reveals more surprising footage to Tyler’s kid sister Lucy… She learns that Cory has a secret past, unknown even to him. Now Lucy must convince her mom (Faith Ford, Murphy Brown) and family that the camera’s revealing insight is not a product of her imagination as she enlists their help to find the answers Cory so desperately needs. It’s a compelling and intriguing story that shows both the challenges and rewards of doing the right thing even when it’s tough to do.

Tune in tonight on NBC and don’t be afraid to start a conversation!

Walmart and P&G did provide me with viewing materials, so I could participate in this Family Movie Night event. All of these opinions are my own.

As a woman who appreciates taking risks with fashion, I’d like to make a quick comment about the continual celebrity wardrobe malfunctions involving a voluntary involuntary flash of nipple AKA nip slip AKA shirt and/or dress fail. First of all, I’m not talking about the ones that happen in a bathing suit. I don’t think they count. Wearing a bikini is tricky business, especially if you take a dip in the ocean with fully functioning waves. Or if you have young children.

My son accidentally pulled my bikini top down at the pool once and it took me a few seconds to realize what happened. Had I been a celebrity, that would’ve been TMZ homepage material for sure.  I probably had a scowl on my face and my hair was in a bad ponytail. Had it been captured on film, it would’ve been an “Antarctica sounds like a fun place to live” kind of moment. I’m talking about this….Oh, and why in the world is she squeezing into the dress like it’s a sausage casing. Huh?

I’m talking about non-drunk moments when celebrities other than Pam Anderson, Lady Gaga and Paris Hilton pick out an outfit that costs more than your car, wear it and still suffer from nip slips. This makes zero sense to me.  I think they’re all planned. Shame on you, Milla Jovovich, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jessica Simpson, Keira Knightley, Martha Stewart, Oprah, Brett Favre, Anthony Weiner…whew, I’m getting tired.

Seriously, how can you not know your nipple will be or is currently exposed? What celebs and their stylists fail to recognize is there are, in fact, multiple solutions to planned staged dreaded wardrobe malfunctions.

#1 – Use toupee tape or electrical tape or duct tape. It’s sticky. Really? I don’t think I need to explain tape.

#2 – Stop wearing ill-fitting outfits. If your try on a dress and your boobs are instantly hanging out, the dress does not fit. Don’t buy it. End of story.

#3 – Wear a bra. If you’re going on national television, about to strut your stuff in front of millions of viewers, drop the “I like being natural bit,” get your skinny butt into Victoria Secret and buy a bra. Then, after you purchase it, take it out of the pretty bag and put it on under your outfit. This goes for strapless dresses too, Jessica Simpson.

#4 – Use a safety pin. Wow, this is so genius. I bought a box of safety pins five years ago and it’s still 90% full. One tiny safety pin can do the trick. You can pick a silver one or a gold one if you’re feeling fancy.

#5 - Don’t tweet about it. What’s even worse than seeing Khloe Kardashian’s nipple on a morning show is how much she tweeted about it. See one of her nip slip tweets below. No, they aren’t that special. Trust me.

My apologies to those of you who are reading my blog based on my previous blog post. I know you were expecting something heartfelt and you got this instead. Welcome to my brain. You never know what’s going to spill out.

Images: The Frisky and TMZ

Earlier last week, I got an email that instantly caught my attention. “New Studies Show PBS KIDS Martha Speaks Has Impressive Impact on Children’s Vocabulary.” I excitedly read the findings and wanted to share them with my readers. Now remember, I have no connection with PBS. This is just one mom’s sincere love for a smart, talkative, yellow cartoon dog.

My experience is a bit different from other parents, because my oldest son is autistic. At the age of 4-years-old, he was hardly talking and strangers couldn’t understand him at all. That’s why we get very giddy when he likes shows like Martha Speaks that actually make a big effort to help his development. Now this may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but here’s proof of how far he’s come. He’s 6-years-old now and just finished kindergarten. I asked him (totally on-the-fly), what he thinks about Martha Speaks. Get a load of this….

Study Results
Three recent independent studies highlight the impressive impact that Martha Speaks is having on young childrens’ vocabulary development, and its strength as an early-intervention tool across broadcast and online platforms. These studies not only measured the impact on children who viewed episodes of the show, but additionally saw a significant increase in vocabulary skills among children playing with the Martha Speaks Dog Party iPhone app.

A few notable takeaways from the studies include:
• On average, children who watched Martha Speaks had a significantly greater increase in vocabulary knowledge compared to children who did not watch the show.
• Martha Speaks is an effective tool in helping bridge the vocabulary gap between low-income children and their more affluent peers.
• Martha Speaks facilitates inexpensive language opportunities at home.
• Program-specific vocabulary knowledge translated into higher standardized vocabulary scores for urban boys and rural children living in low socioeconomic-status homes.
• Children 3-to-7 years-old who played with the Martha Speaks Dog Party app tested up to 31 percent higher in vocabulary.
• Children were able to retain the increased vocabulary, and showed even greater gains on targeted words weeks after the study ended.

These studies are now available on the PBS KIDS website.

It’s been a busy weekend in the world of entertainment. Charlie Sheen’s insane ramblings and “duh, winning” continues to be among the most talked about topics, but I’m going to tackle a few other goodies instead. Danica Patrick, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards and Miley Cyrus. Odd combo? Yes, but I have my reasons. (See video at the end of this blog post if you must skip ahead for a laugh.)

Danica Dominates in Vegas
Things got interesting at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend as Danica Patrick snagged her best finish EVER in the Nationwide race on Saturday, coming in 4th. A top five finish proves she’s in NASCAR because she’s a talented driver, not just because she’s a pretty face and a hot body that makes a gazillion dollars for her sponsors. (Yes, I’m talking to you, GoDaddy.) I’m so excited for Danica and I hope this will shush the naysayers, at least for a while.

Daddies Dominate in Vegas too…
Jeff Gordon raced to victory last week and Carl Edwards just snagged his first victory today in Vegas. Both drivers finally ended some rather lengthy losing streaks. I think this proves that just because you have sweet, innocent, adorable babies crawling, drooling at popping on your at home, doesn’t mean you’re a big old softy on the track. Last year, I asked Carl Edwards about whether or not fatherhood had changed him as a driver. He told me the answer was yes and no, which makes sense. He added that he was annoyed at people who think that would make him less of a driver. I think these two wins prove that diaper duty actually makes them better drivers.

Miley Cyrus on SNL Spells Redemption
If you didn’t catch Saturday Night Live last night, you missed a rather hilarious episode. Miley Cyrus was the guest hostess and I have to say, she was very cool about spoofing herself. I’m not a Miley fan, but I did respect her good sense of humor about… well, herself. SNL does a skit about Miley Cyrus having her own talk show and they totally rag on her. Miley was on that skit last night impersonating Justin Bieber. I thought it was super. Not that’s she’s laugh out loud funny, but it was definitely entertaining. Notice the way they spoof her dad… love that mullet!!! 

Images: Nascar.com & Hulu.com

Before I had children, I always thought “educational” was a nice was of saying “boring.” Now that I’m the mother of two rambunctious youngsters, I’m all about educational. Bring on the stuff that makes my kids brainy. What makes an educational show great? The fact that you might forget you’re actually learning, because your too entertained to think about it.

Today, the big hit in our home is Martha Speaks. This chatty pup (who resides on PBS) began talking after she ate a bowl of alphabet soup and instead of going to her stomach, the letters went to her brain. Now she “speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks.”

In addition to the television show, the online community for Martha Speaks is incredible fun for my kids. In fact, the other day I heard them laughing and laughing. When I came in to see what all the fuss was about, I found them playing Martha games online. Oh my! They thought one game in particular, Stickerbook Mashup, was hilarious. They kept shrinking the characters and putting them in the soup bowl. If this video isn’t a great testament to educational shows, I’m not sure what is…

I’m so excited they both love this show, because it’s a great learning tool. It’s also perfect for my older son who happens to be autistic, because it really focuses on the importance of talking, expressing feelings and sharing thoughts. Now instead of encouraging him to “use his words,” I tell him to “use your words like Martha does.”  He likes that! In many ways, my son is like Martha. His language has improved so much over the years, he speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks too!

More MommyQ: You can read my posts, Top 5 Reasons Kid Shows Make Me Wince or the less snarky one I wrote for Babble, 5 Kid Shows that Won’t Annoy You. What’s your fave kid’s show?

P.S. – Anyone else notice my son’s Adrian Peterson Minnesota Vikings jersey? Can you tell my hubby is an OU fan? And he obviously dressed the kiddos that day.

The insanity about American Idol has begun. Every other tweet is about the new season. I have nothing against the show, I just don’t watch it. Am I crazy? Maybe so. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person on the planet who doesn’t watch it. I’m a pretty decent TV junkie myself, so it’s not like I have something against TV for its entertainment value. I’m a big fan of Project Runway, Top Chef, Big Love, True Blood, 30 Rock, The Real Housewives, CSI and Dancing with the Stars. And a few others….

Here’s my list of the Top 5 Popular TV Show I Don’t Watch:

American Idol – I know it has 22 million viewers, but I’m not one of them. I watched the season with Sanjaya and that was all I could handle. Seriously, 10 seasons of this show. Really? I’m sure it’s better this season, because I think the combo of Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler is magnificent. I honestly love J.Lo and Steven is possibly the coolest dude on the planet. Should I tune in or save myself some space on the DVR?

Glee – I know! You can unfriend me on Facebook now for this one. I, being a high school drama and musical nerdette, have never watched one episode of Glee. I’ve seen the previews and read all of the glowing comments about it from friends, but it hasn’t made me tune in. I’m not sure why, but I have a feeling I’d really like it. Should I aspire to become a ‘Gleek’ in 2011?

Grey’s Anatomy – I don’t know the difference between Dr. McSteamy, Dr. McDreamy or Dr. McNugget.  Let me tell you, I have lots and lots of friends who LOVE this show. My girlfriends go wacky for it. Another top-rated show I’ve never watched. I know it takes place in a hospital and that’s about it. Do I need help, STAT?

Breaking Bad – This is another one I’d probably love, but I’ve never seen it. It’s gritty, edgy, slightly disturbing and totally unlike any other show on TV. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard. Bryan Cranston is a very talented actor and I believe he was nominated for a Golden Globe this year for his role. Hmmm, do I need more mayhem in my TV lineup?

Lost – Another hugely successful show that I never watched. Not even one episode. Again, I had nothing against the show, it just didn’t make my list. Now it’s over, so I guess I missed the boat.

What do you think? Shall I make room on the DVR?

It’s one of my favorite times of year – AWARD SHOWS! Oddly enough I rarely watch the actual show, but I do love me some Red Carpet fashion. At the Golden Globes this year, what many consider the precursor to the Oscars, Hollywood’s most beautiful moms are shining brighter than ever. We’re seeing a bit more black than usual at this event, but you’ll see lots of pink. You know, one of the “in” colors for 2011. Let’s see which mommies are wearing it best and which ones are strutting their own unique style…

Pregnant mom-to-be Natalie Portman is glowing in this beautiful pink gown. I love seeing her look like the opposite of her psychotic Black Swan  persona. Yikes, that was unsettling. I’ll never look at a hangnail the same again.

Proud mama and timeless beauty Nicole Kidman looks stunning in this neutral dress. I wish she had a few more curves – like 20 pounds worth – but she still looks amazing. Her cutie hubby Keith Urban is probably wishing her heels were a bit lower though.

Boogie nights, one, Julianne. I love the fact that Julianne Moore went for hot pink. I love the contrast with her red hair and, of course, the nude shoes. I’m a sucker for nude shoes with bright colored dresses.I’m sure Joan Rivers will have something bad to say about it, but I give two thumbs up!

Jane Krakowski poses with her growing baby bump in a gorgeous light blue gown. I love how the style of the dress accentuates her curves and her wonderful statement earrings.  Pink is for suckers, perhaps? This mommy thinks so.

America’s favorite mommy, Sandra Bullock, is pulling a Khloe Kardashian by giving us a new hairdo for the Golden Globes. I’m guessing she didn’t actually cut bangs for real… I think those are fake. She looks beautiful in this nude-tone dress with delicate embellishment. Oddly enough, Ryan Reynold’s ex, Scarlett Johansson, showed up to the Globes in a lookalike gown. Ouch, that’s awkward.

You can catch all of the excitement as it happens HERE on the AP’s Livestream!

Images: WireImage

If you can’t afford an electric cigarette-smoking psychic like Camille, you read horoscopes. I happen to think zodiac signs can be pretty accurate as far as insight into someone’s personality. For example, I tend to gravitate towards Sagittarius men and Aquarius females like myself. Now, thanks to the millennia-long effect of the moon’s gravitational pull on the Earth, everything’s being thrown into a cosmic blender on “Power Burst” speed. I don’t know who to like anymore…

Today, FoxNews reported Parke Kunkle, board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society said, “When [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pisces, it’s really not in Pisces.”  Why? Because over the last 1,000 years, there’s been a one-month bump in the alignment of the stars. Uh-oh. “We’re off by about 10 degrees or so, a twelfth of the way around,” Kunkle says.

What does this mean? Well, the StarTribune offers this calendar to be the real zodiac sign dates:

Capricorn: Jan. 20 – Feb. 16

Aquarius: Feb. 16 – March 11

Pisces: March 11- April 18

Aries: April 18- May 13

Taurus: May 13- June 21

Gemini: June 21- July 20

Cancer: July 20- Aug. 10

Leo: Aug. 10- Sept. 16

Virgo: Sept. 16- Oct. 30

Libra: Oct. 30- Nov. 23

Scorpio: Nov. 23- Nov. 29

Ophiuchus: Nov. 29- Dec. 17

Sagittarius: Dec. 17- Jan. 20

Based on this chart, I guess I have to divorce the hubby because he’s no longer my adored, quirky, witty, wild Sagittarius, he’s an Ophiuchus. Excuse me? What the heck is that?!? It’s the only sign discarded by the Babylonians, because they wanted 12 signs per year instead of lucky 13. Great, now I have to be married to an Ophiuchus and be anti-Babylonian too. Drats.

More importantly, this makes me a Capricorn. I don’t wanna be practical, prudent, patient and reserved. I like being an Aquarius. Original, inventive, independent, unemotional and detached. That’s what I’m good at.

So how does this newfangled chart change your sign? For better or worse?

Image: TattooMeNow

In 2010, I went on my first movie adventure in Portland, OR. Walmart and P&G invited me to experience a real behind-the-scenes experience at the filming of A Walk in My Shoes. It’s part of their initiative for better family entertainment. How could I say no? Here I am talking about my experience. (Yes, I’m doing vids this year – look out!)

Added bonus? During the trip I got to meet some phenomenal women: @MomStart @mamsphor @eightymphmom @BettyBuzz @OurOrdinaryLife – funny, fantastic, outspoken and talented. In fact, I actively follow these moms on Twitter today and do guest blogging for Betty Confidential.

As we embark on 2011, my advice for you is TAKE CHANCES. In my normal mommy mode, leaving the family for a few days to travel to a movie set was something I’d normally pass up. It required planning and rearranging of schedules and a few other hassles. Instead of being my normal “no thanks” self, I ditched my comfort zone and went. I’m so glad I did! It was an amazing experience for so many reasons. My point? Let’s keep pushing ourselves to take chances, okay? Deal? Deal.

Fave – Rowdy in Red
I actually saw the tweet about Kloe’s big change from her sister, Kim, on Twitter. She said something about Kloe debuting a new look for last night’s People’s Choice Awards. I didn’t even have to change the channel to know what the new do was all about. Thanks, Twitter! It seems one Kardashian sister is stepping out of the velvety world of brunette and into the fun realm of red-head. Above is a pic of her new sassy self in a gray, floor length Alexander McQueen gown.

Fave – Thinking Pink
These gals and award winners, Taylor Swift (Famous Country Artist Award Winner) and Selena Gomez (Favorite Breakout Artist Award Winner) both wore one of the hot new colors for 2011 – pink! Doesn’t it crack you up when people say “new” color? Who makes these decisions? Anyway, both gals were spotted looking gorgeous in muted shades of pale pink. The only thing missing from Selena’s outfit was a famous hand on her booty…and that would be the hand of Bieber himself, her new bf.  You’ve seen these pics, right?

Flub – Vampires & Wolves Can Get Along
This Twilight trio, Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, shared an awkward almost-hug-turned-pat-on-the-back after beating out ‘Inception’ and ‘Iron Man 2′ for the Best Movie Award. I don’t know about you, but I’m still not totally getting this Twilight thing. And I’m a huge fan of vampire lore. Twilight is over…next!

Raven Flies the Coop
Oh no she didn’t! I’m sorry, but this outfit is totally wrong for That’s So Raven star, Raven Symone. I get it. She’s 25 now, no longer the little cutie on The Cosby Show. But this is too dark, evil, Lady Gaga-esque for me. Is she making a statement? Yes. If that statement is I’m a dominatrix headed to a Stevie Nicks concert.

And the Winner is…

Favorite Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Actress: Kristen Stewart
Favorite Action Movie: Iron Man 2
Favorite Action Star: Jackie Chan
Favorite Drama Movie: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Favorite Family Movie: Toy Story 3
Favorite Comedy Movie: Grown Ups
Favorite Comedic Star: Adam Sandler
Favorite On Screen Team: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner)
Favorite Movie Star Under 25: Zac Efron
Favorite Horror Movie: A Nightmare on Elm Street

Favorite TV Drama: House
Favorite TV Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie
Favorite TV Drama Actress: Lisa Edelstein
Favorite TV Comedy: Glee
Favortie TV Comedy Actor: Neil Patrick Harris
Favorite TV Comedy Actress: Jane Lynch
Favorite Competition Show: American Idol
Favorite TV Crime Drama: Lie to Me
Favorite TV Crime Fighter: Tim Roth
Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show: Fringe
Favorite Talk Show Host: Conan O’Brien
Favorite TV Obsession: Dexter
Favorite TV Guilty Pleasure: Keeping Up with the Kardashians
Favorite TV Guest Star: Demi Lovato (Grey’s Anatomy)
Favorite TV Doctor: Gregory House (Hugh Laurie)
Favorite TV Family: The Simpsons (The Simpsons)
Favorite Family TV Movie: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam
Favorite TV Chef: Rachael Ray
Favorite New TV Drama: Hawaii Five-O
Favorite New TV Comedy: $#*! My Dad Says

Favorite Male Artist: Eminem
Favorite Female Artist: Katy Perry
Favorite Song: “Love The Way You Lie” (Eminem featuring Rihanna)
Favorite Rock Band: Paramore
Favorite Breakout Artist: Selena Gomez & the Scene
Favorite Pop Artist: Rihanna
Favorite Country Artist: Taylor Swift
Favorite R&B Artist: Usher
Favorite Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem
Favorite Music Video: “Love The Way You Lie” (Eminem featuring Rihanna)
Favorite Online Sensation: Katy Perry
Favorite Viral Video Star: Tarp Surfing

Images: Getty

Happy 2011 to all of my MommyQ readers! I hope you rang in 2011 with amazing amounts of fun, great friends and lots of bubbly. My hubby and I spent New Year’s Eve with our uninvited guest, Senior Stomach Flu. Needless to say, he was quite the downer.

People in Arkansas celebrated the New Year will over a 1,000 dead Red-Winged Blackbirds falling from the sky. How’s that for seriously creepy? The reports started rolling in around 11:30 p.m. The dead birds – thousands of them – fell over a 1-mile area of Beebe, and an aerial survey indicated that no other dead birds were found outside of that area. I’m a rather superstitious person, so I would’ve freaked the heck out had I been there for that. Hello bad omen. Wait a second, these birds were in Arkansas, right? Maybe it was suicide.

You may laugh at reality shows and call them stupid, but the stars of these shows are laughing all the way to the bank. And talk about bank! This year, Kim Kardashian is the highest paid reality star, bringing in about $6 million. You may think you know everything about Kim thanks to Keeping Up with the Kardashians, her new book, “Kardashian Konfidential” and of course, her sex tape. (Okay, let’s not go there.)

Well, here are a few factoids you might not know:

1 – Kim Kardashian’s name is searched on Google over 9 million times per month

2 – Kim got married in 2000 and divorced in 2004 (She was only 19 when she got hitched)

3 – Kim was the third contestant sent home during the 2008 season of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars”

4 – Her dad, who passed away in 2003, was Robert Kardashian, an attorney in the O.J. Simpson trial

5 – Kim’s sisters, Khloe and Kourtney, bring in about $2.5 million each per year

6 – In 2009, Kim released a workout DVD called Fit In Your Jeans by Friday (Am I the only one who finds this to be hilarious!?!)

7 – Kim has a cupcake mix called Va-Va-Va-Nilla

8 – Kim’s zodiac sign is Libra. (She was born on October 21, 1980) Libras are flirtatious, self-indulgent, gullible, charming, elegant and good looking.

9 – In an interview with Matt Lauer, Kim called herself a “loner”

10 – Kim earns as much as $50,00 per appearance. She shows up somewhere, take pictures, has fun and gets paid. For example, she got paid $25k per hour to party at Tao nightclub in Las Vegas in 2009. Not too shabby…

It’s a trio of reality show beauties! Some of your favorite reality stars dish about keeping fit and motherhood in the January issue of REDBOOK, which hits stands on December 21, 2010. My favorite Top Chef judge and hostess, Padma, talks about how she gains 10 pounds during every season of Top Chef. I always wondered if they even ate enough to pack on a little extra poundage. I guess all of those tastings add up!

Bethenny talks about turning 40 and wanting to have another baby. She also discusses how she feels about leaving the Real Housewives of New York City. She seems pretty happy to put all of that Big Apple nonsense behind her. And if you’ve ever cried watching Biggest Loser, you’ll recognize hostess Allison Sweeney, who is also on the cover of REDBOOK.

Here are a few highlights:

Bethenny Frankel

On turning 40: “I would love to have a second child, and it’s not something I have time to wait for. You really experience your biological clock if you’re my age.”

On staying fit: “You shouldn’t dread working out. Exercise is like an old friend: You may not be able to see that friend all the time, but you’re not mad when you see them, you’re happy, and you get right back into it. I do yoga at night with my husband [after] we put the baby down. I say, a family that namastes together stays together.”

On leaving the Real Housewives of New York City: “I’m completely done with women being rewarded for bad behavior. I’m happy, and I love my life. . . It was fun the first season. Then it got not fun, and then it got scary and unhealthy and disgusting.”

Padma Lakshmi

Her biggest surprise about her body post-baby: “That I liked myself at a bigger size. I wanted to lose the weight, but I thought I was doing something more important than tending to my vanity. You look at your body totally differently. It created this life and brought it into the world.”

Alison Sweeney

Her best Biggest Loser weight-loss tip: “I was a really conscientious eater during the day, but then at night I found myself snacking on the worst stuff. [Biggest Loser trainer] Jillian Michaels said I was just tired and craving energy; my body needed more fuel to stay awake. So now, when I crave sugar at night, I go to bed.”

Images: Giles Bensimon for REDBOOK

I’m so excited to see Nancy Travis visit Wisteria Lane as Keith’s outspoken mother on Desperate Housewives this season. I’ve always thought she was a talented actress and quite funny too!  From movies like “Three Men and a Baby” to sitcoms like “The Bill Engvall Show,” Nancy brings us lovable, memorable characters. This summer, I had a chance to sit down and talk with Nancy in person, while she was filming her new movie, “A Walk in My Shoes” in Portland, Oregon. “A Walk in My Shoes” is part of a combined effort by Walmart and P&G to bring back family movie night entertainment. Both companies treated me and other fabulous mom bloggers to a unique behind-the-scenes movie experience.

Nancy was funny, personable, sincere and totally grounded. For someone who has been acting since high school and even married former President of Savoy Pictures, Robert N. Fried in 1994, she shows no signs of being affected by the Hollywood scene. We discussed why she took the role in this made-for-TV movie, how she balances being a mom and an actress, how being a mom has impacted her acting and she listed some of her favorite actresses.

Why she liked this role: The role Nancy plays in “A Walk in in My Shoes” is a stressed-out high school teacher, Trish. Nancy’s character can’t understand her students’ lack of effort in the classroom and why their parents don’t seem to care. Without giving away the whole movie, let’s just say a little bit of magic happens, giving Trish the chance to take a walk in one of the mom’s shoes and experience a new perspective. Nancy said she wanted to work on this movie because she was happy to work on a project that not only brought family-friendly programming to television, but addressed special life lessons.

Life as an actress and a mommy: Nancy spoke about her life as a mom and working actress. She said of a work/life balance, “You can have it all, but not at the same time. You have to figure out your priorities to make it all work.” She said motherhood has helped her become a better actress because, “every part of acting is drawing on your life experiences.” Nancy said she’s very picky about the roles she accepts because she must always take her family and community into consideration. “Nothing shameful or embarrassing,” she smiled.

Thoughts about the biz: When I asked her how she’d feel if her children wanted to pursue acting she said, “They should if they come by it naturally and decide they want to do it by themselves. Then I’ll support them as best as I can. It’s tricky as a parent, because for a child, there’s a lot happening in the business they aren’t ready to fully understand.”

Which actresses inspire Nancy? She named Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett, Bonnie Bedelia and Vivien Leigh. In fact, Nancy laughed and said of Leigh, “I wanted to be Scarlett!”

You can see “A Walk in My Shoes’ on Friday, December 3rd at 8/7C on NBC. The movie will also feature a soundtrack produced by music mogul Randy Jackson that will be available at Walmart starting December 4, 2010. For more information visit the website!

Once in a while I wish I were a more adventurous dresser. You know, like a rock star. I look in the mirror and think, “Would Avril Lavigne or Pink or Courtney Love wear this?” The answer is always the same. Lots of laughter followed by, “Nope, not a gazillion years.” I don’t even have the guts to get a tattoo. I’m so tough. Ha!

Have you ever wondered if you can find shoes with lots of attitude, but they are actually functional? Well, there are quite a few brands that give you a rocker-esque look with crazy studs and chains, but the shoes actually look comfy. Weird? UES doesn’t think so.

Avril Lavigne was photographed wearing the UES Forsyth Wedge in Snakeskin ($335), while shopping at The Grove with her boyfriend Brody Jenner, on November 7th, 2010.The founder of UES, Seth Campbell, sought to bring a unique concept to the casual footwear market. With his introductory line of “shoewelry”, a collection that fused hardware jewelry embellishments with comfortable sneakers, this young designer proved himself as a pioneer in the industry.

Is that an “ah-ha” moment or what? So that’s how you strut around town if you have pink hair. Of course. Take a look at a few other wild options.

How about a studded clog/boot from Sam Edelman for $249 or, my favorite, the studded sensation in the boot world by Guiseppe Zanotti for a cool $1,580.

Okay, you got me. These aren’t real pics. They are MommyQ and her man rocking Halloween 2010. What fun costumes, huh? I think we did a pretty good job. What do you think?

If you didn’t know, musician Katy Perry was booted from Sesame Street. Her segment was taped and it was going to air as part of the show’s 41 st season. She did a spoof of her ‘Hot ‘N Cold’ hit with Elmo. Thanks to a bunch of parents griping about her cleavage, her performance got yanked.

I’m personally so tired of parents acting like Oscar the Grouch about everything. Sure, as parents we have concerns about what our children see, especially on a television show catered to youngsters. But is this really necessary? It seems most of the negative buzz is about Katy’s dress and her cleavage. I’ve seen the video and the outfit in question. You can see it here.

I think Katy’s dress is just  fine and kids wouldn’t even notice her outfit.  I have two young boys and they wouldn’t care about her dress. They would be looking at her face and listening to her sing. If kids are noticing her cleavage, they are too old to be watching Sesame Street anyway. After all, women have boobs. What is she supposed to wear?  A turtle neck with a bulky cable knit sweater? A Big Love-inspired librarian frock? Come on, people. Why can’t Sesame Street have a little fun. I’m sure Katy’s outfit wouldn’t have caused a stir at all had she done the same thing on Yo Gabba Gabba!

And is it really Katy’s fault? I’m assuming a show as huge as Sesame Street has wardrobe professionals on hand. Why didn’t a wardrobe person question the dress? If it was at all questionable, wouldn’t someone have said something? I think so.  I hope Sesame Street offers Katy a sincere apology, because I think they’re guilty of bad manners here.

If you haven’t heard, because your issue of Teen Beat hasn’t arrived in the mail yet, the Teen Choice Awards were on recently. Not sure what time or when, because I didn’t watch it. I’m a bit too old, a tad too busy and mostly, too uninterested. I did look at the Red Carpet outfits and I was expecting typical teenage-like controversy in the form of skimpy, leather and angry. Oddly enough, I was happily surprised.

Here are a few of my favorite looks. Plus, find out who rocked the cool ugly cute odd pumps pictured above:

Ashley Greene in Valentino
I have no clue who she is, but she looks amazing. I love the dress, the color, the fit, etc. A++ for lil’ Miss Ashley

Kourtney Kardashian in Sass & Bide
Kourt looks stunning. She puts the MILF in MILF, for sure. I love that she isn’t wearing black because her dark features look great in lighter shades. Kudos to the hot mama!

Kristen Bell in Stella McCartney
The sheer top and pattern in the dress is sophisticated and stylish. As Heidi Klum might say, it’s unexpected. The nude accents really make the dress pop. I want one.

Leighton Meester in Pucci
The dress is cute and it looks great with her dark hair and extremely l-o-n-g legs. I’m a fan of short skirts, so I certainly won’t knock her for that. But what about these shoes?
Winner, winner, chicken dinner?
OR
Uhm, eww?

I’m unable to make a firm decision, so I need your help. Do I love ‘em or hate ‘em?

Images: UsMagazine.com

I wrote a post this week over on Babble’s blog, Family Style: 5 Kid Shows that Won’t Annoy You. Yes, my beloved penguins made the list. That show might have the best one liners since Seinfeld. Believe it or not, this wasn’t an easy list to create. Let’s just say it was far easier to list the shows I don’t like, as opposed to the shows I like.  There are a few things about kid shows I just can’t stand:

1. – Men wearing tights. I find this totally ridiculous. What happened to normal pants? Why in the world does a grown man need to jump around and dance for an audience of small children wearing nothing but a smile and thin layer of spandex? If you know, please enlighten me.

2. – Characters with mismatched outfits. I understand these shows are all about bright colors and carefree attitudes, but why must the characters wear a pink top, orange socks, purple shoes, green shorts, etc. It really starts to bug me after the first 10 minutes. I keep wishing for a “makeover” episode where the character gets a new look and they burn the bad clothes in an animated inferno.

3. – Cartoon animals with tails. Have you noticed the Wonder Pets character, Tuck (the turtle), no longer has a tail? I won’t elaborate, but when he stands up and walks around, it doesn’t look like a tail….

4. – Puppet people. Oh, the downright freaky, puppet people. These cartoons feature a mixture of real people and people in puppet-like costumes. It doesn’t bother me in shows like Sesame Street because all of those characters are fluffy and lovable. In the newer shows, these characters are creepy and unnerving. If one of them rang my doorbell, I’d surely grab a weapon.

5. – Tricking us with yelling disguised as singing. You might be able to fool a toddler, but adults know the difference. Just because you can be really loud and read lyrics, doesn’t make it a song.

On the flip side, want to see which kid shows I love?  Hop over to Family Style! I’ve listed five educational, unique and witty shows that won’t make you wince at all.

I was half-asleep this morning when my sweet hubby started reading soccer news to me from his iPhone. I heard him ramble about “Paul The Octopus” and I thought he was talking about an Italian commentator named Paul who was dubbed with the nickname “octopus” because of his reputation as a womanizer. As he kept reading and I became more lucid, I realized he was talking about an actual octopus. What?!?

Yes, this Sea Life Aquarium resident has chosen World Cup winners with 100% accuracy. How does an octopus physically choose, you might ask. Well, he is given a clear tank with two separate boxes in it. Each box contains his food and displays a flag of each team. If he opens the lid and picks food from that box, he had made his prediction. You must see the video on YouTube as it’s quite amazing.

What will this poor fishy do after the World Cup is over? I was thinking reality television, but it would be too expensive to outfit him in Jimmy Choos, he’s not great at the art of backstabbing his friends and he certainly doesn’t need Botox. Then it hit me – OPRAH! Paul would bring a whole new element of excitement to daytime television as the host of  Oprah’s show. Can you imagine how memorable Paul’s interview with Tom Cruise might be? You know Tom would go for it since we all saw him talk to aquatic life in Jerry Maguire.

Paul would be whiz with Martha Stewart as a guest because he could hold eight meat cleavers at once. You know those episodes when Oprah gives a family a new car? Can’t you see a car pulling up with an octopus clinging to it for dear life? Like totally stuck on the hood with it’s gooey arms wrapped around the windshield? Besides, Paul could give great big hugs to guests after an emotional breakdown and he would never gloat about his fortune.  It makes sense to me. Perfect sense.

Image: The Examiner

If you love Project Runway like me, you’ll be excited to know Nina Garcia is coming out with a new book! The most recognized fashionista on television, who scrutinizes Project Runway contestants with brutal honestly and great one-liners, has announced Nina Garcia’s Look Book: What To Wear For Every Occasion, will be available on August 10, 2010. Oh, and she’s also the fashion director for Marie Claire. Like you didn’t know!

In the book, Nina Garcia answers the universal question all women at one point ask themselves when attending some of life’s most important events: “What should I wear?”  In her most practical—yet stylish as ever—project to date, Nina focuses her attention on what every woman needs to know when choosing what to wear to any life event—whether it be a job interview, a first date, or even a parent/teacher conference.  And let me tell you, lots of moms need help with this one.

The fun, flirty, illustrated guide features original four-color artwork by acclaimed artist Ruben Toledo, which compliments Nina’s trademark tone of voice. Whether you are already a fierce fashion diva or someone in need of  some couture advice, Nina’s book provides easy to understand, practical examples that will make you look and feel fabulous inside and out. Make a mental note in your stylish brain to get this book!!!

When it comes to trendy clothes, you know a killer asymmetrical dress works wonders.  I happen to love one-shoulder dresses and tops, but LuAnn is demonstrating obsessive behavior when it comes to her spatial relationship with clothes. Pun intended.

Don’t get me wrong, I think LuAnn is quite beautiful with a great body and that cool raspy voice. In my opinion, she is far more striking and naturally pretty than Kelly.  But why so many asymmetric necklines? What is with that?!?

When Ramona made the comment jokingly in all seriousness, “I think your purple dress with the one-shoulder is ridiculous,” I almost fell out of my chair. Yes! Ramona  finally said something intelligent. LuAnn, I love ya babe, but that dress is ridiculous.  I’m not sure if someone she respects in the fashion industry told her it’s a good style for her body type or what, but owning more than 20 one-shoulder dresses is probably a no-no, even for a duchess or a princess or a countess.

Who’s with me? Shall we start making phone calls and schedule this intervention? I’ll bring the Pinot Grigio.

For the women in the world who have never invested in a good bra, the haunting words of Bill Engvall come to mind, “Here’s your sign!” The truth about nice undergarments, be it a bra or shapewear, is they do amazing things. And by amazing, I mean A-MAZ-ING! There are millions of women trotting through life in ill-fitting bras and cheap underwear.  See what you’re missing? You could be hiding a total hottie under all of that sad fabric.

Need an example? This is the Wacoal Underwire Sports Bar. Notice how perky and round. (You can grab this comfortable slice of youth for $62 at Neiman Marcus.)  Throw this beauty under a simple white tee and you’ll go from flat to fabulous. Maybe the big secret looming behind Sarah Palin’s knock-out figure is just a solid fitting by a sweet lady with a measuring tape. No knives required.

Miley Cyrus is going through her bodysuit phase – just like Madonna, Britney, Beyonce, Gaga, Pink and Rihanna. Who really cares! I understand, she’s only 17 years old and maybe it’s not appropriate for a girl that age to dress so seductively. Plus, she’s a role model to a young generation of girls.

All of this in incredibly legit, but what people fail to realize is if you’re a superstar, you don’t have to wear pants. That’s pretty much the point. Pants are optional when you make a gazillion dollars. When female celebrities stop wearing pants, they are sending out a sign of success. As soon as you see MommyQ strutting around without pants, you’ll know I’ve made it big.

Is there more to debate here? Is Miley a teen dynamo who wants to shed her Disney-created, squeaky clean image? Of course. She wants the world to know she’s an independent tween.  It’s her party and she’ll cry if she wants to.  Is she making bad choices? Absolutely. Will the public forgive her? Minus the moms of impressionable young girls, uhm, yes. Until all of that happens, she’ll keep strutting her stuff in a form-fitting garment that covers the torso and not much more. Let’s talk about something just a tad more important now, okay?

The store owner, Jennifer Mazuelos, said Sandra was an easygoing mom and really seemed to enjoy shopping for baby stuff. Her fave items were baby hats and tees. (Sandra happened to be wearing a hat that day too!) Jennifer said Louis was a big baby, so Sandra was buying 18-24 month clothes. Okay, let’s cut to the good stuff. Here are some items she bought:

Chaser Tees Peace American Flag, Vintage Black Tee
Retails for $25 at Izzy and Ash.

City Threads Striped Blue Polo Shirt
Retails for $20.25 at Izzy and Ash

City Threads Charcoal Plaid Jersey Shorts
Retail for $23.25 at Izzy and Ash.

Want to see more items she bought, including the most adorable plaid baby cap you’ve ever seen? Check out this blog post on Droolicious for more of Louie’s goodies!

It’s a  rainy, muddy, dreary day for the running of the Kentucky Derby. The track is wet & sloppy and there is a brisk rain and a cold wind. Yuck! I feel so bad for all of my friends who are there right now. Hopefully they are enjoying plenty of Mint Juleps and feeling no pain. Maybe they’ll win a few bucks too. That would help.

As you know, the Derby Hat Parade is practically more thrilling than the race. You can see all of the magnificent hats by clicking here. It’s like Carnival for your head! Want to see some of the celebrities who have graced Churchill Downs for the “Run for the Roses” – Brooke Shields, Kim Kardashian, Danica Patrick and many more!

I came across this hat last week on Etsy and just had to blog about it. I was reading about all of the women looking for that PERFECT Kentucky Derby hat and I thought this was a great fit. What a lovely hat for baby girl! I’m just amazed at the yarny goodness. You can read more about this beauty on Droolicious.

It is now official! America’s Sweetheart, actress Sandra Bullock has filed for divorce. According to Us Magazine, she filed April 23rd in Travis County Court in Austin, TX.  And we are so happy to have her here!

The eight-page document states: “The marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities that destroys the legitimate end of the marriage/relationship and prevents any reasonable expectations of reconciliation.” The papers — filed under “B.A.S.” (Bullock’s initials backwards) — state that the actress and James, 40, who wed in 2005, “have ceased living together as husband and wife.”

On a bright note, Sandra recently announced that she has adopted a son, 3 1/2-month-old Louis from New Orleans. This news is flying around the Internet at a high rate of speed, but I think it’s because everyone is excited for her. As moms, we know how much love and joy enters your life as soon as you become a mother. Luckily for Sandra, she doesn’t have to worry about most struggles a single mom might face like working/income, etc.  Anyway, she brought little Louis home in January and has been keeping it a secret until now.

From one mommy to another, congratulations!!!! Life tests you, but there is always a shining star somewhere in your midst. I think Sandra found hers!

Image: Us Magazine

First of all, when I tuned in to the finale of Project Runway on our big HDTV, the Lifetime channel (26 in Austin) is NOT WORKING. Black, blank screen. What the freak? I run upstairs and start watching it on the tiny television in my kid’s playroom. Super crapola. Here’s a play-by-play of the show. It’s semi-liveblogging.

-I tuned in as they were working out some makeup details with Collier Strong and let me say the “dark eye” is just fabulous. I wish I had the courage to wear that look. I applaud Mila for choosing that look because it’s stunning up close and from a distance.

- Emilio is freaking out because he’s missing models or a model.  Whatever. He’s such a priss.

- Watching a commercial for Sex and the City 2 and wondering why they would ever write a camel into the plot. Seems odd. I’m sure I’ll have to watch the movie to find out. I’m a marketers dream!

- The models are lined up and Seth Aaron says he’s “amped” and for good reason.

- Heidi welcomes the crowd, looking gorgeous as always, but the dress looks like something in the Kardashian collection at Bebe. I’m sure everyone else will love it. It not my fave.

- Seth Aaron goes first and was inspired by the German military. (Trying to get on Heidi’s good side, perhaps?) Sounds familiar. His collection is really stunning! All black and white with red accents and yellow plaid. It’s like Hollywood rocker meets Burberry prep. His final piece is a wild purple thing I’ve never seen before. Let’s call it a dress. Wow, his clothes are absolutely impeccable.

- Oh boy, now Mila is crying about how hard she worked for this. Blah, blah, blah. Every person on the show has worked hard, even the folks who got auf’d. Sorry, I’m not really a Mila fan. I was hoping Jay would have made it to Fashion Week instead. His clothes seemed more inspired to me, except that awful MJ jacket.

- Mila was inspired by shadows for her collection. It’s black and white, just like Seth Aaron. OMG. It’s so similar to SA’s collection. Wow. It’s much more hip and innovative than many of the clothes she designed during the show. I’d say Michael Kors will like it because it seems commercial. Nothing really jumped out at me though.

- Emilio steps up to the plate now. His collection is called “Color Me Bad” and that is hilarious. The red dress is incredible for sure. I like the red pieces a lot – love those gloves – but not crazy about the blue and the brown pieces. I don’t get the color palette he chose, but what do I know. As Nina would say, it doesn’t seem cohesive. The final frock is way to gold. I’m not feeling these clothes as much.

- The judges are blown away by the show. Really?  Shocker.

- Faith Hill is just adorable. What a fun guest judge! The judges love Seth Aaron’s stuff, but they also didn’t get the purple dress. Heidi is wondering why Emilio named it “Color Me Bad.” Oh, Faith loves Emilio’s coats. Heidi likes his prints – with his name.

- Michel Kors liked Emilio’s gold gown. Interesting. It is totally commercial. Nina thinks it was heavy on the suits. I agree with her. Emilio said he wanted to showcase his sportswear. Mila again with shadows. “Layers, textures, dimensions,” she says. Michael, Heidi and Nina are glad she made the style more hip and now. Heidi liked the white t-shirt with the black stripes – so 80s!

- Michael’s issues are no surprises with Mila, too much over-working with Seth Aaron and no drama (showmanship) from Emilio.

- And the winner of Project Runway, Season 7, is… NOT Mila. She just got auf’d.

- And the winner of Project Runway, Season 7 is Seth Aaron. Congrats!!!

Image: MyLifetime.com

You may have already heard, but one of the most famous mommies in the world is trying to gain weight. That’s right, I said GAIN weight. The perfectly posh Posh and her magnificent man, David Beckham, want another baby. They want a girl. Awwwwwe.

According to a variety of celebrity scoop sources, Victoria has begun to eat carbs for the first time since 1996. Well, I don’t the exact date but based on her teeny-tiny frame, I’m guessing it’s been a while since she ate a PB&J on white bread.  She isn’t eating fast food, but she is allowing herself carbs like pasta and potatoes.

I’m sure her little guys, Brooklyn, 11, Romeo, 7, and Cruz, 5, are like, “Wow! Mummy is eating cake. This is so cool!” Can you imagine how hard it must be to skip on the birthday cake with that many kids. Yikes. I’m sure she thinks a portion of pasta is like 4 noodles. Anyway, wishing her the best and get ready for baby bump radar.

Image: People Magazine

Spotted in Italy  last weekend was Angelina Jolie and her sweet little girl, Vivienne. Vivienne is wearing the Nicolette in navy suede by Stride Rite, one of my favorite shoe brands for kiddos. This shoe is one of their classic mary jane styles, updated with a flower accent. Other colors and leathers in this style include pearlized & patent leather (for a little dressier look) and berry, dark brown and black tones. Beautiful!

And, as always, the shoe includes Stride Rite’s Natural Motion System technology, padded collar and cradled footbed, ensuring a comfortable fit for the little ones. Shop them at Stride Rite for $50.

Top Image: MatrixPhotos.com

It comes as no surprise that Lourdes, Madonna’s 13-year-old daughter, is now dipping a toe into the fame pool. She has been dabbling in acting, fashion design, dancing & singing. And why not? If Madonna was my mommy, I’d be all over that stuff too. But Madonna is one smart lady and has been taking every exciting step with Lourdes, serving as the ultimate stage mom.

I chatted with Paul Harris, a reporter for The Examiner, on Sunday about Madonna’s choices for her daughter. My main feeling (as the biggest non-celebrity ever) is Madonna cares deeply about Lourdes and her safety. Being thrust into the spotlight is one thing, but growing up in it is quite different. I think Lourdes already knows a lot about what to do and what not to do — much more so than many new actors twice her age. Madonna is watching over her like a hawk and that’s just what any good mother should do.

My quotes in the article is, “At the end of the day, if you are Madonna or any other parent, you are still all dealing with diapers and kids falling down and scraping their knees.” Okay, so maybe Madonna didn’t change diapers back in the day or put Snoopy Band-aids on boo-boos, but maybe she did. My point is all moms (and parents for that matter), deal with the same issues whether you’re famous or not. We worry, support, laugh, cry, comfort, help, nurture and protect. Madonna wants the best for her daughter and we can all relate to that.

Read the full article here. Image: Matt Baron/BEI / Rex Features

I’m thrilled to see Sandra Bullock in the next issue of SUCCESS Magazine, available April 6th.  If you haven’t heard of SUCCESS, it’s a magazine that brings you the thought leaders and success experts, both past and present, and reveals their key ideas and strategies to help you excel in every area of your personal and professional life.

In the May issue, the Oscar-winning actress reveals that before she was one of Hollywood’s leading ladies she was picked on as a child by her classmates for a speech impediment. Can you believe that? It was her mother who encouraged her to embrace her uniqueness, “Uniqueness is something my mother pounded into me,” says Bullock. “I’ve made peace with the fact that the things that I thought were weaknesses or flaws were just me, and I like them.”

As the mom of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, knowing someone as talented as Sandra Bullock had obstacles to overcome as a child gives me more hope for my own son. It helps me remember things may seem insurmountable at the moment, but in time they will just be memories. I hope we all provide our children with the ability to embrace their uniqueness.

The article is uplifting and honest, a great read for parents. Bullock’s advice for little girls? “Don’t change. Be who you are.”

Image: SUCCESS Magazine

Get more celebrity scoop from MommyQ!

No wonder singer Carrie Underwood is such a star. She is draped in bling – literally. Emmy award winning costume designer Soyon An has created a ground-breaking wardrobe for country superstar Carrie Underwood using Swarovski Elements.

The sparkling costumes of Carrie Underwood’s “Play On Tour”, are encrusted with over 152,000 Swarovski Elements, debuting a new, glamorous look for the artist. Soyon An’s experience of designing for shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol enabled her to develop innovative creations that dazzle the audience.

Want to find the individual Swarovski crystals used for Carrie’s costumes? Just click here.

Image: Matt Sperling

The April issue of SELF  features a really great interview with Grey’s Anatomy star, Ellen Pompeo, where she dishes on her secrets to handling marriage-motherhood-career while staying sane and enjoying it.  That sounds heavenly to me!

She reveals her pregnancy truths (“I was like, ‘Oh, God, it worked! Oh no!’”), her brown-bag lunch strategy, the 6 foods on her personal “energy diet,” and lessons she’ll teach her daughter (“I hope Stella has more self-confidence than I did as a child.”).

What does she have to say about happiness? “It’s easy to get lost in the baby. But you have to make the time for your relationships. You have to make sure you give your husband attention. And I still see my friends all the time, too. It’s important to have a well-rounded life. You learn things from your friends, and they bring you joy, and you bring back all that happiness to your baby.”

My favorite Top Chef mommy, Padma Lakshmi, was seen playing her new baby girl in Manhatten. This is little Krishna Thea who is only 3 weeks old. Look at that teeny tiny pink onesie!

Padma, 39, welcomed her first baby into the delish world on February 20th. I just love Padma and she looked so beautiful when she was hosting Top Chef while pregnant. She certainly did it Heidi Klum-style.

Image: People Magazine

I’m not joking. You know vampires really do rule the world when you see charity events like this – Celebrity Vampire Baseball ™ to be held in New Orleans on March 20th. You can meet Twilight, New Moon and True Blood fang-faves, as well as other athletes, actors and randoms. My outspoken, gold-pants-wearing boy, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) will be playing too!

The event is brought to you  by Twilight Fan Trips and yes, that’s real too.  Highlights of this unique baseball adventure include watching an exhibition game, getting autographs and photos with the stars, meet and greets, and an exciting after-party and concert. 25% of net proceeds from each celebrity baseball ticket sale will go towards Haitian Relief organizations to support their ongoing efforts to rebuild lives destroyed by this disaster.

This is my favorite part for sure. A portion of proceeds will also be used to support New Orleans non-profit organizations such as The Blood Center, which will host an on-site blood drive. Yummy.

According to my source (SaraGNYC), Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane are to be bringing home their new baby girl in a pink Little Giraffe baby blanket! The luxe, ultra-soft blankies are available at Nordstrom for $62. These new parents join other celebrity fans of Little Giraffe like Gwen Stefani, Nicole Richie, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Garner, and Jaime Pressly.

I was watching the Real Housewives of the OC reunion show last week, and evidently Gretchen Rossi’s hair is a big deal. I think she always looks pretty (and she is my favorite housewife!), but I never really noticed her hair. During the show they talk about how many viewers are in luuuv with her hairdo. (Scroll down to the comments to see what I mean.)

She says she doesn’t wear extensions and she achieves her look with big hot rollers. Hot rollers! Wow, I haven’t thought about those in forever. In fact, I haven’t owned hot rollers in about 10 years.

I certainly used them back in the day, but we all did. My friends with long hair would even sleep in foam rollers for the big, bouncy head of curls the next day. Out of curiosity, I checked out the hot rollers at CVS and chuckled. They haven’t changed much. This week, I’m going to check out what Target has and if they have the really big rollers, I might even indulge.

What about you? Are hot rollers still part of your beauty secret?

Wanna know what’s in the Golden Globe goody bag this year? Well, the bag is worth $500. (Doesn’t that seem low? Maybe Hollywood isn’t recession-proof after all.)

Hers:
- A large Dooney & Bourke satchel
- Euphoria perfume by Calvin Klein
- L’Oreal cosmetics
- InStyle’s book, “The New Secrets of Style”

His:
- Tumi duffle bag
- Euphoria for men
- A custom shirt by designer Alexander West
- A style book for guys

The Presenters Lounge backstage is an entirely different story. The artwork alone is worth $3 million. Yes, $3 mil in a room for stars to apply more lip gloss. Or Botox – whatever.  Read more at People.

Image: People.com

What happens when Posh needs more signature, over-sized shades? She hops over to Milan, Italy,  where her hot hubby plays soccer (on loan) and buys a new pair. Or twelve.

Rumor has it she bought a $700k Rolex watch (for Becks), an insane amount of handbags and 20 new pairs of 5-inch heels. In fact, the couture house of Dolce & Gabbana (or maybe it was Armani) on Via Montenapoleone closed so she could shop in private.Oh, you can add evening gowns, cocktails dresses and luxury luggage to the list too. On to the furniture. She picked up five bespoke sofas from Natuzzi. And two bespoke suits for Becks.

This should make you feel much better about your $100 splurge at Target. Wanna see a hot D&G shoe option? The one listed below retails for $995. Yummy!

Maybe it’s because the weather has been so cold or maybe it’s because this looks so super-duper cozy. No matter what the reason is I love this maternity sweater. This is the Cable Batwing Sweater at Isabella Oliver and it’s on sale now for $167.

Speaking of looking fab with a baby bump, my favorite momtrepreneur, Heidi Klum, announced today she is working on two maternity lines. It’s about time! She chases around her four kiddos and still has time to do Project Runway, design jewelry and clothes and look incredible the whole time. Now that is talent, my friends.

Lavish and Loved will debut online and in stores February 12, 2010. A Pea In The Pod and Motherhood will carry her items. Lavish features iconic looks and Loved is affordable. (We’ll see!) Read more about it here!

Read more from MommyQ – Project Runway: Who’s Getting Auf’d Tonight?