Oprah Counsels Rihanna and Jimmy Kimmel is Alone Again

Oprah, herself a victim of physical abuse, held a roundtable discussion on her show today and she offered some wise words of advice for Rihanna. The young star, who was beaten up by her boyfriend, singer Chris Brown, is said to have reunited with him at Diddy’s house in Miami. Oprah thinks the young couple needs to take some time and get counseling. She also mentioned a good point – “Love doesn’t hurt.” Well, at least not physically. And Oprah pointed out something she says she has been telling women for years – “If a man hits you once, he … Continue reading

Welcome to the Politics Blog!

Welcome to the new Politics blog here at Families.com. Last week, the New Hampshire primaries demonstrated an upset in the presidential nominees. What’s great about the upcoming election is that it’s not about who is the front runner – because New Hampshire demonstrated that the front runner is not easily picked on either side of the aisle whether you’re looking at the Democratic party with Senator Barack Obama (our first potential black nominee), Senator Hilary Rodham Clinton (former First Lady and first potential female nominee) and Senator John Edwards (former nominee for Vice President). On Republican half of the ticket … Continue reading

What I Call Life – Jill Wolfson

“What I Call Life” is a young adult fiction novel set around the Pumpkin House, an orange building filled to the brim with foster children who operate under the care of the Knitting Lady. When Cal Lavender’s mother has another one of her “episodes,” this time in a public library, eleven-year-old Cal isn’t fazed. This is normal behavior for her mother. Soon she’ll snap out of it and everything will be fine, until the next time. But the authorities are called and Betty is taken off for treatment, while Cal is taken to the Pumpkin House. She doesn’t know what … Continue reading

All Jimmy All The Time

If you are a fan of Jimmy Kimmel I have good news for you. If you can’t stand the guy then I would suggest staying away from your TV for a while. And if have no clue who Jimmy Kimmel is you probably will by the end of the month. The late night talk show host will be saturating the airwaves beginning next week. In a move that has never been executed by an entertainer, Kimmel is going bicoastal. He’s keeping his gig as host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in Los Angeles but will also be filling in for … Continue reading

Jimmy Neutron

“Jimmy Neutron” is a definite favorite at our house. Appearing daily on Nickelodeon, the show is a combination of science, boyhood pranks, and just a little bit of rude humor. While the show is geared toward your seven-and-older set, we watch it as a family, from our two-year-old up to my husband (I won’t tell you how old he is. He wouldn’t appreciate it.) Jimmy is a boy genius. His head has grown a bit large, to hold his incredible brain, and he even has a laboratory in his backyard. Most of his inventions work, too, but not always without … Continue reading

Jimmy’s Boa Bounces Back – Trinka Hakes Noble

I enjoyed reading and reviewing “The Day Jimmy’s Boa Ate the Wash.” When I saw “Jimmy’s Boa Bounces Back” at the library, I was excited to read this sequel. It’s not as cute as the original, I’m afraid. But it’s still a fun story. On the first page, Meggie announces to Jimmy that she has just seen his boa at her mother’s garden club meeting. Apparently her mother needed something to wear that would add just the right touch to her suit, and decided that the boa was just the ticket. Her friends were quite taken with her fashion statement. … Continue reading

Calling The Fashion Police

The fashion police are coming to the rescue—of a distant cousin. Scotland Yard is getting a visit from the fashionably fit. In what some are calling a “historic moment” the iconic bobby’s uniform worn by members of the British police force is getting a makeover. According to the Metropolitan Police, the force has recruited students from the London College of Fashion, whose alumni includes celebrity shoemaker Jimmy Choo, to help redesign the uniform for the 21st century. For years police officers have complained that their foot-high helmets topple when they chase suspects. Proving that while the uniforms may be stylish … Continue reading

Indoor Baseball

Up until recently, the weather has been frightful on the East Coast. The first few weeks of the baseball season have seen postponements due to snow and sub-freezing temperatures. It is for this reason that my family has taken to playing an indoor, more imaginative variation of our national pastime. Around 7pm when our hometown Major League ball club, the Philadelphia Phillies, take the field, we recreate a baseball diamond on our living room floor. Using nothing more than three square pillows from the sofa, an old toy hardhat, a washcloth bear from the bathroom, a small stuffed animal duck … Continue reading

Come Sing, Jimmy Jo – Katherine Paterson

In “Come Sing, Jimmy Jo,” we meet James Johnson, who is the eleven-year-old son of Jimmy Lee and Olive Johnson, untraditional parents to say the least. For decades, the Johnson Family has had their own band, comprised of Grandpa, Grandma, their son Earl, and other son Jimmy Lee. When Olive married into the family, her soprano singing voice was just what the band needed. They traveled from town to town, playing at fairs, family reunions, and church gatherings. Grandma’s voice gave out right around the same time James was born, so she kept him on the farm and raised him … Continue reading

All Hail the Resident Pets in Chief!

Photo by Peter Mackay Presidents are often known for their policies, diplomacy (or lack thereof), and in some unfortunate cases their scandals or assassinations. In honor of Presidents’ Day, I thought I’d focus on a different side of the White House. One Pets Blog readers might better appreciate: the variety of pets who have called the White House home. I think the first pet I remember hearing of living at the White House was Jimmy Carter’s daughter’s cat. I was just a little girl at the time (maybe eight?), and it caught my attention because I was surprised a cat … Continue reading