Charli's Angles WTBX

The vice principal at Woodlake Elementary School in Mandeville, Louisiana took a leave of absence during the school year because her 10-month old son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma cancer. During that time, she visited doctors and held her son Grayson as he went through four rounds of chemotherapy and surgery to remove most of the cancerous tumor.

When she returned to the school, she was shocked to see all of her former students holding their own flash mob in her son's honor at their end-of-year assembly.

About 800 students and teachers danced and sang in unison to Bruno Mars' song "Count On Me".

She was moved to tears.

 Beauty Tricks That Make You Look Thinner Instantly

Want to look thinner—without breaking a sweat? Check out
these eight beauty tips, tricks and treatments that will make you look slimmer
and toned instantly, no diet and exercise required

Grow your hair long and get
highlights

“Highlights help to create vertical lines, which can give
the effect of a slimmer you,” says Joel Warren, co-owner of the Warren-Tricomi
Salon. “Also, if you have a round face, don’t ask for a short bob. Rather, grow
your hair long—all one layer—to elongate your facial structure and body type. If
you have longer, curly, wavy hair, it gives the effect that your body is smaller
than it is!”

Electric Facials
Traditional facials—with their
cleansing, extractions, masks and moisturizing—focus on skin care. Electric
facials, which are becoming more and more popular at medi-spas around the
country, focus on the muscles under your skin. Using mild electric currents,
trained aestheticians target the small muscles at your jawline, around your
mouth and at your cheekbones—tightening them for an overall lifted
look.

Strategic Contouring
Facial contouring is a DIY slimming
makeup trick that’s great for every day. Just choose a bronzing powder or a deep
blush that’s a shade or two darker than your complexion or foundation. Sweep it
upward from under your cheekbone to the top of your ears, and lightly dust it
under your chin and jawline

Endermologie
Cellulite reduction
massage treatments like endermologie have been around for decades. While their
efficacy in eradicating cellulite has long been disputed, the massage does help
in quick bloat/water-weight reduction. Also, having the back of your thighs
massaged on a regular basis makes skin firmer and tighter, which leads to a more
taut appearance overall. The only drawback? For best results, you’ll need
multiple sessions, which, when added up, can be quite expensive.

Body
Wraps
When combined with lymphatic drainage massages, detoxifying body
wraps can be an effective way to quickly drop a bit of extra water weight all
over your body. They’re a great treatment to indulge in once in a while, maybe
before a big event, but remember that you will put the weight back on after
drinking liquids and eating salt.

Contour Tanning
Love a bronze glow? We already know that spray
tanning is a safer alternative to real tanning and tanning beds—but did you know
that in addition to making you look tan, your tanning technician can also help
you look slimmer? The next time you visit your local tanning salon, ask for a
contour tan. The technician can visually sculpt you a set of abs, slimmer arms
and even higher cheekbones using a spray shade that’s slightly darker than your
allover hue.

Volume and Height Are Your Friends
“If you have a
round face, hairstyles with height and fullness at the crown will give the
illusion of a narrower face,” says celebrity hairstylist Louise O’Connor.
“Longer hairstyles or ones that are kept close to the cheeks, with no width,
will look better.”

Neck Tape
We won’t name names, but we know of at least four A-list
celebrities whose makeup artists regularly use neck tape to give their clients a
lifted look without going under the knife. If you have a double chin and are
willing to go to extreme DIY measures to hide it, this lifting, elastic
contraption might just be the thing for you.

Buy
Neck Tape Here

Glamour

This story is amazing...the local TV news crew is extremely cheesy..but watch its well worth it!

Addison Kleinhans is 7. His best friend, Bella Hicks, is
5. They were diagnosed with cancer one day apart in 2010, and they’ve battled
cancer together ever since. This is their story.

Are you preparing for Country USA? Have you been trying to lose the weight for awhile? Mine is since the baby came..well, these are GREAT tips!

Here are 25 common eating tips that successful
fat-burners follow consistently:

1. Make the commitment to change your
eating habits no matter what it takes. This commitment will help you
overcome the setbacks along the way.

2. Start keeping a food journal
as soon as possible. Research has proven that you will have a better chance
of succeeding with your nutrition plan and fat loss if you keep a food journal.
By logging your actual food choices, you are holding yourself accountable
throughout the day. It will help you to plan your meals better and avoid binge
eating and emotional eating. You won't need to keep a food journal once you have
the eating part figured out.

3. Get an accountability partner such as
a spouse, friend, or personal trainer. You can challenge each other to make
good food choices.

4. Add healthy foods to your menu that you
like. You are more likely to stay with a menu loaded with foods you like.
Replace the foods that are bad for you with healthy foods.

5. Set your
daily calorie intake based on your basal metabolic rate, your activity level,
and your goals. This way, you won't eat too much or too little. Maintaining
the right amount of calorie deficit on most days (burning more calories than you
consume) is the key to burning fat and losing weight.

6. I don't
recommend any diet that omits one of the macronutrients (carbs, protein,
fat). Your body's metabolism needs all 3 macronutrients to work
efficiently.

7. The various "body organ cleansers" out there on the market are not the
key to your fat loss and weight loss. Regular exercise (weight training and
interval cardio) and good nutrition are your tickets to a permanent lean and
toned body. Remember that healthy foods such as fruits and veggies play a role
in keeping your body clean (and they're a lot less expensive).

8.
Along the same lines, there are no magic pills, powders, or creams that will
give you a permanent lean and toned body.

9. Control calorie
intake by eating more water-based foods (volume eating). The basics of it is
to eat as many foods with high water content/low calories as you can. Foods such
as fresh fruits and vegetables are examples. These types of foods help you to
feel fuller (satiety) while eating fewer calories.

For instance, grapes
with the same calorie amount as raisins will provide more satiety and
theoretically help you eat less the rest of the day. Energy density of food is a
key component when trying to add volume to your diet. Fibrous foods should also
be high on your list of filling, healthy foods.

10. Get enough
sleep. Researchers have found that the less sleep the test subjects got, the
higher their body mass index. The shorter sleep time altered the subjects'
hormone levels, energy decreased, and appetite increased. Sleep deprivation also
negatively affects your workout performance. The general rule is 7-8 hours of
sleep a night. Some may need more sleep or a little less. Don't sabotage your
exercise program and weight loss efforts by not getting enough shut-eye.


11. No matter how fast your metabolism, a calorie surplus (consuming
more calories than you burn) causes you to gain fat and weight. A slow or
sluggish metabolism is not the major cause of weight gain. Too many daily
calorie surpluses is the major cause of weight gain. Lifting weights (including
bodyweight exercises) and cardio exercise will give you a higher metabolic rate.
A combination of circuit weight training and high intensity interval cardio will
get your metabolism "revved up."

Eating smaller, frequent meals about
every 3-4 hours will keep your metabolism "revved up" during the day. Your
metabolism will slow down if there are too many hours between
meals.

12. You need fats in your diet for your body to function
properly. Fats are also filling. Get about 20% of total daily calories from
fats. Eat little or no trans fats. Eating too many (and too often) trans fats
will land you in the doctor's office with heart and cholesterol
problems!

Focus mainly on eating heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) can lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower total
cholesterol. Good sources of MUFAs are nuts (especially raw), nut butters,
olives, olive oil, avocados, safflower oil, peanut oil and canola oil.

Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) are also good for you, especially the omega-3
fats found in cold-water fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines,
trout, and white tuna. Flaxseed and walnuts are also good sources of omega-3
fats. Eat more omega-3 fats and less omega 6 fats.

Too much omega 6 fat
intake can lead to inflammation that causes arthritis, cancer, and heart
disease. Sources of omega-6 fats are soybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil,
corn oil, sesame oil, and cottonseed oil. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) fats
found in red meat and dairy are also good for you provided they come from
grass-fed cattle. Another option would be to supplement your diet with fish
oil.

Limit eating saturated fats. Some sources of saturated fats are
healthy, such as those from coconut oil. Moderation is the key to eating
saturated fats.

Count the calories with fatty foods just like any other
food. For example, nuts are good for you but they are loaded with calories. A
handful of raw almonds will do the trick for you.

13. Eat
breakfast. A good healthy breakfast gets your metabolism kicked off for the
day. Continue to eat small meals every 3-4 hours to keep up your energy and to
keep your metabolism humming along.

Eat one serving of food each meal.
Don't ever super-size a meal. Go easy on the condiments. Sauces, dips, ketchup,
mayo and toppings are loaded with calories.

14. Plan and pack your
meals for the day. This way, you are more likely to stay with your nutrition
plan.

15. This rule applies every day — if its fried, let it
slide!

16. Alcohol has calories too (7 calories per gram).
When you take a drink of alcohol, your body converts a small amount of it into
fat and the rest is converted (by the liver) into a substance called
acetate.

This acetate is then quickly released into the bloodstream and
used as the body's main source of energy. So, your body is using the acetate as
energy instead of the stored fat in your body. The more you drink, the more fat
your body will store!

Research published in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition reported that fat metabolism can be reduced by as much as 73%
after only two drinks of vodka and lemonade in a one hour time period. You can
see how excess alcohol consumption can contribute to the dreaded "beer belly."
So, this is just one more reason to drink alcohol in moderation.

17. Carbs are not your enemy! They are your body's preferred source of
energy, especially during intense exercise. Eating fast digesting carbs
immediately before or after your workout will not spike your blood sugar
levels.

18. Eat protein with every meal. Protein helps you feel
fuller for a longer period of time, helps to keep carbs from spiking insulin
levels, and repairs your muscles after a tough workout.

19. Don't skip
your post-workout meal. It is important to help your body recover from
intense exercise (especially weight training). You don't have to eat immediately
after your workout. There is a 30-45 minute "window of opportunity" where
replenishing your body's fuel (carbs, protein, fats) will optimize your tissue's
repair and growth. If you miss this "window of opportunity" it is gone forever.
A protein/carb shake will work well.

20. Drink water and unsweetened
drinks (like tea) most of the time. It will help you eat less and help your
body function better.

21. Forget the quick weight loss gimmicks (they
lead to yo-yo weight loss and even more weight gain)! There are no quick
solutions to permanent fat loss and weight loss.

22. Eat foods with
one ingredient as much as possible. Whole, natural foods have one
ingredient, like fruits, veggies, fish, and nuts.

23. Try not to eat
foods stored in a box or bag. These foods are usually loaded with trans fats
and saturated fats.

24. Don't assume that LOW FAT means LOW CAL.
Read the Label.

25. Stick to your meal plan at least 90% of the time
and you should be just fine (provided you are sticking to your exercise
plan).

Awe..

A female pit bull was killed by a car in Phoenix, but her partner refused to leave her behind.

The male dog stayed by her side for more than 14 hours before Animal Control removed her body and now, they say, he is still so depressed he may not be able to find a home to adopt him.

The dogs stayed on the side of the road, cars whizzing by, for so long that a local business put out food and water for the male pit bull.

Nuzzling his lost love, the male dog would not leave her side.

After seeing the photo, a Facebook user from Chicago called the mayor of Phoenix's office.

Animal Control claims it was the Sanitation Department that stalled in picking up the dogs, but that now, the male is recovering slowly.

A spokesman said, 'He's a little withdrawn and he appears to be very sad. I am not certain we will be placing him up for adoption.'

Animal Control thinks that the dogs may have an owner because the male had a harness on him when he was found.

However, that person has not yet claimed him. Without an owner, the male pit bull's future is uncertain.

Taylor Swift made a personal phone call and sent flowers to the family of a Marine who passed away overseas during combat in Afghanistan.

Taylor told the family that she wants to wear the soldier's dog tags in her next video to show her support for his military service.

Taylor reached out after a fellow Marine posted a video on YouTube asking her for support and she responded.

So..I finally get a weekend alone..Girls and my husband went to the U.P and I was left to my own devices..I was doing laundry, YEP laundry and I walked into the steps.....ouch-I am not sure if I was knocked out or not. All I know is it really hurt and I dropped to my knees and next thing I know my dog is licking at my face and all the laundry is scattered all over the floor!

I look really pathetic too! LOL
~Charli

I may have found my new favorite movie....just sayin'

What Does It Cost to Raise a Kid, Anyway?

The cost of raising a
kid from birth to 17 rose a whopping 25% in the past decade, according to the
United States Department of Agriculture. In its most recent report, for a child
born in 2010, a middle-income, two-parent family can expect to shell out almost
$227,000 for the necessities needed to raise that child (not including the cost
of the pregnancy, childbirth or college).

Factor in inflation and those
parents are looking at a grand total of around $287,000.

Of course,
housing, transportation, clothing, childcare and other miscellaneous expenses
contribute to the large bill, but two major expenses associated with raising a
child have climbed significantly.

Hint: They’re in your refrigerator and
the medicine cabinet.

What We’re Spending the Most On

In
2000, the grocery bill for raising a child to age 17 was a little under $24,000.
In 2010, it had skyrocketed to more than $36,000.

To keep that same child
healthy until age 17, in 2000 the fee was almost $9,000. By 2010, parents could
expect to cough up double that amount, more than $18,000. (In fact, recent data
shows that annual premiums alone for typical family health coverage rose 9% in
2011 to $15,073.

As for your grocery bill, “the price of staple foods has been steadily
rising, particularly because of global warming, and it impacts everything we
consume on a daily basis,” says Stephany Kirkpatrick, CFP®, LearnVest’s Director
of Financial Planning. “Rather than officially raising prices, companies tend to
make smaller packaging. So what was a 24-ounce package is smaller, and we go
through it faster.”

While there’s not much we can do about rising prices
or shrinking package sizes, what we can do is become more conscious consumers.
“As moms are working to balance work and parenting, we often find ourselves
buying pre-chopped vegetables or the ready-made chicken dinners at the store,
because we’re looking for convenience, instead of sticking to a plan,” says
Kirkpatrick. “What will make the biggest difference is coming up with a budget,
and sticking to it.”

Now Take a Breath …

Although the news
may sound bleak, having a child doesn’t have to be financially crippling. “If
you’re reading this now and pregnant, or you just had a baby, don’t panic!” she
adds. “And if you’re reading this and have grown kids, don’t panic either! Take
a step back, and think about the smart things your own parents did to make it
work when you were growing up. Cook dinner and eat leftovers the next day. Use
coupons! It might be old-fashioned, but they’re there for a reason.”

1. Return Your Cap And Gown (And Your Library Books) Before You Leave Campus

Return your cap and gown or you will be charged like $150.

2. Don't Throw Out Your Student I.D.

Remember how awesome it was to go to museums for a discount while you were in college? Well, as a Real Adult, you will appreciate not paying the full entry fee when you whip out your college I.D. (Also, J. Crew and Madewell give anyone with a student I.D. 15 percent off, and you can still get your Apple Store discount with your I.D., so it's not just about being all cultured.)

3. Make Your Own Lunch

You really will save a ton of money. And you'll be healthier.

4. Use Your Commuting Time Wisely

No matter how you get to work, spending your commuting time on something engrossing that is not email, Twitter or anything work-related will make you feel like a healthier, less-work-crazed person. 

5. Hangovers Will Get A Lot Harder To Deal With

Going to work with a vicious hangover is not the same as snoozing through a 9 a.m. sociology lecture with a vicious hangover. Also, you will get drunk off three drinks by the time you're 25. (On the bright side, this makes getting drunk a lot cheaper.)

6. Keep Track Of All Your Tax Stuff

Taxes! You have to file them. And if you're a freelancer, you should keep track of your eligible business-related deductions and spend the extra couple hundred dollars to have an accountant do your taxes. Here is another tip: If you "forget" to pay, the IRS will find you. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they will find you and then one day you will go to take money out of your bank account and it will be ALL GONE because they put a lien on it and that is NOT FUN.

7. Use Your Credit Card (Wisely)

You know how everyone warns you not to go into crazy credit card debt when you're in college? This is good advice. But getting a credit card in college — when it's super easy to do— is actually a very good idea, as long as you pay your bill on time. Then you'll have a clean credit history and you will be able to do Real Adult Things, like rent an apartment and buy a car on your own.

8. Go Back To Band Camp (Or Keep Playing Soccer, Or Doing Indian Classical Dance, Or Whatever)

Just because you're out of school doesn't mean you should drop your sport/musical instrument/extracurricular. Even if you are a Revolutionary War reenactor.

9. Sex Gets Better

It gets (SO MUCH) better when you're not doing it a) totally wasted and/or b) in a frat house. 

10. Don't Freak Out If Everything Doesn't Happen Right Away

Everything moves faster in college. One semester you're a reporter for the school paper and the next you're the editor-in-chief! That doesn't exactly happen in the real world. It'll take some time to adapt to not being on a semester schedule, so don't be despondent if you don't get promoted after four months, or if you actually just suck at your first job. It's okay.

11. But Also Don't Freak Out If You Never Graduate College In The First Place

As one person put it: "I wish someone had told me to drop out sooner than I did b/c college isn't for everyone and I'd save myself a ton of debt and end up with a job I love anyway."

Source

Sometimes we think our favorite celebrities only exist on this planet for our
own amusement. In fact, many of them do have lives away from the limelight. When
they’re not acting, singing, dancing or just being fabulously rich and famous,
some of your favorite stars take part in some pretty interesting extracurricular
activities. Here are some celebrity hobbies that just might surprise
you.

Tom Hanks collects typewriters

Yes, Tom Hanks is a fan
of typewriters. No, he doesn’t hoard computer keyboards, but vintage, manual
typewriters. You know, the kind of devices your grandparents once used to write
letters back in the day, before computers were around. Most of the typewriters
Hanks has are still in working condition. Tom often takes one or two of them
with him when he hits the road for work.

Leonardo DiCaprio geeks out
over action figures

Mr. DiCaprio has a great love of tiny plastic
action figures. Considering the amount of money his films have made, he might
become an action figure himself one day. His collection includes 'Star Wars' and
'He-Man' action figures, as well as other vintage toys. From time to time he
puts some of them up for auction, in case you’re an avid collector yourself and
want to own Leo's Tauntaun. (That doesn't sound right…)

Will Smith and
Tom Cruise practice fencing

Like a modern-day Errol Flynn, Will Smith
is a huge fan of swordplay. The Hollywood actor took up fencing when his good
friend Tom Cruise (maybe you’ve heard of him) introduced him to the sport. David
Beckham has also gotten into the act. When time allows, the three men get
together and fence in a practice room at Tom’s house.

Tiger Woods goes
spearfishing

The last few years have been turbulent ones for Tiger
Woods. How does a world famous golf pro relax in his free time and get away from
it all? Why, he goes spearfishing, of course. If his aim with a spear is as good
as his aim with a golf club, then whatever fish he happens to set his sights on
doesn’t stand a chance.

Johnny Depp plays with Barbie
dolls

Apparently the star of almost every Tim Burton film ever made
likes to play with Barbie dolls. You might be wondering why a grown man would
spend his time dressing up Barbie and helping her get ready for her dream date
with Ken. It all kind of makes sense when you realize that Mr. Depp picked up
the habit while playing with his kids. Maybe Ken gets a Captain Jack Sparrow
voice to make him sound like less of a stiff.

Angelina Jolie has a
dagger collection

Angelina Jolie has demonstrated a fair number of
quirks in her day (tattoos, blood vial necklaces), but motherhood has seemed to
settle her down a little. Yet some of her wild flair still comes through with
her collection of vintage and decorative knives. Her son Maddox even has a few,
but apparently the blades on his daggers are dulled down. Every mother knows
safety comes first.

Taylor Swift makes Christmas snow
globes

When Taylor Swift isn’t out on tour, writing songs, or winning
Grammys and CMA awards, she keeps her hands busy with crafts. The young country
superstar has begun to make Christmas snow globes with her friends. The globes
are built with jars, and feature Christmas Trees and angels inside. Perhaps
she’ll write a song about her new hobby.

Ricky Gervais paints
landscapes

Ricky Gervais is famous for his no-holds-barred sense of
humor and his perfect comedic timing. When not out courting controversy, this
British comedian likes to relax at home and paint landscapes and cityscapes. He
is a big fan of art, and art history in general. Painting is merely a logical
extension of his passions.

Ben Stiller is a 'Trekkie'

Ben
Stiller adores everything to do with 'Star Trek.' He has stated that he was a
“Trekkie” since he was a child, and that he still is a fan of the Starship
Enterprise gang today. His favorite character was Captain Kirk, who he thought
was exceedingly cool. Stiller is also a great fan of the science fiction
franchise’s humor and humanity. Maybe one day he’ll get to play a character in a
'Star Trek' movie, and become the envy of all of those Trekkies out there
aspiring to such glory. Are you listening, J.J. Abrams? Time to cast Stiller as
a wise-cracking Ferengi.

Quentin Tarantino nerds out over vintage
board games

Quentin Tarantino is known for his peculiar sense of
humor, and his fast pace delivery style. For those of you who appreciate his
eccentricities, you won’t be disappointed by this famous director’s board game
collection. Quentin is very fond of vintage board games that relate to old
television shows. There doesn’t seem to be a ton of people out there into this
odd hobby. If you happen to be one those people, you can now count yourself in
excellent, if rare, company.