Wedding Set

When Caylee Anthony disappeared in 2008, I followed the news coverage with a sick heart. I hugged my then-6-year-old daughter a little tighter and whispered multiple prayers of thanksgiving for her safety. Caylees story made me imagine what it would be like to have a child disappear, and those thoughts terrified me on a level I didnt know existed.

As it became clear that Caylee probably wouldnt come home safely, the nation learned more about her mother, Casey. A young, single mom with an irresponsible streak, it was obvious that she wasnt ready to be a parent. And as I held my own child, it wasnt only Caylees story that scared me, it was Caseys. Just as Caylee brought to mind my daughter, Casey reminded me of myself when she was first born. Poll: Would You Date Someone Accused Of Murder?

When I was 21 and in a relationship that I knew wasnt going anywhere, I found out I was pregnant. I was in college and waiting tables in the evenings. I worked and studied hard and partied even harder.

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Dr. Neil Clark Warren, clinical psychologist and founder of the online dating site eHarmony, posted some interesting advice for lovers on Huffington Post today in an article, On Second Thought, Dont Get Married: “More than 2 million couples will get married in the United States this year alone. Several hundred thousand of these couples should reconsider, postpone their weddings or not get married,” he says.

He points to research and statistics that weve all heard before: Too many marriages end badly, and in recent years, more and more couples are choosing not to get married at all, which is all leading more and more of us to believe that marriage is obsolete. But he draws a different conclusion: Marriage is still important, he says, but we just dont know what were doing.

Warren points to a second set of statistics that shows 70% of adults under 30 still want to get married someday as proof that its part of human nature to seek out a lifelong partner.

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Its finally over: the first date after divorce. Im happy to report it was painless. The best thing about it was that it wasnt really a date. We were just getting together as a follow-up to an enjoyable meeting at a party connected with a professional conference. Im not looking for a “boyfriend.” I only called it a date because it has been 40 years since I met a man late at night alone. And I wanted to get the somewhat scary idea of that first date after divorce over with.

You can get great advice from website gurus and friends, but they are so darned intense, as if each date should win an Oscar for screenplay, an Emmy for best actor and actress, and a Tony for set design and costume. Here are my observations for those who already star in their own life and dont need to “score” to have a hit. Third Age: Boomers go to Flirt School

Do: 

Im not a huge drinker, but theres something about the season that just makes me want to sit on the patio and sip a fun drink out of a pretty glass. Maybe its the heat. Maybe its the hours of sunlight. Maybe its the abundance of fresh fruit and herbs. Maybe its the fact that my kids are home from school. OK, so maybe theres no maybe about that one. Its the kids. Theyre driving me to drink. Heres whats in my glass …

1. White Sangria I love me some traditional Sangria, but this one just seems more summery to me. Yum.

2. Honeydew Fizz Midori, fresh honeydew, and seltzer water is all it takes to make this yummy green bliss. Ill take three.

What were you doing in 2006? Well, if you were 49-year-old French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, you were knocking up two very gorgeous (and famous!) women.

Monsieur Pinault, who own Gucci and other luxury brands, fathered a daughter named Valentina with Salma Hayek in 2007 and then later married the Mexican actress in 2009. And, now, according to the New York Post, we now know that he is also the father of former supermodel Linda Evangelistas son, Augustin, who was born at the end of 2006.

Like January Jones and other actresses whove kept the identity of their baby daddies a secret, Linda, 49, has never publicly acknowleged that the wealthy luxury brand owner was Auggies dad. (She even tried to throw reporters off the track by telling them in 2008 that her baby daddy was a “New York architect.”)

Things that are American: Barbecue grills. Firecrackers. Boats on the lake.

Things men love to man: Barbecue grills. Firecrackers. Boats on the lake.

Theres no holiday more American than the Fourth of July, a day that casts men in their most traditional role: the take-charge, fire-mastering, crowd-pleasing leader. Is there anything more American than a man with a mission? In fact, the traditions of Independence Day can shed a lot of light on your relationship and explain just what it is that makes your American man so… American (and appealing).

An unfaithful father makes for an unfaithful husband. You may now add this to your handy list of relationship adages to live by right next to, “If he treats his mother like crap, he will probably treat you the same way.” According to a new study done at Charles University in Prague, men were found to be far more likely to cheat if they grew up with a father who was unfaithful. The daughters of cheaters, however did not suffer a similar fate. The researchers conclusion was as follows: Good-looking parents produce good-looking children. Said attractive children have more opportunities to stray if they are men but more opportunities to snag a genetically desirable mate if they are women. But the attractiveness theory doesnt quite cover the rest of the population. I mean, ugly people cheat too. How do they explain that? Well, its all about the motivation for the infidelity.

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Lori Londons beautiful pieces are hand crafted by her  team of skilled artisans. Each feather & flower is so delicate and really a work of art. As we enter into the busy bridal season, Brides will have many choices at M&J Bridal Salon for their headpieces. Fe

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