Betty Crocker sponsors a yearly cookie recipe contest, called "Bake Life Sweeter".

Contestants were asked to use one of the nine Betty Crocker Cookie Mix flavors and to get creative using additional ingredients, decorations and serving ideas.  

I've included Lynette Spence's winning recipe for "Cinna-Spin" Cookies.

Cookies
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Stir in butter and egg until soft dough forms.

2. On piece of waxed paper, shape 1 tablespoon cinnamon into a line about 5 inches long. Using floured fingers, shape 1 tablespoon of dough into a rope 5 inches long. Press one side of dough rope into cinnamon.

3. On ungreased cookie sheet, coil dough rope tightly, cinnamon side facing center, into cinnamon-roll shape. Press end of rope into roll to seal. Repeat with remaining dough. Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

5. In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup.
Prep time is 1 hr 10 min, and the recipe makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies!

The web site includes other fabulous recipes that received honorable mentions. I'm planning on making the winning cookies for Mother's Day.

Please, share YOUR recipes for baked goodness. Give this single mama options for baking! I just bought a new cookie sheet that I'm DYING to use!!

According to Perez Hilton, Beyonce's clothing line, House of Dereon, is introducing a new kids line.

To celebrate the launch, B has come out with this ad featuring young girls dress like.....and looking like.

Work the lipstick and blush, babies!

Hmmm...thoughts?

Before experiencing the joy that is pregnancy, I heard stories of weird cravings. Ice cream and pickles, anyone? When I was pregnant with Karina, the cravings were very real. Initially, it was crushed ice, then it was frozen snickers bars, and it finally culminated to hot dogs...and no, it couldn't be just any hot dog, it had to be from Pink's, and it had to have chili and bacon. AND I had to have it when I craved it; if that meant getting into my car at 2am...so be it. Sure, I craved the standard pickles too, but I never mixed them with ice cream.

When I was pregnant with Cristian, the cravings were different, but still there. With Cristian, I craved Mexican chile sauce and it had to be HOT. I could eat spoonfulls of it. Straight. Yup...I'm that Mexican.

I also had food aversions. Before having my kids I LOVED In-N-Out Burgers; and yet, when I was pregnant with each of my children I couldn't even smell them! Another aversion was eggs...and oddly enough, both my children LOVE In-N-Out burgers AND eggs. So, do these cravings and aversions mean anything?

Some people say that craving ice means that you're low on iron. Some alternative medicine practitioners believe that a shortage of vitamin B can trigger a craving for chocolate. But if people craved what the body needed, wouldn't we all be eating more fruits and vegetables, instead of...say, cement or dirt?

So my question is, did you have any interesting cravings during your pregnancies? What were the theories you heard associated with your cravings? Did you indulge your cravings? Please share!

With summer being just around the corner, I've decided to explore different and interesting ways to get in bikini-ready shape. This is how I discovered Zumba. I accidently came across a free class at my local park and initially thought it was some kind of party. I soon came to realize that it was an exercise class that only felt like a party. I stood there and watched and let me tell you, it looked like A LOT of fun. I soon signed up for the class.

Zumba was founded by Miami-based dancer and choreographer Alberto 'Beto' Perez and combines Latin rhythms with cardiovascular exercise to create an aerobic routine that looked like SO MUCH fun! In fact, the word ZUMBA is derived from a Colombian word meaning to move fast and have fun.

Zumba fuses hypnotic latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a dynamic workout system that will blow you away.
Our goal is simple: We want you to want to work out, to love working out, to get hooked. Zumba Fanatics achieve long term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric-burning, heart-racing, muscle-pumping, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life!

Today was my first class and I had a ball! It was hard, I was sweaty, and there were many times I wanted to just walk out of the room...but the music was loud, the moves were fun and my sister (Erika's mom) was with me. I didn't want to let her (or myself) down.

After the class, as my sister and I were walking to my car, I was deep in thought and realized that I learned a few things about myself:

1. I can't dance.

2. I jiggle a bit too much.

The goal is to learn these dance moves so that I don't feel as if I have two left feet, make my Latin roots proud...and jiggle a little bit less.  :)

I can't wait for next week! Two Zumba classes! I swear, the only thing that would make this class better is a Martini bar in the corner! What about you? Have you heard of Zumba? Could this be something that you would consider trying? And finally, what type of exercise program works for you?

I don't have very many female friends. The ones I do have I've had for over 10 years, and have been with me through thick and thin. But, our relationships are not as "tight" as they once were. I remember the days when I would be on the phone for hours, just planning our next night out. Yeah...those days are pretty much over. We are all in different stages of our lives, and our paths are not crossing the way they once did.

My friends are amazing women, but lately we don't seem to have much in common. We do make it a point to get together a few times a year, but as time passes...it just gets harder and harder to find the time to schedule a night out. I often hear how important it is to maintain outside adult relationships, to assist with the objective of not losing YOU. So, does the fact that I enjoy hanging out with my kids make me a freak? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good "Girls Night Out" as much as the next person. In fact, the picture I've attached is from a recent night out with Erika. We got together to see Margaret Cho's stand up...and we had a great time. So I do manage to get out and spend time with amazing women...but lately, most of these women seem to be members of my family. Is that bad? Do I need to step out of the protective bubble of my family and sustain the relationships I've developed over the years?

What about you? How important are adult relationships to you? How old are the friendships that you've been able to sustain and...how do you do it? Also, how often do you get out without your kids for a "Girls Night Out"?

The other day, Karina asked me an interesting question that sparked a discussion on preference, safety and personal care. She asked at what age would she have to see a gynecologist. I answered, "I'm guessing it'll be when you're 18, or when you become sexually active...whichever comes first." She asked, "Then it should be a female doctor...right?" I answered, "Well, it should be whatever you're most comfortable with."

Then I began to think about MY experiences. I've always suffered from irregular periods, severe cramping, and ovarian and fallopian cysts; so I saw my first gynecologist when I was a shy 16 year old virgin, so I specifically requested a female doctor. She was very unsympathetic, and pretty much accused me of being a baby. I mean, if SHE could handle HER cramps, then why couldn't I? When she inserted the speculum, she became irritated at my pain and discomfort, and when I advised her that I was a virgin, she said..."Not anymore!"

That was the last time I specifically asked for a female doctor. Since then, my gynecologist have been primarily male...and much more sympathetic. When I was pregnant with Karina, I chose an older male Obstetrician. As a man, he didn't know first-hand what it felt like to be pregnant, go into labor, have a miscarriage, have a period, or even what cramps felt like. So, every little pain I had, he took seriously and never dismissed.

I spoke with Erika about this topic, and she forwarded comments that were on the Orange County Register message board about this very subject.

I'm glad you had a good experience with Dr [name redacted]. My experience was drastically different- waiting for every appoint for at least an hour (reception told me they sometime triple book appt times), never having an opening at a time that was convenient for me, then having [Dr's name redacted] tell me my labor was nothing compared to hers when she had her twins after I'd been pushing for three hours (apparently, she's notorious for this as the nurses were joking about it when I told them what happened).

I'm not saying that all female doctors are less sympathetic. I'm just sharing my personal experiences.

What were your experiences like? Do you have a preference when it comes to choosing your doctor? Does gender enter into your equation?

John Deaves abandoned his daughter Jenny when she was just one year old. Father and daugher reunited after 30 years, and just two weeks later...had sex.

"John and I are in this relationship as consenting adults," Mrs Deaves told the Nine Network's 60 Minutes tonight.

"We are just asking for a little bit of respect and understanding."

Yes, you read that right; they're in a "relationship". They also have a nine-month old daughter, Celeste.

Jenny stated that soon after reuniting with her father, she began to see him as a man first, and her father second. But wait. She still saw him as her father...right? Ew.

"I was looking at him, sort of going, oh, he's not too bad," she said.

"Like you might look at a man across the bar at a nightclub."

And what does daddy have to say? "I knew it was illegal, of course I knew it was illegal but you know, so what."

After reading this article, I have SO many questions. Why would they go public with this? How can you be sexually interested in your child/parent? What are they going to tell their daughter, who's also Jenny's half-sister? What does Jenny's mother think about this? And finally, is there really a shortage of good men in Oz?

What do you think?

This Thursday, my little family and I (along with my father) leave for my much needed vacation to New York. I've never been, so I'm very excited. We have tickets to see Gypsy (with Patti Lupone) on Friday evening, and plan to visit the museums, central park, the Empire State Building, and the Statue of Liberty. Any other suggestions?

How's everyone today? What's up with you?

I admire celebrities. Not for their lifestyle, or their money (ok, maybe a little for their money), but for being tapped by organizations who wish to use their celebrity to raise awareness on certain issues. Take for example Salma Hayek. This new mommy was tapped by Pampers and Unicef for their One Pack = One Vaccine campaign.

For every specially-marked pack of Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive, Swaddlers, Cruisers, and Easy Ups diapers and Pampers Sensitive, Swipers, and Clean ‘n Go wipes purchased in the U.S. and Canada from April 7 through August 31, 2008, the Pampers brand will donate 5¢ to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to provide one tetanus vaccine to a woman in the developing world.* The goal for the U.S. campaign is 45 million vaccines, which would bring the total global donations to more than 70 million vaccines.

Exactly what is tetanus? Before seeing Salma Hayek on Oprah, all I knew about tetanus was if you cut yourself with something rusty, you need to get a tetanus vaccine...STAT. But now I know that Tetanus is a serious but preventable disease that affects the body's muscles and nerves...and is VERY painful.  

Another form of tetanus, neonatal tetanus, occurs in newborns who are delivered in unsanitary conditions, especially if the umbilical cord stump becomes contaminated. Prior to immunizations, neonatal tetanus was much more common in the United States. Now, routine immunizations for tetanus produce antibodies that mothers pass to their unborn babies. These maternal antibodies and sanitary cord-care techniques have made newborn tetanus very rare in developed countries.

Why Tetanus? Because in developing countries, Tetanus has a fatality rate as high as 70 to 100%...and the vaccine costs 5 cents. By being vaccinated against tetanus, mothers and their babies are easily protected against this terrible disease.

I must admit that I was a bit touched when I saw Salma Hayek on Oprah; but it wasn't until I saw this Pampers commercial the following day, that I decided to do my part and let my fellow Mothertalkers know about this program. I don't know if it's because I'm currently pre-menstrual, but this commercial made me cry my eyes out. I thought it was very powerful...and very sweet.

So, I would like to ask our pregnant Mothertalkers, to send me an email at gloria (at) mothertalkers (dot) com, and provide me with your address so that I can send you all a little something, courtesy of your founding Mothertalkers, Elisa, Erika and me...

According to Wikipedia, ultimate fighting is described as follows:

The UFC was started as a tournament to find the world's best fighters irrespective of their style, and was based upon Brazilian vale tudo fighting or No Holds Barred. Although there were a few limited number of rules at UFC 1, the UFC was initially known as no holds barred fighting, and contests were often violent and brutal. Early UFC fights were less sport than spectacle, which led to accusations of brutality and "human cock fighting" by opponents.

"Human cock fighting"...yeah, doesn't appeal to me AT ALL. But, according to this article, this sport is branching out...and attracting competitors as young as six.

Two members of the group called the "Garage Boys Fight Crew" touched their thin martial-arts gloves in a flash of sportsmanship before beginning a relentless exchange of sucker punches, body blows and swift kicks.

No blood was shed. And both competitors wore protective gear. But the bout reflected the decidedly younger face of ultimate fighting. The trend alarms medical experts and sports officials who worry that young bodies can't withstand the pounding.

Hmmm...did YOU find comfort in the fact that "no blood was shed"?? I know I didn't!

I'm not a "Tonight Show" fan. I mean, I WAS when Johnny Carson was the host, but once the baton was handed over to Jay Leno, I tuned out. I just don't think Jay Leno is funny.

Case in point, Leno's interview with actor Ryan Phillippe on March 19th. Leno asked Phillippe about his first TV role, which was playing a gay teen on "One Life to Live". At one point, Leno asked Phillippe to show him his "gayest look".

"Can you give me, like -- say that camera is your gay lover ..."

To Phillippe's credit, he answered "I will not." But Leno wouldn't let up, and continued "Can you give me your 'gayest look'? Say that camera is Billy Bob – Billy Bob has just ridden in shirtless from Wyoming."

See what I mean? Not funny.

Leno did issue an apology to People, saying that his attempt at banter "came out wrong."

"In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," the host said. "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

Of course, by that time Jeff Whitty and Melissa McEwan co-founded MyGayestLook.com, to give visitors a way to showcase their "gayest" expression.

The site, she says, "raises awareness about the fact that gay jokes really just aren't funny."

The pictures that are showcased on the site are of various people "flipping the bird".

Now THAT'S funny.

Last night as I was watching television, I noticed a newsbreak about a new computer game that had parents UP IN ARMS, called "Miss Bimbo". It was going to be on too late, so I just made a mental note to look into it this morning. What I found, is pretty disturbing.

According to this CNN article, this computer game is geared toward girls as young as 7. The game is described as a "virtual fashion game for girls". The object of the game is to become your own version of Paris Hilton...yeah, aim high.

Girls are encouraged to compete against each other to become the "hottest, coolest, most famous bimbo in the whole world."

Ok, so let’s go through the motions. A young girl signs up and is given a naked virtual character to look after and compete with other girls to earn "bimbo dollars". They can dress their doll in sexy outfits and take her clubbing and are told to "stop at nothing", even "meds or plastic surgery", to ensure their dolls win.

The site has a clinic that specializes in plastic surgery for the all important breast implants that cost 11,500 bimbo dollars. The upside? Well, you earn 2,000 "bimbo attitudes", making your doll more popular on the site.

Oh, and don’t forget to bag yourself a billionaire boyfriend. How else are you going to pay for your lifestyle???

Ok, so let me get this straight...this game that’s geared toward girls as young as 7 encourages plastic surgery, (because if your breasts are too small, you won’t be able to bag yourself a billionaire boyfriend), it encourages young girls to take diet pills...WTF? And also encourages girls to bag themselves a rich boyfriend, because otherwise they’ll have to – God Forbid – WORK.

The game’s creator, Nicolas Jacquart, aged 23, stated, "It is not a bad influence for young children. They learn to take care of their bimbos. The missions and goals are morally sound and teach children about the real world."  He added: "The breast operations are just one part of the game and we are not encouraging young girls to have them, just reflecting real life."

What do you think? Is this COMPLETELY irresponsible and giving girls the wrong message, or is this...just a game?