Happy Mother’s Day!

Mother’s Day is the time to celebrate your one-of-a-kind mom. If you’re stumped for creative ways to show her just how much she means to you, don’t worry: We have plenty of great suggestions. Our Guide to Mother’s Day Gifts has a trove of unique gift ideas for all kinds of moms (and all kinds of budgets). If homemade gifts are more your style, then you’ll want to check out our step-by-step instructions for Mother’s Day crafts.

We’ve also got the perfect brunch menu, with easy-to-make recipes - so there’s no excuse not to make her breakfast in bed. Or to surprise her with an elegant afternoon tea party, where you can serve one of our mouthwatering muffin recipes.

At Mother’s Day on the Net, you can also learn all about the history (or should we say “her”story) of this special day, plus how the British celebrate their moms on Mothering Sunday, and how bereaved military moms are honored on Gold Star Mother’s Day. And you can read why the President of the United States thinks America’s 85 million moms are so special!

We even have the inside scoop on ten of Hollywood’s hottest moms - who may have the world at their feet, but when they become a mom are brought to their knees just like the rest of us.

Mother’s Day 2008 will be celebrated on Sunday May 11. We look forward to celebrating this special day together with you, our readers. Here’s to our moms!

Happy Holidays,
Holidays on the Net

Mother’s Day is the perfect occasion to bake a sweet treat that shows your mom how much she means to you. These muffin recipes aren’t just delicious - they’re also healthy. And they’re easy for dads and kids to bake together.

 Cheese Muffins
1 c all-purpose flour (substitute: 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for an equal amount all-purpose flour)
1/2 c cornmeal
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
3 ounces grated reduced cheese - either Cheddar or Swiss work nicely
3 T vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 c low-fat milk
1/2 c instant grits

Directions
Click to continue…

Carrot Orange Muffins
This muffin is full of flavor, but low on calories, fat and carbs, with the suggested substitutions.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh baked banana muffins wafting through the house. This delicious recipe even has chocolate chips - making it a favorite with everyone in your family.

Breakfast Muffins
These healthy and delicious muffins are the perfect way to say good morning to your mom on Mother’s Day!

For these and other Mother’s Day recipes check out our holiday recipe site - Holiday Eats

photo credit: via flickr

Well honestly. Who else could it be?

Drum-roll please…

The Top Celebrity Mom

Angelina Jolie
The 31-year old Angelina Jolie has traveled a long road to motherhood. But after a string of failed relationships, battles with depression and more tattoos than you can count, the award-winning actress is now the happy mom to her growing brood. She and Brad Pitt have four, soon to be five, kids together. (Pssst… Angie’s due in July if you somehow missed the news!)

As if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Angelina is also the UN Goodwill Ambassador and international do-gooder, helping millions of children in crisis around the globe. Despite her sorted background, Angelina’s got a heart of gold and clearly puts mothering at the top of her list of priorities.

Angie and Brad’s kids are 6.5 year-old Maddox (born in Cambodia), 4.5 year-old Pax (born in Vietnam), 3 year-old Zahara (born in Ethiopia), and almost 2-year old Shilo (the couple’s first biological child, who was born in Namibia). No word on which way the gender balance will tip for the Jolie-Pitts come July, but if Angie’s to be believed, this baby will be far from their last. In fact, Angelina recently said on the John Stewart Show that she wants anywhere from seven to 14 kids!

Well thats our are list of 2008 celebrity moms. We hope you’ve enjoyed it. If you’ve missed any of our series - you can find all our Top 10 Celebrity Moms here.

Photo Credit: Angelina Jolie (flickr)

Last night, at 8 p.m. Israel officially said goodbye to Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and kicked off the start of the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day) in grand fashion. Every municipality across the country hosted multiple fire works shows – in fact, from my rooftop balcony, I was able to catch at least 4 different displays from neighboring towns.

The rest of the night was like one big traveling band: Israel’s favorite pop artists from today and yesteryear headed out on their annual one-night-only tour. Popular singers like Danny Sanderson and Gidi Gov knocked out 30-minute sets and then quickly moved on to the next city – which I guess is one of the advantages of being a super star in a country where 80 percent of the population lives within 2.5 hours or each other.

Today, every single soul in Israel celebrated independence in precisely the same fashion: With a barbeque. Not the most vegetarian-friendly holiday, Yom HaAtzmaut is universally celebrated over a plate of charred skewers. (My barbeque host ironically called today “The Festival of Beef”.) While many patriots prefer elbowing with their fellow countrymen for space at one the country’s national parks, I took the cushier route and accepted an invitation to a cookout in someone’s backyard.

Earlier in the day, there were parades and more concerts – and even a fun local exhibition of the Tank Corps. Soldiers let kids clamor up to the top of their armored vehicles and demonstrated krav magah techniques.

Whether you’re a die-hard patriot or not, the 60th Yom HaAtzmaut was undoubtedly a moving day – filled with the comraderie that comes from being a part of something bigger than yourself. That, and eating too many hotdogs.

Today we’re highlighting a selection of  Mother’s Day Coloring Pictures from our holiday craft site - Holiday Arts & Crafts on the Net - to help celebrate your Mother’s Day. Just print them out and all you’ll need to bring are the crayons!

For these and other Mother’s Day coloring pictures please visit our holiday craft website - Holiday Arts & Crafts

Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for another Mother’s Day holiday suggestion.

A Top Celebrity Mom

Julia Roberts
From Pretty Woman to mother to three, Julia Roberts can do it all. After her 2002 nuptials, Julia and cameraman Danny Moder settled down to grow their family . The couple lives full-time on their New Mexico ranch, which lends to their reputation as down-to-earth, “real” people. In fact, even though Julia has a nanny to help out with her kids, she is by all accounts, an incredibly hands-on mom to Phinneas and Hazel, age 3.5, and Henry, age 1.5.

The Earth Mother-type, Julia has also become an advocate for green living. She even used eco-friendly Seventh Generation disposable diapers with her twins and got turned on to the flushable g-diapers with Henry. (Some celebs are going even greener, like mom Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose daughter Ramona’s tush is swathed only in organic cotton.)

Check back each day for another celeb mom (or you can cheat and check out our whole top 10 list here).

Photo Credit: Julia Roberts (flickr)

And by not wearing socks today, you can help the environment by doing a little less laundry.

And on a personal note, I think men wearing shoes without socks is just plain ugly. And creepy. And uncomfortable too!

Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to host a brunch in your mom’s honor. Here’s a family-friendly menu that kids of all ages can help out with. We’ve also got some helpful tips on how to involve your children in preparations.

The Menu
Orange Julius
Pumpkin French Toast
Griddle Potatoes
Strawberries & Cream

Orange Julius
This frothy drink is a refreshing way to start off your Mother’s Day brunch. Our recipe uses soy creamer, for a healthier twist.

1 c French Vanilla Soy creamer
1 c fresh squeezed orange juice (2-3 oranges)
6-8 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Serve in a cup with a straw. Serves 2.

Check out our holiday recipe site - Holiday Eats - for these and other Mother’s Day brunch recipes:

Pumpkin French Toast
This original recipe is a unique take on an old favorite.

Griddle Potatoes
It wouldn’t be brunch without the morning spuds. Here’s a classic and delicious take on griddle potatoes.

Strawberries & Cream
Definitely not an everyday indulgence, this recipe is the perfect sweet exclamation to your wonderful brunch.

Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for another Mother’s Day holiday suggestion.

A Top Celebrity Mom

Jenny McCarthy
Once just another blond-haired babe on Baywatch, comedian and actress Jenny McCarthy has recently transitioned into one of the most important roles of her career: outspoken champion of children with autism. Just what motivated this huge change? Her almost-6 year-old son, Evan Joseph. The author of several books on pregnancy and motherhood - including Belly Laughs and Baby Laughs, Jenny recently tackled the serious subject of autism in her autobiographical book Louder Than Words.

Since the book’s release in September 2007, Jenny has appeared on the Oprah show and the cover of People Magazine, where she not only shared the heartbreaking story of learning that her son has autism, but also offered hope to millions of American families dealing with the same diagnosis.

Jenny has raved about the radical wheat-free/casein-free diet she put Evan on, saying it has opened up a window into her son. Jenny has also criticized the childhood vaccine requirements set out by the Center for Disease Control, calling them a “one-size fits all” schedule, which she believes contributed to her son’s autism. Today, one out of every 150 American children is diagnosed with autism - more than double the rate of just ten years ago. Autism is a spectrum disorder affecting neurological development.

Check back each day for another celeb mom (or you can cheat and check out our whole top 10 list here).

Photo Credit: Jenny McCarthy (flickr)