just4moms.netExciting News Every Mom Should Know…

Kimora Lee Simmons is launching a new skin care line, Shinto Clinical, from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at Ron Robinson at Fred Segal, 8118 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.

Unique shopping

Unique LA's Fourth Annual Spring Show, featuring more than 325 designers and artists, is scheduled this weekend. Billed as the nation's largest independent design show, the event gives shoppers the opportunity to meet and buy directly from designers and artists, with all goods made in the U.S. There will also be free do-it-yourself workshops, a photo booth, a cafe and free non-alcoholic drinks.  The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the California Market Center, 110 E. Ninth St., Los Angeles. Tickets are $10 for adults, children 10 and under free, and may be purchased at the door or online at Unique's website up to an hour before the event begins. 

Mini Shop

The Mini Shop boutique, which offers lifestyle pieces for women and children, is celebrating its opening with a day of shopping and ice cream from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in the courtyard of the Barry Building, 11973 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles.

Jewelry

Decades boutique owner and vintage fashion expert Cameron Silver will host a cocktail party on Thursday at the Swarovski boutique at The Grove to demonstrate how to incorporate the latest jewelry trends into current spring wardrobes. he will also show off some vintage finds. The event is open to the public. Hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, at Swarovski at the Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles (next to Nordstrom).

Sample Sale

Current Elliott, Equipment and Joie have a joint sample sale scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.  June 8 and from  9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 9 and  June 10. [Updated to change dates. The sale originally had been scheduled for this coming weekend.] Prices are up to 75% off retail on merchandise from last season. Cash or credit card accepted. no handbags or strollers allowed. The sale will be at 1050 N. Orange Drive, Hollywood. [Udated to change the address; organizers moved the location.]

Ever New 

Australian-based womenswear brand Ever New has opened its first store in the United States at Westfield Santa Anita. The store name reflects its ethos, with new merchandise arriving weekly. Items include clothing made of high quality fabrics, shoes, handbags and vintage-inspired jewelry. It's located on the first level near Nordstrom at Westfield Santa Anita, 400 S. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.  

RELATED:

Photos: Mother's Day gift guide

Paint your face and nails in "dark Shadows" colors

Five four launches an online shopping club for men

Photo: Items from the Shinto Clinical line. Courtesy: Shinto Clinical and Kimora Lee Simmons

The daughter of one of OJ Simpson's head trial lawyers, Robert Kardashian, step-daughter to Olympian Bruce Jenner and step-sister to Hills star Brody Jenner, Kardashian first hit the scene as one of Paris Hilton's party pals.
See all stories on this topic »
Us Magazine

TORONTO (AP) — Brett Lawrie heard the penalty, then expressed just one regret about his tantrum: that his batting helmet bounced up and hit an umpire.

Major League Baseball suspended Lawrie for four games and fined him an undisclosed amount Wednesday, a day after the Toronto third baseman got into an altercation with umpire Bill Miller.

Lawrie appealed and can play until there is a hearing, which could he held next week via video conference. he said he intended to apologize to Miller for being hit in the right hip.

"The only thing I would change is maybe not throwing the helmet or any equipment toward the umpire because you can get an unlucky hop and have the kind of mess that’s going on right now," he said.

The 22-year-old Lawrie was in the starting lineup Wednesday night against the New York Yankees — with the same umpiring crew in town, Miller was stationed in close proximity at third base.

Lawrie received the loudest cheer in pregame introductions while the umpires were booed. he did not speak with Miller upon taking his position for the top of the first, and quickly ran off the field after the inning.

"I’m just playing the game the way I’ve always played it," Lawrie said. "That’s the passion I have for the game and I don’t feel like I need to change anything."

Lawrie, born and raised in Canada, is in his first full season in the majors. Miller became part of the MLB umpiring staff in 1999.

The trouble began Tuesday night in the ninth inning in a game Toronto lost to Tampa Bay 4-3. Lawrie started toward first base after he thought a 3-1 pitch missed, but Miller called it a strike.

On a full-count pitch that he believed was ball four, Lawrie again headed toward first base. When Miller called strike three, Lawrie momentarily crouched in disbelief. Lawrie dropped his bat, gestured at Miller and shouted, and was ejected.

Lawrie then started toward Miller, wound up with his right arm and slammed down his helmet. it bounced at the umpire’s feet and ricocheted up into him.

"That’s a bit extreme," Miller said after the game.

As Miller walked off the field, he was hit in the shoulder by a drink thrown by a fan.

Both Blue Jays manager John Farrell and general manager Alex Anthopoulos said they would not try to curtail the exuberance of their infielder.

"He’s an energetic player, we don’t want him to lose that energy and that passion for the game, that will to compete and do whatever he has in his power at the moment to make an impact on the game," Farrell said.

Anthopoulos said he would "never begrudge a player for being upset and being a competitor."

"That’s just part of the game," he said. "I don’t fault anybody for that."

Anthopoulos approached Lawrie as he stood next to the cage during batting practice. The two spoke briefly, with Anthopoulos patting Lawrie on the shoulder several times before walking away.

Lawrie then returned to the clubhouse to speak with his manager and GM in Farrell’s office before returning to the field to face the media as news of the suspension was made official.

Lawrie said he looked forward to the hearing as a chance to tell his side of the story.

"The only thing I regret is the helmet hitting him," Lawrie said. "I never meant to do that and it shows … it took a bad hop and it hit him just totally by accident."

"I don’t have any intentions of hurting anyone," he said. "I was just frustrated at the play at the time."

While conceding that Lawrie had made "a bad choice" in slamming down his helmet, Anthopoulos stressed Lawrie’s lack of intent, and the misfortune that Miller happened to be struck.

"he knows he shouldn’t throw his helmet, it goes without saying," Anthopoulos said. "Everyone knows he didn’t throw it at anybody, it happened to bounce and hit someone. if he had turned a little to his right or a little to his left, I think you’re probably not even involved in any type of suspension."

"It’s not like you’re recounting a story over the phone of, ‘You won’t believe what happened,"’ he said.

Anthopoulos deflected the suggestion that Miller’s strike calls were motivated by spite after Lawrie headed toward first base.

"I don’t think the umpires would ever do their jobs that way," he said. "I think, from that standpoint, you can look back at the film, like we all can in hindsight and 20-20, and we can obviously see if they’re balls or strikes. That’s very easy to look at in hindsight. I’m not sitting back there behind the plate and I know how hard that job is so I would never accuse anybody of doing that."

Copyright 2012 associated Press. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A group of Nigerian divorcees and widows tied the knot in a mass wedding ceremony on Tuesday at the central mosque in Kano, Nigeria. The women, about 100 in total, are part of a religious police program that matches up unmarried men with divorced or …
See all stories on this topic »

“The cold Hard Truth” tested friendships and strained alliances, as the risks of Riley’s new profession were made clear.

After Lacy found the cash in Riley’s freezer in last week’s Client List episode, I expected her to confront her friend right away. Instead, she waited until the AC repairman was in the room. Apparently Lacy’s better at making sideways comments that imply her meaning instead of just coming out with it, but eventually she gets there.

Unfortunately, Riley’s explanation didn’t hold up for long and Lacy came back with a more direct approach. I was a little surprised Lacy’s reaction was so harsh. Riley’s her best friend. I would think Lacy would be more worried for Riley than angry.

I loved the humor of them having to sit through Pretty Woman after the big reveal. Talk about a way to ruin a classic romantic comed. and Lacy’s asking Riley if she’d washed her hands was really cold. no one can get a good dig in like an angry friend.

I was a little surprised by how vehemently Riley defended her job. I did think that Lacy underestimated how difficult it was to pay the bills on her own but Riley seemed to look upon herself more as a therapist than a masseuse giving extras. I think that Riley’s simply enjoying the feeling of being in control of her own life for the first time in her adult life.

But the risks are huge. The cop pulling her over could have gone in such a bad direction. I certainly didn’t believe that he randomly pulled over Riley. He’s targeting the ladies at the spa and this game could become dangerous very quickly. I’m not sure even Georgia’s watchful eye can keep them safe.

On the other hand, Riley’s love life had its own complications as she indulged in a play date. I always thought play dates were just for kids but this one took a distinctly adult turn.

Mark’s a nice, successful guy and he obviously liked Riley, but I still think it’s too soon for her to jump into anything right now. some time on her own might do Riley some good. no matter how sweet and simple Mark says they can keep it, the reality of a relationship never works out that way.

Evan seemed destined to get his heart broken but I don’t think this is the time for him to come clean about his feelings just yet. I know it’s a risk but perhaps it’s smarter for Evan to let Mark be the rebound guy. I could be wrong but I don’t believe that Mark’s the guy for Riley.

The high alert at the spa definitely cut down on the tips for everyone but Selena who figured out a way to encourage her clients to handle things themselves.  I couldn’t help but laugh when she said that. I have a whole new respect for the girl.

Now that Lacy knows, who will be the next person in Riley’s life to learn the truth? Linette? Evan? neither of those will go nearly as well. how long can Riley lead this double life before the truth comes out and what will the consequences be for the girl working The Client List?

Oxford, Connecticut – Social Learning Made Easy. the Social Express(TM) is engaging, educational software for children and young adults with social learning challenges. the software is designed to teach users how to think about and manage social situations, helping them to develop meaningful social relationships and succeed in life.

Some of the core concepts presented are based on the work of Michelle Garcia Winner and her Social Thinking(R) curriculum. More information can be found on the Social Thinking(R) website. Users are encouraged to learn more about Michelle’s work to gain the full benefit from the program.

The Social Express is based on best practices and programs that feature cognitive behavioral techniques and visual strategies including Social Stories (Gray, 2002), Comic Strip Conversations (Gray ,1994), the Alert Program (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996), the incredible 5 Point Scale (Buron & Curtis, 2003), the Hidden Curriculum (Myles, Trautman and Schelvan, 2004), Thinking about YOU Thinking about ME (Winner, 2007) and other professionals working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

The activities presented in the software adhere to California State Board of Education Content Standards and the Common Core Standards.

How does it Work?Fully-animated interactive lessons and high-quality printables target many of the skills children and young adults need to learn in order to successfully navigate our social world.

Who can it Help?our innovative software targets core social deficit areas that stand in the way of school, social, and life success for children and young adults with social learning challenges such as autism, Asperger’s and ADHD.

Play Lessons:the Social Express comes with 16 interactive lessons featuring 30 scenes that are divided into two skill levels. Skill Level 1 targets younger users and/or those who have more difficulty understanding social situations. Skill Level 2 targets users who are aware of social rules but have difficulty using them in real-world settings. Each skill level ends with an interactive review of the Hidden Social Keys that have been learned during the preceding lessons, followed by a congratulatory presentation of a key that unlocks the Clubhouse.

How Will Children with Social Learning Challenges Benefit?as a safe, controlled, and familiar learning environment, the Social Express provides an opportunity for users to become more socially competent and have successful social interactions.

Potential benefits include the ability to:* Identify feelings in others* Understand the importance of “eye contact” (thinking with your eyes) in order to figure out what to say or do in social situations* Read non-verbal social cues* Identify appropriate coping strategies* Learn how to start conversations* Learn how to be part of a group* Learn about the hidden rules in social situations* Sequence situations and infer what will come next* Figure out what to talk about with friends* Monitor when others are using appropriate social behaviors* Learn about using figurative language (idioms) in conversation* Stay on topic when having conversations* Watch social situations unfold and see how behavior can have negative or positive consequences

Device Requirements:* Compatible with iPad* Requires iOS 5.0 or later* 1.52 GB

Pricing and Availability:the Social Express 1.0 is $89.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Education category. Please let us know how we can improve the service we offer, or indeed how you can help us to do a better job.

The Social Express 1.0Purchase and DownloadScreenshotScreenshot/App Icon

a4cwsn is committed to helping the families and carers of children with special needs and the wider community of educators and therapists who support them, by producing videos that demonstrate how products designed to educate children and build their life skills really work from a user perspective. our aim is that these videos, along with relevant information and advice from an independent source you can trust, provides valuable insight into whether a product is suitable for its intended purpose or not, enabling sensible buying decisions to be made. We hope this site and its content provides a valuable resource to the community that serves our precious children with special needs. Copyright (C) 2012 a4cwsn. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.

Lady Gaga, who is scheduled to perform in Jakarta next month, has been banned in Indonesia following Islamic protests. the critics have ripped the pop.
Celebuzz

The Charmers were the only special needs squad at this year's Worlds competition, performing alongside 400 elite cheerleading squads from more than 40 countries. On the sport's biggest stage, their routine earned them recognition as world champions.
See all stories on this topic »

As amazing as the little miracles I see every day are, nothing compares to the miracle of motherhood. I am eternally grateful for the positive influence my mother has been in my life, and can only hope I will become half the quality mother my …
A Daily Miracle Recent Posts

  LAKERS THUNDER   PPG NBA Rank Division Rank PPG NBA Rank Division Rank Offense 90.3 10th 3rd 97.2 1st 1st Defense 88.9 15th 2nd 91.2 24th 5th OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — For a megastar on a tradition-rich franchise with 16 NBA championships, Kobe Bryant has no problem admitting how the Los Angeles Lakers ‘ shortcomings have popped up repeatedly this season.

Bryant plopped down in a chair courtside at Chesapeake Energy Arena after the Lakers’ practice Tuesday and talked shamelessly about their second blowout loss in five days – this one by 29 points – and what it will take to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

” We’re a team that doesn’t get down when we get blown out. We’ve been blown out a bunch of times this season, blown out last series a couple times,” Bryant said.” We’re used to dealing with that.”

Indeed, Los Angeles suffered five losses by at least 15 points during a shortened regular season and trailed by 28 in a Game 6 loss at Denver in the first round. yet, the Lakers are still standing – even if they could be teetering on the brink of danger after a 119-90 loss at Oklahoma City on Monday night.

The storied franchise is 2-17 when losing the first two games of a best-of-seven series, and will try to avoid that sort of hole in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

” Everything’s fixable. It’s just about making adjustments. That’s really what the postseason is,” said Bryant, a five-time NBA champ.” They came out, took us out back and whooped us. It’s on us to make adjustments, to make changes and come back with a better effort – and we will.”

It all starts with providing some resistance to Oklahoma City’s pick-and-roll game, which freed up All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant for enough open jump shots that they combined to go 18 for 31 (58 percent) from the field.

” the one thing we have to do, we have to make sure that we give multiple efforts when we’re defending the pick-and-roll,” coach Mike Brown said. ” They do a great job of sprinting out to the ball screen and creating separation. … when they’re sprinting out, we’ve really got to get on our high horse, we’ve got to run with them and we’ve got to make sure that we affect the ball at the point of the screen as opposed for waiting for the ball to come to us.”

While the Lakers were tweaking their game plans to disrupt Oklahoma City’s offense and also get their interior tandem of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol better shots in close, the Thunder were downplaying Game 1 as just one win. yet, they were in a joking mood, too.

Coach Scott Brooks got a laugh out of suggesting that the Thunder – the NBA’s most turnover-prone team in the regular season – needed to cut down on their four giveaways from Game 1, one off the NBA playoff record for fewest in a game.

Brooks joined with his players in ridiculing Westbrook for wearing red glasses frames without any lenses and a polo shirt dotted with fish hooks to his postgame news conference.

” I’ve been knowing how to dress for a while,” Westbrook insisted, reasoning that he sees better without the lenses in the glasses.Brooks also compared Kendrick Perkins to the superheroes in the blockbuster ” Avengers” movie but – on the serious side – said the starting center will be a game-time decision after aggravating a strained muscle in his right hip during Game 1.” he is as tough as they come and he wants to play, but if he’s not ready to play, we won’t play him,” Brooks said, adding that the Thunder would have held him out of Game 1 if they’d have known he was prone to re-injury.

Bryant credited Perkins and his frontcourt teammates for giving Durant and Westbrook room to do damage and said the Lakers must fight through their screens better.

Los Angeles traded away Derek Fisher this season and brought in Ramon Sessions to get 11 years younger at point guard, although Brown said the move wasn’t aimed at defense. he suggested that Fisher – who’s now a Thunder bench player – was a solid defender while Sessions is still learning to use his teammates on defense.

Either way, the Lakers must find a way to clamp down on the perimeter.

” There’s a lot that concerns us from the first game,” Bryant said. ” We did a lot of things wrong. A lot, a lot of things wrong.”

If their turnaround from the Game 6 blowout to win Game 7 in the opening round shows anything, though, it’s that Los Angeles is also equipped with the resiliency to turn a series around.

” the Lakers are as competitive as any team in the league and Kobe is that guy that you always look at, that you say, `This guy competes every possession,”’ Brooks said. ” Every play, he wants to take your heart out.”

© 2011 STATS LLC