Mommywood

• Reese Witherspoon Tackles Big Issues in Washington

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/10/2010 4:18:00 PM

  Mom Reese Witherspoon told CNN Wednesday that she is on a quest to stop violence against women around the world. She is in Washington to attend the 2010 International Women of Courage Awards, along with Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton.
  
  The actress told CNN, "I think when you have strong powerful women standing up and speaking out about these issues, not to mention how many women represent us in the Senate and the House of Representatives, you're going to start to see a major change in these areas."
  
  Witherspoon is an Avon Foundation representative and is partnering with Vital Voices to raise awareness of the issues women face as a result of abuse.
  
  Secretary of State Clinton announced the awardees of the 2010 International Courage Award on Wednesday. Here is the U.S. Department of State's list of recipients:
  
  Shukria Asil
  Afghanistan
  Promoting government responsiveness to the needs of women.
  
  Colonel Shafiqa Quraishi
  Afghanistan
  Integrating women into the government and police force.
  
  Androula Henriques
  Cyprus
  Fighting human trafficking.
  
  Sonia Pierre
  Dominican Republic
  Ending discrimination based on country of origin and the human rights abuses of statelessness.
  
  Shadi Sadr
  Iran
  Advocating for women’s legal rights and an end to execution by stoning.
  
  Ann Njogu
  Kenya
  Seeking social transformation and at the forefront of reforms in Kenya.
  
  Dr. Lee Ae-ran
  Republic of Korea
  Promoting human rights in North Korea and aiding the refugee community in the Republic of Korea.
  
  Jansila Majeed
  Sri Lanka
  Strengthening rights for internally displaced persons.
  
  Sister Marie Claude Naddaf (a.k.a. Sister Marie Claude)
  Syria
  Working for social services for women.
  
  Jestina Mukoko
  Zimbabwe
  Documenting human rights abuses.
  
  Congratulations to these amazing women. Modern Mom salutes you.
  
• Michelle Obama Donates Gorgeous Inaugural Ball Gown

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/9/2010 4:17:00 PM

  Fashion icon, First Lady and mom, Michelle Obama, donated her beautiful inauguration gown to the Smithsonian National Museum of History on Tuesday. The gorgeous dress was designed by Jason Wu. The floor length, one-shoulder, beaded ivory masterpiece was inducted into a new exhibit at the museum.
  
  According to InStyle magazine, the new gallery, called "A First Lady's Debut," showcases 11 different First Lady's inaugural dresses.
  
  Mrs. Obama gave a lovely speech at the opening. "When I look at my gown—which I, in fact, have not seen since the day that I took it off—memories of that moment truly come rushing back. I remember how just luscious I felt as the President and I were announced onto the stage for the first of many dances. This gown is a masterpiece. It is simple, it’s elegant, and it comes from this brilliant young mind. Today is about much more than this gown. It’s also about how, with enough focus and with enough determination, someone in this room could be the next Jason Wu.”
  
  What a great compliment to the designer.
  
  A quote on the wall of the First Ladies Gallery reads, "For one evening, the inaugural ball gown is the most important dress in the country." The quote is from the Washington Post on January 5, 1997. We couldn't agree more.
  
  Wow, do we love that dress!
  
  
  
  
  
• Sandra Bullock Thanks Moms Everywhere

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/8/2010 4:28:00 PM

  Sandra Bullock won the Best Actress Oscar at Sunday night's Academy Awards for her moving portrayal of an incredible mom in The Blind Side. She gave a beautiful speech that may have caused me to tear up...
  
  Sandra stated, "I would like to thank what this film is about for me, which are the moms that take care of the babies and the children, no matter where they come from."
  
  In her film, her character takes in an underprivileged, homeless boy and selflessly gives him a life.  The film was based on the true story of Leanne Tuohy and family, whom Bullock also thanked. Then, Sandra took the time to thank her own mom.
  
  "So ... if I can take this moment to thank Helga B. for not letting me ride in cars with boys until I was 18 because she was right. I would've done what she said I was gonna do. For making me practice every day when I got home. Piano, ballet, whatever it is I wanted to be. She said to be an artist, you had to practice every day, and for reminding her daughters that there's no race, no religion, no class system, no color, nothing, no sexual orientation that makes us better than anyone else. We are all deserving of love. So, to that trailblazer, who allowed me to have that. And this. And this (as she holds up her Oscar)."
  
  Modern Mom loved and appreciated Sandra's heartwarming speech and performance.
  
  
  
  
  
• Meryl Streep Graces the Oscars- Again

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/7/2010 6:25:00 PM

  Meryl Streep has been nominated for more Academy Awards than any other actor. Or, as Steve Martin views it, she has the "most losses." He got a lot of laughs with that one!
  
  This mom's nominations total 17 (14 for best actress and 3 for best supporting actress). Her most recent nomination is for her role in Julie and Julia.
  
  She has two Academy Award wins under her belt. She was the best supporting actress for Kramer vs. Kramer, and best actress for Sophie's Choice.
  
  Streep has 4 children: Henry Gummer, Mary Willa Gummer, Grace Jane Gummer, Louisa Jacobson Gummer. 
  
  Meryl looked radiant at the Oscars Sunday night. What an amazing career!
  
  
• Candace Cameron Bure has a "Full House" of Her Own

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/4/2010 3:54:00 PM

  Full House star, Candace Cameron Bure, is a happily married mom of three. Candace is one of the few child actors who grew up unscathed. She played older sis D.J. Tanner to Jodie Sweetin's and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's characters. Her three children, Natasha, 11, Lev, 10 and Maksim, 8, keep her busy. She has been married to retired hockey player, Valeri Bure, since 1996.
  
  Will her children follow in her footsteps? Candace tells OK! Magazine, “My daughter’s dabbling in showbiz, and she’s done a few commercials. She’s auditioned for some movies and shows, so I’m letting her pursue that. I’m OK with it.” Natasha is the same age as Candace was when she started her long stint on Full House...
  
  But, she tells OK!, "sports and school are the priorities." She explains, “one of my boys is playing hockey, and he just scored a goal in his last game. My other two compete in tennis and they’re doing quite well.”
  
  More kids for Candace, or is her house full enough? “We’re done. Would I like more? Sure. I would love more. But we’re finished. As my husband would say, when we travel and rent a car, we can all fit in a normal-sized car and not have to get an SUV for five seats. It’s all about the car.”
  
  Cameron says her secret to a great marriage lies in spirituality. “Our marriage is grounded in the word of God. That’s really it. God is the core of our marriage, and the foundation and the blueprint for it is how we live, and being open and honest and communicating, but ultimately doing what pleases God, and not in a selfish manner.”
  
  Candace's last words on parenting are, “It’s amazing. My kids have grown me in ways I never knew possible. The patience I’ve received and the love I get from it is just amazing.”
  
  Candace's life sounds surprisingly akin to life in a popular television series. A happy family with three great children. I wonder if she learned a thing or two from the good ol' Tanner family? Hmmm...
  
• A Gold Medal Mom: Kristi Yamaguchi

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/3/2010 4:07:00 PM

  Figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi is a busy mom. The ice queen and her husband, Bret Hedican, have two daughters Keara Kiomi, 6. and Emma Yoshiko, 4.
  
  The 38-year-old Olympic gold medalist, Dancing with the Stars champion and mom told Working Mother Magazine, "I still have an itch." What she means is that she likes having a career. She admits, "I never thought I’d still be working this hard in my thirties.” She adds, “Sometimes I think I overextend myself because I’m traveling too much and am away from the kids. It’s a fine line to find that balance. These days I make business decisions based on whether something is worth my time away from my kids.”
  
  Kristi explained that motherhood changed her. "My priorities have changed drastically and I’m lucky I was ready for that. I’d toured with Stars on Ice for ten years; I was ready to … unpack my suitcase and not pack it for a very long time.”
  
  She tries to give her girls a normal life, given the circumstances. “We’re trying to be a normal family.  We have dinner together as much as possible.”
  
  It sounds like Kristi has her life together. What a great mom!
  
  Here at Modern Mom, we're slightly impartial to hardworking moms who have won Dancing with the Stars...
  
• Cate Blanchett: How I Make it Work

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/2/2010 4:26:00 PM

  Cate Blanchett, 40, tells the Times Online how she balances three sons, a husband and a booming career. We all want to know what this beauty's secret is...
  
  Her main priorities are "the children and the theatre." She is the artistic co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company with her husband, Andrew Upton. The couple have three sons,  Dashiell John, 8, Roman Robert, 5, and Ignatius ‘Iggy’ Martin, 22 months. "Andrew and I job-share, so there’s always someone to motor the family wheels." What a great system!
  
  So how does she deal with going on location for a film? "I don’t know any actor who doesn’t travel with children," she says. When she was filming Robin Hood, there was a good school nearby. She explained that she would, "take off my wig, put on my hat and go to pick them up."
  
  She also tries to incorporate her children into her work. "When they come backstage," she states, "you don’t want to exclude them or make them feel secondary. I try to include them; in fact, it can be pretty magical for them."
  
  "It has to work for my family, otherwise I can’t do the job."
  
  Cate definitely has her priorities straight.
  
  
   
  
• Bruce Willis Talks Weddings

  Posted by danimorgan on 3/1/2010 4:44:00 PM

  With three daughters, Bruce Willis will soon be very familiar with weddings! Rumer Glenn, 21, Scout LaRue, 18, and Tallulah Belle, 16, while not quite ready to get married, will hit the aisle at some point. Rumer, Scout and Tallulah are Willis' children with ex-wife Demi Moore.
  
  He told Parade Magazine, "I'm not worrying about their weddings yet. I have a little time. But when it happens it happens. Marriage is just one more rite of passage." For a dad, he's got a pretty great attitude. In his new movie, Cop Out, Willis plays a cop trying to pay for his daughter's very expensive wedding.
  
  One thing's for sure: he loves his daughters very much. "The one thing I didn't have to do any research on is what I would do for one of my daughters if she wanted something badly. That part came pretty easy. In real life, my daughters really rule my emotions, and I would do anything for them."
  
  He also told Parade that he is happier now than ever. "I got re-married again last year to a really wonderful woman [Emma Hemming]. That makes me happy all the time. This is the happiest time in my life. It just really is. I've never been happier than I am right now."
  
  Good for you, Bruce!
  
  
   
  
• Keith Urban: A Song for Sunday?

  Posted by danimorgan on 2/28/2010 6:13:00 PM

  Country superstar Keith Urban has a lot to smile about these days. He has a beautiful wife, A-list actress Nicole Kidman, and a lovely daughter, Sunday Rose. If that weren't enough, he just won his third Grammy for the catchy song, Sweet Thing. Life is good for Keith...
  
  The Aussie sat down with The Boot magazine to answer a few questions about his music and his life. When asked if he has written a song about his daughter Sunday, he responded, "I don't know. Sunday hasn't appeared in a literal way in a song just yet. But certainly becoming a father deepens everything in my life, and that's apparent in the songs."
  
  What is little Sunday like? Keith says that his daughter is "a great mix of the two of us. But Nic and I are very similar in a lot of ways anyway. She has this incredible determination and focus. That was inevitable that [Sunday would] get that!" Sunday definitely can't go wrong taking after either gorgeous and talented parent. 
  
  Keith also kidded about Sunday's Australian, Southern mix. "I always joke that when she starts talking she's going to say, 'G'day, y'all!' But she's a southern girl."
  
  Sunday Rose sounds like a wonderful girl. And what a great daddy she has! I bet she gets an amazing goodnight lullaby...
  
  
  
• Jennifer Hudson's Son has a Musical Ear

  Posted by danimorgan on 2/25/2010 4:22:00 PM

  Jennifer Hudson's 6-month old son takes after his mom. Lucky boy!
  
  David Otunga, Hudson's fiance and the father of her son, tells E! that David Daniel Jr. is already developing his "musical ear."
  
  “Jennifer will play the piano or sing to him, and he will calm down immediately. We had a guy over once tuning the piano and he was pecking the keys, and David started trying to sing and imitate the notes. It was the most unbelievable thing.” Otunga gushed.
  
  Otunga is training to become a wrestler as a part of World Wrestling Entertainment’s new reality show.
  
  Their little boy is already crawling too! Otunga states that, “Literally, over a span of just a week, he started inching along and now he’s a full-fledged crawler.”