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Giovanna Fletcher’s kids record epic version of Cars 2 song – and husband Tom gets in on the action too

GIOVANNA and Tom Fletcher often share clips of their kids pounding a drum set or jamming to their favourite track – and with a musician dad and an author and presenter as a mum, it's not hard to see where they get their talent from. 

To kill time during lockdown,  the Fletcher boys recorded their very own version of their favourite Cars 2 song "You Might Think" – and it's so epic it's good enough to rival any popular Disney or Pixar theme song. 

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

Proud mum Giovanna posted the four minute clip to Instagram in hope it would help cheer some people up during lockdown with the upbeat rendition of the popular movie soundtrack.

With help from dad Tom, six-year-old Buzz revealed in the clip that he had been creating music over the past two weeks with his younger brothers Buddy, four, and Max, one – and even came up with their very own band name, BUXY.

Explaining how they came up with the name, Buzz explained they'd used a letter from each of their names to create the acronym before detailing  their time in the home recording studio.

The entire video is made up of snippets of their "lockdown project" witch included a brief introduction before Buzz introduced his new song – describing it as "great".


It's clear the youngster already has all the makings of a rock star – even from the young age of six – and we can't believe how good the video actually is.

Equipped with a guitar, a drum set and free-standing microphones, Buzz, took the role of lead vocalist, and busted out the movie lyrics alongside his brother Buddy.

Meanwhile, the youngest of the Fletcher clan, Max, contributed as a back up dancer and with the occasional babble into the mic.

Captioning the video, Giovanna wrote: "Buxy – The Lockdown project! Tom and the boys have been a bit busy. They decided to record Buzz's favourite song from Cars 2 and we decided to share it – think we could all do with a bit of cheering up right now! ENJOY!! Go BUXY!


The post has since been viewed over 300k times and we're pretty sure we'll be seeing an album from BUXY sometime very soon.

The youngsters dad Tom was also eager to show of his kids' talent, and of course his own as band manager, and shared the clip with his 1.8 million followers on Instagram.

He said: " Thought I’d share one of our “lockdown projects” that we’ve been working on with the kids while we’re all staying home during these tough times. We had a blast making it (or watching the kids make it) and hope it puts a smile on your face.

"The song was picked by Buzz as its one of his favourites from Cars 2 called You Might Think. Hope you’re all safe and finding your own ways to keep yourself and the kids happy and busy at home."

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And we are so glad they did share the adorable clip because it will now go down as the greatest lockdown anthem of all time.

But it seems many families are turning to music to help get them through the lockdown period with another family sharing  an amazing rendition of the musical hit One Day More from Les Miserables.

Dad Dr Ben Marsh, a history lecturer at Canterbury University, shared the stunning video online where it quickly went viral as a result of their funny lyrics and sweet-sounding harmonies.

The family came up with their own lyrics to the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit to reflect reality of the coronavirus lockdown – and it was hilarious.

Lyrics included lines such as “watch our daddy drink, see our mummy sigh, clapping for the NHS can make ‘em cry” and the video even made its way onto This Morning where it was watched by Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield.

The family later revealed the hilarious antics behind their viral video – and how the parents had to bribe their bored kids to take part as well as making the lyrics less soppy.

One thing's for sure, we will all come out of lockdown with a playlist full of epic anthems made famous by fun-loving families sharing joy and love online.

In other news, this bored family create hilarious ‘nightclub’ in their living room with dad acting as bouncer, kids breakdancing and strobe lights.

Plus, Stacey Solomon shows off clever animal-shaped sandwiches for the kids and reveals her nifty trick to get them perfect.

Meanwhile, you can go on a live safari in your lounge during lockdown to see lions in the Kruger National Park and the Masai Mara.

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Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

We love these products, and we hope you do too. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not E!.

If you’ve always wanted a pair of Madewell jeans but haven’t taken the plunge yet, now’s your chance to grab a pair (or more) of their bestselling denim for just $75! 

The deal is simple: just shop their Bright Spot sale and find some denim you like in the cut you love most, including styles such as skinny, curvy, boyjeans and more. Pop the ones you want in your cart and enter the code SWEETDEAL at checkout, and voila! Superior jeans at a fraction of their regular price.

We picked out some of our fave styles below to get you started. But don’t delay… this deal is for a limited time only!

Read

12 Madewell Items We’re Obsessed With This Month

‘Tis the season to wear white, especially in jeans that accentuate your waist with a high-rise and tapered legs. They also sport raw hems and have the perfect amount of stretch.

Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

Rock the worn-in look in these sweet skinny crops, featuring a high rise and magic pockets that lay flat no matter what. Be forewarned: these don’t have a lot of give.

Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

Sure, you can still wear dark wash jeans, even though it’s spring. We recommend you do so with this pair, with extra-comfy stretch. Plus, these jeans contribute to the Do Well program, where Madewell partners with the Better Cotton Initiative to improve cotton farming globally.

Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

We have this exact pair of jeans, and we LOVE them. They’re comfy but structured, stylish but casual, and perfect in every way. Wear them with sandals to show off their fluffy raw hem, or slide them into a pair of knee-high boots (for as long as the season allows).

Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

A little bit baggier, a little more broken in, but still with an undeniable amount of style, these jeans will quickly become your go-to faves thanks to their high-rise slim fit, and vintage men’s jean cut.

Score Madewell's Bestselling Denim for $75

You might also want to check out this 25% off deal on NutriBullets, too!

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Parents hilariously tell their kids school is back OPEN in series of brilliant April Fool's day pranks

WE may be less two weeks into our lockdown – but the coronavirus crisis didn't prevent parents from pulling off some pretty epic April Fool's day pranks today.

Mums and dads all over the UK tricked their little ones into believing that they had to go to school this morning – and their reactions were absolutely priceless.

One genius mum posted a hilarious clip of her sons' reactions on Twitter after she tricked them into believing they were going to have to give up their weekends to make up for the time they've missed at school.

 Stephanie presented the pair with a fake news bulletin of Boris Johnson announcing that schools were reopening tomorrow.

While her eldest son immediately replied "that's a big NO from me", her younger son almost broke into tears when he heard his "weekends were cancelled."

But after them mum informed them both that it was just an April Fool's joke, her little boy then cheekily threw a cushion at her and burst into laughter… worth it.




Meanwhile, dad-of-two Andrew Hall also went down a similar route for his April Fool's prank – but took it one step further.

After telling his daughters Myla, eight, and Talia, six, that they had to go to school today, the dad actually made them get dressed into their uniforms.

It was only when they reached the end of the front garden that Andrew revealed it was all an elaborate April Fool's joke – causing Myla to collapse in a heap on the grass while Talia ran back inside screaming "DADDY!!!"

Taking a similarly adorable approach, mum Orla Jackson also got her daughter Kiyah all dressed up for school this morning.


The little girl was waiting by the door in her coat, school bag in hand when her dad Shane McCarthy told her it was an April Fools’ prank.

Unsurprisingly, Kiyah less than impressed and immediately dumped her bag by the door and sat on the stairs in a huff.

Her dad joked: “She’s gonna hate us for the day now."

Luckily for 11-year-old twins Tyler and Nathan Davies, their mum Kimberley didn't get them out of bed – but did make them believe they were going to have to get up for school.


Bursting into their bedroom, the mum said: "Boys, school is open! You've got to go."

Naturally, the twins were horrified by the announcement and protested that they didn't have their uniforms.

Allowing them to believe it for just a matter of seconds, Kimberley then shouted "APRIL FOOLS" before her sons pulled the duvets over their heads and went back to sleep.

In more parenting news, Holly & Phillip were in stitches as they looked at kids’ awkward artwork on This Morning

And this savvy mum shared her meal prep tips which mean she has ZERO waste when cooking.

Plus this mum shared her genius tip to keep kids occupied by drawing around shadows of their toys.

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Get up to 60% off The Fragrance Shop perfumes now 2020 | The Sun UK

THE Fragrance Shop is having a massive sale right now: up to 60 per cent off selected lines.

So here are our top picks from both men and women offers, including Michael Kors, Ted Baker, and Lacoste.

The Fragrance Shop is loved by savvy shoppers for offering a wide range of perfume from our favourite brands.

That's including the likes of GUCCI, Paco Rabanne, Burberry, Prada, Marc Jacobs and many more.

And with this up to 60 per cent sale, it's a great opportunity to bag a present for anyone special in your life. Or get it as a spring treat for yourself (we know we'll be doing the exactly that).

So here we've rounded up the best items to snap up now.

For women

  • Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau De Toilette 50ml Spray, £52 – saving £7 – buy here
  • Gucci Rush Eau De Toilette 50ml Spray, £37 – saving £23 – buy here
  • CK One Eau De Toilette 200ml Spray, £31 – saving £28 – buy here
  • Britney Spears Fantasy Eau De Parfum 100ml Spray, £20 – saving £20 – buy here

For men

  • Paco Rabanne 1 Million For Men, £79 – saving £19.50 – buy here
  • D&G Collection No 3 L'imperatrice Eau De Toilette 100ml Spray, £31 – saving £23 – buy here
  • Paco Rabanne Invictus Eau De Toilette 150ml Spray, £67 – saving £20 – buy here
  • Versace Dreamer Eau De Toilette 100ml Spray, £25 – saving £31 – buy here

New Look has a 25 per cent off everything sale, but you have to be quick as it's ending soon.

And if you need to get a new pair of socks or three, you're in luck: Happy Socks has a 30 per cent off sale now. 

But if you're interested in product round ups, check out Sun Selects to find the best item when shopping around the web.

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Miley Cyrus cut her own fringe, and fans keep comparing her to Tiger King's Joe Exotic

From blunt fringes to side-swept bangs, these fringe hairstyles are guaranteed to inspire your next hair transformation…

Should I get a fringe? Or, if you’re reading this from American shores, should I get bangs?

It’s a question that almost every woman asks herself at least once in her lifetime – and, like any hair transformation, it requires some consideration. After all, depending on the style you go for, fringes and bangs can be a major commitment, given that they require regular trims and styling. It’s important to consider, then, whether you mind hair in your face, whether you’re able to handle regular trims, and whether you will be willing to spend some time styling those eyebrow-skimming layers each morning? Because, speaking as someone who has dabbled in fringe hairstyles, one night of tossing and turning can cause you to wake up with an unplanned three-pronged pompadour the next day (thankfully, spritzing with dry shampoo or wetting your hair down and blow-drying tends to do the trick).

Should you opt for a fringe or bangs?

While there are many reasons not to get a fringe cut in, there are also plenty of reasons to take the plunge, too. The most important one being, of course, that it’s a dramatic change that… well, that isn’t actually all that dramatic. Because, face it, the rest of your hair and style can remain untouched if you ask your hairdresser for a blunt fringe, a soft side-swept number or even something as bold as ‘baby bangs’ (think Audrey Hepburn’s short, wispy, impulse fringe in Roman Holiday).

Essentially, the ever-versatile fringe hairstyle is an incredibly chic and accessible look, which really can be tailored to suit any face shape or style.

Don’t believe us? Get ready for some serious bangs inspiration…

Celebrities with bangs and fringe hairstyles

  • Miley Cyrus

    Miley Cyrus is making the most out of her time at home. The singer has started a new Instagram Live series called Brightminded, in which she discusses various topics and invites a range of guests to join her.

    In yesterday’s show, Cyrus was joined by her hairstylist Justin Anderson and presenter Kristen Cavallari. When they joined the live stream, Cyrus told them, “Don’t look at the hair,” before pulling out a pair of scissors and adding, “these puppies.”

    She continued, “You know how your phone listens to you and starts posing things right after you say it? The minute I gave myself this haircut, all of a sudden all of my updates were just Tiger King memes.” Fans on social media have been comparing Cyrus’s new hairstyle to Joe Exotic from the hit Netflix show.

    “But I realised what I did,” Cyrus said. “Lucky for me I won’t be seeing anyone.”

  • Maya Jama

    Maya Jama recently showed off a new fringe, and we are 100% into it.

    Maya Jama is known for her long, dark hair, which she either wears in nautral curls or in a sleek and straight finish. However, the radio host has changed things up by cutting in a fringe.The blunt cut skims Jama’s eyebrows, giving a seriously cool look. We wouldn’t expect anything less.

  • Saoirse Ronan

    Saoirse Ronan may not have walked away with the Best Actress gong, but she certainly walked the 2020 Oscars red carpet in style. Indeed, the Little Women star’s mini-fringe (or baby bangs) were the talk of the internet, with many tagging the style as #hairgoals on Instagram.

    “I loved the bangs OMG!” wrote one fan site, prompting a flurry of “gorgeous”, “perfection” and “SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL WITH THAT AUDREY HEPBURN FRINGE” comments.

    Whether it’s a hair piece or an actual cut, we have a feeling that Ronan’s feathery twist on a classic will prompt many people to rush to the hairdressers for an above-the-eyebrow fringe of their own.

  • Selena Gomez

    Selena Gomez is the latest celebrity to get a 70s inspired haircut. Her blunt bob has been snipped into a choppy shag cut with a wispy fringe. The singer debuted her new look while working in London.

    Gomez’s stylist Marissa Marino posted the look on her Instagram account, writing, “New shag for London promo @makeupbymelissam @kateyoung @thatgirlbeverly @marissa.marino.”

  • Rihanna

    Rihanna debuted a dark hair makeover and choppy fringe at Paris Fashion Week’s 2019 Fenty party

    Rihanna surprised the fashion world (in the best possible way) when her models took to the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week to showcase another 17 brilliant designs from the Fenty luxury fashion range. Keen to toast her label’s success, RiRi headed to a party at Manko restaurant – and she did so with a new hairstyle, too. That’s right: the musician, businesswoman, designer and icon has added a piecey fringe (or bangs, if you prefer) – and it’s completely transformed her look for autumn. 

    We have a feeling a few Rihanna fans will be running to the hairdresser with this picture in hand over the weekend…

  • Cheryl

    Cheryl’s tumbling, glossy, brunette hair has long been admired by beauty experts. And now, just in time for autumn, the singer has decided to resurrect a hairstyle from her past.

    On Thursday (5 September), Cheryl debuted a long fringe in an Instagram Stories video, while explaining her decision to get the chop. 

    “So I’ve been saying for ages that I wanted my fringe back,” she said. “And everyone’s like, ‘You’ll hate it, you won’t be able to keep up with the maintenance and it’s annoying when you want to grow it out’. And I get all of that so Alex said she would make us one.”

    Cue: hundreds of hair appointments being booked around the UK for a new autumn fringe. 

  • Constance Wu

    Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu debuted a brand-new look at a photo call for her new film Hustlers – and it was a combination of two of the most iconic hairstyles out there.

    Styling her bouncy long bob with a suitably rounded and shiny fringe, Wu’s look was very much on-trend. 

  • Jennie Ruby Jane Kim

    On 8 August, BLACKPINK’s Jennie Ruby Jane reached 20 million followers on Instagram. And so, to celebrate, she decided to share photos of her latest haircut on the social platform.

    “20m,” she wrote. “Thank you world.”

    While those blunt bangs feel decidedly retro, there’s no denying that the musician’s new ‘do is an on-trend. Indeed, the 60s and 70s is having a huge moment in fashion and beauty at the moment – and Jennie’s style is a chic throwback to fringe stars like Francoise Hardy and Brigitte Bardot. 

  • Hilary Duff

    On 27 June, Hilary Duff – the very same actor who played Lizzie McGuire in the early Noughties – debuted a new haircut inspired by the Disney Channel character.

    Think shorter layers, honey highlights and, of course, that iconic McGuire fringe.

    “I kind of have been itching for my Lizzie McGuire bangs for awhile,” Duff told R29.

    Could this be yet another hint that a Lizzie McGuire reboot is in the works? After all, Duff confirmed back in December that there have been talks of bringing the beloved TV show back in some capacity.

    “It’s in very new stages,” she told Fox News at the time. “There’s been a lot of creative talk. I think the timing hasn’t been right. I’m excited at the prospect of it….

    “[Lizzie McGuire] was important to so many people, including me. If she can be important again to girls in this stage of their lives, I think that would be amazing.”

    Bring it on.

  • Zendaya

    Celebrity fringe inspiration: Zendaya

    Zendaya stepped out at the Euphoria premiere with a brand new hairstyle, and gave us serious bangs envy in the process. The actor wore a retro ponytail with a wispy (and likely faux) fringe, which skimmed her brows before edging to longer tendrils at the temple. 

  • Sophie Turner

    On 23 May, Sophie Turner’s hairstylist Christian Wood revealed that the Dark Phoenix star is now the owner of a shaggy full fringe.

    “I’ve always dreamt of bangs on her,” wrote one excited fan. “You made my dream come true!”

  • Elizabeth Olsen

    The Avengers star recently cut in a set of lightly feathered bangs, just short enough to show off her eyeliner.

  • Kendall Jenner

    Kendall Jenner, like the rest of us, has been flirting with the idea of a fringe for some time. And, recently, the model posted a photo and two videos of herself with some piece-y new bangs, asking her fans if she should keep them or not. 

  • Amandla Stenberg

    Needed proof that bangs work just as well on curly hair? Check out Amandla Stenberg’s cute bob and bangs.

  • Kerry Washington

    Scandal star Kerry Washington recently tried out a shaggy pixie crop with blunt side bangs, which she made a point of showing off in her Instagram feed.

  • Charlize Theron

    Charlize Theron attended the rocked a faux fringe (in the classic baby bangs style) at the Long Shot premiere. The look was created by Theron’s longtime hairstylist, Adir Abergel, who told Allure: “The inspiration for the look is an image I have had in my mind for years of Linda Evangelista from the Nineties. She was always bold with her looks and so is Charlize.”

  • Sarah Hyland

    Looking for a low-maintenance fringe? Then be sure to take a photo of Sarah Hyland’s side shaggy bangs with you to the hairdresser.

  • Ruth Madeley

    Appearing on the 2019 BAFTAs red carpet, Years and Years star Ruth Madeley proved blunt bangs are not only a bold choice, but a brilliant one, too.

  • Ololade “Lolly” Adefope

    Shrill star Lolly Adefope debuted baby bangs with her shaggy bob earlier this year.

  • Bryce Dallas Howard

    Self-love quotes: Bryce Dallas Howard has a three word self-love mantra that you need to try.

    Bryce Dallas Howard opted for a ponytail with eye-grazing bangs at this year’s Cannes 2019 red carpet premiere of Rocketman.

  • Bella Hadid

    Bella Hadid recently dyed her dark hair blonde, and now it seems as if she’s added a chic curtain fringe to the mix, too. However, it’s not clear whether she’s made the permanent style change or just experimenting with a hair piece at the Cannes Film Festival.

  • Penelope Cruz

    Penelope Cruz has been a fan of ultra-short fringes for a while, but she inspired a whole new wave of fans to rush to their hairdressers and demand an above-the-eyebrow cut when she stepped out with baby bangs at this year’s Met Gala.

  • Kim Kardashian

    Kim Kardashian went seriously retro with this Cleopatra fringe – although it’s worth noting that it’s not 30 B.C.E retro. In fact, as Vice recently pointed out, “Cleopatra would have worn a wig of tight curls over a shaved head, as was the fashion at the time. The popular image of Cleopatra with bangs comes from the 1934 film Cleopatra, which made use of actress Claudette Colbert’s pre-existing bangs”.

  • Winnie Harlow

    Supermodel Winnie Harlow’s fringe may look, at first, like a blunt cut, but it’s actually been shaped to follow the curve of her face.

  • Duckie Thot

    Duckie Thot has dabbled with fringes before: in 2018, she opted for piece-y bangs as walked the catwalk during her debut at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York. And, at Cannes 2019, the supermodel opted for a sleek blunt fringe.

  • Sandra Oh

    Killing Eve star Sandra Oh recently showed off a new cut with bangs, thanks to celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson. “Curly haired girls like Sandra can sometimes be afraid of getting bangs because bangs can look a bit askew if they aren’t cut right,” Gibson told American Salon. “For curly hair, bangs cannot be cut blunt and straight across. Instead, they have to be cut on dry hair, and a soft technique must be used to add movement and remove weight from curly hair.”

  • Miley Cyrus

    Returning to her Hannah Montana roots, Miley Cyrus opted for a super-short fringe at this year’s Met Gala.

  • Mj Rodriguez

    Mj Rodriguez opted for a Twenties-style bob and short fringe at this year’s Met Gala.

  • Rashida Jones

    All together now? “Oh, Ann, you beautiful, rule-breaking moth.” Rashida Jones has long been a fan of a piece-y fringe.

Images: Getty

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How to make the perfect pizza in a slow cooker plus six other tasty meals as the 70s favourite makes a comeback – The Sun

THE slow-cooker revolution is surely here to stay.

The Seventies favourite has wormed its way back into our kitchens, now more than ever as millions of lockdown mums are turning to the one pot approach to feed their families with minimal fuss, too.

Sales are up by a third in recent years and slow-cooker recipe books top the kitchen bestseller lists. As well as the usual stroganoff and stews, modern slow cookers can make everything from cake to lasagne. But how good are they?

Mum-of-three Clare O’Reilly tests one with a series of meals that each take five to ten minutes to prepare before letting the slow cooker work its magic.

She then asks son Sammy, 11, and daughter Annie, nine, to give their verdicts, and rates meals out of five.

Pizza: 4/5

Sammy's favourite, serves 1

Preparation time: 5 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 250g ready-made pizza dough
  • 100ml pizza sauce topping
  • 80g mozzarella

METHOD: Oil the inside of the slow cooker.

Roll out the pizza dough, place it in and push up the sides of the cooker to form a crust.

Top the dough with the sauce, then sprinkle the grated or sliced mozzarella over the top.

Cook on low for four hours, or two on high.

CLARE SAYS: I was so sceptical about this, but the crust was absolutely perfect and the cheese melted to perfection.

SAMMY SAYS: I can’t believe that wasn’t made in the oven.

It was the nicest pizza we’ve ever had at home.

ANNIE SAYS: That was so delicious.

I wish Mum’s pizza always tasted like that.

Pancetta mac & cheese: 3/5

Annie's favourite

Preparation time: 10 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 150g diced pancetta
  • 100g stale bread, cubed
  • 450g macaroni
  • 100g melted butter
  • 400g grated cheddar cheese
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 50g freshly grated Parmesan
  • 300g evaporated milk
  • 450ml whole milk
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • Pinch of paprika

METHOD: Mix all ingredients together, except the croutons.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle croutons on before cooking.

Cook on high for 2 hours, continue to check every 20 minutes if sauce needs to thicken.

CLARE SAYS: Annie loves mac and cheese but this isn’t as nice as if it had been made in the oven.

The pasta is really soft.

I’d try it again because it’s easy – but maybe cook for less time.

SAMMY SAYS: This isn’t nice at all.

It’s way too cheesy and the pasta tastes really soft.

ANNIE SAYS: Mac and cheese is one of my favourites.

It’s yum and I like the crunchy bread bits on top.

Giant choc-chip cookie: 4/5

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 120g butter
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 75g brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 220g plain flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250g chocolate chips or chunks

METHOD: Cream together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs and flour until smooth.

Fold in the remaining ingredients.

Use baking parchment strips to form a cross in your slow cooker before you pour in the dough.

Cook on low for 5 hours.

CLARE SAYS: It was so good and the smell in the house while it was cooking was amazing.

Even after cooking for that long it still had a chewiness in the middle.

SAMMY SAYS: I’ve never had a giant cookie before.

It’s really nice and would be lovely warm with some ice cream.

ANNIE SAYS: I thought it had raisins in it and I hate raisins but they’re huge chocolate chunks.

It’s so tasty.

Roast beef: 5/5

Preparation time: 5 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 1.7kg topside
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • Salt and pepper

METHOD: Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the beef on all sides.

Add salt and pepper and transfer to slow cooker.

Use water to deglaze the pan and tip into the slow cooker over the meat.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

CLARE SAYS: This was amazing.

So meltingly tender and delicious.

The slow cooker seemed to concentrate all the beefy flavour, too.

This would be perfect on a Sunday.

Stick it on and forget about it.

SAMMY SAYS: This is so nice.

Mum normally makes lovely roast beef and this is yum.

I could eat loads of it.

ANNIE SAYS: This is a really nice roast.

It’s really beefy and the meat is really soft and tender.

Mummy let me have seconds.

Apple-pudding cake: 2/5

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 200g butter
  • 200g sugar
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 2 apples, grated

METHOD: Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs slowly along with the flour.

Beat until smooth.

Fold in the grated apple.

Cook on high for two hours.

CLARE SAYS: The kids liked it, but I found it a bit dry.

It didn’t last either and by the next morning was a bit stale.

SAMMY SAYS: I don’t normally like apple cake but it was really tasty and light.

ANNIE SAYS: Mummy never, ever makes cakes so it’s a nice surprise, although I think it would be tastier with some custard.

Bread: 3/5

Preparation time: 12 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 400g strong wholemeal bread flour, plus extra to dust
  • 3.5g sachet easy-blend yeast
  • 225ml warm water

METHOD: Mix flour and yeast with warm water to make a soft dough.

Tip on to lightly floured surface and knead for 10 mins until dough is elastic.

Put dough in clean bowl covered with cling film for 90 minutes.

Tip out dough and knead for 3 minutes.

Line slow cooker with baking parchment before tipping in dough and marking an X in the top of the loaf.

Cook on high for 90 minutes.

Sprinkle loaf with plain flour and put under hot grill for 5 minutes or until golden.

CLARE SAYS: The kids aren’t keen but I think this is delicious.

It lasted well and was lovely when we toasted it, although it’s not quite as simple as chucking it all in.

It needs the work beforehand so technically not a total hands-free recipe.

SAMMY SAYS: This isn’t that nice at all.

I don’t really like wholemeal bread though so someone who likes it might enjoy it.

ANNIE SAYS: This isn’t as tasty as normal shop-bought bread.

It might make nice toast but I don’t really like it.

Full English: 5/5

Serves 2

Preparation time: 5 mins

YOU NEED:

  • 200g chopped tomatoes
  • 200g baked beans
  • 800g button mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 15g butter
  • 4 sausages
  • 6 rashers of bacon

METHOD: Place the tomatoes, beans, mushrooms and eggs into separate mugs.

Add half the butter to the eggs and the same to the mushrooms.

Place the mugs into the centre of the slow cooker.

Stand the sausages and bacon around the edges.

Cook on low for nine hours.

CLARE SAYS: It’s so easy and takes just minutes to get everything in and cooking.

I can’t believe we could put it on the night before and come downstairs to the smell of a full English breakfast every weekend without having to turn a hob on.

SAMMY SAYS: I thought Mum was being weird putting breakfast on before we went to bed but it was absolutely delicious.

ANNIE SAYS: Mummy would never have time to do this in the morning so doing it the night before is perfect.

The sausages and eggs were the nicest I’ve ever tasted.

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This At-Home Dropset Workout Will Crush Your Biceps

From leg exercises like squats and lunges to core moves to bajillions of pushup variations, there are plenty of at-home workouts for you to choose from these days. But at-home biceps moves? No, there aren’t many of those.

There’s a reason for that. If you really want to slam your biceps in isolated, arm-pumping fashion, you need to load them. Typically that involves dumbbells, which not everyone has in their home. But even if you don’t have dumbbells, you can still train and pummel your guns, says Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. “Right now, we all need to rethink what it means to ‘load’,” he says. “A load doesn’t just need to be dumbbells or kettlebells.”

You’ll learn that during this Iso-to-Reps Biceps Mayhem. Yes, it can be done with dumbbells, if you have a pair at home. But it can also be done with something else: A pair of towels and a few gallon water jugs. Wrap the towel around the water jug handles to create the load, and then grasp the towels, challenging your forearms and pushing your biceps to the limit more than you may expect. “It’s actually harder if you don’t use dumbbells,” says Samuel, “because the placement of the loads will make it harder to supinate your forearms properly; you’ll have to earn that more, torquing and challenging your biceps more.”

It’ll actually make you better when you go back to curling dumbbells, Samuel says. “You have to work harder to supinate with even just two water jugs, which equals about 16 pounds,” says Samuel. “If you’re pushing to really rotate your palms upwards, you’ll find it easier to rotate with, say, 25-pound dumbbells.”

Iso-to-reps Mayhem adds more than a mere curl to your biceps, bringing dropset action to the movement to coax every ounce of energy from your guns on every set. You start in an iso hold, focusing on supinating, then do biceps curl reps, again focusing on supinating. Once all that’s done, you eliminate the need to supinate and start in a hammer curl iso-hold, forearms parallel to the ground, then do hammer curl reps. “These hammer curl reps are much easier, especially if you’re using water jugs,” says Samuel, “but they won’t feel that way because you’re fatigued by then by time-under-tension.”

All you need is something from around the house and a pair of towels. Or dumbbells. You definitely have that first thing, too.

ISo-hold To Reps Biceps Mayhem works well in a variety of contexts. You can easily use it as a super-quick biceps workout if you’re stuck at home with no gear. But you can also use it to cap off a more aggressive and vicious biceps workout too. “This is a great third biceps exercise in a full-fledged arm blast,” says Samuel, “really finishing off your arms.” It can also work as the biceps portion of a pull workout that included plenty of back work.

For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb’s New Rules of Muscle program.

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Exactly What Spring Trends to Shop at Amazon Right Now

Exactly What Spring Trends to Shop at Amazon Right Now

Did you know that Amazon is just as much a destination for some of the biggest fashion trends of the season as it is for your monthly restock of paper towels? Truth. The e-commerce brand that once made its mark on the world as a bookseller now stocks some ready-to-wear pieces, handbag shapes, and jewelry styles that you’ve been obsessing over for months. And, as Spring is officially here, you might be feeling ready to shop for some of those favorites and breathe a little new life into that wardrobe of yours.

From Mary Janes to floral jewelry, puffy sleeves and the like, shop the below Spring 2020 runway trends right now — all from Amazon.

























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‘Jersey Shore’s’ Snooki Reveals Her Exact At-Home Workout To Help You Get Your ‘Heart Pumping’

Snooki is helping us all get in shape while we’re stuck at home as the ‘Jersey Shore’ star shared with HL EXCLUSIVELY, the workout she does to get in shape & get her body moving!

While we’re all stuck at home during self-quarantine, what better way to get you motivated to workout than Snooki herself? The 32-year-old Jersey Shore star spoke to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY about the workouts she does at home to keep her body toned and her “heart pumping.” For those of you who have kids, like Snooki, who has three adorable children, the star shared how you can manage your at-home workouts and kids at the same time. “I love doing plyometrics to get my heart pumping and build a sweat!” Snooki admitted. As for the exact exercises she does, you can follow her steps below.

1. “3 sets of 40 skater jumps

2. 3 sets of 40 lunge jumps

3. 4 sets of 10 burpees

4. 4 sets of planks – holding till failure (with the kids on my back)

5. Abs – bicycles and plank jacks till failure”

As for other exercises Snooki does, “A bunch of things to get my body moving! Simple things like running around outside with the kids, walking the baby, etc. When it’s time to really build a sweat and work on building muscle, I do virtual workouts with my trainer, Anthony Michael. I also do the Peloton for cardio and ab work.”

Working out isn’t just about hardcore exercise and while working from home it’s important to get up and get your body moving. “I love doing random cartwheels and walking handstands and stretch my body out (cheer mentality always),” Snooki revealed about her in-between work breaks. Speaking of her “cheer mentality,” it’s no secret that Snooki was a cheerleader and a gymnast, which has actually helped her with her workouts. “It has always helped me out with muscle memory,” Snooki revealed. “Even when I took a huge break from working out and the gym, it didn’t take long for my body to get back into workout mode. Flexibility too!”

If you need some motivation to complete Snooki’s workout or any exercise, she suggested, “I keep saying this is the perfect time to force yourself to work out. I know how hard it is to start. The perfect time is now since we have nothing to do. Go for that first run outside. Those first set of push-ups. The first set of planks and abs. Once your body starts to move, you’ll want to keep going.”

While staying fit has a lot to do with working out, maintaining a healthy diet is just as important and Snooki revealed what a nutritious diet looks like to her. “I drink a ton of water. I love eating carrots and hummus for snacks! I love munching on cucumbers for snacks! I usually eat a lot of chicken and stead with a salad. I try to stay away from carbs, especially now while I’m trying to lose the rest of my baby weight!”

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What Eyeliner Did Joe Exotic Wear on Tiger King? Our Beauty Editors Have 11 Ideas

The curious case of Joe Exotic, self-proclaimed tiger wrangler from Wynnewood, OK, has mystified the masses since his debut on Netflix’s docuseries Tiger King a mere one week ago. Since then, people have been marred by confusion over everything from his current relationship status to whether or not that was really him singing those sad country songs. (On the contrary, nobody is confused on his feelings about Carole Baskin.)

For beauty editors in particular, there are four questions that come to mind: Should we rescind our statement that the mullet haircut is making a comeback? Is it too soon to plan a beauty costume for Halloween? Is that . . . bronzer? And, perhaps the most perplexing, who taught this man to trace his waterline with eyeliner pencil?

These are the things the world deserves to know. NY Mag claimed that Joe Exotic got his liner permanently tattooed at one point, but shots of him sitting in the jail cell show that the pigment was practically nonexistent. (Tattooed makeup requires regular touch-ups to avoid fading; the first after six to eight weeks, then once every year.)

Hence, why he’d need to lean on a (we predict gel) formula to make his money-hungry eyes pop. So while we’ve yet to discover the exact product he leaned on during his heyday, until then, we’ve asked editors to share their best guesses. Please note that we did take into account his love of Walmart when creating this list, but anyone who watched the docuseries knows: he also had some wildly high-end taste.

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