Bill Rancic and 'Kitchen Casino'

Giuliana & Bill star Bill Rancic is set to host the upcoming Food Network show, Kitchen Casino. Premiering on Monday, April 7th at 9pm ET/PT, the new show brings together four talented chefs in a high-stakes game of chance that requires skill, speed and adaptability.

Bill opens up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about his new show, how fatherhood has made him an “even better communicator” with wife Giuliana Rancic, the importance of date nights and family vacations, and how “everything in life matters more” thanks to his adorable 19-month-old son Duke.

CBS: As a restaurateur you have an appreciation for food. What made you want to be a part of Kitchen Casino? It’s a novel idea to combine gambling and cooking, what was the inspiration behind the show’s theme?

BR: “People love to eat and to gamble, so why not combine the two! When I was approached to host Kitchen Casino, I was thrilled because I loved the novelty of the idea, combined with the required skills from the contestants to execute great dishes in such a challenging environment.”

CBS: How were the competitors selected for the program? How much strategy is involved in winning the game versus luck of the spin?

BR: “The more sill a competitor brings to the competition, the more likely they are to yield success despite andy twists and turns we throw their way. You could quickly tell the chefs from the cooks in how they would adapt to every situation.”

CBS: You and Giuliana have busy careers. How do you make family a priority? What kinds of things do you enjoy doing as a family?

BR: “Family always comes first for Giuliana and myself and we make sure to constantly work our schedules to ensure that never changes. We are constantly going on hikes and spending time with Duke. We make a point to have date nights and we believe that because of our hard work, we are fortunate enough to enjoy family vacations and that quality time together.”

CBS: You recently went to Mexico. Since having Duke, have your ideal vacation spots changed? Where do you like to go and get away from it all?

BR: “We love going to places that encourage relaxation. Mexico is definitely a favorite because you really feel like you’ve gotten away from the stresses of work and can focus on the enjoyment of family.”

CBS: Mother’s Day is approaching. How do you plan to celebrate?

BR: “Moms are so important in my life. My mom continues to be a huge influence, as does Giuliana’s. And now that we have Duke, I love celebrating what a great mom my wife is to our son. I’m sure we’ll do something to celebrate our family and how blessed we all are.”

CBS: How has being a parent changed your relationship with Giuliana?

BR: “Giuliana and I have similar parenting styles on the big stuff, but lots of different opinions on the little stuff. It’s made us even better communicators with one another and we’ve learned to make compromises along the way.

Giuliana is such a great mother and her bond with Duke is one of my favorite things to watch every day.”

CBS: How has fatherhood changed you? What are some of your favorite memories so far as a dad?

BR: “I have nieces and nephews, but nothing really prepared me for being a dad myself. Because of Duke, I love the little things even more — a quiet moment, his smile, his first steps. Everything in life matters more because of him.”

CBS: Do you have any other upcoming projects you’d like to share with us?

BR: “Right now my priority is on my family, the new season of Giuliana & Bill on E!, and hoping for many more seasons as host of Kitchen Casino on Food Network.”

Noelle Pikus-Pace: Winning A Silver Medal Was A Dream Come True

Photo courtesy of www.celebritybabyscoop.com

Skeletal racer Noelle Pikus-Pace  has a lot to be happy about. She recently won her first Olympic silver medal at Sochi. The mother of two was also sponsored by AT&T and was involved in their national ad campaign in support of Team USA. Noelle and her family appeared in one of the commercial titled Hours. She also filmed another video for AT&T in which she talks about her training.

The free AT&T’s #ItsOurTime app allowed fans to upload a “U-S-A” chant that was shared via Facebook, Twitter, or email. The user generated content also populated a virtual wall of support at ItsOurtime.com, as well as on a Times Square billboard on the day of the opening ceremony. Celebrity Baby Scoop recently caught up with the athlete to discuss the ATT campaign, her time at Sochi and family life in Utah.

CBS: Congratulations on winning the silver medal in Sochi!  Tell us what it meant to you to be able to share that experience with your husband and kids.

NPP: It was a dream come true, not just my dream, but our dream, our family dream come true.  That’s why the minute I crossed that finish line I just had to be with them.  I had to get to Janson and the kids. They had all given up so much for so long for that moment.  It was mine, it was 100% ours.

CBS: Tell us about making of the AT&T commercial.  Were your children excited to be in it?

NPP: I am so proud of the AT&T spot, they did a great job capturing our daily life when we are at home. It was a perfect snapshot of our family. Lacee has loved being involved in all the media, she picks out outfits, we do her hair, so she loves the production part. Traycen is almost 3, so he just follows what Lacee does when they are filming. They do not really get the magnitude of it all, but one day they will.

CBS: Did your kids enjoy being at the Olympics?  How did dad keep them busy?

NPP: They loved all the great things we got to do. Not sure they realized it was the Olympics. They have been to every World Cup event this season and know everyone in the skeleton community, so it probably seemed like they were at another event with all their friends. We were able to do some great things as a family while traveling, visiting the sites in each location (what better way to see the world?), visiting friends, celebrating the Christmas holiday and birthdays (Lacee turned 6 in Austria), etc. We always have a bag of toys and goodies for them to play with. Most of the time Janson is getting them to stay active and burn some energy, they are running, climbing and exploring everywhere we go.

CBS: Is the commercial representative of a day in your life?

NPP: Absolutely, it is organized chaos. Janson and I try to plan at the beginning of every week the best we can and then we just jump right in. One minute I am training and the next minute I am running to soccer games, getting food on the table, etc. It was a perfect window into our lives.

CBS: You travel so much during the year – where is your home base?  How do you stay connected to your family?

NPP: We live in Eagle Mountain, UT, just outside of Salt Lake City. The four of us traveled the world together for the season and into the Olympic Games. Honestly, AT&T kept us connected. I could call my mom and dad, my sister, friends from anywhere in the world.  We were calling, texting, emailing, updating social media, taking a million photos and video all from our cell phones through the AT&T network. They kept us connected and also enabled us to document and share our journey.

CBS: When you’re not training – what does the family like to do together?

NPP: We spend time together playing games, cooking in the kitchen, playing outside, etc. We love gardening and cooking together.

CBS: How did you decide to become a skeleton racer?  How old were you?

NPP: In high school, I ran track and field and through my coach found out they needed athletes to try to bobsled. While training , our coach asked for volunteers to try something new. Before I knew it, I was on a skeleton sled and my coach pushed me down the track. I think I was the only one who jumped up at the end and wanted to go again. That is how it all started.

CBS: What are your children’s (Lacee and Traycen) personalities like?

NPP:  Both kids are great little travelers and have been adaptable to moving around, to my training and to not being home since late fall. Lacee is  sweet caring and very social. Traycen is all little boy-curious, into everything, and follows everything his big sister does. Both are high energy, so keeping them busy is key.

CBS: How do you balance training and motherhood? Do you struggle like most moms trying to “do it all”?  Do you have childcare help?

NPP: I have the best husband in the world, we are a team and manage everything with our family. We set the schedule together at the beginning of the week which has included my training at home and at the track. We do not have childcare even when we were traveling around the world. We just jump right in and stay as flexible as we can since we know things do not always work out perfectly.

CBS: Do you have plans to have more children in your future?

NPP: Absolutely.

CBS: What happens after the Olympics for you?

NPP: I just arrived home after solid travel since October for competitions. So, the immediate answer is laundry. We will be focusing on getting back to our lives in Utah. We have had such a great support system in our community that I need to share this with everyone back here. Once I take a deep breadth, I will also focus on my speaking career and hope to keep very busy with that. I do a lot of volunteering here at home in any way I can, so I will continue to do so. I want to write a book and have many other goals to share my story and help others.

Celebs Don Halloween Costumes

It's that time of the year when we put on out Halloween costume of choice and have some fun.

It's no different with celebrities as they get into the act as well.

Courtesy of www.celebritybabyscoop.com

Check out this link for more info-

http://www.celebritybabyscoop.com/2013/10/30/halloween-costumes-hollywood

Josh Duhamel: “I Don’t Want To Miss Anything”

Courtesy of CelebrityBabyScoop.com

Note: Duhamel and Fergie had their baby today.

Safe Haven star Josh Duhamel is one busy daddy-to-be. With his baby boy arriving “in about a week,” Josh joined forces with Valspar Paint and Habitat for Humanity to launch Valspar Hearts & Hands for Habitat on Monday (August 19) in New York City, benefitting Habitat for Humanity’s Disaster Response program.

The New Year’s Eve actor, 40, opens up to Celebrity Baby Scoop about the “important” disaster relief program, his “excitement” to become a dad, and his lovely wife Fergie, whom he has “no doubt” will “be an amazing mom.” 

CBS: Tell us about teaming up with Valspar Paint and Habitat for Humanity for the Valspar Hearts and Hands for Habitat Campaign. What is the campaign all about and why did you get involved?

JD: “I got involved because I believe that the work that Valspar Paint and Habitat for Humanity are doing is really important. I feel especially passionate about this because after my hometown in North Dakota was hit in 2011, I saw firsthand how many families were affected and how many people needed to rebuild.

When I learned about the work that Valspar was doing with Habitat, I just wanted to be involved with the Valspar Hearts and Hands for Habitat campaign. There’s an auction kicking off today on Valspar’s Facebook page where people can bid on canvases that various celebrities put their handprints on. We’ll be auctioning them off and all the proceeds will go to Habitat for Humanity’s Disaster Response programs.”

CBS: Are you excited to become a dad?

JD: “Excitement isn’t even the word. Everybody that I know that has children says it changes their life and that you can’t understand the kind of love you have for a child until you have a kid, and so I’m excited for that.”

CBS: How do you think you’ll be in the delivery room? Do you think you’ll be there every step of the way?

JD: “I plan to unless it happens right now! Just kidding – yes, I plan on being there. I’m taking a lot of time off after the baby’s born. I don’t want to miss anything!”

CBS: What kind of mom do you think Fergie will be?

JD: “She’ll be great. I have no doubt that she’ll be an amazing mom.”

CBS: What’s up next for you?

JD: “I finished a movie this summer called Strings and I’ve got a movie You’re Not You coming out later this year with Hilary Swank, which is really great.

And then mostly just focusing the new arrival in about a week; that’s my main focus right now.”

Star Moms Give Back To School Tips

Courtesy of www.celebritybabyscoop.com

While this time of year can cause stress and anxiety, Celebrity Baby Scoop reached out to some savvy celebrity moms – and rounded up top favorite brands – to help beat the back to school chaos.

Melissa Joan Hart and husband Mark Wilkerson are parents to three sons: Mason, 7, Brady, 5 and Tucker, 12 months in September.

“I always try to get the boys a new backpack and a new pair of sneakers to get them excited about going back to school,” Melissa says. “We talk for a few weeks leading up to it about the teachers name and who a couple of classmates will be to help ease some of those first day jitters.”

Courtney Lopez and husband, Extra host Mario Lopez, are parents to 3-year-old daughter Gia and are currently expecting their second child.

“In order to avoid losing her stuff at school, we label all of Gia’s school supplies and clothes with Mabel’s Labels,” Courtney shares.

TODAY Show anchor and co-host, Natalie Morales, and her husband Joe Rhodes are parents to sons Josh, 9, and Luke, 5.

“Create a calendar of activities for each kid early on so they can see each day what they have and need,” Natalie shares. “And label everything! I love Mabel’s labels, as they stay on longer than the clothes lasts.”

Entertainment Tonight’s Brooke Anderson and husband Jim Walker are parents to 4-year-old daughter Kate, with another one on-the-way.

“Leave extra time to get ready and out the door in the morning so there’s no added stress of running late,” Brooke advises. “Your child may already be anxious and dragging her feet a little bit. Rushing her will do nothing to calm the nerves. Make the routine fun and as stress free as possible (for everyone including yourself!).”

“Write a fun, encouraging note for your child and leave in his/her lunch bag,” she adds. “I have found the notes from Little Jots to be cute and easy with included stickers but any old piece of paper will do. My daughter Kate loves to get words of support and love plus a little surprise drawing from me while she’s at preschool.”

The expectant mama went on to share a great time-saving tip. “Pack the backpack and lunch the night before with all the essentials so nothing is forgotten the morning of school,” Brooke shares.

Entertainment Tonight’s Nancy O’Dell is stepmom to her husband Keith Zubchevic’s sons, Tyler and Carson. They are also parents to 6-year-old daughter Ashby.

“Make an album with your child,” says Nancy, an avid scrapbooker.

“Over the summer when it gets close to the time for back to school, sit down with your child and make an album or a scrapbook of the previous year in school,” she adds. “It will remind him or her of all the good times they had in school and it will get them excited about going back! It is a great bonding project to do together and you have a wonderful keepsake for the family as a result.”

Nancy goes on to talk about the benefits of enjoying family photos.

“Also bring out some of your family albums to show your child,” Nancy continues. “It will remind them that they are part of a group, that they are members of a strong family, that they belong and it will give them the strength to fall back on if they were to go through anything difficult at school, for example, bullying which is all too prevalent these days.”

“Child psychologists will tell you that seeing family photos, with it being reinforced visually, helps children to know they have this family unit behind them to lean on,” Nancy adds. “I share more of my album ideas at NancyOdell.com including an Album of Hope which would be another great back to school project with your child.”

From the best brand-new and tried-and-true products to fail-proof tips for making school practical, stylish and safe, we are now taking a look at the latest and greatest back to school product must-haves

Founded in 2002, Mabel’s Labels is the leading provider of labels for the stuff kids lose!® Their extremely durable personalized Sticky Labels and Clothing Labels are laundry, dishwasher and microwave safe. Other products include Household Labels, Wash Aways™, Allergy Alerts labels, ID wristbands, and innovative Loot Bag Combos (inspired by celebrities’ use of Mabel’s Labels as kids’ party favors).

Mabel’s Labels’ new-and-improved Custom Allergy Alert Labels help make school safer for children with life-threatening allergies – they are durable, waterproof labels that specify allergies on items such as lunch bags, food and drink containers, and other school and travel gear:; 24 red labels that can be personalized with up to six allergies; Produced in a nut-free facility; $21 for 24 labels.

The Ultimate Back-to-School Combo™ is available only until September 30th, 2013 and is exclusively sold on www.mabelslabels.com ; 3 special back-to-school motifs (bus, books and apple) and 4 limited edition solid palettes or 40+ multi-colored designs; 40 Skinny-Minis™, 50 Tag Mates™, 16 Shoe Labels and 2 Teeny Tags™; $39 until July, $42 from July to September.

Founded in 2012 by Lisa Baumgartner, Funkins was created to help reduce mealtime waste with reusable and affordable cloth napkins that appeal to both children and parents. The collection is made from 100% cotton and organic cotton high-quality fabrics and boasts a range of colorful, stylish prints for boys and girls – like robots, cars, monkeys, owls, flowers and ladybugs – as well as gender neutral patterns. Funkins are earth and health-friendly – they are phthalate and lead-free and made with low-impact dyes. A multi-functional accessory, Funkins can be used as a napkin or placemat, or can be used to refresh little faces and hands.

Baumgartner, who is a mom to three and an active class parent and PTA member, observed dozens of events where paper napkins and throw-away tablecloths filled the trash bins at her children’s schools. Inspiration struck when school faculty posed the challenge of reducing lunchtime waste, and Funkins was established soon after. www.myfunkins.com.

Funkins are perfect for lunchbox/backpack essentials – $12 each or $30 for 3.

Net Nanny is the leading developer, marketer and publisher of online security solutions for the safety, control and privacy obstacles that families face when using the Internet. With exclusive technology, an easy installation process and cost-effective pricing, their award-winning software and applications for Window, Macs, Androids and iOS platforms have been strategically developed to safeguard Internet access and usage in real-time against unwanted charges, invasion of privacy, cyber bullying and profanity, hidden fees, and more.

In addition, Net Nanny provides valuable learning tools for parents to increase their understanding of the complex World Wide Web. Their online learning center, free webinars and blogs and articles written by CEO Russ Warner are a valuable resource for education on the latest news, risks, online lingo, tips on communicating with children, and more. www.netnanny.com.

zulily is the leading online daily deals site for moms, babies and kids. zulily connects over 10 million members with free, exclusive and convenient access to top luxury brands and boutique brands at an exceptional, unbeatable value. zulily launches over 40 sale events daily that typically last 72 hours and offer a rotating selection of over 1,400 top-quality products including apparel, toys and home goods to choose from, all at an average of 50% and some up to 90% off retail prices. Some events are brand-specific, while others are themed boutiques – such as “The Birthday Boutique” or “Diaper Bag Essentials” – expertly curated from various vendors and divisions. Zulily also has top-rated app for mobile devices.

BabbaCo is a monthly children’s activity box subscription service that delivers hands-on, meaningful, and educational fun, while also creating the opportunity for families to spend quality time together. Each BabbaBox contains 2-3 creative, useful, reusable and gift-able projects based on a topic or theme, as well as an engaging activity to explore the topic, a relevant book, a curated selection of pre-paid, interactive downloads, and even a gift for mom. One week prior to delivery, parents receive a video email on what to expect in the month’s BabbaBox. BabbaBoxes are fun while maintaining real educational and developmental benefits – each one is developed by creator Jessica Kim and a panel of PhD’s, PT’s, pre-school educators, nannies, parents, and topic experts.

As a leading children’s DIY activity expert, BabbaCo founder and mom, Jessica Kim is a valuable resource for kids projects. She is a regular parenting contributor to HLN’s Raising America and a regular DIY expert on BetterTV. Jessica is also a mom to three and has been featured in “Crain’s 40 Under 40” and Forbes.com. During her college years at Brown University, she founded Jessica’s Wonders baked goods and grossed $3.5M in sales and distribution. A graduate of The Julliard School, her background also includes a degree in Anthropology and an MBA from the prestigious Kellogg Business School of Management.