Last Sunday night, the 82nd annual Academy Awards, the Oscars, was held amidst much glamour, glitz and hoopla.

But the evening was not without its inspiring moments, the best of which has to have been Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech. She managed to be funny, gracious, emotional and touching, reminding us that celebrities can have beauty, brains, talent and heart.

Listen now to her inspiring and moving tribute to her fellow actresses and to some very special moms. 

Oh, and make sure you’ve got Kleenex handy!

                                                                                    —Anne Simpkinson

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting in a cozy nook of my New York City apartment, hot tea in hand, watching the snow fall steadily outside my window.

Although I'm supposed to be working from home (and I am!), I can't help wanting to drop everything and pick up a particular book that I know for me would turn this ordinary snow day into something infinitely more magical.

The book of which I'm thinking is Winter's Tale, by Mark Helprin. It's a 750-page tale of heroism and fantasy, set in a wintry Manhattan where the rivers are frozen solid, the streets are paved with snow and the inhabitants of the city skate, sleigh and ski their way around. Though the book begins at the turn of the 19th century and finishes at the turn of the 20th, the author weaves it in such a way as to make it timeless.

The focal point of this complex story is a love so powerful that it transcends time and thwarts death. It starts with the improbable love story of a poor Irish burglar and a wealthy young woman dying of tuberculosis at the end of the 19th century. Her death inspires a series of magical events that takes the living, breathing city and all its inhabitants and brings it closer to the Divine.

My father gave me a copy of this book a few years ago with a glowing recommendation. He confessed that he had read it about fifteen years earlier, during the painful months my grandmother (his mother) lay dying in a hospital bed. Day after day, he would sit by the bedside and read it aloud to her, praying that the magic of the story could somehow work a miracle.

Though she did not recover, I suppose it did work a miracle. She died peacefully and without pain from a devastating disease, knowing that her son loved her dearly. Time did stop...long enough for mother and son to forge an eternal bond they had not previously been able to make.

I suppose too that it is easy to forget that there is Divine magic in real life, and in the real New York City, where I'm constantly running from obligation to obligation with tunnel vision. If I just give myself the chance to pause my timeline and look out the window at my beautiful snow-covered neighborhood, I'd see it right there in front of my eyes.

Winter's Tale is a beautiful story that will inspire you to cherish every moment and recognize the magic in your own life. I can't recommend it enough.

—Jessica Bloustein

Half Full: Science for Raising Happy Kids

If you're a parent, these last few weeks have been devoted to helping your kids begin a new school year. My son, Luke, just started his second year of preschool, and it hasn't gone smoothly.

Each morning he whines and moans about his horrible situation, and after dropping him off, I internally whine and moan, convinced I'm a horrible parent who surely should be sending her child to a better, funner, more likeable school.

But I just got my weekly email from Half Full: Science for Raising Happy Kids, and as always, it made me a happier parent. This week's article is about the importance of letting children experience pain and difficulty, and how it can help them grow.

Now, just as any parent understands the joy and challenges of back-to-school season, we all know that there are a million books, websites, magazines, products and lecturers out there with opinions about how to raise kids. It's great, but it can be overwhelming, too. What I like about this particular blog is that all its advice is science-based.

The person behind the blog is Christine Carter, a sociologist and the executive director of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. And she's a mom. As she says in her online bio, she was doing all this research, and realized it would be great if parents could use it.

So what will you have access to? Articles about praising; handling public bad behavior; marriage success; the dangers of threats and bribes; and how to foster resiliance, gratitude, kindness and optimism. And much more, all in a friendly, down-to-earth tone.

As for Luke? I'm hoping that suffering through preschool gives him some grit!

—Alina Larson

Miley Cyrus' "The Climb"

Now just hold on. Wait a minute. Hear me out. If you know who Miley Cyrus is thanks to a pre-teen in your life or simply by seeing her face, well, everywhere, then you might be tempted to quit reading. We are inspired by Miley Cyrus? Bear with me.

If you don't know who Miley Cyrus is, welcome to the world above your rock. She is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, but more importantly, Miley is the reigning teen queen.

As the star of Disney television show Hannah Montana, about a student who is secretly a pop superstar, Miley has ruled the 'tween world with albums and films as Hannah, Miley and both.

The first hit single from her latest movie, Hannah Montana: The Movie is called "The Climb."

Now believe me, I was just like you. A month ago at an all-girls birthday weekend in Maine, a few friends with pre-teen daughters played "The Climb" and sang their hearts out to it while the rest of us looked on in horror. But then I stumbled on "The Climb" video one too-early morning, and, now actually hearing the lyrics, I thought, Wow. This is good. Really good.

The refrain?

"There's always gonna be another mountain/I'm always gonna wanna make it move/Always gonna be an uphill battle/Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose/Ain't about how fast I get there/Ain't about what's waiting on the other side/It's the climb."

Inspiring words for someone born in 1992!

—Alina Larson

Touched by an Angel

In case you didn't know, The Hallmark Channel has brought back Touched by an Angel and we couldn't be happier. 

The core cast features Irish rose Roma Downey as the sweet main angel, Monica; singer Della Reese as her tough-talking supervisor, Tess; John Dye as the angel of death, Andrew; and in later episodes, Valerie Bertinelli as Gloria.

The show, which was saved from extinction its first season by a fan letter writing campaign, boasts a long list of celebrity guest appearances, including Patty Duke, Bill Cosby and Wynnona Judd.

Touched by an Angel ran nine seasons, from 1994 to 2003, and we're sure glad it's back. Are you?

—Alina Larson

Uniform-ly Creative Giving

You know how it is some days. You wake up and just can't figure out what to wear. Wouldn't it be great if the time and effort you put into finally pairing that brown plaid skirt with this melon-colored flouncy top could be harnessed for the greater good?

Meet Sheena Matheiken. She enlisted her pal Eliza Starbuck to design a simple black dress, which was then duplicated for each day of the week. In May, Sheena began wearing this uniform, combining it with chic accessories mostly donated from vintage stores or designers.

Sheena's hop is that her "exercise in sustainable fashion" gets translated into donations, via her website, to the Ankanksha Foundation, a Mumbai-based non-profit dedicated to the education of India's slum children.

School is where Sheena's inspiration began. Raised in India where public schools require uniforms, Sheena remembers how teens expressed their individual style however they could.

If you'd like to see Sheena's daily uniform tweaks, donate accessories to her uniform, or donate money to the Ankanksha Foundation, visit theuniformproject.com.

—Alina Larson

Bad Dad Radio

This Father's Day, give your dad or husband the gift of a great listen. Bad Dad Radio is a free podcast that offers tips, resources and empathy for dads (and moms) struggling with the joys and challenges of marriage and parenthood.

Bad Dad Roland, "father of four and husband of one," started the podcast back in 2006. He's apparently called Bad Dad because he hears it often gets from his kids. But you quickly realize Roland is not bad at all, but simply a guy who wants to improve and grow. Download his show for any dad who needs to know he's not alone.

Often Bad Dad pairs up with another dad to create Daddy Dialogues—very funny, real conversations about everything from job passion to recession-era haircuts. In particular, he has a great rapport with Vinny of DadRivisted.com. Their exchanges are like NPR's "Car Talk" for dads.

And for those dads who like to crank up a podcast in the car (perhaps to drown out the sound of screaming children?), no worries, it's rated G. G for Great!

—Alina Larson

A Guide to What is Good (for you)

These days being a consumer can be, well, consuming. We are now blessedly, yet overwhelmingly, inundated with tons of information about food and products. Is it organic? Toxic? Are my dollars going to a sweat shop? Will this pollute the air?

It can seem impossible to know if what you're buying will hurt you, your family, society or the environment. That's why you might want to visit GoodGuide.com, "the world's largest source of reliable information on the health, environmental and social impacts of the products in your home."

View ratings of household cleaners, toys, food and personal health care products to see where they fall in terms of health/nutritional, social and environmental performance, to match up your purchases with your priorities.

The site also features sections on learning about issues (what does "organic" mean), and relevant news (Venezuela bans Coke Zero). And there's a great tool for keeping track of which products you'll buy or avoid.

I looked up my son's favorite treat—an organic chocolate milk—cringed at its rating, and found a better alternative. Now that's a good guide!

—Alina Larson

List Your Self

When I first saw this sweet little journal, I thought, "Huh?" It's called List Your Self: Listmaking as the Way to Self-Discovery. Then I got a hold of it. I'm weeks away from turning 40 and thought a little self-discovery might be in order.

The book delivered on its promise of being "a provocative, probing and personal expedition into your mind, heart and soul."

Authors Ilene Segalove and Paul Bob Velick provide topics that really get you thinking. From the chapter titled "Yourself"—List the heroic feats you've performed; from "Daily Life"—list all the items in your wallet; from "Change"—list all the times you went off the beaten path; from "Greater Truths"—list the real reasons you are inspired to stay alive.

It's a great way to jumpstart your imagination or to explore what makes you tick. Peering into my past, my personality, my beliefs and my glove-compartment, I discovered my 40 years had been pretty rich—and I was glad I had a place to list it all! 

—Alina Larson