I wasn’t sure I liked it at first. It felt frustrating… because life for Dakota Fanning’s character, Wendy. But then that’s testament to how effectively Dakota’s portrayed life for Wendy.

A family movie with heart, Please Stand By delivers powerfully human emotions surrounding a uniquely autistic individual who struggles with them. This movie takes you there.

Although they never name the specific challenge Wendy is affected by… likely to intentionally convey that individual struggles are real, no matter what name they may be given.

Dakota’s portrayal of the anguished but hopeful Wendy, was so believable that you completely forgot it was Dakota Fanning and not the young woman learning how to navigate complicated human relationships and emotions. As with many who are autistic, Wendy had an obsession… one that she developed to help her cope and that eventually would clearly become her compelling future. We’d say that more than an obsession…

She had a purpose that kept her focused and gave her hope.

Please Stand By is a movie of struggle and triumph, and a portrayal of some of the best and worst of humanity, and the warmth of conflicted relationships, even when they’re not so easy. The writing, production and direction in this film were like a well woven tapestry of humanity that linked with surprising bursts of color that bring it all together beautifully.

Our family of five, ranging in ages from 21-82 all thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend Please Stand By.

Please Stand By, starring Dakota Fanning is a compelling story worth seeing. A solid 

If you’re interested in the topic of autism and special needs, you will enjoy this article about a special social organization for differently abled youth started by a sister for her twin brother.

The post Please Stand By with Dakota Fanning – Movie Review appeared first on iHeartDaily.

We recently got a request to find some cute journals. Mission accepted! Of course, no two people journal the same way, so here’s a variety to suit each and every one of your documentarian tastes.

 Every Day: A Five-Year Memory Book. If you have a penchant for nostalgia, this could be the journal for you. Every day has five sections for five years, so you can easily look back and see all the cool things you did. Or if you’re like me, see what you were watching on Netflix.

 Ticket Stub Diary. If you love events, then you’ll want to keep track of where you’ve been and when with all those nostalgic ticket stubs. You don’t have to be the writerly type, to keep a journal. If you track your life by the concerts, sporting events, plays and movies you go to, slide your ticket stubs in here for a scrapbook of your favorite moments in time.

 Dream Journal – How can your soul communicate with you? One way is through dreams. Sometimes dreams are just weird. Other times there are hidden messages in them. And sometimes we’re lucky and the dream is a wonderful depiction of the things and people we love and the visions we hold dear. One way to learn more from your dreams is to record as much of them as you can recall. We like the Knock Knock brand, and their Dream Journal is really cool.

Start Where You Are Journal for Self Exploration by Meera Lee Patel

Meera is a lovely young, very successful artist. We love her painted watercolor illustrations and  artistic style, with wonderful whimsical—yet wise—sayings, such as: “If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave.”

Definitely a journal to inspire creativity, self exploration and self expression.

90 Day Goals Journal – If you’re motivated—or need help getting motivated—to achieve your dreams, this goals journal is the way to go. Don’t leave your plans to chance. Identify and track your quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily goals.  We made this and use it daily!

 The Wisdom Journal – If you love nature, gardening and gardens, you’ll enjoy this lovely wisdom journal full of nature images and down home quotes.

The Celestial Journal – For a touch of mystical elegance, we love this journal. Inviting cover, beckons you to create magic on the pages within.

So let us know what kind of journal is your favorite. If it’s not one of these, we’ll add it here.

Bottom line, journaling is a great way to improve your writing and flow of thoughts, while getting more in touch with your inner self.

Happy Journaling!

The post 7 Best Journals for Creativity, Discovery, Reflection and Productivity appeared first on iHeartDaily.

Chandler Kinney is best known for her breakout role on Amazon Prime Family’s “Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street” as Christina Dillman, the talkative brainiac up for any intellectual challenge. The show tells the story of Gortimer and his friends as they navigate through various journeys and adventures on Normal Street, an ordinary suburban neighborhood that has a hint of something magical just beneath their feet. We talked to Chandler about school, acting, and music on vinyl, among other things.

I Heart Daily: Your character is super-smart… are you a brainiac in real life?
Chandler Kinney: I’d like to think so, though I can’t solve the issues of global warming and the dangers of climate change like Catherine did! She’s practically a genius! However, I am very passionate about education and it’s extremely important to me that I do well in school. I’m a straight-A student and I like to stay on top of my school work.

IHD: We hear you’re into Tae Kwon Do — and you’re a first-degree black belt?!
CK: Yes! I love it because it not only teaches self-defense, it also teaches the importance and value of discipline, responsibility, respect, humility and other great morals. It’s great exercise too! In addition to what I’ve learned from martial arts, I’ve also made some amazing friends through the sport.

IHD: What’s your next goal?
CK: I have so many things I want to accomplish! I want to keep working and creating art through film. I actually just won Best Youth Actress from Canadagraphs for my performance as Catherine and it is truly amazing to me to think that people enjoyed my work enough to vote for me! So I hope I can continue to inspire and affect people with my acting.

“Not everyone is fortunate, and if you have the ability to do something about it, why wouldn’t you?” Chandler Kinney

IHD: You’re involved with a few different charities — what inspires you to reach out to help others?
CK: Not everyone is fortunate, and if you have the ability to do something about it, why wouldn’t you? There is true significance in even the simplest of gestures. Giving back to the community in any way you can is important! And helping others has also broadened my perspective — and it just feels good!

IHD: You have a penpal Ethiopia — what do you guys write about?
CK: She doesn’t know how much she’s inspired me. We talk about our families, pets, school, and activities! It’s such an interesting and exciting experience!

IHD: We always ask: What are you hearting right now?
CK: I’m really hearting vinyl right now! I have a record player in my room and I’ve been listening to a lot of Adele, Taylor Swift, Chicago, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra! They are such talented artists and I love their music!

I’m also hearting the launch of my new organization called Chandler’s Friends! Our mission is to reach out to kids who are at any kind of disadvantage and let them know that someone cares. Our current project consists of making and donating fleece blankets. Exciting things are beginning to happen and I can’t wait to share more details in the near future!

Thanks, Chandler! Find this cool girl on twitter and Instagram.

And… here’s a snippet of Chandler on her acting role and dreams.

Heart Daily!

The post Cool Girl: Chandler Kinney, Inspiring Young Actor appeared first on iHeartDaily.

Don’t listen to the world… listen to your heart. Your heart knows you. Your heart is not about approval from the outside world. Your heart is love, and your heart… your love, starts with you.

The people over at We Heart It came up with the idea of celebrating ‘Love Yourself Week’ in honor of their inspiring members.

When Instagram star Essena O’Neil acknowledged the dark-side of social media, the folks at We Heart It thought about their positive community and created a montage of videos of girls like the lovely ladies above answering the question: “Why is Self-Acceptance Important to You?”

We Heart It is also asking everyone to share on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook just what makes you special and why you love yourself using the hashtag #HeartMyself. Your post may end up featured on the We Heart It app — and also, you may end up making your own day!

 Now go heart yourself!

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RED Hearts are guest posts on I Heart Daily from the authors of RED: Teenage girls in America write on what fires up their lives today.

Today’s RED Hearts is from Zulay Regalado, 26, in Miami, who is not a crier, but may have broken out tissues for this book:

I’ll admit that I’m not the most emotional person when it comes to books and movies. While my friends watched The Notebook through streams of uncontrollable sobs, I was busy giggling at Ryan Gosling’s overly romantic professions of love (disclaimer: Team Gosling forever).

Thanks to my recent discovery of the 2012 tear-jerker novel Me Before You, by British author JojoMoyes, that’s all changed. I mean, it was hard not to feel for Louisa Clark, the story’s main character. She’s a young working-class woman who knows nothing about life beyond the tiny village in England where she grew up. Suddenly jobless and desperate for work, she accepts a job as caretaker to wheelchair-bound millionaire Will Traynor, whose life took a tragic turn (and him a sour outlook) after a road accident.

While Louisa’s ordinary lifestyle is worlds away from Will’s, which is loaded with glamour and travel, she refuses to walk on eggshells around him. She also makes it her mission to put an end to his sadness. But she soon learns that Will has a different solution in mind, and the race is on to make him see that life is still worth fighting for.

It’s a touching story of two people who couldn’t have less in common but who somehow come together and learn from each other — and in ways not expected or cliché. Of course, the book is not made entirely of tears. There are plenty of happy moments and laughs, and my only real lingering sadness is seeing it go. But it lives on! I then discovered there’s a sequel and a film adaptation in the works. Needless to say, my tear ducts will be quite active for the foreseeable future. Perhaps they will even overtake my The Notebook-style grins in the movie theater. 

RED Hearts guest poster Zulay Regalado is an author of RED: Teenage girls in America write on what fires up their lives today.

The post RED Hearts: A Moving Holiday Read appeared first on iHeartDaily.

Let’s take it back to February 4, 1978. That was that day the British comic Misty debuted. Especially written for young girls and teens, it was a series of spooky horror stories, like a school girl getting revenge on her bullies by unveiling her supernatural powers. Mwahahaha! 

But as tastes changed and the ’80s came, comics supposedly weren’t very popular with girls anymore. Though Mistywas a fan favorite, they discontinued the comic after 101 issues. Bummer. 

However… MISTY IS COMING BACK! The tides have shifted once again, and the recent popularity of girl-centric comics has prompted publisher Rebellion to reprint the classic series.

There’s just one more bit of bad news to tell — they won’t be ready until September 2016. To tide you over, get amped and learn more about Misty at its official site. Happy horror-ing! 

The post A Classic Comic Gets A Second Chance appeared first on iHeartDaily.

RED Hearts are guest posts on I Heart Daily from the authors of RED: Teenage girls in America write on what fires up their lives today.

This is a perfect-for-fall treat in a series of seasonal recipes — things you can cook or bake, usually healthy things, always easy things — for the people you heart! Served up by Erika Kwee, 25, “the baker, photographer and typo-maker” behind vegetarian food blog The Pancake Princess.

Hands down one of my favorite things about fall is holing up in the kitchen with a cozy recipe to tackle: a giant pot of chili or homemade pasta or a spice-scented loaf of pumpkin bread. Squash something is a seasonal must, and this year my favorite snack in the category is these puffy, cakey pumpkin cookies.

These are no ordinary cookies: They’re made up from a base of hearty chickpea flour (healthy and easily found in international grocery stores) and without eggs, thanks to my new ingredient crush aquafaba. It’s a miracle egg-replacing ingredient that’s also known as the brine that surrounds canned chickpeas! (You can learn more about the fascinating properties of aquafaba here.)

I highly recommend picking up these couple of new ingredients to try these cookies out. They’re hearty and lightly sweet, special for fall. Plus, with chickpea flour in your arsenal, you’ll be prepared to make a whole bunch of other delicious things — chickpea fries, pizza, gingersnaps. Happy magical concoctions, happy magical autumn to you.

Healthy Chickpea Pumpkin Cookies
Yield: about 8 small cookies

Ingredients
½ cup chickpea flour
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
dash of ground cloves and nutmeg
¼ teaspoon each: fine sea salt, baking soda, baking powder (gluten-free, if desired)
1.5 tablespoons coconut oil, soft but ideally not liquid
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¾ tablespoon aquafaba (reserved from a can of chickpeas or white beans)
3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (flour through baking powder).

In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut and brown sugar until smooth. Add the aquafaba, pumpkin and vanilla, then mix until thoroughly combined. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (Don’t taste the raw dough — chickpea flour tastes unpleasant when uncooked!). Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until set around the edges. Best enjoyed fresh.

The post RED Hearts: Seasonal Puffy Pumpkin Cookies appeared first on iHeartDaily.