A mom's viral Instagram post about her daughter and a black doll is melting hearts.

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Some excellent work on the potty earned 2-year-old Sophia a trip to Target and a chance to pick out whatever toy she wanted.

According to an Instagram post by Sophia's mom, Brandi Benner of South Carolina, she had promised Sophia a big reward after a successful month of potty training.

After just a few minutes perusing the aisles, Sophia zeroed in on a black doll dressed up as a doctor — her dream job. In 2017, you'd think this wouldn't be a big deal.

But ... you'd be wrong.

When it was time to check out, Benner wrote, the cashier looked befuddled over why a white girl would want a black doll.

Was it a gift for a birthday party? Did Sophia pick it out for a friend?

Nope, Sophia confirmed. The doll was for her and it was definitely the one she wanted.

But the cashier pressed on. Benner recounted the rest of the exchange on Instagram"

"The cashier replied, 'But she doesn't look like you. We have lots of other dolls that look more like you.'
I immediately became angry, but before I could say anything, Sophia responded with, 'Yes, she does. She's a doctor like I'm a doctor. And I'm a pretty girl and she's a pretty girl. See her pretty hair? And see her stethoscope?' Thankfully the cashier decided to drop the issue and just answer, 'Oh, that's nice.'
This experience just confirmed my belief that we aren't born with the idea that color matters. Skin comes in different colors just like hair and eyes and every shade is beautiful."

Nick and I told Sophia that after 1 whole month of going poop on the potty, she could pick out a special prize at Target. She, of course, picked a new doll. The obsession is real. While we were checking out, the cashier asked Sophia if she was going to a birthday party. We both gave her a blank stare. She then pointed to the doll and asked Sophia if she picked her out for a friend. Sophia continued to stare blankly and I let the cashier know that she was a prize for Sophia being fully potty trained. The woman gave me a puzzled look and turned to Sophia and asked, "Are you sure this is the doll you want, honey?" Sophia finally found her voice and said, "Yes, please!" The cashier replied, "But she doesn't look like you. We have lots of other dolls that look more like you." I immediately became angry, but before I could say anything, Sophia responded with, "Yes, she does. She's a doctor like I'm a doctor. And I'm a pretty girl and she's a pretty girl. See her pretty hair? And see her stethoscope?" Thankfully the cashier decided to drop the issue and just answer, "Oh, that's nice." This experience just confirmed my belief that we aren't born with the idea that color matters. Skin comes in different colors just like hair and eyes and every shade is beautiful. #itswhatsontheinsidethatcounts #allskinisbeautiful #teachlove #teachdiversity #thenextgenerationiswatching
A post shared by Brandi Benner (@leilani324) on Mar 31, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

Sophia's amazing response illuminates an important responsibility of white parenting.

The likes and comments began pouring in instantly, with strangers praising both Sophia's kind spirit and Brandi's top-notch parenting skills. But as the story went viral, one thing stood out: Sophia knew the doll didn't have the same color skin as her. She just chose to focus on the things the two of them had in common.

In other words, the goal shouldn't be to teach our kids that race doesn't exist, or to raise them "colorblind."

In fact, studies show that even if white parents don't bring it up, their kids will notice sooner rather than later that not everyone looks like them. What matters is that they learn race isn't — and shouldn't be — something that divides us.

Sounds like Sophia already understands this, which puts her well on her way to becoming a good human. There's no doubt her parents are extremely proud of their little girl this week.

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10 anti-holiday recipes that prove the season can be tasty and healthy

Balance out heavy holiday eating with some lighter—but still delicious—fare.

Albertson's

Lighten your calorie load with some delicious, nutritious food between big holiday meals.

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The holiday season has arrived with its cozy vibe, joyous celebrations and inevitable indulgences. From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas cookie exchanges to Aunt Eva’s irresistible jelly donuts—not to mention leftover Halloween candy still lingering—fall and winter can feel like a non-stop gorge fest.

Total resistance is fairly futile—let’s be real—so it’s helpful to arm yourself with ways to mitigate the effects of eating-all-the-things around the holidays. Serving smaller amounts of rich, celebratory foods and focusing on slowly savoring the taste is one way. Another is to counteract those holiday calorie-bomb meals with some lighter fare in between.

Contrary to popular belief, eating “light” doesn’t have to be tasteless, boring or unsatisfying. And contrary to common practice, meals don’t have to fill an entire plate—especially when we’re trying to balance out heavy holiday eating.

It is possible to enjoy the bounties of the season while maintaining a healthy balance. Whether you prefer to eat low-carb or plant-based or gluten-free or everything under the sun, we’ve got you covered with these 10 easy, low-calorie meals from across the dietary spectrum.

Each of these recipes has less than 600 calories (most a lot less) per serving and can be made in less than 30 minutes. And Albertsons has made it easy to find O Organics® ingredients you can put right in your shopping cart to make prepping these meals even simpler.

Enjoy!

eggs and green veggies in a skillet, plate of bacon Not quite green eggs and ham, but closeAlbertsons

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (5 oz) pkg baby spinach

2 eggs

1 clove garlic

4 slices prosciutto

1/2 medium yellow onion

1 medium zucchini squash

1/8 cup butter, unsalted

1 pinch crushed red pepper

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bow of cauliflower ham salad Get your cauliflower power on.Albertsons

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

1/2 medium head cauliflower

1 stick celery

1/4 small bunch fresh dill

8 oz. ham steak, boneless

1/2 shallot

1/4 tspblack pepper

1/4 tsp curry powder

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/8 tsp paprika

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

tofu on skewers on a plate with coleslaw Plant-based food fan? This combo looks yums. Albertsons

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

1 avocado

1/2 English cucumber

1 (12 oz.) package extra firm tofu

1 Granny Smith apple

3 Tbsp (45 ml) Ranch dressing

1/2 (14 oz bag) shredded cabbage (coleslaw mix)

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

frittata in a cast iron skillet Sometimes you just gotta frittata.Albertsons

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

6 eggs

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 oz Parmesan cheese

1 red bell pepper

1/2 medium red onion

8 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with slices of grilled chicken and a caprese salad Caprese, if you please.Albertsons

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

3/4 lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless

1/2 small pkg fresh basil

1/2 (8 oz pkg) fresh mozzarella cheese

1 clove garlic

3 tomatoes

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

4 3/4 pinches black pepper

1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

four stuffed mushrooms on a plate These mushrooms look positively poppable.Albertsons

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 sundried tomatoes, oil-packed

1 1/4 pinches crushed red pepper

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with open English muffin with goat cheese and sliced baby tomatoes on top Move over, avocado toast. English muffin pizzas have arrived.Albertsons

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

3 Tbsp (45 ml) basil pesto

2 English muffins

1/2 (4 oz) log goat cheese

1/2 pint grape tomatoes

3/4 pinch black pepper

2 pinches salt

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

pita pocket on a plate filled with veggies, meat and cheese This pita pocket packs a colorful punch.Albertsons

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

1/4 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese

1/2 bunch Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

4 oz oven roasted turkey breast, sliced

1/2 (12 oz) jar roasted red bell peppers

1 whole grain pita

3/4 pinch black pepper

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp mayonnaise

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

plate with toast smeared with avocado and topped with prosciutto Did we say, "Move over, avocado toast?" What we meant was "Throw some prosciutto on it!" Albertsons

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

1 avocado

2 slices prosciutto

2 slices whole grain bread

1 5/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

bowl of chili with cheese and green onions on top Vegetarian chili with a fall twistAlbertsons

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

2 (15 oz can) black beans

1/2 (8 oz ) block cheddar cheese

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

2 green bell peppers

1 small bunch green onions (scallions)

1 (15 oz) can pure pumpkin purée

1 medium yellow onion

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 7/8 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

Find full instructions and shopping list here.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes, visit albertsons.com/recipes.

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Pets

Dog caught in couch cover hilariously accepts his fate of living as a ghost

Must've been a good nap.

LADbible Australia|Facebook

Dog waits patiently for human after being caught in couch cover

Dogs are certainly entertaining if they're nothing else. You never know what sort of nonsense they're going to get into while you're away or even down the hall. Dogs have dug holes in couches to play in the foam, spread trash all over the floor because they smelled an empty peanut butter container. Some dogs have even found their way to their owner's roofs for no apparent reason outside of getting closer to the birds.

One dog and his dog sibling were snoozing away while their owners were out. The couch one of the dogs was sleeping on had a fitted sheet or couch cover draped over it...until the dog got startled almost rolling off the couch. While the brown pooch was attempting to correct himself so he didn't land on his back, the couch cover decided to turn the poor dog into a burrito.

He successfully got turned around in time to gently hop onto the floor but everything went black.

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funny dog videos

A mom's viral Instagram post about her daughter and a black doll is melting hearts.

Some excellent work on the potty earned 2-year-old Sophia a trip to Target and a chance to pick out whatever toy she wanted.

When it was time to check out, Benner wrote, the cashier looked befuddled over why a white girl would want a black doll.

Sophia's amazing response illuminates an important responsibility of white parenting.

Balance out heavy holiday eating with some lighter—but still delicious—fare.

Breakfast Skillet of Greens, Eggs & Ham

273 calories | 20 minutes

Creamy Cauliflower Salad with Ham, Celery & Dill

345 calories | 20 minutes

Grilled Chili Tofu Skewers with Ranch Cabbage, Apple & Cucumber Slaw

568 calories | 20 minutes

Bell Pepper, Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata with Parmesan

513 calories | 25 minutes

Balsamic Grilled Chicken with Classic Caprese Salad

509 calories | 25 minutes

Warm Goat Cheese, Parmesan & Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Mushrooms

187 calories | 35 minutes

English Muffin Pizzas with Basil Pesto, Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

327 calories | 10 minutes

Warm Pita Pocket with Turkey, Cheddar, Roasted Red Peppers & Parsley

313 calories | 20 minutes

Avocado Toast with Crispy Prosciutto

283 calories | 10 minutes

Black Bean & Pumpkin Chili with Cheddar

444 calories | 30 minutes

'You date people you think you deserve. You deserve better.'

Must've been a good nap.

Van Gogh saw something it took scientists another 100 years to see.

I'm not easily impressed, OK?

Get this: Van Gogh was a pretty cool artist (duh), but as it turns out...

...he was also A SCIENTIST!*

Here's the story.

~~~TURBULENCE~~~

Thing is, scientists are pretty much *just* starting to figure this stuff out.

Then you've got Van Gogh, 100 years earlier, in his asylum, with a mutilated ear, who totally nailed it!

But did other artists depict turbulence the way Van Gogh did?

Not even "The Scream" could hold a candle to Van Gogh!

Watch the video below to learn even more:

Can you do this?

My dad was an addict, and growing up with him taught me a lot.

There was never just one moment in my family when we “found out" that my dad was an addict.

1. When your family's yelling about burnt toast, they're probably also yelling about something else.

2. Your "knight in shining armor" can't fix this.

3. “Don't tell anyone" is a normal phase.

4. Friends probably won't get it, but you'll need them anyway.

5. You can't fix addiction, but you can help.

6. Recovery is awkward.

7. I still can't talk about addiction in the past tense.

8. Happy hours and wedding receptions aren't easy to attend.

9. If you close your eyes, the world doesn't just “get prettier."

10. Rip off the sign on your back that reads: “KICK ME. MY LIFE SUCKS."

11. It's OK to forgive, too.

I can't forget all the dark nights of my childhood.

Our relationship with our planet can be mutually beneficial if we commit ourselves to sustainability.

Douglas Scott grew up on Washington's Olympic Peninsula in the dying shadow of the timber industry that had supported the region for decades.

The tension in the air between the loggers and the environmentalists throughout the 1980s was thicker than the trees being cut down.

"When I moved away from the area in 1997, there wasn't much of a logging or mill economy in dozens of towns around the region," Scott said.

Those great green arbors continued their gradual recovery into the 2000s...

And they're still going today.

But those isolated moments don't tell the whole story of the region's recovery. It's even more remarkable when you can see it in action...

We don't always notice the world changing right before our eyes, but the decades-long view of the Olympic Peninsula shows the true power of nature.

~TURBULENCE~

Thing is, scientists are pretty much just starting to figure this stuff out.