In a 'Christmas miracle,' family reunited with their dog found 60 miles away in the cold woods

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, we hope that these stories featuring cute dogs, sweet kids and maybe even a powerful message or two helps you feel a bit of that holiday spirit. 1 [In a 'Christmas miracle,' family reunited with their dog found 60 miles away in the cold woods]( The 4th of July may be more than half a year away, but it [bears repeating]( that the holiday is a very stressful time for dogs, cats and animals with hypersensitive hearing. According to [Psychology Today]( a dog’s sense of hearing is four times as powerful as a human's. So, what we can hear 20 feet away, they can hear from 80. Dogs can also hear far more than we do because they’re attuned to a higher frequency of sounds. That’s why the loud bangs, pops and booms of the 4th of July are so terrifying to a dog. [According to NPR]( pet shelters experience a huge influx of dogs around the fourth because many get scared and run away from their homes. We’re sharing a story [from WXYZ Detroit]( because it’s a reminder of how sensitive dogs are to fireworks, but it also has a happy ending. [Read the story]( 2 [She has us in splits after breaking 12 unspoken 'Italian rules' in front of her Italian husband]( In all cultures, there are certain rules that you just do not break. Maybe if you are Indian, that means not wearing shoes inside the house. Or, if you are Japanese, you must always follow appropriate chopstick etiquette. Likewise, Italians have several "unspoken rules" that, once broken, probably disqualify you from ever eating pasta again (or something along similar lines, I suppose). One brave American woman, Sarah Mollica, decided to take her chances and pull some pranks on her Italian husband, Carlo Longo, by breaking not one, but twelve, of these unspoken Italian rules. She records the pranks and uploads them to the internet, where she has gone viral for her antics, [Bored Panda]( reports. Some of the rules Mollica broke include telling her husband that they had plans during the Euro 2020 final and breaking spaghetti in half before boiling it in a pot. She has even gone as far as requesting pineapple on her pizza. In all instances, Longo seemed absolutely ready to disown her as his wife. For example, when she asked him what he would do if she were to put ketchup on her pasta, he was completely disgusted by the thought. He states in the video, "If you try to put ketchup on pasta, you will not eat for one year in my house." [Read the story]( Did a friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( 3 [These award-winning alcohol-free spirits let you cut back on alcohol without cutting back on flavor]( Have you been thinking about reducing your alcohol consumption? If so, you’re not alone. These days more and more people are trying to [reevaluate]( why they drink, and the myriad ways alcohol affects their lives. And, not surprisingly, more and more people are deciding to [cut back]( on booze all over the world. Of course, not that long ago, anybody who wanted to cut back on alcohol basically had to give up on beer, wine, and cocktails altogether because there weren’t a lot of non-alcoholic options worth drinking. But that is not the case anymore. Today there are a ton of outstanding alcohol-free wines, beers, and spirits that make it easy to cut back on alcohol without cutting back on life’s simple pleasures. There are entire stores dedicated to the art of dry mixology. One such store is Boisson. And if you’re looking for the perfect gift for a “sober curious” cocktail lover—whether it’s a friend or just yourself—then you need to check out Boisson’s [New Homeowner Non-Alcoholic “Stock The Bar” Bundle](. [Read the story]( 4 [Kate Winslet says women become more 'powerful' and 'sexy' in their 40s. She's spot on.]( A weird thing happens to many women in their 40s, something I had heard rumblings of before I arrived at them but didn't fully understand until I was in them. Somehow, somewhat suddenly, you just get better. I mean, there are definitely some complaints about aching bones and [perimenopause]( to be lodged at this age, but there's an internal shift that happens where you sort of come into your own self. You know who you are and you feel comfortable in your skin. [Kate Winslet]( described it perfectly in a recent interview with [BBC Radio 4's 'Woman's Hour]( “I'm 47, there are bits that don't do what you want them to do anymore. There's something kind of fab about going: ‘Oh well, that's just the way it is, isn't it?’" [Read the story]( 5 [Boy finally says 'I love you mommy' after years of a speech delay and moves his mom to tears]( I am not a mother myself, but I’d imagine all moms eagerly await the day they can finally hear the words “I love you” sweetly whispered by their kids. For Texas-based mom Jayla Henry, that moment might have come a little later than usual, but that certainly didn’t make it any less special. Plus, she was able to capture it all in a video that has people in tears. The clip, which has 6.8 million views on [TikTok]( shows Henry baking holiday cookies with her 4-year-old son Braylon, who was diagnosed with a speech delay. It’s already a happy time between a mother and son, but then Braylon does the unexpected. In an outburst of pure joy, he wraps his arms around Henry's neck, showers her with kisses and utters those long awaited words: “I love you mommy!” [Read the story]( Find us on the World Wide Web: [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2022 GOOD | Upworthy, All rights reserved. 1370 N St Andrews Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90028 You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.