Moms Like Me

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FREE | May 2011 Get connected with other local moms @ orlando.momslikeme.com

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Transcript of Moms Like Me

Page 1: Moms Like Me

FREE | May 2011

Get connected with other local moms @ orlando.momslikeme.com

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PROFILES IN MOTHERHOODHonoring some local moms that have made an impact on their children’s lives.

Thanks to local grandmom, SusanHarris, her daughter, Katie DeGrace,and Katie’s daughter, Hannah.

Photographer:Erika Hopkinswww.ErikaHopkinsPhotography.com

After Hours Pediatrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11

Baby and Beyond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 21

Beckman & Associates, Inc . . . . . . . . . .Page 21

Browns Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15

Camp Jam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 23

City of Oviedo Recreation . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2

Disney Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 44

Erika Hopkins Photography . . . . . . . . .Page 27

First Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3

Glass Slipper Cakery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 19

Kidtique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 25

The Law Firm of Brown, Van Horn . .Page 23

Little Bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 23

Mad Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 25

Marcy L. McKeown DMD . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7

The Minivan Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7

Once Upon a Time Events . . . . . . . . . .Page 25

Orange County Public Schools . . . . . .Page 35

Oviedo Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 43

Tree of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 21

Victory Martial Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3

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SAYING ‘THANK YOU’Tips and tidbits to help celebrate Mother’s Day

CAMPING IT UPHaving more ideas for your kids to do this summer

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Every morning, I wake up with the nose of my f ive-year-old, 3 inches from myown nose, saying the same eight words he says every day “Mommy, what are youmaking me for breakfast?” No matter what time he went to bed the night before,he is up bright and early and goes from zero to 60 by the time his feet hit the f loor.At the same time, through the small monitor on my nightstand, the chatteringsounds of my f ifteen-month-old begin. Almost as if he can senses my presencethrough the device, the chattering turns into a fuss and then into a full oncry/scream/yell. I stumble towards the kitchen, heading directly for the coffee pot,the f ive year old asks, “Mommy, why do you wake up so slow? Why don’t youwake up FAST like me?”

As I pour my f irst cup of coffee of the day, and tune out the demands andcries of my two boys, I begin to drift back to the days of BC… Before Children. Themornings that were just for me, where I could wake up when I wanted and not “ondemand” Where coffee was sipped and not chugged while not changing diapers,brushing hair and tying shoes; simultaneously. Where I knew that when I walkedout the door, my shoes matched, my clothes were stain free and my hair wasbrushed. Gone were those days. I’m quickly returned to reality, when my oldestattempts to pour his own glass of milk and spills half of the just bought gallon oforganic milk all over the kitchen f loor. I have only been up for 1o minutes.

And yet, I would not change my life for anything. I love the smell of my twoboys after a long day of running around in the back yard. I love the sounds of themplaying in their rooms together. I love their giggles, their cries and their silly songs.I love the way I can see my husband in my oldest and that my youngest looks likeme. I love that my house is f illed with their toys, their clothes and their love.

Yes, there are days that I cringe when I have to say “Stop!” or “Your littlebrother is NOT a toy!” for the 1,385 time. There are days that I look at the child-free women at the grocery store and yearn for just one day where I can do a quickmilk and bread run. I will admit, I have locked myself in the bathroom and cried.But, those moments are few and far between when compared to the times that Iam so thankful for the life that I have. Motherhood is a beautiful journey that isf illed with ups and down and sleep-less nights. It’s a gift that I get to watch theseboys grown into men and that the lessons that I teach them will affect so manypeople in the future. It’s a daunting task, but one that I accept every day. Mother-hood is not for the faint of heart, but for the select few that strap on their battlegear and know that it might not be per fect everyday, but it will be f illed with slop-py kisses and beautiful drawings and early mornings with the ones that truly loveyou.

Katy MacDiarmid Leach

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Ask Suzette

My 9-year-old asked me when we weregoing to go bra shopping.(Her cousin whois two years older started shopping for hertraining bra recently,so of course she isinterested.) What kinds of things should Ilook for when we start to look?

Here are a few things to think about:• Fabric and cer tain s tyles may work bet ter due to the sensitivi-

ty that occurs during early breast development.• Some gir ls’ breasts change size or shape at dif ferent times in

their menstrual cycles. Many gir ls f ind they like to wear dif ferent s tylesof bras at dif ferent times in their cycle.

• Most gir ls’ breasts grow at dif ferent rates — and many gir lsf ind themselves with one that may be bigger than the other. Star t bymoving the s trap adjus ters on a bra to dif ferent lengths to see if thishelps.

• Take a look at the bra you’re about to buy and imagine how itmight sur vive a full day of wear. If the front closure pops open too eas-ily, could this bra let you down in front of your entire drama class? Thebra’s s traps may feel f ine in the f i t ting room, but if the adjus ters aresit ting r ight on your shoulder or collarbone, how will that feel underyour backpack?

• No matter what the size or shape of a gir l’s breasts, the mostimpor tant thing to remember in choosing a bra is comfor t.

Choosing theright bra at the

right time headsoff future fuss

Suzette C. Boyette, ARNPParents Everywhere, Inc.founder/educator,parentseverywhere.comIf you would like to ask Suzette a questionabout parenting, women’s health or child birthinformation, please contact her [email protected].

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What is a chiropractor,and why would Iconsider seeing one?

According to the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, “Chiro-practic is a health care discipline which emphasizes the inherent recu-perative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs andsurgery. The practice of chiropractic focuses on the relationshipbetween structure (primarily the spine) and function (as coordinatedby the nervous system) and how that relationship af fects the preser-vation and restoration of health.” The purpose of a chiropractor is tooptimize health holis tically.

They can help you with:• headache, spinal and back pain relief• lower muscle stif fness• increase your range of motion• improves joint health• become more relaxed• more energy and less fatigue• improve healing• and moreChiropractors can also treat infants with a variety of healthcare

issues such as ear infections and even colic. When choosing a chiro-practor, ask he/she accepts your insurance as most healthcare insur-ances have included chiropractor care as par t of the healthcare plan.

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The role of mother, whetheryou’re called momma, mommy orjust plain ol’ mom, continuouslyevolves throughout life. As a youngchild, mom is the ultimate caregiv-er, f illed with love and compassion,ready to soothe a scraped knee orcool a fever.

During the teenage years,mom must be prepared with guid-ance and even a few lectures whenthere’s a rough patch. And whenit’s time for a daughter to spreadher wings and f ly, it’s mom whocheers her on even though itmeans letting go.

And as the years pass, thisspecial kind of bond betweenmother and daughter can continue— especially when the roles ofmothering are reversed.

This Mother’s Day, six Cen-tral Floridians, each at dif ferentstages of life, will be paying specialhomage to their mothers as theyshare the signif icance a mother’slove has been to their lives.

Erin Slogar Seven-year-old Erin Slogar

describes her mother, LauraSlogar (46), as very special.

“My mommy always takesgood care of me. She helps mewhen I get hurt and gives mehugs,” Erin said.

Erin said she depends onher mom to be there for her —always. “My mommy buys megluten-free food and helps mewith my homework,” she said.

Favorite times spent withmom, Erin said, include whenthey scrapbook together or goto Bruster’s for ice-cream.

“And she always watchesLittle Bear with me,” Erin said.

Another highlight of theday for mother and daughter isbedtime.

“My mommy reads to meand tucks me in at night; shemakes me feel safe,” Erin said.“My mommy is a goodmommy.”

Mothers make a difference, sowe’re honoring some localmoms that have made animpact on their children’s lives.

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Libby Maloy Thirteen-year-old Libby Maloy said her relationship with her mother,

Althea Maloy (42), has evolved a bit as she has grown into a teen, but the loveand support have stayed the same.

“Our relationship has changed a little now that I am a teen because Ihave other interests. Since she home schooled us, she spent all her time with us;now that we are older, she has a part-time job and we go to private schools,”Libby said.

Libby credits her mother with preparing her for independence.“My mom has taught me a lot. I used to rely on her for a lot more, but as

I get older I don’t need her the same way — but I still love her the same,” shesaid.

Libby said her mother has also given her family a sense of stability.“No matter what our family is going through, she always seems to be

there for us and keeps us going. She always has something on the table for usto eat and everything is under control – which is really important becausewithout her we would be pretty lost,” she said. “My mom is really cool andalways tries to keep a smile on her face; she is always there to encourage us,and no matter what we may have done wrong, she’s there.”

Libby said she is thankful to have a mother who makes her feel secure.“Some of my friends are growing up in very broken families with parents

who don’t get along, and I feel very fortunate to have my mom and my fami-ly,” she said. “My mom is one of the best.”

Jennifer Pfortner Von Der HolleNew mom Jennifer Pfor tner Von Der Holle, age 28, said her rela-

tionship with her mother, Karen Hereich (56), has changed as she hasmatured.

“As I grew up and got married, I grew closer to my mom because wehave a lot more in common. She is in every aspect of my life,” she said.

Jennifer said her perspective of motherhood changed completely whenher baby, Lily, was born in December.

“I never knew that a mom could love someone so much,” she said. “I knewthat my mom loved me because that’s just what moms do, but I realize nowshe would have done anything for her kids, and I don’t think you realize thatuntil you are a parent. She was always there for us,” Jennifer said.

Jennifer said she aspires to be the same kind of mother.“She was involved, but she wasn’t overbearing. She gave us our space to

learn and to grow, and that’s what I want to do with Lily,” Jennifer said. “Mymom means everything to me.”

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Amy Gipson Amy Gipson (43) describes her mother, Shirley Scof ield (71), as the rock

of her family growing up in Northern Alabama.“My mom was a great mom to grow up with. She always had everything

under control in the house; always happy and loving,” Gipson said. “My mom isDoris Day and Paula Dean rolled into one. She can whip up a meal for 25 inno time and without stressing over anything. She has raised four children,helped raise 11 grandkids and two great grandkids.”

Amy, who has three children younger than 15, said she considers hermother a mentor and role model in raising her own children. “I constantly callher for advice on raising my kids and for recipes,” she said.

While the mother and daughter only visit with each other four to f ivetimes a year, Amy said they keep in close touch by phone and send Facebookmessages throughout the week.

“My relationship with my mother is awesome. She is the rock of the fam-ily,” Amy said. “My mom keeps me grounded and reminds me what is reallyimportant in life.”

Mary Lou Andrews Mary Lou Andrews said her relationship with mother, Esther Capp, has

evolved and strengthened over the years.“Our lives are so interwoven that she is a part of me and I am a part of

her. At this time in my life, I can’t imagine it any other way,” Mary Lou said. Andrews said when she was younger she shared a closer bond with her

father.“I was a tomboy, so we always went f ishing and to football games, and

my older sister was usually the one more inclined to do things with my mom.As we got older, and I guess with me having a daughter of my own, it changedsome,” she said. “I think after my dad died, my mother and I naturally gravitat-ed toward each other and got to know each other better.”

Today, at ages 56 and 84, Mary Lou said her mother plays a very integralpart in her daily life.

“As I have gotten older, I have become more protective of her. I f ind Iwant to ensure her quality of life and dignity as she ages. That is how I wasraised; you take care of the oldest ones in the family because they took care ofyou,” she said. “Our relationship has evolved from her being the caretaker tome being her biggest support. I make sure with my sister that her quality of lifeis good.”

Mary Lou said it has been rewarding to have the chance to grow closerto her mother and learn about her life. “It’s unending the things you can discov-er about someone you have known for more than 50 years,” she said.

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Liz Furia Liz Furia (63) describes her mother, Audrey Lundquist (93), as a com-

bination of kindness, intelligence and bravery; a woman who handled her lifewith great dignity and manners.

“She survived a diff icult childhood and was lucky to have been raisedby her grandmother, who taught her many of these wonderful qualities. Shemarried her f irst husband (my father) who she was married to for 40 yearsand they raised four stable and successful children,” Furia said.

When Liz was a child, she contracted rheumatic fever and was sick offand on for two years.

“My mom was my nurse, nurturer and many days my playmate. Mychildhood was happy and always safe. We enjoyed family vacations andwonderful times together. My mother always provided us with support andencouragement and a faith in God,” Liz said.

Four years ago, Audrey moved from Phoenix to Orlando to be closerher family. She resides in an assisted living facility, although she lives inde-pendently. She enjoys the social activities at the facility.

“Now the tables have turned in life, and I am now her caregiver, hermedical advocate as well as her emotional support. Her needs are greaternow and the support she gave me as a child I can give back to her in herlater years,” Liz said.

Liz said their relationship has evolved into one of mutual respect, car-ing and concern for each other as well as a great appreciation for the yearsthey have shared together. “Life becomes precious as we age and experi-ence its love and losses,” Liz said. “Our hearts remain grateful for the joysand blessings in life and the relationship of a mother and a daughter.”

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Tips and tidbits to helpcelebrate Mother’s Day

FLOWERS WITH FEELINGFlowers are a popular gift for Mom. But what message are they really sending?

Here is a list compiled by the Society of American Florists on flowers’ differentmeanings:

Flower Color or type MeaningCarnation Pink Gratitude

Red FlashyYellow Cheerful

Daisy --- Innocence

Lily Calla RegalCasablanca CelebrationDay EnthusiasmStargazer Ambition

Orchid --- Delicate beauty

Rose Pink FriendshipRed Passionate loveRed and white UnityYellow Zealous

Sunflower --- Adoration

Tulip Pink CaringPurple RoyaltyRed Declaration of loveWhite ForgivenessYellow Hopelessly in love

DON COKER/MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

BY SALLY DADISMANMcClatchy-Tribune

She helped you learn to walk, taught you about the birds and the bees, and droveyou to soccer practice, scout meetings and birthday parties. Mother’s Day gives youa chance to show Mom how much you care. Whether it’s watching a movie, sere-nading her with a song or serving her breakfast in bed, we offer a few suggestionsfor celebrating, along with a brief history of the day, how to say “mother” aroundthe world and a short quiz.

HISTORYA celebration that began with the Greeks and Romans, Mother’s Day has been

around for centuries in one form or another. The Greeks celebrated Rhea, the motherof the Gods, while early Christians had festivals on the fourth Sunday of Lent forMary, the mother of Jesus Christ. A religious order then created Mothering Sundayin Britain to celebrate all mothers, a tradition that was lost when British settlersformed the American colonies. In 1907, however, Anna M. Jarvis, a schoolteacherfrom Philadelphia, went on a mission to create a day honoring mothers. She soughthelp from legislators and businessmen, and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilsondeclared the second Sunday in May a national holiday in honor of mothers.

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QUIZThink you know about mothers? How many are there in the United States,

what days and months are most popular for giving birth? Test your knowledge ofthese facts from the U.S. Census Bureau.

1. How many mothers are there in the United States?A. 60.2 million C. 80.5 millionB. 70.4 million D. 90.3 million

2. How many children on average can a woman in the United States expect tohave in her lifetime?

A. 1.7 C. 2.4B. 2.1 D. 1.9

3. What U.S. state has the highest average number of births per year, per woman?A. Utah C. IllinoisB. New York D. Nevada

4. What is the most popular month to have a baby?A. November C. MayB. February D. July

5. What is the most popular day of the week to have a baby? A. Monday C. WednesdayB. Tuesday D. Thursday

ANSWERS: 1. C; 2. B; 3. A; 4. D; 5. B

WORDS OF WISDOMHere are a few quotes on motherhood, from “Women Know Everything:

3,241 Quips, Quotes and Brilliant Remarks,” edited by Karen Weekes (QuirkBooks, $16.95):

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”

— Oprah Winfrey (1954-), American television host, actress andmagazine publisher

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-trafficcontrollers with ease.”

— Lisa Alther (1944-), American writer

Mothers are the most instinctive philosophers.”

— Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), American abolitionist

“““

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So you may not be the nextBobby Flay or Rachael Ray, butyou can still make a simple mealfor your mom. Here is a recipefrom “Coffee Cakes,” by LouSeibert Pappas (Chronicle Books,$18.95), to get you started.

BLUEBERRY STREUSELCOFFEE CAKE

Juicy berries nugget this easy-to-bake cake that flaunts a crunchysweet topping of toasted walnutsand brown sugar streusel.

Ingredients■ 1/2 cup canola oil■ 1/2 cup firmly packed light brownsugar

■ 1/2 cup granulated sugar■2 large eggs■1 teaspoon vanilla extract■1 cup unbleached all-purposeflour■1 cup whole-wheat flour■1 teaspoon baking powder■1 teaspoon baking soda■ 1/4 teaspoon salt■1 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt■2 cups fresh or frozen blueberriesor mixed blackberries, blueberriesand raspberries

Streusel Topping■2 tablespoons cold unsalted but-ter, cut into bits■ 1/4 cup unbleached all-purposeflour

■ 1/3 cup firmly packed light brownsugar■2 teaspoons ground cinnamon■1 cup (4 ounces) walnuts,chopped

To make the topping: In amedium bowl or a food processor,combine the butter, flour, sugar andcinnamon. Cut the butter in withyour fingers or process until themixture forms coarse crumbs. Stirin the nuts and set aside.

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 F.

Lightly butter a 9-inch springformpan.

In a large bowl, combine the oil,sugars, eggs and vanilla and beatwith a whisk or electric mixer untilsmooth. In a medium bowl, com-bine the flours, baking powder,baking soda and salt. Stir to blend.Add to the creamed mixture alter-nately with the buttermilk oryogurt in two increments. Beatuntil smooth. Stir in the berries.Turn into the prepared pan andsprinkle evenly with the topping.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, oruntil the cake is golden brown anda cake tester inserted in the centercomes out clean. Let cool in thepan on a wire rack for 10 minutes,then remove the pan sides and letcool completely. Cut into wedgesto serve.

Makes one 9-inch coffee cake;serves 10.PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRONICLE BOOKS

‘MOTHER’AROUND

THE WORLD

FranceMère

GermanyMutter

GreeceMàna

JapanOkaasan

SpainMadre

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MOVIES Many mothers just want a day of relaxation, so pop in a DVD of one of these

mother-daughter-related flicks.

■ “Steel Magnolias” (1989): Sally Field and Julia Roberts play a mother anddaughter at the center of a tight-knit group of friends in Louisiana.

■ “Terms of Endearment” (1983): This Oscar-winning movie chronicles theoften difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, played by ShirleyMacLaine and Debra Winger.

■ “Anywhere But Here” (1999): Susan Sarandon plays a mother who is tired ofher small-town existence and decides to drag her less-than-willing daughter toBeverly Hills in hopes of a more glamorous life.

■ “Stepmom” (1998): Roberts and Sarandon playthe future stepmom and dying mother, respectively,of Ed Harris’ children.

■ “Freaky Friday” (1976) or (2003): Take yourpick, Jodie Foster (the 1976 version) or LindsayLohan (2003) plays the ungrateful child who switch-es bodies with her busy mom.

■ “Mommie Dearest” (1981): The perfect portrait ofa nightmare mom, this campy film will make youappreciate that your mom didn’t have such an aver-sion to wire hangers.

SONGSHere are some songs, along with selected lyrics, for a melodically memorable

Mother’s Day.

Hey Mama By Kanye West

You work late nights just to keep on the lightsMommy got me training wheels so I could keep on my bikeAnd you would give anything in this worldMichael Jackson leather and a glove, but didn’t give me a curlAnd you never put no man over meAnd I love you for that mommy can’t you see?

A Song for MamaBy Boyz II Men

Mama, mama you’re the queen of my heart Your love is like Tears from the stars Mama, I just want you to know Lovin’you is like food to my soul You’re always down for me Have always been around for me even when I was bad You showed me right from my wrong

Mom By Earth,Wind & Fire

Mom, pains and joyI love her more and moreTo her I’m still her boyYeah yeah yeahAnd in my life I’ve always dug herAnd in my life I’ve always needed herThe mom I know I love so well

Julia Roberts andSusan Sarandon in“Stepmom.”

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How to makedining out fresh,

healthy andaffordable for

families

(ARA) — There are timeswhen pulling together a meal athome isn’t in the cards and f indingtime to cook a meal and gathereveryone around the table is justtoo hard. The easiest time-savingsolution is going out to eat, butthat, too, can seem daunting whenlooking for a family meal that hasboth good nutrition and comes ata reasonable cos t. Not to fear,menus and prices are changing.

Greater emphasis has beenplaced on eating fresh and, whenpossible, local foods in recentyears. And as the demand forhealthier menu options has grownacross a wider audience, moreres taurants at a var iety of pr icepoints have responded by of feringfoods made with fresh ingredientsat prices that won’t hur t the familybudget.

This trend also means thatconsumers have to be savvy aboutwhere — and what — they’re eat-ing. What ’s presented as healthyisn ’t always the bes t choice. Thebes t defense here is a goodof fense. Becoming informed aboutthe dishes you’re likely to pick andthe restaurants you frequently visitwill allow you to make the r ightchoices.

There are a few key things tolook for when taking the family outfor a meal:

* Fresh ingredients. These canbe par ticularly hard to come by ina restaurant setting, so it’s good tof ind restaurants that have a mis-sion to ser ve fresh foods. Some

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restaurants, like Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes, make the ef for t to ensure that the foodthey of fer on their salad bar and the ingredients in their freshly prepared foods come straightfrom the farm to the restaurant kitchen, with as lit tle transit time as possible in between. Thatmeans the food not only tastes better, it’s also in optimal condition for healthy eating.

* A wide variety of options. Families have to cater to a lot of very dif ferent taste prefer-ences, which can make dining out a challenge. And we all know it can be a challenge to get kidsto choose healthy foods over junk food. By going out together to a restaurant that has a buf-fet format coupled with freshly-made wholesome foods, you’ll be able to let everyone pick outwhat’s to their taste with the peace of mind that they’re eating well.

* Know nutrition. Make it a point to talk to your family about healthy ingredients and howthey make a dif ference in their lives. It’s also useful to explain calories — how many go into a

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healthy diet, what’s too lit tle and what’s too much —and give kids examples of how many calories are in avariety of prepared foods. Some restaurant websites,like that of Souplantation, make it easy to f ind outexactly what the nutritional values are in each itemthey serve. Having a realis tic view of what goes intothe food you eat plays a big role in making healthychoices when eating out.

By knowing what to look for, it’s easier to make

smar t choices at restaurants that are wallet-fr iendly,disproving the myth that i t cos ts a lot to eat thehealthiest foods.

And when you f ind a place that meets therequirements of healthy, af fordable and fresh, spreadthe word to friends. Whether you go out on a multi-family lunch date or give restaurant gift cards, you’llbe sharing smar t ways to stay healthy with your fam-ily and friends.

Orlando - Kids’ Eats• Café Tu Tu Tango: entertainment(dancers and artists); large selection of tapas,or appetizer-sized tastes;Cajun egg rolls,breads,spreads and dips,soups and unusualdesserts.

• Sweet Tomatoes: buffet has endlesspizza,pasta,soups,salad fixings,fruit andself-serve frozen yogurt and ice cream withcandied toppings.

• Rainforest Café: jungle-themed and lotsof fun.Waterfalls,thunder shows,noisyrobotic lions,gorillas,chirping birds.Lots ofgood meal choices for families.

• Johnny Rockets chain: burgers,hot dogs,milkshakes,and servers who dance toMotown on the jukebox.

• Hot Dog Heaven: dogs in all styles

• World’s Largest EntertainmentMcDonald’s & PlayPlace: on Sand LakeRoad;typical McDonald’s fare plus bistrogourmet items.

• Ming Court Wok & Grille: dinners for kids10 and under are served in a Bento Box withshrimp chips,rice or fries,veggie lo-meinnoodles and a fortune cookie.

• El Potro Mexican Restaurant: buffetwith fix-your-own taco and burritoingredients,plus fish,chicken and dessertsthat include flan and sweet tres leches cake.

• Straub’s Fine Seafood: caters to kidswith a four-course meal that starts withcarrot and celery appetizer with ranchdressing.Next,kids can have a cheesequesadilla;kids’entrees include fish,shrimp,chicken or pasta;and ice cream with saucecompletes the meal.The early-bird menu,served before 6 p.m.,is a great option forolder children.

• Boston Lobster Feast: kids under foureat free off the kids’menu,at and kids 11 andunder get a reduced price on the feast oflobster,snow crab,fried shrimp and more

• Joe’s Crab Shack: several locations;outdoor playground is as appealing as thekid-friendly food.

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LEGAL SEA FOODSThe greatest thing about Legal’s kids’ menu:Even if your child insists on ordering the chicken fingers

or grilled cheese,they arrive with grapes and corn on the cob.But don’t be surprised if your little one opts for

something more adventurous.

1

SOUPLANTATION/SWEET TOMATOESBuffets are a godsend when your kids won’t sit still for long.This chain,known as Souplantation in

Southern California and Sweet Tomatoes in the rest of the country,is particularly wonderful because it’s cheap

(less than $10 for adults and $5 for kids 3 and over),fast,and focused on healthy food.

2

MIMI’S CAFEThis chain’s got just the thing to settle down hungry,antsy kids -- a free appetizer plate filled with

Cheerios,oranges and crackers.Kids’ menu options include a turkey dinner,soup and salad,and spaghetti;all

come with a choice of sides such as fresh veggies,fruit,mashed potatoes,and applesauce.

3

UNO CHICAGO GRILLForget everything you think you know about this pizza restaurant.If you haven’t been there in a year

or two,you’re in for a pleasant surprise:It now offers lighter,flatbread pizzas and a kids’ menu that features

grilled chicken,whole-grain penne and health-minded sides like broccoli,apples and mandarin oranges.

4

CHILI’S GRILL & BARThe kids’ menu keeps growing:The chain recently added three more sides -- corn,mandarin oranges

and pineapple -- to the seven options it already had.Entrees range from grilled chicken to pasta to pizza.While many restaurant chains support charities,Chili’s is exceptional,raising more than $8M for St.Judes.n’sResearch Hospital last year.

5

RED ROBINWith a wacky mascot that makes special appearances,a children’s birthday club and balloons galore,

Red Robin has long been a fun place to take the family.Now,thanks to a new kids’ menu, which should be

chainwide this month,it can be a healthy one too.

6

THE OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORYAn antique-filled restaurant is certainly not the first place you’d think to take the kids,but The Old

Spaghetti Factory has a cool family vibe.If you’re lucky,your family will snag a seat inside the trolley car each

location has.If not,there are fun “bed booths” -- seating built from old headboards.

7

P.F.CHANG’S CHINA BISTROThe food at this chain is meant to be served family-style -- where everyone eats a little of this and a

little of that -- so there isn’t a separate menu for children.But there are plenty of kids’ favorites,including the

ginger chicken with broccoli,chow mein and crab wontons.

8

DENNY’SThere’s no denying that the children’s menu at this chain is far out.While your kids are waiting for

their star-shaped chicken nuggets,anti-gravity grapes,astronaut applesauce,or any of the other space-

themed fare to arrive,they get to sip their milk or juice from a rocket-shaped cup.

9

CLAIM JUMPERClaim Jumper’s choices are extensive -- 15 entrees and 10 sides.While you’ll find some typical fare,the

build-your-own pizza,frozen grapes,bean-and-cheese burrito,and barbecued chicken breast are more fun

options.And there’s even a healthy dessert for kids:frozen chocolate-banana bites.

10

—WWW.PARENTS.COM

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Orlando Shakespeare Theater,in partnership with UCF, hasannounced its summer camp offeringsbeginning June 13 at the John and RitaLowndes Shakespeare Center.

Now accepting registrations,Orlando Shakes offers full-day andhalf-day options for grades pre-Kthrough graduating high school sen-iors. Creative Arts Camps include:Fairy Tales & Merry Music; Shake-speare Smackdown; and Lights, Cam-era, and ACTION. A complete Sum-mer Camp listing can be found at:http://www.orlandoshakes.org/edu-cation/classes/camps.html

Orlando Shakes is dedicated tocreating innovative educational expe-riences that build life skills in each par-ticipant and encourage creativity, col-laboration, problem solving,concentration, public speaking and astrong work ethic. Professional actinginstructors guide students in theexploration and appreciation of thearts, with social and academic skillsintegrated into the process.

“Our Creative Arts Campsfocus on creative play, per formingthrough dance and Shakespeareanacting,” said Anne Hering, director ofeducation. “Young students with the-ater experience develop great self-

conf idence, as well as the strong skillsin communication and teamwork,that enhance applications for colleges,scholarships and future employers. It’snever too early to begin building thoseessential life skills.”

For emerging and advancedtheater artists, The Young Companycan be a great way for young per-formers to stay busy this summer.

TYC is a production programfor high school students who wish toexperience the power of working as ateam in a theater ensemble.

Friendships are formed, andactors practice the values of coopera-tion, teamwork, and problem solvingthrough the exploration of classicaldrama. Directed, designed and pro-duced by adult theater professionals,the intensive rehearsal processincludes script analysis, characterdevelopment, learning basic move-ment and staging, and strengtheningthe vocal instrument.

The program culminates in aproduction of Shakespeare’s JuliusCaesar, playing July 8-10 at the Johnand Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Cen-ter. The Young Company is sponsoredby The English Speaking Union ofCentral Florida. For more informationabout The Young Company, visit

The theatercomes alivefor kids this

summer

Orlando Shakes

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http://www.orlandoshakes.org/education/training/young-company.htmlSummer camps begin in mid-June and run through mid-August. Camps

range from $150-$375. Scholarships are available for those who qualify. Eachregistered student will also receive one free ticket to Orlando ShakespeareTheater’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. To register, callthe Box Off ice at 407-447-1700 or register online atwww.orlandoshakes.org. For further information, call the education depart-ment at 407-447-1700 ext. 208.

■ ■ ■

About Orlando Shakespeare TheaterNow celebrating its 22nd season, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, in

partnership with UCF, has grown into one of the region’s most acclaimed Equi-ty theaters producing bold professional theater in Central Florida. Under theleadership of artistic director Jim Helsinger and managing director ShannonLacek, Orlando Shakespeare Theater continues to achieve the highest stan-dards while preserving its artistic and cultural legacy. Through PlayFest! TheHarriett Lake Festival of New Plays, Orlando Shakespeare Theater is nation-ally recognized for its contribution to the development of new plays. OrlandoShakes also provides innovative educational experiences through its youtheducation programming, serving over 25,000 young people, families, andschools annually.

Moms Deserve Great Prices! We’ve got ‘em!

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Helping you choose a summer camp

The days are getting longer and the sun isgetting hotter, this can mean only one thing: Sum-mer is just around the corner. This is also the timewhen we as parents must f ind fun, enriching andeducational oppor tuni ties for our children toexperience. Vacations and time with family mem-bers are great ways to re-connect and createwonder ful memories, but they are only one par tof a well-balanced summer experience for yourchild.

Summer camps and other youth activi tiesprovide a sense of community, plus an oppor tuni-ty to develop intergenerational relationships andto learn through f irst hand experiences. Beneathall the fun and excitement, camp provides a much-needed bridge between school and the outsideworld. It helps children practice their critical think-

ing and problem solving skills beyond the class-room.

When choosing a camp, you want to makesure that the camp type and topic is relevant andinteresting for your camper. Include your camperin the decision and selection process. This will givethem a sense of empowerment and ownershipover the camp they attend. Engage them in a dis-cussion about this decision. Camp is a nur turingand learning environment that works best whenchildren are excited and ready to embrace thewhole experience. Camps vary in style and struc-tures from sleep-away camps, outdoors or wilder-ness camps, to the more popular weeklong daycamps.

Day camps are mainly of fered at museums,youth centers or other community ins ti tutions

By Edgar Comellas

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and are a convenient option for working parents. Their hoursrange from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with most camps of fering early-careas early as 7:30 a.m. and late-care as late as 6 p.m. Look for insti-tutions of fer ing multiple camp topics throughout the summer.Once your camper makes fr iends and responds to the camp’s for-mat and subjects, they may want to experience more oppor tuni-ties. Also, look for multiple-week and sibling discounts. Theseof fers cannot only help your f inances, but your scheduling andcommuting time.

With all this fun and discovery, your camper is bound to gethungry, but what if you don’t have time to pack a lunch? Here isanother crucial area to review when selecting a camp. What arethe food options? Is this an appealing menu to my child? Is i thealthy? Keep these questions in mind when selecting a camplunch option. Some camp institutions, like the Orlando ScienceCenter, have par tnered with local businesses to provide varioushealthy and kid-friendly meals during camp.

It does not matter what type of camp you choose or howmany times your child attends as long as your child is excited andinspired by what he or she learned during their time there. Notonly will this make them happy, but knowing that you are helpingthem excel in school and life will put a smile on your face as well.

Edgar Comellas is the Education Camp Manager for theOrlando Science Center. To view the Orlando Science Center’s campofferings please visit www.osc.org.

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One of the research s tatis-tics that we know about kids whogrow up wi th separated ordivorced parents is that they aremore likely to have broken rela-tionships themselves as adults.

In fact, according to a s tudyconducted by Nicholas H. Wolf in-ger of the Univer si ty of Utah ’sDepar tment of Family and Con-sumer Studies, if one person in amarr ied couple exper ienceddivorce in their family of or igin asa child, that couple is twice aslikely to divorce than a couplethat did not exper ience divorceon ei ther side.

If both people in the coupleexper ienced divorce, that coupleis three times more likely to expe-r ience divorce than a couple withno divorce in their his tory. This issignif icant and represents a cyclethat can be broken, as i t is specu-lated that modeling and teachingk ids poor relat ionship sk ills onemajor culpr i t. Here are a few vul-nerabili t ies divorced and separat-ed parents can avoid to give theirchildren a bet ter chance:

1. DON ’T ENCOURAGEKIDS TO LIE. Lying will blow up arelationship quicker than anything,yet divorced and separated par-ents often put their kids in situa-tions that give them no choice butto lie to survive.

For instance, if divorced par-ents use their children to send mes-sages back and for th because theydon’t want to talk to one another,invariably, a child will learn the skillof lying to avoid negative reactionsto the message. If dad says to achild, “Tell your mom the child sup-por t check is going to be a weeklate,” how long will it take before achild learns that dad’s messages tomom are not well received?

It’s not surprising, then, that achild would sugar-coat, embellish,or “forget” a message in order tonot experience the negativity.

A child in that situation learnsto say what the receiving parentwants to hear, which is a lie ornothing at all. Also, when we probeour kids for information about theother parent or other home, theyare set up to lie in order to avoid

the same kind of negative reaction.These coping mechanisms willwork for them as children, but theywill hur t them greatly in their adultrelationships. Ins tead, teach kidsthat it is never their job to brokerthe relationship between their par-ents or to manage the reactions ofanyone they are in relationshipwith. I t is only their job to berespect ful and truthful about theirfeelings, so the reaction to theirhonesty is owned by the other per-son. At tempts to control i t bydeception or manipulation will onlycompromise their own integr i tyand, consequently, get them introuble in relationships.

2. DON’T EXPECT KIDS TOBE THE PARENTS. Too often indivorced si tuations, the kids areforced to act like the adul ts

because the adul ts are the onesacting like the kids. This can gettaken to the extreme when someparents actually expect their kidsto be adul ts and put them in aposition in which they are responsi-ble for their parents ’ feelings ofwell-being. For instance, if a parentis constantly seeking nur turing orapproval from a child (which isbackwards), the child learns to bethe adult in the parent/child rela-tionship. The problem with this isthey are likely to either choose aparental f igure as a spouse lateron because they missed out on thatin childhood, or they will think theymust be a parent in order to havea successful relationship in thefuture. Neither works well inromantic si tuations, but if that ’show kids learn to survive in child-hood, they will take this sur vival

By Diane C. Shearer, LMFT, CFLE

The importanceof teaching kids

how to be inrelationship

Single Parenting

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skill into adulthood and it will be dysfunctional. An additional hazardis if children go into adulthood still thinking their parents’ emotionalwelfare is their concern, this will make having a healthy romantic rela-tionship dif f icult for them, because it will be hard for the child to placehis or her new spouse as the f irst emotional priority.

3. DON’T SHUT DOWN A CHILD’S FEELING MECHANISM.When divorced parents feel bad for their children’s experiences withthe other parent or the divorce situation itself, they have a tendencyto want to f ix things or make it all better for them. When a child hasa negative feeling, it is best that you let him know that is normal, andnot try to smooth it over.

For instance, when a child shares a worry, concern or painful feel-ing, it is impor tant to let him or her know that the feelings make sensefor the si tuation. Saying, “I’m sorry your mom disappointed you. Iwould feel that way too if I were you,” goes a long way to let themknow they are allowed to feel whatever they feel. This helps themtrust their negative feelings as well as the positive ones. If they are notacknowledged for their negative feelings, they won’t know what to dowith them when a romantic par tner begins to hur t or disappoint them.If they have been told to ignore negative and only think about posi-tive, they will miss impor tant cues that would otherwise warn themagainst a potential dysfunctional relationship.

In sum, kids learn how to “do” relationship not only from their par-ents’ example, but also by what is punished and rewarded by their par-ents. Without being careful, divorced and separated parents can easilyreward dysfunctional behaviors in their children such as lying, taking aparental role and discounting negative feelings. When these vulnerabili-ties are considered as a whole, the statistic about the fate of divorcedkids’ own future relationships sadly makes per fect sense.

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calendar● Festivals

● Mother’s Day

Celebrations

● Shows

● Epcot’s International Flowerand Garden Festival.

● Harry P. Leu GardensMother’s Day.

● Star Wars Weekends.

May 2011

Featured Events

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Monthly May Events

Friday Night Live UnpluggedEddie Rose Amphitheater atCranes Roost Park, UptownAltamonte Every Friday 8 p.m.-10 p.m.

Bring your chair or blanket outto Cranes Roost Park and enjoygreat live entertainment in a beauti-ful outdoor setting. Friday NightLive Unplugged is a free concertseries, open to the public, whichshowcases top local artists whoperform Jazz, Pop, Big Band andContemporary music on a weeklybasis. www.uptownaltamonte.com

Florida in the Civil WarOrange County RegionalHistory CenterThru June 1210 a.m.-5 p.m.

Florida in the Civil War, creat-ed by the History Center, acknowl-edges the state ’s often overlooked,important role in the “War betweenthe Sates.” The state not only sentthe largest percentage of troops tofight, but also contributed com-modities to soldiers and their fami-lies throughout the South. Learnhow Florida overcame adversity toship salt and beef and how a dollhelped smuggle medicine and sup-plies to the South during a Unionblockade. Find out which Lincolnassassination conspirator has tiesto Central Florida and is buriedhere. View items from the sunkenMaple Leaf steamship, a Civil War-Era Colt revolver, and other rareartifacts. Hear music of the era, lis-ten to letters exchanged between asoldier and his wife during the war,and children can try on clothing ofthe era. The cost of the exhibit isincluded in the general admissionfee. Visitwww.thehistorycenter.com for moreinformation.

Young Chef�s AcademyClassesYoung Chef�s Academy,Winter ParkWeekly classes

Children of all ages will havethe opportunity to experience the

joy of creating, cooking and tastingnew foods. Classes held mostweekends and some weekdays. Forspecific class information call 407-679-2310.

Epcot�s International Flowerand Garden FestivalEpcot Theme Park, LakeBuena VistaOngoing till May 15

The Epcot InternationalFlower & Garden Festival is a spe-cial spring event brimming with col-orful f lowers, lush gardens andsome of your favorite Disney char-acters brought to life in topiary.Enjoy live music, educational pro-grams, unique shopping and more.

James and the Giant PeachOrlando Repertory TheatreThrough May 22

See Roald Dahl ’s classic fan-tasy. Show times are Saturdays at11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Sundays at2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. For ticketinformation go to orlandorep.com

Dog WashesGroom, Grub and Belly Rub,Avalon ParkMay 1, 15, 291 p.m.-4 p.m.

Girl Scout Troops 565 and3000 are sponsoring dog washesfor $5 to benefit the foundationPuppy BREATH (Behavior,

Research, Education, Adoption,Training Health). For more informa-tion, go to avalonpark.com.

Sunday, May 1

Playground Music and ArtsFestLake Eola Park, DowntownOrlando10 a.m.-4 p.m.

See interactive arts, studentart displays and various musicaland theatrical performancesthroughout the day. Contact RayGargano at 407-540-9916 for moreinformation.

The Great American Boat,Sport & Travel FestivalCranes Roost Park10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The final day of this festivalpromotes the joys of boating, out-door sports and travel. Come outand enjoy boat displays, music,vendors and food exhibitors.Sponsored by the Marine IndustryAssociation of Central Florida, Inc.For more information, visitwww.uptownaltamonte.com

Monday, May 2

The Working White House:200 Years of Tradition andMemoriesOrange County Regional

History CenterOrlando

Hear fascinating eyewitnessaccounts of White House work cul-ture in an audio tour and exhibitionvideo featuring interviews with pastworkers. View souvenirs, house-keeping implements, clothing, let-ters, menus, photographs, andother objects. 407-836-8500.

Tuesday, May 3

WWE SmackdownAmway Center, 6:45 p.m.

Come See Your FavoriteSmackDown Superstars IncludingRey Mysterio, Edge, Jack Swagger,The Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, DrewMcIntyre, Alberto Del Rio, Kane,Kofi Kingston, MVP, Cody Rhodes,Michelle McCool, Layla, Kelly Kelly,and many more!

Wednesday, May 4

Gallery TalkOrlando Museum of ArtOrlando, 1:30 p.m.-2 p.m.

Take a break from your regu-lar routine and join the excitementat the OMA! Choose from a varietyof programs and workshops thatoffer unique and interactive ways tolearn more about art. It ’s also agreat way to meet new people. 407-896-4231.

Thursday, May 5

Animal Care Expo StudentSummitDisney ’s Coronado SpringsResortLake Buena Vista

Are you a teen or college stu-dent? Take part in our very firstEXPO Student Summit and join anational network of young people,just like you, who are speaking upfor animals. Student Summit isrestricted to those ages 13-22. $25.407-939-1000.

Friday, May 6

First Fridays Art StrollIvanhoe VillageOrlando, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

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The art galleries and shops ofIvanhoe Village open their doors tolocal artists to showcase their work!Stroll North Orange Avenuebetween Princeton and NewHampshire and enjoy. Call 407-484-5839.

Saturday, May 7

Home Depot Kids WorkshopAll Home Depot locations9 a.m.-Noon

The Home Depot ’s KidsWorkshops offer useful and educa-tional projects. The workshopsteach children do-it-yourself skillsand tool safety, while at the sametime helping to instill a sense ofaccomplishment. Additionally, thisfun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and chil-dren. In addition to the newly con-structed project kit, each childreceives a kid-sized orange apron,similar to The Home Depot associ-ates ’ aprons, and an achievementpin. For children ages 5-12. VisitHomeDepot.com for information.Held the first Saturday of everymonth.

Crohn ’s & Colitis WalkathonCranes Roost Park, UptownAltamonte4 p.m.-6 p.m.

The CCFA ’s mission is to cureand prevent Crohn ’s disease andUlcerative Colitis through research,and to improve the quality of life ofchildren and adults affected bythese digestive diseases througheducation and support. To learnmore of Crohn ’s & Colitis diseases,what it is and how you too can helpfight these diseases, please visittheir web site at www.ccfa.org

Goldilocks and The ThreeLittle PigsThe Stage, Winter Springs7 p.m.-9 p.m.Begins May 7

Live theater geared for chil-dren ages 3-9. See award-winningstorybook plays every Saturday andSunday throughout the month. The1:30 p.m. show is Goldilocks andthe 3 p.m. show is The Three Little

Pigs. www.winterspringsarts.org.

Jazzed in SanfordMagnolia Square, Sanford4 p.m.-7 p.m.

The Jazzed in Sanford freeconcert series highlights the bestJazz musicians from throughout thearea. Central Florida has discov-ered the charm of our outdoor con-certs featuring some of the hottestJazz artists performing in an out-door sett ing surrounded by theambiance of an historic downtown.Be sure and hang out afterwards fora special evening at one our awardwinning restaurants or wine bar, allwithin walking distance of beautifulMagnolia Square.

Sunday, May 8

Harry P. Leu Gardens Mother ’sDayHarry P. Leu Gardens Orlando9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Explore the 50-acre botanicalpark, which includes the largestcamellia collection in eastern NorthAmerica. Free admission for moth-ers. More info: 407-246-2620.

Monday, May 9

Florida in the Civil WarOrange County Regional

History CenterOrlando, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Immerse yourself in remark-able facts, stories, and artifactsrelated to Florida ’s little known rolein the War Between the States.Children can try on clothing of theera. Call 407-836-8500.

Tuesday, May 10

Get Fit Lake MaryOutside at the Lake MaryFarmers ’ MarketLake Mary, 8:15 a.m.-10 a.m.

Get Fit Lake Mary! Head tothe Lake Mary Farmer ’s Market atLake Mary City Hall every Saturdaymorning if weather permits and joina class. Each class cost $2 per per-son. Registration is morning of theclass. For more information, call407-585-1428.

Wednesday, May 11

Outdoor Laser Tag at the Zoo!Central Florida Zoo10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This high tech outdoor lasertag for the 21st Century incorpo-rates a safe, infra-red technology,no projectiles, no mess, no painand no bruising! A fun experiencefor the entire family ages 7 andolder. Walk-ins welcome every

weekend on Saturday from 10 a.m.to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.to 5 p.m. Birthday parties, group orspecial events can be reserved anyday! Call for pricing and details407-547-8188. Ask about our night-time laser tag, too!

Thursday, May 12

Popcorn Flicks in the ParkCentral Park, Winter ParkSunset

Each month the EnzianTheater features free classicmovies on the second Thursday ofthe month at Central Park. Bring ablanket, picnic basket, family andfriends. More info: 407-629-1088.

Friday May 13

Paralounge Drum GatheringCamp Kiwanis, Silver Springs

A unique family event that pro-motes community interaction andcultural diversity with drum anddance from around the world.Participate in fun and educationalworkshops for the entire family. Call386-658-2444.

Saturday, May 14

Lake Brantley RestorationProject Sweetwater Oaks Beach,Longwood9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Work alongside SeminoleCounty biologists for the first everLake Brantley Restoration Project.Help improve the water quality ofLake Brantley by removing invasivespecies and replanting with nativevegetation. Lunch will be providedafter the planting event. Pleasewear gloves, hat, sunscreen, oldclothes and closed-toe shoes. Toregister contact Natalae Almeter at407-665-2457.

Party for the PlanetCentral Florida Zoo, Sanford10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Celebrate with Rae Rae fromEnvironPals at our earth-friendlytreat and craft stations, bouncehouses, entertainment, and much

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more! As part of the party we will begoing green with the Zoo ’s greenfestival featuring sustainableorganizations and businesses.We ’ll be celebrating our whole plan-et and all the wonderful animals itsupports so come party around theworld at the Zoo! For more infor-mation call 407.323.4450 ext 127.

Family FestCranes Roost Park, UptownAltamonte11 a.m.-4 p.m.

A fun day of activities for theentire family. Enjoy live entertain-ment, a kids inflatable play area,wildl i fe exhibits, including TheCentral Florida Zoo, Police and FireDepartment displays and demon-strations including a l ive SWATteam demonstration, giveawaysand prizes, summer camp informa-tion, games and activities, a fishingderby, face painters, snacks andmuch more. Sponsor and vendorpackages are available. Free andopen to the public. Cranes RoostBlvd. will be closed for this event,no pets will be allowed in the parkduring the event.

Florida International BeerFestivalHeritage Square and HistoryCenter, Downtown Orlando4 p.m.-8 p.m.

Come out and enjoy the 18thannual beer and food tasting thatboasts itself as “Florida ’s Best BeerFest.” Try 2 oz. samples from beerall over the world and food fromvarious restaurants. Tickets rangefrom $25-$35. Contact Ricki Blackat 407-383-2331 for more informa-tion.

‘Big Time Rush ’ live atUniversal StudiosUniversal Studios Orlando7 p.m.

Enjoy a day of thri l ls andexcitement in the park, then pre-view a new episode ofNickelodeon ’s hit show Big TimeRush before it airs on national TVAND see the group perform live!Admission to l ive performanceincluded in regular park admission.

Visit universalorlando.com for moreinformation.

Sunday, May 15

Tom Sorrell ’s 3rd Annual TealRibbon 5k Run & WalkOviedo Marketplace, Oviedo7:30 a.m.

Join Tom Sorrells, WKMGLocal 6 Chief Meteorologist, to helpspread awareness for ovarian can-cer and have fun doing it at the 3rdAnnual Teal Ribbon 5k Run & Walk.Enjoy this flat and fast race forawareness around OviedoMarketplace. First 1,000 registrantsreceive a free T-shirt. Sign uponline atwww.frontrunningsports.com, clickon Teal Ribbon 5k

Monday, May 16

The Roth Jewish CommunityCenter Annual Golf ClassicRosen Shingle Creek GolfClubOrlando, 8:30 am

Honoring Mitch Walk & BruceS. Udell; Four-person scramblewith an 8:30am shotgun start. Call407-645-5933.

Tuesday, May 17

ShrekBob Carr Performing Arts

CenterOrlando, 8 p.m.

Based on the Oscar-winningDreamWorks film that started it all,bringing the hilarious story ofeveryone ’s favorite ogre to life thestage. Call 407-849-2577.

Wednesday, May 18

Cranes Roost Sunset CinemaCranes Roost Park at UptownAltamonte8 p.m.

Get together with family andfriends for a fun, free movie underthe stars in the plaza area. St.Stephen Lutheran Church sponsorsa feature film every month for theentire family. Food and beverageswill be available for purchase dur-ing the event.

Thursday, May 19

19th Annual Celebration ofInternational HeritagesRotunda of the Orlando CityHall, Orlando5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Come and experience thediversity of cultures in CentralFlorida. Indulge in ethnic foods andenjoy entertainment representedfrom Africa, Asia, Caribbean,Europe, Middle East, NorthAmerica, Central America, andSouth America. The event is free

and no RSVP needed.

Friday, May 20

Star Wars WeekendsDisney ’s Hollywood Studios,Lake Buena Vista9 a.m.-10 p.m.Friday-Sunday through June12

Star Wars Weekends is anannual special event at Disney ’sHollywood Studios theme park thatcelebrates the legendary Star WarsSaga and the animated televisionseries, The Clone Wars. Join JediKnights, Sith Lords and Star Warscelebrities for special shows, pre-sentations and memorabilia. Cost isregular park admission. VisitDisneyworld.disney.go.com forinformation.

Relay for Life DowntownLake Eola Park6 p.m.-11 a.m.Starts Friday, ends Saturdayat 11 a.m.

Walk in the American CancerSociety ’s largest fundraiser.Features a survivor dinner, games,music, activities & entertainmentand Luminaria ceremony. ContactMelissa Long at 407.581.2532 formore information.

Saturday, May 21

Jazz Jams UptownEddie Rose Amphitheater,Uptown Altamonte8 p.m.-10 p.m.

WLOQ Smooth 103.1 and theCity of Altamonte Springs bring youthe area ’s best outdoor concertseries. Join us for great music,food, wine and Budweiser beer.This concert series attracts manyvendors to Cranes Roost Blvd.adding to the excitement of thingsto do and see. Food will be avail-able for purchase during the event.Cranes Roost Boulevard will beclosed during this event; no pets orcoolers will be allowed in the park.

Annual Astronomy DayOrlando Science CenterNoon-10 p.m.

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Take a day to immerse your-self in another world. Join us for aday full of planets, stars and activi-ties that will inspire you to look farbeyond the horizon. Telescopeobserving sessions and planetari-um shows wil l be conductedthroughout the day andastronomers will be on hand toanswer questions. Activit iesinclude: Orlando By Night live plan-etarium shows at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.,Solar Viewing with Telescopes fromnoon - 7 p.m. and Night SkyTelescope Observing from 7 p.m. -10 p.m.

Special Needs StorytimeSeminole County Library EastBranch, Oviedo10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Join us Saturdays at 10:30a.m. for a story t ime programemphasizing music, puppets andstories especially designed for chil-dren with special needs. The pro-grams are 30 minutes in length.Call 407-665-1560 for more infor-mation.

Sunday, May 22

Disney On IceSt. Pete Times ForumTampa, 1 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Catch all the heroic actionwhen Buzz Lightyear, Woody,Jessie and the Toy Story gangescape from the rambunctious totsof Sunnyside Daycare and race forhome in their most daring adven-ture ever. A few new faces join thefun including Barbie ’s groovy bach-elor Ken and Lots-o ’-Huggin ’ Bear.It ’s the biggest Rediscover thehumor, friendship and charm of ToyStory when Disney On Ice presentsDisney/Pixar ’s Toy Story 3 takesfamily fun to infinity and beyond!Call 813-301-2500.

Monday, May 23

Eco Camp at Ed YarboroughNature CenterEd Yarborough Nature CenterGeneva

Time to register for the EcoCamp at the Ed Yarborough Nature

Center. Eco Camp blends tradition-al summer camp activities whileincreasing a child ’s appreciation fornature, science and the environ-ment for children ages 8 to 14. Forcampers, ages 12 to 15, FieldBiology Boot Camp focuses onhigher level topics such as biology,water resource, management andmore.

Campers will have a hands-onexperience with plants and animalsin their ecosystems. For more infor-mation and to register, call 407-349-0959.

Tuesday, May 24

Jazz Jams UptownCranes Roost Park at UptownAltamonteAltamonte Springs7 p.m.-10 p.m.

Join WLOQ Smooth 103.1and the City of Altamonte Springsin the Eddie Rose Amphitheater forgreat music, food, wine and beer.This concert series attracts manyvendors to Cranes RoostBoulevard adding to the excite-ment of things to do and see. Formore information, cal l 407-571-8863.

Wednesday, May 25

Wine Down Wednesdays atSpencer ’sSpencer ’s for Steaks and

ChopsOrlando, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.

Join the sommelier to learnabout select wines and their ori-gins. The hotel specials consist ofhalf price off featured wines by theglass and complimentary canapeswill be offered within the bar area.Call 407-313-8625.

Thursday, May 26

Uptown Open MicUptown Altamonte, CranesRoost Park7 p.m.-9 p.m.

Sponsored by First BaptistChurch - Altamonte Springs.Perform or simply enjoy an interac-tive evening of music, dance andspoken word. Leave those inhibi-tions at home and come to CranesRoost for a fun, free evening per-forming for family and friends.Performance sign-ups begin at 6:30p.m.

Friday, May 27

Ice SkatingRDV SportsplexOrlando

Join us for public ice skatingseven days a week! Skate to a liveDJ on Friday and Saturday nights.RDV Ice den is the coolest placearound. Times vary, please callahead, 407-916-2550. Event Cost:$9.50 - $12.50

Saturday, May 28

Pangea Florida SunshineAdventure RaceOcala National ForestDeLand, 6 a.m.

hour Sport Race and 30 hourElite Race. With Map and Compassin hand chart your off-road courseon bike, boat & foot to the finish!Elite race starts on Saturday, May28th at at 9am, Sport race starts onSunday, May 29th at 10am.

Sunday, May 29

Choreographed FountainShowCranes Roost Park at UptownAltamonteAltamonte Springs7 p.m.-9 p.m.

A sight and sound extravagan-za with a 20 minute custom choreo-graphed water, music and l ightshow at the Plaza fountain. Showsare at 7, 8 and 9 nightly in March,Apri l , May and June. For moreinformation on this event, pleasecontact Jerry Sullivan at 407-571-8860.

Monday, May 30

Sanford ’s Memorial DayParadeHistoric Downtown Sanford10 a.m.

Join the community and theCity of Sanford for a Memorial Dayparade. Immediately following theparade is a tribute at the Veteran ’sMemorial Park on the waterfrontwith a 21-gun salute and a fly-overby the Sheriff ’s office. Call 407-330-5697 for more information.

Tuesday, May 31

Museum of Geneva HistoryGeneva, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.

Visit the Museum of GenevaHistory and see railroad displays,old-fashioned kitchen & bedroom,pioneer craft area, family genealo-gy records, Geneva history andmore. There is a special QuiltingExhibit going on at the Museumuntil summer.

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Though summer vacation iss till a few months of f, some s tu-dents are looking forward to a funand relaxing break. A refreshingactivi ty for mos t children is toenjoy the water parks and thegigantic waterslides. As a parent,you may want this to be the onlysliding that your child experiencesthis summer.

Often times dur ing summervacation many students, especiallystudents who struggle academical-ly, tend to forget things that theylearned during the school year orslip out of practice dur ing thebreak from school. Researchershave coined this as the academic“summer slide” phenomenon.

At the beginning of eachschool year, teachers often spendup to six weeks reviewing theinformation taught the previousschool year due to the “summerslide.” So the question is: How canparents assis t their children withminimizing the ef fects of the sum-mer slide?

One of the things you maywant to consider as a summeractivity for your child is academictutor ing. Summer tutor ing pro-grams can be ver y benef icial. Ingeneral, tutor ing programs canbuild s tudent conf idence, improve

self esteem and increase the s tu-dent’s mastery of academic skills.When selecting a tutoring compa-ny, you want to be sure that youare selecting a company that isprepared to assis t your child inmeeting s tate achievement s tan-dards. As you consider the needs ofyour child, here are some questionsyou may want to ponder beforeselecting academic tutoring:

• When and where will thetutoring be provided?

• How many times per week?• How long are the tutoring

sessions? • What subjects are of fered?• What type of ins truction

will be provided (individual, smallgroup or large group)?

• What are the qualif ica-tions of the individual/companyproviding the service?

• Is the individual/companyproviding the service able to pro-vide you with results for the ef fec-tiveness of their services as relatedto state achievement standards?

• How will you be informedof your child ’s progress and howoften will information be provided?

As your child mas ters moreacademic skills, the ef fects of the

By Katrina Summerville, Program Specialist for No Child Left Behind Services

Averting theacademic

‘summer slide’

Education

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“summer slide” diminish. Another summer activity you may want to consider is pro-

viding your child with oppor tunities for daily reading. It does notmatter whether you choose to have your child engage in readingprinted or digital materials. There are numerous ways in whichthis activity can be integrated into your normal routine. You maywant to have your child read an interesting news ar ticle to youeach morning. When cooking with recipes, you may have yourchild read the directions to you as you prepare a scrumptiousmeal.

Research tells us that if s tudents read a minimum of sixbooks during the summer, the ef fects of the “summer slide” phe-nomenon are greatly decreased. You may consider planningsome visi ts to the local library for your child to f ind interestingreading selections or download e-books from the comfor t ofyour home. In order to access the summer reading lis t recom-mended by the Flor ida Depar tment of Education, please visi tht tp://www.jus treadfamilies.org/SummerReadingLis t.pdf.

As you plan a fun-f illed summer vacation for your child,please consider incorporating engaging activities that will enhanceyour child’s academic skills for sliding into a successful new schoolyear.

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Maureen Christy Free To Be Me Baby Products, LLC. Website: onthef lybottle.com

Child: Ricky, 20

By Amy KD Tobik

Nearly four years ago, Maureen Christy took a giant leap of faith.The single mother of a high-schooler struggling to balance motherhoodwith a full-time corporate job, took a chance and developed an innova-tive product.

The “On the Fly Bottle Warmer” is a two-layered stretch bottlewarmer which slowly heats a baby’s bottle, enabling the caregiver toprovide por table heated breast milk, formula or cow’s milk without theneed for electricity, microwave or hot water. Within 30 minutes, a warmbottle is ready to drink.

After many iterations and a substantial investment, Christy of f icial-ly launched Free To Be Me Baby Products, LLC, in 2009 which is commit-

ted to developing smar t and stylish products. The On The Fly BottleWarmer has been available in stores and online since last year.

Christy is working on her third packaging design in preparation forToys “R” Us shelves by summer.

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We’re talking about everythingthat’s on your mind.

If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. That’s why we’re thefastest growing destination for local moms. Visit us today and join the conversation! You won’t believe how much we have in common!

What inspired the mother of a teen to design a bottle warmer?

I have been a single parent my sons whole life and when hewas born I travelled a lot for work; I was a national manager of abiotech company. I breast fed him and then supplemented with bot-tle feeding, but he would only take a temperate bottle, and therewas never anything out there to warm it. Fast forward 17 yearslater and one of my best fr iends had a baby girl and she asked meto be the godmother, so at the Christening she needed a bottlewarmed and asked for some hot water to warm it, and I was justamazed that no one had come up with something to warm a bot-tle as you went about your day — all these years later.

How did you take an idea and create a product?

I had this idea in my mind for a long time and f inally wentahead and s tar ted the drawings, researched patents. I’ve doneeverything, did it all on my own; I’m a doer, a worker bee, so Idecided to go for it.

Do you believe moms can have it all, the dream job and thefamily?

I think no matter what moms or women do, we are alwaysquestioning our decisions. I don’t think i t’s so much that we can’thave it all, I think we think we cant have it all. If we s tay home, wewish we were working and maybe had more time with adults, andif we are working, we wish we could be home because we think i twould make us a bet ter parent. I t’s about doing the best you canand really always making decisions that are the best for your kids— and then for yourself because that s till is what’s best for thekids. My son is in college now, and it’s s till hard.

Do you hope your son learns from you as an entrepreneur?

I hope he learns never to give up and never say, “I can’t.” It’sa matter of how much you are willing to give up and how hard youare willing to do it.

What have you learned from the process?

A lot of people don’t take these risks at my age; they do itwhen they are really young. I have kept a stable, corporate job byson’s entire life so I could pay for private schools and so on. I thinkits impor tant to go for your dreams, no matter what.

MOMPRENUER is a regular feature of MOMS LIKE MEmagazine highlighting business owners who are mothers in the community. If you would like to be considered for entry into MOMPRENUER please inquire with Amy K. Tobik at [email protected]

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Fact or Fiction?Get the scoop on 10

common health beliefs that may or may not be true

Ever wonder if an apple a day really keeps the doctor away, or ifgoing out in the cold with wet hair will make you sick? Like familyheirlooms, health beliefs tend to get passed from one generationto the next, even if they don’t always make sense. A few, ofcourse, are easy to discount once we put them to the test. Forinstance, my grandmother insisted that eating bread crusts wouldgive me curly hair; it didn’t. Others, however, are a lot harder todebunk through experience alone.

We decided to put 10 persistent health beliefs under the micro-scope to determine if they have any merit. Here’s what we found.

— Leslie Garisto Pfaff, FamilyFun magazine1CARROTS ARE GOODFOR YOUR EYES

Bugs Bunny didn’t wear glasses, but hisuncanny ability to spot a hunter at a hundredpaces had nothing to do with his favorite food.While carrots do have a lot going for them,including fiber and vitamin A, eating them won’timprove your vision. Truth is, the British RoyalAir Force started this myth during World War IIto explain its pilots’ phenomenal success at locat-ing enemy bombers in near-total darkness. Inreality, it was the development of one of the firstradar systems that gave the pilots “superiorvision.”

Bottom line: If you don’t get enough vita-min A, your vision can suffer. “But vitamin A isstored in the body,” says Dr. Clyde Kitchen,author of Fact and Fiction of Healthy Vision, “soyou’d have to be on a starvation diet for a longtime before you’d run short of your naturalreserves of it.”

SUGAR MAKES KIDSHYPER

This is one of the most pervasivehealth myths around. It’s evenspawned a popular phrase: “sugarbuzz.” But when researchers put it tothe test, they found no evidence thatsugar led to hyperactivity in kids oradults. So what turns an otherwise calmkid into a human pinball after anencounter with a birthday cake? Blame iton the excitement of the party — or the caf-feine in the soft drinks — but not on thesugar in the cake.

Bottom line: “Sugar may have an effecton kids with established hyperactivity, but itwon’t make a nonhyperactive child hyperactive,”says professor Richard Surwit, Ph.D., vice chair of theDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Science at Duke University.

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DRINK AT LEAST EIGHT GLASSES OF WATER A DAY

Dr. Heinz Valtin, a retired Dartmouth Medical School professor who spent hiscareer studying the mechanics of thirst, wondered where this rule got its start. Hisfindings: “After 10 months of very careful searching, I couldn’t find its exact origin orany scientific evidence for the number eight whatsoever.” And a more recent studyshowed that it’s difficult to upset the body’s finely tuned hydrating mechanism,whether you drink gallons a day or just a cup or two.

Bottom line: Kids and adults need to stay hydrated, but if you live in a temperateclimate and are not engaging in strenuous exercise, it’s probably fine to let your thirstdictate how much you drink versus strictly adhering to eight glasses. And keep in mindthat water comes from lots of sources: juice, soups, veggies, fruits, even bread (a sliceof white bread, in fact, is one-third water!).

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DON’T SWIM FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER EATING

When you eat, your body moves oxygen-richblood to your digestive system; when you exercise,blood is redirected to your muscles. So, the notiongoes, if you swim after downing that PB&J, yourgut could be deprived of oxygen, which mightlead to cramping and trouble swimming. However,“I’ve never seen a patient who reported this prob-lem, and I’ve never read about it in a medical jour-nal,” says Dr. Jonathan Schreiber, a gastroenterologistat Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center.

Bottom line: While there’s no evidence thatswimming after eating has resulted in even a singledrowning, it makes sense to avoid strenuous exerciseon a full stomach.

READING IN DIM LIGHT OR SITTING TOO CLOSE TO THE TV WILL HURT YOUR EYES

You can breathe easy: all those hours spent under the covers with a book and a flashlight ornose-to-nose with your favorite cartoon characters haven’t hurt your vision, and they won’t hurtyour child’s either. “The eyes are remarkably durable for reading, seeing and tracking,” says Dr.John Hagan, an ophthalmologist and editor of Missouri Medicine. And kids’ eyes are even better

than adults’ at adjusting to different levels of light.Bottom line: Both practices could cause some minor — but strictly

temporary — eyestrain.

SWALLOWED GUM STAYS IN YOUR BODYFOR SEVEN YEARS

Despite what you may have heard, the Hubba Bubba youswallowed as a kid didn’t stick around for long. Although themain ingredient in gum is an indigestible synthetic base, “it movesthrough the digestive tract at the same rate as any other food andisn’t likely to get stuck in your intestines,” says Dr. Mitchell Shub,a gastroenterologist at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Bottom line: Always try to spit out your gum, but if youaccidentally swallow it, just remember that it, too, shall pass.

CHICKEN SOUP CAN CURE A COLDGrandma may have been on to something. “Chicken soup has long been esteemed

as a traditional remedy for colds,” says integrative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil,“And a growing body of evidence suggests there’s more than folk wisdom at work here.”A 1978 study, for example, found that sipping hot liquids, such as soup, helps temporar-ily clear clogged nasal passages. More recent research showed that chicken soup has

the power to slow neutrophils, the white blood cells that cause many of your nastiest cold symp-toms.

Bottom line: It won’t cure your cold, but a nice bowl of chicken soup might help you getover it faster — and help you feel better while you’ve got it.

AN APPLE ADAY KEEPSTHE DOCTOR AWAY

“I don’t know if it wouldkeep the doctor away, but yourbasic apple is a pretty good andhealthful food,” says Dr.Gerard Mullin, director ofIntegrative GI NutritionServices at Johns HopkinsHospital. Apples contain vita-min C and are high in fiber,and they’re particularly abun-dant in quercetin, an antioxi-dant that revs up the immunesystem and helps protectagainst various diseases,including heart disease.

Bottom line: Apples may help you stay healthy, but even an apple a day can’treplace the benefits of a balanced diet.

FEED A COLD, STARVE A FEVERThis one has been confounding folks for centuries. For one thing, half of us

have it backward. Either way, “it’s not good medicine,” says Dr. David Donnersberger, a clinical instructor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. The say-ing may have arisen hundreds of years ago, when people believed illness was the resultof the body’s being chilled (bringing on a cold) or overheated (a fever), and food wasconsidered a fuel that could add more heat. In fact, Donnersberger says, “during anyinfection, the body needs increased intake of calories and fluid.”

Bottom line: Feed a cold. And feed that fever, too.

GOING OUTSIDE IN THE COLD WITHWET HAIR WILL MAKE YOU SICK

If you’d asked your doctor about this one a few years ago, she wouldhave laughed and told you there was no correlation between the two. But a

recent study in which half of the volunteers stuck their feet in ice water indi-cated that some people may be more susceptible to colds if they becomechilled after exposure to a virus.

Bottom line: Although it’s not definitive, your mom may havebeen right to nag you about wet hair. “If you’ve run your immune systemdown — chilling might be one way of doing that — and you’ve been

exposed to a virus, you could be more likely to come down with a cold,”says Diana Noah, Ph.D., a research virologist at Southern Research Institute.

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(ARA) — As the weather gets warmer, people think about get tingoutside and becoming active again. Warm weather and longer days pro-vide the natural motivation that many folks need, but it also can be chal-lenging getting back into the swing of things if the weather has kept youfrom pursuing a consis tent workout regimen.

So as you plot out your plan to regain your form, think about mixingworkouts into your routine that will help you remain active throughout theyear so you can avoid the same dif f icult transition next year. Here are afew tips to follow as you construct an exercise plan that can be continuedeven after the good weather passes:

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* Consider a gym membership. Whileyou might prefer to enjoy the outdoorsdur ing workouts when i t ’s nice, a heal thclub can of fer the same oppor tuni t ieswhen the weather isn ’t great, whether i t ’sthe summer or winter. Many clubs havegroups such as running clubs, which pro-vide some ex tra motivation because thegroup workouts are scheduled at a specif-ic time.

Fi tness ins tructors at the clubs mayalso be able to help you formulate a planfor s tay ing ac t ive throughout the year.Check to see if your heal th insuranceprovider of fers a discount on club mem-berships, as many providers do wi th thecondition that you visi t the club regular ly.

* Br ing the gym home. While gyms

provide a year-round location for exercis-ing, f inding the t ime and motivat ion tomake i t there can present an ex tra barr i-er. That ’s why for some, buying a piece ofworkout equipment for the home is a bet-ter and more convenient al ternative.

Today ’s home workout equipmenthas come a long way from the f limsy hometreadmills of years ago, wi th swim spasrepresenting some of the most innovativetools. Using wave propulsion technologies,swim spas of fer the same benef i ts as apool without taking up near ly the space ata fraction of the cos t.

Wor ld champion swimmer MichaelPhelps, who will be incorporating the useof a swim spa in his own training, providedinput on the design of a signature line ofswim spas for Master Spas.

“Not every-body has accessto a communi typool or theirlocal pool is onlyopen for a fewmonths out ofthe year. A swimspa providesanother way forpeople to accesswater, whetheri t ’s jus t for fun orfor exercise, yearround,” saysPhelps.

* Look forworkouts thatcan be complet-ed in a smallindoor space.For example,yoga and pilatesworkouts of ferex tensive physi-cal benef i t s , yetonly require ali t tle bi t of openf loor space.

Learn by enrolling in classes or throughvideos. Other benef icial s tationar y circui tworkouts compr ised of body-weightexercises like pushups and si t-ups don ’trequire much space ei ther. An addedbonus of using a swim spa is you can alsouse i t for these types of land-based work-outs and water aerobics. To learn moreabout swim spas and the benef i t s theycan provide, v is i tmichaelphelpsswimspa.com.

Being able to s tay active all year ul ti-mately means f inding a routine that con-tinues to be interes ting and f i ts into yourdaily life. So as you f igure out how you aregoing to get back into shape this spr ing,tr y some new things that you can poten-tially continue through the winter and seewhat works bes t for you.

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