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Oct 18

The Boy as a Bee

Article by: Megan Stremick

For his first Halloween last year we did not bother dressing Charlie up, he was only
five months old so it seemed that a cute orange onesie was sufficient. But this year is a
different story. He’ s walking around and big enough to enjoy in the festivities of trick-
or-treating and all the fun of seeing other kids in their fun costumes. With our budget the
way it is right now I have a couple of options, I can either brave the sewing machine (I
will need to take it out of the box first) or use a bumble bee costume that has been passed
down (as you may recall Charlie is number 8 out of 9 cousins). Ok, ok so the no fuss
hand-me-down won in this case and I will just need to make up for it through creative
baking and a few front door decorations. Give me a break, these first couple of years are
the only times you can get away with choosing for them before they start demanding to
be Spiderman, no, wait, Superman, um, no, Batman.
So, the bumble bee it is. Charlie the bumble bee—I am just hoping he doesn’t kill me
when I show pictures of him in his costume to his friends when he’ s in high school.
What do you plan to dress your kids up in this year?

Take a picture and post it on our Facebook or shoot it our way on Twitter.

Family

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Sep 28

How Do I Get My Child Interested in Books?

Article By: Megan Stremick

I have a girlfriend whose two year old son Kaden is enthralled with books and ‘story
time’ and has been since he was probably six months. He loves to sit and listen and try
to read the words and follow the story. They developed a great routine to have him pick
his favorite books to read before bedtime (though my friend often finds him sitting in his
bean bag looking through books on his own throughout the day). He’s an active boy that
does all sorts of ‘boy’ activities but it’s so great to see that he loves reading.
Now, I’m not comparing here, because my son is a year younger but I can’t help but see
the difference in interest. Charlie is also enthralled with books but in a different way. He
likes to open and close them, slide them across the room, chew on them, open and close
them again and again and again. I don’t dare give him anything but board books because
he would rip the pages right out and crumple and tear them to shreds. He is intrigued with
textures and how things operate which means that when we sit quietly to read a book,
before bed for example, it’s only a matter of time before he has ripped the book from my
hands and thrown it across the room, laughing in delight.
So while I know that it’s a good thing (and totally normal) that Charlie is interested in
the feel and function of the books; how do I try and get him more interested in the words
and stories? P.S. Kaden’s mommy has no advise because Kaden did it all on his own.

Help me out and leave your advice on Facebook or mention us on Twitter.

Family Megan Stremick

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Aug 12

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 8

Article by: Megan Stremick

Pose: Cobra

Your on the floor playing with the kids, lying on your belly while they push around the blocks or show you how well they can open and close their favorite pop up book (for the millionth time), so why not do a little something good to strengthen your back and your arms while you’re there. This pose is simple enough in the execution but delivers big results from repeated use.

Cobra Benefits:

Promotes blood circulation and strengthens the spine

Opens the heart and lungs and stimulates the abdominal organs

Tones upper arms and buttocks

Stretches the chest, shoulders and abs

Cobra How To:

  1. Lie flat on your stomach, top of your feet flat on the mat and your hands at the sides of your chest right next to your front ribs.
  2. Keep your elbows in the frame of the body (imagine there is a string attached to each elbow holding them in next to your body)
  3. Push through the hands, lifting the chest, and pressing the pubic bone into the earth.
  4. Keep a soft bend in your elbows (elbows pointing straight back not out to the sides) and look straight ahead
  5. Hold here for three deep breaths then push back to child’s pose.

Cobra Caution:

Pregnant women should avoid this pose as well as any women who have serious back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome or suffer from a hernia.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook for more Yoga Made Easy poses!

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Aug 6

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 8

Article By: Megan Stremick

Pose: Childs Pose

There is a little child in everyone of us just screaming to get out but once released this child doesn’t say “let’s go on a roller coaster ride and eat cotton candy till we puke!”, this child whispers in a soft little voice “rest, relax, and just be”. This pose is reminiscent of when I was a little girl and my mom would let me stay up late to watch Bambi. I sat on the comfy shag carpet in a ball in front of the TV and felt so comfortable in my own little world—that is until my brother would push me over and tickle me until I cried, but it was oh so nice while it lasted.

Today, I routinely practice Childs Pose, and I don’t need to be watching Bambi to do it. I practice this pose as both a transition between a series of challenging asanas, or poses, and as a chance to take a rest and calm my thoughts. So let your inner child remind you to rest, relax, and just BE for a few moments out of everyday while you practice this pose.

Childs Pose Benefits:

Gently stretches the lower back, hips, and ankles

Relieves stress and tension

Childs Pose How To:

  1. Begin on your hands and knees, with the tops of your feet flat on your mat, knees out to a V and your big toes touching.
  2. Slowly lower your tailbone to your heels and your torso down between your thighs.
  3. Lengthen the neck and gently rest your forehead onto the mat.
  4. Place your arms on the mat by the sides of your torso, with your hands back by your feet, palms up.
  5. Stay here for at least three deep breaths if you are transitioning between poses or a few minutes if this is your only pose.

Childs Pose Caution:

Those with knee injuries should not attempt this pose unless properly supervised by a yoga teacher.

Have any poses you need help with? Let us know on our Facebok or Twitter.

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Jul 20

My Non-Acting Debut

Article By: Megan Stremick

When I was a little girl I was an adorable little pudge ball with dark curly hair and big brown eyes, I had a personality the size of Texas and was considered the chatter box of any group. I talked my mom’s ears off all day, every day and finally when I was about five years old she thought with my big cheeks and even bigger mouth I would be perfect for commercials.

She started taking me to auditions and on the way there I would talk, talk, talk but to her surprise once she put me in the room with the casting directors I would clam up tight, barely giving them a simple “hi my name is”. And to make it even more frustrating for my mom I would then get back in the car and talk, talk, talk, all the way home. Needless to say I never starred in any commercials.

Present day, I have grown up and I’m now a mom of a one year old. I still have the same dark curly hair and full cheeks and I am still the biggest chatter box in any group (especially those groups that drink wine). When the 8th Continent  Nice Job Mom campaign started underway and it was time to do a video to introduce the contest I was asked to step in front of the camera and talk to you, my fellow moms, and “be myself”.

Of course there was a script because there were a lot of things that we at 8th Continent wanted to be sure we relayed about what the Nice Job Mom contest is all about and how you can participate. So I had to read it but again it was stressed that I needed to “be myself”.

When I arrived for the filming there was no one to pick out what I should wear and no one to do my hair and make-up—and I just thought “Wow, they really want to film me just as I am—they aren’t going to pretty me up or anything—this should be interesting”. There was no one coaching me on how my expressions should be or how to give the right inflections at the right time—it was just me being…well…awkward.

I’ll be honest, I tried my hardest to “be myself” but every time the camera rolled the butterflies started fluttering in my stomach and the words just started coming out of my mouth and my face started moving and my voice starting changing and I was thinking “who is talking right now, this can’t be me, this doesn’t sound like me”. As much as I tried to be myself and as genuine as the words were that came out of my mouth it was almost like I was having an out of body experience.

By take 15, I thought I hit my stride with the my words but then I’d get to the part where I pronounce ‘sweepstakes’ and all of a sudden I developed a lisp that I never had before. This was so much harder than I thought it was going to be me—and all I’m doing is “being myself”.

Have you ever watched a movie and looked at the actors and thought “I can totally do that, I could act and make millions of dollars”? Well, I have thought that a million times and I will tell you that after doing this little two minute video I would be homeless and hungry if I tried to make a living being an actress. I have a new-found respect for all of the actors that we watch who make it look so real and quite frankly, make it look easy.

So, please, when you watch the video where I introduce 8th Continents Nice Job Mom contest, have mercy on me. Try to get past my cheesy expressions and inflections and focus on the contest. Oh, and don’t forget to browse other mom stories and share your own.

Megan Stremick

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Jul 14

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 7

Article By: Megan Stremick

Pose: Downward Facing Dog

Mommies, it’s time to down dog! Next to savasana, or corpse pose, where you lie on your back in relaxed meditation, down dog is one of the most widely recognized yoga poses. The mainstay in any yoga class, down dog is used as a warm-up pose, a pose to transition between poses, a strengthening pose, and much more. Recently I watched my one year old boy do a baby version of down dog and it was adorable. He had his hands and feet on the ground walking around like Mogley from The Jungle Book when he saw something between his legs that caught his eyes—so with his head down and butt up I couldn’t help but giggle at my little yoga boy in the making. This pose is great to do any time of day for a quick ‘all over’ stretch and energy boost.

Down Dog Benefits:

Energizes the whole body

Builds arm and leg strength

Beneficial in relieving symptoms of menopause or menstrual discomfort

Builds flexibility in the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands

Stimulates the nerves and calms the brain

Down Dog How-To:

  1. Start with your hands and knees on the mat—wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
  2. Curl your toes under and straighten your legs. Be sure your feet are hips distance apart.
  3. Your tailbone lifts up toward the sky then presses back. The top of your head reaches toward the earth as your chest reaches back toward your legs.
  4. Rotate the arms outward—imagine you are turning your hands so that your thumbs would point straight forward—this helps to create space between the shoulder blades.
  5. Engage the front of the thighs (quadriceps) as you draw the heels down to the mat. *For those with tighter hamstrings keep a slight bend in the knees but continue to work towards straightening the legs.
  6. Hold here for 5 deep, even breaths then release back to the starting position or release further into child’s pose by resting the tailbone back on the heels, bringing the arms back by your side, palms up, and resting your forehead on the mat.

Down DogCaution:

For those with frequent headaches or high blood pressure be sure to rest your head on a block or folded blanket in down dog.

If you have shoulder issues, take care by not rotating the shoulders and arms outward.

And lastly, if you are in the latter stages of pregnancy do not practice

Make sure to join our Facebook Fan Page and follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date with all of the new Yoga Made Easy Poses brought to you by 8th Continent Soymilk.

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Jul 2

Fun on the Fourth

Article By: Megan Stremick

For so many families the Fourth of July is a time to make big plans, and my family is no exception. From the time that I can remember the Fourth of July has been a day filled with friends and family, food, swimming, food, games, more food, and of course fire works. As a kid it was always the highlight of the evening when amidst the red, white and blue themed desserts we were all handed sparklers, given the standard warnings; hold it at an arms length from your face, this goes for everyone else’ face as well, and don’t let it touch anything or anyone. Then there were the big fireworks. This is the time of night when everyone gathers together, kids and adults, and watches the master of ceremonies, my dad, try to put on a fireworks show without lighting himself on fire.

These days we celebrate the Fourth of July just like we did as kids only now I have joined the ranks of the adults and my husband and I delight in watching the kids play, and join in the laughter as we watch the new master of ceremonies, my brother, as he puts on the fireworks show.

Whether it’s having an all day and night affair with friends and family at a backyard BBQ or taking the family on a camping trip for the long weekend it’s all about having fun. How are you going to ensure that you and your family have a blast this weekend? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter, and have a safe and happy holiday.

Family Megan Stremick

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Jul 1

Nice Job, Mom.

We know it’s not easy being a mom. That’s why we salute momhood for what it is: doing your best every day, and trying not to screw up too much.

Of course, nobody’s perfect. So we’ve decided to provide an outlet for your little mistakes, one that just might earn you some peace of mind. Submit your amusing parenting faux pas and join the hundreds of stories from moms just like you. Share it with your friends and vote on your favorites. You could win free housekeeping for a year from Merry Maids, a room of choice makeover from Home Line Furniture or the grand prize of a complete adventure package from Caravan Tours.

So go on. Declare your mom mess-ups. You’re among friends.

  • Anytime through the promotion, each submission will earn a chance to win the grand prize at the end of the promotion
  • A winner will be selected every month out of the top ten submissions with most votes for that month (cut-off to submissions will end on the last day of every month with winners announced the following month)
  • Promotion period is from 7/1/10-10/31/10

Check out the Nice Job, Mom. App here!

Contests

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Jun 30

Yoga Made Easy- Pose 6

Article By: Megan Stremick

Pose:

Warrior 2

Now that you’ve had a week to master Warrior 1 let’s continue the theme of the mommy warrior with Warrior 2, strengthening both your peace-of-mind and your thighs. This is a perfect pose to do for those times that you’re feeling a little less than the awesome mommy that you are; like when you beat yourself up over that Krispy Kreme you indulged in, your mother-in-law made another comment about the way you choose to discipline your kids, or instead of ‘politely’ hanging up on the solicitor on the phone you decided to release your frustration with a string of four letter words. Follow the How To below and you will feel like a peaceful, strong, and beautiful mommy in no time.

Warrior 2 Benefits:

  1. Promotes flexibility in the inner thighs, hips, groin, ankles and chest
  2. Strengthens the thighs, shoulders and arms
  3. Builds stamina
  4. Relieves back pain

Warrior 2 How To:

  1. Stand in Mountain pose, reach your arms out to a T then step your feet out to the sides so that your ankles line up underneath your wrists—yes, your stance should be that wide.
  2. Keep your arms out to a T. Spin your right leg open so that your right toes are now pointing in the same direction as your right fingertips.
  3. Pivot your left heel back so that your left foot is now at an angle
  4. Bend your right knee so that it sits above the ankle. Look down to make sure that you can see your front big toe and the knee is in line with the second toe (this alignment protects the knee and the hips).
  5. The torso sits right above the hips, do not lean the torso over the front thigh—the spine should be straight.
  6. Keep the back leg straight and strong by reaching down through the outer arch of the back foot.
  7. Take a deep inhale and lift the chest up, exhale as you relax the shoulders down away from your ears.
  8. Focus your gaze is out over your front middle finger.
  9. Hold for five deep breaths or as long as you can while breathing in through the nose and out through the nose
  10. Repeat on the left side.

Warrior 2 Cautions:

  1. Diarrhea
  2. High Blood Pressure
  3. Severe neck or back discomfort

Are you loving our Yoga Made Easy Poses? Let us know on our Facebook or on Twitter!

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Jun 25

Take me out to the Ballgame…

Article By: Megan Stremick

Take me out to…just take me anywhere; I need to get out of the house! Sometimes a week will pass and I realize that my only trips outside of my house were to the grocery store, the gas station, and the bank. Keeping up a house, taking care of our one year old, and working from home does not allow for a whole lot of time to get out and play. So when the weekend rolls around and we can get out and do something together as a family it’s like a little mini vacation—if only for a few hours.

Living in Southern California where the weather is fantastic about 90% of the time, it’s no wonder our out-of-the-house activities have something to do with the outdoors; going to the beach, going on a hike, or simply going to a family members house that has a pool. Not being one who enjoys standing in line with crowds of people (as you find at theme parks) I will say that I do enjoy going to baseball games. They’re outside, family friendly (just watch out for the over enthusiastic fan who uses four letter words to start and finish his sentences), you’re rooting for your favorite team, and even though you have to pay an arm and a leg for it there’s something to be said for enjoying a cold bevarage in the middle of a warm afternoon.

So, whether it’s the beach or a ballgame let us know on Facebook or on Twitter how you are spending time with your family this summer.

BTW: 8th Continents Street team will be at the Angel’s game this weekend. Be sure to say hi and score some coupons.

Megan Stremick

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