Speake School is tucked away about 50 miles west of Huntsville, Alabama. Passing farm after farm you see it just off the road past an old country church. On May 3, I had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with the students, teachers and staff celebrating their Grand Prize win in the Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes sponsored by the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), Discovery Education, Sports Authority
Let’s face it; getting the family all together to share regular meals or activities isn’t as easy as it used to be. Balancing hectic work schedules, after school activities and other social engagements with quality family time has become a job unto itself. We at Together Counts understand and have been helping families across the country solve these dilemmas by providing resources to get families enjoying more meals together and moving
When my children were young, we lived at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where a quick drive would bring us to the Appalachian Trail and some of the best hiking in the country. Our bucolic surroundings made us determined to convey the importance of respecting and enjoying the outdoors and nurturing a lifestyle of physical activity for our children. We regularly visited Skyline Drive to hike to weekend
Around this time of the year we all succumb to the same goal, preparing our “beach body.” What this often means in our heads is rigorous hours at the gym and forfeiting our favorite treats. I recently realized this comparison doesn’t seem right. The beach represents a place we go to have fun, spend endless hours in the sun and create memories with the people we love. So why should
In the 21st century, technology is childhood’s constant companion, acting as everything from a big-screen babysitter so a toddler’s mom can take a shower, to an integral aspect of teens’ social and academic life. A typical day for school-age kids likely includes early-morning texting from the bus stop, video games and social media after school, television viewing before bed, listening to music on their smart phones and more texting after lights out. Kids
Let’s face it, in today’s world, it’s hard to carve out time to spend together in the kitchen. We’re lucky if we eat meals together as a family, let alone, try and make the meal together. Yes, including kids in cooking and preparing meals can be daunting: it means extra time and definitely extra clean-up. But, it might be worth the extra effort, as there are benefits that everyone (kids
Spring is nearly here, and I’m sure you’re doing your best to stay healthy and happy as the nicer weather approaches, right? Unfortunately, therein lies the problem. Staying healthy can be quite a chore during the cooler months, when everyone is huddled inside. Especially during the changing of the seasons, colds seem to creep up this time of year. If you’re like me, you’re trying to avoid the coughing, sneezing,
I honestly believe every new mother should be handed a playgroup’s handout the minute their child is born. Playgroups are much more than just a group of moms and kids hanging out to pass the time, they are a tool for parental survival mode, as well as playful bonding for your kids to plant the seeds of learning valuable skills such as sharing, compassion, language and active play. I know
I love it when my three year-old calls me “Wonder Woman.” LOVE. IT. In turn, I MUST call him Robin and his five year-old brother Batman. Baby Ava is Bat Girl. My husband is the Green Lantern, and while he looks nothing like Ryan Reynolds, I find him very handsome after nearly eight years of marriage. As a busy wife and mom of three young children – trying to “do
As we see more and more news stories about the obesity problem in America, I am reminded of my recent conversation with one of my regular customers. We were talking about the difficulty of her being a single mom, balancing her job and making sure her child had nutritious meals after school. She asked if I could create a weekly menu for her that would provide a wholesome, well balanced
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