Archive for the ‘Home And Family’ Category
Finding the Perfect Maternity Bathing Suits
May 16th, 2010 | 
Author: 
With swimsuit season rapidly approaching and already here for many people in the warmer states, women are making mad dashes to multiple stores in order to find the perfect swimsuit. For women who are pregnant, this already frantic time of finding the perfect suit to compliment your body becomes a bit more complicated, or so it would seem. In actuality, the array of swimwear designed specifically for expectant mothers is vast and full of variety. With swimsuits tailored specifically for your changing body, maternity swimwear designers have ensured that you can easily find the right suit for your body and style. Know what to look for and you will be sure to find a comfortable yet incredibly stylish maternity swimsuit.
For expectant mothers who are ready to show some belly, a bikini is a fashionable yet comfy option. Bikinis are great, as they allow plenty of room for your baby bump to grow. You will never feel constricted or tightness on the belly. Bikinis provide sexiness while still being classy and functional. Belabumbum Maternity designs the Aqua Ring Maternity Bikini, a popular style this season, as it exemplifies the hot summer trend of the floral print. The adjustable tie halter top provides support and the ability to fit the suit specifically to your body. With stylish silver rings at the bust and hips, this is a fashionable yet functional option. The Jill Boy Bikini is another great bikini option. For women who want the unrestricted feeling of a bikini but prefer a bit more coverage on their bottom, the Jill’s boy shorts are perfect. Super stylish yet providing that extra bit of coverage, you will be sure to feel comfortable all day long. For expectant mothers looking to bare a bit of skin while maintaining their comfort and style, a bikini is definitely the way to go.
If a bikini is not quite right for you but you would still like to show a bit of your belly off, a tankini is a fantastic swimwear option. Maternity swimwear designers love the tankini, as it is functional yet fashionable. Designed with an emphasis on the empire waist and then gently flowing over your belly, the tankini is incredibly figure flattering. One of my personal favorites this season is the new Coco O-Ring Tankini from Maternal America which, with its beaded tie neckline and deep green shade, perfectly exemplifies the tribal/safari trend so popular this season. The adjustable necktie and side tie bottoms are great, as they allow you to fit the suit perfectly to your body.
Comfy yet stylish, you will look and feel great! Another tankini which is very popular this season is the Sweet Heart in Black from Prego Maternity. This swimsuit, with its sweetheart neckline and wider halter straps, has a cute retro look. The bust is incredibly supportive as it has an adjustable tie at the neck. Cute bottoms complete this stylish maternity swimsuit! Overall, a tankini allows you to have the feel of a bikini with a bit more coverage.
For those women looking for a stylish and sexy one-piece, there are several great maternity swimwear options. A one piece is a fantastic choice, as you will have great mobility and never worry about readjusting your suit. The One Piece Keyhole Swimsuit from Maternal America is sexy and stylish yet functional. The adjustable halter tie provides versatility while the keyhole design at the bust is very fashionable. With plenty of room in the belly to grow, you will want to wear this suit throughout your pregnancy! The Jade Empire Tank from Prego Maternity is another gorgeous one-piece option. Its beautiful rich color is eye-catching and incredibly flattering, as the jewel tone looks great against all skin types. With wide adjustable straps and an empire waist, the suit is both flattering and functional. Whether you are relaxing by the pool or swimming laps, this suit will keep you feeling and looking great! One-pieces create a sleek and streamlined look, while ensuring your comfort throughout the day.
Overall, finding the style that is right for you while shopping for maternity swimwear ensures you will be comfortable and feel beautiful throughout the summer. There are many options available for expectant mothers, from bikinis to one-pieces, and with a little searching you can find the perfect option for your personal fashion and lifestyle.
By: Kyra Demartini
Posted in Home And Family | 
Tags: Actuality, Adjustable Tie, Boy Shorts, Frantic Time, Mad Dashes, Maternity Swimsuit, Silver Rings, Swimsuit Season, Swimsuits, Tankini | 
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Looking For Just the Right Baby Swimsuit?
If you are planning to take your bub swimming consider purchasing a baby swimsuit and provide your little one with the best level of protection for their young delicate skin. Aside from the fact that they are small, and unable to choose their own swimwear there are some good reasons to make sure that they are clothed in the pool, or ocean, besides making sure they look extra cute!
- Some children get rashes from some of the equipment used during swimming lessons so the material of a swimsuit helps protect them from coming into direct contact with the rough pool walls, and some of the flotation devices they are sometimes encouraged to use.
- If you are out with them in the sun, a baby swimsuit can also help protect them from the sun’s rays. Seek out ones made of material designed to give them an excellent level of protection from harmful UV rays – SPF50+ for instance. A baby swimsuit can help them keep a large portion of their skin safe from the sun.
- Once they are in the water they will be holding onto you. Sometimes it can get a little sticky if there is a bit too much skin to skin contact during a lesson, especially if they are a little nervous and holding on for dear life! Having them in a swimsuit will help you to separate yourself from them enough for you both to feel a little more careful in the water together.
Baby swimsuits have come a long way from when they were first introduced and are now designed to keep their shape even when wet. Not only that but the fabrics they are now made of are gentle against your baby’s skin and breathable. They also come in some pretty cute designs & colours! Our children learn best in the beginning by watching the people they love and how they cope with a situation, and then following their lead. So as you put some energy into finding the right baby swimsuit for your child, get ready to introduce them to the fun of the water, and explore it together.
By: Cristina Sanders
Outdoor BBQ – A Classic Family Tradition
Backyard barbecues are a hallmark of summer. Any get-together involves food cooked out on the grill, accompanied by cold drinks, sunglasses, lawn games and laughter. Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day–all are celebrated in this fashion. For many, summer does not truly begin until they attend their first backyard cookout.
The tradition of the backyard cookout became popular in the 1950’s, when companies such as Weber began making grills that were convenient and practical for home use. Prior to the grill, outdoor meals had to be cooked over an open fire or in a large pit, so cookouts were large affairs or an activity for camping. Grills allowed for small-scale cooking with consistent results. Since homes were smaller then, the backyard cookout allowed people to have a large number of guests without crowding them all into a house. It also kept all of the heat and odors from cooking from getting inside the house.
Most cookouts had traditional menus: hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, ribs and chicken pieces served with cole slaw, potato salad, chips and dip, and corn on the cob. Today, many people have expanded the definition of foods for grilling to include fish such as salmon, whole rotisserie chicken, kabobs, shellfish and vegetables. Attached gas burners on today’s grills mean that food that could only be prepared indoors has come outdoors.
There are many chefs who specialize in grilling and have written books and hosted shows dedicated to cooking just about anything on the grill, including baked goods. These men and women have made grilling into an art form and have spurred the popularity of the outdoor kitchen. These multi-function centers take all of the features of a kitchen–refrigerator, sink, grill and cooktop–and bring them outdoors. The development signaled a new focus on gracious outdoor living. Today’s backyard get-together is as much a dinner party as it is a cookout. These changes mean that the meaning of term backyard cookout has changed from the most casual of get-togethers to a catch-all term for nearly anything, as long as it is served outdoors.
Even with the upscale alternatives available nowadays, there’s something to be said for a hamburger fresh off the grill with ketchup and pickle, some potato salad, a piece of corn on the cob and a cold beer, eaten at a picnic bench while wearing shorts and a t-shirt or a swimsuit, surrounded by family, good friends and laughter. The classic backyard barbecue will always be around as a piece of Americana that cannot be matched nor can it be replaced.
By: Laura Bramble
Family Feud – A Fun Game For Children Too
I was asked by Camp Med, a licensed day care program and summer camp sponsored by the City of South Pasadena, to give a presentation to our campers about the upcoming Summer Olympics, as I would be leaving for Beijing shortly to work on the Games. I thought if I just talk and the kids just listen, it could get kind of boring. So instead, I proposed an Olympic Family Feud.
The campers were divided into 4 groups. The winning group would each receive a prize. The way it worked is that I would ask a question and give one specific group a chance to respond. Unlike television Family Feud where only one person can participate, here anyone from the group could chip in. The team leader would then try to write down the best answer. If the answer was wrong, the question would move to the next group. If one group was noticeably weaker, they would get the easier questions.
What struck me is how engaged the kids got. You could see the wheels turning. They started thinking. They wanted to give the right answer. They wanted to win. They were having fun and so were the other counselors.
The questions asked required different skills, memory, reasoning and also listening (to what I had talked about throughout the summer). Due to the internet, it was very easy to come up with questions as multiple trivia, kids and information sites exist.
When I returned from the Olympics, the kids were very interested about my experience. It was as if the Olympic Family Feud had opened the door for them to be aware and interested in the Olympics. The event was such a success that we are following it up with a Halloween Family Feud. For Halloween Family Feud, more jokes and questions with an element of levity will be included. And there will be more questions that our younger kids can answer.
Attached are the questions (with answers) to both Family Feuds:
Olympic Family Feud
1. Where am I going tomorrow?
China
2. The J in Beijing, how is it pronounced?
As a z
3. How far away is Beijing from Los Angeles?
6300 miles
4. China is the 3rd largest country in the world. What is the largest country in the world?
Russia
5. What is the second largest country in the world?
Canada
6. Which country is expected to win the most medals at the Summer Olympics?
China
7. Where was the last Olympics?
Turin, Italy
8. Which country won the most medals at the Winter Olympics in Italy?
Germany (29)
9. The US won the second most medals. How many medals did the US win in Italy?
25
10. Who is shooting to win 8 Gold Medals and what sport is he in?
Michael Phelps, Swimming
11. Dara Torres is on the US Olympic Swimming team. How old is she?
41
12. Why have so many Swimming world records been recorded in the last couple of months?
The swimsuit: Speedo’s LZR Racer.
13. What women’s sport will no longer be in the Olympics after this year?
Softball
14. Why are some of the athletes not going to Opening Ceremonies?
To avoid the air pollution
15. What kind of work do I do at the Olympics?
Ticketing
16. Name this famous person I gave Olympic tickets to in Korea in 1988? Clue 1; He lives in California and is over 50. Clue 2: He’s been in science fiction movies. Clue 3: He received weightlifting tickets.
Arnold Schwarzennegger
17. Name this famous person I gave Olympic tickets to in Spain in 1992. Clue 1: He lives in California and is over 60. Clue 2: He was in 1 of the batman movies. Clue 3: He received basketball tickets.
Jack Nicholson
18. How many Olympics have I worked on?
11
19. Name a summer Olympic event that many find better to watch on tv than see in person?
Gymnastics, diving, water polo
20. Where will the next Olympics be?
Vancouver Canada
21. What year?
2010
22. What country did the Olympic Games originate over 2700 years ago?
Greece
23. As a 12 year old boy, at the Mexico City Olympics, I was in attendance when Bob Beamon completely shattered a world record. He beat the previous world record by so much that Sports Illustrated named this 1 of the 5 greatest sports moments of the 20th century. What sport did he break the record in? Clue: It was in track & field.
Bob Beamon set a world record for the long jump with a jump of (29 ft. 2
Posted in Home And Family |
Tags: Campers, Counselors, Fun Game, Going Tomorrow, Halloween Family, Having Fun, Levity, Olympic Family, Specific Group, Summer Camp |
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Maternity Swimsuits – Hit the Pool For Pregnancy Exercise
Are you sick of going to the gym and finding it harder to keep up on the treadmill and elliptical as your belly expands? Even exercise machines become awkward as your belly expands and your risk of injury increases as your ligaments and joints loosen during pregnancy. Well a great way to mix up your workout with something completely safe and weightless to your expanding load, is swimming. Whether you opt for lap swimming or water aerobics, you will get great exercise and muscle tone in this low-impact activity that won’t stress your joints.
Depending on your style and the type of pool exercise you are planning on, there is the perfect maternity swimsuit that should meet your needs in the pool. Here are a few suggestions:
Lap Swimmers
There is no substitute for the sleek one piece swimsuit. Prego Maternity makes a very supportive and comfortable Empire Top Swimsuit that comes in solid black or navy. This suit has wide adjustable straps for excellent bust support and is overall very stretchy with 20% lycra. A lower cost option for more recreational swimmers is Prego’s Texture Heart Maternity swimsuit which comes in solid black. This suit offers a shelf bra, is very stretchy and the straps and back design form the shape of a heart.
Aqua Aerobics
If you are looking into taking a water aerobics class during pregnancy, you won’t be quite as concerned about speed through the water as you will be mostly exercising in place. Your swimsuit style options are limitless depending on what you prefer. If you want to hide your belly at all costs, then the BabyDoll style might be best for you as they are longer, covering the hips and bottom and also have over the belly bottoms to continue covering your belly in the water when you may get some skirt fly away with your water movements.
Tankinis, Halterkinis and Hipkinis are also fun options for this type of exercise. All of these suits are 2 pieces that cover or skim the belly and come with bikini bottoms. The Tankinis are tank style over the shoulder straps and the Halterkinis tie around the neck, showing a little more back. The Hipkinis are often are adjustable ties on the bikini bottoms which are great if you are a smaller or larger on the bottom than the top or simply like the style.
Lounge
If you are really just pool lounging, splashing a bit in the water or beach walking, then the Minis are a fun choice. The Prego Strapless Mini is a 2 piece suit that covers the hips in a pencil skirt style and comes with an optional detachable string halter tie around the neck for a different look and added measure of support and security for swimming. The mini suits are always flattering and allow you to get a great unobstructed tan across the shoulders and back.
If you are very daring and ready to show off your expanding belly, then you can go for the maternity bikini. There are a lot of great styles out today in the maternity bikini and a wide range of color choices including some fun patterns by Bellabumbum. Maternity bikinis come in a little bigger cup sizes for the bust and a more comfortable and stretchy waistband on the bikini bottoms so you are not cutting into your popping belly.
So, keep your workouts fun by hitting the pool during your pregnancy and enjoy exercising in a maternity swimsuit that is both functional and stylish!
By: Amy Jarman
