Preparation
1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for at least 3 hours.
3. Serve.

PeaWee Kiwi Popsicles
Ingredients
4. 4 kiwis, peeled and chopped
5. 1/2 cup orange, apple or pineapple juice
6. 3/4 cup frozen peas
7. 6 dixie cups*

Preparation
1. Place the kiwis and juice in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of peas in each Dixie cup.
3. Cover peas with kiwi puree and stir to evenly distribute peas.
4. Freeze pops for 4-6 hours or until frozen through.
* These can also be made in popsicle molds

Q: My closet is a mess. Where do I start?
A: I always start with a rolling rack and start pulling out the pieces I haven’t worn in a long time. I then try the pieces on one by one and decide if it fits. If it doesn’t fit I put it in a pile to give away, alter or sell if it’s a designer label that is worth selling. I then take out the pieces I know I wear and organize by category such as blouses, pants, skirts, tops and jackets. I put them back in the closet by category from light to dark or light weight to heavier weight.I put pants from narrow to wide within the color so I know if I’m in a hurry I can grab the right pant with the right shoe height.
If you don’t have a rolling rack you can lie the clothes on the bed and then transfer your piles in large garbage bags or shopping bags.

Q: Where can I donate my clothes and where can I sell my name brand clothing?
A: I like to donate to women’s charity based on working women, foster moms, or to your local Temple or Church. Some Charities will pick up, others have donation drop off centers.I give my better condition or designer clothing to one of the people that sell online and have a “store” on ebay where you get checks in the mail when they sell your clothes. There are several resale stores in town but the ebay stores are open 24 hours and sell all over the world, not just to the clients that would have to visit the neighborhood resale shop so there is a better chance of your clothes being sold. I also give things to friends. What’s old to you may be new to someone else.

Q: Once I get rid of what I don’t want, how do I shop for what I need?
A: I always make a list of what I feel is missing, I like to have the basics such as a black belt, brown belt, black boots, black flats,skinny jeans, wide leg jeans, t-shirts, cotton blouses and silk blouses, dressier pants for work or meetings or whatever your lifestyle is. I like to shop for basics online or at stores like the Gap and J Crew and for better or novelty clothes at the Department Stores which offer specials or great return policies like Bloomindales or Nordstrom. I also buy my designer clothes on final markdown at Saks Fifth Avenue who offers great sales at the end of the season.

Q: I want to looks stylish and hip without spending a fortune. How can I achieve the celebrity look?
A: I look in magazines and tear out looks I like, then take the pages to stores like Zara or H and M and find great looks at better prices. If you don’t have magazines, you can look online at Neiman Marcus or any department store and see what they are showing as well. I even look at People magazine and US at the doctors offices or hair salon to get great ideas!

Q: Once I have created a workable closet, how often should I clean it out so I don’t create clutter again?
A: I like to edit once a year or once a season which is really twice a year grouping Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter. If I’m not sure I put something in a storage closet or bin so I don’t have to look at it all the time and can revisit it the following season. If I still don’t want to wear it after a year I usually give it away or sell it.

You can reach Karen Lazar for a consultation at karenlazar@aol.com

It is crucial that they learn skills, such as being comfortable with water on their faces, floating on their back, blowing bubbles and holding their breath under water. Babies and toddlers can learn to do these things in the bathtub!

One of the biggest obstacles in teaching a child to swim is dealing with water in their eyes. A child’s reaction to this begins, not in a pool, but in the bathtub. When the child doesn’t like getting water in his or her face, I have to question their early hair washing experiences. The reality is that the child learned this from somewhere. Most of us don’t even realize the negative signals we are sending to our children, in reaction to everyday events.

Do you look scared when they choke on water? Do you frown or apologize when they get their face wet? Do you speak about water negatively with regard to your past experiences? Your kids are listening and learning. Usually, when I meet a terrified student there is a terrified parent right behind them. They feel your energy. The first thing I tell my students’ parents is not to make a worried face if they get water in their eyes and try to divert their attention to something else rather than focusing on the child’s negative reaction.

If you have a nanny wash their hair, please have this talk with her. You may be confident, but she may not have the same experiences as you and may inadvertently be sending the wrong signal to your child.

I am always happy and joyful with my students. If they suck up water accidentally, I just tip them upside down and say “wheee, pour it out!” and they forget all about it.

When you wash their hair, use clean water at first and make a game out of pouring water over their heads. Not enough to make them choke up, just enough to run down their face and feel the water on their skin. If you SMILE while you do this, they won’t think it’s something to worry about.

I love goggles. In the pool it takes the “rubbing eyes” out of the equation and makes it so much more fun for kids to be able to see things like the toys I place under the water. They are distracted by the toys and don’t realize that they are holding their breath. Start with goggles in the bathtub. Tell them it’s to prevent the shampoo from getting in their eyes. When you rinse their hair say “Whee!” so they think it’s fun.

They have to learn to hold their breath when water comes near their face. “One, two, three, Under!” is my cue when rinsing a child’s head. After the word “under”, blow on their face (this sets an automatic reaction to hold breath in babies) then let the water come for no more than a second or two. They will learn this cue and will hold their breath. When we hit the pool, this is a task that is already mastered. Never surprise a child. They are happier when they know what is coming.

The key to early swimming is for a child to be able to put their face in the water. It is extremely difficult to swim with your head up and the child gets the wrong impression that swimming is difficult. Again, that’s why I love goggles. Besides, they protect the child’s delicate eyes from harsh chlorine.

When is your child pool safe? Realistically, no one is pool safe, adults included. Anyone can fall, hit their head, take in water, or someone could accidentally jump on someone else in the pool, but when a child knows how to breathe while swimming and can swim the length of the pool without getting tired, then I would consider them confident in the pool and relatively “pool safe”. The next part of this question is, “How many lessons will it take for my child to swim?” I have to say, every child is different. I have taken fearful 5 year olds and had them swimming and breathing by our second lesson. Others, take a little longer, depending on their personal history in the water. I have also taught several kids who were traumatized by other instructors who used the “shove the kid underwater method.” These poor children are terrified. Making these children love the water is my specialty. I enjoy watching them gain confidence as they overcome such a huge fear. They may take a few more lessons (but not always) and since I practice a “total comfort and happiness” method of operation, they are free to have fun and move forward at their own pace. I usually have kids swimming in 10 lessons or less. 5 lessons in many cases.

I feel that if you have a pool, use it. Your child will be most comfortable at home and he will know his surroundings and his own pool. While many children are happy in a group environment and love the fun and competition to see who can do the next skill the best, others are uncomfortable in a group and may feel pressure to do something before they are ready. This may cause a child to withdraw. These kids do well in a private environment where they can get all of the attention. Later, it may be possible for them to enter a group when they are more confident and less fearful. Whichever environment is best for your child, the most important thing is to make swimming fun!

Sharolyn Leithold has been teaching children to swim for the past 18 years. She trained as synchronized swimmer and is also a personal trainer and athletic conditioning coach. She is married with three children and lives in Los Angeles.

Load up on water. Increased heat can easily cause dehydration, leaving your skin feeling tight and uncomfortable. To determine how much water is enough, divide your weight by two, the result is the number of ounces of water you should drink daily. If you love drinking summertime cocktails and iced coffee you must drink an additional glass of water for each of these as alcohol and caffeine are dehydrating.

No matter the season you should be wearing SPF on your face every day, but in the summer take extra care to use a moisturizer with SPF 20 or higher. On long days spent outside, wear a hat and apply SPF all over your body throughout the day. SPF is a no-brainer in the sun, but specifically for keeping the skin hydrated it is important to make sure you do not get burned. We have all seen or experienced a bad sunburn, that dry peeling skin, it’s not fun and it completely throws off the skins moisture content. Don’t forget to include your lips! Wear a lip balm with SPF to avoid a dry cracked pucker.

Lastly, it is essential to regularly exfoliate and moisturize the skin in the summer. Exfoliating helps to clear away dry skin cells to reveal skin with more moisture. This cleansing will also allow your moisturizer and SPF to penetrate deeper into the skin. In the summertime, ditch the heavy creams for products that contain water rich ingredients such as aloe and cucumber. For an extra boost of moisture, enhance your regimen with hydrating serums and masques. If you are on the move, hydrating toners are great for a spritz at your desk or on a plane.

Talia Joseph is a certified PCA skincare professional, she has extensive experience through her work at Burke Williams Day Spa and heads the Esthetics program at the Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Group. Www.bhpsg.com

1). Avoid white foods. flour, refined carbs, starches and sugar. The word is avoid, not eliminate. We have to be realistic, but if you can avoid these foods 80% of the time it will make a huge difference in your health and the way your body looks. They are acidic, they compromise your immune system, they convert to sugar which causes your pancreas to release insulin and this causes your body to store fat. Incidentally, this is where type II diabetes is coming from. We eat way too many refined starches and carbs and the pancreas just cannot handle this constant insulin output. These foods are also directly linked to the addictive dopamine response in our brain which makes us eat more of them and makes them harder to give up. It takes about 3 days to “detox” from these sugar based foods. Give yourself this time and see how good you feel after you’ve made it through. If you have a difficult time, you are in withdrawal and it can be tough. All the more reason to stick to it. Food addiction is a very unhealthy situation. You need to take back control of your body.

2). Move every day. Even if it is just a walk. Movement creates heat and heat raises your metabolism which burns more calories. 15 minutes on a stationary bike, 20 min of yoga or an exercise class (free on the Internet). Anything is a great start. Keep the goal small so it is attainable. You can build up as you go along.

3). Get enough sleep. Studies show that people who cheat themselves out of sleep gain weight. A New York Times article talks of a study that proves that people gain an average of 2 pounds per week when depriving themselves of sleep for about 4 nights in a week. They don’t process sugars well and they eat more refined carbohydrates than usual. This means that lack of sleep can make you fat. It isn’t worth it. Turn off the TV and go to sleep.

4). Eat more protein. Eating creates heat and therefore raises your metabolism. Studies show that people on a high protein, low fat and low glycemic (low sugar) diet actually burned 200 calories more per day just by eating that way. This is without adding exercise. Whether you are vegetarian or not, you must eat half your body weight in grams of protein per day to maintain your lean body mass. Example: A 140 pound woman needs 70 grams of protein per day. 7 grams = 1 oz. therefore she needs 10oz of protein a day. To give you an idea, a chicken breast is approx 3 oz. cooked. An egg is 1 oz. If you don’t satisfy this minimum requirement, your body is forced to break down your muscle and take the essential amino acids and this means you lose muscle. Less muscle means a lower metabolism which means a lower calorie burn, which therefore means that you will burn less calories in a day and therefore it will be easier to gain weight.

5). Love where you are right now with your body. You can’t possibly expect to treat your body right if you don’t like it in the first place. See the beauty in who and what you are now and make a plan to improve on perfection. You have the power to be who you want to be. You have the ability to change your body. If you can’t do it alone, get some help. Find people you love and create a support group. Do it with a friend. You will improve your life by feeding your body, not starving it. Start putting in the right foods, put the others on hold for now. Create a liquid beauty regimen by getting one vegetable juice in a day. You’ll see the changes in your skin and on your face. Smile!

Sharolyn has been a top L.A. trainer and competitive athletic conditioning coach for the last 15 years. Her clients include everyone including professional and amateur athletes, Varisty sports teams, celebrities and everyone in between.

1) Communicate: This is the #1 focus for having a healthy relationship with your nanny. Make sure your expectations are laid out clearly and that she understands what is needed from her – she will appreciate it and the whole family will benefit! This should start during the hiring phase: your job description needs to be clear and thorough. Don’t add any surprise duties after the agreement is signed.

2) Give her what she needs: Make sure she is equipped with everything she needs to do the best job she can. Ask her if she has everything she needs to do the best job possible. Does she need storage containers for toys? Maybe she recommends a particular booster seat. You won’t know until you ask.

3) Be Available: Make sure that your nanny knows that she can contact you at any time if she needs something. Email, phone number, and text messaging are all useful. Let her know if you don’t answer right away, you’ll get back to her as soon as you can.

4) Trust her: trust will build overtime but it’s the cornerstone of your relationship. She needs to know that you have confidence in her and her ability to care for your children.

If you keep these 4 top tips in mind, you will be on your way to having a great relationship with your nanny

Lindsay Heller, known as The Nanny Doctor consults with families and nannies around the globe and can be found on Facebook, Twitter (@TheNannyDoctor), and her website: www.TheNannyDoctor.com.

Carrie Livingston shares her secrets on remodeling.

Question: My kids want a “grown up” tween room. Any suggestions for how I can give them what they want without spending a fortune?

Answer: When taking on a kids decorating project, allow your kids to be a part of the process. Kids are full of creativity and enthusiasm. Allowing them to be a part of the planning, shopping and work gives them the feeling that their opinion counts. Creating a budget and careful planning at the beginning with your kids, will give them a better understanding of what choices they can make during the process. Allowing them to be a part of creating a space that is a reflection of their own personal style and creativity and one that they can continue to evolve and grow into will give both the parent and child great pride.

Tips to keep to the Budget:

• * Plan ahead
• * Create a list at the beginning of what you want to change about the space
• * Re-use pieces of furniture, baskets or accessories around the house. Sometimes just a quick coat of paint or a new pillow on a cozy chair can create a whole new look with little to no extra cost
• * Use Children’s Artwork and frame for pops of color on the walls
• * Decide what are the most important pieces in the room and splurge on those and then find discounted prices for items that may change over time
• * Try to stay away from a room theme, which will most likely have you redecorating before long. A well-decorated room sans theme leaves room for imagination and can appeal to both tween and parents.

Question: What is a good color for a bedroom where my kids sleep, play and do their homework?

Answer:I think a room should be a reflection of one’s personality however, when it comes to color I always try to encourage my clients with kids to pick a color combination that has longevity and suit a range of styles. Choosing a more neutral wall color allows kids to be more creative with graphic sheet sets, window coverings, pillows, and accessories. The layering pieces can bring color to a room but can easily be interchanged with evolving tastes. If your child insists on a color for the wall that may not be your first pick, compromise and allow his/her color choice to a feature wall. Keep checking back with them so that they still love it, and if not, repaint over it for a new look. Wallpaper as a focal point is also a nice option or a striped focal point wall. Personally I tend to gravitate towards white, grey and blues.

Question: How do I utilize a small space to work as a bedroom, playroom and homework study?

Answer: When it comes to small spaces, take advantage of all useable space. Use it as an opportunity to create order in the space, pairing down items and keeping only what you need. Pay attention to a room’s architecture and if there is a recess in the wall, install floor to ceiling shelving or a built in desk with storage. Another great way to use an alcove, is to create a sleeping or reading nook with curtains above on a track that can close and create instant privacy. A tall chest of drawers or bookshelf is also a great solution to minimizing clutter while having the ability to display your favorite collections or toys. I use mason jars to store pencils, paperclips, stickers or other small things that can be seen through the clear glass and easily accessible while still keeping things organized. I also love to tuck baskets on shelves to hide some of the toys and art supplies that aren’t used everyday. While labeling boxes may be a bit much for some, it actually creates sanity for most. Having a place to put race cars, superheroes or small toys will make the clean-up process easier for kids. Simple hooks at a child’s height are also a great way to keep jackets and bags off the floor.

Use furniture in a room that can have more than one use. A daybed for sleeping or hanging out with friends. A small table that can be used for homework or for their latest project. Poufs in kid’s rooms are also a great option. They’re perfect for extra seating, footstools and even a little coffee table stand. Style does not have to be compromised when it comes to small spaces, but rather creating a plan at the beginning in which every single piece of furniture has to fit a purpose and be as versatile as possible.

Question: What are your favorite online stores for kids furniture and accessories?

Answer:
SERENA AND LILY
www.serenaandlily.com
www.landofnod.com
www.oeufnyc.com
www.whatisblik.com
www.montedesign.net/bassinet.html#.UWL_OKVI0y4
www.allmodern.com/Baby-Kids-C29057.html
www.princesandcrows.com
www.littleauggie.com/shop/
www.thelittleseed.com/collections/eco-toys
www.zarahome.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home/zarahomeus/-15/80289977

Carrie Livingston is an interior designer based in Los Angeles. Livingston travels the world creating one-of-a-kind residential and commercial projects. She opened her own design firm in 2004. Since then, she has opened an additional office in London as well as created a luxurious furniture collection. For more information go to www.carrielivingston.com

By Kathryn Cavanaugh
We have been programmed to believe that increasing your dairy products is just what the doctor ordered.
I am going to offer an upgrade. Think beyond the saturated fat-filled milk, cheese and yogurt and opt for something more nutrient dense without all the sludge.

Here is the skinny of Calcium!
Harder than lead but not naturally found in its elemental state, Calcium (Ca) is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the earth’s crust. It might however be surprising to note, it is as well the 5th most abundant element by mass in the human body … Besides LOVE of course! Calcium is essential for living organisms — that means you and me babe! While 99% of the total calcium in our bodies is stored in our bones and teeth, the remaining 1% is found throughout the body in blood, muscle and the fluid in between cells. But do not be fooled by that little bugger. That simple little unit does a HUGE job in making sure we wake up every morning. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, the secretion of hormones and enzymes, sending messages through the nervous system, and blood clotting just to name the top functions. These bodily functions are required to play or … GAME OVER. A constant level of calcium is maintained in body fluid and tissues so that these vital body processes function efficiently. This is why we really super-duper love Calcium.

Calcium and Vitamin D — The LOVE Affair!:
These two complimentary elements really do wonders for your overall functioning, and will show you the love if you treat them right – meaning take them together! For Calcium to be correctly absorbed in your body, it requires as adequate intake of Vitamin D. When consumed jointly, Vitamin D is converted to a hormone in the body which then induces the synthesis of intestinal proteins which absorb the calcium and then take it along it’s merry way in your body. When we have insufficient calcium absorption and there is no play between our two love birds, the body must take calcium from its skeletal stores to perform all it’s bodily tasks, which in turn weakens existing bone and prevents formation of strong, new bone. We all know where this is going –THE BIG O! No, not the fun “BIG O” … The other “O” that causes hip fractures from doing the bump with your six-year old. Nobody needs to be welcoming in the grim reaper’s distant cousin, Osteoporosis. We are not interested in anybody from that family… EVER!

Oh where, Oh where did my little Vitamin D go … Oh where, oh where did you go?:
The body needs Vitamin D to absorb Calcium! There are three ways to get it: through the skin, from the diet, and from supplements. Macrobiotics prefer to start with ways one and two, through the skin and diet. When I say we get Vitamin D through the skin, I am not referring to $1,000 creams at Neimans, I am referring to that big guy in the sky – Father Sun! Here again we are confronted with another default to which I would like to offer an upgrade. The Sun is NOT the devil!!! The Sun is your friend! It warms the planet and basically provides for lots of really good stuff here – like Vitamin D. Your whole opinion may change after I tell you that Vitamin D is in fact formed naturally by the body AFTER exposure to sunlight from your friend, the Sun. Pretty Neat Trick – Right! A mere 15 minutes in the morning sun a few times a week WITHOUT sunscreen will do the trick — DON’T SHOOT ME for saying this … a mere 15 minutes will do ya’! For many people this little sliver of potential fame is plenty for our bodies to manufacture and store all the Vitamin D they need (between 400 – 800 IU a day). Food of course is our other favorite source and can be found in egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver (a.k.a Truffle Mouse Pate) and fortified milk.

Why dairy products are an INFERIOR source of Calcium:
Humans are among of a small group of animals on this planet that consume the milk of another animal. This is how I explain it to my girlfriends. If you are consuming dairy products to get calcium, why not choose the original source? What does the cow eat? GRASS … a green, leafy vegetable grown from the earth’s Calcium rich crust and rich in Vitamin D from it’s daily sunbathing. We know now the Calcium/Vitamin D love connection is critical to our essential bodily functions. So, the cow eats the grass which then passes through stomach number one, and so on and so on … all the way through the cows digestive tract to become a by-product of the cow = milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc. When our aim is to improve our entire bodily function by increasing our Calcium, what are we really getting when we eat our daily Yoplait? We are getting Calcium that was PRE-digested by Bessie! That Calcium has to get through at least eight stomachs before it hits yours. YUCK – except not so yuck when the Calcium is in my latte or ice cream sandwich, of course. My whole point is to skip the bovine rollercoaster and opt for the original source, like green leafy vegetables (kale, collard greens, broccoli) or tofu, salmon, sea vegetables, nuts, or sesame seeds. There is a whole Calcium-rich world out there without all the stomachs and bloating!

The Biotic Preference — Seeds:
Beyond the original Calcium sources list above, one of my favorite Calcium-rich additions is adding seeds to my diet. I often snack on Calcium-packed sunflower seeds or sprinkle sesame seeds on my vegetables. One of my favorite macrobiotic condiments, Gomashio (see recipe below), is made from sesame seeds and gets sprinkled on everything from my brown rice and beans to my stir-fry and sushi. Both are super easy to add into my diet, and I rarely leave home without a bag of sunflower seeds. And for anyone who has a nut allergy out there, Trader Joe’s has a great Sunflower Seed Butter that my kids live on.

Gomashio

(Sesame Salt)_

Gomashio is one of the most popular macrobiotic condiments and is very easy to make. Gomashio has a very short shelf life (approximately two weeks) so it must be made regularly. Do not refrigerate Gomashio as the moisture will cause it to clump; and it should have a flakey consistency and be kept in an airtight container for storage. It has an amazing smell and an even better taste … a little nutty and salty. This condiment can actually replace your table salt and can be sprinkled on everything from all kinds of vegetables to rice or even salads. Once you use it, you will find many applications, but use it sparingly — only a teaspoon a day.

Ingrediance:
1-teaspoon good quality Sea Salt
(Si Salt is my recommendation and is available at Erehwon or on-line at Goldmine Natural Food Company (goldminenaturalfood.com) or The Eden Food Company (edenfoods.com or 1-888-441-EDEN).
18 teaspoons* of fresh tan Sesame Seeds (can substitute black sesame seeds)
*Typically the ratio of sesame seed to sea salt is 18:1. For children, the ratio of sesame seed to sea salt should be higher between 20:1 to 24:1.

Directions:
1. Hand shift through dry Sesame Seeds and pick out any debris or small stones. Using a fine-mesh metal strainer, wash seeds under cold running water, using your fingers to clean any dust or dirt off the seeds. Place the wet seeds on a towel and pat dry.

2. Using a stainless steel or cast-iron frying pan, roast the teaspoon of Sea Salt over a medium flame, constantly moving the Salt around the pan for between 2 to 4 minutes. Look for both the Salt to slightly change color to a light gray; and for the salt to release a slight ammonia-like smell. Be careful not to burn the salt. Remove from the heat and place in a Suribachi (see below).

3. Using the same skillet, roast the Sesame Seeds over a medium flame, moving them around the frying pan constantly. As the seeds roast, they will start to pop up from the skillet and release a nutty scent. This process takes between 7 to 10 minutes depending on various roasting conditions and skillets. You need to keep a close eye on the seeds while stirring so as not to burn the seeds, or else your Gomashio will be bitter.

4. Place the roasted seed into the suribachi* with the roasted salt and use the surikogi (the wooden pestle that comes with the suribachi) to grind coarsely, not fully blended. This process should take no longer than ten minutes (Look forward to a nice little arm workout while you grind!) and do not expect the seeds to be fully incorporated.

Enjoy!!!

*A Suribachi is a serrated earthenware bowl that comes with a wooden pestle called a Surikogi. They can be found at most health-food stores or ordered from Macrobiotic supply companies, like Goldmine or the Kushi Institute. I found one at Cost Plus as well.

Gomashio’s Heath Benefits:

• Neutralize acidity in the blood
• Strengthen the blood
• Relieve tiredness
• Strengthen the nervous system
• Neutralizing infection
• Restoring digestive ability
• Lowers cholesterol
• Prevents high blood pressure
• Packed with essential nutrients from vitamins A to E,
• Magnesium, calcium, dietary fiber, zinc and many more.

Commercial-Grade Gomashio:
Ready-made Gomashio is available in most natural food stores around the country or on-line at Macrobiotic food sources. However, the sesame seed to sea salt ratio is much lower, as low as 10:1; and is usually too salty and becomes stale quickly after opening. Always best to go with homemade!

Kathryn Cavanaugh lives with her husband and two children in Los Angeles.

Secondly, yoga teaches kids how to focus. Breathing techniques, sitting still, and focusing on their breath in meditation, kids will learn to practice concentration. In addition, they will learn how to go ‘inside’ and listen to their bodies and know what is going on as opposed to just reacting to everything ‘outside’. This will give them a huge advantage when it comes to studying, taking tests, playing outside sports, or just being able to express themselves and how they feel.

Thirdly, yoga is great for developing a healthy body. Yoga is all about balance and correcting the spine/posture. As a child grows, yoga will help build strength and flexibility so their bodies become aligned in the best way they can. Yoga can help correct tight hips and tight hamstrings which eventually lead to back pain. Yoga helps their bodies gain flexibility and balance as they play
other sports. I was a gymnast on the U.S. national team as a child and I know I would have been 10 times better if we had been doing yoga on the side. However, whether the child is an athlete or not, yoga will help keep them in shape.

Jennifer Greenhut is a certified yoga instructor who has been teaching yoga in L.A. and N.Y. for almost 15 years. Her clients range from business men, professional athletes, artists, couples, and children. You can contact Jennifer at greenhutyoga@gmail.com or visit greenhutyoga.vpweb.com for more information.

By Sheila Michail Morovati
Like many busy families in Los Angeles, my family used to frequent a certain kid friendly restaurant in our neighborhood several times per week. Each time we stood up at the end of our meal, I would guiltily eye four bright, virtually unused crayons sitting on the table, knowing that they shouldn’t be tossed in the trash. I started to keep our barely-used crayons, and built up a stash of thirty-two crayons within a month. As I did the math after noticing that many other families also left their crayons behind, I saw this as an opportunity to create a change, both for the environment and for kids who might not otherwise have access to something many of us take for granted.

Crayon Collection’s mission is simple: to collect as many crayons as possible and donate them to kids in need. We now work with many local restaurants, including Café Vida, Marmalade Café, and Coral Tree Café as well as several large national restaurant chains. We have also placed collection bins in the offices of over 150 preschools and elementary schools throughout the country that donate the crayons, either by holding crayon drives or simply by allowing parents to drop off their own loose crayons.

These schools then donate their collected crayons to a low-income school of their choice or organizations such as One Voice. Some of our most successful crayon collections derive from the ones that are run by various schools’ student councils. Recently, we learned that our efforts are now an international interest. A school in Beijing, China contacted us to let us know that they have started their own very successful Crayon Collection as well.

Large restaurant chains have been eager to help their communities by working with us. Restaurants save crayons that are left behind by their kid diners, and Crayon Collection then pairs each restaurant with a Title 1, or high poverty school in desperate need of art supplies. Many of these schools which collect crayons from their partner restaurants once a month do not have the means to supply crayons to all of their classrooms as they are dramatically underfunded.

Crayon Collection also affords us a chance to instill an eco-conscious mindset within our children. We feel children should learn not only the advantages of recycling, but also of re-using items and reducing the great deal of waste in our culture. Saving crayons is a simple lesson. But it generates many relatable experiences for our kids.

We encourage you to start your own Crayon Collection in your neighborhood or at your child’s school. We will gladly support your efforts. For answers to your questions, please visit our Web site at www.crayoncollection.org

Sheila Michail Morovati is the founder of Crayon Collection. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.