September 2013

Fall sports are in full swing.  As a parent, what can you do to help keep your child injury-free this sports season?  Below are some ideas from Swedish Hospital in Seattle.

Keep your student athlete ready for action by following the tips below!

Acute Sprains and Broken Bones: Breaking a bone is more a matter of chance than fitness level.  If your child breaks a bone, the most important thing is to make sure it heals correctly with the help of a health professional.  That will help prevent it from happening again.

Overuse Injuries: These types of injuries, including muscle or tendon strain, often happens when kids aren't in shape and first begin their season. They overuse an area of the body by doing repetitive motions.  Having your child get in shape before the season starts can help prevent these types of injuries.

Soreness: If your child is sore after practice, it should get better within 3-4 days especially if using RICE:

R - Rest

I - Ice

C - Compression

E - Elevation

Injury: If pain lasts more than a week, a doctor's visit is the best course of action.

Tips to Keep Kids Healthy

Hydrate.  Drinking water replaces liquid lost, minimizes cramps, and keeps kids healthy. Hydration is important not only during the event, but also earlier in the day before the practice or game even begins!

Stay Active.  Keep in shape over the summer, or step up your activity level before the season starts to prevent overuse injuries. Maintain proper conditioning throughout the year.  Cross training can help with this, as it contains cardio, strength training and flexibility.

Pre-Season Physical.  Schedule a check up with your doctor to make sure your student is healthy and able to participate in sports.  My daughter's middle school requires this for participation in any school sports.

Equipment.  Make sure the child has the proper equipment with the correct fit (such as pads, helmet, shoes, mouth guard, etc.).   Remember kids tend to grow a lot over the summer, and last season's equipment might not fit properly.

Warm Up.  Schedule adequate time to warm up before every practice and game.  This includes stretching to increase flexibility and cardio to increase blood flow to the muscles.

Cool Down.  After the practice or game, have the students cool down and stretch before leaving.

Wishing you a fun and safe fall sports season!

Cheers,
Jessica

When I read photographer (and friend!) Michelle Enebo's fall newsletter, I knew it was perfect to share with you.   I asked Michelle to"guest blog" this week and she kindly agreed!  She has some great, easy tips for capturing your kids sports season in pictures.  Read below for Michelle's 5 ideas to take better sports photos.

Quick Tips For Better Pix

Trying to get some fun sports pictures this season?  Here are a few tips for getting better shots.

1.  Anticipate -  In order to get this shot I had to anticipate Ellie taking HER shot.  It took many pictures before and after just to make sure I got it. (Remember, digital memory is free!)

Pictures with the coach capture a great game!

2.  Tell the Whole Story - Yes, it is important to get images of our kids playing the game, but there is so much more to the whole experience.  Don't forget the friendships, the sidelines and the tunnel!

3.  The Unusual - If you can capture the weird and wacky got for it.  Is there a strange mascot at the football game?  A cool trail at the cross country meet?  How about a lake threatening to engulf the soccer field?

4.  Equipment - While it is, indeed fun to use my big camera and long lens (I like my 70-200 for sports), I have also used my iPhone to capture the action too.  You DEFINITELY have to anticipate with the iphone because it isn't as quick.  Just know that.

This cute picture tells the story of the season!

5.  Be Creative - One year Kate tried basketball and I just couldn't get any pictures I liked.  The lighting was horrible and we really couldn't get close to the action.  I decided to set up a shot that would represent the whole season and tell it's own story.

Get Snapping!

Thank you Michelle for the great ideas!

Cheers,
Jessica

With the anniversary of Sept 11th approaching, our thoughts go to the memory of that tragic day and the loss our county endured.  We remember the sacrifice so many made and are reminded of the selflessness of our military, police and fire professionals who risk their lives every day to serve us. It's a time to reflect on what it means to be an American, and recognize those that protect our lives and freedom.

Do you know a police officer, fire fighter, EMT, military servicemember or veteran you want to thank for their service to our country or local community?   Below are 3 ideas of ways to honor those that serve.

Write A Letter.

Write a letter to show your appreciation.

With this technological world we live in, handwritten letters mean even more than they did in the past. Consider writing a letter, whether to a service person oversees, or to your local firefighter or police officer.  Speak from the heart to make it meaningful.  It will make their day.

Make A Donation.

There are hundreds of charitable organizations that support our military, veterans, firefighters and police officers.  Local police and fire guilds, Yellow Ribbon Fund, and Wounded Warriors Fund are just a few of the many organizations that support the heroes in our community.  Research a charity and then consider making a donation in honor of the person you are thanking.  Here is a great resource if you are looking for ideas:  Support Our Troops at Military.com.

Patriotic Awards.

We have many ideas for patriotic awards, including plaques, crystal awards, and resin trophies.

Eagles:  A popular choice for military honors are eagles; these make great patriotic awards.

Stars:  Another great choice is stars, to honor our flag.  We have many options for star awards, all of which can be engraved with your message.

Plaques:  We have a number of different plaques specific to fire, police, EMTs and military.  What is nice about a plaque is that it can be displayed on a wall and enjoyed for years to come.

What makes an award even more meaningful is the personalized engraved message you put on it.  For engraving ideas, see our page, What should my engraving say.

In honor of the anniversary of Sept 11, now is the time to thank our first responders, military, and veterans for serving our country and risking their lives day after day for our us and our families. Take action and show them how much you care!

Cheers,
Jessica