Life by Cynthia

UPDATE - Started off with 3 pairs at the original blog post date. We are now up to 13. If you "know me-know me" you get that Volleyball is a BIG deal for me and mine. I grew up with the sport and am THRILLED that my 13-year-old son is doing so too. I fell in love in middle school. Eventually playing on my high school team. Countless hours of pepper with my BFF during off season. Total rec rat status. Finding open gym and staying from open to close.... When in school, waiting for the last bell was torture. All I wanted to do was go volleyball practice already. Drawing volleyballs on my Pee-Chee folders and book covers while in class was my favorite way to pass the time.  This was the 1980's after all so pen to paper. In my case doodling on my folders and book covers. No iPhones for us. Our electronic devices were simple: a handheld  Mattel football game and an Atari gaming console - both not allowed in school. Volleyball merch? Keychains, stickers, magazines... if I saw it

Hello! I am reaching out to garner support for the kids at my son's school. I  hope that you will consider shopping with us!  Our 2023 Fall Fundraiser  began on Friday September 8th and will continue through Monday September 25th. As for myself, I am doing double duty with this fundraiser! I am supporting our school AND getting some Holiday gifts for my friends and family! Gift wrap and gourmet goodies included!  Here are a few of my favorites! For my plant-loving Mom: Distracted by Plants Shopper $22 For Sis (or Me!) : Bento Style Bamboo Lunch Box $14 To share at the office: Gourmet Truffle Assortment $28 For Music Teacher/Music Lover/Planner Lover Music Notes Paper Clips

I have been a mom for 13 years now. I thank God every single day that I received the gift of motherhood. I was nearly 40 at the time of my son's birth. I had a high risk pregnancy. There were frequent prenatal visits, tests, test RESULTS... Results that led to Prenatal Genetic Counseling to discuss risks, options... It was a scary time.  I've never talked much about that experience. Instead, I keep it quiet as I humble myself and keep gratitude top of mind. My heart aches to know that things can and do end differently. I know how fortunate I am to have a positive outcome. I know that my child is a miracle. My miracle. I want to move through this life as a mother always trying (through my actions) to somehow deserve this role, this child. My son. Was I overprotective? In some cases, yes. In others, no. It's silly to me now how I perceived risks. I put a helmet on my 2 year old when he rode his first tricycle. I look at the video now and see how my child was careful and slow,

I will be a 3rd-time attendee and am very excited to "get up to speed on the latest and greatest in fitness, nutrition, apparel, education and services" as described on the IDEA website!  I was at the 2016 for I DEA World Fitness/BlogFest in Los Angeles and then again in 2018 in San Diego.  I will not be attending sessions or programming. I didn't hear any buzz about BlogFest this year - which was geared for social sharers like myself. This year I be visiting the Expo, which that in itself is AMAZING! The energy flowing at Idea World is life-giving! Honestly, there are so MANY people, products, brands, ideas, and stories all geared for improved quality of life. All things that align with me and my life goals. You will be inspired. Once upon a time I was young, healthy, fit, and full of energy. Destroyed by trauma from a car accident, chronic stress, hormones (peri-menopause), etc. - - - I find myself here in my 50's lacking in the vitality that I once had.  I am on

VoloKidsSD Beach Volleyball Program Summer 2023 My son is a participant in the  VoloKids San Diego Youth Beach Volleyball Summer 2023 Program. We wanted to share a recap of our experience. FREE youth volleyball programs are hard to come by. In fact, this was the first that I have found.  Please let me know in the comments if you know of any others in San Diego and surrounding areas. I have found that there are open gyms in San Diego where you can play for free. You would need to know fundamental volleyball skills.  It can be tough to even get on the court since they can often be crowded and a bit cliquey (depending on where you go that is). The open gyms  do not offer instruction for kids to learn the game. With the VoloKids program, the kids get an introduction as as well as hands on instruction with dedicated coaches. The beach volleyball program is co-ed and open to kids that are 5 to 13 years old. It's a great way to introduce the little ones to the sport. The coaching staf

The 2023 San Diego Parks & Recreation City-Wide Youth Volleyball Tournament took place on June 21 at the Balboa Park Activity Center. The event was sponsored by the  San Diego Parks Foundation . The co-ed championship games included 24 teams across 3 divisions: 12U, 14U, and 16U. Each division competes in an 8 team, single elimination bracket. Pictured below is the 14U Tournament Champions: The Hourglass Phantoms led by Coach Christeen . The Phantoms advanced to the championship game by defeating the  North Park Aztecs  2-0 in game 1 and the  Paradise Hills Panthers  2-0 in game 2. The final matchup was against their sister team, the Hourglass Nightmare. The Phantoms were victorious with a 2-1 win to claim the championship.  Hourglass Phantoms 2023 San Diego City-Wide Youth Tournament Champions 14U DIV Pre-Tournament check-in: The Phantoms are ready!  Many thanks to volunteer coach Christeen for sharing her love of volleyball, her time, and her talent with the Phantoms! #zerot