Thanks to everyone for voting for their favorite Muddy Moment. With  over 200 votes tallied, we are pleased to announce a winning duo …. Xiomara and Julia!

Congratulations! You will receive 2 Spa Admissions to Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona, plus 2 complimentary lunches at Café Solé.

And although the March Mudness contest has ended, the fun to be had certainly hasn’t! See you at Club Mud.

Xiomara and Julia

Our March Challenge is to Learn and Grow, and one way is to teach others. Who taught you how to cook?  Weekends are the perfect opportunity to bring the kids into the kitchen and share your love for cooking with the next generation. Get started with these great kid friendly recipes at Williams Sonoma.

Here are 10 reasons why you should do cooking activities with your children.

From Kids Cooking Activities

1. Learning to cook helps kids to learn about nutrition and healthy eating. They are growing up with fast food and junk food at their fingertips, which is part of the reason why child obesity is on the rise! Teaching kids to cook will help instill skills to last them a lifetime.
2. Boost their self esteem. If your child needs a boost of self confidence, (and who doesn’t!) cooking in the kitchen will do just that. They are accomplishing a task, learning something important and contributing to the family.
3. Create family time and bonding. Take time to cook with your kids and they will have memories that they, in turn, can pass on to their families. It may take a longer time to get the meal or snack done but the moments with your children will be priceless. (Just remember to have patience. Don’t worry about flour on the floor or spilled milk).
4. Kids will be more apt to eat what they make. Perhaps, it is the enthusiasm of creating something themselves, but they will be more likely to eat whatever they had a hand in making.
5. Kids learn real lessons in science, language, math and creativity. Cooking will help reinforce all these subjects! Visit What do Kids Learn While Cooking page for more information.
6. What a great way to learn life skills. This can be especially helpful when kids are on their own and won’t have to rely on fast food and junk food to sustain them.
7. They can help contribute to the family and they can feel the importance of helping.
8. They are working together as a team, whether it is with a parent or with a sibling to get the job done.
9. Cooking teaches them planning and making choices.
10. Practice creativity and imagination. Kids cooking activities are a great way to express themselves and enjoy their creations.

Make sure to cast your vote and help us choose a  grand prize winner!

To vote, please review the photos of each weeks winners  and pick your  favorite, then scroll down to the poll and click on the name that goes with your favorite mud photo. The March MUDness grand prize winner will receive 2 admission passes and 2 lunch vouchers for their next visit!

Voting ends Thursday March 31 at 11 a.m. so vote now!

Kim

Liz and Doris

Xiomara and Julia

Warren

Marvelous Mushy Mudness Makes Me Grin

This final week was all about fun with friends, smiles and big laughs! I love this event in March because it is such a blast to see how everyone approaches this muddy challenge, with pure silliness often being the end result. Some of the things people tell us that they come to Glen Ivy Hot Springs for is to relax, de-stress and achieve a sense of peace. So much can contribute to how you feel at the end of your visit, highlights may be a great massage or a float in the lounge pool, but playful moments in Club Mud are not to be overlooked. Always a favorite and memorable experience, Club Mud not only leaves your skin feeling silky soft, but your heart lifted and face smiling.

Here are some of this final week’s participants. Thanks to everyone for making this so much fun. We chose Warren S. as this week’s “Mud Marvel” and will be sending him 2 Spa Admissions!

Now its up to you to choose the Grand Prize winner. Voting will start on Monday, March 28, right here on the blog.

For more Mud Photos, visit us on Facebook. See full contest description here.

Try these simple do it yourself recipes for at home spa care, shared with us from Seraphina Ashe, Executive Spa Director, Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona.

Restful Sleep Bath: Helpful for insomnia, relief of anxiety and to soothe the soul.  Mix together 2/3 cup epsom salts with 2 tablespoons of whole milk powder.  Blend in 4-6 drops of Lavender Essential Oil and 6-8 drops of Mandarin Essential Oil.  Dissolve mixture in a warm bath, preferably surrounded by candles and soothing music…

Conditioning Hair Treatment for dry or damaged hair: Blend 2 Tablespoons warmed Coconut Butter with 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil, 4 drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil and 3 drops of Lavender Essential Oil.  Massage in to hair and scalp, cover with a shower cap and warm towel and leave on for 20 minutes or more.  Shampoo to remove.

Cuticle Oil: Blend 1 teaspoon Jojoba Oil with 5 drops of Carrot Oil and 3 drops of either Peppermint or Lavender Essential Oil.  Massage in to cuticles and leave on.

Show me the  Muddy!

We love seeing everyone have such a good time in the mud, makes us want to slip off our shoes and join you! This week we watched as Glen Ivy Hot Springs guests had fun and frolicked, each to their own tune, like the two mud swan ballerinas who take the prize this week… Congratulations to Xiomara and Julia, this week’s winner of two Glen Ivy Hot Springs spa admissions.

There is one last week to join the fun and a chance for YOU to win our March Mudness Contest! We will be snapping photos in Club Mud at Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona, Monday through Friday from 1-2 pm, all month long until March 25. Voting for the best mud photo will start on Monday, March 28, right here on the blog.

For more Mud Photos, visit us on Facebook. See full contest description here.

Join us for a very special meditation this Sunday at noon for the people of Japan, who are suffering so greatly after the earthquake and tsunami that has devastated their country.

We will be practicing a heart-centered meditation that will send Love, Compassion and Healing to our brothers and sisters in the Land of the Rising Sun. We are pleased to announce that the meditation will be lead by Craig Steven Phillips and Faye Kitariev, who will be playing the gong as accompaniment to the meditation.

As we all know, the Love, prayers and meditational energies that we intentionally send to those in Japan will be beneficial and uplifting, not only for them, but for all of humanity. This energy only increases when we send it out with focused intention in a group setting.

The meditation will be free and Glen Ivy Hot Springs will be accepting donations from guests and employees on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the American Red Cross relief efforts in Japan.  Glen Ivy will match all donations received.

We look forward to seeing you on the Front Lawn at Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona on Sunday, March 20 at noon for this special gathering.

You can imagine that as a personal trainer, I have heard every excuse in the book for not exercising.  I even have a long list of my own that I use on a far too regular basis.  I’m too busy. I’m too tired. I can’t get motivated. I’ll start tomorrow… really! Well, living in southern California, there is one excuse we can’t use, and that’s the weather. In fact, one of the biggest reasons to get outside and exercise IS the weather! With the average temperature hovering around 70°, mild winters and minimal rainfall, we live in nature’s perfect playground.  So, if you don’t find yourself motivated by the thought of walking on a lonely treadmill at the local gym, you might want to consider lacing up your shoes (combat boots not necessary), and enlisting in one of the fitness industry’s top trends in outdoor exercise—a fitness bootcamp!

Now, don’t get nervous. While you may have an image of a loud, aggressive drill sergeant two inches from your face telling you what a wimp you are, most fitness bootcamps these days are all about fun, challenge, teamwork and motivation. Many participants report that much like the camaraderie of a real bootcamp, the energy of the group motivates them to show up to class and work harder than they might on their own. And because bootcamps incorporate cardiovascular, strength training, and core conditioning, they are a great way for you to see real results from your efforts. Best of all, bootcamps require minimal equipment—often times just your own body weight along with the creative use of both nature and man made props in your environment. So, whether you are ready to sign on for basic training, or just want to test the waters with a mini boot camp of your own, here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

These days finding a bootcamp in your area is easy. While many gyms have added this format to their group exercise schedule, oftentimes instructors and personal trainers lead their own classes at local beaches and parks.  Their information is readily available by simply searching, “fitness bootcamps in (your town)” on the internet.  A word of caution here: Do a bit of research before showing up.  With names ranging from Basic Weight Loss Bootcamp to Extreme Warrior Bootcamp, you want to be sure that the philosophy and intensity level matches what you are looking for.  I recently watched, from the comfort of my beach chair, a group of people repeatedly lift and drop what looked like a telephone pole, until the pole won out. Not really my idea of fun, but they seemed to be loving the challenge!

Try Your Own Mini Boot Camp

Ok, not ready to pack your duffel yet? What I love most about this workout approach is that you can easily “boot” up your usual walking or running routine by adding a few simple exercises along your training route. Next time you’re out, look around for various props that you could transform into exercise stations. Here are a few examples:

• Park benches and low walls: These are great places to stop for a core “plank” or a set of push-ups. Place your hands on the edge of the bench shoulder width apart, then step your feet back to form a plank position. Beginners can hold this position for 30 seconds, while others can do a set of 10-15 push-ups.
• Stairs or bleachers: There is no better way to raise your heart rate and tone your legs at the same time than to walk or run up a flight of stairs. Time yourself for 30 seconds to a minute, and be sure recover with a slow walk or jog in between sets.
• Curbs and rocks: Great for balance training. Walk a curb like a tight rope, or stand on a rock with your feet close together as you raise your arms over head. If your balance is good, stand on one leg.
• Sandy beaches or playing fields: If you hit the beach for your walks, venture into the dry sand for intervals of fast walking or running. Playing fields are also great for wind sprints or running in different directions like sideways and backwards.

Anywhere along the exercise continuum, from beginner to seasoned athlete, motivation can be hard to come by. Mixing up your routine and bumping up the intensity—two things bootcamps are famous for—can often be just what you need to feel re-energized.  But beyond the physical benefits, studies show that exercising out of doors in a natural environment is associated with increased feelings of wellbeing and positive engagement, alongside a decrease in feelings of anger and depression. So, with spring in the air, why not recruit a friend to give bootcamp style fitness a try.  With a climate that the U.S. Weather Bureau describes as the “most nearly perfect in America,” it would be a shame for you to let it all go to waste!

To your health,

Meg Root

Did you know Glen Ivy Hot Springs now has chickens?  We do! Their coop is up near the Landscaping & Sustainability Team’s loft office and greenhouses, just behind the new Rancho Uva area.  Why chickens, you wonder?  Live animals not only create an ambiance to connect our team to nature and the earth, the chickens also symbolize our direct connection to food through their eggs!  As the Landscaping & Sustainability team continues our tradition of stewardship of the land, they also undertake this sense of responsibility and care taking for these animals, which in turn, will help their team in their efforts around the Spa.

“Chicken manure is one of the best fertilizers around,” says Patrick Mitchell, Glen Ivy’s Director of Landscapes & Sustainability.  “It’s a great resource for the Landscaping team in that regard to nurture our plants and also to assist in our ongoing composting program.  Chickens help the process by picking at and eating items such as avocado peels that are a little harder to break down.”

Patrick also shares that the chickens will be part of the team.  “They’re being put to work!” he says, explaining that a chicken tractor (a mobile coop) will be made by his team to allow the chickens to feed on weeds and insects in specific plots of land, turn the soil with their feet and fertilize that area for future growth.

Name that Coop Contest:

Now that you know why they’re here, we need your help.  Our wonderful chickens need a name for their lovely coop created by the Maintenance Team.  We’re looking for fun, creative names for their home – especially those that have ties to our location or history and spa.  Submit your best name as a comment below by April 1 and our Sustainability Team will pick their favorite to paint on the coop!

Storytelling has been a part of every culture as a means of education, entertainment, and cultural preservation since the beginning of civilization. Great storytellers are prominent members of society and honored for the wisdom they hold. Parents play this role with their children, using stories to teach them about life and their family.

Each of us has something to share: knowledge, ideas, skills, and of course, our personal history. It is easy to get wrapped up in our own everyday, but we can learn so much from others to help with the decisions and challenges of our own lives. Think about the people in your family and who you might like to know more about. Ask an older relative about their life growing up, what they know of family history, and to tell you about what interests them and why. Learning more about someone, what they have experienced and who they are, will deepen your connection and you may also learn a bit about yourself in the process. In turn you will be able to share what you learn with a child or sibling. Or maybe you will get inspired to start a family history…

And what about you, are you a storyteller? Family time is always a precious commodity and even richer when we open ourselves to sharing, teaching and mentoring. Be sure to also listen and invite questions, you will be surprised at the joy and fun of discovery. This is not a new concept to any of us, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the simplest ways to learn and grow.

Not sure where to start? Connect with a family member who has a common interest or something unique. You might ask your grandmother to show you how to make her favorite recipes and you will pass these on to your children. Or maybe a cousin or an aunt to teach you to knit (all the rage, don’t you know), or seek your grandfather’s advice on gardening. You never know what you may learn, or how you may grow…

“Last week, I asked my grandmother to share some of her recipes with me and my children. It was a fun way to get her and the children talking about her life because they were able to associate what she was telling us about her past with what we were making in the kitchen. She told us stories about their family suppers, and about her children (my aunts and uncles) when they were young. In those moments I could see wonder and understanding on my children’s faces, I don’t think they had thought of her as ever being any age but what she is today!” — Amanda W.