The Modern Art Museum is brilliantly presenting Modern Kids-Summer Flicks: Selected Short Films from the New York International Children’s Film Festival.  Admission is free and open to the public.  Join them to see some of the award-winning animated short films.   August 1st and 2nd at 11am, these will be the geared toward ages 3-5, while the films at 2pm are for ages 5 and up.  On August 3^rd at 2pm, they will be showing Eleanor’s Secret, and it is perfect for all ages!  The air conditioning will be on and is so cold that you might even need a sweater!  Click here for more information!

On August 5^th head to the Kimbell Art Museum’s education studios to listen to cool tunes and create colorful and inventive mixed media art works inspired by Matisse, Klee, Kandinsky and other modern artists who also loved music.  They will be looking for you anytime from 10am-5pm!

Lost Oak Winery is holding their 9^th annual Harvest Fiesta & Grape Stomp on the evening of August 12^th.  Your family will enjoy Live Music, Food Trucks, Texas Wine and Stomping Grapes!  The fun will take place from 5pm-9pm.  Don’t miss it!

REEL Adventures: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is coming to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on August 12 and 19 and September 9 and 15. Dress up and dabble in some tournament activities before the showing of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the Omni Theater. Purchase tickets and get more information here. Members can call 817-255-9540 to receive their discount.

A Back to School Yoga class is being held at Urban Yoga for ages 11-14 on Saturday, August 12 from 3pm-5pm.  The class will teach meditation and stress relieving techniques for all levels of yoga students. Help your kids get ready to go back to school.  You can sign them up here!

Another way to stay cool this August is to block the sun with the moon!  The solar eclipse is coming on August 21^st at 11:40am.  The Downtown Fort Worth Public Library is hosting a Solar Eclipse Crafts event the day before.  On August 20^th, anytime between 1pm-3pm stop by and make your own eclipse viewer plus other solar themed crafts and fun.  Call (817-392-7745) for more information.

Any children interested in BMX Bike racing would like to know that Greg Hill is coming to town.  He is a five-time Pro World Champion with 250 Pro wins and 10 USA National Pro Titles. He will be holding a coaching/training session on August 19 and 20.  Children as young as 5 can take lessons to become a BMX racer, right here in Fort Worth.  The Texas State Championship will be here August 25^th. Cowtown BMX is located at 447 Haltom Rd., Fort Worth, Texas, 776117.  Call 817-834-0279 for more information.  The weather is hot, but it is so cool to have this BMX racer in town!

It’s August in Texas! Embrace the heat.  It’s not going anywhere, but your family can!  Fort Worth is prepared with cool fun options for y’all!  Have fun and stay safe everybody!

Tricia Schniederjan is a Fort Worth girl born and raised. Tricia is a runner, scuba diver, snow and water skier, hiker, and kayaker.  Her love of exploring has taken her on many adventures with her 5 children which has led to her becoming an expert at traveling with children. She is a UT Austin graduate, an optimist, a peace keeper, and an enjoyer of life.

The post Fun in the Fort: August 2017 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

When you can hardly squeeze a workout into your day, taking time to focus on flexibility may feel like, well, a stretch.  But did you know that regular stretching is just as important as regular exercise?

I’ve asked my fellow Lululemon Ambassadors and yoga instructors, Taylor Matus and Tiffany Denny, to share with all of us what they would consider great daily stretches for anyone at any fitness level, for any activity.  Check out their suggestions and give them a try!

Taylor Matus:  Indigo Yoga Instructor

If I’m looking for some quick yet effective poses to bust out, these are at the top of my list:

Ragdoll – Forward folds are great because they open the entire back half of your body. You can bend your knees as much as you need (especially if your hamstrings are tight) and take a wider stance with your feet for more stability.

Extended Side Angle – This targets a lot of places at once – specifically your thighs, glutes, hips, and sides. Fantastic way to get a sincere stretch throughout your entire body.

Camel – Back bends are where it’s at for reversing the effects of poor posture/slumping. This pose can also be done standing or in a chair. Simply support the back of your hips with your fists, engage your core, and extend your spine up and slightly back. Shoulders come down away from your ears and your head can go back as far as is comfortable.

Legs Up the Wall – This pose is an Inversion, meaning your feet are above your hips, and your hips are above your heart (hence you see a block underneath my tailbone). Inversions reverse the flow of blood in the body (read: very therapeutic) and are referred to as “the fountain of youth” by traditional yoga systems. Hooray for that! Stay in this pose for at least 3 minutes to get the most  benefit.  You can also literally do this pose with your legs up against a wall.

Tiffany Denny:  Three Tree Yoga

Here are some great poses for stretching.

Thoracic opener over a roll: Use a rolled up mat, blanket, or whatever else you find that you can place under your shoulder blades, and relax your arms out to the sides. For other variations, you can take your feet together and knees apart, and you can grab opposite forearms and reach them over your head.

Lizard Pose: Lunge one leg forward, then place forearms on the ground or on a support of some kind on the inside of your front leg. You could add a twist, and if it feels good, you could bend your knee and grab your foot with the opposite hand for a quad/hip flexor stretch.

Gate Pose: Kneel and stretch one leg out to the side. Sideband in the direction of your extended leg and either stretch your top arm overhead or put your top hand behind your head (so your shoulder doesn’t get pinched).

Thread the Needle: From all fours, thread one arm under the other and put your shoulder and the side of your head on the ground. You could stretch one leg out to the side as well.

Keep breathing and happy stretching!!!

Jennifer Kieta is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She graduated from Texas Tech University and has lived in Fort Worth since 1996.  Jennifer worked as a Child Life Specialist at Cook Children’s Medical Center for 9 years before becoming a full-time mommy to her two daughters. She currently serves as a worship leader alongside her husband at Christ Chapel Bible Church.  In the fall of 2014, Jennifer started training and soon became a spin instructor for Zyn22, a boutique spin studio here in Fort Worth.  Her love of and belief in taking care of your mind, soul, and body has always been a priority, and she looks forward to sharing that love with her community!

The post Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale… first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Attention moms and dads of Fort Worth!  If you haven’t heard of Mr. Mateo and PoserKids Yoga yet, let me tell you, exciting things are happening.  He’s the latest version of Mr. Rogers, and he’s located right here in Fort Worth. Mr. Mateo has found his calling and is teaching amazing things to our children in multidisciplinary formats that are educational and entertaining at the same time.

Next week (August 1^st-5^th) is the 4^th annual PoserCamp.  If you have children between the ages of 4-10, I highly recommend signing them up.  It’s the SXSW of camps in FW.  He’s bringing in all kinds of guests, from musicians to balloon artists, and he entertains and teaches with a variety of fitness and nutrition.  The main focus of these camps is the PoserPromises.  These are 4 core values the kids learn and pledge to follow.  Your children will pledge to listen, be respectful, do their best, and have fun.   On Monday, all values will be introduced, and the following days will focus on each one individually.  Incorporating these values, they will participate in a very diverse mix of activities.  Mr. Mateo will introduce the kids, through guest teachers, to 5 different types of fitness and 5 different creative arts. There is something new every day to help connect the core value of the day.

The camps are from 8 am to 12pm, with drop off/ pick-up at the Clearfork Food Truck Park off University.  The address is 1541 Merrimac Circle.  Lunch (campers will learn to prepare their own lunch) and snacks are included, plus everyone will receive a T-shirt as well!

If you have an incoming kindergartener or 1^st grader at Tanglewood, my sons and some of their friends will be there and would love to meet yours before school starts.  So, call Mr. Mateo at 214-236-2968 to sign up, or you can email any questions to info@poserkidsyoga.com.    Check out PoserKids on Instagram for more information @poserkidsyoga

Tricia Schniederjan is a Fort Worth girl born and raised, Tricia is a runner, scuba diver, snow and water skier, hiker, and kayaker.  Her love of exploring has taken her on many adventures with her 5 children which has led to her becoming an expert at traveling with children. She is a UT Austin graduate, an optimist, a peace keeper, and an enjoyer of life.

The post PoserKids at PoserCamp first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

On July 27, SoulSpace Yoga Community on West 7^th will celebrate their one-year anniversary. Long-time yoga practitioners Shannon Haddaway and Lauren Wessinger wanted to create a healing and reinvigorating space, a community, a home for those who are seeking a healing and reinvigorating space, a community, and a home. As Lauren says, they had a “vision of a space that you could walk into and know, even for just an hour, that I’ve got this. I can do this thing called life.” They have admirably succeeded.

SoulSpace is a welcoming and safe place for all levels of yoga students; the nervous beginner and the most advanced disciple will find that they are encouraged, challenged, and empowered. The space is mindfully designed – from the tea lounge with colorful and comfortable pillows to the serene white studio with light wood floors, white walls, and light fixtures that float like clouds above you. There are two infrared saunas in which you can relax while easing muscle and joint pain and sweating out toxins. There are two shower/changing rooms that are stocked with green beauty products. (SoulSpace is as green as is possible – they do not sell plastic bottles of water and even the cleaning products are green.)

When I interviewed her, Lauren was justifiably proud that they have a very low teacher turnover. She and Shannon are mindful that they are present for each other, their teachers, and their community. The majority of their teachers have been with SoulSpace since the beginning, creating a true community that supports its members. All of their teachers are exquisitely trained and continue to keep the motto “always a student.” This community energy extends to SoulSpace’s students, who are welcomed and supported through their journey.

To celebrate one year of business, SoulSpace will be offering free classes all day on Wednesday, July 27. Lauren and Shannon are planning several surprises, so check back on their website and Facebook page for more information!

In addition to celebrating their one-year anniversary, SoulSpace is also thrilled to invite you to join them for the Sweet Summer Weekend Yoga Retreat at The Harbor on Possum Kingdom Lake from August 5 through August 7. Lauren told me that “we can’t all get away for a week and fly thousands of miles away, but we can drive an hour for a weekend’s retreat.” As in the studio, all levels of yoga students are welcome. The weekend promises to be a rejuvenating and restorative time with yoga classes on Saturday and Sunday (Friday night, too, if the interest is there), paddleboard yoga on the lake (think savasana floating on the water), nightly meditation, as well as the luxurious rooms and gourmet meals at the Harbor. All are welcome, so click here to register.

For those of you seeking that healing and reinvigorating space, that community, that home, SoulSpace Yoga Community is here for you.

Lee DuBose is a jack of all trades, master of none. She has been a bank teller, a chef and caterer (both in restaurants and in private service), a bookkeeper, a trainer, a legal assistant, and a writer. She is a proud graduate of the University of the South with a degree in Early European History. She planned to be a professor but realized in the nick of time that professors have homework, which she never did when she was a student, so what made her think that she would do it as a professor? While she has not used her degree in her, er, varied employment history, she is fabulous at cocktail parties. Most importantly, Lee is the proud single mother of two absolutely amazing girls, to whom she refers in social media as the Girlchildren.

The post Community and Love at SoulSpace Yoga first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Hi. My name is Rebecca Butler.

I grew up in Fort Worth. I left for college in Austin in the 90s. And then I stayed. For 17 years, I stayed.
Yoga became a cornerstone of my life in Austin. It was a tumultuous ride there. I was married, divorced,
scandalously pregnant with the new boyfriend’s son, fired, hired, the master of a huge, somewhat
successful career chock-full-of-loneliness and shame and more…
Yoga was my path to peace. Throughout all of that turmoil, yoga felt like home. On my mat, there was
bliss, but a healthier variation than what I found in the bars on the weekends. On my mat, there was
forgiveness, but a profound variation that created compassion for my mistakes and the needs of my soul.
On my mat, there was freedom, but a self love based variation that allowed me to move past shame and
humiliation.
I came home to FW because my mom was sick and getting sicker — to the point of her needing more
help than my dad alone could provide. And my heart told me I would never forgive myself if I didn’t make
the necessary moves to be there for her. I will never regret that decision.
When I decided to leave my Austin-based, six-figure, twelve-year advertising and marketing career to
come back to FW so that I could be a better mom and a better daughter, I felt the deepest sense of peace
I’d ever felt. And so, I tacked onto that leap leaving the corporate world and becoming a full time yoga
teacher.
In the beginning, I taught at Indigo Yoga. Later, I opened, managed and taught at Karmany Yoga, all while building my reputation as a teacher based in my rigorous and acrobatic approach to my yoga practice.

Meanwhile, my mom’s health continued to decline. I learned so much from her in those days of her life
slipping through her fingers. She was brave but she became braver. The depth of her integrity and fearlessness astounded me. She called to her bedside, one by one, each loved one, whether estranged or not, and told them how much she loved them. She held space for her family who was so terrified to let her go, yet who also wanted nothing to do with prolonging her agony.

My mom died of ALS in 2012.

In witnessing her ability to soften in the face of her challenges, to become more loving despite her fears, I
was amazed at the paradox of life I discovered. Many of my students wanted to learn how to press from
an arm balance to a handstand, but I was learning that self care, of all varieties, was every bit as
important as pushing the performance edge. I was learning the importance of accepting and cherishing
the moment exactly as it is, because it just might be your last. I was learning that the most noble thing we
can do is learn to find joy in the face of despair, and to offer that joy freely to those around us.
And so, the base of what I taught in my classes began to shift. My approach to yoga, both practicing and
teaching, became one of pure honesty. Sometimes life sucks. But we can choose joy in the face of it
anyways. Sometimes in order to find joy, we need a handstand. But sometimes, we just might need a
super gentle hip opener that feels like a hug from a best friend instead.

And then, I opened The Sanctuary Yoga Room in 2014.

In the spirit of celebrating each breath, each moment, every element of our mobility with kindness and joy, I’ve been able to cultivate a menagerie of classes, workshops, series, and trainings that promote well-being for all ages, working in conjunction with an amazing collection of like-minded souls. This is what yoga means to me now. The union of body, mind and spirit at every age.

This summer we are offering kids yoga. We are calling the 4 week long sessions Grow. Because kids
need yoga too! These camps are taught by Laura Tucker for kids ages 4-11. Here are some details.
These sessions coincide with our 915am classes. Kids go to the gym for yoga while moms go to the
studio. A win for everyone!

Session 1: Mon, June 6 – Fri, June 10
Session 2: Mon, Jul 11- Fri, Jul 15
Session 3: Mon, Jul 25 – Fri, Jul 29
Session 4: Mon, Aug 8 – Fri, Aug 12
Time: 9-1030a.
Location: R-4 gym (attached to The Sanctuary Yoga Room)
Cost (per session): $150 for non-members; $125 for members (15% discount for multiples, siblings only)
Drop in: $35 (no discount for drop ins)
Ages: 4-11
Format: Laura will teach the 4-7 year olds 45 minutes of yoga while the rest engage in supervised arts and crafts and games. Then the 2 groups will switch and the 8-11 year olds will take yoga while the others play in a similar fashion.

Laura Tucker is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Intern under the supervision of Emily Michero and a
Nationally Certified Counselor. Laura earned her master’s degree in Counseling and Development in
2015 from Texas Woman’s University. Laura is also a Registered Yoga Teacher-200 hour. She has been
teaching yoga to students of all ages for over two years. She became certified to teach Kids Yoga this
spring via Radiant Beginnings Yoga in Denver, CO.

This summer, we are also offering yoga geared towards teenage girls. Goodness gracious, I wish
something like this had been around when I was a teenager. It’s called G. R. A. C. E, which stands for
Girls Responding to Adolescence with Compassion and Encouragement. Here is the description of the series from Emily & Laura, the facilitators:
“We have a passion for working with teenage girls and a profound respect for the unique struggle they
face in 2016. Unfortunately teens today are bombarded with social and media influences that minimize
their internal worth and inner experiences. The yearning for perfection transcends body image, many girls are consumed with fear about how there are perceived academically, socially, and in social media.
This group is meant to be safe environments where teen girls can connect with their own bodies.”
When: Thursdays 1:30- 3:30 June 30th- August 18th
Who: Teen girls ages 15-18
Where: The Sanctuary Yoga Room 5808 Edwards Ranch Rd. Ft. Worth, TX 76109
Enrollment is all session is highly encouraged to enhance cohesiveness of the group. Late registration will
be considered on a case to case basis.
Cost: $320.00 by June 15th or $50.00 per session.

A unique yoga group experience for teen girls to connect with each other and their bodies.
In each of the groups we strive to create a non-competitive atmosphere in which girls are able to feel safe
and not judged. We want this group to be an escape of the struggles of every day life. Each week the girls
will participate in developmentally sensitive yoga and/or an alternative group activity. Activities beyond
yoga will include writing workshop, expressive arts, horse therapy experience, and introduction to
meditation.

Emily Michero is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and has over a decade of clinical
experience working with children and adolescents. Emily earned her Master’s in counseling from TCU in
2005 and PhD in counseling and counselor education from UNT in 2016. Emily is also an avid yoga
practitioner who is currently working towards her RYT-200 in order to incorporate yoga into her clinical
practice.

To register and/or find out more info, contact Emily Michero at 682.551.2384

We also are hosting a series for yogis/women/men hoping to become parents.

It’s presented by Whitney Myers, titled Heal > Hope > Bump > Loss.

Heal happens on June 18th. Here is a description of what can be expected from Whitney directly.

“When I lost my first pregnancy in 2011 and then my second months after, my responses to those losses were entirely different. But there were things that linked them: an overwhelming sense of isolation, a profound disconnection between mind and body, and a barrage of continually shifting, volatile emotions. The one constant, sustaining grace I experienced was my yoga practice and community. Yoga became my tether, my mat the only place I felt safe to breathe. And the people I was surrounded by on my mat encouraged me to feel, to resist numbing out, to grieve, and to continually choose faith over fear.
For years I have dreamed of offering this workshop simply because it comes straight from my heart. It is created because of loss, yet rooted in hope and aims to bring voice to the silence that so often surrounds the experience of losing a pregnancy. This two-hour forum is for you-those of you who have experienced miscarriage and pregnancy loss as mothers, as fathers, as partners, or as family support system. Please come practice with me cradled in our Sanctuary-a copper-encased community of love and earth and healing. I can’t know what you feel or how your heart grieves, but I can offer my experience. I can hold space for us to breathe together and move our bodies in small ways that feel good. And I can assure you that you are most definitely not alone. Your experience and your baby matter.”

DATE: June 18th, Saturday
WHERE: The Sanctuary Yoga Room
WHEN: 1:30-3:30pm
BRING: Journal, water, and questions.
WEAR: Loose, comfortable clothing
COST: $35 before June 14th/$40 after

I know you’re busy. Please be sure and do something special just for you today. Take a bath. Take a walk. Drink a glass of whatever your favorite beverage is. Be kind to yourself. You really are doing the best you can. And you’re an incredible mom. We need to hear that a lot and somehow no one can ever say it enough, You’re an incredible mom. You’re doing a great job. You are loved and appreciated.

Moms are very important to Rebecca Butler. She is the mother of a teenage
boy and a 4 year old daughter. She is also a daughter of a deceased mom, who was her very best friend and, to this day, is one of her greatest influences and sources of inspiration. She is also the Owner and Creator of Abundant Joy at The Sanctuary Yoga Room, a humble and happy yoga teacher (at the RYT 500 hour level), published author, inspirational speaker, retreat leader, and entrepreneur.

The post Health and Healing at The Sanctuary Yoga Room first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.