Blog Posts by Charlene Prince Birkeland, Shine staff

Here at Shine, we want to celebrate the women out there who are blazing new trails, touching lives or are just being amazing every single day. Shine readers are nominating women in their communities who are are doing something extraordinary. The woman who receives the most overall votes will receive a $10,000 cash prize (great prizes are available for runners-up too).

Check out the 10 Women Who Shine nominees who are currently leading in votes.* And if you know an amazing woman who shines, you still have time to nominate her!

 (*Based on votes as of Tuesday, October 2, 2012.)

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When my oldest son was five years old, he quickly scanned the front page of the newspaper over morning breakfast and saw a huge photo of his then-favorite baseball player, Barry Bonds. In a suit. In a courtroom. The caption included the words "steroids" and "investigation," which led to lots of questions that my husband and I tried to answer as simply as possible -- "He's in big trouble because it looks like he took drugs that made him faster and stronger." Eyes furrowed, my son processed the information and clearly understood it was bad news for Bonds. The kid asked his final question: "But is it okay if I still like him?"

Breakfast discussions about steroids and baseball are at an all-time high in our household. We live in Silicon Valley and between the San Francisco Giants (our favorite team) and the Oakland A's, we have enough fodder to last us the season. But now my kid is a tween with more baseball knowledge in his young life then most adults. And his opinion of baseball

Read More »from Is There Such Thing as a Role Model in Baseball?

My favorite Olympic memories: The 1980 U.S. men's ice hockey team winning the gold; the 1984 U.S. men's volleyball team and tall glass of water, Steve Timmons, serving up aces; and that tiny spitfire, Mary Lou Retton. I also remember being mesmerized by Flo-Jo's speed around the track.

The 2012 Summer Olympics in London are set to begin on July 27. Along with the opening ceremony, we plan on watching several competitions while crashing the homes of our television-owning friends and family. The sports of choice? Diving, swimming, volleyball and gymnastics. And my 7-year-old son is pretty excited since it's the first year he really understands what it's all about.

If you're thinking about turning your kid(s) onto the Summer Olympics, here are four things they can learn from watching the games:

• Teamwork and Sportsmanship. This is a no-brainer. Watching a team sport is an awesome way to show kids how players work together -- and work hard -- for a common goal. As for individual

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Sunday Morning: Go for a hike!Weekends should be blissful, free of the crazy chaos that usually takes place Monday through Friday. But Saturdays can still be filled with shuttling the kids back and forth between practices, parties and play dates -- that antithesis of bliss. If you find yourself eager to etch out quiet, peaceful time with your family, you need a plan.

Here's one: Set aside your Sunday morning for special family time, and try one of these five mellow activities:

-Camp out! Or at least pretend you did! When you wake up, fire up the grill and pretend your camping. Serve up a delicious and healthy breakfast (bird's nest anyone?) in the backyard.

-Have a breakfast picnic in the park. Grab a blanket, pack a simple breakfast, some books and games, and walk to a nearby park for morning eats and fun with the kids.

-Walk, bike, or scoot to your local's farmer's market. Sample sweet fruits and veggies bursting with flavor.

-Go for a hike. Tour beautiful trails in your area and enjoy the sights,

Read More »from Quiet Time: 5 Free, Healthy, Whole-Family Activities for Sunday Morning