Join Robin at The Robin’s Nest to design a seasonal fresh floral arrangement. All materials are included in the cost of the class and you will design a beautiful fresh cut floral arrangement to keep, or to give as a gift. Come prepared to learn some basics of floral design and to have fun! Limit 15 students. The Robin's Nest, 173 Main St, Waterville

This interactive class can help you gain the skills and confidence you need to stretch your money, pay your bills, reduce debt, find money for savings, plan for retirement, and set personal financial goals. At the end of the class you will have a plan to achieve greater financial stability. A follow up session is also offered to provide additional networking and support. Successful completion of this class meets one of the requirements for the Family Development Account (FDA) and Rainy Day Savings (RDS) matched saving programs. Graduates of My Money Works are eligible to apply for the GEN Scholarship to be used at any of the University of Maine System campuses, Maine Community Colleges, or the University of New England. Limit 20 students.

Instructor Jean Dempster, Program Dirctor, New Ventures Maine

This class is specifically designed for the cooking challenges of Families!!!  There will be lessons in meal prep, grocery shopping, food budgeting, and nutrition. You will learn to prepare and plan healthy meals, save money at the grocery store, keep food safe, and be more physically active. We will talk about PICKY eaters, introducing new foods, and how to have your family be more involved with meal planning. Participants will receive the ingredients for the recipes we create in each class to share with your family at home. You will learn healthy new recipes and how to choose healthy foods. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a gift bag of goodies including a new cookbook. Kids are welcome to come to the last class. The teacher will send you an online survey before class starts.  Limit 10 students. 

Monday, Oct 16

Yes, breathing is different for women

The field of science and research has predominantly focused on male subjects. However, gender differences do affect breathing control and vulnerability to illness. Women recover faster from hypoxia, respond differently in sleep apnea and heart rate variability. The time for investigating respiratory health in 2,000 men and only 29 women has passed. Also discussed will be; What is dysfunctional breathing; Sleep disordered breathing; Anxiety Disorders; Women’s Hormones and sports; Asthma

Wednesday, Oct 18

Pain conditions and breathing in women

Pain perception differs depending on the concentration of sex hormones in the body, and dysfunctional breathing can aggravate pain. Also discussed will be: Fibromyalgia; Back Pain; TMJ; Migraines

Monday, Oct 23

Female sex hormones 

Women with PMS have a higher-than-normal sensitivity to CO2, perhaps caused by progesterone, resulting in “pronounced hyperventilation” - and that the hyperventilation is responsible for the PMS symptoms. That same over-breathing contributes to anxiety and can derail our stress management strategies. Also discussed will be: PMS and hyperventilation; How female hormones complicate stress management strategies; How to have deeper sexual orgasms; Anxiety during and after pregnancy; Infertility and breathing

Wednesday, Oct 25

Pelvic floor dysfunctions

The pelvic floor muscles and respiratory diaphragm are structurally and functional connected by fascia and muscles that control urine flow. Also discussed will be: The connection between the breath, pelvic floor function, and sacroiliac joint stability; Why do I pee when I sneeze or cough? How to strengthen pelvic floor muscles with Kegal exercises and stop urinary leakage; How back pain and breathing difficulties relate to pelvic floor dysfunction; How breathing coordinates with the pelvic floor to stabilize posture and improve core strength.

Monday, Oct 30

Managing menopause

Women who smoke enter menopause about a year and a half earlier than those who don’t This already points to an obvious link between menopause and overall wellbeing and, more specifically, respiratory health. Also discussed will be: Impact of hormone replacement therapies on the breath; Onset of asthma; Osteoporosis; Slow deep breathing and menopause symptoms.

Do you manage large sets of numbers, names, dates, or other pieces of information? If so, then you need to create worksheets to manage, store, organize, and even analyze this information. Excel, Microsoft’s powerful spreadsheet software, is the most widely-used program to handle this task. This course focuses on the mastering the fundamentals of Excel. You will learn how to quickly and efficiently create fully formatted worksheets, learn common formulas and functions, sorting and analyzing data, and custom charts and graphs. You will also learn the compatibility with other MS Office Suite Products. Learners will need to bring a thumb drive to class. 

A Comprehensive Course on how to regain lost energy and stamina

For women of ALL fitness levels and ages who want to regain their energy and stamina, be more active and enjoy life.

Because women are different hormonally and anatomically, they benefit from different strategies and training. For example, women’s lungs and airways are smaller than men’s of the same size. Smaller airways create air turbulence which can make it harder to breathe during exercise.

After the 4 Zoom classes, the students are invited to join a Facebook community if they wish to for continued resources and group support. Carole will continue to be available to encourage, interact with and answer questions until the end of the year. 

Tuesday, Oct 17

The ins & outs of optimal breathing

• What if you’re breathing all wrong?
• Establishing a starting point
• How to calm your breathing when you feel short-of-breath
• How to increase oxygenation to the body and brain
• The impact of hormones on your training
• What most people do wrong when exercising
• How to tell if your diaphragm is working for you, or against you

Thursday, Oct 19 

Respiratory muscle strength determines endurance

• How to build Respiratory muscle strength 
• How to breathe for optimal endurance
• Reduce shortness-of-breath when active
• What most people do wrong when exercising
• Why you fatigue

Tuesday, Oct 24

New rules for cardio and stamina

• Reduce risk of injury
• Improve oxygenation to muscles and brain
• Reduce load on the heart
• Improve body’s ability to burn fat
• What happens when people ‘Hit the wall’
• How important is stretching
• Reversibility, use it or lose it

Thursday, Oct 26

Core strength training

The concept of “Core Strength” (doing more sit-ups) misses the true foundation of Core Stability: the breath.

• How optimal breathing will improve balance
• How your posture affects your core strength and stability
• The importance of core strength 
• How to build core strength without hurting your back
• How your breathing pattern determines spinal and pelvic stability 
• Tracking your 10-week journey

This class is for those who are new to investing or would like a strategy refresher. We will discuss basic rules of investing--how to develop a plan, how to choose quality investments, how to diversify your portfolio, and most importantly how to invest for the long term, and focus on the things that YOU can control. A Zoom option is available by emailing janderson@rsu18.org after you have registered. Limit 15 students.

Back by popular demand! Don't miss your chance to join the Robin’s Nest Design Team and learn how to arrange a fresh succulent garden. All materials are included in the cost of the class and you will design a beautiful succulent garden to keep, or to give as a gift. 

Come prepared to learn the basics of plant care and to have fun!

Limit 15 students. 

Location: The Robin's Nest, 173 Main St, Waterville