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Mom of the Month - Lynn Beukema

Meet Lynn our exploring Mama who loves traveling, eating, hiking and the excitement of finding new experiences! If there was one word to describe her it would be "Conscientious", and we know that all of the insects that have found their way into her home can vouch for this with all of their lives that she has saved...except for those pesky mosquitos and black widows that didn't make the cut!

Hometown: Oakton, Va

How long have you lived in Orange County? It’s been forever now…since about a year after college…

Tell us about your family: I have two boys with birthdays in October. Alex will soon be turning 6, and William will be three.

Current/Previous career: Secondary English teacher (almost exclusively in middle school, but I have not gone back to the classroom post baby/Covid).

What did you want to be “when you grow up”? Everything: an astronaut, a surgeon, a marine biologist, an opera singer, an environmental lawyer, a journalist

What is the furthest you have been away from home? Not sure…Cuba? Finland? Alaska? Greece?

What is your favorite thing to do? Explore. Through traveling, eating, hiking, etc. New experiences excite me!

What is something about you that someone may not know? I’m artistically inclined. I played the piano and flute and was heavily involved in theater and music as a child and all the way through high school and college.

What is your favorite local restaurant to eat at? What is your go to order? Coastal Kitchen. It reminds me of being back East where I grew up. Their crab cakes are really delicious.

What is the best thing about living in Orange County? Being able to go to the beach on any day and at any time (with the kids or without).

What is your favorite color? Crimson…like the color of a really good glass of red wine.

What is your favorite song or artist? Such an impossible question for someone with eclectic taste, so I’ll just say that my favorite song for the family is our “making dinner” dance song, Sergio Mendes’ “Magdalena” — it’s infectious.

What TV shows are you currently watching? “The Summer I Turned Pretty” ( Season 2/ Amazon), “The Witcher” (Netflix), “And Just Like That“ (HBO)

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us or what is your pet peeve? I love insects and save all of the ones that crawl in my house ( except for mosquitos and black widows but I still feel badly about having my husband eliminate those).

If someone had to describe you in one word, what would it be and why? Conscientious: I try to do my best by others, my kids, and our planet as much as possible. I want our children to grow up to become happy people with good hearts who support and contribute to a better world.

How did you find FIT4MOM South OC? It was actually Halloween, and I was on my morning walk in the harbor with my son, William. I saw Caralee and Sarah dressed up in costumes with their kids on the lawn, and they waved me over and invited me to join them.

How has FIT4MOM South OC changed your life? Being able to get out and about with my toddler has been invaluable. I look forward to and enjoy working out in the fresh air with all of the other moms who are going through so many the same things I am (or just did). I find both my mental and physical health have benefited.

What was the first class that you attended? What was the last class that you attended? As I mentioned, my first class was in Dana Point on Halloween a little over a year ago, and my last class was with Amanda this past week.

What is your favorite workout move or class layout? What workout move or class layout makes you feel strong? My favorite workout classes are those that combine working out and an ocean view…you really can’t beat that! And my favorite moves are anything involving cross body movements or that require both balance and strength at the same time.

What is your favorite scary movie? I don’t know if they really qualify as scary, but “Sleepy Hollow” (with a young, cute Johnny Deep) and ”Silence of the Lambs” with amazing performances by Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins are both definitely very “creepy” movies!

What is your favorite Halloween Candy? If you’re talking chocolate, probably Snickers or Reese’s Pieces, and Sour Patch Kids or Swedish Fish for fruity, (but really as you can probably tell, I’m a fan of most candy).

What was your favorite Halloween costume that you've ever dressed up as? When I was about nine or ten I dressed up as a scary monster. My “mask” was a homemade thick,bumpy, green concoction of oatmeal (and goodness knows what else) plastered to my face with black outlines around my eyes and mouth… it was awesome because absolutely no one in my whole neighborhood knew who I was at all.