North Texas Kids December 2010 Issue

North Texas Your Family Guide to Raising Happy, Healthy Kids FREE

www.northtexaskids.com

nn ,

Ag

e1 4

December 2010

a,

Ag

e4

a ry Ma

n

n,

Ag e1

0

ia Ar

n,

10

Ag e1 4

ti a ris Ch

Ag

e

n

a, yd a J

nu

sh

a,

Ag e4

le De

A

In this issue: Eight Books Every Mom Should Read With Her Daughter / Reduce Holiday Stress / Great Gifts / Family Art Therapy / Holiday Photos that Keep on Giving / December Calendar of Events

2

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

3

Contents December

l

Volume 8 No. 12

8

18

11

6

Reduce Holiday Stress

16

Enrichment Guide

11

Craft: Stars Galore!

7

Holiday Photos That Keep On Giving

19

December Calendar of Events

11

Winter Winter-Wahoo Word Search

21

Emma’s Restaurant Review

13

New Year's Fun!

21

Alexandria’s Book Review

17

A Chubby Little Snowman

22

Family Resource Guide

22

Holiday Word Scramble

22

Focus On Our Advertiser: Mathnasium

8

12

Eight Books Every Mom Should Read With Her Daughter

Family Art Therapy

14

Holiday Gift Guide

18

The Magic of Narnia

All new registrations in December will receive "101 Ways to Say Thank You." Go to www.NorthTexasKids.com today to sign up!

4

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

Note from the Publisher

Minette Riordan, Ph.D.

Reflections As we finish our 8th year in print, I am looking back to when I started Collin County Kids in 2003 and what motivated me. I wanted to start my own business so that I could have the time and flexibility to be with my kids more and take an active role in their lives, while at the same time having a life of my own. I don't know that I have always managed that gracefully.

As the magazine grew from a small quarterly newspaper to the North Texas Kids you see today, time I spent working grew with it. I have spent this year reflecting on my family, my health and my business and how to make all three work together more effectively. I can honestly say it is better today than in January but by no means perfect.

As I am writing this column, I am only about 3 weeks away from running a half marathon.

This Saturday, I have to do an eleven mile training run. Yikes!

My attitude is very different with this half than my first two. I find it easier to push through the pain. I know I can do this. I am determined to do it in the same amount of time as the last one

(may not happen given that I am heavier and not in nearly as good running shape as I was 4 years ago.) What the experience with my business and running have taught me is that perseverance is what matters, right along with flexibility and creativity. Getting clear about what matters, making it a priority but being flexible in how it all gets managed is what has allowed me to endure as a business owner and push through those long miles on the Chisolm trail. I promise to post pictures of me crossing the finish line on our blog. The run is December 5th, cross your fingers!

As you find yourself contemplating the last 12 months or the last 12 years, what do you see? As you prepare for 2011, what are your hopes and dreams for you, your kids, your spouse? Are you just trying to get by? Are you waiting for the economy to get better? Hoping for a new job to show up? Or are you celebrating all of the small moments of brilliance, flashes of success, the

doesn't stop after Thanksgiving. So think positive, be grateful, be silly, do what it takes to put your happy face on for at least a few minutes every day. Mother-in-Law coming to visit? You might have to paint your happy face on but I know you can get creative about it. There is a great article on Managing Holiday Stress on page 6.

I encourage you to enjoy every moment of the holiday season, no matter how you celebrate or what

Publisher/Editor

Minette Riordan minette@northtexaskids.com

Web/Media Designer

Brad Dobson bdobson@northtexaskids.com

Editor of Sports Scoop Mike Kravik

mike@northtexaskids.com

Office/Sales Manager Heidi Schlabs

heidi@northtexaskids.com

Account Executives

Creative Dir. /Designer Brittany Allen

2nd Story Design brittany@2ndstorydesign.com

Printed by

and free time. Do something, anything just for you. For me, that can be as simple as finding time to write in my journal or have coffee with a girl friend.

We've tried to include some lighter, more fun articles this month. Our calendar is chock full

Midway Press, Dallas Tx

Mailing Address

Scissortail Publishing

700 E. Park Blvd. #110 Plano, Texas 75074

Phone

972-516-9070

Fax

972-516-9048

holiday you are celebrating. Take time out to enjoy family, friends

Cindy Johnson Gail Kirkland Nancy Luttinger

North Texas Kids is a Division of Scissortail Publishing LLC. North Texas Kids is published 12 times a year.

Copyright 2010 by North Texas Kids©. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission prohibited. North Texas Kids encourages your submission of articles, children’s artwork, photographs and ideas. We reserve the

of outings and adventures. So grab

right to edit all submitted material. All submissions

a cup of coffee or a glass of wine

will be considered for publication. Recommended

and celebrate the end of another

article length is 500 to 800 words. Viewpoints of

fabulous year with us!

the articles are not necessarily the viewpoints of North Texas Kids. Materials will not be returned.

Happy Holidays,

Advertising is accepted at the discretion of the

joy of a loving family? Experience

Publisher. Advertisers assume all liability for the

has shown me that attitude is

content of their printed advertisements and agree

everything. In November we

to indemnify North Texas Kids and its publisher for

talked about gratitude, but it

any and all claims and expenses arising therefrom.

Cover Artist...

Your child will receive $50 when we use his/her artwork

Thanks to all of our wonderful artists who colored the beautiful Mandalas on the front cover of this month's issue.

on the cover of NTK.

Ariana C.

North Texas Kids loves kids’ art. Feel free to send us your child’s Masterpiece.

Anushka S.

We are looking for covers that are unique, bright and colorful. Each child

Christian N.

that appears on our cover receives $50.00 along with his/her picture and

Delenn S.

story in the paper. Submissions may be digital or print. Email pictures to

Jayda P.

info@northtexaskids.com or mail them to Scissortail Publishing, LLC. 700 E.

Maryann S.

Park Blvd., Suite 110, Plano, Texas 75074.

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

5

Our Heart is in Caring for You!

Reduce

Holiday Stress -

Managing Time and Expectations Specializing in Pediatric Home Healthcare

3 Main Offices • Dallas 214-637-1300 • Addison 214-623-5900 • Fort Worth 817-698-9500 Services available in Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, & surrounding counties

Now hiring for RN/LVN Full Time & Part Time positions specific jobs are posted on www.epicmedstaff.com

Are You Worried About School This Year?

Your student can achieve tangible results like Ivy. d this d foun when we ha ago s r I wish a e y am 5 blems progr g pro arnin le ed. ney ’s iz y n v I nd mo ecog time a first r Band were lot of ly a n o d re aste of the at we y We w n th a s s ogram n’t addres or ding on pr did ’t rea They has wasn in e a h r Aids. s b y w her ns wh o o s N a . e g r din rehen comp d. r of locke y, mothe n u n y le d le bee a d r a Br la B - Pau ar old Ivy e y 1 1

*We guarantee your child will see results of two years improvement.

Plano/Preston & Royal 972-267-8900 Frisco 972-432-6544

Call today! $100 off Expires 12-31-2010

www.LearningRX.com 6

It's that time of year again and Christmas displays are already up. When you think of upcoming holidays, does it make you feel anxious or increase your stress? Are you wondering how you can fit even more into your already very busy schedule?

Maybe the holidays are the busiest time of year for your business. Yet, with proper planning and by managing your time and expectations, you can still have time to enjoy the holidays (including special moments by the fire or time spent outside trekking across a winter wonderland)!

How can you get it all done without becoming overwhelmed or totally exhausted?

Here are some tips that will make this holiday season less stressful and more enjoyable: 1. Set realistic expectations. As your to-do list begins to grow, notice unnecessary demands or pressure you put on yourself. Read your to-do list out loud or to a friend; it's a great reality check. If your friend laughs or shakes her head, you probably have way too much on your list. You only have 24 hours in a day! Prioritize. If you don't, you're setting yourself up to fail or be disappointed.

2. Plan ahead. Look at your calendar now and estimate how much time you'll need for cards, shopping, parties, etc., then schedule those in; this way you're not as likely to over-book and it will keep you from rushing around at the last minute. When you choose to manage your time and expectations, you free up lots of energy; energy that can be spent laughing and enjoying the season.

It’s Intense, It’s Fun and Results are Guaranteed.*

an assessment with this ad.

by Levya Braman

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

3. Give yourself permission to scale back and take shortcuts.

Sure you might want everything perfect, but maybe 'real nice' is O.K. too.

Find ways that you can get a similar effect by spending less time and energy (e.g. - buy fewer gifts, use gift bags instead of wrapping, purchase already prepared meals...).

4. Ask for help. There is no need to be the Lone Ranger here. Kids and spouses can help; give them tasks & responsibilities like helping with meals, housecleaning, running errands, etc. And, instead of providing all the food yourself, ask those you've invited to share by bringing a dish or two.

5. Get enough rest. You might think this is impossible, but it's not!

Remember, when you're tired, you're much more at risk of being irritable and impatient. This can put a strain on family relationships and leave you regretting something you said. It's not worth the risk.

6. Remember to enjoy yourself. Do you want to be going non-stop for the next two months? Do you want to be rushing all the time! I don't think so.

No one will care if your house isn't perfect, but they will notice and remember if you look exhausted and tense. Carry an affirmation with you; it will keep you in a good state of mind. Create your own; here's one to get you started: "I choose to enjoy this day and breathe in all that I need."

You can enjoy this holiday season! With a little planning and by managing your expectations, this holiday season might be your most joyful and relaxed ever!

Levya is a Certified Integrative Life Coach who studied under wellknown author and speaker Debbie Ford. Levya currently coaches and teaches busy professionals who desire balance, better relationships, and want to improve their quality of life.

Holiday Photos

Achieving Your Child’s Goal,

That Keep On

One Step at a Time

Giving

by Janelle Twyford-Silvis 1. What's the point of the photo. Beyond the obvious, why are you taking photos? What do you plan to do with the photos? Will they be displayed on the wall or in a frame? Will they be placed between skillfully crafted scrapbook pages? Are you simply taking photos because it is the holiday and this is something you are supposed to do? If you know where or how you plan to display the photos, it helps determine who should be in the photo and how the subjects in the photo should be placed.

2. Clear the Area! Some of the first things to look for when you prepare to take a photo include electrical cords, light switches, plants, light sconces, etc. Do you want to have a plant coming out of the top of Uncle Fred’s head? What about an electrical outlet next to Aunt Martha’s cheek? Are there flowers growing out of Little Johnny’s ear? Are there electrical chords bunched up on the side of the photo?

3. Focus on Lighting. Lighting is one of the hardest things for any photographer to get right. Should you use a flash? Is natural light enough? Are there shadows on the faces of those in the photo? Is the sun behind your subject? A good rule of thumb is, if there are shadows on your subject; use a flash, even outdoors. A photo of some children playing on a beach under a sun umbrella is a great example. The shade may cause the children’s faces to be too dark. However, using a flash brightens the faces without bathing them with too much light.

4. A trick for managing shadows. What about shadows on one side of the face?

If the available light is only on one side of the subject, there may be shadows and a lack of details on the face. A simple trick that many professionals do is to reflect the light back onto the face. Amateurs never fear. You can do this as well. Get a piece of white, gray or silver poster board and place it opposite the light. For example, if the light is shining on the right side of face and the left side of the face is shaded, simply get someone to hold up a poster board on the left side of the face. Aim the board towards the face and watch the details in the face come to life.

5. Where is the sun? Shooting into the sun or into the light can provide dramatic photos but the subject will likely show up as a silhouette. I recently observed a parking lot fun of individuals shooting photos of a steeple being placed onto a church.

The problem was that they were shooting directly into the sun. While dramatic, the design and detail of the new steeple was obscured in darkness. However, those of us on the opposite side of the church got all the details in the steeple, plus the faces of the workmen who were in a cage high in the air. When the sun is low in the sky is an ideal time to take outdoor photos.

In all your life have you ever been sorry you did the right thing?

Don’t put off creating a life care plan any longer- Take the time now and give yourself the comfort of being prepared for the financial future of yourself and your loved ones.

Nick Carrocio, Special Care Planner MassMutual’s SpecialCareSM program Phone: 972-348-6368 ncarroccio@finsvcs.com nexusadvisorsllc.com 10000 N. Central Expwy., Ste. 1200 Dallas, TX 75231 Insurance products are issued by MassMutual, Springfield, MA 01111, and its subsidiaries, C.M. Life Insurance Co. and MML Bay State Life Insurance Co., Enfield, CT 06082. CRN201104-118795

Pediatric Services we provide: PT, ST, OT and Case Management We see kids in the Dallas and surrounding areas.

Call today to have your child evaluated!

Treat for the following but not limited to:

Speech Delay • Autism Developmental Delay Cerebral Palsy • Down Syndrome Learning Disability • Dysphagia

9330 LBJ Freeway, Suite 790 Dallas, TX 75243

214-575-2999

www.KidsCareTherapy.com

Discover the Akiba Difference • Infants and toddlers are enriched daily though music, social interaction, literacy, language experiences and Jewish programming.

• Modern learning tools & technology • A nurturing environment with gifted teachers and instruction • NAEYC and JECEI Accredited

6. Finding the right perspective. Let’s get back to who you are shooting. Are you shooting down on people who are stretching their necks to look up at you? Are you looking at a group of people with scrunched up necks looking down on you? Best advice is to start at eye level with the subject. Children often look down at toys or whatever is in their hands so get to their eye level or below.

7. Up close and personal. My personal favorite is to get as close as I can to a subject without interrupting their thought or emotion. I want to capture the moment without being part of it. The more obscure I remain the more off-the-cuff interaction I shoot.

8. Always be prepared! If you know you are getting together with friends and family, be ready at all times. Keep you camera charged with extra batteries, memory cards, etc. on hand. I carry memory cards in my purse at all times.

9. Pictures should tell a story. Be on the lookout for a moment in time, a reaction, and anticipate responses. Even a lull in conversation can lead to intimate moments between two or three individuals. A hug, a touch, a tear and even the sharing of secrets can make great photos.

10. Why aren't you in the picture? Remember, that you want to be part of the holiday as well. Plan ahead. If your plate is going to be full with hosting and entertaining, hire a professional to take photos for you.

Janelle Twyford-Silvis, AlleeOops Photography, www.alleeoops.com, 972-679-5742.

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

7

“Eight Books Every Mom Should Read With Her Daughter”

by Cindy Hudson It’s easy for moms to get caught up in daily chores and never get around to talking about important issues with their daughters. Even if you do find the time, sitting down for “a talk” probably isn’t high on your daughter’s list either.

You both may find it awkward to bring up topics like dealing with kids who are mean at school, being a good friend, and handling conflict between the two of you. As your daughter grows, new issues sprout up, like resisting peer pressure, having a positive body image, eating disorders and dating.

While these are important issues, your daughter may be reluctant to bring them up because she’s too embarrassed or too afraid to reveal what she and her friends are doing, even if she has concerns. You may also be worried about sharing more of your own past than you’d like to if she asks you questions.

Yet there’s good reason to break through the barriers. Talking with you can help your daughter learn about your own values while forming her own.

It can also give her crucial information that may keep her safe and help her make informed decisions when her peers engage in risky behavior.

This is where books can really help. When you read the same titles your daughter is reading, it gives you an entrée to talk about themes that appear in the pages—without the pressure of discussing either of your own personal details.

For instance, when the girls in my daughter’s mother-daughter book club read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, we were able to talk about date rape and how alcohol plays a role in it. We brainstormed ways the main character could have acted to keep herself safe while at a party. This was a nonconfrontational way to discuss situations the girls may face as they entered high school and started socializing with friends more and parents less.

You also benefit when you listen to concerns you daughter and her friends have. Discussing actions by a character in a book may bring up topics you never even knew she worried about. It could be just the non-threatening way to gain insight into your daughter’s world you’re looking for.

Here are a few books I recommend to get the conversation started.

For Girls Aged 9 to 12:

December 21, 6:00-8:00 pm Sci-Tech Discovery Center Join us in your jammies for a Holiday Science Spectacular!

For one night only, enjoy a seasonal stage show in the Black Box Theater, winter science wonder, cookies, cocoa and more. $10 a person. Space is limited. Register by calling 972.546.3050.

8004 North Dallas Parkway, Frisco, TX 75034 in the Frisco Discovery Center. www.mindstretchingfun.org 8

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen—Every story has two sides. Here we get to see the same events from two perspectives. Juliana loves Bryce from the minute she meets him in second grade, but Bryce thinks she’s a nuisance until the tables turn a few years later.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick—This story of four moms and their daughters in a reading group explores how moms and daughters don’t always understand each other, and how talking about books can help.

The Curse of Addy McMahon by Katie Davis—Addy misses her father who has died, can’t accept her mother’s new fiancé and gets into trouble with her best friend when she accidentally emails her private thoughts to everyone in school.

This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee—Evie learns a lot about herself and what it means to be a friend when she is assigned to complete a school project with the free-spirited girl across the street.

For Girls Aged 13 and Older: North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley—Terra gains confidence in her own abilities while questioning her ideas of beauty.

Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee—Rosie’s weight has ballooned, and kids in school tease her often. When she diets to lose weight she’s not sure if her new friends like her for who she is or how she’s beginning to look.

Bring the family to

Dear Big V by Ellen W. Leroe—Courtney’s life is going well until a new girl at school tries to take over a club she started, her mother won’t let her date and won’t say why, and she finds herself attracted to a boy who has a reputation as a “player.”

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli—Stargirl is a free spirit who goes from being an outcast to wildly popular to an outcast again. Leo likes her, but can he be her friend without becoming an outcast himself?

Cindy Hudson is the author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating MotherDaughter Book Clubs (Seal Press, October 2009). She is the founder of two long-running mother-daughter book clubs, and she lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two daughters. Visit her online at www.MotherDaughterBookClub.com.

Have a super fun winter!

Every Saturday & Sunday Kids under 12 receive FREE admission Most activities take place in the Center for Creative Connections on Level 1.

studio creations

collection connections

Saturday & Sunday, 1:00–3:30 p.m.

Sunday, 1:30–3:30 p.m.

sketching in the galleries for kids Every third Saturday, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Family initiatives are funded by Catherine and Will Rose and the Pollock Foundation Education Endowment Fund.

New family learning experiences are supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Museum’s Gateway Gallery Endowment Fund, the Mr. and Mrs. H. Lee Hobson Endowment Fund, the Betty Moroney Norsworthy Education Endowment Fund, and the Karen and Richard Pollock Education Endowment Fund provide a permanent source of support for family and community programs.

Annual support for family and community programs is provided by The M. R. & Evelyn Hudson Foundation, the Junior League of Dallas, and the Donor Circle membership program through leadership gifts by an anonymous donor and the Dedman Foundation. Promotional support provided by Radio Disney and North Texas Kids.

The Dallas Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of Museum members and donors and by the citizens of Dallas through the City of Dallas/Office of Cultural Affairs and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

DallasMuseumofArt.org

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

9

It’s Party Time!!

Come Experience Our

Private Parties!

We provide a private play area so it’s just you and your guests enjoying the party.

1

s

lloon

Ba Dozen

Free d parties.

ooke newly b /10.

Good on ru 12/30 th d o o g is r e Off

Call today to reserve your Private Pump It Up Party!

972-792-9663

www.pumpitupparty.com Pump It Up Jr. of Plano 4101 E. Park Blvd., #135 • Plano, TX 75074

The Shops at Willow Bend

Pump It Up of Dallas

469.546.1010

9201 Forest Ln., #100 • Dallas, TX 75243

THERAPY 2000: The North Texas leader in home-based therapy for children

We treat children for. . .

Feeding & Swallowing Disorders (including the need for Vital Stim Therapy) Cerebral Palsy • Neurological Disorders • Down Syndrome Developmental Delay • Sensory Processing Disorders and many others A comprehensive hearing screening is administered to all children admitted for speech therapy services.

To obtain physical, occupational or speech therapy services for your child, call THERAPY 2000...

214-467-9787 or 877-626-7003 • www.T2000.com

Welcome to our Family 10

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

by Dr. Minette Riordan

We love this simple, versatile craft that can be used for any festive occasion. One of my fondest memories of the holidays is making these ornaments with my mom. I even still have a few of the ones I painted as a child that she saved and I hang on my tree every year. My daughter and I had fun continuing that tradition to make these for you.

Ideas for using this easy-to-make craft: ornaments for the Christmas tree, to tie onto a gift for Hanukkah or Christmas, to make a beautiful garland to hang anywhere in the house, to decorate a small theme tree, scatter them on a table for decorations or tie them to name cards for a nice dinner setting.

The other great thing about this craft is that it is inexpensive to create!

Ingredients 1 cup salt, 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Alum (optional) and 3/4 cup cold tap water

Other Items Bowl, rolling pin, floured surface to work on and generously floured cookie sheets to bake ornaments on 1. Mix dry ingredients thoroughly.

2. Add in water. If dough is sticky, add a little more flour. If the dough is dry, add a little more water. The dough should be nice and smooth and will not separate when it is kneaded properly. Knead dough as needed.

3. Roll out 1/4 of the dough onto a floured surface. Roll the dough as close to 1/4 inch as possible. Kids may need help getting it thin and even.

4. Use cookie cutter, cardboard template or a knife to make your shape (we used metal star-shaped cookie cutters, but these ornaments could be made in any shape!)

5. If you plan to hang your stars or tie them to packages, use a toothpick or skewer to punch a hole in the top of the star.

6. Prepare cookie sheet with a generous layer of flour.

7. Bake at 200 degrees until completely dry and hard for 2 to 3 hours. Watch carefully so they do not brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cool.

8. If edges are rough, use sandpaper to smooth them out.

Note: If you are making these with young children, you might make it a two day project. Bake on day one and decorate on day two!

Acrylic Paint, Puff Paint, 3-D Paint, Glue for glitter or layering stars (Elmer's White Glue, Tacky Glue or any craft glue that dries clear will work), Glitter, Gemstones or other Adornments and Ribbon Now have fun! You can layer smaller stars on larger stars, use glue to adhere them together. Let the kids paint them however they want. Or, paint them yourself and get really fancy and creative. Unleash your inner Martha!

May the stars shine on your family this Holiday Season!

Dr. Minette Riordan loves Christmas - all the cooking, decorating, eating and family fun!

She is also the publisher of North Texas Kids magazine and a popular speaker on a variety of parenting topics. She can be reached at minette@northtexaskids.com.

The University of Texas at Dallas & School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Resources for Parents Resources & Referral Program

Infant Development Program

• Free consultations for parents with concerns about a developing child or adolescent

• Low-cost developmental screenings to identify delays in children’s language, motor, cognitive, or social development

• Referrals for a wide array of services from an extensive database of child and family resources

• Immediate feedback, including screening results, recommendations for home activities, and referrals to therapeutic programs

Contact: Cynthia A. Frosch, PhD

Contact: Emily Touchstone, PhD

cynthia.frosch@utdallas.edu

etouchstone@utdallas.edu

Phone: 972-883-4827

Phone: 972-883-3632 http://infantdp.utdallas.edu

http://ccf.utdallas.edu

Catch the latest news on child development at : http://ccf.utdallas.edu/blog

WINTER WINTER - WAHOOOO S N S S T X T Y M F Z D O O F

O T X N L C H R I S T M A S O

D O N M O L I N S V F E N Y R

BELLS CANDY CHRISTMAS FAMILY

N O Z E R W E C Y F K Q N D A

R U V N S Z M B E A A N P N A

X J D O Z E J A L W Y M P A K

FOOD FRIENDS HANUKKAH HOTCOCOA

B G Y R G X R F N L E M J C W

I B W A P K W P I K M W J H P

V V P H F O F M T Q Z P G A N

ICE MENORAH MITTENS PRESENTS

C A W Q N R A P R Y D S B K U

W D A S I F W L E P N G Q K F

X A Y E R X K E E O A I T U M

C L N Z R O C A W Z O Y P N Q

H D M I T T E N S U E Z P A W

S Q O S F A O C O C T O H H Z

SNOW SNOWFLAKE SNOWMAN TREE

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

11

Family Art Therapy A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

by By Kimberly A. Caolo, MA, CG-C, Licensed Professional Counselor Intern

Just like a fingerprint, every family is unique. No two families are alike. Children quickly learn their family’s unique communication style and begin to form (or are formed into) their own individual family roles.

Today, families come in many different constellations. When people become a family, each person brings to the relationship a sense of what is

“normal” from their own family of origin, including adaptive roles they may have played in their original family. Adults may unconsciously attempt

to reestablish themselves in, and even press others into, old familiar family roles, similar to the way a thermostat works to maintain its setting. Even unhealthy

communication styles, if experienced long enough, can feel “normal” or feel “like home” and may be difficult to change without some insight and conscious effort.

When open to new communication styles, families can benefit from practicing change while maintaining an environment of playfulness. Family art therapy

has a tendency to level the communication playing field between family members, between adults and children, between children of various ages – particularly

when seeking to understand the family’s dynamics from the perspective of each and every family member. This can create many “aha” moments.

A picture can be worth a thousand words when an entire family is involved in family art therapy. A family member may draw their perception of the family

system in such a powerful way that it becomes virtually impossible to deny the individual family experience of that person. While remaining a powerful tool for insight and experience, art can take pressure off of the therapy experience and replace defensiveness and anxiety with creativity and curiosity. A parent

who sees a child draw the chaos experienced during difficult family times has an opportunity to experience the world of that child at that time. The child has the opportunity to have his world noticed and validated by other family members.

True feelings can be expressed in paint, drawing, clay or other safe, non-threatening ways, and then be discussed with the family after

feelings have been given creative, safe non-verbal expression. Rather than discussing the person, which can create defensiveness, initial discussions surround the art, which becomes a third entity in the therapy room.

Children’s emotional problems may result from adapting within a family system that is not functioning as well as it could be. And children often do not have the maturity to label and discuss their feelings outside of art and play. Many adults have difficulty

discussing feelings directly as well. Family art therapy can employ both verbal and visual therapeutic skills to engage each family member as a whole person in the therapy process while working toward growth and healing of the entire family.

Kimberly A. Caolo, MA, GC-C, Licensed Professional Counselor Intern, Supervised by Rachel Koppa, LPC S. Beckloff Pediatric Behavioral Center, 17103 Preston Road, Suite 250, Dallas, TX 75248. 214-755-3860.

12

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

ual n n A d 2n

Toy Drive Party!

Sunday, December 12, 2010 2-4pm Medical City Children’s Hospital 7777 Forest Lane (beside Bldg A) - Most Events Inside new Children’s Tower Dallas, TX 75230-2510 • 972-566-7000

15% off a catering order of $50 or more

to the first 500 people who bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots

Sit back and let the cow cook for you! www.purplecowtexaS.com expireS

Tons of fun for the kids: bounce houses, train rides, pony rides, petting zoo, photo booth, pics with Santa, balloon art, face painting, sketch artist, music and entertainment, arts and crafts, food and drinks and more!

Dallas

214-373-0037 Preston Royal Shopping Center Suite 110 Dallas, TX 75230

Plano

972-473-6100 LakeSide Market Suite 588 5809 Preston Rd. Plano, TX 75093

12/31/2010

Ft. Worth

817-737-7177 Chapel Hill Shopping Center 4601 W. Freeway Ft. Worth, TX 76107

Purple Cow at The Village in Fairview Now Open!

NEw YEar’s EvE Family Fun...

“ThE BubbLE Wrap Stomp” Looking for a way to ring in the New Year that will have the crowd on its feet?

For just a few dollars at a packaging supply store, you can pick up several yards of large Bubble Wrap. Just before midnight, unroll it on a hard surface, such as a wooden floor or driveway, and when the countdown concludes, have fun doing “the Bubble Wrap Stomp.” “Kids of all ages love it,” Elaine Snyder says - and there are usually plenty of adults on the stomp floor, as well. “Be sure to buy large bubbles, because the small ones just don’t have the same result.”

HavE Fun !

This article excerpted from familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday/feature/famf128newyear/famf128newyear6.html

Bearry Cute Balloons, Cartoonist Charles King, Country Critters Farm, DJ Joe Ramirez, Fun Times Party Rental, Haynsworth Photography, KDS Productions, Kidville, Mattitos Restaurant, Mint Restaurant, Next Day Signs, Papa Johns Pizza, Party’s 2 Go, Santa, SnapShots! Event Photography & Custom Button Services, Society Bakery, Starbucks, vitaminwater, Vocal Magic Carolers, Yogurtland and more!

Visit our website for more details... www.NorthTexasKids.com/T4TParty

Call 214-707-8112 for sponsorship opportunities or details!

would like to wish all of our readers and their families a very special holiday season & an amazing 2011!

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

13

Great Gifts...

Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, The Musical Start your holiday season with Broadway’s hit musical, the Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical.

“An Awesome First Broadway Musical For Kids!”—The Record. Playing at the AT&T Performing Arts Center / Winspear.

Tickets: www.attpac.org/grinch or call 214.880.0202

Skip Hop Treetop Friends Hug and Hide Owl Activity Toy Full of hidden surprises! Owl’s wings open to reveal a baby owl, mirror and more. Over 10 developmental activities will keep baby entertained for hours of playtime and learning fun. www.amazon.com • $18.00

Rockboard Scooter This super self-propelled scooter surpasses all others! Riders can quickly switch from traditional kick scooter mode to a unique rocking technology that propels you with a gentle movement of the knees. Folds for travel. Ages 8+. Get your Rockboard Scooter at Learning Express, an educational toy store serving area neighborhoods for the past 12 years.

Locations in Plano, Frisco and Firewheel (Garland). www.plano.learningexpress-toys.com • $199.99

Main Event Gift Cards Give the Gift of FUN all Season Long!

Purchase a Main Event Gift Card and get a FREE FUNcard!

Contact Main Event Entertainment for details. www.maineventusa.com

Music Institute Gift Certificate

Golfer's Barbecue Set Golf and BBQ: separated at birth? Both involve the outdoors, great friends, and knowing in the clearest of terms that you wouldn't want to be doing anything else. These weekend favorites are combined in this three-piece stainless steel BBQ set with soft insulated handles that look just like golf grips. The tongs, spatula, and fork are perfect for the guy who loves the links, sausage or otherwise. www.uncommongoods.com • $25.00

14

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

$99 gift certificate for four trial lessons, private or group classes, all ages, up to $160 value. Music Institute of North Texas offers exceptional music lessons for all ages and levels. Classes include group and private lessons for piano, guitar, drums, cello, violin, voice, and Kindermusik.

Founded by a Julliard graduate, we offer age specific classes from newborn to adults. Give the gift of music that they will enjoy for a lifetime. www.MusicInstituteNT.com / 972.668.6600 $99.00

Healthy Stocking Stuffer Great for kids and for your gluten-free loved ones! Publisher Minette Riordan and her kids did a sampling of these and we all agree, YUMMY! I love it when my kids like healthy choices. Get more details at: www.freshharvestproducts.com.

Whole Foods and Walgreen's • $1.79 per bar

Playskool Dressy Bessy Learning Doll Dressy Bessy is a great teacher! This colorful doll will help your kids practice important motor skills like zipping, buttoning, buckling, fastening, and tying. Specially designed for smaller hands, she's sure to make your little one just a little bit smarter than his peers. Order Bessy today! Ages 18 months and up. Doll measures approximately 14-inches tall.

www.amazon.com • $19.99

Snuggle Chair & Lap Desks Wow, who wouldn't want to snuggle up in this snazzy chair or do their homework on these stylish Lap Desks!

Snuggle chair is $79.95 and Lap desks are $29.95. They can be personalized for an additional $10.00. For more information visit www.swoozies.com or visit their Dallas location at 8417 Preston Center Plaza Dr. Dallas, TX www.swoozies.com

NIX N' EASY X08A

8 Inch Hi Resolution SVGA Digital Photo Frame - Photo, Video, Music with Remote Control - Slim Design.

Great gift for parents or grandparents. Easy to use. It plays music with the slide show, too! www.amazon.com • $69.99

Teach My All-In-One Learning Kits Teach My has the perfect holiday gift that replaces the toys and knick-knacks by combining learning and fun. Geared for children between 6 months and 5 years, Teach My offers all-in-one learning kits to teach the little tikes basic, ageappropriate activities such as, counting, recognizing letters, and reading.

Let your child unwrap a world of knowledge this holiday season www.teachmy.com • $49.99

Grand Ghirardelli Chocolate Gift Basket A chocolate lover's extravaganza!

This premium chocolate assortment is meant for true connoisseurs. Crafted by the world-famous Ghirardelli. Chocolate candies in a variety of flavors and sizes, as well as delicious hot cocoa, ensure this gift is a real hit. www.amazon.com • $39.99

Real Chords, Real Songs… Real Easy You don’t have to be a musician to let Paper Jamz™ unleash the inner Rock God in you. Just choose your play mode and let the music take you. Each Paper Jamz™ guitar features a built-in speaker with volume control, plus line out for earphone or speaker accessories (not included). Use with the Paper Jamz™ Amp (sold separately) to pump up the volume. Requires 3 AAA batteries (not included). www.brookstone.com • $19.99

Personalized Pub Glasses These personalized pub glasses make a fun addition to any guy’s at-home bar. You can choose from a pub or sports bar motif. We can’t think of one guy who wouldn’t enjoy sipping out of his own personalized beer glass! www.RedEnvelope.com • $49.95

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

15

School... k c a B to Gotta Dance!

Home of the Plano Metropolitan Ballet

Register Today Receive $20 Off Registration

PreBallet/Tap, Ballet, Tap, Jazz

972-769-0017 www.gottadanceplano.com 3131 Custer Rd. Suite #195 • Plano, Texas 75075

A Chubby Little Snowman A chubby little snowman, Had a carrot nose.

Along came a bunny, And what do you suppose?

That hungry little bunny, Looking for his lunch.

Just a reminder to Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!! www.twitter.com/northtxkids On Facebook, search for North Texas Kids magazine.

Ate that snowman's carrot nose, Nibble, nibble, crunch!!

Original Author Unknown

Grand Opening Special!

GT Sport TaeKwondo We specialize in Sport Taekwondo and Traditional Korean Martial Arts for all ages: 3 to adult.

We also offer: Women’s Fitness, Kickboxing, Toddler classes and the newest fitness craze paddleball classes.

Grand Opening Special!

2 for 1 Registration Special. Plano location only.

Call for details. Exp. 12-31-2010

972.424.5566

4101 E Park Blvd, Ste 100 Plano, TX 75074

www.gtsportusa.com

Visit our 2nd location inside Lifetime Fitness. 971 Hwy 121, Allen, TX

16

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

greatc las se&sactivities!!

Have you done your Therapy Homework?

early childhood center

Key Note Music Studio

Ages 12 months – Pre-K Now Touring for Fall 2011

• A Venue for Therapy Homework • Mom’s Day Out for children with special needs • Staff/Parent-Guided Sensory Circuit • Tutoring • Group Classes for Social Skills

• Piano Lessons for ages 5 and up • Private Instruction • Small Group classes

469-323-1200

972-239-8100

JCCDALLAS.ORG

www.keynotemusicstudio.com

7900 Northaven Rd • Dallas 75230 • 214-239-7157

Location: West Plano, Parker & Independence

13617 Neutron Rd., Farmers Branch, TX 75244

www.itsasensoryworld.com

AquA - Fit

Swim, Fitness & Wellness Center

Plano’s Best Warm Salt Water Aquatic Center

Learn to Swim $99 Fall Special*

We Can All Swim!

Enroll Now for Fall Programs

Fun 2 B Fit for 9-15 year olds: Fitness, Nutrition & Swimming Skills Athlete Conditioning Program - Avoid Injury, Get Fit for Any Sport!

Swim Select for Advanced Swimmers Also offering Adult Swim, Yoga, Pilates & Tai Chi classes *Some restrictions apply, call for details. NTKF10

1400 Summit Ave D2 • Plano, TX • info@aquafitplano.com

972-578-7946 $50 Off with this ad

Kids

Mathnasium because:

“Math is everywhere and you will always need it.” Riley, grade 5 “You will be successful in your life.”

Abdul, grade 8 “Who doesn’t want to be smart?”

Zaha, grade 8 “People want to do good for the prizes.” Josh, grade 2

These kids know what thousands of Mathnasium students have learned: Kids don’t hate math, they hate being confused and intimidated by math.

Call us to find out how your child can catch up, get ahead, gain self-confidence, and just maybe become crazy about math.

www.aquafitplano.com

Mathnasium of Plano 3115 W. Parker Rd, Ste 560 Plano, TX 75023 972-519-0340 plano@mathnasium.com

www.mathnasium.com/plano

2 n d - 1 2 + G RA D E S • S TA R R / TA K S , SAT, A C T, G E D P R E P • H O M E W O R K H E L P

Mosaic Art Studio

Enroll Today for Fall Programs Birthday Parties for Boys & Girls Walk-ins Welcome Ladies Night Out 308 Preston Royal Shopping Center Dallas, Texas 75230 Tel: (214) 363-2088

6405 E. Eldorado Parkway McKinney, Texas 75070 Tel: (972) 540-9767

$2 Off Any Project

Minimum purchase of $15.00 With this coupon. Not valid with other offers. Expires 12/31/10

www.smashing times.com North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

17

The Magic of Narnia Finds It's Way to the Shops at Willow Bend On Friday, November 12, hundreds of visitors to The Shops at Willow Bend helped light The Ice Palace featuring The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and welcomed Santa and Mrs. Claus for the 2010 season. Santa can be found in The Ice Palace in Grand Court, near Neiman Marcus through December 24. The exhibit, inspired by the magic of winter, features a color changing, 30-foot Ice Palace, encircled with a series of majestic arches and smaller globes that appear to be carved from ice and will immerse visitors with magical vignettes from the land of Narnia.

Drew & Ben Woodward from Plano, Texas and an Ice Creature Stilt Walker at The Ice Palace Launch Jasmine and Gavin Montero from Plano, Texas at The Ice Palace Launch

Reindeer Dancers from Dallas Power House of Dance Baylie Carlton of McKinney, Texas having fun playing in the Snow at The Ice Palace

Dr. Cobb Found The One That Works!® My first exposure to Medi-Weightloss Clinics® was from an ad I found in an OB/GYN journal. I began to explore the plan with the idea that I might want to go on the diet myself. One thing led to another and my colleagues, Kim Leabo and Jill Nitcher (nurse practitioner and RN respectively) were soon off to Tampa to learn more about the business side of Medi-Weightloss Clinics®. When they returned, their excitement was not to be contained. Soon we were all headed to Tampa for training and became engrossed in the process of opening our own Medi-Weightloss Clinics® in Kansas, in addition to starting the diet ourselves.

One thing was very clear to us as we prepared to open the clinic – if we were going to talk to patients about the need and benefits of weight loss, we had to “walk the walk” and live the Medi-Weightloss Clinics® lifestyle ourselves. Kim and Jill fairly quickly dropped the 20-30 pounds necessary for them to attain their goal weights. For me, the task seemed much more daunting. My first goal was to lose 60 by 60 – sixty pounds by the time I turned sixty years old. With the Medi-Weightloss Clinics® plan, I was able to reach that goal six months ahead of time. I have stayed with the diet plan and continued to lose weight. We have kept our patients advised of my progress and quickly discovered that my weight loss was an inspiration to them. My current loss totals 94 pounds with just a few more to go to reach my goal. While I would never say that losing the weight was easy, I can honestly say that Medi-Weightloss Clinics® has given me a plan that works. And with the Medi-Weightloss Clinics® maintenance plan, I am confident that I can stay at my goal weight. I am feeling great and can now do things around the house and with my grandchildren that I never dreamed of doing before the program. I am determined to never go back to “BEFORE.” My weight loss has recently paid some unexpected dividends. A small growth was found during my routine mammogram. It turned out to be cancer. My doctors believe, as I do, that the cancer was so small that it would not have been found if I had not lost over 90 pounds. So, my weight loss made the cancer detectible at a much earlier stage, which is known to be the most important factor for a cure. I am also convinced that being 90 pounds lighter has greatly aided my recovery from surgery.

I was able to get up and get moving much sooner than I could have done before the weight loss.

My message to all women would be to get your mammogram up to date and to keep your weight at normal levels.

To say that my weight loss saved my life might be somewhat of an over-statement, but there is no doubt in my mind that my life has been greatly enhanced and enriched as a result of losing the weight. Medi-Weightloss Clinics® has truly changed my life for the better. Now, I hope to pass on to my patients the sense of accomplishment, hope, and life improvement that I have received through the Medi-Weightloss Clinics® program.

For more information please visit www.mediweightlossclinics.com or call our Richardson location at 972.423.6334.

18

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

- Jeannine Cobb, MD, Actual patient, Physician and Medi-Weightloss Clinics® Owner

NTK Calendar of Events

Looking for Something to Do in Your Own Backyard or Around the Metroplex? You Will Find it Here!

Find these events and more online at www.northtexaskids.com.

December 1 Wednesday Dinosaurs Unearthed: Life-size Dinosaurs.

Larger than life experience! The Museum of Nature & Science will host animatronic dinosaurs that YOU move and control! See why this show will challenge what you think you know about dinosaurs. www.natureandscience.org Dallas Museum of Nature & Science - through Sun May 1, 2011 Photos with Santa Claus at Vista Ridge Mall: Santa will be at Vista Ridge Mall beginning Saturday, November 13 throughout the holidays.

His last day is Friday, December 24 when he leaves at 5:00 p.m. Parents/caregivers should check with one of Santa’s helpers at the Workshop, visit www.vistaridgemall.com or call 972.315.3641. Lewisville - through Fri Dec 24 Junie B. in Jingle Bells Batman Smells!: Based on the wildly popular book series by Barbara Park, see the world through the eyes of a sassy and impulsive first grader in an all new holiday production. Laugh out loud at the Merry Mayhem filled with Junie B. www.dct.org - Dallas Children’s Theater’s Rosewood Center for Family Arts, Dallas - through Thu Dec 23 A Mother’s Gift - Holiday Musical: an eyeopening holiday musical suitable for audiences of all ages. Fridays & Saturdays 7:30pm, Saturdays & Sundays 3:00pm. Tickets: 214-544-4630. www.womproductions.com - Frisco Discovery Center Theatre, 8004 N. Dallas Parkway, Frisco, 75034 - through Sun Dec 5 The Snow Queen: Based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen. www.dct.org - Dallas Children’s Theatre, 5938 Skillman, Dallas TX 75231 - through Thu Dec 23 Home for the Holidays Musical: Broadwaystyle musical Christmas stage show with live music, beautiful costumes and seasonal sets. www.grapevinetexasusa.com - Palace Theatre 300 S. Main St., Grapevine - Wed Dec 1 to Thu Dec 23

2 Thursday Moms & More Monthly Meeting: Moms & More offers support and activities for parents and kids in Wylie and the surrounding communities. Please call for more info: 469-361-6468.

URL: www.wyliemomsandmore.org - Wylie Thu Dec 2 10am to 11am I Am Second Commemorates Second Birthday: Join the Celebration! Please visit iamsecond. com/celebrate/celebrate.html for tickets. - Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, Carrollton TX - Thu Dec 2 7pm to 9pm 27th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting: Bring the family for an evening of fun and music on the lawn at City Hall! There will be live entertainment, craft making in Santa’s Workshop, free cookies and coffee! www.rockwall.com City Hall, Rockwall - Thu Dec 2 7pm to 8pm The Vocal Majority Chorus - “Christmas Around the World”: The VM will make a run for the borders and travel to exotic locations

by bringing you Christmas Around the World!

Tickets: $10-$43 Eisemann Center Ticket Office 972-744-4650. www.VocalMajority.com - Richardson - Thu Dec 2 8pm to 9pm

3 Friday Babes In The Wood: a fairytale told in the style of a melodrama. We encourage you to cheer the good guys, boo and hiss the villains and sing along with the characters on stage. Fun for the whole family! Come celebrate the holidays, British family style! www.theatre-britain.com Plano - Fri Dec 3 to Thu Dec 23 First Friday Women’s Event: First Friday of Every Month. Harkins Theatre, Southlake Town Center. Admission is free. Arrive early to ensure seating. Childcare is provided through Harkins Theatre for a fee by reservation only. firstfridaywomen.com - Southlake - Fri Dec 3 11am to 12pm Old Towne Christmas: Annual Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair. Home made christmas and holiday items. Free admission. www.arlingtontx.gov - Grapevine - Fri Dec 3 12pm to Fri Dec 3 7pm A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: Repertory Company Theatre, Dec 3-12, FR/ SAT 7:30, SUN 2:00, Promenade Theatre, 650 N Coit, Richardson. Tickets are $20 adults, $18 senior, $12 youth. read more Price: 20-12 Phone: (972) 690-5029 Age Suitability: All Ages www.rcttheatre.com- Promenade Theatre, Richardson - Fri Dec 3 7:30pm to 8:30pm

4 Saturday 14th Annual Santa Days: The Plaza at Preston Center welcomes Santa and his loyal reindeer, Comet and Cupid. Santa Days is the perfect opportunity for children to hand-deliver their wish lists to the big guy and for parents to get a head start on the season’s shopping. www. theplazaatprestoncenter.com - Dallas - Sat Dec 4 Camp Gingerbread: Celebrate the holidays in sweet style at the second annual Camp Gingerbread. Bring the whole family to decorate gingerbread cookies with frosting, nuts, dried fruit, candies and sprinkles. Cost is $10 per child.

Hours on Saturday are 11 am to 6pm; hours on Sunday are from 1pm to 6pm. Located on Level One near Macy’s. www.northparkcenter.com NorthPark Center - Sat Dec 4 to Sun Dec 5 A Date With Santa: Hope’s Door brings you this great event. Sat Dec 4 - 9am-12pm.

Fairview Corral Barn, 3312 N. Central Expy, Plano. Holiday arts and crafts for the children, snacks and goodies for all. Private meeting with Santa. Make your reservations today Tickets $15 each, (children under 1 year free.) www.hopesdoor.com for more infomation. All proceeds benefit Hope’s Door: The only shelter for battered women and thier children in Collin County. Sat Dec 4 - 9am to 12pm.

Santa’s Village 2010: www.cor.net - Civic Center/City Hall Lawn, 411 W. Arapaho Rd., Richardson - Sat Dec 4 to Sun Dec 19 33rd Don Zetnick Arlington Winter Run: 10K / 2M / kids 1K Penguin Waddle.

www.runningintheusa.com/jeph - Maverick Activities Center, UTA Campus, 500 W. Nedderman, Arlington - Sat Dec 4 8am to 9am Holiday at the Hall: Breakfast with Santa, 8am- activities will include caroling, holiday art projects, and photos with Santa. Motorcycle Toy Run, 1:30pm - The 12th annual Motorcycle Toy Run. Sam Pack’s Ford Country of Lewisville Christmas Parade, 2:00pm - Everyone will enjoy the superbly decorated floats, enthusiastic walking entries, Lewisville High School marching band, and more. - Old Town Lewisville - Sat Dec 4 8am to 3pm Christmas Parade: www.rockwall.com - Downtown Square, Rockwall - Sat Dec 4 9am to 10am The NRH Recreation Center will hold an Elves Workshop. Participants will enjoy singing holiday songs, making festive crafts, decorating sugar cookies and a visit from ol’ Saint Nick.

Each child will take home a photo with Santa.

Space is limited. The Recreation Center is located at 6720 NE Loop 820. To register your elf for this special event, call 817-427-6600. prem. calendars.net/nrhtx - Sat Dec 4 9am to 11am Children’s Medical Center Holiday Parade: The parade runs from Commerce Street and Austin and will end at City Hall Plaza. Join Children’s patients and your favorite cartoon characters - Batman, Curious George, Cinderella and Spider-Man, to name a few - as they make their way down Commerce Street alongside giant inflatable balloons, marching bands, spectacular floats and unique performance groups from across the state. Free. Visit childrens.com/parade or contact April Sutton at 214-456-8377 or april.sutton@childrens.com. Dallas - Sat Dec 4 10am to 11am Christmas on the Square: Snow for Christmas in Texas? Come down to the Historic District and get into the spirit of the season. Go tubing down a snow hill, sing holiday carols and stroll the shops looking for the perfect gift or stocking stuffer. Stay until the end when we will hail the holiday season with an official tree lighting. Sponsored by the Old Downtown Carrollton Association. For more information, visit www.olddowntowncarrollton.com or call 972-242-4490. - 1102 W. Main Street, Carrollton 75006 - Sat Dec 4 10am to 5pm Family Funday, Greeting Card Workshop and Santa Claus Visits: Create Christmas cards with Irving Art Association, design story-book inspired art projects and snap a photo with Santa Claus in the Main Gallery. Free. (972) 2527558 for more information. www.irvingartscenter.com/Home.aspx - Irving Arts Center, Suite 200 - Sat Dec 4 2pm to 3pm Lantern Light 2010: Join in the celebration and tours of the historic Victorian home, entertainment, performances by local children’s choirs, storytelling, wagon rides, crafts and games and more. Admission: $8/adults, $5/children & seniors. Present a new unwrapped toy and get a ticket for a wagon ride. All toys will be donated to the Collin County Children’s Advocacy Center. www.heritagefarmstead.org 972-881-0140

- Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 West 15th Street, Plano - Sat Dec 4 3pm to Sat Dec 4 9pm 20th Annual Merry Main Street: Santa Claus is coming to town! You and your family will enjoy an array of food and warm drinks, while enjoying an evening of holiday entertainment. www.friscofun.org - Simpson Plaza at City Hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. - Sat Dec 4 5pm to Sat Dec 4 9pm Light Up Main: Tree Lighting and Fun!: Visit Downtown for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and activities. Have your photo taken with Santa, enjoy children games and sip on hot chocolate while listening to holiday music. www.ci.rowlett.tx.us - Downtown Rowlett: 4000 Main Street - Sat Dec 4 5pm to Sat Dec 4 8pm Holiday In The Park & Parade of Lights: Incredible Light Show, Pie & Cookie Baking Contest Kids, Craft Station Santa’s Workshop, Music & Entertainment...and much, much more. Bring the whole family! FREE Admission. www.TheColonyChristmasSpectacular. com For more information about Holiday In The Park, call Parks & Recreation at (972)6251106. - Perryman Park, 4930 South Colony - Sat Dec 4 6pm to 8pm The Rotary Club of McKinney Eleventh Annual Christmas Parade of Lights: www.mckinneyparadeoflights.com- McKinney Downtown Square - Sat Dec 4 6:30pm to 7:30pm

5 Sunday The 5th Annual Pampered Princess Party: Grapevine’s largest girly event of the year!

Bring your little Pricesses to get all day pampering, have fun making crafts, girly activities, Nutcracker Performance and MORE!! All day activities to be posted online. Pre-Registration $20. At the door $25 Goodie bags for the first 150!! www.letspretendteaparties.com - Grapevine - Sun Dec 5

7 Tuesday Prenatal Yoga: This Prenatal Yoga class teaches to the changing needs of a woman’s body during pregnancy. A very gentle form of Yoga emphasizing breath work, safe alignment, relaxation and nurturing the body. Garland. www.yogasynergyspa.com - - Tue Dec 7 to Sat Dec 18 La Leche League: Whether you breastfeed for a day or a year, or plan to breastfeed, come join us at the First Presbyterian Church in Lewisville [1002 Fox St]; 7PM; call Julie 214-929-8908, Bridget 972-317-1648, Laura 972-436-8383, or Fanny 972-535-5159 for more info. www.lllusa. org/web/LewisvilleTX.html - Lewisville - Tue Dec 7 7pm to 8pm

8 Wednesday Gingerbread House Making: Candy canes, gum drops, gingerbread men, twizzlers! Just a few of the items we use to decorate our gingerbread houses. The gingerbread houses are already upright so all you need to bring is creativity, holiday cheer and a bag of candy to share with fiends as you decorate your special

NorthNorth TexasTexas Kids Kids • December 2010 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com • December • www.NorthTexasKids.com 19

19

holiday house! Ages 5 - 12 $15 res / $23 non res. www.rockwall.com - The Center, 108 E. Washington, Rockwall - Wed Dec 8 4pm to Wed Dec 8 6pm

10 Friday “A Christmas Carol” presented by The Actors Conservatory Theatre: More music, more special effects and a wonderful tale of redemption are there, waiting for your annual family outing! Tickets go on sale at the box office 1/2 hour before the show. Adults - $10, Students and Seniors - $8, Kids under 10 - $7. Groups of 15 - $7 each. www.getintotheact.org. 972.353.2720 Lewisville - Fri Dec 10 to Sun Dec 19 Holiday Lights at Frisco Fire Safety Town: Join us for Holiday Lights at Frisco Fire Safety Town. The event is open to the public and free of charge; Tots to adults will delight in an opportunity to see the town decorated. Activities include: E-mail Santa; Have your photo with Santa; Get a balloon, Rudolph noses, Photos in the CoServ Gas ‘sleigh’, hear a Christmas story and more. As always children can practice fire escape training in our smoke bedroom and sit in our interactive fire engine. On select nights, there will be live performances by local choirs, bands and/or dance groups. www.FriscoFire.com 8601 Gary Burns Drive, Frisco 75034 - Fri Dec 10 to Tue Dec 21 Hope Cottage December Photo Contest: Hope Cottage is looking for Santa Babies! Enter a picture of your child in the December Hope Cottage Photo Contest. Questions: Contact lclay@hopecottage.org www.hopecottage.org - December Hope Cottage Photo Contest - Fri Dec 10 Story Time wtih Mrs. Claus at Town East Mall: On Fridays, December 10 and 17, Mrs. Claus will be at Town East Mall to visit with all of Santa’s little friends. She’ll be reading holiday stories to little ones while Santa takes a break from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. The first 100 children will receive, while supplies last, holiday stickers and a plush mini-toy as a souvenir. www.towneastmall.com - Fri Dec 10 Carrollton Early Childhood PTA Meeting: Parents of newborns, toddlers, and preschoolers are invited to join us for a catered brunch and $5.00 ornament exchange. The meeting is free and newcomers are welcome. We will be offering free childcare with a reservation on our website www.cecpta.org - Holy Covenant Church 1901 E. Peters Colony Carrollton, 75007 - Fri Dec 10 9:30am to 10:30am Car Seat Fitting Station: Centennial Medical Center Frisco, 1-877-228-3628. 2nd Friday of the month. Parents will be assisted with installation of the car seat and educated on proper securing of child. - Frisco - Fri Dec 10 12:30pm to 3:30pm

11 Saturday Adventures in Toyland: Come experience an amazing performance! This unique holiday production will combine the talent of young people, ages 7-18, throughout the Frisco and Prosper area, showcasing visual art, theatre, voice and dance to create a magical show.

All attendees are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event, benefitting Frisco Family Services. www.friscodanceforce.com Liberty High School, Frisco - Sat Dec 11 Gingerbread for Humanity: Come and decorate your own gingerbread house to take home for the holidays! We provide sturdy gingerbread houses ready to decorate, icing and LOTS of candy trimmings. www.tpcmckinney.org/ gingerbread. - McKinney - Sat Dec 11

20

KwanzaaFest: www.johnwileyprice.com Automobile Building at Fair Park - Sat Dec 11 to Sun Dec 12 Plano Children’s Christmas Parade: This year’s parade will start at Vines High School.

This year’s route will go North on Independence Parkway to Parkhaven Drive, then East to Westside Drive, ending in the Plano Senior High School parking lot. Kick off is at 9 AM, line up starting at 7 AM. www.planotxchristmasparade.com - Plano. Sat Dec 11 The Dallas Repertoire Ballet presents the Nutcracker: The Dallas Repertoire Ballet presents the Nutcracker at the Eisemann Center on December 11th at 2pm and 8pm and on December 12th at 2 pm. A portion of the opening night proceeds go the United Way of Greater Dallas. For tickets call 972 744-4650 Please paste your event description here. www.eisemanncenter.com - Richardson Sat Dec 11 to Sun Dec 12

Breakfast with Santa: Santa is coming to town and he’s stopping at Clif Nelson Rec Center.

Come enjoy breakfast and activities. Bring the whole family to this fun event. Children will enjoy making holiday crafts, visiting Santa and eating delicious pancake breakfast. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information or to register call 817-561-2819 www.arlingtontx.gov - Cliff Nelson Recreation Center, Arlington - Sat Dec 11 8am to 11am Frosty 5K & Merry Mile: www.friscofun.org Simpson Plaza at City Hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd. - Sat Dec 11 8:30am to 9:30am Glen Oaks Tiger Trot Partnering with Toys for Tots: 5K/1K 214-934-0376 glenoaks.txpta.org/ - 6100 Glen Oaks Dr, McKinney - Sat Dec 11 8:30am to 9:30am Victorian Christmas at Nash Farm: Make & Take Ornaments. www.NashFarm.org - 626 Ball Street, Grapevine - Sat Dec 11 10am to 12pm Camp Gingerbread benefiting Home Aid Dallas: Families are invited to come out to Firewheel Town Center and decorate gingerbread cookies. All donations benefit HomeAid Dallas. www.simon.com - Firewheel Town Center, Garland - Sat Dec 11 12pm to 4pm Otaku Kyokai No Flower Mound (Teen Anime Club): (Monthly at 1pm on the second Saturday). Flower Mound Public Library - Flower Mound - Sat Dec 11 1pm to 4pm Christmas in Camelot: All ye ladies and knights of King Arthur’s round table in kindergarten through Grade 5 are invited to attend a celebration of the Magic Tree House book Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne.

Come dressed in your finest courtly attire, join us for delicious morsels, and drink the Water of Memory and Imagination. Make Merlin’s wand, a crown to rival King Arthur’s, and other magical surprises. Please bring a new or gently used Magic Tree House book (any title) to be donated to Denton County Friends of the Family. For more info: 972.874.6167 or visit www. fimlibrary.net - Flower Mound Public Library, 3030 Broadmoor Lane - Sat Dec 11 2pm to 4pm Riddle Street School for the Gifted’s Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Fundraiser: A benefit for CASA of Collin County. The community is invited to enjoy a bounce house, carnival, food and more. www.casaofcollincounty.org or www. riddlestreet.com - 3132 Hudson Crossing, McKinney - Sat Dec 11 2pm to 5pm 39th Annual Dallas Heritage Village Candlelight: Many fun activities await at this years Dallas holiday tradition: Carriage rides. A photo with St. Nicholas. Storytelling, hand-weaving, blacksmithing and more. Delicious holiday menu in

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

the Chautauqua Pavilion by Eddie Deen Catering (at an additional cost). www.dallasheritagevillage.org/ - Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park, Dallas - Sat Dec 11 3pm to Sat Dec 11 9pm Arlington Holiday Lights Parade: The Arlington Holiday Lights Parade will be December 11 at 6PM. We are excited to announce that our title sponsor will again be Decorator’s Warehouse. We hope you will visit our website to be a sponsor, volunteer, vendor or parade entry. www.holidaylightsparade.com - Main Street, Arlington - Sat Dec 11 6pm to 8pm Second Saturdays: “Second Saturdays” is a celebration of the arts and the community with live entertainment, spirits, and food where featured artists debut their latest creations. Once you experience the energy of these evenings, we are certain “Second Saturdays” will become a regular event on your social calendar. From Hwy 75, exit 40A, head east on Louisiana Street for 1.5 miles. For further information call 972.547.2660 or visit www.downtownmckinney.com - McKinney - Sat Dec 11 7pm to 10pm

12 Sunday Toys for Tots Toy Drive Party: Bring an unwrapped toy and get free entry to this 2nd annual event. Tons of fun for the kids: bounce houses, train rides, sleigh rides, petting zoo, photo booth, pics with Santa, balloon art, face painting, sketch artist, music and entertainment, arts and crafts, food and drinks and more!

972-566-7000 .Medical City Children’s Hospital, 7777 Forest Lane (beside Bldg A) Dallas, TX 75230-. www.northtexaskids.com/t4tparty.com.

Breakfast with Santa and Friends: Bring your cameras for a picture with Santa. Children must be accompanied with a parent or responsible adult. Reservations are recommended due to limited seating. $7.50 per person; Children 3-4 yrs. old $5; 2 yrs. and under are free. Call 817685-1847 or e-mail ravensgrille@eulesstx.gov Raven’s Grille, 1400 Texas Star Parkway, Euless - Sat Dec 18 9:30am to 11am Home for the Holidays Concert: Be part of the community tradition when Mayor and Mrs. Maso host Frisco’s fifth annual Home for the Holidays concert. Hector Guzman & the Plano Symphony are joined by Soprano Teresa Gomez for a festive event the whole family will enjoy.

The varied selection of holiday music performed by the orchestra & its special guest will be the perfect addition to your holiday celebrations. www.planosymphony.org/ - Frisco High School, Frisco - Sat Dec 18 4pm to 5pm

21 Tuesday La Leche League: Whether you breastfeed for a day or a year, or plan to breastfeed, come join us at the First Presbyterian Church in Lewisville [1002 Fox St]; 10AM; call Julie 214-9298908, Bridget 972-317-1648, Laura 972-436-8383, or Fanny 972-535-5159 for more info. www. lllusa.org/web/LewisvilleTX.html - Lewisville - Tue Dec 21 10am to 11am

22 Wednesday Jingle Bell Run: 5K/1M 214-269-5690 www. dallasjinglebellrun.com - Hilton Anatole, 2201 Stemmons Frwy, Dallas - Wed Dec 22 6:30pm to 7:30pm

13 Monday

24 Friday

Greater Lewisville Early Childhood PTA General Meeting: GLECPTA is a support organization for parents of infants, toddlers and preschool-age children that offers monthly meetings (with great speakers and childcare!), playgroups, children outings, holiday parties and adult activities. www.glecpta.org - Flower Mound - Mon Dec 13

Sci-Tech Discovery Camps for the Holidays: With the holidays right around the corner, busy parents are seeking innovative ways to combine learning and fun for their children while completing their to-do lists. Sci-Tech Discovery Center offers exciting Discovery Camps in the areas of science, math and technology through the upcoming November and December holiday seasons, allowing campers a dynamic, hands-on experience complete with activities, games, and themed demonstrations. Frisco. Camp dates: 11/24, 11/26, 12/21, 12/22, 12/23, 12/28, 12/29, and 12/30. Camps run twice each day from 10anoon & 2-4pm. www.mindstretchingfun.org

14 Tuesday Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano: Join us at one of our regular program meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. There’s always an interesting speaker, and you’ll meet a lot of fun women! www.newcomerfriends.org.Please join us at SMU-in-Legacy, 5228 Tennyson Parkway, Plano. Look for our signs! (West of Preston Road on the SE Corner of Tennyson & Democracy) Plano - Tue Dec 14 9:30am to 11:30am

15 Wednesday “It’s A Wonderful Life”: Acting for Children Theater. Matinee Prices $6 and Evening Prices (12yrs & older $9, 11yrs & under $6). Advance ticket pricing - Ages 2 & under Free/Seniors $6.

Add $1 for tickets purchased at the door. Plaza Theatre ‘ Dec. 15 & 16 at 10am; Dec. 17 & 18 at 7pm. For tickets call 972-658-3915 or buy online at www.actingforchildren.org - Garland - Wed Dec 15 to Sat Dec 18

17 Friday Holiday Trail of Lights: heardmuseum.org - Heard Natural Science Museum, McKinney Fri Dec 17 to Sun Dec 19

18 Saturday Treats of Christmas: Join NorthPark Center for the ultimate holiday bake sale benefitting the North Texas Food Bank’s “Cooking Matters”.

10 am to 7 pm. www.northparkcenter.com NorthPark Center - Sat Dec 18

Support Groups Allen www.allenmoms.com momsclub_allenwest@yahoo.com. www.aecpta.com momscluballenne@yahoo.com www.theheartlinknetwork.com Anna Area www.meetup.com/sahm-3053 Arlington www.momsclub.org Carrollton www.cecpta.org.

Collin County moms.meetup.com/994 groups.yahoo.com/group/ascc2/join Coppell/Valley Ranch www.cvrecpta.org Dallas info@momsclubofdallas.org www.lllofdallas.org www.sharesouthwest.org Dallas/Collin County www.dallasparents.org

Dallas/Plano/Frisco www.fndecpta.txpta.org

Emma’s Kid Friendly Restaurant Review

Denton damoms.clubspaces.com/Default_css.aspx Farmers Branch www.northdallasspeech.com Irving www.irvinghomeschoolers.com

Outback Steakhouse

1509 N. Central Expressway • Plano, TX 75075 • (972) 516-4100 • www.outback.com

Lake Highlands

by Emma Bonin

www.lhaecpta.org Lewisville www.lisdseptsa.txpta.org fbclmops@gmail.com Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village www.mothersnmore.com Little Elm www.littleelm.com McKinney www.mcfbc.org www.academicsplus.com www.geocities.com/mckinneymoms www.homemakersandceos.com Murphy/Sachse murphy_sachse_moms@yahoo.com North Coppell www.momsclubofcoppell.org North Dallas www.mochamomsnorthdallas.com North Richland Hills www.featnt.org

We’ve been to the Outback so many times that I’ve stopped counting. One time I even rode my bike there because we can take the Plano bike trail almost the entire way. This time my grandma was with us, as she is visiting from Michigan.

We arrived just in time for “Billabong Hour”, as my dad would say. We tried their new signature appetizer, spinach alfredo flatbread. It was pretty good, but more for the adult taste.

I tried something different this time: their special homemade macaroni and

cheese, which is actually with penne pasta instead of macaroni. It was delicious! I loved it, and apparently, so did my brother, because he kept eating mine. He ordered the adult version of the chicken fingers, as he called it. He liked it a lot, too.

My parents and my grandma all ordered the Outback Special sirloin steak with garlic mashed potatoes and house salads. Everyone was happy with this choice.

We all ate every bite and enjoyed our visit as usual.

Other items on the kids’ menu include grilled cheese, chicken fingers, cheeseburger, mini-sirloin steak, junior ribs and for dessert,

an ice cream sundae!

I hope you all go to the Outback Steakhouse. It’s a great familyfriendly place to eat with great service, too!

We went to the restaurant located at 15th and Central in Plano.

They have locations throughout the DFW area. Visit www.Outback.com to find one near your neighborhood.

Emma Bonin is a sixth-grader at Haggard Middle School. She lives in Plano with

her mom, dad, and brother, Jack. She is an avid soccer player and enjoys swimming,

computer games, baking, getting together with friends, and taking care of her two mini-schnauzers, Pepper and Prince.

Plano www.spdnetwork.org parentconnection/us.html www.setonmothersandothers.net www.aauwplanocc.org www.childrenandfamilies.org www.kiwanis.org/club/plano www.lllusa.org/web/PlanoTX.html www.planomomsclub.com www.momslubplanonorth.com momsclubplano_central@yahoo.com groups.yahoo.com/group/ collincountyhomeschoolplaygroup www.medicalcenterofplano.com www.safewithfoodallergies.com. www.peachonline.org Richardson momsclubofrichardsonwest@gmail.com www.dallasparents.org Rockwall www.rockwallsahm.com www.angelfire.com/tx5 Various www.riseadventures.org Wylie www.wyliemomsandmore.org Please visit our online calendar for complete descriptions and up-to-date listings. We add new events on an ongoing basis.

Submitting Events Our calendar of events is free to the community.

All events must be submitted online and will appear in print and on our website. Go to www.northtexaskids.com and click on the submissions button to add your event to our calendar. We reserve the right to edit submissions and give priority to family-focused events.

Alexandria’s Book Review Scumble

A Review by Alexandria Battle

By Ingrid Law 416 pages • Age 8-12 Penguin Group (USA) (August 2010) Ingrid Law was born in New York, right next to a story of legendary proportions about a sea monster. Perhaps it was this, and the ever-present stories in her head, which inspired her to go on and begin writing some of the most engrossing kids’ books I’ve yet read.

Scumble was one book I was extremely excited to see on one of my frequent bookstore runs.

After so enjoying the previous book, Savvy, I’m glad to be able to recommend its sequel to my readers too, and hopefully get you as excited as I was.

In this sequel to the hit first book, the story focuses on Ledger Kale, a cousin of Savvy’s Mississippi “Mibs” Beaumont, and his wild ride upon gaining his savvy, or special talent, on his thirteenth birthday. Ledge

thinks he’s got it all figured out—he’s a runner by nature, and so his savvy will of course make him the fastest person in the whole world—so fast that he can run circles around his best friends, bring his sister Chinese food from China, and win the three-legged race with his dad that’s coming up next fall.

But on his birthday, things start coming apart around his ears—literally.

Of course, with such an extraordinary family, Ledge’s problems don’t end with his runaway savvy—they spring up in new, equally-stressful ways. One is the appearance of a non-family member at a special savvy wedding, one blondhaired Sarah Jane Cabot—the town’s child reporter extraordinaire. Sarah Jane is much too interested in unique things she can post in her very own paper, The Sundance Scuttlebutt. Worse, Ledge and Sarah have a history— namely, meeting at a store earlier

that day. And after SJ disappears rather memorably from the wedding, starts asking questions, and gets her overprotective father involved, things get very, very complicated.

Now, when nothing seems to want to stay put, Ledge must deal with staying at his Uncle Autry’s farm, putting up with the shenanigans of his savvy twin daughters, and avoiding the hotheaded Rocket Beaumont of Savvy fame—all while somehow working on scumbling his savvy. But how in the world is he ever going to do all of that?

This is a long but satisfying book, and Ledge’s trials and triumphs fill every bit of it wonderfully. To those who have not yet read Savvy, I recommend that you do so quickly— and to those who have, you can sit anxiously on your couch with me, waiting for Ms. Law’s newest treasure.

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

21

NTK Family Resource Guide North Texas Kids is committed to bringing you the resources you need simplify your life and raise happy, healthy kids!

Scraptions by Christy

Holiday Word Scramble

nfu __________________________ eter _________________________

“Scrapbooking your way to creative memories.”

Have at your Holiday Event!! parties n pre-school shows n winter festivals

fel ___________________________ hnakukha _____________________

10% off Custom Scrapbook Design Call Now for Details!

ntasa ________________________

Schedule your scrapbook event today!

Perfect for bridal/baby showers, birthdays, and any special event.

cadnels ______________________

balloo ning silly so ngs & dance whims s ical m agic

rishctsam _____________________

~

tasr __________________________

469.789.9964

fimlay _______________________

972-971-9408 www.scraptionsbychristy.com

wsno ________________________

brittany allen n aclownnamedzoe@yahoo.com

www.aclownnamedzoe.com

fun,tree,elf,hanukkah,santa,christmas,candles,star,family,snow

Advertise Your Business Here for $99 a month.* Call us at 972-516-9070 to reserve your space today! *Price valid for full year contract only. Ad design fee $25.00. www.northtexaskids.com

Focus On Our Advertisers

Ex-Instructor Pilot Has a New Mission: Teaching Math As Dan Parker tells it, he recalls the exact moment the “teaching bug” bit him. “I was trying to teach a young lieutenant cross-wind takeoffs and landings, and he wasn’t getting it. He was drifting closer to the edge of the runway, and I was about to take over the controls, which would mean he’d failed his lesson. At the last moment, he jammed in the rudder pedal and returned the aircraft to the centerline, while exclaiming, ‘Oh, I see!’ In my mind’s eye I could see that cartoon light bulb over his helmet, and I thought to myself, ‘This is what teachers live for.’ “ Years later, those moments come more frequently as struggling Mathnasium students suddenly see the light. “Many times the breakthroughs are quite dramatic,” says Parker. He says “I get it” is heard fairly frequently around the Mathnasium of Plano learning center.

Mr. Parker and wife Lynda purchased Mathnasium of Plano in June 2008. They expect to reach the shop’s nominal capacity of 100 2nd- through 12th-grade students in 2011. “We were hit pretty hard by the recession,” he says. “Parents got laid off or just had to cut back on expenses. But business is picking up again and it’s looking pretty good.”

Mathnasium is an award-winning world-wide franchise headquartered in Los Angeles. There are some 240 learning centers in 22

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

the US, and about 60 in other countries. The proprietary Mathnasium Method is the brainchild of Los Angeles’ celebrated “Math Guy,” Larry Martinek, who has been teaching kids and teaching teachers for over 35 years. Martinek trains all Mathnasium franchisees in his unique lesson planning and teaching techniques. Franchisees like Parker in turn train their instructors, mostly teachers and college students. Since its inception in 2002, Mathnasium has helped thousands of students improve their grades and learn to love math.

The proprietary method is summed up in the company’s slogan, “Teaching Math That Makes Sense to Kids.”

Mathnasium of Plano is located in the Parkway Plaza shopping center at 3115 W. Parker Rd, Suite 560, behind the Country Burger and across the parking lot from Whirly-Ball and USA Toys.

School year hours are 3:30-8:00 Monday-Thursday and 11:003:00 Saturdays, closed Fridays, Sundays, and PISD holidays.

Interested parents can call 972519-3240 for an appointment or more information. They can also visit the learning center’s web site at www.mathnasium.com/plano.

Birthday Party Fun! We do it all for you, so relax & enjoy

$69.99

+ tax

for up to 10 children $6.10 for each additional child

• • • •

Allen McKinney Plano Richardson

Party includes: Happy Meal , Cake, Ice Cream, Decorations, ®

Party Favors, a Host or Hostess and a Gift for the Birthday Child.

To make reservations: Visit www.OreillyMCD.com or call our birthday party hotline at 972.985.9285.

Now Available 7 days a week!

No deposit required.

Locally owned and operated by Chuck and Julie O’Reilly

North Texas Kids • December 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

23

26th ANNUAL

THE NUTCRACKER

Presented by

TUZER BALLET THE NUTCRACKER SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2010 2 PM AND 6 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2010 2 PM EISEMANN CENTER 972.744.4650 TICKETS $15 - $35

www.tuzerballet.com

RENAISSANCE, HOTELS & RESORTS

TUZER BALLET GUILD

This performance is funded in part by the City of Richardson through the City of Richardson Arts Commission.