North Texas Kids June 2010

North Texas Your Family Guide to Raising Happy, Healthy Kids

June 2010

FREE

In this issue:

www.northtexaskids.com

Aishani, Age 9

Kid's Internet Lingo / 25 Father's Day Gifts / Summer fun For Preschoolers Pool Safety / Keeping Kids Active / June Calendar of Events

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

Every child deserves great theater!

D A L L A S C H I L D R E N ’ S T H E AT E R AND T H E R O S E W O O D F O U N D AT I O N PRESENT

dorEEn Cronin & BETSy LEWin’S

JAmES E. GROTE muSIC & LYRICS bY GEORGE HOWE ADApTED bY

MEET DOREEN CRONIN IN PERSON! Ms. Cronin will be available to autograph your book at both the 1:30 & 4:30 pm performances, Saturday, June 19 author signing made possible by

JUN 18 - JUL 25 SELECTEd FridayS - 7:30 pm / SaTurdayS & SundayS - 1:30 pm & 4:30 pm

rosewood ceNter

5938 Skillman DallaS, TX 75231

TickeTs & informaTion

214-740-0051 / www.dct.org AdApted from the book GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK text copyright © 2002 by doreen cronin illustrAtions copyright © 2002 by betsy lewin published by simon & schuster, inc. used by permission of pippin properties, inc.

SEASON SPONSORS

supporTed, in parT, by The CITy OF DALLAS and The TExAS COmmISSION ON THE ARTS

target time FamiLy series

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

3

Contents June l Volume 8 No. 6

6

11

14

6

Keeping Kids Active When School Is Out

16

Emma's Restaurant Review

7

8

Kid’s Internet Lingo Puzzling to Parents

17

Alexandria’s Book Review

10

Kids in the Kitchen

11

Summer Fun for Preschoolers

18

Summer Camp 2010

19

Ticket Giveaway!

12

25 Awesome Father’s Day Gifts

25

Family Resource Guide

25

Silly Riddles

13

Make a Difference in Chris’ Life

28 June Calendar of Events

27

Acrostic Father's Day Game

14

Stay Safe, Be Cool…. Know the Rules!

27

Father's Day Word Search

24

Triathalon! The Next Phase in my Whole Life Makeover

26

Craft: A Me-and-You Book

Former Olympian Shares Her Volleyball Secrets with Rising Stars in North Texas

All new registrations in June will receive a free guide to Summer Adventures in DFW. Go to NorthTexasKids.com today to sign up!

4

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

Note from the Publisher

Minette Riordan, Ph.D.

Faith is an Attitude I was reading an article series by Rabbi Rami Shapiro entitled, "Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler" over the weekend. I was sitting in the sun by the pool, watching my kids and procrastinating. I was trying to write a speech about "The Power of Commitment" for a women's conference in Plano in May. I was one of the keynote speakers at the Snap Out of It! Women's Conference.

Someone posed the question to Shapiro: Are faith and belief the same thing? I appreciated Rabbi Shapiro's answer that "No, they're not. Belief is about knowing; faith is about notknowing...Faith is an attitude towards reality, a trusting in what is unfolding without knowing just what that is."

I look for that faith in all areas of my life, not just in my relationship with the Divine.

Shapiro goes on to say that "The best faith is fierce." That is what love for a child feels like, fierce! A fierce knowing that everything will work out. That is what love for a spouse, or desire for a successful business or the challenge to meet a goal you are working towards should feel like.

I bring that up for the June issue of North Texas Kids for several reasons.

First, as you may know, my husband and I have launched into a whole life makeover with Living Well Dallas co-founders Betty Murray and Jenny Bair. As I am writing this, I am trying to stave off frustration at my lack of weight loss progress and trust Betty to guide me in the right direction. I have faith that the scale will begin to move in the right direction,

but when? I have faith that Jenny will keep me positive, motivated and calm about the progress I am making. But is it belief, not faith?

It certainly doesn't feel fierce in Shapiro's definition of the term. I need to take inspired action to move me from belief to fierce faith. One thing I learned about the power of faith, combined with the power of 100% commitment, is to celebrate small successes along the way. To be grateful for change, growth and movement forward, whatever that looks like. As a mom and a business owner, faith looks different everyday and I am grateful for my experiences along the way.

I also write about faith for my friend Brian Padden, whose son Chris is in need of a kidney transplant. You can read his story on pg.13. He lost one son to an accident in 2007 and has remained friends with the man who received his son's liver, a life-saving move combined with the deep grief of loss. This powerful story will remind you of the fierce love we have for our own children and to be grateful for gifts that appear unexpectedly and sometimes unwanted.

Then, when you read the article on internet lingo about what our kids are saying to each other (prepare to be horrified), you will define faith as trust. At what level do we need to question our children, pay closer attention, when does fierceness become blindness in regards to our children? Being a parent is tough.

We have to trust that they will do the right thing and that their own faith will guide them. To do that, we have

to educate ourselves about what to watch out for, what to teach them and how to teach them to protect themselves. It is our job to keep our children safe - sometimes this takes a great leap of faith.

The June issue of North Texas Kids is focused on Summer Fun & Safety. There are some great articles that cover both topics. After the seriousness of the two articles just mentioned, tap into our Kids in the Kitchen article and share your favorite recipes with author Lisa Greene, make a fun Father's Day book for dad or check out the article on how to keep kids active this summer. Have faith that it will be a fun summer, that you will create moments of joy, love and creativity for your family, no matter what is going on.

I am an academic at heart, I love learning, education and acquiring knowledge. I have high expectations for my two kids (perhaps too high).

But I firmly believe that summer is about having fun and relaxing into life instead of swimming upstream against it (which the school year can feel like at times.) I am looking forward to some quality reading time, quiet time and vacation with my family this summer, even if that vacation is right in our backyard.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

Happy reading!

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

Cindy Johnson Michelle Kalman Nancy Luttinger

Creative Dir. /Designer Brittany Allen

2nd Story Design brittany@2ndstorydesign.com

Printed by

Midway Press, Dallas Tx

Mailing Address

Scissortail Publishing

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

Phone

972-516-9070

Fax

972-516-9048

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 right to edit all submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication. Recommended article length is 500 to 800 words. Viewpoints of the articles are not necessarily the viewpoints of North Texas Kids. Materials will not be returned.

Advertising is accepted at the discretion of the Publisher. Advertisers assume all liability for the content of their printed advertisements and agree to indemnify North Texas Kids and its publisher for any and all claims and expenses arising therefrom.

Cover Artist...

Congratulations to the Winner of our Summer Fun Fest Art Contest!

Aishani

Your child will receive $50 when we use his/her artwork on the cover of NTK. North Texas Kids loves kids’ art. Feel free to send us your child’s Masterpiece.

Aishani has a passion for drawing and painting.

She started showing artistic skills at an early age of 3 and has won many awards since then.

She also enjoys reading and writing. She loves music and has started taking music lessons recently.

We are looking for covers that are unique, bright and colorful. Each child that appears on our cover receives $50.00 along with his/her picture and story in the paper. Submissions may be digital or print. Email pictures to info@northtexaskids.com or mail them to Scissortail Publishing, LLC. 700 E. Park Blvd., Suite 110, Plano, Texas 75074.

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

5

Do you know the cause of your child’s learning struggles?

Keeping Kids Active When School Is Out

by Sara Gondol, M.D.

Summer. Time for camp, catching bugs, water parks…and weight gain? Studies suggest that for the youngest students, summer months may be worse than the school year when it comes to preventing obesity.

Charting Weight Changes About 5,400 children from 310 schools were tracked during

Call today to get the answers you have been looking for!

Get $100 off of your assessment in June.

972-267-8900 Conveniently located in Plano and Park Cities

www.LearningRX.com

kindergarten, first grade, and the summer in between. Their body mass index – a measure of their weight and height, compared with other kids their age – increased faster and at a more uneven rate during the summer.

The difference between school time and summertime was especially large in children who were already overweight, as well as in African-American and Hispanic children.

Researchers think children may eat more during the summer, when the days are less structured. Also, physical education during the school year may help kids burn extra calories.

Warm-Weather Workouts Just like adults, kids need to balance the calories they eat with the calories they burn to prevent extra pounds. That means healthy eating and an hour of physical activity on all or most days of the week.

Luckily, summer’s sunshine offers the chance to get out and get moving. Try these tips to stave off summer weight gain in your children:

• Plan active vacations. For example, take a trip to the mountains and hike or ski. Or, bike around a new city.

• Limit screen time – including TV and video games – to two hours a day or less.

• Encourage your little ones to get outside and play. Hopscotch, swimming, tag, and hide-and-go-seek all count as exercise.

• If they’re interested, sign your child up for a summer sports league. They might enjoy soccer or softball.

• Walk with your family instead of driving to visit friends or run errands in the neighborhood.

Dr. Gondol is located at Starwood Pediatrics, Starwood Medical Offices, 2595 Dallas Parkway, Suite 403, Frisco. To make an appointment for your child, call 972-519-1139.

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

Great Father's Day Gift:

A Me-and-You Book

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

This is a simple hand-made book that kids can make for Father's Day. It's sure to be a popular keepsake for years to come.

We treat children for. . .

Supplies: Cardstock or cereal box 8 1/2 inch x 11 inch white paper

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

Hole punch Ribbon, string, metal binder rings

Instructions: 1. Cut a 9 1/2- x 6-inch rectangle from the cereal box or cardstock. Fold it in half. Pick Dad's favorite cereal as the cover or make a fun, colorful collage of photographs, magazine clippings or other images you know Dad would love.

2. Stack white paper, fold the sheets into quarters, cut along the top, and set the paper inside the cardboard. Punch three holes through the paper and cardboard and bind using ribbon, string or binder clips.

3. Now, brainstorm topics for the book. If it says on the left page "My Favorite Animals," then print on the facing page, "Your Favorite Animals." Your child can draw or write in his answers, leaving the other side blank for his father to complete later. Other topics might be favorite colors, favorite foods, special places or things you love about the other person. You could compare yourself to Dad, my eyes are blue, yours are green or my hair is brown and yours is blonde.

This craft was adapted from Disney's familyfun.go.com website. It is full of excellent craft ideas, video instructions and easy do-it-yourself ideas like this one. I love crafts where the kids really can do most of the work and it's not all up to Mom! North Texas Kids • June 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

7

Kid’s Internet Lingo Puzzling to Parents

by Sharon Woolley

Unlike us, our

children live in an

age where they’ve

been exposed to the

Internet their whole life.

They‘ve come to expect news, information and entertainment with a

click of a mouse, as well

as instant communication with one another through chat software and social networking sites.

As parents, we’re familiar with simple abbreviations, like CUL8R (see

you later) and LOL (laughing out loud). We probably even use many of them ourselves when emailing, chatting or texting. But did you know

that kids have their own secret online language of acronyms that goes far beyond what parents know and understand?

Let’s hope you’ve never seen GNOC (get naked on camera) or IWSN

(I want sex now) pop up on your child’s screen. Or the term “zerg”, which means they’re ganging up on someone – or that they’re being bullied

themselves. And are you aware that the number 8 by itself means oral sex?

SpectorSoft Corporation has recently released a free Internet safety

guide called “A Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” with more than 100 pages of terms that kids commonly use in chat text, instant messages,

Facebook and MySpace. There are also Top 100 and Top 20 lists for easy reference.

“A Parent’s Guide to Internet Lingo” is a free download at

www.FreeLingoGuide.com, along with an interactive Internet Lingo Quiz that tests how much you really understand about what they’re saying.

By understanding the one-digit difference between LHO (laughing

head off) and LHOS (let’s have online sex) parents can know whether their child and their online friends are acting appropriately or whether critical decisions need to quickly be made to ensure their safety and well-being.

“SpectorSoft is committed to helping parents keep their children safe

online. Youth today are extremely tech savvy, yet unaware that online

actions may have consequences in real life,” said SpectorSoft President C. Douglas Fowler. “Parents have not only the responsibility, but also the right, to know what’s happening in their child’s virtual life.”

The best way to keep your child safe online is to monitor their activity

with a product such as Spector Pro (www.SpectorPro.com), which records everything they do on their computer and on the Internet – every chat,

every email, every website visited, as well as all their activity on Facebook and MySpace, and gives parents the ability to block people and sites they feel are inappropriate.

Spector Pro can also quickly translate what your child is saying – or

what someone else is saying to your child – by simply rolling the mouse over any acronym or phrase they’ve used on their computer or the web 8

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

that you don’t understand, like the term MIRL (meet in real life). Spector

NO

Pro alerts you that someone may be stalking your child, and gives you the

WO

proof to make to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Download the free Internet Lingo Guide today. With predators on

PEN

the prowl and dangerous web sites like Chatroulette giving complete

strangers access to your children, don’t take your kids’ safety for granted.

IN L

aS

CO

LIN

aS

Sharon Woolley, Marketing Director at SpectorSoft Corporation, regularly

contributes to child safety publications and panels. SpectorSoft provides award-

winning PC and Internet monitoring software used by more than 500,000 parents

worldwide to crack down on Internet abuse. The company offers a free Internet Lingo

Guide for parents confused by the cryptic acronyms children use in chat messages and online at www.freelingoguide,com.

by Dr. Minette Riordan Every time we bring new office supplies into our office in Plano, the kids think they are just for them. I have to hide my favorite pens, especially Sharpies and my Expo markers for the white boards. The kids’ zone, as we call the space set aside just for the kids in our office, with their own white board of course, is full of Expo Markers, most of which have smooshed tips and little ink, because the girls love to play school, color and generally use up lots of ink!

I don’t begrudge their creativity, in fact, I encourage it, when it doesn’t affect my ability to get my work done. So don’t tell the kids, but I have a secret stash of Expo Markers hidden in the conference room, up high and out of their reach, along with a new eraser and some awesome spray, also made by Expo, that makes my old white boards look like new. I did ask the girls to test out the new markers to see what they thought. Here’s a picture of the white board they created (at no urging from me, but they seemed to grasp the nature of shameless selfpromotion quite naturally!)

I grew up in the age of chalkboards and thinking colored chalk was amazing fun. I don’t miss the dust, the banging of erasers or the screeching of nails. I love white boards and I love Expo brand markers. They have created a new set of WASHABLE, yes you read that right, WASHABLE markers for whiteboards in brilliant, neon colors. My daughter was ripping them out of my hands before I could take them out of the box!

The colors are bright but show up great and they wash right off of clothes, hands and little faces. Plus, they are low odor which is a huge bonus! These are a great addition to any mom's craft box or educational tool box. If you homeschool your kids or just have big white boards in your kitchen like I do, you will love having a set of these awesome markers!

Personalized pediatric therapy as unique as your child.

If you have questions about your child’s development, Our Children’s House at Baylor can help. Whether your child has a mild delay or serious ongoing therapy needs resulting from injury, illness, or developmental delay, our pediatric specialists have the expertise you need. We offer a comprehensive range of services, but we tailor a treatment program just for your child.

Thousands have trusted their children to our care. You can too.

• Physical Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Speech-language Therapy • Specialty services* include Feeding Clinic, Orthotics Clinic, NICU Follow up Clinic, Sleep Lab, Sensory Integration Therapy, Developmental Evaluations, Swallow Studies (not all services are available at each location) For a physician referral or for more information on Our Children’s House at Baylor, call 1.800.4BAYLOR (422-9567) or visit us online at BaylorHealth.com/OurChildrensHouse.

AL L EN L AS C O L INAS

DALLAS PLANO

FR ISCO

G R APE V INE

R OCKWALL

WAXAHACHIE

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Our Children's House at Baylor, or Baylor Health Care System. ©2010 Baylor Health Care System OCHBAY_38 CE 2.10

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

9

Kids in the kitchen

The Real Mom's Guide to...

Healthy School Lunches

15% off a catering order of $50 or more

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

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!

School lunch is a hot topic with many parents and wellness groups across the country. Processed foods with additives and extenders like high fructose corn syrup and fried breading are being served to our children every day. These added empty calories are contributing to unhealthy eating habits, childhood obesity, and lifelong health conditions.

Our kids deserve to have a hot, healthy meal for lunch at school. I want to prove that it's possible! So, I've decided to create The School Lunch Chef Challenge, sponsored by and Ettinger–Rosini & Associates, Inc. It will be held at Ettinger-Rosini on July 6th and 7th.

We are calling local celebrity chefs to participate in creating a healthy school lunch, and we need the help of some North Texas Kids. Our contest will be judged by 4th and 5th graders, so if your child is interested in being a guest judge, go to www.processedkids.com and sign up.

I wanted to share with you a favorite recipe of my family that would be great for a school lunch:

Baked Fish Sticks Ingredients: Whole wheat bread crumbs Eggs, 1 or 2 Grated cheese (optional) Fish fillets (any flaky white fish will work) Instructions: Combine bread crumbs and cheese in food processor Pulse until fine and pour in shallow bowl Crack eggs in a separate shallow bowl and beat well Cut fish into 'fish stick' sized portions Coat one piece of fish with egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture Repeat with each piece of fish Broil in oven about 5-7 minutes on each side until fish flakes when cut with fork To make a tartar sauce, just combine 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1-2 teaspoons of pickle relish.

I hope you enjoy this family-friendly recipe. It's a great recipe to make

in bulk and freeze. The food processor step ensures the fish sticks will still

be crunchy. Also, the thinner pieces will turn out crunchier, and the thicker pieces will be more tender.

There are dozens of healthy meals that can be made in 30 minutes or less

in my book, Processed Kids. For more information about the book or the Chef Challenge, visit my website at www.processedkids.com.

To your health, Lisa Greene 10

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

Summer Fun for Preschoolers

foundation for a Lifetime of learning

Building the

by Lyn Voegeli

In the Dallas area, especially in the afternoon, the intense summer sun, heat, and poor air quality due to ozone often limits safe outdoor play.

High quality sunscreen lotion must be used liberally when children are exposed to the sun’s rays; and, since children become dehydrated quickly, they need to be encouraged to drink lots of water throughout the day. That being said, there are many things that young children enjoy doing outside in the summer months at school and at home.

Think water play! Swimming in your backyard or neighborhood pool is great, but an inexpensive plastic pool from your local store will provide hours of fantastic fun for young children if you stock it with plastic boats, ducks, whales, and containers to fill and pour.

Think sand play! If you don’t have a sandbox, get a second plastic pool to fill with sand, trucks, shovels, and buckets. Young children can be just as happy in their backyard as they are at a beach in Hawaii.

Think story time at home or at your local library! There’s nothing like reading great books under the shade of a tree to get your child’s imagination soaring. And you can take a pile of books home from the library for free. Some books will be winners and some won’t. It doesn’t matter all that much. Keep in mind that children’s librarians are a wonderful source of information about which books may appeal to your child.

Think play dates! Young children need frequent social interaction with their peers, which improves their developing skills in a multitude of ways. They practice talking, listening, observing, negotiating, and compromising. Destination play dates at the park, the museum, the children’s theater, the trolley, or wherever you want to go are so much fun.

Think an evening backyard BBQ and then a camp-out in sleeping bags on an inflatable mattress looking at the moon and the stars! You don’t have to have a tent and it doesn’t have to be for the whole night if you or your child decides your bed is calling you. You can pretend you just returned from a trip to the Rocky Mountains or the Great Barrier Reef.

Please keep in mind it truly is the quality and quantity of time you spend with your children that matters the most. They want and need your attention in unhurried, relaxed ways that show them they are more special to you than anything else in the world. These times can be spontaneous, but usually they have to be planned for. It’s definitely worth the effort, because bored, whiny children will drive you crazy – spring, summer, autumn, or winter!

Lyn Voegeli, MS, the Executive Director of Carpe Diem Private Preschools: Allen, Frisco, and Richardson.

“Some schools are expensive and outwardly beautiful, but when you scratch the surface, they’re nothing but day care. Carpe Diem couldn’t be more different. Here, my children (ages one and four) not only have fun, they really learn from professional educators.“ – Gayle Boone

“Being able to communicate with our baby through Baby Sign language has such a calming effect. No more frustrating “I don’t know what you want!” moments! I only wish I knew about Baby Sign when my first child was this age.” – Laura J. Ballard, PMP

“The experience my son, my husband and I have had at Carpe Diem is about as perfect as it gets. I never have an uneasy feeling or doubt that my child will be treated well, educated, and most of all loved. This truly is a wonderful school and what I consider a gift from God.” – Judy McCall

Carpe Diem - Allen 873 Junction Drive, Allen, Texas 75013, 972.396.0909 Carpe Diem - Frisco 5570 Warren Parkway, Frisco, Texas 75034, 214.619.0699 Carpe Diem - Richardson 271 Renner Parkway, Richardson, Texas 75080, 972.664.0203 Carpe Diem - Southlake 300 Randol Mill Road, Southlake, Texas 76092, 817.431.2549

get 1 free Month of tuition* *Offer expires August 31, 2010. This offer is not for currently enrolled children. Tuition discount is only for the Allen location. One discount per family. Coupon is good for one time use only and must be submitted at time of enrollment. Child must be enrolled for six consecutive months. The free tuition will be deducted on the seventh month. If multiple children are enrolled, the oldest child’s tuition will be deducted. No adjustments to prior enrollments. Not valid for cash.

www.CarpeDiemPreschool.com

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

11

25 AWESOME Fathers’ Day Gifts Fathers’ Day is just around the corner – June 20. These ideas will help your children to connect with their father. The suggestions will also help you and your father celebrate his contributions to your life.

Immerse your preschooler in amazing educational opportunities.

The Grove School™ is where learning about solar energy is as educational as early reading and writing skills. Where expert teachers make math as memorable as donating the school’s garden harvest to the local food bank. And where wholesome foods and activities help to grow strong, healthy bodies.

Schedule a tour now and see how your child can grow with us.

877.664.7683 6800 Independence Parkway, Plano, TX 75023 groveschool.com © 2010 The Grove School. All rights reserved.

12

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

You may have noticed the first and last suggestions are identical. Those suggestions are the “gifts” that Fathers (and others you love) need on a regular basis.

Linda Smittle lost her father in March 2010, but has cherished memories about their fun times together. She owns Milestone Memories, a small business dedicated to helping people celebrate life by creating customized laser engraved items. Samples of laser engraved gifts are at www.laserplaces.com. Contact Linda at linda@createMMtoday.com for additional information about celebrating life.

Make a Difference in Chris' Life

by Dr. Minette Riordan Every once in a while, you get to help people in a way that makes a difference unexpectedly. My friend Brian Padden had this opportunity in 2007. He lost his son Kevin on April 14 in a freak accident at a local Plano restaurant. Kevin died from a head injury. Kevin was on life support and when the family was told there was no brain activity, they agreed to donate Kevin's organs to help others. Now, Brian and his family are asking for help while working to increase awareness of saving lives through organ transplantation.

For the past several months, Brian's son, Chris, has been courageously battling end stage renal disease. Since October 31, 2009, Chris has been on dialysis 3 days per week, 4 hours a day. This is keeping him alive and he is doing fairly well on this treatment. As you can imagine, this limits Chris’ ability to be gainfully employed and impacts his quality of life while making him dependent on others. The family was told that his only real shot at a long and healthy life is to receive an O+ kidney transplant as soon as possible. But the wait list for a kidney transplant is years long.

Chris was born with a condition called Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis which resulted in blindness at birth. They recently learned that his renal failure is also a result of Leber’s. Being determined, Chris is currently studying to be certified as an Adaptive Technology Trainer to teach visually impaired students and Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans to become PC proficient.

Chris has completed his medical evaluation at UT Southwestern Hospital in Dallas. However, due to the extraordinary expense of transplantation, as well as Chris’ inability to work, funding this life-saving procedure and the lifelong immunosuppressant medications that Chris will need is a monumental task. Despite having Medicare, Chris will have many uninsured medically related expenses that will need to be met out-of-pocket.

This presents a challenge Chris cannot meet alone.

To help offset Chris’ uninsured medical expenses, a fundraising campaign in Chris’ honor has been established with NTAF (formerly National Transplant Assistance Fund). NTAF is a non-profit organization that has been assisting the transplant community for more than 26 years.

All contributions are administered by NTAF exclusively for uninsured transplant-related expenses and are tax-deductible. If you are interested in learning more or in making a donation to the NTAF, please contact Brian Padden at bpadden@hxpassociates.com I had the opportunity to meet Chris Padden at a Chamber of Commerce meeting recently and I appreciated his positive energy and attitude. This young man is not giving up on his life or his dreams. I share his story in hope that someone may have the opportunity to help Chris in a small or a big way. He is currently looking for a kidney donor and there are ongoing fundraising events being held in Collin County.

But I am also sharing this story for Brian and his commitment to educating people on how important it is to think about organ transplantation. While it was a challenging decision for Brian and his family to make that decision for Kevin, they knew it was the right thing to do and that Kevin's gift could save someone else's life.

Please feel free to visit Chris Padden's website for more information: www.HelpChrisPadden.com.

nurture

hisinner musiciAn

.

Bring your newborn, toddler, or preschooler to one of our fun-filled classes. Explore musical play, child-friendly instruments, songbooks, and CDs that you use at home.

And find out how nurturing our research-based music and movement program can be.

(972) 267-4452

• musictogetherdAllAs.com

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

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

13

Stay Safe, Be Cool…. Know the Rules!

by Mimi Conner

Texas sun and hot summers are all about having fun and staying cool

at the pool, spa, lakes and beaches. For people, especially young children, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death. Most child drownings

occur during a five minute or less lapse in adult supervision. Avoid this tragic

accident! Don’t rely on one system, layering your safety precautions provides the strongest safeguard in prevention of drowning.

Here are just a few safety tips: Create a Water Watching Program -A designated responsible adult watches children when they are in or around any type of water. All nonswimmers need to be with an experienced swimmer at all times. This is especially important during large gatherings and parties.

• Never leave a child alone-there is no substitute for constant adult supervision. Just because a child has had swimming lessons does not mean that they are water safe. Accidents happen. No one is drown-proof. Children can drown in as little as 2 feet of water.

• Phones should be at the pool area with a 911 emergency card with the

home address and emergency numbers on it.

• Safety equipment, poles and ring buoys should be quickly available for

an emergency.

• Caretakers should be trained in water-safety, CPR and First Aid

Summer is about having fun, being with friends and family sharing time together and making memories. Don’t let your child become a statistic.

Most water related accidents can be prevented by knowing, teaching, following and reinforcing the stay safe swimming rules.

Mimi Conner is the owner of Aqua Fit Swim and Wellness Center, located conveniently near I75 and George Bush in Plano. Aqua Fit offers swim instruction for all ages, water aerobics, yoga and pilates classes. For more information about their summer programs, visit them online at www.aquafitplano.com or call Mimi at 972-578-7946 (SWIM).

• Babysitters should not bear the responsibility of watching children

in the pool or spa. They get distracted and not all babysitters are strong swimmers themselves or responsible enough to know what to do.

• All toys, floats and pool/spa stuff should be put out of sight and away

from the pool/spa area so they will not attract a child to the pool/spa when not in use. Bright colored objects will lure a child to the water.

• Self-closing, self-latching fences around the pool area, alarms on doors

to the pool/spa area, and alarms in the pool protect your family members, neighborhood children and pets. Interior/exterior alarms add another layer of protection.

• Remove steps and ladders from above ground pools when not in use and store away from the pool.

• Have all of your pool/spa and safety equipment checked regularly.

Preventive devices are only effective if they work properly.

• Wear sunscreen, most damage happens before the age of 18-this will last a lifetime.

• Learn about Dry Drowning: Anyone can inhale swimming pool/

spa water. When it gets into the lungs-this can become a serious problem.

Anyone who has been in the water and begins to act differently, seek emergency help right away. Wanting to sleep is a symptom and can lead to death quietly due to Dry Drowning. http://www.aquafitplano.com/dynamicdata/drydrowning.asp 14

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

Know the Ru le Teach the Ru s….

Follow les…

Reinfo the Rules… rce th e Rule s! n d childre dults an a : e n lo ushing wim a king or p n •Never s u d , g rms yin tening sto horsepla h , g g li in d n n n a r •No ru , thunde eavy rain h in im ls w play poo •Never s water or w o ll a h g in s •No divin occur ing may ap k le o h u o -c y g efore swimmin •Look b dy when n a c r o wing gum •No che pool or in the d n u ro a ss •No gla

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

15

Emma’s Kid Friendly Restaurant Review Corner Bakery 3301 Preston Road • Frisco, TX 75034 • 972- 668-6590 Visit: www.cornerbakery.com for more locations

Pumpkin Littles would like to invite YOU! Family Fun Day & Open House

June 27th: 12 pm - 4 pm Rain or Shine Come celebrate the GRAND OPENING of our brand new home Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Bounce House, Sensory Gym, Yoga and Much More!

5439 Glen Lakes Drive Dallas, TX

An Early Education Center Alternative Academic &Therapeutic Methods

Michelle Beck MA mbeck@pumpkinlittles.com 214.346.0477 www.pumpkinlittles.com

by Emma Bonin This was my first visit to Corner Bakery. I went with my friend, Emma, her mom, sister, grandma, aunt and uncle. It is a nice little atmosphere, somewhat like Breadwinners, which I reviewed a couple of months ago. They have a nice outdoor patio, but we chose to sit inside.

Emma and I decided to split the ravioli. Emma is a little picky, but we both liked the ravioli and ate it all. It was really good. Her aunt and uncle shared one of the pasta dishes and a salad. I’m not sure what everyone ordered because we sat at two separate tables. But I do know that everyone liked their meal.

The menu includes various salads, soups, chili, pastas, and signature sandwiches, including grilled panini sandwiches. The kids’ menu had a few options including PBJ, ham, turkey or grilled cheese sandwich, and pasta with marinara. Each kid’s meal includes a

side of either fruit medley or a cookie, and all are served with chips.

They have a bakery counter, hence the name, and it had all kinds of brownies, cookies, muffins, pies and more. They have specialty cookies called whoopy pies. Emma and I had brownies that were delicious. Her aunt and uncle got a raspberry bar and a mini bundt cake that both looked really good.

Next time I’ll have to come back with my family. I know they will like it, too. We visited the Frisco location, but there are locations throughout the DFW metroplex. Visit www.cornerbakery.com to find the location nearest you.

Emma Bonin is a fifth-grader at Hughston Elementary. She lives in Plano with her mom, dad, and brother, Jack. She is an avid soccer player and enjoys swimming, computer games, baking, and getting together with friends.

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

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Alexandria’s Book Review Matilda

A Review by Alexandria Battle

By Roald Dahl 240 pages • Ages 8-12 Penguin Group USA (September 2004) Roald Dahl, this month’s author, is famous around the world for his amazing storytelling skills. He was born in Wales in 1916. His mother, whom he idolized, told him and his sisters stories about adventures and mythical creatures when he was a boy, and they sparked his imagination.

From his parents he gained many unique passions, and by far the greatest (his ability to write) brings me to one of my favorite books.

I found this worn yellow book on one of my bookshelves, and couldn’t believe I hadn’t shared it with North Texas Kids yet. It is by far one of my most treasured, because it taught me early on that it is okay to be very smart—or even to be a genius. And you definitely don’t mess with geniuses.

Matilda is a small child like any other you might imagine in England— except for the tiny detail of her being a genius. Not only was she reading newspapers at three, but a short year later she was reading every book she could get her hands on. Normally parents might be excited by having a child who wanted to learn at such a young age; however, Matilda’s parents, who were themselves very ordinary, despised their daughter and belittled her obvious intelligence. But Matilda the genius was not only able but willing to put them in their place—with a few pranks, of course!

Upon entering school, Matilda’s high intelligence is quickly discovered by her teacher, Miss Honey, perhaps the nicest in the world. She

immediately goes to the Headmistress, to convince her to put Matilda in with the top students in the school. But the cruel, widely feared Miss Trunchbull has other ideas. She is convinced that Matilda is nothing but a silly child, and a troublemaker to boot. And once Matilda and the other first years are introduced to the other common cruelties of “The Trunchbull”, it is clear that at last Matilda has found someone she can match wits with.

But can she win? The only way you’ll find out is by reading the book and cheering for the genius. I also heartily recommend Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Danny the Champion of the World.

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

17

summer Camp Love Horses?

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

fun!

fun!

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and many more fun activities to choose from

A Parent-Child Learning Experience Have you done your Therapy Homework?

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19

I love camp!

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

www.NorthTexasKids.com

superduper great activities!!

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Enjoy Fun With Friends This Summer at All Saints Catholic School • We offer a variety of Summer Camps to nurture and guide each child in a spiritual environment with hands on fun.

• Children experience hands on fun with Eagles Soaring Day Camps.

• Academic enrichment camps, recreational and sports camps are also offered.

Visit www.allsaintsk8.org Find an exciting summer of fun for your child.

7777 Osage Plaza Parkway Dallas, TX 75252 • 214.217.3331

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Now Enrolling for Summer Classes Birthday Parties • Broomball Learn to Skate & Hockey Classes • Group Rates

Plan field trips now!

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$5.00 off 1 Learn to Skate or Intro to Hockey Semester. Exp. 9/1/10 North Texas Kids • June 2010 • www.NorthTexasKids.com

21

Fun and learning Bobby Moffat's

S CCER CAMPS Owner Operated Since 1970

Summer Camps with locations in: Allen, Carrollton, Dallas, Frisco, Garland, Irving, Keller, Lewisville, Mc Kinney, Mesquite, Paris, Plano, Richardson, Rockwall, Rowlett, Southlake, Texoma, The Colony & Wylie

For Boys & Girls 4 - 16 Look for dates, times & locations on our web site Locations Metroplex Wide We run Camps Metroplex wide All Summer Long.

972/649-7933 Sign up & applications available on our web site

www.soccermoffat.com

Our Camps

(full, half & evening) are for Regular Players, Select, Goalkeepers, and Foundation (4&5yr).

Team Camps (any age) at your Location or Our Camp Location

Other Activities

Fall & Spring Soccer Academy, Spring, & Winter Soccer Break Camps, & Rent-A-Coach Year Round.

Get Ahead of September Math Classes Now! CAUTION: YOUR CHILD MAY BECOME CRAZY ABOUT MATH!

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3115 W. Parker Rd #560, Plano, TX 75023 972-519-0340 Mathnasium.com/Plano

Jazz

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June 21 - June 25 and June 28 - July 2

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Weekly Thurs. & Sat. Classes Available Thursday Creative Motion: 3:45-4:30 3 & 4 Combo 4:30-5:30 5 & 6 Combo 5:30-6:30

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Contemporary

What a great way for kids to have fun and stay active this summer. Hope to see you there!

www.motioncenterfordance.com 22

Balle

t

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

Motion Center for Dance

6221 Chapel Hill Blvd. • Plano, TX. 75093

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Lyrical

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OFF ages

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OFF ages 12 & hen you si gn up for weeks of 2 Summer C amp. With coupon. E xpires 6-25 -10 Under. W

n s e new friends l w l i k f s u n w e n Dallas Repertoire Ballet Summer Workshop June 21-30, 2010 9:30am-3:30pm • Ballet, jazz, lyrical/contemporary • Master classes with top LA and NYC teachers/choreographers • Intermediate to Pre-professional level 604 W. Bethany, #200 Allen, TX 75013 972-727-1455

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If your kids love video games, they will love the Guildhall Academy at SMU. What: Two-week summer day-camp at SMU’s Plano campus. Middle school and high school students will learn the art and science of video game development from renowned SMU faculty members who teach at the nation’s leading graduate video game development educational program.

Each student will develop his or her own 2D game to play on a PC or Xbox 360.

When: Choose from one of two sessions offered: June 7 – June 18 or June 21 – July 2.

For more information, please call (972) 473-3535, email mslee@smu.edu or visit guildhall.smu.edu.

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

23

Triathlon!

The next phase in my Whole Life Makeover So here I am 21 weeks out

by Brad Dobson

This article is to let you,

dear reader, know that I have

committed to finish an Olympic distance triathlon on October

10, and that I need you to hold me to my word. I blame Betty at Living Well Dallas for this predicament. I went to her

thinking I needed a short term exercise goal and she turned

that into "Why don't you do a

triathlon?". One of the things I

have learned is that when I make my commitments public I am

more likely to stick to them. The support from others is helpful,

but mentally this pushes me to get up and get out the door.

from the starting gun and

wondering how I am going to

marathons I'm not a stranger

quick to help bring structure to

energy are involved with

the training. In looking at a

triathlon training schedule, I was concerned that other things in

my life would get less attention, especially those areas that

my life coach has encouraged me to embrace as part of my

commitment to taking care of myself. Jenny Bair and Betty

Murray have been instrumental in the past few months in

helping me to figure out what's

in October, I will be healthier not

Betty, the nutritionist

and Jenny, the life coach and

to how much time, effort and

When I cross the finish line

get more of what I want.

do it all. Having run a couple

of marathons, and several half

training regimen toughens.

missing in my life and how to

just in body from the running, swimming, and cycling, but

professional organizer are

healthier in mind as well from

the meditation, the reduction in

chaos, and they tag team ideas to help their suggestions work

together. Working with Jenny we came up with ways to combine things - include meditation

TV watching and the increase in playtime. You can blame that on Living Well Dallas too.

time with exercise time, only

Brad Dobson is a programmer, an

and so on. And of course Betty

publisher's husband. He and his

Fit2Train (www.fit2train.com) in

progress with Living Well Dallas

training. Finally, I can rely on

along at www.northtexaskids.com

watch TV when working out,

athlete, a musician, a Dad, and the

mentioned the good folks at

wife Minette are blogging their

Dallas who hold group triathlon

(www.livingwelldallas.com): follow

Betty to help me tweak my diet

plan for maximum benefit as the

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24

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

Even more wet & wild fun than usual!

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Sports Scoop

Former Olympian Shares Her Volleyball Secrets with Rising Stars in North Texas

by Mike Kravik

Jack Clark was the best coach I ever played for in my life. The best coaches are tough and fair but what set him apart from most coaches is that he could still play basketball at a high level. At one of his first practices, we were filtering into the Lake Highlands gym and Coach (who was in his mid 30’s) was sitting at half-court telling everybody he could make “at least 5 out of 10 shots, easy.” We stared in disbelief as he drilled 5 out of 10 shots from half court while sitting down. From that moment forward we bought into everything Coach Clark ever said about basketball.

Cilene Falleiro Rocha has that same talent and impact on her rising stars. She had been a superstar athlete in Brazil, playing volleyball both professionally and in the Olympics (Seoul ’88, Barcelona ’92). Cilene eventually

married Eduardo Drewnick, a former professional basketball player. She retired in 2001 after playing professionally for almost 17 years. Cilene got pregnant and Eduardo decided to come to the USA to get his MBA. They moved to the United States from Brazil in 2001. Cilene was ecstatic when her husband took a job that brought them to North Texas.

Cilene liked being a mom but when her child started going to school, she thought to herself “Now what? My life is starting to feel empty.” Part of what made Cilene the superstar athlete she 26

Texas. became was her drive and focus.

Her passion still burned and In the second Cilene knew she had more to give year, which Cilene back to the game of volleyball. officially calls Volleyball in North Texas has Instinct VBC’s become a booming sport for kids first year because in the last decade. Cilene found they started from no shortage of opportunities to ground zero consult teams and give private again with all lessons. However the nagging new teams, and thoughts of “I can do more than all new coaches. this” wouldn’t go away.

Instinct Volleyball Cilene felt like she was in the had five different right place at the right time. Texas teams comprised produces athletes in almost every of 12, 13 and 14 sport by the mother-lode and year old girls. One of the teams volleyball is no different. Cilene qualified for Nationals. In 2009, also liked the competitive spirit three more teams were added with she found in North Texas. No a successful season that recently matter the sport, it seemed like the ended with 1 team in the top 5, 1 parents in North Texas are driven team in the top 9, 2 teams in the by a desire to keep up with the top 16 and 2 teams in the top 30 competition and make sure their in North Texas and another team kids don’t fall behind. qualified for Nationals.

In 2008, Cilene and her The North Texas Region has husband formed their own approximately 130 teams. Cilene organization called Instinct oversees the organization, training Volleyball Club which consisted and supports all teams. At a of one team of 14 year old girls. typical two hour practice, Cilene She says, “I chose the word will lead her girls in 30 minutes instinct because it’s what the game of conditioning followed by 30 requires if you want to play My goal is to teach our kids to be it successfully. committed in everything they do.

You need to be able to make If you go about school, your job quick decisions on the or your favorite sport half-way, volleyball court those are the results you will get. that come from your natural instincts.” minutes devoted to individual Cilene and her husband soon skills followed by a team practice. found out that knowing how to Cilene explains her philosophy, play and coach volleyball is much “When I was preparing for the different than running a select Olympics, I’d work out 8 hours a volleyball organization. There day – four hours in the morning were a lot of bumps along the way and four hours at night. We can’t but Cilene was encouraged that her team still finished the season ranked 15th, out of 140 teams in

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

do that here but I can take the best things I’ve learned and not only

tell them but show them what to do. My goal is to teach our

kids to be committed and be a hard worker with big dreams

in everything they do. If you go about school, your job or your

favorite sport half-way, you will not be very successful.”

Cilene is now using

the network she developed

throughout her amazing career to start a new program in the

USA. Cilene has partnered with Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold

medalist, Todd Rogers, to launch the NEW WAVE MINI BEACH VOLLEYBALL program. This innovative program allows

boys and girls, ages 6 to 11, to learn the basics of one of the

fastest growing sports in the

world, Beach Volleyball. The first New Wave center was opened in Dallas and will offer clinics throughout the summer.

For more information on Instinct Volleyball, including their new beach volleyball program partnership with Todd Rogers, go to www.instinctvbc.com or contact Cilene at cilenedrunewick@ sportsupporthome.com.

Sports Scoop

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Get Fit the Fun Way this Summer

www.gtsportusa.com

9am-2pm p Tuesday and Thursday Pic One or Two Days Pick A Week Registration Open Re Classes Open February 15 Dont want to Commit to a All Day Program?

Check out our Sports Class Schedules Plano Sports Authority ~ 6500 Preston Meadow, Plano Tx, 75024 972.208.KIDS (5437) ~ www.psaplano.org

FATHER’S DAY WORD SEARCH Y S U D N J O F S F G T I V U

G D G H A F O P T A K Y T E E

V X D Y M O Q Y T T F Z P P F

BASEBALL BUDDY DAD FAMILY

X J T U T M C Z N H P Y R J O

A J A B B Q L L J E U Z A X T

Q A A C X Z C N W R N N C C N

FATHER FOOTBALL FUN LOVE

Z L M W V N B O Y B Y O M U H

L B C L L A B E S A B Q F S E

E V O L S H U E R J R Z V U M

MAN PANTS PLAY READ

S C J W J P V G P E I O P T C

T D P D U A O L I D A D W M E

N B N W H B A R Z S Y D O Z Z

SHAVE SPORTS WORK

A A Z S L Y O Q T P Z O R X U

P G E U G J F K D S V M K X B

U R E S F A M I L Y D Y K V S

I love dad!

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

27

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.

June 1 Tuesday Organic in the City: Organic in the City is an urban environmental education and entertainment series at Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park. To register, call (214) 428-7476 ext. 23 or visit www.texasdiscoverygardens.org. First Tuesday of the month. Cost: $10 per person; $8 for members - Dallas - Tue Jun 1 6pm to Tue Jun 1 8pm La Leche League: Whether you breastfeed for a day or a year, or plan to breastfeed, come join us; call Julie 214-929-8908, Bridget 972-317-1648, Laura 972-436-8383, or Fanny 972-535-5159 for info. www.lllusa.org/web/LewisvilleTX.html - First Presbyterian Church in Lewisville [1002 Fox St] - Tue Jun 1 7pm to 8pm

4 Friday Texas Scottish Festival & Highland Games: This fest features great music and food, as well as the crowd-pleasing Bonniest Knees Contest. texasscottishfestival.com - Maverick Stadium, University of Texas at Arlington - Fri Jun 4 to Sun Jun 6 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. Contact the Play Center at 817-310-0245 two days prior to the event to reserve your child’s place. firstfridaywomen.com - Southlake - Fri Jun 4 11am to 12pm Friday Nights are Family Nights at Frisco Fire Safety Town! Again this summer we will be open every Friday night in June, July and August. The event time is 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. All activities are FREE OF CHARGE. Jeeps rides (5:00-6:30) and Bike Rides (6:30-8:00) will be offered on a first come - first served basis.

Please visit our website for more details. www.FriscoFire.com or call 972-292-6350. Frisco Fire Safety Town - Fri Jun 4 5pm to Fri Jun 4 8pm

5 Saturday Kids Fishing Derby: Fishing for kids, food and activities. www.arlingtontx.gov - Bowman Springs Park - Sat Jun 5 6am to 12pm McAfee St. Jude 5K, Fun Run, and Carnival: Join us for Amazing Food, Live Music, Face Painting, Bounce Houses, Raffle items and Ample Parking. Proceeds will benefit the St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. - McAfee Headquarters, 5000 Headquarters Dr, Plano Sat Jun 5 8:30am to 9:30am Stephanie’s Day: CBS 11 and TXA 21 will host a free event for special needs children and their families. It will feature interactive fun for the children and their siblings, along with resources for their parents. Scheduled appearances include representatives from the CBS 11 and TXA 21 on-air team, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the Dallas Mavericks Dancers, Mavs ManiAACs, FC Dallas and Ringling Bros.

28

and Barnum & Bailey®. Entertainment Activities will include free face painting, clowns, yoga and music therapy. Prizes will be provided

by Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the Texas Rangers and more. www. stephaniesday.com - NorthPark Center, Dallas Sat Jun 5 11am to 3pm Wicked performance and autograph session: Two members from the cast of Wicked, Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, will present a free live performance at The Shops at Willow Bend. The performance will feature two songs and will be held in Grand Court near Neiman Marcus. It will be followed by an autograph session with the cast members. Visit: www.shopwillowbend.com or www.dallassummermusicals.org - The Shops at Willow Bend, Plano - Sat Jun 5 11am to 12pm Centennial Medical hosts First Saturday Q&A: The first Saturday of every month, professionals from Centennial Medical Center will present a free question and answer session at Stonebriar Centre. All Q&As are at no charge and will be held on the lower level in the Dillard’s wing. www.centennialmedicalcenter.com - Stonebriar, Frisco - Sat Jun 5 12pm to 2pm Tart Bakery Fathers’ Day Open House: try all of the tasty treats you know a father would love to receive! For more information about Tart Bakery, please visit tartbakerydallas.com - Sat Jun 5 12pm to 4pm

6 Sunday Family Past Times at Dallas Heritage Village: The 1st Sunday of the month is free admission day at the Village. Pack a lunch and bring the whole family for historic fun. Participate in themed activities for everyone to enjoy. www.dallasheritagevillage.org - Sun Jun 6 Fourth Annual Dog Bowl: Double the fun with Dog Bowls in April and June filled with family activities, canine crafts, ‘tail’-gating, entertainment, giveaways and more when the historic Cotton Bowl field transforms into a giant-size dog park. For more information, please call the Fair Park Information Line at 214-421-9600 or go to fairpark.org. - 3750 Midway Plaza, Dallas 75210 - Sun Jun 6 1pm to 5pm

7 Monday Studio Movie Grill’s Summer Children’s Series: www.studiomoviegrill.com/royalmap. html - We will be showing kid-friendly films Mon-Thursday at 11am from June 7th until August 19th at our Dallas/Royal, Plano, Arlington, and Lewisville locations. - Studio Movie Grill - Dallas - 11170 N. Central Expressway Dallas Mon Jun 7 11am to 11am Kids Tee Off at 3rd Annual Clayton Dabney Kids’ Golf Classic. The tournament, consisting of a nine hole, four-man Florida Scramble, is

open to kids, ages 7 to 18. A Pitch and Putt Golf Camp will also be provided by golf professionals at the Las Colinas Country Club for begin-

ners not ready to play in the tournament. Entry fee is $100 per child; Fee is waived if $100 is

raised for CDF. Clayton Dabney Foundation at 214-361-2600 or www.claytondabney.org. - Las

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

Colinas Country Club (4400 N. O’Connor Rd. Irving 75062) - Mon Jun 7 1pm to 3pm

8 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! 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) www.newcomerfriends.org - Plano - Tue Jun 8 9:30am to 11:30am Music Together Free Demo!: Music Together is an internationally recognized early childhood music program for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, and the adults who love them. We welcome children with special needs too. www.musictogetherdallas.com - Dallas Tue Jun 8 11am to 12pm

9 Wednesday Civil War Camp: North Texas History Center “Enlist” and experience the life of a Civil War Soldier. $25.00 www.northtexashistorycenter. org - McKinney - Wed Jun 9 9am to 12pm

11 Friday Complimentary Teacher Seminar “Unlock

the Brain’s Potential”: Why does Brady have trouble finishing his homework? Why does

Sarah struggle with timed tests? Why is David unable to grasp math concepts? Why does

Bailey need me to repeat instructions again and again? 85% of academic struggles stem from weak cognitive skills. Elementary Seminar

Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. **6 Continuing

Education Hours** How: To register, please call 972.267.8900 or email Bethany at bpetty@learn-

inggateways.com www.learningrx.com - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 4000 Midway Road Carrollton 75007 - Fri Jun 11

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 Jun 11 12:30pm to 3:30pm Bike the Bricks: McKinney Main Street is proud to announce the first annual ‘Bike the Bricks’ closed course crit bike race in Historic Downtown McKinney. The event will include interval races, live entertainment, food and drink. For more information on this event, please contact McKinney Main Street at 972.547.2660 or visit www.downtownmckinney. com - Fri Jun 11 5pm to Fri Jun 11 11pm

12 Saturday Ice Cream Crank Off: The 15th Annual Killis Melton Ice Cream Crank-Off features great home-made ice cream and entertainment in a fun historic setting! Cranking starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Historic Downtown McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square. Tasting begins at 12:00 P.M. Come on out and see what real ice cream tastes like! Kids taste free! www.chestnutsquare.org/ - McKinney - Sat Jun 12

Lakefest Grapevine 2010: Artists Include: Bowling for Soup, Hayes Carll, Local Bands. A day of family fun music, food, beverages and activities all to benefit the American Cancer Society. A beautiful Fireworks Display closes out the evening. Chairs and blankets welcome.

No coolers please. General Admission: $15.00 www.grapevinetexasusa.com - Scott’s Landing Marina, 2500 Oak Grove Loop S, Grapevine 76051 - Sat Jun 12 Dadfest 5K: Dad Fest is an annual event that creates a forum for Dads and their family to gather together to celebrate their lives, their health and their importance to the American family. This year you can play in the Galatyn Fountains. Parents please bring towels and a change of clothes. 972-235-2513 www.dadfest. com - Galatyn Park, Richardson - Sat Jun 12 8am to 9am Komen North Texas Race for the Cure: 5K/1M/ 50 yd. 972-378-4808 www.komennorthtexas.org - Legacy at Parkwood Dr, Plano - Sat Jun 12 8am to 9am Winged Jewels -- Dragonfly Workshop: $30; $24 members. Discover the secret life of this amazing insect. Find many of the 75 species found in Dallas during our workshop, which includes tours of Texas Discovery Gardens and Fair Park. To register, contact booking@texasdiscoverygardens.org or (214) 428-7476 x 343. texasdiscoverygardens.org - Texas Discovery Gardens, Dallas - Sat Jun 12 10am to 2pm Juneteenth Celebration: Enjoy FREE music, games, food and more. Watch past Garland basketball legends battle it out on the court and then test your skills in a 3-point shootout. For more information, please contact Gale Fields Recreation Center at (972) 205-3090. All Ages Free - Gale Fields Recreation Center, 1701 Dairy Road, Garland, Texas 75040 - Sat Jun 12 4pm to Sat Jun 12 8pm

14 Monday 8th Annual KidSwing Golf Tournament benefiting Texas Scottish Rite Hospital: KidSwing is a 9-hole, best-ball scramble for players ages 7 to 18. Novice to serious golfers are welcome!

There is no entry fee, but participants are encouraged to try to raise $100 through family and friends who sponsor them. The tournament benefits the patients at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Registration is open through June 4 via www.KidSwing.org - Dallas - Mon Jun 14 Summer Safety Programs: Classes are open to the public and FREE of charge for those who have completed Kinder through 5th grades. All classes last approximately 1 hour and include bike time. www.FriscoFire.com or call 972-2926350. - Frisco Fire Safety Town - Mon Jun 14 to Fri Aug 13 Second Monday Family Fun Nights at Josey Ranch Lake: Come to the library for a night of games and crafts. Meet up with other families and enjoy the free fun! For all ages. www. cityofcarrollton.com - Carrollton Public Library, 1700 Keller Springs Road, Carrollton - Mon Jun 14 7pm to 8:30pm

La Leche League: Whether you breastfeed for a day or a year, or plan to breastfeed, come join us; 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 - First Presbyterian Church in Lewisville [1002 Fox St] - Tue Jun 15 10am to 11am

18 Friday Euless Can Film Festival “The Wizard of Oz”: Benefitting the Tarrant Area Food Bank. Bring out the family for this one of a kind classic movie. Relax under the stars in our beautiful outdoor amphitheater. Free Sodas and popcorn for everyone! Admission is one canned food item. www.eulesstx.gov - Villages of Bear Creek Amphitheater, 1951 Bear Creek Parkway, Euless - Fri Jun 18 Giggle, Giggle, Quack: Duck on the Loose! In this hilarious sequel to last season’s barnyard blockbuster, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type, good ole Farmer Brown decides to take a vacation and leaves his city-slicker brother, Bob, in charge with specific directions on how to care for the animals. Duck re-writes the instructions demanding ‘pizza for the hen’, ‘bubble baths for the pig’, and ‘movie night for the cow.’ It’s another madcap musical mutiny, so, join in the summer fun. Enjoyed by ages 3 years and above. www.dct.org - BAKER THEATER / ROSEWOOD CENTER, Dallas - Fri Jun 18 to Sun Jul 25

Art - 1717 N. Harwood Dallas - Sat Jun 19 1pm to 3pm

20 Sunday Father’s Day Train: Treat Dad to a fun-filled day on the train! All Dads ride FREE when accompanied by their families. Dads will be registered for a prize drawing to return later in the summer and rob the train. Grapevine www.grapevinetexasusa.com - - Sun Jun 20

26 Saturday Legends of Kung Fu Tai Chi Championship: Nationally and internationally distinguished Masters and Grandmasters from all over the world will perform their specialties during the Exhibition. Featured: Kung Fu, Tai Chi, acrobatic Lion dancing and a 72’ illuminated Dragon Dance. Admission: $15/general (Opening Ceremony/competition). For more information contact Jimmy Wong or Patty Sun at 214-8784598; or visit www.legendsofkungfu.com - Plano Centre, 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano TX - Sat Jun 26 to Sun Jun 27 Fast TracK S/24 Stock Car Racing: Gravity Racing is coming to Valley View Center. Different groups will be getting together to race their cars on a 180 degree, 52 foot lock, 24 degree banked extreme TRACK. www.shopvalleyviewcenter. com - Preston Rd & 635 LBJ Freeway, Dallas Sat Jun 26 9am to 10am

Ongoing Fun Classes and Activities

Wild About Flower Mound Festival: The 2010 Town of Flower Mound Wild About Flower Mound Festival has been rescheduled for June 18 and 19. Flower Mound’s free signature event will feature live music, family-friendly activities, food, and refreshments. Please visit www. flower-mound.com/wild or call 972.874.6300 . - Flower Mound - Fri Jun 18 to Sat Jun 19

Arlington

19 Saturday

Friday Night Open Skate-on going event,

Everyday. Stay at Home Moms in the South Arlington area. Looking to get out with your kid or kids? Come hang out with us. arlingtonsmomsclub@yahoo.com www.momsclub.org

Juneteenth Celebration: Parade will begin at City Hall Plaza and end at Tyre Park. Festivities at the park include family entertainment, food and vendors. For more information, call Preston Dixon at 972-877-8049 or preachdix@sbcglobal. net - City Hall Plaza, 317 College Street, Grand Prairie, Texas - Sat Jun 19

Every Friday. Come have fun hangin with

Kayak Power River Trip: Time: 9 a.m. Phone: 972.669.1663. Each month Kayak Power provides equipment and instruction followed by a six-mile trip down the Elm Fork to a shuttle vehicle. Paddlers of all skill levels are welcome.

Contact Kayak Power at 214-669-1663 for schedule and fee information. www.ias.unt.edu info@ kayakpower.com - Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area, Lewisville - Sat Jun 19

tion call 817-459-6434. www.naturallyfun.org

2010 Baby Fair & Model Search: The Baby Fair will offer product and service information for savvy parents, conversations with experts on child-related issues and great giveaway. The DallasChild Baby Model Search is for babies ages birth to 12 months, and the first 100 preregistrants will receive a special gift bag. dallaschild.com/babyfair - Stonebriar Mall, Frisco - Sat Jun 19 10am to 3pm Garden Walk--Bug Hunt: Free with garden admission. Discover bugs in their living rooms as we hunt in the soil, under leaves, and on bark.

See familiar ones you might find in your backyard and learn about new, colorful creatures. texasdiscoverygardens.org - Texas Discovery Gardens, Dallas - Sat Jun 19 11am to 12pm Sketching in the Galleries for Kids: dallasmuseumofart.org/index.htm - Families are invited to sketch from original works of art.

All supplies are provided. - Dallas Museum of

your friends on Friday Nights. Games, music, friends, concessions and much more! Elzie

Odom Recreation Center, 1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd. 76006. 7 pm - 10 pm $10 entree fee. For

ages 13 and under, parents must sign child in at

the door and verify their age. For more informa-

Carrollton AW Perry Homestead Museum 1509 N. Perry Rd 972-466-6380. Free Admission and Tours, Mon Sat 10 - 12 & 1 - 5 www.cityofcarrollton.com Kids Night Out - What do you get when you mix awesome inflatable structures, a clean, climate-controlled environment, incredible customer service, and non-stop excitement in a private-party atmosphere? One heck of a great time, that’s what! 2nd Friday of each month 6-10 pm - Kids Nite Out is hosted by Bounce U Carrollton. Take some time to reconnect with your spouse & drop off your kids for Kids Nite Out which includes dinner. Carrollton location 3050 N. Josey Ln, Ste 110, 75007. 972-939-5000 www.bounceu.com/cities/carrollton.tx

Dallas Lakeshore has FREE crafts for kids on Saturdays. Located just north of the Galleria on Dallas Pkwy (13846 Dallas Pkwy ) 972-934-8866 for more information.

- 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM, Sundays - 2:00 PM. Variety Show Times: Saturdays - 4:00 PM www. slappysplayhouse.com Every Friday 6 - 10 Parents’ Night Out hosted

by The Gymnastics Place. Kids will enjoy pizza, drinks, entertainment, and special kid fun. RSVP preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Sibling discounts available. Check schedule for exact dates and times. www.thegymnasticsplace.com 972-248-2805 www.thegymnasticsplace.com

Dallas/Casa Linda Glaze Days! Saturday and Sundays. Pottery Painting for all ages. Drop in Saturdays 10:00 am to 2:00 pm and Sundays 1:00 pm to 4 pm.

Cost is price of items chosen plus tax! www. artisticgatherings.com

DFW Playin’ Around Town hosts events throughout the Dallas metroplex during the mid-day hours Monday through Friday. The events take place at venues such as: water parks, in-door bounce houses, arcades, gymnastic centers, music and craft centers, etc. All events are open for parents and their immediate family to attend, at NO CHARGE. www.playinaroundtown.com/

Flower Mound Various story times for all ages. Located at 3030 Broadmoor Ln, Flower Mound 75022. Visit the Town of Flower Mound Web Site for more information. Registration not required.

Color Me Mine is a paint it yourself ceramic studio. Kids Pizza Night is held every Friday night from 6:30-9 for kids ages 6 and up. Drop off your kids for a night of pizza, painting, movies, and more! www.dfw.colormemine.com

Flower Mound/Highland Village Friday - Flower Mound 6 - 10 pm Saturday - Highland Village 6 - 10 pm Excite! holds parents night out so that your children can enjoy their evening with friends and activities. It’s the best deal for a sitter in town! Open Gym, foam pit, games, music and Pizza dinner. Visit www. excitegymandcheer.com or call 972-874-9663 Flower Mound 972-874-8500 Highland Village for more information and reservations (Ages 3 11) www.excitegymandcheer.com

Frisco Tuesdays are Half Price Games - enjoy all midway games at half price! Wednesdays are Kids Eat Free (one free kid’s buffet* with the purchase of one adult buffet at regular price. *Kids 10 yrs. & under) www.gattitownfrisco.com Frisco Public Library Youth Services Programming. For more information on all programs call 972-292-KNOW or visit www.friscolibrary.com Fridays at 1pm - Preschool storytime is hosted

by Adventure Kids Playcare. Each week we will read stories from your childhood. Friday Nights - Parents’ Night Out & Kids Fun Night Out! Call 972.668.5990 to reserve your child’s spot or call with questions. Frisco location: 2831 Eldorado Parkway, Suite 110 (corner of FM 423 and Eldorado Parkway) www.adventurekidsplaycare.com

Grapevine

Dallas Arboretum. Mommy & Me Mondays 10am - 2pm. 10am - 2pm: Tiny Tots Tuesdays presented by Children’s Medical Center. www. dallasarboretum.org

1st Wednesday of each month 4:30 p.m. Rainforest Cafe is hosting the Grapevine Mills Mall Kids Club storytime. Bring your family and friends to enjoy some great stories and eat dinner at Rainforest Cafe for Family Night. Contact 972-539-5001 for more information. No reservation required. www.rainforestcafe.com

Outstanding family entertainment is abundant at Slappy’s Puppet Playhouse. Marionette Show Times: Fridays - 10:30 AM, Saturdays

Acting Classes for Kids. Studio B is offering a wide range of acting classes for ages 3 and up.

Highland Village

1 Nelson Parkway at 2400 FM 407 in Highland Village. 972-966-2787 www.studiobtheater.info Join us for Storytime for Children every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:00 AM, Spanish Storytime for children, every Wednesday at 10:30 AM. Barnes & Noble - 4100 Deer Creek, Highland Village 972-966-0099 crm2271@bn.com

Irving JumpSTART Stories and Art. The Irving Arts Center and Irving Public Library now offer FREE family storytimes at the Arts Center on the first Thursday of every month. Call (972) 252-7558 x221 for more info.

Little Elm Various story times for all ages. Located in the Town Hall building at 100 W. Eldorado Pkwy 75068. Contact 214-975-0430 or visit www.littleelm.com to verify changes. www.littleelm.com

McKinney Second Saturdays Downtown McKinney: a celebration of the arts and the community with live entertainment, spirits, and food. 972-548-7830 7 PM - 10 PM www.artinstituteofmckinney.com Heard Museum: Summer Camps, Native Texas Butterflies, Story Times, Live Snake Feedings and more. 1 Nature Pl McKinney, TX 75069 (972) 562-5566. www.heardmuseum.org Arani Bellydance is a mom duo teaching beginner classes to ladies of all ages and sizes in downtown McKinney. Have fun, rediscover your curves, and shimmy like you mean it!

Weekly classes are held Mondays at 1pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays at 8pm. Call Raena at 214-6843966 for more info! www.aranibellydance.net Terrific Tuesdays, Every Tuesday. 2-for-1 Supply Fee. Two painters pay for the price of one.... an $8 savings! www.wallofclaymckinney.org

Plano Story Times Plano Public Library System. www. planolibrary.org Friday nights 7-10 pm. Plano Sports Authority brings Martial Arts Parents Night Out to Plano!

Open to all PSA Families and you must rsvp in advance at 972-208-3817 or martialarts@psaplano.org. 6500 Preston Meadow, Plano 75024. www.psaplano.org

Princeton Groove Kids, Every Sun & Wed. Absolutely free to kids newborn thru 6th grade. Family Wor-

ship Center in Princeton, TX on Highway 380 @ Tickety Drive. (Call for directions 469.450.7437) www.groovekids.com

University Park Storytime for 4-5 year olds, Wednesdays at 3:45 pm, Story Time for Preschoolers, Thursdays @ 10:45 am - University Park Public Library - 6517 Hillcrest Avenue, Suite 110. www.uplibrary.org

Various REGISTER TODAY for Kids First Ice Hockey Program. A totally FREE, get-acquainted program that offers boys and girls, ages 4-8, the opportunity to ‘try’ the game of hockey at NO CHARGE. The first week each player is given a full set of hockey equipment to use during the program. Kids will skate (4) 45 minute on ice sessions designed to introduce kids to the excitement of the sport. (214) GO SKATE www.drpepperstarcenter.com

Various Meetup Group for the Entire FAMILY. We have

family nights, couple only nights, playdates for kids of all ages, mom’s night/day out, and of

course daddy days! groups.yahoo.com/group/ familiesonthego

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

29

Baylor Medical Centers provide ongoing

classes in Irving, Frisco, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

Classes include Baby Care Basics/Infant Safety and CPR, Prepared Childbirth Class, Infant/

www.fndecpta.txpta.org

tion/us.html

Denton

Mothers and Others www.setonmothersandothers.net

Denton Area Mothers of Multiples damoms. clubspaces.com/Default_css.aspx

Farmers Branch

Plano/Collin County branch of the AAUW www.aauwplanocc.org

Basics, Cesarean Birth Class. 1-800-4-BAYLOR

My Place early intervention play & communication groupno website given

CHILD & FAMILY Guidance Center www. childrenandfamilies.org

Drama Kids International is designed to devel-

My Place early intervention play & communication group classes www.northdallasspeech.com

Child CPR, Car Seat Safety and SIDS Class,

Breastfeeding Class, Sibling Class, Baby Care www.baylorhealth.edu/

op students speaking skills, presentation abili-

ties, acting skills and confidence. We offer par-

ent presentations, spring performances, spring break and summer camps and speech and

drama trophies and awards. Visit our website www.dramakids.com or call 214.592.4066.

Wylie Visit Rescued Exotic Cats. In-Sync Exotics is

home to 43 exotic cats, including 3 rare white

Fort Worth Its My Heart Support Group www.itsmyheart.org

Frisco Frisco Cares Children’s Clinic www.friscocares.org Frisco Early Childhood PTA www.friscoecpta.org Early Childhood Intervention of LifePath Systems

Garland

lions! We invite you to visit our sanctuary on

Garland Area Early Childhood PTA www. earlychildhoodpta.com

is a requested donation of $10/adult and $7/

Grapevine/Colleyville

Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-6pm. There child or senior (group rates available). Dona-

tions are tax deductible and all proceeds benefit the cats of In-Sync. www.insyncexotics.com

Support Groups See NTK Website for complete Support Group details All FREE divorce support emails www.functionaldivorce.com

MOMS Club of Grapevine-S/Colleyville-S www.gscsmomsclub.com

Irving Irving Homeschoolers www.irvinghomeschoolers.com irvingHOMEschoolers www.irvinghomeschoolers.com

Lake Highlands Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA www.lhaecpta.org

Lewisville

Allen

Greater Lewisville Special Education PTSA www.lisdseptsa.txpta.org

MOMS CLUB OF SE ALLEN www.allenmoms. com

First Baptist Church of Lewisville MOPS fbclmops@gmail.com

MOMS club of Allen - West momsclub_allenwest@yahoo.com.

Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village

Allen Early Childhood PTA www.aecpta.com MOMS Offering Moms Support - Northeast Allen Club momscluballenne@yahoo.com

Greater Lewisville Mothers & More www. mothersnmore.com Little Elm Epilepsy Support Group

Anna Area

DivorceCare and DivorceCare 4 Kids www. mcfbc.org

Arlington MOMS Club of North Central Arlington www. momsclub.org

Carrollton Carrollton Early Childhood PTA www.cecpta.org

McKinney

La Leche League of McKinney dlynn@dfwair.net MOMS Club of McKinney East momsmckinneyeast@yahoo.com Grandparents Raising Grandkids Support Group www.academicsplus.com

Collin County

MOMS Club of McKinney Central www.geocities.com/mckinneymoms

Collin County Moms Meetup group moms. meetup.com/994/

Homemakers and CEOs www.homemakersandceos.com

Autism society of Collin County groups.yahoo. com/group/ascc2/join

Murphy/Sachse

Autism society of Collin County Self-Advocacy Group For Teens groups.yahoo.com/group/ ascc2/join

Coppell/Valley Ranch Coppell/Valley Ranch Early Childhood PTA www.cvrecpta.org

Dallas Moms Club of Dallas: North Central Chapter info@momsclubofdallas.org Dallas Dyslexia Information Group La Leche League of Dallas www.lllofdallas.org/

Dallas/Collin County Free Parent Helpline www.dallasparents.org

Dallas/Plano/Frisco Far North Dallas Early Childhood PTA , visit:

30

Plano Kiwanis Club www.kiwanis.org/club/ plano

MOMS Club of Murphy/Sachse murphy_ sachse_moms@yahoo.com

North Coppell MOMs Club of Coppell - NORTH www.momsclubofcoppell.org

North Dallas Mocha Moms of North Dallas www.mochamomsnorthdallas.com

MOMS Club of Plano-North www.momslubplanonorth.com MOMS Club of Plano Central momsclubplano_ central@yahoo.com Collin County Homeschool Playgroup. geocities.com/collincountyhomeschoolplaygroup/ Free diagnostic scoliosis screenings www.medicalcenterofplano.com Support and Activities for Food allergy Education www.safewithfoodallergies.com.

Plano Educational Association of Christian Homeschoolers www.peachonline.org SAT Prep Course urs_seiler@sbcglobal.net

Richardson MOMS Club of Richardson West momsclubofrichardsonwest@gmail.com Post Partum Depression Support Group www. dallasparents.org

Rockwall MOMS Club of Rockwall www.angelfire.com/ tx5/rockwallmoms

Various RISE Adventures www.riseadventures.org

Wylie Moms & More www.wyliemomsandmore.org

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

She liked to cause a stir Her classmates gave to her.

The day of our arrival At Camp Number 3 When girls kept on coming over to greet Elaine and me.

She took a piece of Kleenex and calmly chewed it up, then strolled outside the cabin And ate the buttercup.

Elaine from that day forward Was always in command, On hikes, she’d eat some birch-bark On swims, she’d eat some sand. ..

At meals she’d swallow prune-pits And never have a pain, While everyone around her Would giggle, “Oh Elaine!”

One morning, berry-picking, a bug was in her pail, And though we thought for certain

Please visit our online

Elaine said, “hmm, a stinkbug,”

calendar for complete

And while we murmured,

descriptions and

She ate her pail of berries

up-to-date listings.

We add new events on an ongoing basis.

“ooooh,” And at the stinkbug too.

The night of Final banquet, When Counselors were handing Awards to different children Whom they believed outstanding, To every thinking person

Submitting Events Our calendar of events is free to the com-

At summer camp in Maine The Most Outstanding Camper

Was Eat-it-all Elaine!

munity. All events must be submitted online and will appear in print and on our website.

the submissions button to add your event

Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support Group www.spdnetwork.org/parentconnec-

called Eat-It-All Elaine.

By acting out the nickname

North Richland Hills

Plano

And there I met a camper

MOMS Club of Plano North Central chapter www.planomomsclub.com/

Go to www.northtexaskids.com and click on

Autism Support Meeting www.featnt.org

I went away last August to summer camp in Maine,

Although Elaine was quiet,

North Dallas Mothers of Twins Club www. ndmotc.org Asperger’s Support Meeting www.featnt.org

By Kay Starbird

La Leche League of Plano www.lllusa.org/ web/PlanoTX.html

Little Elm

Heart Link Network www.theheartlinknetwork.com North Collin County Moms Group www. meetup.com/sahm-3053

Collin County Early Childhood PTA

Eat-It-All Elaine

to our calendar. We reserve the right to edit submissions and give priority to familyfocused events.

Thanks to www.vplanet.org for this cute poem!

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

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for up to 10 children $6.10 for each additional child

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

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

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