Northland Family - December 2015

Keep your kids active over winter break Book Buzz: Gift of a good book

December 2015 LIBERTY TRIBUNE THE KEARNEY COURIER GLADSTONE DISPATCH THE SMITHVILLE HERALD

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Keep your kids active over winter break

By Chris Geinosky Winter break will be here in no time.

OK, so your kids are going to be home for a few to three weeks, and you don’t want them to sit in front of the television the whole time. What can you do to keep them busy?

Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with some good old-fashioned outside fun (preferably in the snow), followed by a cup of hot chocolate. But if you’re looking to get out and do more than that, there’s a number of other possibilities around town.

Check out any of Kansas City’s many museums, a list that usually begins with the unique Arabia Steamboat Museum in the River Market District.

Stop at any — or all — of the attractions at Crown Center, including Sea Life Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center, Kaleidoscope, the Hallmark Visitors Center or the ice terrace to skate. And don’t

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Add a game night to your schedule during winter break to help stave off the kids’ boredom.

forget that even if it’s cold outside, there are inside exhibits at the Kansas City Zoo. Plenty of holiday shows can be found around town. Or catch a movie.

Just want to play? Hit an indoor pool. Community

centers often offer inexpensive rates during the holidays. Or check for open times at indoor gyms.

Here’s some other indoor activities you might want to consider: Arts and crafts — It can be as simple as pulling out crayons or paints and constructing homemade Christmas ornaments.

Bird feeders — Make and then hang them in the tree outside your window and enjoy watching your feathered friends.

Cook or bake — You don’t normally have time to share this activity with your kids on those busy school nights. Here’s your chance.

Game night — You loved it when your parents played games with you, right?

For other ideas for activities around the Kansas City area, check the community calendar in your community newspaper or check the calendars at www.ifamily.com or kckidsfun.com.

NORTHLAND FAMILY IS A SPECIAL SECTION PUBLISHED THE FIRST WEEK OF EACH MONTH BY LIBERTY TRIBUNE, THE KEARNEY COURIER, GLADSTONE DISPATCH AND THE SMITHVILLE HERALD, DIVISIONS OF NPG NEWSPAPERS, INC. MAILING ADDRESS: 104 N. MAIN ST., LIBERTY, MO 64068 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: 816-781-4941 ON THE COVER: JONAH SALSBURY GETS A HUG FROM SANTA ON LIBERTY SQUARE AFTER THE MAYOR’S CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY IN 2014.

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Educators offer words of advice for finishing semester strong

END ON A HIGH NOTE

By Ryne Dittmer

There is no shortage of distractions getting in the way of a student’s focus on school work during the final weeks of the first semester. But before classes are dismissed for the carefree respite that is winter break, there are projects to finish and finals to take that can dramatically affect final grades.

To avoid the pre-break coast, we asked a pair of school district administrators to share their advice for parents, guardians and students on how to close out the semester on a positive note.

Kearney R-1 School District Director of Academic Services Jennifer Kopp said finishing strong relies on plans made at the beginning of the school year.

“You should set goals at the beginning of the semester and bring those goals back up and go over what you set out to do,” Kopp said.“I believe if parents talk to their kids about their goals and talk to them about how they want to finish the semester, it makes things more accountable.”

Staying organized with assignments and avoiding procrastination are important as well.

“At the secondary level especially,

Northland school administrators recommend parent-student conversations about expectations throughout the semester, not just when grades come out.

there are a lot of big projects due at the end of the semester. Parents need to make sure their students don’t wait until the last week of semester to start working on them,” Kopp said.

Liberty Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Academic Services Marlie Williams also noted the risks of procrastination.

“Good time management is very important,” Williams said. “Parents and students need to be aware of school due dates, exams and events you might be attending outside of school.”

Williams also advised parents and guardians to monitor students’ progress throughout the semester to prevent any surprises during the final weeks.

“Parents and students should work together to check online grade books, teacher websites and syllabi,” Williams said.

With some initial planning and making note of due dates, families can set themselves up for a good first semester that can carry over into the second half of the school year.

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Book Buzz: Gift of a good book Good times abound during the holidays — memories made and shared as families gather. Together time provides opportunities to share the “Gift of a Good Book,” to revel in the joy the written word presents, intimate moments in a busy season. Books provide a great excuse to just stop and lose yourself in a marvelous story.

‘Waiting’ by Kevin Henkes Kevin Henkes’ new book,“Waiting,” is pastel eye-candy, an endearing tale that will warm the cockles of the coldest heart.

“There were five of them and they were waiting ….”

The five aren’t extraordinary, just a group of knickknacks on a windowsill, all desiring something, or perhaps nothing.

The little band includes a pink piggy with an umbrella,“waiting for rain,” a brown bear with a kite “waiting for wind,” a spotted pup on a sled,“waiting for snow,” a tall bunny who “just liked to look out the window and wait,” and a wise owl with spots “waiting for the moon.”

When each gets what he/she wants, they are content; including rabbit, who didn’t want anything but “was just happy looking out the window.” The knickknacks’ lives are predictable, other than the time the ceramic elephant came to call and careened off the sill.

None of them are prepared for what’s in store for them when “a cat with patches joined them.” They soon get much more than they bargained for, as young readers will in this marvelous picture book.

‘Finding Winnie, the True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear’ by Lindsay Mattick Winnie the Pooh’s illustrious past comes to light in “Finding Winnie, the True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear,” by Lindsay Mattick.

Who knew that this special bear, revered by so many, was a real living, breathing animal? Readers find out his story when a mother tells it to her son Cole. It begins “A very long, long time ago ….” with a veterinarian named Harry Colebourn, who cared deeply for animals and “knew how to make them feel just right.”

Harry loved his job, but had to leave Winnipeg, Canada, to fight in World War I. On his travels, he came upon a man with a bear cub.

“I’ll give you $20 for the bear,” Harry offered, full well knowing he shouldn’t.

The cub became the darling of Capt. Colebourn’s regiment, but when Harry was shipped from France to England, he grew concerned because now he was going to have to fight in the war. There was no other option but to donate Winnie to the London Zoo. And so Winnie’s odyssey continued, a journey that eventually came full circle, right back to the child named Cole sitting on his mother’s lap.

Illustrations by Sophie Blackwell couldn’t be more perfect, many inspired by family photographs provided by the book’s author.

‘Lassie Come Home’

by Eric Knight Some books have quite a long history, and are cherished, held close to readers’ hearts. So it is with “Lassie Come Home,” by Eric Knight, this year celebrating its 75th anniversary. A new edition was recently published with a forward by Ann M. Martin, herself a dog lover and the author of a number of books about dogs, including a couple of past Book Buzz Picks.

Many will be familiar with the story of the outstanding Yorkshire collie named Lassie, the pride of Joe Carraclough’s life. It’s a hardscrabble existence on the moors and hills of Northern England, and one day after

class Joe is shocked that Lassie isn’t waiting for him by the school door.

You could set a watch by the dog, everyone in the village of Greenall Bridge knew that. So, of course, Sam is alarmed, but then he becomes deeply saddened when he finds out his family has sold the dog because they’re in dire financial straits.

So begins a journey for Lassie, a perilous trek from Scotland to England that involves great dangers, all her instincts guiding her home. Through it all Lassie shows great courage and fortitude in a classic book now reissued for another generation of young readers to enjoy.

— Reprinted with permission, Missourian Publishing Company. Copyright 2015.

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Vehicle maintenance important as winter weather blows in

By Corey Edwards Freezing temperatures can take a toll on any vehicle. Kenny Omland, store manager of Kearney’s O’Reilly Auto Parts, said preparation is the key to battling sub-zero weather.

“You should check your wiper blades, check your antifreeze and oil and washer fluids. Fluids like that are important,” Omland said. “The cold weather makes it worse. Also, make sure your tires are good and the tire pressure is at the right level. You should have an ice scraper and a can of de-icer.”

Omland said the de-icer is important for windshield maintenance.

“Spraying it on the windshield makes it easier to scrape it and

makes it a lot easier to scrape the ice off,” Omland said. “It kind of dissolves it.”

Omland said that under-deflated tires can be dangerous, but over-inflated tires can be just as bad.

“You are dealing with traction issues. If you have them over-inflated then you might spin when if they were at a proper pressure they wouldn’t spin,” Omland said. “If they are under-inflated you might hit a patch of snow and it will pull you to one side or the other.”

Omland recommends that vehicle owners with balding tires should invest in a new set before snowy weather, adding that fluid levels are the most important items to check during the winter.

“If your engine oil is low in cold weather, that is really the life blood of your engine. If you don’t have enough oil in there, you can do severe damage to the engine. If your transmission fluid is low, it could possibly do damage to it. The first thing you will notice is it won’t shift right. … Same with your power steering fluid — and make sure you antifreeze is full. If you don’t have enough antifreeze, your car could overheat and leave you stranded.”

In case of being stranded, Omland said every car owner should have basic items to keep them safe.

“Like I said, you should have some de-icer and, of course, a blanket,” Omland said. “You should maybe keep a couple of flares just in case it is late at night.”

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The tire pressure and traction of the family vehicle should be checked before snow starts to fall, says Kenny Omland, the manager of a Northland auto parts store.

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It’s the season for feasting, but 29 million Americans with diabetes can find this season particularly challenging when trying to manage their diet. People with diabetes don’t have to skip all the good stuff to eat during the holidays, but Liberty Hospital Certified Diabetes Educator Jessica Chavez recommends following these five guidelines from the American Diabetes Association to stay on track during holiday parties.

Eat breakfast or snacks earlier in the day. “It is a myth that a person with diabetes can save all of their carbs for one meal,” said Chavez, a registered nurse. “If you save all carbohydrates for one meal, then blood sugars skyrocket. Avoid that by keeping meals consistent to help

5 tips for feasting with diabetes

Don’t beat yourself up. “If you overindulge and eat more carbs or food than you planned, don’t think you have failed,” she said. “Just make a plan to get back on track.”

For extra support for those with diabetes, Liberty Hospital offers two support groups that meet quarterly in classroom 1 on the ground floor of the Doctors Building, 2521 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty. The next groups are Saturday, Dec. 19. No registration is necessary, and groups are free and open to anyone with Type 1 or 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Support Group meets from 8 to 9:45 a.m. Pumpers Support Group, for those with insulin pumps, meets from 10 a.m. to noon.

METRO CREATIVE One-on-one sessions with a Registered Nurse Jessica Chavez, a diabetes educator, recommends diabetics fill up on veggies first at holiday meals. certified diabetes educator and group classes are available with a control your blood sugar throughout holidays. “On party days, add a few physician’s order and are covered the day.” extra blood sugar checks to help you by insurance. The program includes stay on track,” Chavez said. education on diabetes management, Choose to eat your vegetables medications, diet, exercise and stress first. “Fill up on veggies first, then Take a walk or attend your usual management. you’re not as tempted to go for the exercise session the day of a party For more information, contact the things that are more unhealthy,” she — it doesn’t matter if it’s before or Diabetes Education Department at said. after eating. “Exercise will help you Liberty Hospital at 792-7267. absorb extra glucose in your system Remember to regularly check and use your insulin properly,” she — Liberty Hospital your blood sugar throughout the said.

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Safe Haven for Newborns Law designed to prevent abuse, abandonment, deaths In Ellisville, a desperate young mother left her newborn baby wrapped in a towel beneath a pine tree. In Kansas City, city workers found the remains of an infant in a trash truck.

If a desperate mother decides to abandon her baby in a trash can, or bury it in the woods, it may never be found. If the baby is found, the mother may face a life of imprisonment, and suffers the guilt of two lives destroyed.

However, if that mother decides to

take her infant to a Safe Haven, the baby will be taken care of and two lives are saved.

Missouri, as well as all the other 49 states, have some form of the Safe Haven for Newborns Law, designed to prevent the abuse, abandonment or murder of infants.

These laws allow parents to safely relinquish their newborn into the hands of an employee of a Safe Haven site instead of resorting to aban-

donment or abuse, with no questions asked, and no threat of arrest or prosecution. State laws vary from one day to one year.

As of April 2015, 40 babies had been relinquished under Safe Haven law in Missouri since 2003.

In Missouri, the child must be 45 days old or less and show no signs of abuse.

In Missouri hospitals, fire stations, police stations, and ambulance stations

are Safe Havens.

United Way 2-1-1 operators are standing by, ready to answer questions when a desperate parent calls not knowing where to turn.

To learn more about Safe Haven for Newborns, visit the Mother & Child Health Coalition website at http:// mchc.net/programs/safe havens.aspx.

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9 tips for

AGING WELL Although you can’t stop time, the right type and amount of physical activity can help stave off many agerelated health problems.

More than half (59 percent) of Americans expect to still be living at home independently at the age of 80, according to a recent survey by the American Physical Therapy Association. However, the same study showed that at least half of the same population recognizes they will see a decline in strength and flexibility as they age.

Movement experts such as physical therapists can help aging individuals overcome pain, gain and maintain movement, and preserve independence — often helping to avoid the need for surgery or longterm use of prescription drugs.

These nine tips, provided by the experts at the American Physical Therapy Association, are keys to helping you age well:

Chronic pain doesn’t have to be the boss of you. Each year 116 million Americans experience chronic pain from arthritis or other conditions.

Proper exercise, mobility, and pain management techniques can ease pain, improving your overall quality of life.

You can get better and stronger at any age. Research shows that

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an appropriate exercise program can improve your muscle strength and flexibility as you age. Progressive resistance training, where muscles are exercised against resistance that gets more difficult as strength improves, has been shown to help prevent frailty.

You may not need surgery or drugs for your low back pain. Low back pain is often over-treated with surgery and drugs despite a wealth of scientific evidence demonstrating that physical therapy can be an effective alternative with less risk.

You can lower your risk of

diabetes with exercise. One in four Americans over the age of 60 has diabetes. Obesity and physical inactivity can put you at risk for this disease, but a regular, appropriate physical activity routine is one of the best ways to prevent and manage type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Exercise can help you avoid falls and keep your independence. More than half of adults over 65 report problems with movement, including walking a quarter mile, stooping and standing. Exercise can improve movement and balance and reduce your risk of falls.

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Almost 60 percent of Americans expect to still be living at home independently at the age of 80, according to a recent survey by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Your bones want you to exercise.

Osteoporosis, or weak bones, affects more than half of Americans over the age of 54. Exercises that keep you on your feet, like walking, jogging or dancing, and exercises using resistance such as weight lifting, can improve bone strength or reduce bone loss.

Your heart wants you to exercise.

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. One of the top ways of preventing it and other cardiovascular diseases is exercise.

Research shows that if you already have heart disease, appropriate exercise can improve your health.

Your brain wants you to exercise.

People who are physically active,

even later in life, are less likely to develop memory problems or Alzheimer’s disease, a condition which affects more than 40 percent of people over the age of 85.

You don’t have to live with bladder leakage. More than 13 million women and men in the United States have bladder leakage. A physical therapist can help you avoid spending years relying on pads or rushing to the bathroom.

To learn more about the role of physical activity as you age, or to find a physical therapist near you, visit MoveForwardPT.com.

— Family Features

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Interpersonal communication key to daughters’ well-being conversations, and if daughters listen to their mother’s perspective, the conversations can help daughters work through negative emotions associated with stress.”

Horstman and her colleagues’ study, “Unfolding narrative meaning over time: The contributions of mother-daughter conversations

of difficulty on daughter narrative sense-making and well-being,” was published in Communication Monographs. The paper was presented on the Top Four Panel of the Interpersonal Communication Division at the National Communication Association Convention in November 2014.

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communicates with her mother will impact her overall well-being. We When faced with adversity, wanted to learn how aspects of humans make meaning of their interpersonal communication such experiences through storytelling. as perspective-taking, coherence Scholars also have found that and taking turns impact how we women, in particular, express their make sense of adversity.” emotions through “narrative senseIn the study, Horstman had 62 making” and relate to and support daughters write out a story of a each other by telling stories in difficulty they were experiencing everyday contexts. This and complete a wellis especially true when being survey. The it comes to mothers and daughters then met daughters. with their mothers to tell Now, a recent study their stories. Two days from a University of later, the daughters Missouri professor has completed another found that daughters written survey with the “re-author” stories story-writing prompt about adversity over and measures of wellUNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI time, often increasing being. In analyzing the NEWS BUREAU the positivity of those results, Horstman found Haley Horstman and stories through narrative. her colleagues found that the stories between Scientists believe these that daughters “re- mothers and daughters author” stories about changed over time changes in storytelling can improve mother and adversity over time, and with respect to often increasing the daughter interpersonal qualities of the motherpositivity of those stories relationships and welldaughter conversation. through narrative. being.

Researchers found that “The goal of the by taking turns and research was to understand how sharing each other’s perspective communication can change during their conversation, the way daughters make sense daughters tended to write their of their experiences,” said Haley stories more positively over time.

Horstman, a narrative scholar and “The takeaway of this study assistant professor of interpersonal is that our narratives matter,” and family communication in the said Horstman. “Interpersonal College of Arts and Science at communication has the power to MU. “When dealing with difficult change the way we make sense of our lives. If mothers can foster situations from death to problems warmth and affection in their in school, how a daughter

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Furry, feathered, scaly gift solutions Planning needed before adopting animal addition

By Kellie Houx Nothing beats puppy kisses or a kitten that snuggles on a lap, but when the kids are asking for a fourlegged friend for Christmas, some caution and well-placed advice may go a long way.

KC Pet Project, with a pet adoption location at the Northland shopping destination Zona Rosa, plus the other locations, will offer Home for the Holidays. Marketing and Development Manager Tori Fugate said the idea is to adopt as many animals out of the shelter as possible 10 days before Christmas.

“So the element of surprise will be set aside, but it’s a chance to bring the whole family to one of our locations and see the animals,” she said. “Clearly, the whole family is going to be involved and invested in the pet, so everyone should be in the decision to adopt a pet.”

She suggested allowing children to select toys and other necessities after the pet is chosen.

“We want families to come in with their eyes wide open that there is an added responsibility for a puppy or kitten, but a slightly older animal may be a better fit,” Fugate said. “We never know what animals will be at the locations for the holidays. I personally have seen children and teens gravitate toward an older animal.

Fundamentally, it’s about whether or not the animal is good with everyone in the family.”

Fugate said every pet has its own personality. Sometimes the Pet Project locations may have guinea pigs, chickens, goats, pigs and rabbits as well.

“We would love to have 200 animals given a home for the holidays,” she said. “We are only closed two days a year — Thanksgiving and Christmas. It would be great for our volunteers and staff to come in and care for fewer animals on Christmas because many of them have been adopted.”

Another alternative might be fostering animals during the holiday as well. A third idea is to take a

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Children may want a puppy for Christmas, but experts encourage that instead of making an animal addition an individual gift, the whole family should adopt an animal together before Christmas Day.

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Pick a pet The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers these guidelines to consider when choosing pets for children: u With children under 3, introduce current pets, but most new pets would vie for lots of attention. With children 3 to 5, guinea pigs are a good choice as they like to be held, seldom bite and squeak when excited or happy. Children can begin to take responsibility by filling the water bottle or food dish. u For children 5 to 10, mice, rats and fish make good pets, as kids can help clean cages with adult help. There’s also a chance to learn responsibility to make sure the pets have food and water and cages are secured. u By late elementary school through 13 years of age, children may be ready for a dog, cat or rabbit. A child can help feed the pet, clean a rabbit hutch and cat litter, plus walk the dog. Participation in dog obedience classes may be an opportunity to further involve children. As a teenager ages, more school and extracurricular activities could divert attention from pets. Less time-involved pets might be fish.

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u Families should also discuss what will happen to the pet when the teen leaves for college.

training course as a family and volunteering together.

“There are multiple training classes monthly,” she said. “You attend those classes at the location you wish to help at, and that’s great.”

The final idea might be to make a donation as a family to a shelter during the holidays. That might be monetary, Fugate said, or the gift of canned food for dogs and cats. For details, visit kcpetproject.org.

ENJOY WINTER THIS YEAR. At Oak Pointe Assisted Living, live the life you want with the services you choose.

This winter we can take the gray and cold out of your day.

Let us do the shoveling, scraping, driving, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning, giving you time to enjoy a chat with IULHQGV E\ WKH ZDUPWK RI D ȴUH Stay warm, and safe, this winter. Join your new neighbors at Oak Pointe Assisted Living.

LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE CALL US TODAY AT

816-628-0075

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Families can go through training together to serve together at shelters.

OakPointeKearney.com

75058472

200 Meadowbrook Dr. Kearney, MO 64060

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LIB E R T Y T R IBUN E , T HE KE A R N E Y COU RI ER, G L A D S TO NE D I S PATC H, THE S MI THV I L L E HERA L D

GIFTS FOR UNDER $10 Each year around this time, Northlanders run

you buy for. To help keep your pocketbook

themselves ragged shopping for, and going

or wallet a little extra merry and full of green

to, holiday party after holiday party, giving gift

(backs, that is), the following is a list of frugal

after gift. It’s exhausting and can break the

unisex finds for everyone on your list that cost

bank, depending on the number of people

less than $10.

By Amanda Lubinski Whether you’re buying for a techie or a sentimental parent, USB port memory sticks make great gifts when you fill them with personalized photos, audio and video files. Memory sticks, or flash drives, can be purchased at big-box retailers, electronics stores, as well as many small retailers, drugstores, and even gas stations and grocery stores.

For those always keeping track of the time or who are hard to rouse for work in the morning, a wall or alarm clock is an inexpensive gift option. Clocks come in a variety of sizes and colors, making them ideal to go with any room’s decor. Clocks can be purchased at a variety of stores.

said, people need to remember it takes time. The shop owner suggests taking the item to be personalized to, or buy it from, the shop and get the order placed at least two weeks before the holiday.

Body wash and/or lotion gift sets from the holiday gift set aisle of your favorite retailer can also be a welcomed holiday gift. They deliver the notion of relaxation and can be slightly tailored by choosing a scent the receiver finds pleasant.

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Personalized winter weather wearables and year-round accessories are also a good option for holiday gifts. From stocking caps and winter socks to lanyards and wristbands, embroidery shops provide viable options for people seeking a gift in someone’s favorite color, with their favorite team logo or a personal touch on it.

“Another thing people like to do for gifts is to have their initials on it. They like to monogram things they already have... Towels are a big thing at Christmas; people like to monogram them,” Stan Kienast, owner of Stitch of the Time, an embroidery shop in Kearney, said.

If having a gift personalized, Kienast

For the deeply creative or those who simply like to chronicle segments of everyday life, a well-made blank journal is a wonderful gift. They come in various sizes, come in a variety of cover designs and can be purchased at many bigbox stores, drugstores and boutiques throughout the Northland.

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Meeting the challenges of being a newly

BLENDED FAMILY

said it is often recommended that the biological parent take the lead in handing the situation with the other parent standing beside them.

Going back to holiday celebrations, Landers said it can be a good idea to let each family keep some of its traditions with the blended family creating new traditions.

By Mark Johnson

The holiday season can be one of excitement, laughter and anticipation. It can also be a major hurdle for a blended family, especially when they are spending their first Christmas together.

An important step is to clear up confusing family issues for children with the number of new people in their lives, which can often double or even triple, said Jim Landers, associate pastor of marriage at Pleasant Valley Baptist Church. He said that included defining the roles of those people.

“There is no doubt that the first year is tough,” Landers said. “You find out who you are as a new family.”

To ease that transition Landers offers a series of suggestions: • First and foremost, remember, your children need you.

• Share your values about Christmas.

• Make sure you have time for the immediate family group.

• Don’t use children as the

It’s not uncommon for children in newly blended families to view one another as peers instead of siblings. Those relationships take time to cultivate.

METRO CREATIVE

communicator with an ex-wife or ex-husband.

• Do a service project at Christmastime as a family.

• Realize that children come into a blended family considering children from the other family as peers, not brothers or sisters.

Those sibling ties are relationships that Landers said can take a while to take root.

“It takes time for that to happen,” he said.

Where discipline is concerned, he

Monday thru Friday openin7:00 am - 6:00for pm5 years Best Daycare/Preschool the Northland running!

Voted 2011 and 2012 Silver Award and 2013 Gold Award for Monday thru Fridayinopen 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Daycare/Preschool The Northland

75052361

650 E. Ruth Ewing Road Liberty, Missouri 64068 www.libertymontessoricenter.com

Best Student/Teacher Student/Teacher Ratio Ratio North North ofof the the River Riverand Best and Excellent Teacher Tenure Excellent Teacher Tenure Over 36 34 years years of of educating educating and and caring caring for for children children Over Accepting children children ages ages 66 weeks weeks thru thru Kindergarten Kindergarten

816-781-6295 75058530

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LIB E R T Y T R IBUN E , T HE KE A R N E Y COU RI ER, G L A D S TO NE D I S PATC H, THE S MI THV I L L E HERA L D

Homemade gifts for a heartwarming holiday season Instead of fighting crowds at the store, head to the kitchen and whip up Pinterest-worthy treats and crafts.

Whether you’re gifting a gracious host or just want a few extra presents on hand for unexpected holiday guests, flavorful and aromatic kitchen creations are a delicious way to show you care this holiday season. “Christmas cookies are always a popular gift but they’re not the only homemade option for the cookie lovers on your list,� said Chef Kevan Vetter of the McCormick Kitchens. “A small jar of spreadable Gingerbread Cookie Butter brings the taste of a classic holiday treat to unexpected places like toast and pancakes.�

Discover new ideas and recipes for everything from homemade seasonal butters to fragrance jars by visiting McCormick Spice on Pinterest and Facebook.

Gingerbread Cookie Butter Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 2 minutes Servings: 24 (1 tablespoon each) 8 ounces gingerbread cookies, about 8 (3 1/2-inch long) cookies 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Ginger Pulse cookies in food processor until resembling fine crumbs.

Add sugar; pulse until just blended.

Heat oil and water in small saucepan on low heat until coconut oil is melted. Slowly add oil mixture to processor while pulsing. Add vanilla and spices; pulse until just blended.

Cinnamon and Pine Fragrance Jar Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Makes: 1 jar 2-3 pine branches (4 inches long) 2 McCormick Gourmet Cinnamon Sticks 1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Whole Jamaican Allspice water Place pine, cinnamon and allspice inside 8-ounce jar. Pour water to fill jar, leaving 1/2-inch headspace; seal.

To add a lovely fragrance around the house, pour all contents of jar into small saucepan.

Simmer on medium heat 10 to 15 minutes or until fragrant, adding additional water as needed. — Family Features

The best place for my dad “I think the entire staff are exceptional, very compassionate, very attentive, and wonderful to my dad. It is a very, very clean and wonderful environment that I have recommended to several friends for their parents. I don’t think there could be a better place.�

Sandy B., Family Member

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