L I V E • PLAY • DO
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Boys in Ballet Nutcracker Step by Step Surrogacy Myths, Busted Holiday Events Guide nwkidsmagazine.com
NOVEMBER 2016
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Editor’s Note Are you ready for this? We’re headed into two of the busiest months of the year, sliding headlong into winter. (Don’t forget to set your clocks back on Nov 5… sigh.) Don’t despair; we’re here to help with pages full of activities and holiday-related events (including a step-by-step guide to The Nutcracker on p. 12 and a list of Nutcracker performances on p. 20) to help you plan ahead. I’m very excited to introduce a very special feature we’ll be running for the next six issues: guest writers from Portland Jewish Academy! I recently visited their afterschool writing club to meet these word lovers and brainstorm really fun writing topics. These sweet, inquisitive kids are so thoughtful and motivated – they are our future. Check out the first installment on p. 14. I also met with a woman named Ellie to learn about her journey through surrogacy for the feature on p. 23, and wow. What an honor to hear her story and admire her strength, and what an incredible gift surrogates give to families. Thank you, Ellie; I was so heartened to sit with you. I hope to share more of your story outside of this issue. Finally, last month’s issue incited a crucial conversation between myself, my team and our readers regarding an ad we ran that connoted deeplyrooted racism and undue hatred toward Black people. (Details on the blog at nwkidsmagazine.com/2016/10/letter-from-the-editor.) I am so sorry for that ad. My team is so sorry for that ad. The humility that came with that incident is the kind that stays with me and continues to teach me to be endlessly open, tirelessly listening, fiercely compassionate. I want to hear and know your experiences. Be well, and love each other!
Karel
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Contents
NOVEMBER 2016 9 Bits & Bytes 12 A Visual Guide to The Nutcracker 14 The PJA Perspective: Being Clara 16 Boys in Ballet
Cover photography of School of Oregon Ballet Theatre student Finnian Carmeci by NATALIE BEHRING
20 Events Guide: Holidays 2016 23 Myths of Surrogacy: Setting the record straight 29 Get Out and Play! This month’s local adventures
Contents photography by JAMES McGREW for OREGON BALLET THEATRE obt.org
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magazine Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram : @nwkidsmagazine • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids
NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle.
Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editor / Client Services Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Director Laurel Carrasco laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com
Listings A Family Tree Surrogacy.............................22 All Families Surrogacy...............................28 Art of STEM..................................................8 Barre3...........................................................7 Bella Stella...................................................7 Bennett Suzuki...........................................15 Black Wagon................................................8 Bond Surrogacy.........................................28 Cedarwood.................................................11 Chinook Book.............................................15 Columbia Gorge Railroad Club..................11 Extraordinary Conceptions........................22 German International School......................2 Goodtime Chinese School.........................15 Haiyan International Dance Academy.......18 Hello! Good Morning!..................................8
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iFLY Portland..............................................10 Imago Theatre............................................28 Junior League of Portland.........................15 Leisure Sports Inc Club Sport.....................10 Little Fruit Farm............................................8 Lloyd Center Mall.......................................11 My Masterpiece Art Studio........................19 Nectar Frozen Yogurt..................................19 NW Surrogacy Center................................24 Oregon Ballet School........................... 18,19 Oregon Ballet Theatre................................32 Oregon Surrogate.......................................22 Oregon Surrogacy......................................22 Play Fit Fun...................................................3 Portland Boychoir .....................................18 Portland Children’s Museum.......................8
Portland Spirit............................................22 Portland Trampoline..................................31 Raindrop Playmates.....................................2 Saturday Academy.....................................10 Seam Divas Sewing Lounge......................19 Serpa Audiology........................................10 Sit Still..........................................................3 Smart Baby Preschool................................28 Spielwerk Toys..............................................7 Surro Connections......................................24 The Kids’ Backyard Store............................31 The Portland Ballet....................................19 West Hills Montessori................................15
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BITS & BYTES Take Flight at iFLY’s All Abilities Night Anyone can fly! That is what the flight instructors truly believe, and a special monthly evening at iFLY takes this promise to a whole new level. Someone in your family may occupy a wheelchair, live with autism or have sensory issues (or just about any disability), but once a month, at the iFLY wind tunnel in Tigard, the whole family (and friends!) can bond in superhero style at their well-accommodated All Abilities Night. Yes, the flying is real. My spouse is blind, our daughter has ADHD and our other daughter is three years old and has a visceral fear of hand dryers and the vacuum cleaner. When visiting iFLY, each of our family members was encouraged and provided simple adaptations, and all of us bonded together with the exhilaration of flying in the air.
What makes this experience special are the thoughtful staff and the patience of other families who “get it” all around you. One of the arrangers has their own child with special needs and the other has experience working with children with sensory processing issues. Many parents shared their belief that the sensory experience of a 165mph wind actually regulated their child well beyond the evening. Even better, when a child struggled emotionally, there was simply no judgment from other families. That is a rare find for families living with special needs. A few restrictions apply for safety: • Ages 3 and up • W eight limit of 230lbs (250lbs if over 6ft) • No prior shoulder dislocations • N o serious neck, back, or heart conditions that would exclude the person from a physical activity To sign up and arrange accommodations contact Jamee at jhomuth@iflyworld.com. Find out more at iflyworld.com. Plan ahead, as this event sells out quickly! - Mantu Joshi
Performances Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live!
The Enchanted Toyshop
Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium
Godspell Jr.
Nov 7, $20-75 portland5.com
Thru Nov 20, $14-32 octc.org
Nov 25-27, $5-35 theportlandballet.org
Nov 11-20, $10-18 journeytheater.org
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courtesy of OREGON BALLET THEATRE
Photography by JAMES McGREW for OREGON BALLET THEATRE
A Visual Guide to
The Nutcracker Many of us are familiar with The Nutcracker, a ballet set around Christmas time that is full of mystery, wonder and magic. For some of us, it’s a time-honored family holiday tradition; for others, perhaps it’s something we’ve heard and read about, but never experienced live onstage. Luckily, there’s no shortage of Nutcracker performances around town every year (check out our roundup on p. 20) for first-timers, old-timers, littles and not-so-littles. The sets, costumes and dancing at all of these performances are engaging and captivating, but – what is the story that all comes together to tell? Kate Kerns from Oregon Ballet Theatre breaks it down so you can follow along and help the kiddos understand the themes of bravery, grace and love.
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A Christmas Eve Party It is Christmas Eve in Germany 150 years ago, and Marie and Fritz’s parents are hosting a holiday party. They entertain their friends and relatives until suddenly the lights flicker and fail when
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the great grandfather clock strikes eight. The party is swept with a sense of wonder as Marie’s godfather, the mysterious Herr Drosselmeier, makes a dramatic entrance with his young nephew. They bring life sized dancing toys that delight the guests. Drosselmeier then presents Marie with a special gift: a Nutcracker. Marie proudly shows off her new toy until Fritz breaks it. Drosselmeier mends the Nutcracker and gives the doll to his nephew, who tucks it into a toy bed beneath the Christmas tree. After a final dance, which Marie shares with the nephew, the guests say good night and the family goes off to bed.
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4 Toys Come Alive at Midnight
At midnight, Marie sneaks back to look for her Nutcracker. She soon falls asleep and, when she does, the room begins to change. Giant mice scurry through the shadows while the Christmas tree and the toys beneath it grow bigger and bigger. Under a now towering tree, the mice, led by their fierce King, do battle with the Nutcracker and his army of tin soldiers. It seems the mice will be triumphant until, at the very last moment, Marie throws her slipper at the King, distracting him long enough for the Nutcracker to run him through with his sword and seize victory.
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The Snowflake Dance and a Nutcracker Prince
Exhausted, Marie falls onto her bed and is magically transported to the Land of Snow. There, where snowflakes dance, she is reunited with the Nutcracker, now transformed into a handsome young Prince.
A Magical Land of Sweets and Delight
The Nutcracker Prince leads Marie on a journey to the Palace of the Land of Sweets, where the Sugarplum Fairy reigns. There, the Prince tells the court how Marie saved him in his battle with the Mouse King. As a reward, the Sugarplum Fairy seats them both upon a special throne to enjoy the dancing of Spanish Hot Chocolate, Arabian Coffee and Tea from China. Candy Canes also perform for the two, along with Marzipan Shepherdesses, Mother Ginger and her Polichinelles, and the beautiful Dewdrop and her flowers.
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One Last Dance Before the Children Go Home
As a final honor, the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier dance a majestic pas de deux. Marie and the Nutcracker Prince thank the Sugarplum Fairy for her grand entertainment and everyone in the Land of Sweets gathers to bid them farewell.
Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Balanchine’s The Nutcracker will be running from Dec 10 to Dec 26 at the Keller Auditorium. Tickets start at $23. NW Kids Magazine | 13
The PJA Perspective Portland Jewish Academy (pjaproud.org) provides a rich academic and cultural learning experience for kids from early childhood through 8th grade. We’ve invited budding journalists from PJA’s writing club for 5th-7th graders to join our team for a series that gives you a glimpse into thoughts and life – from their perspective.
Being Clara
by BRIANNE SASS
I’ve been dancing ballet for four years, since I was eight years old. I had to beg my mom for years to sign me up. John Magnus, the head choreographer and ballet teacher of Portland Festival Ballet, asked me why I wanted to dance. I told him that my mom had already not signed me up the previous two years, and I couldn’t wait any longer. Three years later, I got on pointe, and I was so happy. I danced around in my living room and anywhere I had the space, especially in supermarkets. Every year, I had amazing parts in The Nutcracker: a mouse with puffy pillows on my hips, a soldier fighting off the rat king and a polichinelle jumping out from underneath a Chinese dragon. One year, I was an angel who glided across the stage, which was actually a shuffling feet movement covered up by a humongous white dress. I had gigantic gold wings and a halo, and I felt beautiful and angelic. A little less than a year after I went on pointe, I was chosen to be Clara – the Nutcracker lead! I was extremely excited. I practiced my acting skills during the weekly 15-hour rehearsals, and my mother said I really perfected the emotions. It was the first time I had done partner work with male dancers, which was challenging for me, because at first I didn’t trust them at all to not drop me. I learned about the exciting storyline of The Nutcracker. (I really would not like to be chased by rats again!) But the most challenging part as Clara was having five seconds to change out of a dress from the party scene into another dress for the dream scene. My favorite part was meeting some of the audience after the performances: teaching Girl Scouts how to dance ballet and posing with random strangers in my Clara costume. Overall, I think my favorite part was when it was over, because it was so physically exhausting and stressful in a good way. I’m lucky to be one of the few people who had the pleasure of leading as Clara in The Nutcracker. My name is Brianne Sass. I am a seventh grader at Portland Jewish Academy. I studied ballet for four years, and recently I quit because I learned from experience that pointe work damages your feet more than a seventh grader would like. One of my only requirements was to schedule my practices after I went to synagogue on Saturdays, and they accommodated the schedule for me. I love ballet, I love to dance, and I will always enjoy The Nutcracker.
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“It’s not just about ballerinas.”
Boys in Ballet by APRIL CHRISTENSON
Photograph of NICK JURICA by BLAINE TRUITT COVERT for THE PORTLAND BALLET
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Think that ballet is just for girls? Think again! After all, can you even imagine some of the world’s most famous ballets – The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty – without male dancers? From increasing athleticism to fostering creativity and selfexpression to building confidence, the benefits of ballet are farreaching for girls and boys alike.
But before they can experience all the benefits that ballet has to offer, many boys who are interested in dance have to first get past the stigma that it’s just for girls. Colleen McCormick, whose five-year-old son Declan is currently enrolled at The Portland Ballet, said that was a barrier in the beginning. “His preschool did a dance for the end of the year each school year and he really loved it,” Colleen said. “He asked to take a class and we tried a few, with him not really loving them and saying he felt like he was just pretending to be a princess.” After checking out different programs, the McCormicks decided to enroll Declan in classes at The Portland Ballet, which offers programming tailored to boys. Co-founder and Executive Director Jim Lane, who founded The Portland Ballet with his wife Nancy Davis 15 years ago, said having a boys program was important to them from the beginning.
“We knew that it would set us apart,” Lane said. “We sent out a media alert and got 6 or 7 boys that first year.” Today about 30 boys (ages 6 to 22) are enrolled at The Portland Ballet – making up roughly 20% of their total enrollment. Lane said that he sees the stigma surrounding boys and men in dance decreasing. “It seems like the kids who come to us don’t see that too much,” he said. “It’s not just about ballerinas.” The Portland Ballet isn’t the only school in the area that offers programming for boys. The School of Oregon Ballet also offers classes geared toward boys of all ages. School Director Anthony Jones said it’s important to make sure that boys feel comfortable from the beginning. “It’s sometimes hard to be the only one,” Jones said. “When people call and say they have a five-year-old who’s interested in trying ballet, we try to put them in classes with other boys. We have to make sure they feel comfortable.” continued on p. 18
Photograph by BLAINE TRUITT COVERT
Jason Davis, Academy Principal at The Portland Ballet, teaches. NW Kids Magazine | 17
So, why ballet? Athletes of other sports often turn to ballet for the increased agility and coordination that it offers. “Last year a soccer coach approached me,” Jones said. “Ballet dancers move quickly. There’s a fleetness of foot and a type of coordination that’s so transferrable to other sports.” Aside from the obvious athletic benefits, enrolling your child in a dance program is a great way to encourage their creative side. “Having something that is physically active where he can also utilize those traits and have fun has been great,” McCormick said. For more information on The Portland Ballet and their programs, visit theportlandballet.org. For more information on the School of Oregon Ballet Theatre, visit obt.org. OBT is partnering with Newmark Theatre on a production of Billy Elliott, slated for fall 2017, and currently training male dancers for the show! April Christenson is a freelance writer who works full-time in nonprofit communications and fundraising. A native Midwesterner, she enjoys spending her free time exploring all that her new home in Portland has to offer. On the weekend you’re most likely to find her running in Forest Park, making a quick getaway to the coast, or checking out a new spot in Portland.
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Holidays 2016 Tree Lightings Nov 25
Pioneer Square, Portland thesquarepdx.org
Nov 25
Nutcracker Performances Oregon Ballet Theatre Dec 10-26, $23-146 obt.org
Haiyan Ballet Dec 3, $20-25 haiyanballet.net
Northwest Dance Theatre Dec 10-18, $17-33 nwdt.org
Columbia Dance Dec 15-19, $10-15 columbiadance.org
New Vision Dance Center Nov 25-26, $15-20 newvisiondance.com
Inspire Dance Centre Dec 16-17, $15-20 inspiredancecentre.com
DanceWorks Performing Arts Dec 9-11, $8-15 danceworksperformingarts.com
Bigelow Plaza & Millenium Plaza, Lake Oswego ci.oswego.or.us
Dec 2 Beaverton City Library & City Park, Beaverton beavertonoregon.gov
Dec 2 Lake of the Commons, Tualatin tualatinoregon.gov
Dec 2 West Linn City Hall & Cascade Summit Town Square, West Linn westlinnoregon.gov
Dec 3 Milwaukie City Hall, Milwaukie milwaukieoregon.gov
Dec 3 Liberty Plaza, Oregon City downtownoregoncity.org
Lights Winter Wonderland Nov 25-Dec 25 (closed Nov 28) Portland International Raceway, $20-45 winterwonderlandportland.com
Christmas Festival of Lights Nov 25-Dec 30 (closed Dec 25) The Grotto, $6-11 (kids 2 and under free) thegrotto.org
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ZooLights
Holiday Open House
Nov 25-Jan 1 (closed Dec 24-25) Oregon Zoo, $4.95-14.95 (kids 2 and under free) oregonzoo.org
Dec 2 Come for the music, German Holiday Market hosted by German International School, games and crafts; stay for the tree lighting! Beaverton City Library & City Park, free beavertonoregon.gov
Christmas Fantasy Trail Dec 2-30 Wenzel Farm, $5-6 fantasytrail.com
Gingerbread Jamboree
Dec 12-23 Victorian Belle, $3-6 (kids 3 and under free) victorianbelle.com
Dec 3 Delicious and fun gingerbread house decorating event, with proceeds to bring holiday cheer to those in need. Junior League of Portland, $40 and up juniorleagueofportland.org
Lights on Peacock Lane
Magical Winter Faire
The Miracle of a Million Lights
Dec 15-31 (Dec 18-20 pedestrians only) SE Peacock Lane, free peacocklane.org
Fairs & Festivals Christmas in the Garden Nov 25-Jan 1 Ice skating, German Market, lights in the Rediscovery Forest and more! The Oregon Garden, $6-12 (kids 4 and under free) oregongarden.org
Cinnamon Bear Cruise Nov 26-Dec 27 (see website for specific days and times) A 2-hour cruise full of story times, treats and photos ops with the Cinnamon Bear. Portland Spirit, $22-30 (kids under 1 free) cinnamonbearcruise.com
Hood River Holidays Opens Dec 2 Historic downtown Hood River is transformed into a real-life snow globe. Hood River County, event costs vary hoodriver.org
Dec 3 Meet fanciful wonderland characters, visit the cookie cave, make crafts and play games, shop the local market. Cedarwood Waldorf School, free cedarwoodschool.org
ScanFair Dec 3-4 Experience a Nordic Christmas with arts and crafts, artisan markets and yummy foods and treats. Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, check website for cost (kids 12 and under free) scanheritage.org
Celebrate Chanukah! Dec 18 Make a menorah and sufganiyot, play dreidel and other games, dance and sing! Congregation Neveh Shalom, free jewishportland.org
Chanukah Donuts and Dancing Dec 18 Eat yummy jelly donuts, make festive decorations and learn Israeli dancing in honor of Chanukah. Mittleman Jewish Community Center, $10/family oregonjcc.org
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by KAREL CHAN
Photographs by ALL FAMILIES SURROGACY
Myths of Surrogacy:
Setting the record straight Ellie sits across from me, eyes glistening. “If you want a child, you want to grow it inside of you.” I’ve just asked her to talk about the misconception that women choose surrogacy because they simply don’t want to be pregnant and ruin their bodies. She shakes her head. “I can’t imagine any woman doing surrogacy for that reason.” Ellie’s experience is one of many: men and women who want so very much to have children but for uncontrollable reasons cannot have them on their own. Surrogacy is one option for family planning, and Oregon has become an epicenter for the process, due to Portland’s open and progressive culture, world class fertility clinic Oregon Reproductive Medicine and state laws that easily allow Intended Parents (IPs) to obtain legal parentage of their children. Even so, rumors and myths persist regarding surrogacy. We did some digging to find the truth.
The surrogacy process is long and expensive.
TRUE.
All parties and processes considered – gestational surrogate, egg donor if applicable, fertility clinic, surrogacy agency and lawyers – the cost can range from $75,000-175,000 (a large
portion of it is required upfront), and the journey from start to childbirth can last up to 18 months. Varying factors include use of the egg donor and whether the IPs are international, stateside or local. Ellie made the difficult decision to use GoFundMe to ask for help in offsetting the cost. continued on p. 25 NW Kids Magazine | 23
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A surrogate could ultimately decide to keep the baby.
MOSTLY FALSE. With a traditional surrogacy, wherein the surrogate donates her own egg, this could potentially happen, though extremely rare. With gestational surrogacy, the surrogate is not genetically related to the baby, and Oregon has specific laws in place to protect the biological parents’ rights to their child. (Hence the lawyers!) Gestational surrogates go through rigorous medical, psychological and criminal screenings and are usually women who are done with creating their own families and want to use their fertility to help others. Finding a surrogate is difficult because the woman needs to be in her 20s and have given birth before.
MOSTLY FALSE.
Intended Parents are required to pay for the surrogate’s lifestyle while pregnant (food, supplements, health care, exercise, etc).
MOSTLY TRUE. Enter lawyers again. Prior to the embryo transfer, the surrogate and IPs sign a detailed contract stipulating each pregnancy-related cost that the IPs will cover. These costs include but are not limited to: prenatal supplements, uninsured medical expenses, maternity clothing, mileage to OB visits and lost wages due to pregnancy-related leave. Carey FlamerPowell, Director and Founder of All Families Surrogacy, states it simply: IPs’ expenses are “part of the overall duty to provide for their unborn child’s care.”
Intended Fathers with their surrogate, and their twin boys almost a year later. The boys were born of each father with the same egg donor.
The recommended age of a gestational surrogate ranges from 21 to 45 years old; she must have given birth at least once before. As mentioned above, potential surrogates are heavily screened by agencies, so that portion of the difficult work does not fall on IPs. All Families Surrogacy reports an approximately 20% approval rate of all applicants.
Surrogates do it for the money.
FALSE. Of all of the costs mentioned above, only a portion of it goes directly to the surrogate as compensation for, as Bond Surrogacy describes it, “the pain and suffering of being pregnant.” In fact, surrogates need to prove financial stability, which eliminates compensation as their primary motivation. Christine, Ellie’s surrogate, describes as her motivation: “I remember all too well the heartbreak that comes with… the loss of planned dreams, readjusting your hopes and life plans. Every time I feel a little flutter or possible kick, I am just gleeful for their mom and dad.”
Information provided by All Families Surrogacy, Bond Surrogacy, Ellie and Christine. For more, visit allfamiliessurrogacy.com and bondescrow.com. NW Kids Magazine | 25
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What can a surrogacy agency do for you? Ellie and Christine were matched through Bond Surrogacy. Ellie chose to use a surrogacy agency after reviewing all of her options for starting a family. IPs can also choose surrogacy independently, which may reduce the initial cost. So, what are the benefits of using an agency? Northwest Surrogacy Center gives us the rundown: • Screen surrogates with background checks, medical records review, interviews, home visits and psychological exams. • Match surrogates with Intended Parents who share their expectations for the surrogacy. • Connect surrogates and Intended Parents with professional resources such as attorneys, fertility clinics and insurance agents. • Prepare a legal contract between Intended Parents and their surrogate for review by separate attorneys.
• Manage the surrogate’s trust account so everyone can focus on the relationship, not money. • Assist in coordinating the surrogate’s medical care and birth plan. • Handle any questions, concern, or issues Intended Parents and surrogates have at any time during the process. • Be there for any unexpected bump in the road and able to draw from a wealth of experience to address problems.
Sandra Hodgson, Co-Director and Founder of Northwest Surrogacy Center, says, “Working with a reputable agency provides financial and legal protection for both the surrogate and Intended family. Our Portland-based agency has been serving families and surrogates for over 20 years, and we love helping surrogates and Intended Parents develop a strong, positive relationship. Our experience and deep understanding of the complexities of surrogacy allow us to provide hundreds of our wonderful surrogates and their deserving Intended Parents with peace of mind, so that they can concentrate on creating a family.”
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ERIC CARLE
Get Out and Play! This month’s local adventures
All Nov
Nov 6
Inch your way on over to the Portland Children’s Museum for this cool event where your youngster has the opportunity to engage with one of their favorite stories through a unique interactive experience. Using color, texture and shape from the story’s themes, children’s imaginations will be connected to the natural world while encouraging the Hungry Caterpillar’s message of hope, hard work and love. $0-10, portlandcm.org
Encourage the inner architect in your child by joining this play event. Pop-up adventure playgrounds are guided events geared toward encouraging autonomy and cooperation. Both fun and educational, this time will be well spent for both you and the littles. Free, designmuseumfoundation.org
Very Eric Carle at PCM
Nov 5
Wordstock
Like those book fairs of yore, only way bigger and better! This year’s festival sees six new venues, three stages and more kids’ programs. With pop-up readings and concerts, food and bevvies and workshops galore, this day will instill and revive your and your littles’ love for the written word. $15-18 (includes $5 voucher for the book fair), 17 & under free, literary-arts.org
Kids Design Workshop
Nov 15-16
Portland Pet Expo
This free event is fun for the whole family – including your pet, be they four-legged, winged, reptilian or even equine! Tons of exhibitors, pet training workshops, adoption options and plenty of answers for whatever pet questions you may have. You can also show off your pet by dressing them up to compete in the Pet Costume Contest! Free, portlandpetexpo.com
Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur. NW Kids Magazine | 29
Nov 16
Nov 23
Cross the Columbia River and head just outside of Vancouver for this free urban nature outing that is really more walk than hike and appropriate for all ages. These hikes are held monthly and cover a variety of topics from fish hatchery to fungi to birds. $5 donation per child recommended, columbiasprings.org
This light-hearted and holiday lit race is great for the whole family. The trot is self-paced and untimed, so participate at whatever speed you like. Strollers are welcome, as are costumes, with prizes going out to the best holiday attire! The Kids Trot is free of charge while team and individual racers will have to pay a fee. $35-45 (Kids Trot free), htcraceseries.com
Columbia Springs Guided Hikes
Turkey Trot Relay
Nov 24 Turkey Trot
This popular, untimed run is great for people of all ages. With a stroller and kid friendly distance of 4 miles and a costumes-encouraged policy, what’s not to love? Taking place between the Oregon Zoo and the Japanese Gardens and then finishing at the Zoo, this event is a great way to engage the little ones all morning. $25-40, orrc.net
Nov 21
Cranksgiving Cycle
Velo Cult Bicycle shop has partnered with Outside In in this treasurehunt food drive designed to help homeless youth. Participants will visit a number of stores to purchase items in need. The more people we can bring out means the greater chance we have of winning again the coveted Top Banana Trophy from Seattle! So bring the fam out for some productive pedal pushing and friendly competition with our northern neighbor! $10, puddlecycle.com
Nov 27
Macy’s Holiday Parade
After recovering from your tryptophan lethargy, take the kids out for some traditional post-Thanksgiving fun with the Macy’s Holiday Parade. With more than 25 floats, hundreds of costumed characters and marching bands, this event is sure to entertain the little ones. After the parade, for the Christmas wishers, head over to Macy’s Santaland for some pictures with Old St. Nick! Free, l.macys.com/downtown-portland-inportland-or
Looking for more? Check out our online calendar: nwkidsmagazine.com/events
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