The FAMILY Magazine October 2012

Complimentary • Priceless • Free

Field of Dreams

20 Years of Changes in Michiana

A Parents’ Guide to Test Success!

Helping Your Kids Prepare for Standardized Tests

Feeding the Nations

How Local Businesses Make a Difference Worldwide

Fall Fun with the Little Ones Great Tips on Fun with Toddlers

October 2012

It’s Election Time!

Teaching Your Kids about the Voting Process

Serving: Granger • Mishawaka • Elkhart • South Bend • Goshen • Niles • Edwardsburg • Middlebury • Plymouth • St. Joseph • New Buffalo & Surrounding Communities

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Congratulations!

To the talented August Coloring Winners.

Contributors Publisher & Editor-in-Chief:

Betsy Tavernier Betsy@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com EXECUTIVE Editor: Stephanie J. Salisbury Stephanie@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com Advertising Account Manager: Jessica Marietta Jessica@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com Advertising Account Manager: Nicky Graham Nicky@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com Creative Promotions manager: Jena Bontrager Jena@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Manager: Zuzanna Zmud Zuzanna@MichianaFamilyMagazine.com Fashion Editor: Kathy Friend Kathy@MMProd.com

Heidi – Age 8p Seth – Age 3 u Autumn – Age 1 2 q

Medical Editor: S. Jesse Hsieh, M.D. Distribution Manager: John Ferguson Michiana Family Magazines would love to hear from you! Please submit press releases, event information and inquiries to: Media@Michianafamilymagazine.com The FAMILY Magazines 1233 E. University Drive Granger, IN 46530 PH: 574.387.5420 • FX: 574.217.4700 www.michianafamilymagazine.com The FAMILY Magazines October 2012 Established in 2006.

All rights reserved.

Permission from the publisher is required for any reproduction or reprint of this publication.

Read The FAMILY Magazines online each month!

Go to www.MichianaFamilyMagazine.com and flip the pages, cover-to-cover the organic and green way!

IN THE NEXT ISSUE:

Volume 6: Number 10

College Prep 101 • Adoption Month

If you would like your business and/or service to be included in the next issue, call The FAMILY Magazines at 574.387.5420 to reserve your space. Space is limited.

www.MichianaFamilyMagazine.com on the cover: Special thanks to our distribution manager, John Ferguson, for sharing his family with us for the cover! John is the youth pastor at Trinity Evangelical Tree Church in South Bend as well. www.tets.org Photography: Classic Image Photography, Granger

The FAMILY Magazine is a proud member of PMA

Please use the information compiled by Michiana Family Magazines for your research. Michiana Family Magazines recommends that parents and families interview each business or organization to make sure that it is safe and a good fit for your family. The information presented here and provided by Michiana Family Magazines is for informational purposes only and although every effort has been made to present accurate information, Michiana Family Magazines does not, in any way, accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information and/or for the businesses and organizations presented herein. We urge all parents and families to confirm any information given herein through additional research. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of Michiana Family Magazines LLC, its officers, editors, staff or contributors.

FROM THE PUBLISHER “My grandma is the best grandma in the world!”

It’s absolutely wonderful to hear my boys say this. My kids’ grandparents are very active and they spend a great deal of time with our kids – from picking them up from school, to helping with homework projects, to attending as many of their activities as possible and even joining many of our family vacations. My kids are very lucky to have grandparents that enjoy and love them so much ... and I am very lucky, too!

It seems more and more grandparents are helping raise our kids and I certainly think that is a great thing. Not from the standpoint of having to raise their grandchildren out of necessity, but from the positive side of all that grandparents can share that should have such a wonderful impact on the rearing of our kids. I didn’t know my grandparents all that well; they never seemed to have much of an interest in us and I regret missing the opportunity to know them better and to enjoy them and their wisdom. So, in this age of multi-generational families and “boomerang” families, getting back to the roots of a “family-is-first” mindset, maybe – just maybe – our future looks brighter for our kids because of this positive grandparent influence. We can only hope.

In celebration of wonderful grandparents of families in our community, we have launched a brand new magazine developed just for them. It’s called BOOM Magazine and is produced for men and women between the ages of 51 to 74 years of age. BOOM Magazine released mid-September and has been extremely well-received in a very short time. Pick up an issue for your parents or grandparents at many of our Family Magazine favorite distribution locations including Martin’s Super Markets, CVS Pharmacy and WalMart along with about another 100 locations all over our four-county area. The first bi-monthly issue of BOOM Magazine includes everything from good health and investments to grand-parenting and real estate. It’s loaded with articles and resources for their generation while we hope they are enjoying the best years of their life (zuzi/plz italicize the tagline/slogan here).

Let’s celebrate the active and loving grandparents of our children this month!

Happy October!

Things We (at FAMILY)

Love

Right Now!

1. Pumpkins!

2. The smell of Cloves and Orange 3. Dark Brown Nail Polish 4. Stylish Boots 5. Creative & Classy Mailboxes 6. “Ray-Ban” inspired eyewear 7.

A Winning Season

8. Crisp Air 9. Homemade Apple Crisp 10. Art Shows 11. Fabulous Grandparents 12. Walks in the Woods 13. Acorns, of course!

14. Kids’ Expo – October 27th!

Betsy & Family

Want the "organic"/green version of The FAMILY Magazine each month with bonus articles?

Sign up for our Email Newsletter on our website and get your own organic copy delivered to your email inbox each month!

Find the Hidden Acorn!

For your enjoyment and fun!

Check it Out!

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the NEW SASSY Magazine!

OCTOBER 2012 § NOVEMBER

NO7

sprains & strains

COMMON SPORTS INJURIES

dos and donts at the

MUSEUM

IM JUST A DRESS

the life of a design in the fashionworld a walk in the woods AUTUMN DECOR AND MORE FALL MAKEUP TRENDS

what to

and what totryskip

THE HEART OF

EDUCATION TEACHING IN THE MIDST OF TURMOIL

TEMPER GRILLE UNDER THE CHEF HAT!

ELIMINATING COLLEGE DEBT ON THE ROAD

TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM

2012

F R O M T H E E D I TO R Dear Readers, This is my favorite time of year, and I can feel the excitement in the air. The leaves are beginning to turn, the crisp air in the morning is invigorating and I can’t wait to have a bonfire and go to the pumpkin patch. There’s something about autumn that instills a sense of nostalgia and, at the same time, makes us want to do nothing more than live in the moment. To rake leaves only to jump in the pile and act like a little kid again. To stuff our arms inside of a goopy orange globe like Jane Suter does with her kids in “Oh, My Gourd!” (p.20). To put our eyes to the forest floor and find some funky-looking mushrooms in the woods, which Evelyn Kirkwood gives us a great introduction to in “Fall is Fun for Fungi” (p. 22.) To roast marshmallows and sandwich them between layers of chocolate and graham crackers. By the way, try it sometime with a Carmello bar or a Reese’s cup – S’mores on a whole new decadent level!

This past month has just flown by. My husband and I celebrated our anniversary, I survived the rookie days of my new job here and the weather, which was bright and sunny and hot just a few days ago has turned cooler – I have to remember to start wearing a jacket out the door in the morning. There are so many changes in Michiana – and not just the season. Be sure to check out “Twenty Years in the Field of Dreams” by Michelle Wegner (p. 24) to see what things were like around here two decades ago. We’re really bustling now, aren’t we? And it wouldn’t be possible without all the lovely people who give back to the community – read all about them in our Special Features section starting on page 28.

FAMILY

Staff!

Meet our Team!

Nicky Graham: Advertising Account Manager Joining the sales team is Nicky Graham.

She formerly managed a custom-made garden art store where she concentrated on sales, marketing, set up and maintenance of websites and customer service. She is the mother of two, resides in Elkhart and we are delighted to have her!

Football season is here and the school year is well underway. Remember, there are some changes to those standardized tests the kids get to take each year, so be savvy and read Kimberly Ringler’s article, “A Parents’ Guide to Test Success” (p. 26).

You’ll find some great tips to help your kids prepare.

That’s what it’s all about – Family!

Stephanie

Jena Bontrager: Creative Promotions Manager Jena rejoins us after maternity leave, infusing her creative training with her marketing and social media skills. She will work with special events, sales promotions, social media, sponsorship development, creative and electronic media enhancements and graphic design.

We’re glad she’s back!

Zuzanna Zmud: Graphic Design Manager Zuzanna Zmud, recent IUSB graduate, formerly interned for us and now joins the team full time as Graphic Design Manager. She designs magazine layouts and advertisements, and assists with marketing materials, design projects and sales support. We’re happy she is with us!

6 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

The FAMILY Magazines wants to learn about readers like you!

Please participate in this quick online survey so we can keep bringing you the best magazine in town.

You can take the survey online at:

https://www.research.net/s/013310 Or scan the QR Code below with your smart phone:

Partici you co pate and a $50 uld WIN V certificisa gift ate!

Thank you!

The FAMILY Magazine is only possible because of readers like you..

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

7

24

20

26

The FAMILY Magazine: Live Your Best:

5 Find the Acorn Contest 10 The FAMILY Month Calendar

SPECIAL FAMILY FEATURES: 28 Chemo Caps for Charity

By Amy Allen Clark

Book Review:

30 Feeding the Nations

Reviewed by Melissa Hunter

36 Trusting the Land

12 Sweet Talk

By Meagan Church

Kids’ Book Review:

By Evelyn Kirkwood

Reviewed by Cami Raab

By Meagan Church

13 The Doll People

38 Monroe Circle Community Center

Special Events: 16 Kids’ Expo

Family Fun:

18 Fall Decor and More!

20 Oh, My Gourd!

By Jane Suter

22 Fall is Fun for Fungi

By Evelyn Kirkwood

Changes in Michiana:

24 Twenty Years in the Field of Dreams

By Michelle Wegner

26 A Parents’ Guide to Test Success

By Kimberly Ringler

Calendar of Events:

40 Go to www.MichianaFamilyMagazine.com for tons of additional family events – updated daily!

It’s Election 40

!

Time

46

MiChild:

Special Parenting Resource Section

MiCorner:

44 Little Dog, Lost

Reviewed by Patty Heckaman 45 Fall Fun with the Little Ones

By Andie Kingsbury

46 It’s Election Time!

By Kathy Sena

Mommy & Daddy: 48 Negotiating at Home

By Laurie Puhn

Newborn:

50 Pocket Diapers on a Budget

By Andie Kingsbury

Family Moment 52 Covering Yourself

By Kathy Friend

Play Dates:

54 Fun things to do with your kids this month!

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.

~Shakespeare “Macbeth”

live your best

The FAMILY Month Calendar 1

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Begins

6

Paws to Read (Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library)

12

Our Bountiful Harvest Quilt Show Begins Vineland Center, St. Joseph

2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su

Fifteen Minute Meal Easy Tuna Casserole 1 Bag egg noodles 3 cans chunk light tuna in water, drained 1 family-sized can mushroom soup 1 can mushroom stems & pieces, drained 1 can peas, drained 1 can corn, drained

Get Wild!

Beginning Monday, October 1st, the characters from Maurice Sendak’s book Where the Wild Things Are will be hiding in a different location each week in Children’s Services at the Bittersweet Branch of the Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Public Library. Look around to find them, and be sure to fill out an entry slip for a drawing to be held at the end of the month on Wednesday, October 31st. Two lucky winners will choose books from a selection of new paperbacks! Kids, you can enter the drawing once each week.

Goodwill Loves Moms!

On September 13th, Family Magazine joined with Goodwill Industries to present the Goodwill Loves Moms luncheon at the Windsor Park Conference Center in Mishawaka.

Attendees listened to Lorie Marrero, certified professional organizer and author of the book, “The Clutter Diet”, speak about organizational methods for clearing the clutter from their homes and lives. In addition, Goodwill launched their new reusable donation bag (which you can pick up at the store if you missed the luncheon). Fill up the bag with donations, bring it to Goodwill where they will empty it and punch your donation card.

Ten punches and Goodwill will send you a gift valued at $25!

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Put in egg noodles until tender. Drain and put back into pot on medium heat. In this order, add other ingredients and stir after each: mushroom soup, mushrooms, peas and corn, tuna.

Salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring until warm all the way through. (Serves 6)

s e v o L will

Good

S M M

Michiana Family Magazine staff at Goodwill Loves Moms!

Mmm, Cookies…

October is Cookie Month! Children in preschool through sixth grade are invited to visit the Downtown Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library Children’s Services anytime during the month of October to guess how many cookies are in their container. The guess closest to the actual count without going over will win a bag of cookies and a book from the Children’s Services prize bin! Children can enter once a week, and the winner will be announced on Thursday, November 1st.

31

25

15 Breastfeeding class

17

20

Halloween

World Pasta Day! Have some macaroni!

27

Sweetest Day

KIDS’ EXPO Elkhart Sports Center 10am - 3pm

Fresh Beat Band at Morris

16 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 28 29 30 M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W

Caramel Apples Caramel apples are a traditional favorite this time of year. But how about adding some pizzazz? After you melt storebought caramels with a little water in a double boiler, skewer your apples and dip them, and let them set up on wax paper.

When they’re still slightly gooey, try rolling them around in a bowl of any of these: National breast cancer awareness month October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Whether you are a survivor, know a survivor or have lost a loved one to breast cancer, show your support. Check out www. pinkforoctober.com and www. nbcam.com for information.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer over her lifetime.

Men are at risk for this disease, too, and one in a thousand men will develop this cancer in the course of their lifetime as well.

We can all join in the fight and do our part to raise awareness and search for a cure.

Mini M&Ms Tiny Chocolate chips Crushed peanuts Ice Cream Sprinkles Crushed Heath bars Flaked coconut Red Hots

October Quotes and Poetry

“There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October.”

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

“Listen! the wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”

“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.”

~ Samuel Butler

“Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.”

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

“But I remember more dearly autumn afternoons in bottoms that lay intensely silent under old great trees.”

“The stillness of October gold Went out like beauty from a face.”

~ C. S. Lewis

~ E. A. Robinson

“October’s poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter.”

~ Nova Bair

~ Humbert Wolfe

“O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call; Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow.

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled, Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day; At noon release another leaf; One from our trees, one far away.”

~ Robert Frost, October

live your book reviews best

Sweet Talk

By Julie Garwood

Reviewed by: Melissa Hunter, Reference Coordinator, Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library Olivia goes on a job interview and gets more than she bargained for with death threats and FBI agents.

Olivia has stumbled into a sting operation and reduced months of work to chaos. When an agent tries to bully her, she reveals where she works and lets the agent in charge know she’s not afraid of the FBI. Olivia is part of the alphabet soup herself: the IRS. Olivia is an attorney with the IRS working to uncover an elaborate Ponzi scheme to get an innocent man out of jail, restore his family name and save innocent people’s livelihoods.

When Olivia asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. After helping the underdog, she is not comfortable being the vulnerable one; she also isn’t afraid to ask for help. Olivia contacts the FBI agent she met after bumbling into his sting operation, Grayson Kincaid.

With Grayson’s assistance, Olivia continues to investigate even when it centers upon her own family. Now Olivia and Grayson are fighting bad guys, timelines, family members and an attraction to each other. Olivia isn’t sure which battle she will win and which battle she will lose.

Fans of Julie Garwood will love her new contemporary romp.

Don’t forget to try these authors as well: Jill Shalvis, Karen Robards, Linda Howard and Catherine Coulter.

live your book reviews best

The Doll People

By Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin Reviewed by Cami Raab Do you want a book that will catch your attention and you can’t put the book down until you’re done with it? Well this is the book for you. Annebelle, who is sort of shy and doesn’t really do anything in the beginning, is very adventurous in the book. Annebelle is made of China and her owner’s name is Kate. Annebelle makes a friend and she is made of plastic. Annebelle finds her Auntie Sarah’s journal and she wants to give it to her, but there is one problem: she has been missing for over forty-five years.

Annebelle goes on an adventure with her friend to find her Auntie Sarah. Her mother is not sure about it because Annebelle could get broken but she wants her sister to come back, and her dad doesn’t care but is unusual because he is always worried. They all end up going to search for Annebelle’s aunt. They went up to Kate’s attic one night and found Auntie Sarah laying on the ground with her dress caught under a trunk. They were able to pull her out and were so excited, because she was still “alive.” The problem is that she couldn’t just appear in the doll house, because they had to place her someplace so the humans can find her and give her to Kate. So they put her in Kate’s cat’s bed, thinking that the humans would think the cat had been snooping around and found her and kept her as a toy. The humans ended up finding Auntie Sarah and gave her to Kate and, like all good fairy tales, they all lived happily ever after.

My name is Cami Raab (Eagle Lake Elementary) and I have one younger sister.

My hobbies are competitive cheerleading, spending time with my family and friends and swimming.

It’s never too early to plan for the holidays...

Heritage Square Events Holiday Illumination - Nov. 17 Join us at 6 PM, as we light the center for the holidays! Enjoy carriage rides and meet Santa!

Holiday Open House - Dec. 1

Enjoy holiday sales, carriage rides, hot chocolate and carolers.

HeritageSquare

ShopHeritageSq

Heritage Square • Mishawaka, IN (Located on the Corner of State Road 23 & Main/Gumwood)

www.ShopHeritageSquare.com • 574.855.3774

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

13

Barn Chasing at Sunset ~michellewegner

Autumn in Indiana ining Light Sh~michellewegner ~cour tneykema Autumn in Indiana ~michellewegner

Use Instagram, a fun photo editing and sharing app for the iPhone, to show us what you see around town and what your family and friends are up to. Your photos may make an upcoming issue! Include the hashtag #michmag in your photo captions, and follow us on Instagram too: thefamilymag.

Laundry Day ~momadvice

Goodbye Sun ~maddiewegner

Praise For Sun ~michellewegner Girl and her Dog ~meaganchurch

Indiana Autumn ~ tishamattei

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

15

o p x E2012 Provided by Michiana FAMILY Magazines Saturday October 27, 2012 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Elkhart Sports Center ,

FREE for Kids! $5for

Adults Open to the Public! First 500 (12 years & under with paid adult)

people will receive gift bags!

o t r e Ent IN a rip W y T om e Disnr 4 frno! fo Men

Th fam is deser trip ily w ving on t Meno Disney the an no fr Magd The FTravel om Expo azines AMIL 2011 at K Y last ids year !

Check out how much fun we had last year!

g!

tin Pain e c a e F som Awe

Hollie and Dave with kids at Boardwalk

Mitche

ll and the beMeagan on ach!

Super Neat Balloons!

Thank you to our Premium Sponsors...

For more info on reserving your booth space call 574.387.5420 or go to www.MichianaFamilyMagazine.com/ 16 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Bring your kiddos out on Saturday, October 27th to the Annual Kids Expo in full Halloween costume for trick-or-treating at all the booth vendors! Here is a snapshot of some of the fantastic vendors and performances that will be at the Kids Expo: Eby’s Family Fun Center Farm Bureau Insurance Gymnastics Michiana Star Martial Arts The Kids Club Card Traditions Dental Benchmark Family Services Cheri Hallwood - National Author Menno Travel Services Papa Murphy’s Pizza March of Dimes Elkhart General Hospital Ice Athletic Center Eastlake Athletic Club Trine University Growing Kids Learning Center The Ice Box Kumon Math Center Honey’s Frozen Yogurt Strikes & Spares

American Camp Association Legacy Heating & Cooling Grace Community Church South Bend Silver Hawks McDonald’s Robyn Ake - Face Painter Stephen Coyne - Balloon Artist Lamar Yoder - Juggler Swoop from South Bend Silver Hawks Ronald McDonald U93 The Stream Kids Safe of Elkhart County Elkhart Sports Center The Family Magazines

Entertainment and shows every half hour starting at 10:00 a.m.!

You will not find a

100 year home beautifully! that has

been maintained so

This registered Historic home is completely remodeled and is move in ready.

227 N. Riverside Elkhart

• 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths • Main level office wing or Master-in-Law Suite • 3- Season room • Sleeping porch off the master bedroom • A Quaint Stone shed Outside • Situated on two lots overlooking the river. $159,000.00

574-202-2000 | josh@creekstoneinvestments.com THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

17

FALL

family fun

ns onal decoratio all the traditi g us on pl al s s le m ba ite ll w ween and fa ums, corn shocks & stra lo al .

H rn d co in y -k -a nd m Unique, one-of ins, gourds, indian corn, and unusual flavors of ca pk gs m in pu pl including ples, dum es, caramel ap with apple pi arket, Elkhart M Bullards Farm

h Fall-oween

g Harvest Celebration

HARVEST CELEBRATION™ with leaf-shaped pineapple dipped in gourmet chocolate, CINNAMON CHOCOLATE APPLE WEDGESŽ and chocolate-dipped strawberries in a pumpkin keepsake.

Edible Arrangements, Granger Small $78, Large $109

&more! h Web-tastic

These spooky little sweet treats are delicious, with or without the spiders on the side.

Watermelons are a healthy addition to any Halloween party.

They’re the lycopene leader among fresh produce, are an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and contain 6 percent of the daily value for vitamin B6 — all of which boost your immune system.

h A Fun and Safe Howl-O-Ween for Your Pet

Halloween isn’t just for kids. Pets are joining the festivities too by dressing up in fabulous costumes. But in addition to picking out a costume, pet parents should keep their pet’s safety in mind as well. For more tips on pet safety as well as Halloween costumes and events, visit your local PetSmart or www.PetSmart.com.

h Boo-tiful Halloween Carvings

This Halloween, why not put a fun twist on pumpkin carving by making some Jack O’Melons? Watermelons carve up bootifully, and you can eat the fruit right away, making it easy to FAMILY FEATURES scare up some delicious Halloween fun. his Halloween, why not put a fun twist

on pumpkin carving by making some Jack O’Melons? Watermelons carve up bootifully, and you can eat the fruit right away, making it easy to scare up some delicious Halloween fun.

This Bat Jack O’Melon, Tiki Mask, and Jack O’Melon man can add a frightfully fun touch to a Halloween party — and the whole family can help carve them. To get more carving ideas and instructions, visit www.watermelon.org.

Bat Jack

Tiki Mask Table Decoration

h Itti Bitti Little Ditti

Itti Bitti’s brand new bitti tutto birth to toddler cloth diaper is a one size fits all diaper (8-44 pounds). Each diaper comes with luxurious, soft and waterproof minkee fabric on the outside, no cover is required. www.ittibittiusa.com $26.95

1 oblong seedless watermelon Pencil or green dry erase marker Melon baller Paring and kitchen knives Spoon Channel knife Toothpick Slice 1/4 inch off end of watermelon to provide a stable base.

Use pencil to draw the face, making adjustments in scale to your particular watermelon.

Use melon baller to scoop

h Autumn Bounty

out nostrils; use small paring knife to clean up edges.

Next use paring knife to cut out the inside mouth area, leaving room for the teeth.

Next cut individual teeth, using the same small paring knife, and use a spoon to dig out a large area of flesh for the mouth cavity.

Next carve out eyes, digging a deep cavity in each, for drama. Use a channel knife to carve details.

Use some carved out pieces to cut a “bone” decoration for top of head, and attach with a toothpick.

Dress up any place setting for fall with these warm yet bold colors that promise inviting flavors to come!

h She Is Blessed

In the fallO’Melon we like to give thanks ahead of Thanksgiving, and Beth’s Jack 1 round watermelon beautiful brown “she is blessed” necklace will let any woman in Melon baller your Pen life know she is truly blessed. This gorgeous hand-beaded brownKnife quartz adorns the necklace with a vintage brown topaz Toothpicks Cut acenterpiece. thin slice from the bottom of flower watermelon to provide a stable base.

Beth Cut Quinn Designs, $75 circular piece www.BethQuinnDesigns.com of the rind from the top, big enough to reach into to remove the flesh. Carefully remove that top section and reserve

2 round w prefera the bod Kitchen a Cutting b Green dry (prefera Large bow Candy cor 4 to 6-inch Toothpick Candle or Wash waterm running wate On a cuttin roundest wat and cut off 1 the stem end to cut too de part of the ri vide a sturdy Using drydraw two eye nose and a sm would resem

family fun

Oh,

My G urd!

By Jane Suter

D

id you know pumpkins are actually fruit? Yup! Like our friend the tomato fronting itself out as a vegetable, the pumpkin is a fraud, too. In fact, technically speaking, pumpkins are berries. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? That said, let me tell you a story about my latest run-in with this veggie imposter.

It all started with a friend of mine. The other day, she suggested we visit a pumpkin farm and let our kids pick their very own pumpkins for Jack-O-Lanterns. Who knew these patches existed?

I always thought they were pretend places made famous by the Charlie Brown cartoon special. But my pal assured me they were real, and we made plans for the next day.

Feeling like Halloween superstars, we arrived at the mythical location and surveyed the vast expanse before us. “I want this one!” my oldest son said gleefully, grabbing the first orange sphere he saw. I explained to him we need to take our time. “To find the perfect pumpkin, you need to look around a little more.”

He paused for a moment and then wandered off into the field.

I didn’t give it another thought until an hour later. There was Aiden; still searching, still gourdless.

Half-crying, my son lamented the futility of finding a pumpkin flawless enough to take home. Seems my advice sent him on a 20 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

quest for perfection that no gourd, real or animated, could ever live up to. This one was too small, that one too big, the one over there had bumps and that guy had a dent. All I could think was, “Oh great, I’ve turned my child obsessive-compulsive in under an hour. How else can I ruin him?” So I knelt down and tried to explain that nothing is really perfect. Dings aren’t bad, they just add character. Blah, blah, blah … the kid wasn’t buying any of it. However, he finally settled on a globe.

That’s right, the first one he picked up an hour earlier. So I paid for our flawed goods and drove us home.

The boys rallied as I spread the newspaper onto the kitchen table and cut out each pumpkin lid. With video camera in hand, I stood back to film the sloppy merriment that was about to develop. I mean, what child doesn’t love to squish around in pumpkin guts? Apparently my youngest. Turns out the little one doesn’t want to get messy. All I could think now was, “Hold it together. You’ve already given the oldest OCD; don’t blow it with Felix Unger here.” So I plunged my hand into the hole and pulled out a fistful of glop. “Look! It’s fun! See?” His response: eye rolling. So I cleaned out the innards for him while I calculated the cost of therapy (times two) in my head.

As the boys drew elaborate faces on their orbs, I washed the seeds to roast later.

Then we called in Dad for the knife work.

You should have seen the man. One arm cradling the orange gourds and the other hacking away with the store-bought, plastic, Halloween carving device. SNAP! Across the room flew the $9.99 piece of junk.

Niles Haunted House Scream Park 44 Acres of Blood-Curdling Fun!

“ARGH!” grunted my husband. “Bring me my tool box!”

With that, he continued his assault using every gizmo he owned. It took a Dremel, various drill bits, a screwdriver and three steak knives to cut out the intricate, handdrawn patterns. I cannot even describe the way he furiously battled cave-ins, cautiously saved teeth from falling out and meticulously crafted each eyebrow and nose. He was a man possessed.

Needless to say, it was dark outside when we finally placed the “berries” on the front porch. The boys were tired, my husband was showering and I was left to clean up the crime scene in the kitchen.

On my fourth trip to the trash can, my white shirt splattered with stringy gunk, I realized one thing: life really is messy and imperfect. I also realized that that’s okay. Like I told my son, that’s what gives it pizzazz. In fact, the more I think about it, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The magic, after all, is in the memories, not the details. And we’ll remember this day forever. So thank you, Great Pumpkin.

You may be a fruit but oh, my gourd, you make us happy!

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Jane Suter is an award-winning writer and mom of two very energetic boys, one in kindergarten and the other in second grade.

Born in Chicago, she is proud of her Midwestern roots.

4 years in a row

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

21

family fun

Chanterelles

Fall is Fun for

Fungi Finding Fall Mushrooms

By Evelyn Kirkwood

Shaggy Mane A damp, autumn woods can be the site for a delightful treasure hunt. After a rainy spell, fallen limbs and decaying logs blossom with new growth. Bright colors, odd shapes and peculiar smells can be found – all in the form of mushrooms.

Although there are thousands of species only identified by Latin nomenclature, several bear common names as distinctive as the mushrooms themselves.

It may sound gruesome, but children on nature hikes squeal with delight when you find ‘Dead Man’s Fingers’. These bony, blackened protrusions grow in small groupings like decaying hands reaching up from the soft, brown earth. Even more bizarre is ‘Witches’ Jelly’: an amber, brain-like, gelatinous mass that I can never pass by without giving a jiggle.

When fall weather is right, areas in a beech-maple forest may transform into an underwater garden. Large decaying logs form the platform of a reef where masses of pale yellow ‘Coral’ fungi grow.

Most birds nest in the trees, but if you poke low to the ground, you may find a few ‘Bird’s Nest’ fungi. These elfin gems are about the size of a dime. Inside each cup nestles three or four ‘eggs’. Eventually, the ‘eggs’ will produce spores, the reproductive mechanism for fungi.

22 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Scarlet Cups

Bird’s Nest fungi are a discreet brown, but some mushrooms come in way-out colors. You can easily conjure up images of fungi whose names are ‘Scarlet Cups’ (shocking red) and ‘Jack o’-Lanterns’ (telltale orange). Other varieties are blessed with unattractive odors, like the putrid-smelling ‘Stinkhorns’.

Although most mushroom hunters hang up their sacks following the spring morel harvest, fall is the season in which most mushrooms appear, and many are edible. Several fall treats also have names that describe their appearance such as ‘Puffballs’ and ‘Oysters’. More picturesque are the ‘Chanterelles’ in shades of yellow-orange. Their trumpet-like shape favors the small French drinking goblet for which they are named.

A ‘Shaggy Mane’ doesn’t whinny. It is yet another autumn edible.

Snow white conical caps covered with scales give way to oozing black juice as the mushroom passes prime. (Inky Cap is its alternative name.)

As the seasons shift, only a few tough, leathery varieties hang on through winter. The subtle shades of ‘Turkey Tails’ mimic November. Their flat fan shape is washed with a rainbow of browns and grays, just like the bird.

So, take to the woods for an autumn mushroom hunt. Once our cold nights plunge below freezing, there will be fewer fungi to find!

Bird’s Nest

Treat Yourself To

A TREAT

Family Activity

Be a Mycologist: Make a Spore Print Mycologists (scientists that study mushrooms) examine spores to accurately identify mushrooms. If you find a mushroom in your yard or in the woods with a cap, bring it home for this experiment. You can also try to make a spore print with a Portabella mushroom from the grocery store.

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Spores are held in the gills, on the underside of the mushroom. They are spread by wind as the mushroom matures. Spores grow into new fungi when they land in a place with the right moisture and temperature requirements.

Some mushrooms have light-colored spores and other have dark spores.

Visit us at: Heritage Square Shopping Center Granger, IN 46530 574.247.5757

You’ll need: A mushroom with a cap A 4 x 2- inch white piece of paper A 4 x 2-inch black piece of paper Tape A bowl larger than your mushroom cap

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Leave the mushroom in a dry, quiet place for 24 to 48 hours. Be sure not to bump it.

Gently remove the bowl and lift the mushroom cap to see there is pattern of fine dust on your paper. It’s not really dust – these are spores! Are they light or dark?

Evelyn Kirkwood is Director of St. Joseph County Parks in Indiana and host of Outdoor Elements, which is broadcast Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 5:30 pm on WNIT Public Television.

Fresh fruit and mixed toppings

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THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

23

family changes in Michiana

Twenty Years In The Field Of

Dreams

Twenty years ago, my husband Rob and I moved from the south side of Chicago to the middle of corn-on-the-cob-land, Indiana.

We had lived in Chicago our whole lives; my time in college was right in the middle of downtown. We loved the city. We loved driving from the suburbs on a Friday night just to visit one of our favorite ice cream places downtown. We loved to go to the zoos and walk down Oak Street Beach. We even made an appearance on an early airing of the Oprah show (well, we were audience members in the very back row, but our faces were visible on T.V. for 3.5 seconds, so it counts, right?)

Immediately after Rob graduated from college in 1992, he began working for Granger Community Church. At the time, our church met in a movie theater just between Main Street and Grape Road. Only there was no Main Street at the time.

There was also no Starbucks, Walmart, Target, T.G.I. Fridays, or Uptown Kitchen. I do believe there was a Ryan’s and a Chili’s, but no Meijer, Barnes & Noble or Five Guys.

I was nineteen turning twenty and my whole world changed by planting ourselves only 90 minutes away from home. But, there were endless fields and wide open skies everywhere we looked.

And we liked it.

A Move to The Wide Open

In our years of south suburban living, we were Cubs and Sox fans, an issue that still divides us today. Rob has always been a White Sox fan and I am a true blue Cubs fan. We both pulled for the Bears, the Bulls and occasionally the Blackhawks. We attended a few of our own high school basketball games. We never watched college football or high school basketball on T.V. I’ll never forget turning on our 16-inch television propped up on a milk crate in our first apartment and seeing high school basketball airing. I was dumbfounded.

Growing up in a big city, no one in our circles of influence talked high school or college sports. No one. (Unless you were the one in 24 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

By Michelle Wegner

the sport or their close family member.) It was all about the local professional teams. The worship of high school and college sports in our new hometown was something completely foreign to us.

My high school was multi-ethnic, multi-racial, full of students and teachers from every socioeconomic place you could imagine.

I had friends who were very rich, and others who were extremely poor. My first impression of Granger was that the women looked like they had just walked off the set of a soap opera and the men from the golf course. When I went to the grocery store, I was shocked to see women in high heels with perfect makeup pushing shopping carts adorned with perfectly made up children. This was different.

What surprised me the most in moving to this sprouting metropolis was the friendliness of people wherever I’d find myself. People would look me in the eye, talk for a minute or two, just chat to be nice. This was so odd and unfamiliar to me.

Where I grew up, you walked in a place, kept your head down, got what you needed and left as quickly as possible. This new friendliness intrigued me. It still does.

Watching it Grow

Living in this community at first, I realized that no one was from here. Well, a very few...but it seemed as if everyone was from somewhere else. In Chicago, our family had come off the boat from Holland some 150 years ago, settled on the south side of Chicago and never left. Everyone we knew was from Chicago with very few exceptions. People who lived in Michiana were mostly not from Michiana. They had pulled up roots from somewhere else to move to this corn-on-the-cob land just like us.

In our first five years here, the community around us began to sprout up quickly. More and more families moved here. It seemed as though every time we turned around there was a new housing development being built and, the next time we turned around, it was full of bikes, baby strollers and people mowing lawns.

New streets were paved and a new restaurant or grocery store went up every other day. The rapid pace of growth and change was exhilarating for everybody. New schools were built for all the new families. Subdivisions erased traces of old farms, fields and endless skies. We threw away countless irrelevant street maps every year as the community grew and changed. (Young people, note this was before GPS: we did actually have to use street maps to get around)

Calling It Home

With the economy slowing down a bit in the past few years (mild exaggeration, I know), we’ve seen the progress around us slow as well. Some of those shiny new shops and restaurants we saw go up so quickly are now boarded up, sitting empty or have shifted ownership a few times. It hurt to see those around us hurt from this big slow-down. It was around this time I realized I had become attached to this community: I had become a Hoosier.

beauty and history in film. One of the barns I photographed last autumn is now laying in a shambles, crumbled under its own rotting weight. I hope the photos will tell the story of what once was and how these fields changed and grew into what so many of us now call home.

I took my girls for a drive down Main Street in Mishawaka yesterday. I told them, “None of this was here when your dad and I came. It was all a field of dreams.” Of course they rolled their eyes at my sentimentality. But it was worth it.

Those endless fields have now been filled with men, women and children with hopes and dreams of their own. I’m glad we planted ourselves here twenty years ago. I still don’t wear high heels to the grocery store, but I do have a sort of growing affection for high school and college sports.

But definitely never the White Sox.

Our newly shared history as a community is something we know we all have built and grown with dreams and hard work.

We are proud of it, and we should be. The longer I live here, the longer I love the history of this place and the current reality of it. I look at the schools my girls have had the privilege of attending. I see their teachers smiling at them, cheering for them, expecting their best, and I am thankful.

A Part of The Dream

The barns I drove past twenty years ago are aging as every rough Michiana winter passes. I have become obsessed with photographing these old barns, hoping to preserve some of their

Michelle Wegner is a wife, mom, freelance writer, and author of the book Share the Well, stories about life in Southern India. She and her husband Rob have been married for 19 years and enjoy living in Granger with their three delightfully spirited teen and tween girls, Maddie, Whitney, and Isabelle.

Ride the hesston Ghost Train!

Last two full weekends of October (October 20 & 21, 27 & 28).

Take a Terror-iff-ic ride through the haunted woods of the Hesston Steam Museum behind a real steam locomotive.

Your train will be haunted by many ghoulish creatures: ghosts, goblins, witches but the scariest of all the Mad Lumber Jack is sure to find you as well. Ride trains on three railroads including the Shay.

The Hesston Ghost Train is frightening fun for everyone.

(Appropriate for young children).

Fall colors are at peak brilliance. Ride three railroads, shop The Depot Store and grab some delicious food. The Hesston Cider Press will be in operation with fresh squeezed apple cider, warm or cold. A great fall treat! See the Saw Mill operate and take a wagon ride.

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THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

25

family changes in Michiana

A Test Success + Parents’ Guide to

How to Prepare Your Child For The Standardized State Tests

By Kimberly Ringler

F

all is finally upon us. The beginning of the new school year has come and gone, there is a chill to the air, leaves are falling, football season is well underway and Halloween is on the horizon. But late fall also brings in something else for parents and students: State Standardized Testing. For many returning students and veteran parents, preparing for these tests may seem “old hat”, but this school year adds another component to the preparations known as Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Many parents may have heard this term, especially lately, but may not know exactly what that means for their child and how to help them succeed under these new standards. I have had the opportunity to speak with educators and administrators in the area to discuss these changes to the curriculum and future changes to the testing standards in order to give a guide for parents to prepare their students for a successful year. So, how do you prepare your child for these changes? The first step is to understand what the Common Core State Standards are.

Harris-Madison school district adds, “The days of teaching skills in isolation, such as teaching reading, then writing, then math, are gone. Teachers are now expected to use more real-life application type questions and focus more on problem solving skills and problem attack strategies. There is also a big push for connections in all subject areas, such as using math to solve science problems, or using reading skills to break down a math problem.”

COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

NEW TESTING FORMAT

The Common Core State Standards are designed to change the methods teachers are using in their classrooms, with the ultimate goal being to make sure that all students are either college- or career-ready upon graduation. Parents are going to see a shift from teacher-led discussions and questioning to more student-led discovery and analysis, where students are being asked to prove their thinking and answers. Eric West, a teacher in the Penn26 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

The CCSS include a lot more writing and a deeper level of questioning than standards of the past. Tim Bagby, principal of Brandywine Elementary in Niles, Michigan, says, “Students are going to be much more involved in the learning process than in the past. Teachers are going to be asking more debatetype questions and students will be given more time to explore their thinking. They are being asked to evaluate, analyze and create. We are asking them to think like detectives and write like journalists.” So, you ask, how does this affect the state standardized tests my child will be taking?

With new standards also come new tests and testing formats.

Both Michigan and Indiana will be administering new tests in the 2014-2015 school year, with Michigan piloting some of the questions from their new Smarter Balance Test on the MEAP assessment this year. The ISTEP will make way for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC). Both tests will be more of an essay format, not subject-

directed as in the past. West explains what to expect: “Tests will be more task-oriented, meaning that in one session a student may be reading an article about a roller coaster, identifying the point at which the roller coaster car has the most potential or kinetic energy, calculating the speed at which the car is traveling and then measuring the total distance that the car traveled. Basically, students need to be able to jump between their language – reading, writing, math, science, and social studies skills – at will.”

HOW CAN I HELP?

The key to preparing your child for these changes and the tests is to be specific when asking your child what they learned that day. Have them teach you one new thing they learned, questioning them about what they are telling you, at least twice a week, suggests Bagby. This will help your child to process the information they were given and to see it from a different point of view, as well as to think through new questions using the skills they are being taught in the classroom. This will also help to prepare your child for the different types of questions they will be seeing on the new tests. He adds to be sure, as always, your child gets plenty of rest, eats a big breakfast and has plenty of positive encouragement before the test.

Diane Wirth, principal of North Point Elementary School, also suggests, “Be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your child identified by the classroom teachers and the assessment given throughout the year.” It is important to be a partner with your child’s school and teachers, and to ask any questions you may have.

Mathnasium in Stevensville 5651 Cleveland Ave. Stevensville, MI 855-429-MATH www.mathnasium.com/stevensville

To find out more information about the Common Core State Standards or the tests, both principals have identified great resources online:

Helpful websites: Michigan State Department of Education: www.michigan.gov/edu Indiana State Department of Education: learningconnection.doe.in.gov PARCC assessment information: www.parcconline.org Smarter Balance Assessment (Michigan) info: www.achieve3000.org www.criticalthinking.com Understanding the CCSS: www.corestandards.org

Kim is a certified teacher and works in a local elementary school. She is a mom of two children and loves to spend time outdoors gardening, camping and kayaking.

Mathnasium in Granger 7321 Heritage Square Dr. Ste. 170 • Granger, IN 888-850-MATH www.mathnasium.com/granger

This is an original design created by Burkhart Advertising. It is not to be used, reproduced, copied or exhibited, in part or in whole, without the express permission of Burkhart Advertising.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

27

family features

Local Businesses Who Give Back

How to Knit Great Chemo Caps for Charity “

By Amy Allen Clark

Balance, peace and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them.

”

~ Thomas Kinkade

A couple of years ago, I began focusing my knitting efforts on knitting chemo caps. I was inspired by my wonderful mother-in-law and my husband’s grandmother who devoted hours and hours into charitable knitting for hat drives and creating prayer shawls to be given to others. It is inspiring to see the power that knitting needles can hold for others. Since then, you will rarely find a pair of knitting needles that isn’t going to work for others in our home. It makes television-watching feel noble and endless wait-times for my kids’ activities feel useful.

Over the years I have learned a lot about knitting great chemo caps and how to construct a cap that will truly be used and loved.

Select the Right Pattern

While you don’t need to necessarily select a hat that specifically is called a “chemo cap” in the pattern, you do want to be thoughtful about picking a pattern that the recipient will feel confident and beautiful in. Lacy hats, for example, may look beautiful, but imagine having tiny holes all over your hat when you have no hair? No fun!

Look for patterns that offer lace trim or details on the edge of the hat.

Patterns that are closely knit and have details created from purl and knit stitches rather than large yarn overs will help your recipient keep his/her head warmly covered.

Seams can also be irritating to the scalp. If you are not able to do circular knitting, seaming will be involved, and that is especially why you will want to select a super soft yarn to help with that.

Select the Right Yarn

When I am selecting yarn for a chemo cap, I gravitate towards the same skeins of yarn that I would select for a newborn baby. You don’t want yarn that is itchy, scratchy or that will further irritate the recipient’s sensitive head. It doesn’t mean that the yarn can’t be inexpensive, it just means that you need to be thoughtful about the yarns that you choose.

Caron Simply Soft, Naturally Caron Spa and Hobby Lobby’s Bamboospun yarn are all great budget-friendly options that will also feel soft and wonderful against a bald head. Cotton can feel soft, but is a very stretchy yarn and, if the hat is worn often, it is better to find a cotton blend that will retain its shape than a basic cotton yarn.

28 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

If you are not confident about a yarn choice, rub it against your own skin and see what reaction your skin has to it. If it feels itchy to you, it won’t be a good option for your chemo cap.

Make Her Feel Beautiful

To me, it is all in the details of the hat that really add that sparkle and will help your recipient feel truly confident. If you are knitting the hat specifically for someone, ask about their personal style. Do they love elegant buttons? Do they have a favorite color? Do they like a fitted hat or a more slouchy hat?

Do they want a fabric flower on their hat?

I recently started adding handmade fabric flowers to my chemo caps because they are so cute and inexpensive to create. I also love to visit Hobby Lobby for sweet embellishments that can add a little sparkle to your hat.

Wrap It With Love

Half the joy for me is in wrapping the gifts with love for their recipients. Imagine that you are struggling through your treatment and someone unexpectedly gives you a gift filled with something that will help you feel beautiful and confident.

I love to wrap my hats in pretty tissue-filled boxes or in simple newspaper tied with yarn with fabric flower toppers that they can use to accessorize their hats.

I finish all my chemo caps with homemade gift tags. As a treat to myself, I bought a personalized stamp from Etsy and I have to say, it really adds that professional touch to my gifts!

Sometimes I cut the gift tags with my Silhouette craft cutter and other times I keep it simple by just using my circle punch that I have in my craft supplies. These are tied with yarn to each hat.

Find a Home for Your Hats

If you don’t know anyone personally going through cancer, there are many people out there who could benefit from your donation. Check your local hospital’s oncology department to find out if they could use your donations. Usually baskets of these hats are made available to patients when they are undergoing treatment.

If you can’t find a place for your hats locally, you can mail them in to Head Huggers (headhuggers.org) where your hat will find a good home through their organization.

Chemo Caps Come in All Shapes & Sizes

Sadly, I have had to knit wee chemo caps for tiny patients that shouldn’t even know what the word ‘cancer’ means. It breaks my heart to make these tiny caps and it serves as a constant reminder to me just how fragile our lives really are.

Keep your smaller chemo patients in mind as well as men who are undergoing chemo and might need a nice fitted cap to keep their heads warm in the winter time.

When making chemo caps, try making a variety of sizes for both males and females so that donations are on hand for a variety of patients.

Looking for great patterns to knit? Sign up for a free membership to Ravelry.com to get started.

You can search thousands of beautiful patterns for charity. The best part is that many of them are available for free. Here are my top 5 pattern picks for chemo caps: 1. Lace Trim Chemo Cap by Maureen Keenan (available for free download) 2. Pinch Hat by Cecily Glowik MacDonald (available for purchase for $ 5.50) 3. The Republic Hat by Nicole Reeves (available for free download) 4. The Toddler Republic Hat by Nicole Reeves (available for free download) 5. Man Hat by Haven Leavitt (available for free download)

Amy Allen Clark: Foodie. Bookworm. Novice photographer. Java junkie.

Knitter & hot glue gun toting extraordinaire. A lover of the simple and family-centered life. Happily living this contented existence within a penny-wise budget and showcasing it on momadvice.com.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

29

family features

Local Businesses Who Give Back

Feeding the World

One Nation

at a Time Local Non-Profit Makes a Big Impact Around the World

By Meagan Church

O

n Sunday, December 26, 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean sparked a deadly tsunami that became one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history.

The tsunami killed over 230,000 people in fourteen nations. The hardest hit areas were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. But out of this disaster came something good.

Steve Sumrall saw the need to help those whose lives had been devastated by the tsunami. As a result, Feeding The Nations was born in February 2005. “Our very first mission was to get vital food and nutrition to those who were affected by the tsunami,” said Steve, president of the organization. “So many people wanted to do something. We saw the need was great and we wanted to help. The tsunami was the jumpstart for Feeding The Nations.”

Since then, this non-profit organization has reached 65 nations around the world with necessities such as food, vitamins, water purifiers, clothing, blankets and more. In Zambia alone, the organization has given over 9 million meals and currently feeds 10,000 children a day at 25 different Christian schools and orphanages.

Just this year, it gave 1.1 million scientifically formulated, nutrientrich rice/vegetable meals to refugees in Rwanda who are still trying to rebuild their lives after the 1994 genocide. This South Bend-based organization is feeding people around the world and making a big impact on the lives of many who live in absolute poverty and with little hope.

“By most standards, we are very small, but our impact is worldwide because we have developed friendships and partnerships with people who have like minds and like hearts,” said Randy Souza, director of Feeding The Nations. “We work church-to-church and pastor-to-pastor to provide manpower resources to help us carry out the outreaches. We set and build bridges and develop relationships over years.”

30 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

As Steve explained, they carefully choose each partnership to make sure every mission is carried out with integrity. “It’s not good enough to just get the food; we must distribute it properly. We focus on building good relationships with schools, orphanages, churches and on-the-ground ministries. It’s essential that the organizations we work with have secure warehouses, modes of transportation and distribution plans in place. They must report back to us. We want to make sure there is no corruption of our goods. We do not pay bribes. We make sure the food goes out with a purpose and is a blessing to those who receive it.”

Their work has been a blessing to many as they have reached people on the other side of the globe and even in our own backyard, including people and organizations in Michiana. “We must be God’s hands and feet, reaching out to those in need, delivering life-saving food and nourishment,” Randy said. “It sends a big message saying, ‘God loves you, that’s why we are here with this food.’ It tells that hurting grandmother of five orphaned children that she is not alone. It tells that lost, broken and starving child that he is not forgotten. It tells nations that are crippled by political strife or unforeseeable natural disasters that God hears their prayers and we are helping to provide an answer.”

Randy has seen plenty of those hurting people for himself. Over the last twenty years, he has traveled to over 50 nations throughout the world. During one of those trips for Feeding The Nations, he was moved by a little girl in a blue sweater. He will never forget her. He was working with a team of 25 people from the United States during their second trip to Zambia. They were delivering food to over twelve schools and orphanages in and around the capital city of Lusaka. Many of the children were street children who came to the schools each day for food and to receive some education. Some of the team members had brought sweaters with them, just as they had done the previous year.

“One little girl about eight years of age stood in front of us with the most dirty, stained and torn yellow sweater that I have ever seen,” Randy recalled. “She was one of the little girls that received this new top one year earlier and had never had any other clothing. This was all she owned and never removed it for one full year. As a street child she had nothing else. The nights in Africa can be quite cold when you have no shelter.

The ladies on the team removed that old sweater and placed on her a beautiful new blue sweater. The little girl’s eyes lit up and her smile touched our hearts. As I looked at several of the team members, I could see that most of us could not hold back tears of joy. This is why we go and reach out to the poor and needy as we try a change one life at a time.”

“The need is great,” said Steve. “The need is not going to disappear overnight and it might never go away in our lifetime.

Each person must make a decision about what our responsibility is and what we are going to do. For me, I have seen the need first-hand and I believe we have a responsibility to bless our brothers and sisters around the world as best we can.”

Even as a small organization, Feeding The Nations is doing all it can to bless people around the world, people like the little girl with the blue sweater. As Randy said, “Each nation has its own story, but one story never changes. If you read the Old and New Testaments, God’s compassion for the poor and needy never changes.

Feeding The Nations is much more than a feeding organization; it is a ministry carrying out the heart of God. The world is hungry and there are many needs.

What should we do: close our eyes to the situation or reach out and do our part?

We have chosen to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and visit those in prison.”

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October 12, 13, 2012 7:30 pm

October 14, 2012 3:00 pm

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39

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Meagan Church is a writer and mother of three kids. Her current projects include DefiningMotherhood, and Unexpectant where she explores the realities of modern motherhood for her book project.

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New Patient Exam, X-Rays, Cleaning and FREE Oral Cancer Screening Oral health must qualify. Offer good for each family member. Must present coupon.

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www.universitymeadowsfamilydental.com THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

31

100 doctorS 5 locationS 1 name to remember: South bend clinic Good health is the journey of a lifetime. One of the first and most important steps along that journey is the care of a highly skilled and dedicated pediatrician. Providing compassionate care for Michiana kids has always been a hallmark of the South Bend Clinic. That tradition lives on through outstanding physicians like Dr. Glen A. Davis and his colleagues in the pediatrics department.

In all, the South Bend Clinic provides 100 doctors representing 22 specialties and five locations throughout the Michiana area. No other medical group has as many skilled physicians and specialties in a single organization. That’s why we say, for a lifetime of care, there’s only one name you need to know. The South Bend Clinic.

southbendclinic.com 574.234.8161

32 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Glen a. davis, md

Hesston Steam Museum

www.hesston.org

Hey Kids!

Color this page and win! The coloring contest winnerswill recieve a $25 gift card to the Hesston Steam Museum. One winner will be selected from each of the three following age categories: 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12 years of age.

NAME: _________________________________________ AGE: ______ ADDRESS: __________________________________________________ CITY: ___________________________ STATE: ______ ZIP: _________ DAY TIME PHONE: __________________________________________ PARENT’S NAME: ___________________________________________ E-MAIL: ____________________________________________________

For your chance to WIN, color your best picture and mail entries to: Hesston steam museum • ATTN: Janet Baines • 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360. Coloring contest is open to children 12 years and under, and entries must be mailed by November 2nd. Winners will be notified via phone or email service by Hesston Steam Museum by November 7th, and their artwork will be featured in an upcoming issue along with their first name and age. For additional coloring contest entries, this coloring page may be photocopied and printed off.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

33

Hesston Steam Museum

www.hesston.org

P D L D C F C E R E R A T U J M O D I L W S X V P A Z N F J V L T Y C O O I P Q I W A E Z J P I S O E T J S O L P L N E C N I B E O C F O Z R V P G V G O A C M L T R O T O Q R I A H C I O N M T W E Q A N E N Z X K C T R I A S G A D I W E F N O S A Y I C E I S M A O C T L S F Q V H Q N T H E R P O L M A C H I N E R Y S W T P D L M L X P X P N Y O O B E U C I M U S E U M X M N O D T E F M G N Q X C S I K A O C P I K W N F J C B U E A R H T I X D A O C J S I N D L M F X S G W S W K V E B O D A B D S Y S X Z Z W K C D F N S A M O H T E B R I D E D C C H Y R O T S I H I N N M O K A P K M K W Q H U

Have Fun! Steam Train History Museum Hesston Machinery Sawmill 34 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Find the words below in the Nile Haunted House word search puzzle.

Words can be forwards, backwards, diagonal, vertical or horizontal.

Icecream Whistlestop Picnic Railroad Powerplant Engine Depot

Flying Dutchman Ride Caboose Locomotive Thomas

A life-long blessing for children is to fill them with warm memories of times together.

~Charlotte Davis Kasl

family features

Local Businesses Who Give Back

Trusting the Land

Conserving Natural Places

By Evelyn Kirkwood

The land has pulled Peter Ter Louw since he was a kid in New Jersey. He spent his childhood exploring the mountains and streams in his backyard. Later he grew to love fishing and hunting with his father in the Adirondacks.

While attending Hope College in Holland, Michigan, he discovered Lake Michigan and its dunes and bluffs. The landscape amazed him, and now he works to steward and protect those natural spaces. “I could not imagine a more satisfying career,” says Peter about his role as Executive Director of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC).

A land trust or conservancy is a non-profit organization that provides private mechanisms to conserve natural, agricultural and cultural landscapes. Individual land owners and families can work with land trusts to conserve land they care about.

SWMLC was born in Kalamazoo in 1991. A relatively young organization, it was the idea of members of the biology departments of Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College and area naturalists who were concerned about the loss of habitat in southwest Michigan.

It now protects and cares for almost 11,000 acres in nine Michigan counties including Cass, Berrien and St. Joseph. About twentyfive percent is land the trust owns, which they call “preserves,” and the remainder is protected through conservation easements.

“That’s a perpetual legal agreement between the landowner and land trust to restrict the property from future development,” says Peter.

36 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

While there are tax incentives to donate property or establish conservation agreements, often it is the deep love of the land that motivates owners to protect it from future development.

Spirit Springs Preserve in Cass County, Michigan is a shining example. SWMLC identified the property when it conducted a land survey to locate important wetland areas in the Rocky River watershed, a tributary to the St. Joseph River. SWMLC approached the owners about protecting this land which helps maintain clean water for the rivers. The match was made in land trust heaven. Vernon and Martha Miller not only wanted to see the property conserved, but shared with the public. Today Spirit Springs’ wetlands, lake, woods and meadow trails can be enjoyed by all.

Across the state line and west, the Shirley Heinze Land Trust has similar goals in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in Indiana, with the potential to offer their services to St. Joseph County as well.

Named after Shirley Heinze, a local amateur naturalist who was passionate about the dunes, the Trust also partners with several school districts to offer Mighty Acorns, an outdoor education program aimed at fostering understanding and stewardship of unique ecosystems in northwest Indiana.

One of those ecosystems is Ambler Flatwoods where visitors can hike through a boreal forest, uncommon in Indiana and unique to LaPorte County. This 208-acre gem is home to the rare Blanding’s Turtle, as well as White Pine and Paper Birch, tree species more typically found in northern Michigan and Canada.

Today, more than five miles of trails are ideal for hiking, birding, photography and botany.

Both trusts do incredible work with a small, passionate staff and limited resources. Kris Krouse is the Executive Director of Shirley Heinze. With just five full-time staff and two part-timers, they protect 1,200 acres and conduct scores of educational programs.

What makes it work? “We have many volunteers and board members who could easily be considered staff because they offer so much of their time and expertise,” explains Kris.

Family Activity:

Hike Spirit Springs Preserve Dutch Settlement Road, Marcellus, MI For directions: www.swmlc.org Explore Ambler Flatwoods Preserve North entrance, Meer Road; South entrance, Freyer Road, Michigan City, IN For directions: www.heinzetrust.org/

If you ask Kris why anyone should care whether land trusts exist, he shares this: “There is only so much land on this planet.

What is not protected or used for agriculture will eventually be developed or become degraded with invasive plants and trash.

We should care about preserving natural areas because they are part of our cultural history, and our natural history. They are our legacy. “ Information about conserving your land, making donations or volunteering can be found on the land trust web sites: www. swmlc.org; www.heinzetrust.org Evelyn Kirkwood is Director of St. Joseph County Parks in Indiana and host of Outdoor Elements, which is broadcast Sundays at 9am and Wednesdays at 5:30 pm on WNIT Public Television.

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family features

Local Businesses Who Give Back

Developing a Community One Family at a Time MC3 Brings Hope and Second Chances to Downtown South Bend

By Meagan Church

For the last four years, Racheal Ulmer and her mother, Elizabelle Miller, have spent nearly every Tuesday evening at Monroe Circle Community Center (MC3) at a weekly event called The Gathering. They catch up with friends and acquaintances as they enjoy a meal and watch the previous weekend’s worship service that took place at Granger Community Church.

“Tuesday is the day I can be around other adults and hear the Word and hear what’s going on on campus and everything,” said Racheal, a mother of five and caregiver to her nephew. “It’s my getaway for a couple of hours.”

While the adults enjoy their own time, the kids are taken care of upstairs by volunteers. “It means a lot to myself and my kids because we are busy a lot with other activities, but we always make time to come here. It’s fun,” Racheal added.

Elizabelle agreed that The Gathering is a great way to spend her Tuesday evenings, but went on to say how the other programs offered by the community center have been beneficial as well.

“I think it most definitely has helped the neighborhood. We had been in need of it for quite a while.”

MC3 is located in the 500 block of Western Avenue in downtown South Bend. Across the street is the Monroe Circle public housing community. The residents of Monroe Circle have seen more than their share of struggles and hard times. Forty-seven percent of the residents receive disability checks and the median income is $7,049. “Access to resources is scarce in the community, but trust is even more a scarcity there,” said LeRoy King, director of MC3.

MC3 has worked hard at building trust since the journey towards the community center began in 2001. “Embedded in ‘MC3 DNA’ (how we do what we do) is building meaningful relationships and earning the respect and trust of the community,” said LeRoy. “One of many driving philosophies in our approach to 38 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

outreach is to have a laser focus, which allows us to have a significant and deep impact over time in one area. Our focus has allowed us to earn such trust among the people we serve.

We are there to add value by bringing all the resources we have to one community, and to help discover and encourage the value that the community possesses in order to heal, together, the challenges faced. We do not see ourselves as the great hope coming across town with all the answers. Rather, we are here to roll-up our sleeves with our friends and embark on this long journey called ‘life’ together. MC3 serves as a catalyst for community development one person, one family at a time.”

At MC3, Monroe Circle residents, as well as anyone in the 46601 zip code, can participate in a variety of programs, including The Gathering, financial literacy classes for all ages, after-school offerings, athletics for kids, GED classes, food pantry, prison transition counseling, addiction recovery groups and, most recently, a quilting club that teaches women how to sew.

These programs are made possible thanks to volunteers such as Allison Zandarski. She could easily spend her evenings at home or with friends. Instead, she chooses to be at The Gathering where she serves dinner, makes drinks and smiles at people. “It’s one thing to give someone a dinner, but it’s another to give it to a friend. Over the past year, I’ve been able to make relationships with the people I’m serving. I love seeing the same people every week and smiling and give them joy even if it’s only for a couple of hours.”

Randy Riciti also spends his Tuesdays serving at The Gathering with a community of people who aren’t in his neighborhood or socioeconomic group. Why does he do it? “The people. There are no pretenses in our relationships. They accept you entirely for who you are. There is a beauty in their spirits. I think that, as a result, makes me a lot better than I would be standing on my own.”

Johnny Neal has seen a difference in his community since MC3

has been there. “I say MC3’s a good thing to have in this vicinity. They didn’t have to be here, but it makes it a lot different.

It’s bringing people together. Basically, we had a lot of crime in this area. It can get bad at certain times with arguing and fighting, but it has been really quiet since MC3 has been here.”

The impact MC3 has made has not gone unnoticed. “When asked about MC3’s influence in the community, a past principal of Madison Primary school stated that MC3’s impact has to do with one word: expectation,” LeRoy said. “Whenever she would visit the homes of the children and spoke with the parents, it was clear that they did not have any belief or expectations that their children would graduate from high school or attend college. But this principal had noticed that the parents’ expectations began to change. Because of MC3’s involvement, they now believe and expect that their sons or daughters will graduate from high school and go to college. But the expectation change was not only directed at the children.

One single mother who received her GED after attending MC3’s adult education program with children who participated in MC3 kids’ program even asked, ‘Do you think I can go to college?’ We are seeing the expectations of many being lifted in the Monroe Circle community. This is the kind of paradigm shift we hope to continue bringing to the community.”

The ultimate vision for the community is for it to be a place of second chances, where people get a hand up, not a handout. As Randy pointed out, it’s a group effort.

“MC3 is important to the community because it is a place where people are given hope. When people have hope, they keep participating in life and taking next steps. As long as people are taking next steps, good things happen. You see that from the young kids who are participating in the tutoring or athletic programs to the seniors that will serve at The Gathering. It touches lives from young to old. Everyone has a part to play.”

Meagan Church is a writer and mother of three kids. Her current projects include DefiningMotherhood, and Unexpectant where she explores the realities of modern motherhood for her book project.

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October 2012 Weekends through October 28th Jollay Harvest Festival Jollay Orchards, Coloma, MI

Fun for the whole family. Challenge your family to the new Bigger Corn Maze, run through the Haunted House, relax on a Hayride and enjoy the views from high above the orchard on the Tree Top Ferris Wheel. Visit the pumpkin patch, spend a day and capture a memory. There is a fishing pond, petting zoo, caterpillar crawl, baked goods, ice cream, and apple cider. $9 per person over age 2. 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM Saturdays and Sundays through October 28th. For more information, call 269.468.3075 or visit the website at http:// www.jollayorchards.com.

Thursday, October 4 Bras around the Bend Le Peep, South Bend, IN

River Bend Cancer Services presents the Annual Bras around the Bend fundraiser.

Donated bras become works of art to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Themed and decorated brassiere auction proceeds will help men and women in our community who have a breast cancer diagnosis receive free supportive services.

Join us at Le Peep, 127 S. Main Street in South Bend from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

Friday, October 5 Halloween Trivia Night

Our Lady of Hungary, South Bend, IN

The Our Lady of Hungary School in South Bend, is having a HALLOWEEN TRIVIA NIGHT fundraiser event! Wear a Halloween Costume! Participants can bring their own snacks to share. $200 prize to table with the top score. Other prizes, including one for best Halloween costume, will be available. Proceeds benefits the OLH Church Building Fund. Call to reserve a table at 574.287.1700 – 18 and older, $10 entry fee per person. 6:30 PM.

Saturday, October 6 Babysitting with Confidence

Lakeland Community Hospital, Watervliet, MI

Created specifically for adolescents, this course covers a variety of topics intended to give participants the confidence and knowledge for caring for small children, including: • Questions to ask before taking a job • Expectations of a babysitter • Telephoning in an emergency 40 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Calendar of Events

• Home and fire safety • Infant and toddler care • First aid and choking • Discipline • Food preparation Participants must have completed the fifth grade or be 11 years of age or older to register. Reservations are required and class size is limited. 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. For more information or to register for this free class, call 269.556.2808 or 866.260.7544 or visit the website at http:// www.lakelandhealth.org

PAWS TO READ

Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

This month, children in 1st through 6th grade are invited to enjoy a special experience reading to a canine companion. Children will be paired with Drew, a St. Bernard, at 11 AM and will read to the dog and his handler for one 15-minute session. Registration is not required; just check in at the Children’s Services desk. Participants must receive parental permission. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277, ext. 242.

Bonneyville Millers Vintage Baseball Tourney Ox Bow County Park, Elkhart

Come see your Elkhart County Vintage Baseball team take on the Mississinewa Silverheels and the Door Village Prairie Dogs in two gloveless games of baseball.

The ‘ballists’ play in Civil War era attire with rules from the 1860s. Fan participation is encouraged. Fun for the whole family!

Free, but there is a $3/car fee to enter the park by vehicle. For more information contact 574.875.4257 or visit the website at http://www.elkhar tcountyparks.org/ bonneyvillemillers.htm

Fall Family Fun Fair Rum Village Park

There will be family entertainment featuring Bounce-a-rama, climbing wall, petting zoo and Los Hermanos Bueno 11 AM - 3 PM. Come at 10 AM to decorate a pumpkin! Come early to the nature center where there will be Starbucks Coffee for adults, McDonalds Orange Drink of kids, and Krispy Kreme donuts for all until we run out. There will be an ice cream-eating contest at 11:30 AM at the Nature Center and a Lemon Pie-eating contest at 1 PM near the playground. Free!

For more information or directions, please call 574.299.4765 or 574.299.4778 or visitwww. sbpark.org.

*Please be sure to call ahead to confirm times and information.

Monday, October 8 Storytime Sampler

Bittersweet Branch of Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library

Storytime Sampler provides a sampling of the materials used in the preschool and toddler programs. Adult caregivers are expected to attend and remain with their children. 10:30 AM to 11 AM. Registration is not required. For more information, contact the Children’s Services desk of the Bittersweet Branch Library or call 574.259.0392.

Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13 Our Bountiful Harvest Quilt Show Vineland Center, St. Joseph, MI

Over 150 handmade quilts will be featured by our talented crafters and artists. Mini-quilt silent auction with proceeds going to Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank. Browse handmade American Girl Doll clothes. Stop by vendor booths and guild boutique for quilting and craft items. Antique quilts and demonstrations. Don’t forget to purchase a raffle ticket to win one of two handmade raffle quilts and this year’s American Girl Doll with extra handmade clothes. Appraisals available by appointment. $6 adult; Under 12 Free. Friday hours are 2 PM to 8 PM and Saturday hours are 10 AM to 5 PM. For more information, call 269.429.4366 or visit http:// www.btcquiltguild.org.

Saturday, October 13

Saturday Morning Stories: Mad Hatter Party

Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

Wear your craziest hat and come join the fun!

Saturday Morning Stories is a non-registered program that provides a sampling of materials used in our Preschool and Toddler programs.

Enjoy stories, songs, finger plays and more.

Adult caregivers are expected to attend with their children. Ages 2 – 7. 10:30 AM. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277, ext. 242.

Have an event you’d like to submit?

Visit www.michianafamilymagazine.com!

Monday, October 15

Breastfeeding Class for Moms and Dads Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles, MI

Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for your baby and is a special time for mothers and babies to bond. The class will cover: • The benefits of breastfeeding • How to know when your baby is hungry • Proper latch-on methods • Checking your baby’s input (feeding) and output (dirty/wet diapers) • How to prepare to return to work • Weaning Parents should attend the class prior to baby’s birth. $30 due at registration. 6 PM to 8:30 PM. For more information, call 269.556.2808 or visit the website at http:// www.lakelandhealth.org/breastfeeding.

Registration for November Children’s Programming for Mishawaka Library

Downtown location and Harris Branch, Mishawaka. (Bittersweet Branch does not require registration for November events).

Programs available for registration include: “Build a Gingerbread House”

(downtown, November 27) “Getting Started with Origami”

(downtown, November 3) “Magic Tree House Book Club: Mummies in the Morning”

(downtown, November 19) “Afterschool Thanksgiving Day Program”

(downtown, November 20) For more information, contact Children’s Services at the Harris Branch Library at 574.271.3179 or the downtown Mishawaka Library at 574.259.5277 ext. 242.

Treetop Tales

Harris Branch of Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

Children of all ages are invited to listen to stories, sing songs and participate in fingerplays at Treetop Tales. Registration is not required. 1:30 PM. An adult caregiver must attend with every child age 7 and under.

For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk of the Harris Branch Library or call 574.271.3179.

Tuesday, October 16

Good Samaritans’ Salad Bar Luncheon

THANK YOU to our monthly distribution partners 32 Pearls Dentistry Allied Pediatrics Babies R Us Chic-fil-a Classic Image Photography Clay Preschool & Church Debbie Werbrouck School of Dance & Music Early Childhood Development Center at Notre Dame Elkhart General Hospital Eye Site Optical Family Sports Time Pub Fiddlers Hearth FitStop Granger Community Church Granger Family Medicine Growing Kids Learning Center Gymnastics Michiana ICE Athletics Kumon Learning Center Lakeland Healthcare Menno Travel Midwest Orthotics Mutual Bank Notre Dame Federal Credit Union Once Upon a Child Soccer Zone South Bend Clinic South Bend Medical Foundation South Bend Orthopedics Stacks Pancake House St. Thomas the Apostle School Strikes & Spares South Bend Chocolate Traditions Photography Trinity Lutheran School Urban Swirl YMCA of Elkhart

St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, South Bend, IN

The ladies of the Good Samaritans of St. Andrew Greek Orthodox church will be holding their annual Salad Bar Luncheon from 11:30 AM to 1 PM. Carry-outs are available. Includes homemade salads hot and cold, our famous spanakopita (spinach pie), soup and beverage.

If you would like to receive The FAMILY Magazine at your familyfocused business or organization each month, please email your request to: media@michianafamilymagazine.com.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

41

There will also be a mini-bake sale and a 50/50 raffle. This luncheon is one of our main fundraisers and supports our scholarship fund. The event will be held in the fellowship hall. Cost is $8. All ages welcome. For more information, call 574.289.5000.

ready to dance and you “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with All Shook Up! 7 PM. Call 574.234.1112 for more information or to get tickets.

Wednesday, October 17

PAWS TO READ

The Fresh Beat Band at the Morris

Morris Performing Arts Center, South Bend, IN

Nickelodeon’’s popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, are adding a second leg to their current sold-out nationwide concert. The concert features Kiki (Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer), Shout (Thomas Hobson), Marina (Tara Perry) and Twist (Jon Beavers) performing THE FRESH BEAT BAND hits from seasons one, two and three of the Nickelodeon live-action music series that teaches preschoolers about music appreciation. Songs performed include “Here We Go,” “A Friend Like You,” “Bananas,” and “Just Like A Rockstar,” among others. Tickets are on sale now at www.morriscenter.org.

Concert begins at 6:30 PM.

Thursday, October 18 Magic of 1,000 Stories

Harris Branch of Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library

Education consultant Beckey Thompson will present, “The Magic of 1,000 Stories: Learning to Read Without Being Taught” at 4 PM. Designed for parents and caregivers, attendees will walk away with techniques for guiding their child down the gentle path to reading. A storytime is available for children whose parent or caregiver is attending the presentation.

Registration is required and begins Monday, October 8. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk of the Harris Branch Library or call 574.271.3179.

Friday, October 19, YMCA Fall Festival

YMCA of Elkhart County, Elkhart, IN

Games, prizes, Haunted Swim (bring a towel and suit). Family-friendly costumes encouraged. Open to the public. $1 per person or two canned goods. Haunted Swim $1 additional. 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. All ages welcome! For more information, call 574.389.7878 or visit the website at http//www.elkhartymca.org.

All Shook Up

O’Laughlin Auditorium, St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN

Take a plot worthy of Shakespeare – girl loves boy who loves another girl, first girl dresses as boy to be close to her boy only to have other girl fall in love with her – and set it to the tunes of Elvis Presley and you get a 1950 style musical of young love and rock n’ roll. Put on your “Blue Suede Shoes,” get 42 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Saturday, October 20 Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

This month, children in 1st through 6th grade are invited to enjoy a special experience reading to a canine companion. Children will be paired with Barney, a St. Bernard, at 11 AM and will read to the dog and his handler for one 15-minute session. Registration is not required; just check in at the Children’s Services desk. Participants must receive parental permission. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277, ext. 242.

FAMILY MOVIE

Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

Celebrate Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month with the movie version of the book Hotel for Dogs. 2:30 PM. Free tickets are required and can be picked up in Children’s Services at the downtown Mishawaka Library beginning Monday, October 1. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277, ext. 242.

Sunday, October 21

FOODSTOCK 2012 Fall Festival

Little Flower Catholic Church, South Bend

“Feed your face feed your soul!” FOODSTOCK 2012 is a festival of food and fun. The J.T. Buffett Band will perform island music, and chili, potato and salad bars and dessert will be included. Sustainable vendors will also be presenting their handmade wares for sale.

Proceeds benefit the sixteen different food pantries in the United Way initiative ‘People Gotta Eat’. Come enjoy some quality family time while helping to feed those in need in our community. 4 to 8 PM. $5 individual; $15 Family; Age 5 and under free. For more information, call 574.232.8201 Ext. 226.

Monday, October 22

Every Child Ready to Read Parent Workshop Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library

Parents, grandparents, caregivers and their children are invited to attend a special workshop. The workshop will cover the five early literacy tools (talking, singing, reading, writing and playing) to prepare children for reading. This presentation is different from the one offered in September since children are required to attend. 6:30 PM. Registration is required and begins Monday, October 1. For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277, ext. 242.

Storytime Sampler

Bittersweet Branch of Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library

Storytime Sampler provides a sampling of the materials used in the preschool and toddler programs. Adult caregivers are expected to attend and remain with their children. 10:30 AM to 11 AM. Registration is not required.

For more information, contact the Children’s Services desk of the Bittersweet Branch Library or call 574.259.0392.

Tuesday, October 23 Craft of the Month Group

Bittersweet Branch of Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library

Make a holiday greeting card while supplies last. Select from a variety of designs including birthday, Hallowe’en, Thanksgiving and winter holidays. This program is open to teens and adults. Children ages 7 and up may attend with an adult helper. Registration is not required. Stop in anytime between 4 PM and 6 PM. For more information, call the Bittersweet Branch Library at 574.259.0392.

Friday, October 26 Zoo Boo

Potawatomi Zoo, South Bend, IN

South Bend’s favorite Halloween tradition!

Collect candy from area vendors as you stroll through the Potawatomi Zoo decorated for Halloween! Costumes are encouraged but not required. 6 to 9 PM.

Saturday, October 27 Kids’ Expo

Elkhart Sports Center, Elkhart, IN

Inflatable bounce houses, story time, balloon artist, magic shows, face painting, drawings, prizes and more for the kids, and parent resources galore! Be sure to attend the 2012 Kids’ Expo at the Elkhart Sports Center from 10 AM to 3 PM. Only $5 for adults, and free for kids! Entertainment and shows every half hour starting at 10 AM.

Monday, October 29 Weather Watch

Bittersweet Branch of Mishawaka Penn-HarrisMadison Library

Families are invited to meet WNDU-TV meteorologist Mike Hoffman who will present fun weather facts and share his typical day on the job before he goes live on the air. A question and answer session will follow if time allowes. 7 PM. Registration is not required. For more information, call the Bittersweet Branch Library at 574.259.0392.

We have it all more at &

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School!

• Outstanding Academics • Safe Environment • Excellent ISTEP Scores • SMART Board Technology • Before and After School Care • Christian Family Atmosphere • Community Service Activities and Involvement • Specialty Classes: Art, Music, Computer, Physical Education • Extracurricular Activities ranging from Sports, Band, Scouting, Drama & More!

• 21st Century Learning Facility Recently Renovated and Expanded St. Thomas the Apostle School is Catholic in character, but open to all faith traditions.

Approximately 12% of our current enrollment is non-Catholic.

for more information or to schedule a tour.

Visit us at www.stselkhart.com or www.stthomaselkhart.com!

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School 1331 North Main Street • Elkhart, IN 46514

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

43

M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

Story Time

Little Dog, Lost

By Marion Dane

Reviewed by Patty Heckaman, Children’s Services Bittersweet Branch of the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library This heart-felt book is a tale told in three narratives. It is about Buddy, a dog who needs a boy; Mark, a boy who needs a dog; and Charles Larue, an old caretaker who is longing for someone to spend time with.

“Buddy wasn’t always lost.

Once she owned a boy.

It was the boy who named her. (‘I know she’s a girl, he’d say, ‘but she’s my buddy’)”

- from Little Dog, Lost One day, Buddy’s family moves to a big city apartment and they must find a new home for Buddy. A well-meaning woman takes Buddy in, but she admits she knows nothing about dogs.

Buddy misses her boy and digs a hole to escape from the backyard to look for him. Along the way, she encounters people saying “Shoo!” and “Go away!” Poor Buddy feels hungry, tired, and very lost.

Bauer weaves her magic when the characters come together to discover what they have all been longing for on one chaotic, stormy day. In today’s high-tech, fast-paced world, this story reminds us to slow down and look around. Hope belongs to a lonely old man, a little black dog with a satiny coat, and a boy who needs a dog. This is a great book that just might give you a wet kiss on the nose!

Newbery honor-winning author Marion Dane Bauer tells the story in a poetic verse that makes it easy for struggling or young readers.

This title is available at all Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library locations.

44 MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION | OCTOBER 2012

mi Corner Our tips, picks, news and advice.

Fall Fun with the

By Andie Kingsbury

Just when the older kids head back to school, the leaves begin to change ushering in the cold of winter and there are fewer activities to burn up energy. If Mom’s not on her toes, it isn’t long before moods turn sour and even the most even-tempered toddler appears to bordering on violence. If the shorter days and colder weather leave you at a loss for how to manage your munchkins without losing your cool, you are not alone.

Do your kids have more toys than they can possibly play with?

Separate them into a few baskets or bins for the purpose of a toy rotation. Alternating their toys helps to keep the enjoyment fresh, the boredom low and the germs in check. Whether you choose to rotate the toys on a weekly or monthly basis, toys that were rejected three days after the birthday celebration suddenly have a new appeal.

Let kids of all ages help in the cleaning process as you put the bins away so they are germ-free for next time. Taking the extra step to sanitize the toys before you put them up for rotation also helps to keep illnesses at bay and helps to break an often-overlooked chore down into a more manageable task. Try to join forces with another mom to exchange toys for a week or two on a regular basis. This method allows you to introduce sharing on a whole new level. You will probably even get to model giving and receiving forgiveness for the inevitable loss of a toy.

Perhaps your playroom is modestly equipped and boasts the simplicity of imaginative play. Create a loose daily activity schedule to keep little imaginations sharp. Fun names like ‘Musical Monday’ and ‘Watercolor Wednesday’ might be a great way to introduce themed crafts on the same day of every week. If you are less crafty or just need more flexibility, it might be good to simply institute a routine where your son knows that, after breakfast, Dad always brings out

the Play-doh for him to create monsters while he drinks his morning coffee or, after your daughter gets dressed for the day, it’s time for a neighborhood stroll with Mom. Have a houseful of the under-five crowd? Turn cold, blustery days into an indoor learning adventure as you decorate the letter of the week with colorful macaroni or trace their names in shallow pans of sand or rice at the kitchen table. Take turns hosting a field trip with their best friend to get out of the house for a special craft-time play date. Arrange activities to help increase learning opportunities together, like a picnic lunch in the living room with foods that start with “B” or a nature walk/scavenger hunt where preschoolers search for as many objects of one color as possible.

It may seem like common sense, but making sure meals are served around the same time each day can help ward off the low blood sugar hysterics. Even the pickier little bellies will become accustomed to eating at the same time of day every day and will be more willing to take a break to fill their tanks with nourishment. Miss the days when your little girl used to nap twice a day? Even if your daughter refuses to nap a wink, keep a consistent time for naps to happen. She may just exercise quiet wind-down time with books and classical music playing low in the background, but it’s still important for her little body to have time to bask in a relaxed and peaceful atmosphere.

With a touch of routine, a smattering of spontaneity and a few friends to share in the fun, even the cooler weather can bring back warm fuzzies. The simplest activities can often bring the most lasting memories.

Andie Kingsbury, author of the blog “Ours+His+Mine=Nine!”, is the mother/stepmother of seven boys and two girls, so she knows how to stretch a budget! She and her husband live in Elkhart.

MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION |OCTOBER 2012

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M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

Family Connections

It’s Election

!

Time

Here’s How to Teach Your Kids About the Voting Process — and Much More About America

By Kathy Sena

TEACH KIDS HOW ELECTIONS WORK

Even children as young as early elementary school-age can get involved in learning about elections if you keep things simple and fun. During the presidential election in 2000 when our son, Matt, was almost five, we explained in very basic terms how the electoral college worked. (Confession: we had to research that a bit ourselves, first!) We printed colorful electoral-college maps from the Internet, as election day neared, to show which states were leaning toward which candidates. We watched the presidential debates together and huddled around the television on election night. It was a hoot to see Matt (who, for weeks, had been paying particular attention to NBCs Tim Russert and his ever-present white board) getting excited and saying, “It all comes down to Ohio, Ohio, Ohio!”

TAKE THE KIDS TO THE POLLS

At our local polling place, they offer a children’s practice ballot, which is a big hit with kids from preschool on up. Matt has happily “voted” for Abraham Lincoln for president on more than one occasion. “The most important thing you can do to help generate your kids’ interest in the public process is to take them to vote with you,” says mother-of-three Marika Bergsund. “They have all been voting with us since they were toddlers. We always include them in reviewing the voting materials and prepping our sample ballot. And we let them help in the voting booth,” she adds. “We treat voting like a very special privilege that should be valued — which it is!”

FOLLOW LOCAL POLITICS

Kids need to know that their mayor, city council and school board 46 MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION | OCTOBER 2012

make decisions that affect their lives. For a community report in third grade, we took Matt to visit the local city-council chambers. He got to see the mayor’s office and pick up the gavel (a big treat), sit where the council members sit during meetings and learn how decisions are made. This is also a good place to teach kids that, when they start voting, their vote will matter. “We follow all local elections to help our daughter understand the importance of every single vote,” says Joyce Fahey. After a city-council election in a nearby town was won by fewer than ten votes, “we talked about the fact that the losing candidate undoubtedly had ten friends who were ‘just too busy’ to take the time to vote,” she adds.

SING AMERICA’S SONGS

A University of Florida study found that we are losing a large part of our national identity because we so seldom sing traditional American songs. Researchers note that many of our national songs are being ignored in favor of pop hits, and that today’s children are more likely to know the lyrics to the latest Taylor Swift song than to patriotic, folk and traditional children’s songs. “Although Americans say that the singing of folk songs and songs of our heritage is important, we are teaching very few of them in the schools,” says music professor Russell Robinson, who supervised the study. That’s why it’s more important than ever to enjoy these songs at home. CDs of classic American songs are available at your local library.

(Visit www.scoutsongs.com for lyrics to “America the Beautiful,” “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “This Land is Your Land” and many other traditional American songs.)

VISIT AMERICA’S HISTORIC SITES

“Washington D.C. is ‘our city,’ and we need to make sure our kids get there when they are at the right age to absorb the enormity of the greatness of our nation,” says Joy Hall, mother of two. “I think the war memorials and the Smithsonian, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial and the Capitol building are all really awe-inspiring to kids.” Before her husband took their son to Washington D.C., “we had our son do some reading so he was better prepared to absorb what he saw and so he could feel proud of what he knew,” she says. Michelle Erickson says her sons learned a great deal during a family trip to Boston. “We saw the Freedom Trail, Paul Revere’s house and a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party,” she says. Erickson agrees that it’s helpful to read historical children’s books ahead of time so that the kids have a greater appreciation for what they’re seeing. “It’s important, on these visits, to talk about the sacrifices made by the first settlers to America,” she says.

TALK WITH A VETERAN

“My grandson’s school presents a patriotic program each year,” says Ellen Herron.

Veterans and public- safety officers are invited, along with family and friends. “The students each write a ‘Dear Soldier’ letter, some of which are read during the program,” she adds. Other families report that a visit to a veterans’ hospital, whether as a family or as part of a school, Scouting or church group, was particularly meaningful for their family.

Interviewing a veteran is a great way for kids to learn about our country’s history and to show appreciation for those who have sacrificed for our freedom. “Our kids enjoy talking to their grandpa and looking over anything he has that relates to when he was in World War II,” says Hall. She also suggests interviewing veterans to learn about their war-time experiences.

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SET AN EXAMPLE

Kids watch what we do, and our actions tell them what we value, says Hall. “We display a flag, we turn on the T.V. for inaugural events, and we watch State of the Union addresses and presidential funerals,” she adds. “We also write letters to enlisted men and women.” One of the most important things we can give our children is to pass on our own love for America, says Hall. “Nothing can replace the pride and tears they see in your eyes at certain times that are significant to our country.”

Kathy Sena is a freelance writer specializing in parenting topics. Her 16-year-old son is looking forward to voting in just two short years after accompanying his mom to the polls many times as a little kid. Visit Kathy’s website at www.kathysena.com.

MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION |OCTOBER 2012

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M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

Family Connections

Negotiating at Home

By Laurie Puhn

As a lawyer, couples’ mediator and self-help author, people turn to me for my expert relationship advice. They assume that because I have all the answers, I must have a perfect marriage myself. The truth is that I have a happy marriage with good days and those less-than-perfect days that require me to put my own communication advice into practice.

You see, conflict is normal and expected, especially for parents, but how we choose to respond to it can either destroy or build love. For example, there was that time some years ago when I had a Chinese food take-out awakening:

One of us, therefore, needed to pay very close attention to him at all times to make sure he was safe. As usual, it was me who ended up being on surveillance duty. My husband was nearby, but somehow I was the one “in charge.” We had never verbally agreed to this division of power. It just happened. When I would use the bathroom or make a phone call, I had a nagging guilty feeling that I had to rush back to my duties.

My husband and I are a great team but, at times (like all couples), we were no match for the demands of our infant son. Stress from a little one can wear down anyone’s patience and test any marriage.

On this seemingly uneventful ni ght, we ordered take-out Chinese food and my husband announced that he would go pick it up.

As I was left stranded at home again, I became angry. “Darn it, I want to get out of the house for twenty minutes to get the take-out! I want to do the errands!” But I didn’t say this to my husband because it felt wrong. After all, he was only trying to be helpful by doing the errand. And so I slept on it.

It happened after I had a tiring day of work and my husband had his usual high-pressure day of work. The evening arrived and we fell into our typical routine. Our 11-month old son was on the verge of walking and he was trying to climb everything in sight.

By the next morning, I was prepared for a difficult conversation. I couldn’t blame my husband for the situation; I had tacitly agreed to it. And the truth was, how could he know what I wanted if I never said it? Now was the time to re-negotiate our evening

48 MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION | OCTOBER 2012

parenting responsibilities. The de facto parenting split (95 percent me, five percent him) was not acceptable. I took my own advice as a family mediator and I revealed my feelings without blaming him. I told him that I wasn’t asking for him to be in charge all of the time, or even half of the time. I just needed him to spend a portion of each night as the truly responsible party, so I could have a chance to relax or pick up the take-out, knowing our son was well taken care of.

I’m not kidding when I tell you this: from that day forward, after our “child care negotiation,” my husband stepped up to the plate. He created fun little games with our son that they play every night. They have their own sayings and jokes. When our son needed his diaper changed during the “Daddy Play Period,” my husband would do it, without yelling for my help. As the days wore on, the nighttime fun turned into the bedtime routine, which my husband still does three years later. With a second child in the mix, Daddy’s participation is even more valuable.

My suggestion: don’t wait to ask for what you want. Re-balancing expectations, child care and household chores should be an annual event, at the very least. You may find that your entire family is better off, for years to come.

Laurie Puhn is a Harvard-educated lawyer, couples’ mediator, and bestselling author of “Fight Less, Love More: 5-Minute Conversations to Change Your Relationship Without Blowing Up or Giving In,” who frequently appears on CNN, “Good Morning America” and “The Early Show” to offer relationship advice. Visit her at www.fightlesslovemore.com MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION |OCTOBER 2012

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M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

New Born

Pocket Diapers

on a Budget

By Andie Kingsbury

Pocket diapers are an easy way to break into the cloth-diapering world without learning different ways to fold a square of fabric to fit a squirmy infant. They are less intimidating to master for the parent new to cloth diapering, as well as the occasional care provider. Pocket diapers come in such a variety of colors and patterns that you can coordinate diapers with every outfit.

They are really cute! The inner linings are available in a variety of textures, accommodating even the most sensitive-skinned infants. Pocket diapers are made up of a waterproof exterior shell, a soft inner fabric, and an absorbent liner which is stuffed through a pocket opening and is sandwiched between the exterior shell and inner fabric. They are available in sized and one-size styles. Sized styles fit small, medium, and large size zones while one-size diapers have snap adjustments on the exterior shell allowing them to be adjusted to fit babies from 7-40 pounds (weight varies by brand). The diapers can be laundered in the washer and dryer, or they can be line dried.

The drawback to pocket diapers is they are initially more expensive than pre-folds, so while they will still save money over the diapering career, getting started can be daunting on a tight budget. Pocket diapers are often passed over in favor of pre-folds when cost is a concern, but with very basic sewing skills you can create a stash of pocket diapers that will last from the first weeks of life through the last days of potty training. An internet search will provide many free or low cost patterns that can be downloaded to your computer and printed, or mailed to your home.

My tried and true pocket diaper pattern is the NykiBaby one-size pattern. It uses snaps, and is adjustable to fit the average baby through the entire span of the diapering years. I specifically wanted a pattern that utilized snaps because they don’t tend to wear out like the Velcro-style closures can. If you don’t prefer snap closures, adapting the pattern would not be difficult. I purchased the pattern and used the internet to research the prices of all of the fabrics and notions and discovered that, for an initial cost of around $150, I could purchase all of the supplies and extra tools to create a dozen cloth diapers. This cost included the pattern, exterior PUL fabric, interior velour fabric, thread, extra needles, elastic, diaper quality snaps and 50 MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION | OCTOBER 2012

a snap press, and the microfiber towels I use inside the pocket for the absorbency.

The cost can be reduced even more if you choose to use a diaper-friendly hook-andloop closure instead of snaps, and a more basic inner fabric. My second dozen cost around $75 to make, because I already had the thread, snap tools and microfiber towels on hand.

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This is a good weekend project to do while listening to an audio book or spending time with your favorite girlfriends. The most time-consuming steps are those that prepare you for sewing: tracing and cutting out the pattern template on the fabric, application of the snaps, lining the pieces up to pin them for sewing. The pattern is easy to follow and does not include highly technical wording. The only real sewing skill involved is simply to follow lines and curves with a zig-zag stitch used to anchor the elastic at the legs and waist.

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If you have considered pocket diapers, but haven’t been able to come to terms with the start-up costs involved, look again.

Research the styles and patterns available to you. Whether you’re an experienced seamstress or a nervous beginner, the quality of home-sewn diapers is still great.

You can create pocket diapers that can be handed down through several children. You can be creative in your combinations of fabrics and colors to make a diaper stash with personality that is simple to use and everyone will love! Last but not least, you’ll have the satisfaction of providing for your little one some adorable creations that you made yourself while stretching your income even farther.

Andie Kingsbury, author of the blog “Ours+His+Mine=Nine!”, is the mother/ stepmother of seven boys and two girls, so she knows how to stretch a budget!

She and her husband live in Elkhart.

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THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

51

family moment

Covering

Yourself

By Kathy Friend

I have been giving a lot of thought recently to the reason behind things. For example, why would someone complain about EVERYTHING on Facebook? Or, why would someone yell at a cashier at Target for seemingly no reason at all?

I will admit, there are days when my patience has worn thin from some incident in the morning with my daughter that will filter to an interaction with someone at the grocery store or in traffic.

This got me to thinking about the ladies who attend my StyleU workshops. Over the past several months, I’ve had the pleasure to offer this workshop across the Midwest. I’ve met some ladies who I am sure have more style than I do, yet they attend my workshops. Why? Why do we dress the way we do? Is it a costume? A way to cover something up or distract attention? Do we want to be known as the one that always wears red lipstick? Why? Or are we the ones who purposely don’t wear anything memorable in the hopes that we can kind of fade away and not be noticed? Why? I met a woman recently who shared the following story. I would like to share it with you and ask you to consider what you are doing to cover yourself.

For years I dressed to impressed. You would never see me outside of my bedroom without full makeup, hair done and three inch heels. Never. Even on family vacations when hiking was on the agenda, I would don my most precious jewels and do my best to not sweat off my lipstick and face powder.

It was my thing. I felt like that is what I became known for. I was the lady who was always ‘done’. Dressed to a ‘T’. It became how I defined myself. I loved the compliments I would get at luncheons on my shoes, my handbag or my outfits. I would get into lengthy conversations with people about where I shopped, how I pulled together various outfits. The conversations at the time seemed very meaningful and I referred to those I had these interactions with as my friends. But, in truth, they knew nothing about me. They didn’t know where I went to school, the names of my children or really what I did for a living. All they knew was that I wore Chanel lipstick and had a great handbag I got at a thrift shop in Chicago.

52 THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

Through a series of life detours, I was forced to change. The change in my life led me to be in a situation where I could no longer afford to shop. I could no longer afford to buy the best makeup, have my hair and nails done monthly or pay for the best skin care regimen. My new normal wasn’t comfortable at all to me. There were days when I would literally sit in my apartment and sob because I had to go to a business meeting wearing something that didn’t fit properly with hair that was about four weeks past needing to be done.

This annoyed me. Why was I so hooked up on those things that I thought defined me? Was I really a red Chanel lipstick? A pair of pearls and three inch heels? And if THAT was me, who was I? What did that mean?

I soon realized that in the photos taken of me in this new phase of life, I looked different: better. I was receiving compliments.

Complete strangers would stop me on the street and tell me how

beautiful I was. This was remarkable to me, given it would be on days when I was wearing no makeup and my hair was in a ponytail.

How strange. People were complimenting me on me, and not on my things.

Could it be that, for so many years, I was hiding behind the clothes, makeup and accessories? Trying to cover up and mask some kind of ugly truth I didn’t want anyone to see? Yes, that is exactly what I did. I was horribly unhappy for many years. Very sick, an illness no one knew about. I was covering the truth about myself with all the clothes, jewelry, shoes, handbag and, makeup.

Looking back on it, I probably looked ridiculous. More like a Christmas tree than a business woman.

Although I was forced to rid myself of those ‘things’, I can say (now that I am on the other side of it), it was the best forced life-change that has ever happened to me. Now people see me. The real me. Yes, I still love to get dressed up and appreciate great makeup. But people see me through all the decoration.

They don’t get hung up on all my stuff and forget there is a woman behind it all.

Kathy Friend is an Image Consultant, speaker and expert stylist. Her StyleU workshops have become a ‘must-attend’ for ladies across the country. She is a contributor to the Fox59 Morning Show out of Indianapolis and the fashion guru for Goodwill of Michiana. She is a busy Mom-on-the go trying to keep up with her daughter Anya.

THE FAMILY MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2012

53

P lay Dates

M i C H I L D • S P E C I A L PA R E N T I N G F E AT U R E S E C T I O N

P lay Dates

Looking for some amazing events to keep your little ones occupied this fall? Here are a few coming up this October that we think you just have to know about!

October 6th

Fall Family Fun Fair Rum Village Park 10 AM to 3 PM; FREE There will be family entertainment featuring Bounce-a-rama, climbing wall, petting zoo and Los Hermanos Bueno 11 AM - 3 PM. Come at 10 AM to decorate a pumpkin! Come early to the nature center where there will be Starbucks Coffee for adults, McDonalds Orange Drink of kids, and Krispy Kreme donuts for all until we run out. There will be an ice cream-eating contest at 11:30 AM at the Nature Center and a Lemon Pie-eating contest at 1 PM near the playground. For more information or directions, please call 574.299.4765 or 574.299.4778 or visit www.sbpark.org.

October 26th

Frightful Friday Downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library Preschool children through sixth grade can visit the downtown Mishawaka Penn-Harris-Madison Library on Friday, October 26 for a Frightful Friday of Halloween Fun. Go “batty” at the craft table anytime between 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM. Stories will be held in the Heritage Center jail cell at 1:40 PM and 2:20 PM. From 3 to 3:30 PM, join Rufus the Dog and ROZ Puppets for 54 MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION | OCTOBER 2012

a frightfully fun performance. Tickets are required for the ROZ Puppets show and will be available at the downtown Mishawaka Library Children’s Services desk beginning Monday, October 15. (No phone reservations). Children are invited to wear their Halloween costumes as they ‘trick or treat’ each library department anytime between 3:30 and 4:30 PM. Some special guests joining this year’s celebration include friends from Fazolis, Kroc Center, Sonic, Sweet Frog Yogurt and Texas Roadhouse.

For more information, inquire at the Children’s Services desk or call 574.259.5277 EXT 242.

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MI CHILD SPECIAL SECTION |OCTOBER 2012

55

3

Family Medicine Center welcomes Rachelina P. Kvietkus, MD Family Medicine Center welcomes internal medicine physician Rachelina P. Kvietkus, MD. Dr. Kvietkus received her bachelor of science degree from the University of Notre Dame and earned her medical degree from the Indiana Graduate School of Medicine in Indianapolis. She then completed her internal medicine residency at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota. She is a member of the American Medical Association and other professional associations, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Kvietkus is accepting new patients at Family Medicine Center, located at 2120 Rieth Boulevard, Suite A in Goshen. To schedule an appointment, call 574-875-5126.