FAMILY Magazine November 2014

November 2014 • Moms Just Know • Free

5 Ways to Raise Grateful

Kids The Evolving Mother Daughter Relationship

Stop Stressing

Get Organized!

Southold Dance Theater presents

The Cooking Challenges Of

Special Diets

Serving: Granger • Mishawaka • Elkhart • South Bend • Goshen • Niles Edwardsburg • Middlebury & Surrounding Communities

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THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

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Things

We Learned Making

Photography: Classic image photography Makeup: Camellia Maalouf, Camellia Cosmetics Granger

The November Issue

Things We (at FAMILY)

Love

Right Now! 1. Fall Harvest Parties 2. Ponchos

1.

3. Organic Food

The key to teaching your children gratitude is repetition. Learn how you can incorporate this into their lives on page 14.

4. Wine Colored Nail Polish 5. Going out to Breakfast

2.

Don’t let your battery run low. Read our Dear Mom column on page 22 to see why it’s important to operate at your best.

6. Stylish Moms

3.

Not all makeup remover wipes are made equal. Find out which brand is worth your money on page 26.

7. Apples 8. Active Kids 9. A Charitable Heart 10. Walking in Leaves 11. Peanut Butter

4.

This holiday season doesn’t have to be stressful. Try these easy tips on page 18 to help lessen the stress during the holidays.

12. A Welcoming Front Door 13. Proper Grammar 14. Cinnamon Sticks

5.

A mother/daughter relationship is always the strongest. Visit page 10 to see how one mother/daughter relationship changed throughout the years.

6.

Get prepared for your child’s birth by reading books. See what books are the best to pick up on page 12.

NOVEM BER

Check it Out! Don

N O29

Three Tr to Sta ends

’t forget to pick up your copy of the The NEW SASS SASS Y Y Magazine! rt Wearin

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Little Bla

ck Book

of Beauty

The Helpf

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2014

4Keeps

By: Casey Kiel

Like '4Keeps' on Facebook or visit CaseyKiel.com

VIP

november

ADVERTISERS

Special THANKS to the following VIP November advertisers that help us provide The Family Magazine to the Michiana community for FREE: Afdent McDonalds Inspire Athletics Mathnasium MutualBank SureStep Once Upon a Child Gymnastics Michiana

Testimonials From Our Readers “I love the Centerfold Calendar in FAMILY Magazine. It’s always full of fun things to do in Michiana.”

– Erica H.

“I went to the Kids Expo this year and it was so much fun for my kids. I also found new things to do with my kids around town during the cold winter months.”

– Holly L.

“I had a mom’s day over the weekend and when I came home I caught my husband reading the FAMILY Magazine to my daughter. Everyone in my house loves this magazine!”

–Erin H.

South Bend Civic Theatre Menno Travel HealthWorks!

We'd LOVE to hear from you! contact: The FAMILY Magazines

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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the FAMILY magazine

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table

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29 Southold Dance Theater Presents

Nutcracker 2014

Mommy and Daddy

contents

18 Stop Stressing & Get Organized By: Lara West

22 Dear Mom, Recharge Your Battery By: Meagan Church

24 The Cooking Challenges of Special Diets

Live Your Best

By: Jackie Folkert

4 7 Things We Learned Making This Issue

26 Product Testing: Makeup Remover Wipes By: Lara West

4 Things We Love Right Now 5 Reader Testimonials 5 4Keeps Comic 7 Contributors

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8 The FAMILY Month Calendar 20 Centerfold Calendar

Family Recipe

28 Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Movie & Book Reviews 38 Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms In A Digital Age

By Jason Boog Reviewed By: Margo Ferguson

38 The Fault In Our Stars

By John Green By: Skyler Leach

Family Craft 39 Leaf Candle

By: Jill Lebbin

Family Kids

10 The Evolving Mother Daughter Relationship By: Noelle Elliott

Family Pregnancy

12 What To Read When Expecting By: Meagan Church

SPECIAL SECTION:

How to Teach Kids to be Thankful 14 5 Ways To Raise Grateful Kids By: Meagan Church

16 Fun Family Gratitude Activities By: Allison Boelcke Smith

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FAMILY contibutors

Noelle Elliott works in publicity.

She is a writer and has been published on several websites and print publications. She is the owner and creator of the esteemed bowchicabowmom.com where she humorously shares the triumphs and failures of raising her four young sons. She is also the creator of the successful local staged production, The Mamalogues. She happily lives in South Bend.

Meagan Church is married to her highschool sweetheart and is the mother of 3 kids. She is a writer and children’s book author. She is also the brainpower of the online resource Unexpectant, exploring the realities of birth, babies and beyond

Jill Lebbin is a wife, mother, craft fanatic and DIY blogger at www.EveryDayisan Occasion.com. She and her husband Marcel have been married for five years and love living in Granger with their two spunky kids, Marcel Jr. and Lilly.

THE

Chaunie Brusie is a nurse, freelance writer and a young mom of three (soon to be four!). She lives in SE Michigan and is the author of Tiny Blue Lines: Reclaiming Your Life, Preparing For Your Baby, and Moving Forward in Faith in an Unplanned Pregnancy.

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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The FAMILY Month Calendar

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Tail Waggin Hayride, 1:00 P.M., Bendix Woods County Park: The Glitz & Sass Holiday Otahnagon Shelter Fashion Show, 5:00 P.M., The Morris Inn, Notre Dame

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LEGO KidsFest, 9:00 A.M., Indianapolis Convention Center

Election Day: Daylight Savings Don’t Forget Time Ends: To Vote!

Fall Back An Hour

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Free Pictures with Santa, 10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Monthly Meditation Yoga, 5:30 P.M., Elkhart Environmental Center

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2 4

15 16

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Free Pictures with Santa, 10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Black Friday!

The Nutcracker Tea, 2:00 P.M., Palais Royale

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Shrek the Musical, 8:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving Facts:  Congress made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941 even though it is recorded that the first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts) in 1621.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in America.  Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and New York, according to History.com, are the major pumpkin growing states. In 2010, they produced 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins compared to the U.S. production totaling in at 1.5 billion pounds.

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Black Friday Must Haves!

The next best thing other than Thanksgiving in the month of November is Black Friday shopping!

Here are five of the most popular items to buy on Black Friday!

1. Tablets 2. Laptops/Computers 3. Televisions 4. Toys 5. DVD’s and Video Games

What we are Pinning:  Snoopy has appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as a giant balloon more than any other character in history.  The date of Thanksgiving was once changed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to try and boost the economy by extending the Christmas shopping season.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin

www.apartmenttherapy.com

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

The Thankful Tree

www.thethirftycouple.com

Thanksgiving Boxes

www.sodapopave.com

eyes

Braxton, Elkhart

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FAMILY kids

The Evolving

By: Noelle Elliott

Mother Daughter Relationship

L

ike most teens, I had a turbulent relationship with my mother.

I felt like her purpose in my life was to take all the fun out of it.

Every week we would have at least one blow up fight. Ranging from the length of my skirt, to my curfew.

As a teen I seemed to have overlooked the fact that for the previous 13 years, I had been attached to her. I would cry when she dropped me off at pre-school. I couldn’t fall asleep without her reading me one more story. Then suddenly, I began to feel that she didn’t understand me.

The truth is, she understood all too well.

When I moved across the country to attend college, I felt liberated to be out from under her watch. Just the fact that she let me move across the country is a testament to her confidence in me. Suddenly at night I missed her. I found myself calling her every day and she was always available to talk. She spent endless hours believing in me when I failed to believe in myself.

I graduated from college and choose to stay in California. A day did not go by that I didn’t speak to her. Although I wasn’t following the same path that she did, she still supported me. Eventually I met my husband and we returned to my hometown of South Bend.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

Having a husband was the first time in my life that I confided in someone other than my mom. She supported and respected this. I made an effort to not involve her in the challenges of my marriage.

Like most mothers, she will always side with her child. Even if she loves her children’s spouses, in her eyes, we could do no wrong. I knew that she wouldn’t be diplomatic if I shared with her anyway, so I just didn’t. In hindsight this is beneficial for a new marriage. Keeping communication open and between the two individuals who are directly involved helped us move forward and grow.

Eventually we had our first son. This is a moment that is monumental in a mother/daughter relationship. There needs to be a balance. As difficult as it was for her, she waited in the waiting room while my husband and I shared the experience as a family of three with our first baby. The moment my husband came to get her she moved as fast as she could without running in an all out sprint.

I will never forget her face when she walked into the room. Her baby was holding a baby. She looked at me first to make sure I was okay, and then fawned over her grandson. Pride was an understatement.

As the weeks followed I relied on my mother more than I ever have. However, on one of her visits while she was holding our son she showed me the “right” way to burp him.

From her point of view she was offering to relieve a clearly gassy baby. But to me, she was implying that I didn’t know what I was doing. The truth is, I didn’t, but I also didn’t want my mom telling me what to do.

My reaction even took me by surprise. Later that week, after I had been up with a colicky baby for several hours, I desperately called her in the middle of the night. “How was it that you held the baby to help with gas?”

She didn’t remind me that she tried to offer that advice previously. She just talked me through it. Before we hung up, she told me I was doing a good job.

It was a learning experience for both of us.

The delicate dance of when to offer or ask for help. When it comes to advice about raising children, women can be extremely sensitive. It feels deeply personal and somehow translates into how capable you are to be a mother. But who better to offer advice than someone who has your best interest in mind?

When you get a new job, in some cases the person who had your job previously trains you. Why wouldn’t this ring true when you become a mother?

Since then my husband and I have had four children. Each time my mom has waited in the wings to help, but never took center stage. It took a little bit of time to adjust to our new relationship. We have become closer and she is someone who I consider to be a friend.

If you are fortunate enough to have your mother in your life, celebrate it. It is a blessing and a much needed tool to help raise and nurture a healthy happy child.

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FAMILY pregnancy

What to Read When

Expecting By: Meagan Church

Top 5 Pregnancy and Childbirth Books

W

hen it comes to books on pregnancy and childbirth, you might think you know what to expect. But, before you settle for what might be the most popular read, consider exploring books that will help you have a more informed pregnancy and birth.

After all, pregnancy can be a crazy time. Your body is morphing and doing things it has never before done. Sometimes it’s pretty amazing. Other times it’s a bit…well…odd. And that’s before birth even comes into the picture.

Childbirth is a whole other experience that is full of its own ups and downs. One way to be prepared for that roller coaster of a ride is to find a good book. Reading can help you understand what your body is currently and will soon be going through so you can become as informed and educated as possible.

A plethora of books exist and, let’s face it, some are more helpful than others. So, here are my top five pregnancy and childbirth books. These are great tools for any expectant mom, whether this is her first or fifth pregnancy.

“Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth”

By Ina May Gaskin

A must-read for all expectant parents.

It’s full of great information, making the reader understand that birth is normal and not a medical condition that must be treated because, as she points out, “treatment” is often what leads to poorer outcomes (contrary to common misconceptions on birth).

It is not opinion based; it is fact based, given her constant research and personal discoveries thanks to such successful and sustained birth outcomes within her own practice.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

“Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience”

By Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein

This book is very informative and a great read for women before they get pregnant or very early on in their pregnancies.

It has good information and questions to ask to help guide women towards empowering instead of passive and often disappointing birth experiences.

“Great Expectations: Your All-in-One Resource for Pregnancy & Childbirth”

By Marcie Jones and Sandy Jones

This book is a great week-by-week read on baby’s development during pregnancy.

It is an easy read, taken bit-by-bit over time and throughout pregnancy. It’s a good overview of general things you might encounter during pregnancy and childbirth, and helps the mom-to-be to track her little one’s growth throughout her pregnancy.

“The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth”

By Henci Goer

This can be a heavy read, but it is packed with very important information that pregnant women should take into consideration. It’s a great resource for an informed and educated birth. It discusses in detail c-sections; induction; epidurals; episiotomy; electronic fetal monitoring; choosing a birth location; the differences between midwives, obstetricians and family doctors; among other important topics.

“Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care”

By Jennifer Block

Facts and information fill the book, meaning it isn’t a light read. But, again, it has great information throughout. It is shocking at times and absolutely motivating, and is a must-read for all pregnant women, those who will be some day and those who already have been.

While you’re busy becoming informed, don’t forget to read up on babies, infant care, parenting styles and more. While an informed birth matters, remember that it will lead to parenthood and trying to soothe a crying baby. So, explore some Dr. Sears and Dr. Harvey Karp, while you’re at it, but I suppose that’s a top-five list for another day.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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Special Section How to Teach Kids to be Thankful

5 Ways to

Raise Grateful

Kids

So picture this; it’s your child’s birthday party. You’ve By: Meagan Church

planned this for weeks. The family is all there. Friends are surrounding your precious little one and his eyes are shining with delight. The moment he has been anticipating is upon him. He reaches for a gift to open and tears into the wrapping paper. You stand with the camera perfectly positioned to catch his expression and just as the paper falls away to reveal its contents, your son blurts out, “This isn’t the one I wanted!”

Leave it to kids to be completely honest, and leave it to parents to be completely humiliated and embarrassed in the wake of that honesty.

So what do you do about this situation? How do you teach your child to be grateful and thankful instead of expectant, especially when we live in a culture that thrives on feelings of entitlement?

Try these five ways to raise grateful kids:

Sign the way.

Teaching gratitude can start very early, even before the age of one. Teach infants the importance of saying “please” and “thank you.” This can start even before they speak by using sign language. Infants can communicate with sign language before they have the verbal skills to actually use words. By teaching your baby to sign, “please” when wanting a snack or a toy, you are laying the groundwork for developing a thankful child.

Say it often.

If you missed the sign language window, it’s not too late to teach your kids to say “please” and “thank you.” Make it a standard in your household to use those words often and generously. And, that includes modeling the behavior. Don’t just expect your kids to say it to you and other adults. Expect them to say it to one another and to hear it from you, whether you are talking to a child or an adult.

Get what you get.

Has your child ever torn into a fast food meal, seeking out the plastic prize and then been disappointed when she discovers it is the one she already has? Instead of taking the duplicate toy back to the counter to see if it can be replaced by a different one, teach her to be thankful for what she has by keeping what she’s been given. Avoid the temptation to come to her rescue by replacing it with exactly what she wanted. In other words, help her understand that “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.” Maybe she didn’t get the color ice pop she wanted or the right flavor of sucker. Don’t rescue her from that situation. Instead, talk to her about how kind it was to have received anything at all, and then let her choose whether she wants to keep it and enjoy it or give it away.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

Leave room for want.

Parents want to make their kids happy and oftentimes an easy way to accomplish that is by giving them whatever they want: a new toy, the latest gaming console, an extra helping of dessert or a spot on a sports league. When kids are constantly flooded with what they want, all they learn is immediate (and often fleeting) gratification. Instead, leave room for want.

It’s okay to not give your child everything his heart desires because doing so teaches a mindset of entitlement. The world won’t give him everything he wants, so help him to learn the lesson early that life will have disappointments and that he should be grateful for what he does have

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If your child is surrounded only by the Joneses, then broaden her worldview by introducing her to people who are different from her. Perhaps this looks like a service project or a volunteer opportunity at a community center. Maybe it’s sponsoring a child in a developing country. Perhaps it is spending a day helping an overwhelmed neighbor with some DIY projects. It could be tutoring a classmate or mentoring someone on her sports team. By introducing your child to different people and circumstances, you help shift her perspective away from herself. You teach her that the world doesn’t revolve around her (a tough lesson for many kids to grasp) and often gratitude will be a byproduct of that effort.

The key to teaching gratitude is to do it in the every day. Start small with modeling “please” and “thank you” as early and often as possible. And, don’t be afraid of disappointing them by not meeting their every want. Remember, our job as parents is to meet needs, not wants. Try these five suggestions and perhaps that scene at the birthday party will look different next year.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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Special Section How to Teach Kids to be Thankful

Fun Family

Gratitude Activities

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By: Allison Boelcke Smith

here’s no time like the month of Thanksgiving to start making it a family habit of expressing gratitude. The ability to consciously focus on the good, instead of complaining about what’s lacking or comparing with others, is among the best ways to create joy, even in times of stress. Taking the time to think about the things that have brought happiness throughout the year, or even the small things that day, is a way to bond as a family while instilling a valuable life skill.

Teach your whole family how to develop an attitude of gratitude with these fun family gratitude activities: Turkey Thankful Hands

ABCs of Appreciation Game

Thanksgiving Tree

Daily Jar Prompts

Take the classic Thanksgiving craft of everyone tracing their hands on paper and decorating them into turkeys, and give it an extra spin of gratitude! Have everyone write something they are grateful for on each “feather” of the turkey. Save the turkey hands and make it a tradition to go over what everyone was grateful for the year before while making their new ones.

Take a cue from Christmas traditions with a Thanksgiving tree – but instead of ornaments, display written notes of what everyone is grateful for this year. The tree could be as simple as a construction paper cut-out that you glue notes on, or as ornate as a small artificial decorative tree in which you hang the notes on with string. Not only is the process of making and decorating the tree a fun craft activity, it opens up the door for a positive discussion.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

Challenge your family to name something for which they are grateful for every letter of the alphabet. You can turn the game into a memento by having everyone write lists or draw pictures for each letter of the alphabet of the things they appreciate.

Focus each day of the month on thankfulness instead of simply Thanksgiving Day itself with daily jar prompts. Fill a jar with pieces of paper with written open-ended gratitude prompts, such as “The best thing that happened to me today was…” or “Name a person for which you are grateful and why…” and have everyone draw a prompt each day and share their answers with the family.

Family Gratitude Time Capsule

Volunteer Your Service

Gratitude Rolls

Expressing appreciation as a family is a great precursor to the holiday gift season to help everyone be satisfied with whatever they receive instead of comparing their loot to others’. Gratitude activities can be a family Thanksgiving tradition or used throughout the year when uplifting or perspective is needed.

Being able to step outside of the challenges or stresses of daily life to be grateful for the good is an essential trait for kids to make it through life’s transitions with optimism.

Have the whole family write down what they are thankful for this year and place the notes in a jar or sturdy box. Bury the capsule or hide it in a safe place – enjoy this activity years down the road whenever you decide to unearth the capsule and look over the contents together.

Add a little gratitude activity to your Thanksgiving dinner with gratitude rolls!

The idea is like a fortune cookie, but with a thankfulness prompt baked into the bread dough. Write down a prompt in regards to each family member, such as “I am grateful for Dad because….” on a strip of paper and wrap each one in aluminum foil. Divide each piece of dinner roll dough into two pieces, nestle the foil-covered prompts in between them, and bake as directed. Have each person tear apart their roll and share their gratitude prompt answer.

Thank You Notes

Spread the gratitude outside of your family by writing thank you notes together. Have your family brainstorm ideas of people who have helped them or given them happiness recently and write a card or letter of appreciation. Not only is it setting a great example for your family, it will impact the recipients as well!

There is perhaps no better way for everyone, but children especially, to truly appreciate what they have and express their gratitude than by giving back to others in need. Think of causes that would have special significance to your family and volunteer together as a family.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

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FAMILY mommy & daddy

Stop Stressing Get Organized!

Lessen Your Stress This Holiday Season By: Lara West

The busiest time of the year is creeping in, and with every day that passes you’re feeling the anxiety of holiday stress building up on your back like the clinging monkey. It’s not impossible to shake that monkey off.

Here is your “how-to” for keeping it off from the beginning of the season till the end:

1.

Know your responsibilities. Begin with a blank slate and make a list of everything you must accomplish throughout the season. Include everything from important tasks, like preparing dinner, to the not-necessary-but-it-should-be-done tasks, such as washing windows.

2.

Be realistic. Look at your overall plan to really decide if everything is essential, or if anything can be toned down to an achievable level. You don’t have to top last year’s gathering; you have to enjoy the whole season, not just the few minutes after it’s all over.

3.

Ask for help. Turn to responsible friends and family members to help you get everything prepared, and assign tasks accordingly. Study your list of who agreed to help, and determine which tasks you think they can handle. As long as you don’t expect too much from any one person, everyone should be able to accomplish their assignment. If lazy Uncle Lowell is insisting on helping this year, don’t put him in charge of the labor intensive centerpieces.

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4.

Just say “NO”. It may make you feel a bit down, but you have your own gathering to prepare for. Don’t be afraid to tell others that you are already overwhelmed with the amount of things to do on your own list, and would hate to disappoint them and yourself by making a promise that you can’t keep. (This also applies to attending parties. You just can’t attend them all, and expect to keep your household running smoothly.)

5.

Keep your routine. When you start shaking up the rhythm of your day-to-day routine, you also shake it up for your entire family. This can be hard to do, especially when you’re under the pressure of a deadline and family scrutiny, but life can get turned upside down pretty easily when lunches don’t get packed, dinner gets pushed back two hours and the house is overrun with mess.

6.

Stay Healthy. If meals are getting pushed back, make them healthy. Have fruits and vegetables around for quick snacking opportunities, and be sure you’re getting plenty of water. Don’t try to run for weeks on three hours of sleep a night, no one likes a grumpy momma bear.

7.

Don’t reinvent the wheel.

We all like to add our own flair to the holidays, but you don’t have to reinvent the wheel for every aspect. Throw a little personal creativity into the wreath you made for the door, but you don’t have to stress over creating the season’s “must-make” item.

8.

Switch it off. It may seem impossible, but 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there to play on our phones and computers really add up. It’s ok to get on if you need to, but do it without trying to multi-task. Pick a day to set aside 4-6 hours with no distractions to complete some “to-do” tasks.

9.

Don’t fish for compliments. Social media is both fun and addicting. It can also apply unnecessary pressure to our holidays. Our ideas are often times bigger than our abilities and environment will allow. Posting everything you have/want to do sets the bar for what you think others are going to expect from you, and you’ll push yourself harder than you should trying to live up to it.

10.

11.

Stick to your budget.

Set your budget while you’re making your plans and stick to it. Don’t over spend on food and gifts thinking you’ll catch up once the holidays are over. We all know that once the holidays are over life is still there, and it might take you the entire year to build that savings account back up.

Put the Spirit first. It can be a struggle to forgive people in our lives who hold an important title, but start the holidays on the right foot by accepting that they’re not perfect. There is a more appropriate time for that discussion, and it can wait till other friends and family trying to enjoy the company is not around.

12.

Breathe. Set aside at least 15 minutes for yourself when you don’t worry or work on anything. Take a walk, a bike ride, listen to music, go to the gym -anything that makes you feel good and helps your mind forget that there are a million things waiting for you to finish.

THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

19

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

The Diary of Anne Frank,

Daylight Savings Time Ends: Fall Back An Hour

Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa, 10:00 A.M.,

9

2

Sunday

5:30 P.M., Elkhart Environmental Center

Monthly Meditation Yoga,

Day

Housewife’s

10

3

Monday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Election Day: Don’t Forget To Vote!

11

4

11:00 A.M., Center for Outpatient Services, St. Joseph, MI

Breastfeeding Support Group,

12

8:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

The Diary of Anne Frank,

11:00 A.M., Center for Outpatient Services, St. Joseph, MI

Breastfeeding Support Group,

5

World

Kindness Day

5:00 P.M., The Morris Inn, Notre Dame

Fashion show

13

6

Shrek the Musical, 8:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

14

5:00 P.M.

Goshen First Fridays,

5:00 P.M.

DTSB First Fridays,

9:00 A.M., Indianapolis Convention Center

LEGO KidsFest,

7

– W.T. Purkiser

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.”

Tuesday

1:00 P.M., Bendix Woods County Park: Otahnagon Shelter

Tail Waggin Hayride,

8:00 A.M., Trinity Lutheran Church, Elkhart

Trinity Lutheran Christmas Bazaar,

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa,

15

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

The Diary of Anne Frank,

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa,

Indianapolis Convention Center

LEGO KidsFest, 9:00 A.M.,

8

1

Saturday

2014

november

Scan this QR Code to get connected to our online calendar at MichianaMom.com!

Want to check out even more things to do in Michiana?

2:00 P.M. South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,

3:00 P.M., The Lerner Theatre

Christopher’s Christmas,

30

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa,

23

2:00 P.M., Palais Royale

The Nutcracker Tea,

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa, 10:00 A.M.,

16

The Round Barn Theatre

The Diary of Anne Frank, 2:00 P.M.,

4:00 P.M., Elkhart Public Library

South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, 7:30 P.M.

11:00 A.M., Center for Outpatient Services, St. Joseph, MI

Breastfeeding Support Group,

3

11:00 A.M., Center for Outpatient Services, St. Joseph, MI

Breastfeeding Support Group,

26

11:00 A.M., Center for Outpatient Services, St. Joseph, MI

Breastfeeding Support Group,

19

FASHION SHOW

10:00 A.M., The Emporium Building

Bazaar Sundays in South Bend,

Cyber MondayShopping In Your PJ’s Is The Best!

Minute to Win It,

- Meister Eckhart

- Author Unknown

DEC 1

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.”

2

25

- W.T. Purkiser

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.”

18

“On Thanksgiving Day, all over America, families sit down to dinner at the same moment — halftime.”

24

World Peace Day

17

4

South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, 7:30 P.M.

6:00 P.M., Splash Photography

Lory’s Place Cookie Walk,

31 5

7:30 P.M. South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,

Get Your Shopping Boots On! It’s Black Friday!

28

8:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

21

6

South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, 7:30 P.M.

Camelot, 2:00 P.M., Morris Performing Arts Center

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa,

7:30 P.M. South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

10:00 A.M., Linton’s Enchanted Gardens

Free Pictures with Santa,

Free Pictures with Santa,

29

22

Bring your best gal pals and get your Sass on for the holidays!

The Morris Inn at Notre Dame

Thursday November 6th, 2014

7:30 P.M. South Bend Civic Theatre

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble, Gobble!

27

6:00 P.M., Better World Books, Goshen

Just for Teens (At the Bookstore!),

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

20

2:00 P.M., The Round Barn Theatre

Shrek the Musical,

9:00 A.M., St. Patrick’s County Park: Brown Barn

Pottery Made Easy,

FAMILY mommy & daddy

Dear Mom,

Recharge Your Battery By: Meagan Church

Dear Mom, Have you ever noticed how much motherhood is like a worn out Power Wheels Jeep? Just stick with me here….

When our oldest two were toddlers, we were gifted a second-hand, faded and a bit banged up motorized kid’s Jeep. But they didn’t care. In their eyes, it was the most incredible hand-me-down they had ever received. They drove it in circles in the backyard, giggling with delight, stopping only when the battery wore down and required recharging. Unfortunately that happened somewhat frequently because it had been well used and was losing its juice.

A few years passed, as did some of the enthusiasm towards the Jeep, along with more of its battery power. Last year when we stored it in the basement for the winter, we knew we would need to make a decision come spring: get a new battery or get rid of the Jeep.

In case you haven’t ever priced a Power Wheels battery, they aren’t exactly cheap. In fact, the Jeep without the battery was pretty much worth nothing. All the value lay in that gray box. A gray box that costs more than we’d typically spend on a backyard toy.

Spring eventually arrived, but we hadn’t reached a decision. The older two kids had nearly outgrown it, so it would only be for two-year-old Adelyn. Would it be worth the expense for just one child’s use? And so it sat in the basement as the summer days ticked away until early September when I decided to drag it up step after step and into the backyard. I plugged it in, hoping that it had miraculously healed over the months of collecting dust and cat hair. Unfortunately it had not. And so, it came time to make a decision to either buy the battery or drag it to the curb.

In a quest to simplify and de-clutter, I have had a tendency to get rid of things before the youngest has had a chance to get as much use and enjoyment of out them as the older two have. I wanted to do the same with the Jeep, but instead, I decided to spend the money.

As soon as we placed the battery into the Jeep, it revved to life. And Adelyn’s face lit up. She hopped into the driver’s seat and put the pedal to the plastic. The power jerked her back into the seat and she giggled with delight. She took off around the yard, narrowly avoiding trees and play equipment (mostly thanks to her siblings helping guide her).

Watching her spin those plastic tires and giggle her way around the yard, made me realize just how much joy can come from a fully charged battery. And it made me think of motherhood.

How often do we as moms operate on halfor barely-charged batteries? How often are we stressed out, over booked and exhausted before the day even begins? How often are we simply trying to rev our engines, but only operating at a snail’s pace because we haven’t recharged?

Let’s face it; in this always-on society, most of us operate that way on a daily basis. We’re constantly looking for the next caffeine boost to get us through the day.

We multi-task our way through a din of distractions, with a background melody of pings, notifications and calendar alerts. We know there has to be a better way to exist, but we’re too busy to figure out what it is.

We feel depleted and drained.

The holiday season is upon us. While it can be a beautiful time of the year, it can also be the most taxing and exhausting. If our batteries aren’t already drained, the season ahead is sure to deplete them. But if that Jeep has taught me anything, it’s that a fully charged battery has the power to bring joy and excitement, to revive even a faded hand-me-down.

So this season, find a way to recharge your battery. You make time for others, but don’t forget to intentionally build into your schedule ways to replenish yourself. Maybe that means meeting a friend for dinner or escaping into a bubble bath once a week.

Perhaps it’s a date night with your spouse, finding a good book to get lost in or hitting the drive thru for a pumpkin spice latte.

Watching Adelyn’s pure joy, I couldn’t help but feel a bit bad for not having gotten the battery sooner. After all, she had missed out on months of ideal driving conditions. Soon enough we’d have to drag it back into the basement for the winter. So, don’t wait any longer to recharge. Instead, put the pedal to the plastic and find that joy you’ve been missing.

“Intentionally build into your schedule ways to replenish yourself.”

It’s time to clean out your

closets in PREPARATION for the

Holidays!

Bring in your gently used clothing, toys and equipment & get cash on the spot!

WE ARE IN NEED OF: toys, girls holiday dresses, boys suits and sport jackets, girls and boys winter coats, snow pants, boots, highchairs, booster chairs, swings, pack ‘n plays, and bassinets.

Elkhart Rd., Goshen (Near Dunlap area,

by Walmart)

574.830.5332

Grape Rd., Mishawaka

(Located in Indian Ridge Plaza, Near Ashley Furniture)

574.247.1099

M-Sat 10am-8pm • Sun 12pm-6pm

www.OUAC.com THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

23

FAMILY mommy & daddy

The Cooking Challenges Of

Special Diets By: Jackie Folkert

Thanksgiving Dinner Made A Whole Lot Easier For Those With Food Allergies

T

his cooking challenge may sound like the premise for a Food Network reality show: devise a Thanksgiving dinner menu that accommodates gluten-free, nut-free and dairy-free guests while keeping in line with the grocery budget. Traditional dishes now appear complicated. Should you cook double the dishes to meet everyone’s needs? That’s too expensive, not to mention time consuming.

The good news is that cooks unfamiliar with these diets can tweak most of the classic Thanksgiving menu to feed all of their dinner guests. Simply substitute ingredients and try out a few new recipes. Most are fast, easy and inexpensive. So go ahead; meet the cooking challenge head on and have fun while doing it.

Call Before You Cook

Before you start drafting a menu, get details about your guests’ diet restrictions.

For example, gluten-free and wheat-free diets sound similar but are actually quite different. Ask your guests with food allergies what triggers their reactions (besides ingesting the allergen). You may need to keep the allergens out of proximity of your food prep area since some people are more sensitive than others. Your guests would prefer you ask them questions that seem to have an obvious answers than for you to cook with risky ingredients.

Liz Pielemeier is a mom and business owner in South Bend with a passion for cooking dairy-free, gluten-free and nut-free meals for her family. Her daughter is allergic to eggs and tree nuts; her son avoids dairy.

Pielemeier has ulcerative colitis, a condition she manages with a wheat-free and dairyfree lifestyle.

“I never expect people to tailor to my needs . . . I know I can always have salad and turkey.”

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THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

Attending a formal dinner requires preparation. She brings along her own dessert so she and her family can eat it. If the host asks beforehand, she is eager to share what works for their diets. She said that many hosts are hesitant to ask her about her allergy because they don’t know how to prepare a special meal.

with celiac disease. He said that a fruit tart is a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie.

(You can tackle pumpkin pie, but the recipe will require numerous pricey ingredients.)

He said to use gluten-free flour in the tart and to cook down the berries with sugar.

You don’t want your guests going home hungry. “Sometimes I get home and, oh-mygosh, I’m starving!” she said.

There’s no shame to using a mix to keep costs down. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix is simple and affordable. You can make a crust from scratch, but buying unfamiliar ingredients will put you on a pricey scavenger hunt.

The essence of hospitality is considering your guests‘ comfort. A diet-friendly menu says go ahead and indulge—I had you on my mind while I was cooking.

Keep It Simple

Your menu doesn’t need to be elaborate.

This isn’t the time to attempt a five-layer cake decked out in fondant. Chris Lambers, managing partner at Bonefish Grill in Mishawaka, recommended keeping your dishes simple and fresh. The restaurant chain has been serving gluten-free dishes for 14 years to meet the needs of their guests

“It’s easy and painless,” he said.

Trading one ingredient for another works well if do your research—especially for baking. Lambers said substituting just one ingredient can change a dough from light and flaky to soft and chewy. If you aren’t comfortable with your choice of ingredients, bypass the guessing game by buying glutenfree pie crusts and rolls.

But don’t put too much pressure on yourself to select the perfect ingredients when you cook.

“There’s a million different ways to make [the dishes] taste good and many times you don’t know that it’s different,” Pielemeier said.

She substitutes coconut oil for butter when she is cooking and baking. You can find it in the baking aisle by the shortening and cooking oils.

It doesn’t cost much more than butter.

Stuffing is full of gluten and dairy, so overhaul this recipe completely. Pielemeier cubes Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread and drizzles it with olive oil, but otherwise her stuffing recipe looks much like the traditional version.

She gets a deal on her ingredients by buying them from Amazon.com, or stocks up at Whole Foods Market, but local grocery stores such as Meijer carry most of her ingredients.

If only cornbread stuffing will suffice, check out the recipe on the Whole Foods Market web site. The recipe only calls for one ingredient that may not be a staple in your pantry already: soy or rice milk.

Special Offer!

25FOR DAYS $25 Includes Gift Wrapped Uniform!

New students only.

May not be used with any other offer. Valid through December 31, 2014.

Enjoy A Cooking Rehearsal

Practicing an entire Thanksgiving meal is impractical but giving one new recipe a whirl isn’t. If you want to wow your guests but feel nervous about serving a rookie dish, make it the week before and use your kids as taste testers. Gluten-free and dairy-free mashed potatoes serve up nicely for a weeknight meal. Even better, it’s a comfort food that stretches to feed a crowd.

Pielemeier’s mashed potatoes recipe replaces the milk and butter with chicken broth and coconut oil. For extra flavor, she throws in garlic along with the salt and pepper. If you don’t like the taste of coconut oil, try the vegan butter by Earth Balance.

“People would have no idea that I switched out the milk,” she said.

For some families, gratins are the star, not mashed potatoes. Sliced red potatoes tossed with olive oil and spices become a tasty substitute for the cheesy gratins.

Don’t let the challenge to cook without dairy, gluten and nuts yank you by the apron strings. Have fun making a meal that your all of your family and friends will enjoy.

Space is Limited!

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STAR MARTIAL ARTS (574) 277-KICK 5776-48 Grape Rd. Mishawaka

(574) 522-KICK 123 Elkhart Ave. Elkhart

WWW.STARTKD.COM THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

25

FAMILY mommy & daddy

By: Lara West

Product Testing: Makeup Remover Wipes

I

remember when my mother gave me my first lesson in makeup removal. She handed me my own tub of cold cream right after she taught me the basics of applying makeup, and I, an eleven year old, felt like an adult at that moment. Almost twenty years later, I’m still satisfied with the cold cream but I have found that makeup remover wipes to be more convenient on the road. Since I’ve been traveling a lot more, I’m sharing the results of my makeup remover wipes test.

For this test, I visited the local drugstore to choose three different brands of facial wipes to put against each other to see which is worthy of its price tag. One is a popular commercial brand, one is a popular “natural” brand and the other one is the private (or store) label.

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FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

Below are the

results: Foundation/Concealer: When used to remove foundation and concealer, each of the three products worked equally well. They all successfully completed the removal in about the same length of time and with an equal amount of pressure against my skin.

Eye Wear: Eye shadow was removed by all three wipes with no problem, but there was only one brand that could handle the heavy task of removing mascara- and that is the more expensive commercial brand. The lessexpensive store brand wipes started to phase the mascara with some scrubbing, rubbing and pinching, but the results were not desirable. No amount of (reasonable) elbow grease helped the “natural” brand remove more than a few specks of mascara.

Lipstick: The 8-hour lipstick proved too tough for the “natural” brand wipes, but they did better than the store brand. The popular commercial brand wipes once again proved victorious in this showdown. When used with a regular wear lipstick, all three wipes smeared the color around, but only the commercial brand was able to successfully remove all the lipstick. The other two removers were comparable to each other.

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Recommendations: The commercial brand left my skin slightly oily, but feeling clean.

Both of the other brands dried/absorbed in seconds, and left my skin feeling dry. All three areas of this test were dominated by the more expensive commercial brand. Based on the results, I’m not saving a penny when buying makeup remover wipes, because the popular commercial removers win this face-off.

574-534-1521 1-800-635-0963 • www.mennotrav.com

THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2014

27

FAMILY recipe

Ingredients

Directions

•

2 (8 ounce) Packages Cream Cheese, softened

•

1/2 Cup White Sugar

•

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Then, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove one cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.

•

2 Eggs

•

1 (9 inch) Prepared Graham Cracker Crust

•

1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree

•

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

•

Pinch Ground Cloves

•

Pinch Ground Nutmeg

•

1/2 Cup Frozen Whipped Topping

28

THE

FAMILY MAGAZINE | November 2014

2. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Spread over the batter onto the crust.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until center is almost set.

Allow to cool and refrigerate for at least three hours. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

Southold Dance Theater presents

2014

2014

Southold Dance Theater

Join us this holiday season for a remarkable experience that your little ones will

T

love!

his timeless holiday classic returns to thrill and enchant audiences of all ages. Delightful sets and costuming

will enhance your travels with Clara as you watch her Nutcracker come to life, see her Christmas tree grow and travel with her to the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy. From dancing soldiers to pirouetting snowflakes, it's a treat for the whole family!

Saturday, December 13th 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm Sunday, December 14th 2:00 pm For ticket information call 574-235-9190 To purchase tickets online please visit

www.morriscenter.org

30 Southold Dance Theater |

The Nutcracker ďƒŽ December 13th & 14th At the Morris Performing Arts Center

| Southold

Dance Theater

31

2014

Southold Dance Theater

Help the ballerina!

Help her find her way through the maze to the dance studio!

Enter

Exit

32 Southold Dance Theater |

About

Southold Dance Theater

S

outhold Dance Theater (SDT) is a regional training company dedicated to dance excellence.

SDT is the only dance organization in the region to offer a pre-professional track of study for the serious dance student. Under the direction of the professional staff, dancers strive to achieve mastery of technique and performance. Many dancers successfully audition for some of the nation's most prestigious dance institutions.

Several have gone on to professional dance careers. As the resident dance company at the Morris Performing Arts Center, Southold enriches its audience with high standards of performance. Southold provides a rigorous training and rehearsal schedule, as well as a dedication to the art of stagecraft, that bring the art form to life.

“Southold Dance Theatre is the only dance organization in the region to offer a pre-professional track of study for the serious dance student.�

The training program is enhanced additionally by working side by side with professional dancers both in the studio and on the stage. From the classics of the ballet repertoire to provocative works in modern dance, Southold Dance Theater is committed to presenting high quality performances that inspire and awe its audiences. Public performances attract audiences of more than 7,000 annually while more than 13,000 area school children enjoy the Youth Concert programs. The enchanting classic, The Nutcracker Ballet, is a favorite mainstay of the holiday season. Southold's production has featured live orchestration by the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, guest artists, custom designed scenery and costumes, and a cast of hundreds. The spring program ranges from the classic story ballets like Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppelia and Cinderella to new works by resident and guest choreographers.

Southold Dance Theater (SDT) is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, and is funded in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County through the Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, with funds from the Indiana General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

| Southold

Dance Theater

33

2014

Southold Dance Theater

The Story Behind the Story

Did you know that no two versions of the ballet the Nutcracker are exactly alike? Through its history, it has changed so many times that there’s no single “original” version. Every ballet company that performs it – including Southold Dance Theater – has its own Nutcracker with its own special touches. But behind them all is the same story…

The Nutcracker is one of the most-loved ballets of all time. It’s become a Christmas tradition throughout much of the world.

Many people grow up seeing it every year, and many young dance students dream of being part of a Nutcracker production.

It’s no wonder the ballet is so popular — it’s got fun music, beautiful costumes, wonderful dancing, and a story that combines fantasy, sweets, a magical land, princes, fairies, and Christmas. But did you know — it wasn’t always so popular? It actually started out looking much, much different.

“No two versions of the ballet the Nutcracker are exactly alike!”

The Nutcracker was created nearly two hundred years ago as a story called The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, written in 1816 by a German author named E.T.A. Hoffman. In the 1890s, the director of the Russian Imperial Ballet decided to stage a ballet based on telling of the Nutcracker story. His chief choreographer, Marius Petipa, asked the famous composer Peter Tchaikovsky to write music for the scenes that he developed. Petipa became ill, so his assistant, Lev Ivanov, developed the choreography for that First ballet version of the Nutcracker. The ballet premiered at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theater in 1892. When the ballet premiered, some people considered it a failure! They thought the most of the choreography was too simple and that it didn’t give the ballerina enough opportunity to show off her skills.

For the next several decades, the ballet was performed in different versions and even under different titles, but it was never very popular. It wasn’t until 1944 that the first production of the Nutcracker in the United States was staged by Willam Christensen for the San Francisco Ballet. This time, the ballet was a huge success, and became so popular that audiences demanded the performance every year since. This how the Nutcracker tradition began.

Through the years, ballet companies worldwide have adopted the Nutcracker as a permanent feature in their repertory. People love Tchaikovsky’s music, and it is a perfect Christmas story. Because it has become so special to audiences, many choreographers and ballet companies now stage their own versions of the ballet.

34 Southold Dance Theater |

Erica Fischbach

Artistic Director, Erica Fischbach, came to South Bend after a 20 year professional ballet career with the American Ballet Theatre and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Ms. Fischbach is an American Ballet Theatre Curriculum certified teacher as well as a certified Gyrotonic instructor.

During her first months as a professional dancer, Ms. Fischbach had the privilege of dancing Balanchine ballets as a principal under the direction of Edward Villella. She then moved to Pacific Northwest Ballet where she quickly rose to soloist rank.

After nine years with PNB, Ms. Fischbach took two years away from company life to freelance as a guest artist, as well as teach ballet, pilates, and Gyrotonic based classes. In 1996 she was invited to join the American Ballet Theatre, where she danced until 2005. Ms. Fischbach has been featured in several “Dance in America” films, the PNB “Nutcracker”, and “Center Stage”.

Ms. Fischbach began teaching at Southold in 2008, and in December 2008, she was named Artistic Director. Under Ms. Fischbach’s direction, Southold has become a prominent presence at the prestigious international Youth America Grand Prix competition. Since 2009, the Southold Youth Company dancers have won top placements in the classical and contemporary soloist divisions as well as the ensemble division. In 2013, YAGP honored Ms. Fischbach with the “Outstanding Teacher” award. In addition to directing Southold’s school, youth company, and world-class summer intensives, Ms. Fischbach is on the faculty of the ABT summer intensives.

Ms. Fischbach is thrilled to have the opportunity to share her experience with the wonderful Michiana community. She is energized

by South Bend’s giving families, and is finding the balance between directing Southold, guest teaching nationally, and raising her beautiful daughter Fiona Rose.

Spot the Difference There are 10 differences between the two pictures.

Can you find them all?

| Southold

Dance Theater

35

Southold Dance Theater is Thrilled to Present the Return of

Holiday2014 Walk Sunday, November 23rd, 2014 12 Noon - 5pm

The elegant and timeless Miami-Ridgedale southeast area of South Bend serves as our beautiful backdrop to the fabulous homes on the returning Holiday Walk tradition, presented by Southold Dance Theater. Nestled in the charming hills and knolls between Twyckenham and Miami, five beautiful homes including rich historical design and character from The Studebaker Family as well as Frank Lloyd Wright, are open for you to tour on Sunday, November 23rd, 2014.

Tickets are available for purchase in advance for $12 by calling Southold Dance Theater at 574/233-9841 or by visiting www.southolddance.org. Tickets are also available on the day of the event for $15 at the Holiday Walk Headquarters, and also House #1 of the Ridgedale tour, located at 1137 E. Woodside Street in South Bend.

Enjoy a Rich Holiday Tradition ... with Holiday Walk & Southold Dance Theater

FAMILY book reviews

Born Reading:

Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age From Picture Books to eBooks and Everything in Between

By Jason Boog Reviewed By: Margo Ferguson, Young Adult Librarian Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library “The fire of literacy is created by the emotional sparks between a child, a book and the person reading. It isn’t achieved by the book alone, nor by the child alone, nor by the adult whose reading aloud— is it the relationship winding between all three, bringing them together in easy harmony.” – Mem Fox, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever.

Like Mem Fox, Jason Boog is a strong advocate of early literacy. Born Reading: Bringing Up Bookworms in a Digital Age shares many wonderful ideas to instill the love of reading into young children while embracing the benefits of technology in this grand endeavor. In this common sense volume, the author shares insight in how to utilize all kinds of educational mediums to interest children in the printed word.

The book is organized into chapters by the age of the child beginning with ideas for your yet-to-be-born child. Boog not only uses his years of experience in the field of literacy, but also his real-life experiences as a father to provide encouragement and guidance as you navigate through the process. The chapters continue through childhood to age 5, concluding with a Beyond section.

Boog also discusses How Born Readers Can Thrive with Common Core Standards. While Indiana has decided to forego the use of Common Core, his discussion could easily be adapted for any such standards. The book ends with a reading list, app list and a bibliography – all of which are current sources for further information.

What makes this book stand out is the information and useful advice involving all types of technology. Boog writes about what children are using, and how they observe technology in the lives of their parents. Boog discusses the benefits of iPhones, iPads and other tablets while also outlining the wide variety of literacy-based apps. The author goes on to share useful information concerning the evolution of eBooks. Overall, the main message is that technology can be an additional tool to emphasize how reading can be fun.

Born Reading offers a huge amount of advice and practical examples to assist a parent to instill a love of reading in their child.

FAMILY student book reviews

The Fault in Our Stars

By John Green

Reviewed By: Skyler Leach

The Fault In Our Stars was written by John Green. John Green was born August 24, 1997. Green has written many books such as, Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherine’s, Paper Towns and The Fault In Our Stars. The Fault in Our Stars has been a hit in the adult/teen category and has won many prizes including, #1 New York Times bestseller, #1 Wall Street Journal best seller, #9 The Bookseller (UK) best seller, #1 Indiebound bestseller and the New York Times Book Review Editors Choice.

The Fault in Our Stars is a fictional book about a teenage girl named Hazel Grace Lancaster. Hazel has never been anything but fatal. She suffers from terminal cancer that has spread from her thyroid. As she is going to a Cancer Kid Support Group, she runs in to a handsome boy named Augustus Waters. Augustus had cancer in his leg, had to have it amputated and is now supposed to be in remission. As time goes on Augustus and Hazel get very close. Another character is Augustus’ friend, Isaac, who has a rare form of eye cancer and goes blind.

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Throughout this book, Isaac, Hazel and Augustus go through the best and the worst times. The reader gets a look into the life of cancer-stricken teenagers and the stress they endure.

Hazel and Augustus are brought together by sad circumstances, but find happiness together. But, it doesn’t stay that way.

All is happy until the best takes a turn for the worst.

I find The Fault in our Stars a very spectacular book that gives life a different meaning and puts situations in to a different point of view. I would say The Fault in our Stars is a must read book, and everyone should read it.

FAMILY craft

Leaf Candle

By: Jill Lebbin

Materials:

• Pillar Candle • Iron • Leaf • Wax Paper

Instructions: 1. Pick a leaf from your yard.

2. Take the leaf and put it between wax paper. Then iron on a low setting.

3. Take the leaf out of the wax paper and it should be nice and flattened with a waxy texture.

4. Place the leaf on the pillar candle and iron it, again, using a low setting.

The iron will melt the candle. Do not leave the iron in spot for too long; slowly move the iron around the leaf.

5. Carefully use your finger to move melted wax on top of leaf. *When doing this craft please be careful not to burn yourself with the iron.

Use a low setting.

Photo: Jill Lebbin

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