Kid Connect Jan/Feb 2014 by Shawn Cox

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Celebrate Valentine’s Day: Pinterest Style pg 12 Date Night: 74 ideas to get you back on track in your relationship pg 26

January/February 2014

Calendar Highlights

For the LOVE of the S.P.O.R.T. Why Gymnastics could be the best move you’ve ever made

How to Help Teens Tackle New Year’s Resolutions pg 9

Disney LIVE!, Winterfest, Smores Roast, Snoeshoe Hikes, Parenting Seminar, Child & Babysitting Safety Course, Barvarian Ice Fest, Financial Peace University, Cirque Ziva, January/February 2014 1 Garry Krinsky: Toying With Science, Marriage Reawakening

509 - 667-1538 SPORTGYMNASTICS.COM 10 S COLUMBIA ST SUITE 100, WENATCHEE, WA 98801 2

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Music Classes for Children Ages Birth-7 Make music an exciting part of your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. Enroll today in one of our research-based, fun-filled music and movement classes. Explore musical play, child-friendly instruments, songbooks and CDs that you use at home.

JOIN ONE OF OUR CLASSES TODAY!

Classes offered: Parent/Child Classes for children ages 0-5 and the adult that loves them. Big Kids Classes for children ages 5-7. To learn more about the classes offered or how to attend a FREE sample class visit www.fruittonesstudio.com or call 509-663-2276

January/February 2014

Volume 2, Issue 4 January/February 2014 www.ncwkidconnect.com Kid Connect PO BOX 347 Cashmere, WA 98815

Owner: Nikki Cox

(509) 834-8977 nikki@ncwkidconnect.com

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Wenatchee Academic Toolbox Apple Valley Gymnastics Caffe Mela Gold’s Gym Library Performing Arts Center Safeway Smitty’s SPORT Gymnastics Spring Lotus Wok About Grill Cashmere Aplets and Cotlets Brian’s Pizza Library Martin’s Marketplace Snapdragon Coffee Leavenworth Froyo Earth Good Mood Food Library Safeway Smallwood’s Harvest

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If you have a kid picture you would like to see in the next issue, please email it to kidpics@ncwkidconnect.com and include the child’s name. East Wenatchee Fred Meyer Gold’s Gym Library Sweet Spot Upper Eastside Coffee

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Nikki’s NotE Nikki and her youngest daughter Lexi, 13 months.

Finding Hope in New Beginnings

I don’t know what your year of 2013 has looked like for you. Maybe it was the best year ever. Maybe it was the worst year ever. Or maybe you are like me, and can’t remember too much of it because it just went by too darn quick! Have you seen the Wal-Mart commercial about keeping your kids little? I will admit that I am no fan of Wal-Mart, or of commercials -but this commercial gets me every time! Is there ever a more crucial time to have a “pause” button than when your children are young? No matter what your year held for you, I am sure you had some notso-great moments. Whether that be in losing a loved one, an unexpected diagnosis, a big move, a lost job... or even a broken bone or a bad day when you screamed at your kids. But the best part about Januarys are that they offer a new beginning. Another year and another chance. Does that mean that this will be the year with no lost loved ones, perfect health and great success? Absolutely not. But what it is, is another chance for us to remember the good. Something my family is doing this year is putting a jar on the counter with a stack of scratch paper beside it. Whenever someone says something funny or memorable, we will write it down and stick it in the jar. When someone acheives a great accomplishment or milestone, we will jot it down and throw it in. This way, at the end of the year 2014, we will read the slip of paper and we will remember the good. Those precious moments and memories that too easily slip through our fingers. You are welcome to join us in this new tradition as well with your own family. My prayer for you is that this is the year you find hope. That you discover the gem you are and who’s gem you are. If you can’t remember anything but the bad from the last year, look up. God has forgotten and forgiven and is full of grace and new beginnings. Here’s to you and your family this year!

ikki

W hat ’ s I nside ?

In This Issue

Use Thank You Note Writing to Instill a Lifelong Attitude of Gratitude.

How To Help Teens Tackle New Years Resolutions

12 Celebrate Valentine’s

Day: Pinterest Style

26 Date Night: 74 ideas for

32 This Mom Got Fit 25 Calendar of Events 50 Take 5 Devotional

For the Love of the S.P.O.R.T.: Why Gymnastics could be the best thing you do for your child

Pregnancy and Postpartum

Meet The Family: The Cox Family

23 Exercise During

you and your date

Aim For Love

January/February 2014

Support Our Sponsors! Shop Local, and tell them Kid Connect sent you!

02 Wenatchcee

Pediatric Dentistry

02 SPORT Gymnastics 03 Fruit Tones Studio 03 Performing Arts Center: Garry Krisnky, Toying With Science

Sandi Haustein

Kristin Effland

To Our Contributors:

Thank You!

22 SPORT Gymnastics 42 Sportsplex: FireTots

43 NCW Digital 44 St. Paul’s Lutheran School and Childcare

45 Tutoring with Cindy 46 Wok About Grill 46 Columbia Grove Covenant Church

47 The Wok About 48 Faith Lutheran Prechool

47 Academic Toolbox 40 Dr. Cara’s 6

Children’s Dentistry www.ncwkidconnect.com

Heidi Smith Luedtke

Christina Katz

Who’s On The Cover? On our January/February 2014 is Kaylee Coble (left) and Emily Brault (right). They are both eleven years old and both are a part of the Excel Platnium team at S.P.O.R.T. Gymnastics. They are some pretty talented young ladies!

Use Thank-you Note Writing To Instill A Lifelong Attitude Of Gratitude By: Christina Katz

eaching kids to express gratitude doesn’t have to end in tears or tantrums, if you approach the task with an upbeat, playful attitude yourself. Teach your kids to think of gratitude as “thankyou time,” instead of attaching too much anxiety to the task of writing a simple note. Using a simple, relaxed approach, you can teach your kids valuable lessons about appreciation that will last a lifetime.

SOMEBODY LOVES YOU. Start

by reminding your child that needing to write a thank-you note is wonderful in the first place because it means someone loves you enough to give you a gift. Who wouldn’t want to say thank you when you put it like that?

LET PRESCHOOLERS SCRIBBLE. Use blank cards

and envelopes to get very young children involved in the thank-you note process. Explain what you are creating in a cheery tone, and you will set a great precedent for fun, colorful thank-you notes down the road.

FORGET TIME-PRESSURE.

Chillax. Writing thank-you notes is not a race or a competition. The more pressure you apply to grateful actions, the more angst you instill in the task. If your mother insisted you write your notes within twenty-four hours doesn’t mean that’s the only way. Let the kids write the thankyou notes when you can find some thoughtful, downtime to get the job done well, rather than feeling rushed.

KEEP A GIFT LIST. This is key at a

busy party or event. Keep a clipboard handy where you mark down who to thank and why. If someone gives a gift, describe the gift with a few details. But don’t stop there. If someone does a good deed, jot down a few words about the person and the deed. This clipboard becomes your go-to source for a regular thank-you note practice.

KEEP CARDS AT THE READY.

Purchase a greeting-card sorter so you can keep track of all types of cards, including blank cards and homemade cards. Let kids choose the card design they prefer or let them create their own. *continued on page 8

January/February 2014

Gratitude Teach Graciousness On An Ongoing Basis Thank-you notes are not just for family. Make sure the folks who support your child occasionally make it onto their thank-you list. Consider adding: •Classroom teachers •Extra-curricular teachers •Coaches •Group leaders •Elderly relatives •Good neighbors •Babysitters •Tutors or big buddies •Volunteers who work with your child •Anyone who goes above and beyond for your child Author Christina Katz keeps a list of people she feels grateful towards as part of her gratitude practice. Her latest book is The Writer’s Workout from Writer’s Digest Books.

ALSO PROVIDE ADDRESS TEMPLATES. Very young children

HAVE SPECIAL THANK-YOU TOOLS. Create a thank-you note kit

with special supplies just for thankyou note writing to make the process more fun. Here’s what to put in yours:

will need to have their thank-you notes addressed for them. Once kids are old enough to write, create an address template for them to follow, including the return address, address, and where the stamp goes. Teach them to add, “Please do not bend,” when sending photos and to use extra postage for notes with extra added.

•Pens or markers—think glitter or calligraphy •Stickers or even envelope sealing wax •Special thank-you-note stamps

PROVIDE WRITING TEMPLATES. Neatly handwrite or

type up age-appropriate templates for your child to follow when writing thank-you notes until your child learns what is typically is included by heart. Be sure to include: 1. A greeting 2. A thank-you for the gift or gesture 3. What the recipient likes most 4. Tell the giver you hope to see them soon 5. Say “thanks again” 6. Close on an upbeat note

ENCOURAGE SELFEXPRESSION. Teach your children

that thank-you notes are a form of self-expression. Add drawings of the gift or gifts, photos of the opening of the gift, photos of the gift in action, photo of your child with the gift-giver, a drawing of the child with the giftgiver. See what ideas your child can come up with and let them use their unique talents and work with what you’ve got on hand.

2-4-6-8, LOOK FOR FOLKS TO APPRECIATE! Don’t merely

write thank-you notes for gifts. If someone’s good deed impacts your child, ask if that person should go on the gratitude list. In this way, note writing becomes a celebratory habit, not merely a task to dread after gifts have been received.

In a Pinch: Digital Thank-you Notes Are Fine Sometimes you just can’t sit down together and create that special gratitudeimbued context with your child or kids. In which case, turn to digital thank-you notes to get the job done. And don’t be hard on yourself. You’ll send the snail mail card next time, when you are less stressed. Jacquie Lawson: www.jacquielawson.com Egreetings: www.egreetings.com JibJab: www.jibjab.com Punchbowl.com: www.punchbowl.com

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he opportunity to reinvent yourself in the New Year isn’t lost on tweens and teens; many young people seek self-improvement this time of year.

Consistent with their sky’sthe-limit approach to life, teens’ goals may be expressed in grandiose terms. Don’t try to talk your teen down. Audacious ambitions – like getting straight A’s or saving enough for a car – are achievable little-by-little. “The biggest challenge to behavior change is the teen’s own internal ambivalence,” says Beverly Hills, Calif., psychotherapist Fran Walfish, PsyD. Kids need to know parents believe in them, especially when they’re not feeling self-confident. Tweens and teens won’t change unless they are personally motivated, says Walfish. So, consider yourself a consultant. Read on to learn how to help your teen tackle four common selfimprovement goals. With this consulting-skills tune up, you’ll rock the role.

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January/February 2014

Losing Weight

“Record keeping makes teens aware of mindless purchases and reveals opportunities for improvement.”

Television reality shows highlight fast and furious weight loss. “Teens should aim for a gradual 10 percent loss of bodyweight,” says Keith Ayoob, Ed.D., RD, Director of the Nutrition Clinic at the Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY. That amount lowers the health risks of obesity. If your teen wants to lose 25 pounds or more, encourage him to take the long view. One pound per week adds up to more than 50 pounds in a year. Support your teen by ensuring everyone is on board. If siblings or grandparents sabotage teens’ efforts to change, intentionally or unintentionally, you should intervene. “Teens who need to be comforted may swallow their feelings, both literally and metaphorically,” says Ayoob. Parents should examine their own attitudes, too. “It is hard for kids to understand that weight loss isn’t a cosmetic issue, it’s a health issue,” says Ayoob. “Teens are loaded with insecurity under the best of circumstances. Highlighting cosmetic benefits of weight loss – or saying ‘You’ll be so pretty when you’re thin’ – only triggers low selfesteem and self-doubt.”

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Stock up on healthy breakfast foods, like whole grain cereal, fruit, skim milk, and proteinpacked Greek yogurt. Support whatever kinds of physical activity appeal to your teen; team sports and high-impact exercise aren’t necessary. Ultimately, “kids are in control of their own bodies,” says Walfish. Be careful not to claim control.

Saving Money Teens who want to save money should start with the end in mind, then plan backwards, says Mandy Williams (a.k.a. “Black”), money skills educator and co-author of What I Learned about Life When My Husband Got Fired. Once your teen chooses a big, round figure, help her break it down into weekly savings goals. Saving $20 per week from her allowance and $40 per week from babysitting, adds up to $260 per month. “Having realistic interim goals sets teens up for success rather than failure,” says Williams. Coffee at Starbucks and a couple of new apps for her iPhone can easily bust your teen’s budget. Record keeping makes teens aware of mindless purchases and reveals opportunities for improvement. Williams created “Green

Sheets” (available online at www. redandblackbooks.com) to help high school students in the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) track spending. “Students were surprised by what they learned about themselves,” says Williams, “and many continued to track expenditures after the class ended.” Similar strategies work to curb snacking, wasted time, and other thoughtless behavior.

Earn Good Grades If your teen expresses a commitment to “getting better grades,” ask “What does ‘getting better grades’ mean to you?” says Jennifer Little, PhD, an educational psychologist in North Bend, Ore. Kids often lack the ability to identify areas for improvement, Little says, so parents can help by facilitating the problem-solving process. That means asking lots of questions, like “Do you understand the lectures in class?” “Are you caught up on all your assignments?” and “What resources do you need to get organized?”

Kids who struggle with math may not realize that their problems are due to poor language comprehension, says Little. Students may procrastinate on a project because they can’t remember the steps: collect information, organize an outline, write a draft. “Scaffolding that teachers provide for elementary school students disappears in high school and teens have to remember these steps on their own or else flounder,” says Little. Help your teen to break assignments into steps and create a work schedule. This will reveal obstacles and needed resources.

Overcome Social Anxiety “If both you and your teen have a shy temperament, you’ll understand your child’s challenges,” says Walfish. If you’re an extrovert, it may be harder to empathize. Overcoming social anxiety is excruciating for shy kids, Walfish says, so parents need to be patient and compassionate. Offer to

practice role-playing anxiety-provoking situations with your teen, like asking someone out on a date or speaking in front of the class. Be a loving, nonjudgmental audience. Joining or creating social groups that focus on shared interests is a good way to expand one’s social circle, says Walfish. Allow your teen to host a small group outing or gettogether. Home turf can increase kids’ confidence. Volunteer opportunities are also excellent social-skills builders. **These behavior changes aren’t easy, and teens should make plans for getting back on track after upsets. When you talk about struggles, match your teen’s tone of voice and mood. Mirroring kids’ feelings shows understanding and compassion. “Help your child see that setbacks, letdowns, and disappointments are only temporary,” says Walfish. “That is one of life’s golden lessons.”

January/February 2014

Celebrate Valentine’s Day

~Pinterest Style~

Valentin’es Day

By: Nikki Cox

Whether you are a pinterest user or not, surely you have heard the term. I fought if for the longest time before I finally caved and brought myself to dive into the “pinterest” world. (www.pinterest.com) And I never left. It has an easy way of consuming your time and sucking you in to the land of “ideals” and “if onlys” and “maybe some day”’s. I know plenty of people who have a wedding board who don’t have a boyfriend, people with a “kids” board when they don’t have kids. It’s that powerful. In fact, some may look at my own boards and wonder why I have a ‘teaching’ board when I am not a teacher, or a ‘single moms’ board when I am happily married. Well, just because I do. That’s all. Pinterest really is a world of it’s own and I often wonder if anyone else ever follows through with things they have pinned to their boards or if I am the only one who has wishful thinking? It is a layout of what “perfect” may look like in every aspect and category of your life that you could possibly imagine. However, there are plenty of things on my boards that I wish I had time to do and some I actually DO follow through with. For now, I thought I would let you in on a glimpse of my Valentine’s Day board. Some I have actually done, some I will try this year and others, well, honestly, I will probably never try them but like to admire them. For even more inspiration, follow Kid Connect on pinterest! We have much more than a Valentine’s Day board! Enjoy!

Candy i-pod

What you’ll need

Tape, Glue Stick 2 (14-inch) pieces of string 2 mini peanut butter cups 1 (1-ounce) box of conversation hearts 2 (4-inch) circles of aluminum foil 4- by 7-inch strip of pink paper Sheet of white paper or printable scroll wheel and playlist (Found at spoonful.com/crafts/ rock-candy) Directions

Tape each end of a piece of string to a peanut butter cup. Tie on the other piece of string as shown, then tape the loose end to the candy box. Wrap each peanut butter cup in a circle of aluminum foil. Wrap the pink paper strip around the candy box and secure it with a glue stick. Cut paper shapes and write text for the scroll wheel and playlist (or download and print), and use a glue stick to attach them to the box. Write a valentine message on the back

Marshmallow Suckers

Dip large marshmallows into melted candy melts then dip into sprinkles. My kids had so much fun doing this one!

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Fun Valentines Valentine’s can be so much fun and so simple! A bottle of orange juice with a personalized wrap around it and a fun pun, or a play on words attached to your favorite candy. The possibilities are endless, but if you are feeling a bit uninspired this season, like I usually am, have no fear! These are just a couple of ideas to get you started! Turn the page and you will soon not be able to decide

which one you want to convince your kiddos to take on this year. And if you are sugared out from all the candy the fall/winter holidays bring, there are several non-sugary options as well! But beware... you may end up passing valentines out to complete strangers because you will want to make them all! Or you could just do a “14 days of Love” for your kiddos (or spouse!) and use them all that way!

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I love You craft This fun craft is easy and such a cute way to tell grandparents and parents how much they love them. And bonus: looking back on how tiny those hands used to be is always a treasured moment.

Easy peasy! Cut strawberries in quarters, secure with a toothpick, dip in melted chocolate candies, place on wax paper to dry, removing the toothpicks before chocolate hardens. Drizzle with red frosting.

Chocolate Strawberries

Ingredients

5 oz white chocolate or white vanilla candy melts

5 oz red candy melts (Found in craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby) 5 cups rice chex cereal, divided in 2 parts 1/2 cup strawberry cake mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar M&Ms

Instructions

I made this with my kids. Delicious! Seriously, addicting.

1. Put 2 1/2 cups rice chex cereal into a medium sized bowl. 2. Slowly melt white chocolate in the microwave, stopping it every 30 seconds or so to make sure it doesn’t burn.

3. Add melted white chocolate to chex cereal and lightly stir to coat evenly. Be careful to not break the chex cereal too much.

4. Add the powdered sugar to the white chocolate covered chex cereal and lightly stir to coat evenly with powdered sugar. You could add the chex cereal and powdered sugar to a ziplock bag, then shake, but save yourself the bag. 5. Repeat the same process with the red candy melts and strawberry cake mix (instead of the powdered sugar). 6. Allow to dry completely and then combine the two kinds of puppy chow together and add M&Ms.

Valentine’s Puppy Chow Fruit Skewers

Simply use a heart cookie cutter to cut fun shapes out of fruit. Slide onto a skewer and enjoy!

Crafts. Treats. Gifts. Long-Distance Hug

Pretzel candies

I did this with the girls last year for all the grandparents, since they live out of town. It was a fun project for the girls, both to make and to mail. And my mom has told me on several occasions how much she loves it. It will also be fun to look back and have the size of their hands to see how little they were. They grow too quickly, don’t they? The ribbon between the hands is the actual length of their armspan. So fun!

Wall Candy These wooden hearts can be found at a hobby/craft store. Paint, use letter decals (or paint if you have good writing!), glue the ribbon on and enjoy!

Gift Card

This is the perfect gift for teachers, friends, and wives (hint, hint). Such a cute and simple way to put a valentine twist on something so simple! And a simple $5 card is plenty. A free coffee is always apprecitated!

January/February 2014

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Resources used & Credit given to: www.pinterest.com www.spoonful.com www.meckmom.com www.designfinch.com www.skiptomylou.org www.lifeloveandsugar.com www.makinglifewhimsical.com

January/February 2014

Meet The Family

the Cox’s The Cox Family is….. Me! Yes, I thought maybe I would let you in on an inside view of my family this issue. My husband, Shawn, and I have been married for over six years and have been together for almost ten years. I (Nikki) grew up in a small town, Moxee, just east of Yakima. Shawn was born here in Wenatchee and grew up in Marysville, WA. We met in Bellingham while both working at Home Depot and moved back to Moxee. We moved to Wenatchee almost three years ago (yikes! already?) and we have three amazing daughters, KaeLee, almost 5, Hannah, almost 4, and Lexi, 13 months. We also have a son, Jordan, in Heaven, who we lost two years ago this January. We have a house full of pink and purple and despite what you may think, my husband loves it! Does he long to cheer on the Seahawks with his son, build model airplanes and play video games—of course! But for now, he is happy playing dolls, dress up and painting toe nails. And I love watching it! We moved to Wenatchee to lease Shawn’s Grandpa’s orchards. Far from what either of us went to school for or thought we would ever be doing. I went to school for dietetics and Shawn was an engineer for an injection molding company in Yakima. But we are happy farmers now and we love having the opportunity to spend more time with our kiddos in these precious young ages that they are. Staying home all day with my babies was a harder challenge than I thought it would be and I was itching to work. I saw the need for a place where all the family activities going on around town could be in one spot instead of searching for them through a multitude resources. So I started Kid Connect. I am happy to bring this service to Wenatchee as long as the community allows it.

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When I was little, I dreamed about being: Mom: A Speech Pathologist Dad: An Astronaut.

it’s nice to tag Nikki and take myself out of a situation that is only going to get worse if I stick in.

Now that we have kids….: Mom: I enjoy watching my kids grow and feel blessed to be with them during the days. Dad: Time goes by REAL fast.

When the kids are all grown, we are going to: Mom: Travel, follow our kids around and wait for grandbabies. ;) Dad: Travel and spoil our Grandbabies.

My kid’s surprise me because they: Mom: Are always watching and learning. And mostly picking up the good things they see. Dad: Are always smarter than I tend to think.

Something that may surprise you about me is: Mom: Just one? Hmmmm… I would love to be a funeral director and help people plan their loved ones’ funerals. I can also say the alphabet faster backwards than I can forward. Dad: I plan everything. I play out in my head every scenario like 100 different ways, mainly to be the most efficient I can be to save 10 seconds if I can, but also to be calm and prepared if something might try to throw me for a loop.

Our favorite family activity is: Mom: Our outings. Whether to the zoo, triple play, the fair, or just to the park for an hour, we love spending time together as a family. Dad: Going to the park. Mom (Nikki) is the best at: Mom: involving the kids in pretty much everything we do. They love to be included…. in everything from cooking to cleaning to gift buying/making and party planning! Dad: Being creative with the kids and making sure they have the best time possible. Dad (Shawn) is the best at: Mom: Helping out and stepping in when he sees me getting frustrated with the girls. He is also the more “fun” one from the girls’ perspective. Dad: Planning What’s your secret for balancing it all? Mom: Prioritizing. Faith first, spouse, kids, family, friends, work. You have to make time to also do things you love, otherwise you will (or I will!) start to get grumpy in ALL areas of life. Dad: When things start getting frustrating,

What I love about our family is: Mom: Our love of being together. We are loud. We are Crazy. But we are FUN! Dad: All the laughter and joy everyone has when we are together. If I was stranded on an island with one book and one meal, they would be: Mom: The bible and Strawberries. Is that a meal? Maybe paired with some of my yummy Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad. Or maybe Taco Salad…. Or Chicken Alfredo. Have I mentioned that I am indecisive? Dad: Bible and Red Curry What’s left on your bucket list? Mom: I don’t technically have one, but I would love to go to Australia and New Zealand. Dad: Skydive

Before I had kids, I never thought I’d: Mom: Forget to feed my kids dinner. Yup. It’s happened. Dad: Be in a house full of pink, playing with dolls. Favorite family hang out in Wenatchee area: Mom: probably our house. Or the YMCA. We love to go play racquetball and the girls LOVE Heather and Hailey in the chilcare center! Dad: Home Our go-to place to eat in Wenatchee: Mom: Domino’s for delivery, Café Rio to go, or Olive Garden or Applebees to sit down Dad: Café Rio Our favorite thing about living here is: Mom: The small town feel. Even though I came from a smaller town and thought Wenatchee would be too big, it is ending up to be just the right size. Dad: Such a great Christian community with a lot of outdoor activities My favorite thing about Shawn is: Mom: How willing he is to help. He is quick to do a load of laundry, wash the dishes, clean the bathroom, give the kids a bath…. Whatever needs to be done. And he is also quick to push me out the door to allow me some time to myself or with my friends. And when he is out and about and gets a call of distress and frustration from me, he almost always shows up with some Starbucks for me, without me even asking. What could be better than that? My favorite thing about Nikki is: Dad: Her thoughtfulness and selflessness when it comes to thinking of others.

Photos taken by Rebekah’s Photography

January/February 2014

Sports

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For The Love Of The S.P.O.R.T. Why Gymnastics could be the best move you make for your child

By Nikki Cox

We all know that children are more interested in video games, computer games, television, kindles, iPads, and for my own child, abcmouse.com, than they are in participating in sports. As compared with just 20 years ago anyway. Of course, many kids love sports, being active and playing outside, but as our lives have proven to only get busier and busier, we (or maybe just !?) find it easier to turn a TV show on or hand our kid the kindle for 30 minutes while I fold a load of laundry or cook dinner…. Or try to write this article…. How often I miss an opportunity to take my kids to the park to release their energy. Or in the summer, feeling so overwhelmed with choices of camps, sports, and activities that I end up choosing nothing? I know several parents who have their kids enrolled in dance, basketball, soccer, tennis, music lessons, art classes, kayaking, skiing, karate, etc. and I have had multiple conversations with them on “How do you choose?” The obvious answer, you would think, is to ask the child. But how can they decide when they have never experienced any of them before? When they don’t even realize what Karate is, or how many musical instruments, types of dance, or styles of art there are to choose from? My easy answer for you is this: Put them in Gymnastics. Why, you may ask? Well, it’s simple, really. Gymnastics involves a little bit of everything and is, at the same time, so much more. It will be the perfect stepping stone to other sports once they are old enough to make a better decision on which sport they’d like to pursue. Or, they may fall in love with gymnastics and choose to stick with it and be competitive.

January/February 2014

Fun Times At > S.P.O.R.T. Gymnastics > • S.P.O.R.T. Gymnastics offers a Play Gym for ages 6 and under. It is unstructured play time for you and your child. It includes gymnastics equipment, balls, hoops, mats, tunnels and more. It is $5 per child, or $9 per family. Offered every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:3011am, Fridays from 10:00-11:30am, and Saturdays from 9:30-10:45am and 11-12:15pm. • S.P.O.R.T. also offers open gym for the older kids, ages 4-11 on the 2nd Friday of the month from 6:30-7:30. It is $8 per child, $7 if siblings. **Please see the calendar of events or visit www. sportgymnastics.com for special open gym times during the holiday break. Also, look for a complete listing of the classes SPORT offers. • Host A Party at SPORT! It is a great place to have a birthday celebration, especially during these cold winter months! • SPORT offers a Parent’s Night Out several times throughout the year. Drop your kids off from 6pm10pm and they will be provided with pizza, arts and crafts, games, gymnastics, and lots of fun while you are freed up for a date night. Be sure to pre-register early because these spots fill up quickly! The next Parents Night Out is on February 14th, Valentine’s Day! The cost is $20 for the first child, $15 for siblings. Call 667-1538 to reserve today! • SPORT offers before and after school programs including jump rope, tumbling and cheer. •SPORT Games are held in March. This is an awesome event for kids to challenge themselves and show off their skills. There are fun obstacles and fitness challenges like tire flipping, climbing the cargo net and doing as many push ups as they can. The kids go to all the different stations, complete the challenge and recieve a ribbon. When they have completed each challenge they go to the awards stand to recieve their medal and get their picture taken.

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Many parents have commented, “I don’t plan on my child going to the Olympics, so why bother with gymnastics?” I am always quite shocked when I hear this. Really? Is that the only reason you put your child in a sport, to get them to become a “pro”? Or perhaps a college scholarship? Whatever happened to just letting our kids have fun, or learning a new skill? Why do we torture ourselves and think that everything has to be a competition to see who has the best player? It’s so exhausting. Not for the kids, but for the parent. After a lot of conversations with parents, it seems that often times, the “no” we tell our kids when asked if they can try out for this team or that team is because we are too exhausted already from trying to make them the best at what they are already doing. We don’t have time to perfect them in yet another area. Are you guilty of this? Do you try and create a “genius child”? Perhaps not just on the sport field, but in the classroom, Sunday school, playdates, coloring contests, the dentist office, etc. whatever it may be. Perhaps you need a different perspective. So here are some reasons why you should enroll your child in gymnastics. A lot of these are universal for any sport, but as mentioned earlier, gymnastics involves a bit of everything AND MORE! Take the plunge and let your child try it out for themselves.

Gymnastics develops a child’s strength, flexibility, coordination, speed, balance, power, rhythm, and creativity. It teaches listening skills, goal setting, and selfdiscipline. It provides social interaction with both peers and coaches and teaches respect for others, both through listening to their coaches and with takes turns with their peers. They learn teamwork through cheering each other on and being cheered for. They learn to trust each other and themselves, shifting their thoughts from “I can’t” to “I can”. Gymnasts build self-confidence as they overcome fears of heights, falling and performing. They learn how to push themselves farther and learn how to be “coached” or “taught”, which ultimately follows them back to the

classroom. They learn how to respond to feedback, how to ask for feedback, how to grow and improve instead of be defensive and sensitive. Coaches are there to guide them through these processes before bosses and even teachers. Gymnastics also requires good posture, awareness, and balance. This will eventually extend to outside of the gym and will improve a child’s “klutziness”. They learn how to follow directions, take turns, listen, have longer attention spans, and practice staying quiet. Gymnasts will meet new friends, learn independence, and learn the power of encouragement. *continued on page 22

Taryn Harris About Coach Taryn has been involved with gymnastics her entire life. When she was born her parents were directors/coaches at American Gymnastics Training Center in Eugene, Oregon. Taryn learned back handsprings at the age of four and loved being in the gym all the time. She started competing in 1996 as a level 5 and was in the TOPs program from 1996 to 1997. Taryn competed until her last year as a level 9 in 2005. She has received several Judges Awards for artistry on floor. She retired due to a wrist injury that kept her from vault, bars & tumbling. Taryn started springboard diving in 2004. She competed two seasons of high school diving and received the Diving Diva award both years. She also received Diver of the Year in her District both years. Her last year of high school diving she broke the diving record at Wenatchee High School, was District Champion and a Silver Medalist at the State Championships. As a junior she moved to Beaverton, Oregon to train with Olympic Coach Van Austin. Taryn lived with her aunt and uncle until she graduated in 2007. In early 2006 she inured her neck severely and was unable to train. She started diving again during the summer of 2007. She received a scholarship to Northern Arizona University. While at NAU Taryn was awarded the Golden Eagle Award four years in a row. The Golden Eagle Award is given to student-athletes who maintain a GPA of a 3.5 or higher. Taryn was also awarded Western Athletic Conference Diver of the Week 5-times. She was a 4-time NCAA Zones competitor. In 2009, Taryn was named co-MVP of the NAU Swim & Dive Team. Taryn holds the NAU diving records for both the 1-meter (332.33) and 3-meter (365.18) diving boards. In 2011 Taryn graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and a Certificate in Entrepreneurial Skills. Taryn has been appointed the Xcel Representative for the state of Washington for 2012-2013. After a great athletic career she is back in Wenatchee to pass on her knowledge and experience to the next generation.

“I teach because I love passing on the values and characteristics that my sports and my coaches passed on to me. I learned dedication, loyalty, determination, perseverance, teamwork and honesty. If I can pass these values on to at least one child then I have succeeded.”

January/February 2014

Sports My personal favorite thing about gymnastics is that it is not a seasonal sport. It is not weatherdependent. You don’t have to wait until “next season”, you can begin at ANY time! And you don’t have to wait until you are a certain age (there are classes offered for every age!) or worry about your child being “too old” to start. You are never too old to begin learning the art of gymnastics and all the benefits that come with it! And if your child is in a sport that is seasonal and you are looking for something they can do during their off season, gymnastics is perfect for this reason! And best of yet, children enrolled in gymnastics develop skills to enhance every other sport. You see, gymnastics is a rare sport that uses every muscle in our body, including the brain. Swimming, rowing and water polo are also contestants.

You may also be wondering, “Where should I go for gymnastics?” Wenatchee has two different gyms, Apple Valley Gymnastics and S.P.O.R.T. Gymnastics. While Apple Valley may have the mouse house, no one can beat the energy, passion and genuine care for her students as Taryn Harris at SPORT Gymnastics. Taryn and her mom, Sue, run the S.P.O.R.T. facility. Their entire staff is nothing but kind, passionate, and willing. After considering all these benefits of what gymnastics can do for your child, you are thinking of joining yourself, right? Okay, maybe that’s just me. Maybe I will ask Taryn if they offer any adult beginner classes. I am sure my kids would love to stick around and watch that one play out.

TRAMPOLINES, BARS, ROPE SWING, ROCK WALL, BEAMS & SOFT, COLORFUL MATS TO HAVE ALL YOUR GUESTS JUMPING FOR BIRTHDAY JOY! CALL 509-667-1538 TO BOOK YOUR PARTY

SPORTGYMNASTICS.COM 22

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Gratitude

g n i r u D E x erc i se m u rt a ostp P & y nc a n P re g By: Kristin Effland

No myth about womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health has persisted so long as the belief that women should stop exercising during pregnancy. As midwives, we have observed that women who consistently exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have efficient labors. Of course, there is the element of luck that enters into every labor, but regular exercise and good nutrition significantly improve your chances of an uncomplicated labor and birth. Even if you have been sedentary before you became pregnant, there are still great benefits for you and your baby of establishing a regular exercise routine.The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends becoming active and exercising at least 30 minutes on most, if not all, days of the week. We agree! Ask your midwife or doctor about any restrictions for your own situation.

January/February 2014

WINTER IDEAS for the Wenatchee Valley: ● If you are too cold walking outside: take brisk walks around Costco. If you go up and down every aisle, you can get 90 minutes of exercise in! You may want to leave your wallet at home :) ● The mall is also a good place to walk if the weather outside is deterring you though you may find you have to take lots of laps in our little mall! ● The Wenatchee YMCA has a pool, childcare and affordable memberships. Swimming and water exercise classes are often a favorite for pregnant moms who enjoy feeling weightless and cool. www.wenymca.org/ ● Joanna Dunn offers prenatal yoga with enough interest. Find her at: joannadunn.com/ ● You can enjoy the benefits of online yoga video classes in the comfort of your home any time of day! www.yogaglo.com offers a free 15 day trial to try out their classes which include prenatal and postnatal options. Continued membership is $18/month. ● Childcare is available at many gyms. Yellowpages.com lists gyms that offer childcare.

IDEAS TO HELP YOU ESTABLISH A ROUTINE: ● Pick a safe exercise you enjoy (walking, jogging, elliptical, bicycling, swimming, hiking, step aerobics) ● Start with a do-able goal: As little as 10 minutes per day will have a positive effect. ● Increase by 5 minutes each week until you are up to 30-45 minutes per day. And you don’t have to do it all at once! You can do 10-15

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minutes in the morning, at lunch and after dinner if you want. ● You can read and exercise or watch TV/movies at the same time by using equipment. Look for used equipment on wenatchee.craigslist.org or join a gym. ● Fun idea: keep track of days that you’ve exercised by putting a gold star on your calendar!

GUIDELINES: ● The goal is for you to be out of breath and sweating a little with red cheeks, but still able to talk while exercising. ● Avoid potentially dangerous contact sports, scuba diving and lead rock climbing. ● Use common sense: make sure you stay hydrated, stop if you feel faint, stop if you feel short of breath, stop if you develop unusual swelling or calf pain, stop if you feel regular uterine contractions (Braxton-Hicks contractions during exercise are normal), stop if you notice fluid leaking from your vagina, etc. Follow your body and don’t be afraid to take a break if you need to do so! ● Do not exercise for long periods of time on your back after the 1st trimester. ● Do not do strenuous abdominal exercise during the second half of pregnancy ● Have fun! Go with a friend, listen to a podcast or music

● ● ● ●

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE FOR THE MOTHER: ● Lowers your chances of having a very large baby ● Stabilizes your weight gain during pregnancy ● Helps reduce backaches, constipation, bloating, and swelling ● May help prevent or treat gestational diabetes (exercise cuts in half the risk of developing abnormal glucose levels which can lead to gestational diabetes. One study found that “walking briskly for 5 hours per week cuts your chance of developing gestational diabletes by 75%”) ● Increases your energy ● Improves your mood and reduces anxiety

(many studies show improved mood following aerobic exercise due in part to endorphin release.) Improves your posture Promotes muscle tone, strength, and endurance Helps you sleep better Grow a smarter baby! (There is evidence that babies born to mothers who exercised regularly have better scores on neurological tests, are more able to quiet themselves and have more regular sleep patterns in the weeks following birth, and even that they have statistically significantly higher IQs and oral language skills at 5 years of age!!!)

discounts or waive >> Manyjoingymsfeesoffer at this time of year, so consider joining today!

● Reduces your chances of developing preeclampsia ● Reduces postpartum depression and anxiety ● Helps mothers return to a healthy weight after baby

January/February 2014

Play strangers in your own town While role-playing is optional, spending an afternoon exploring a nearby city (go where the tourists go) is a great way to see your world — and each other — in a whole new light.

Head to a museum

Wenatchee Valley Museum is free the first Friday of every month.

How to ensure a great date:

1. Plan, plan, plan. It’s ALL about planning ahead. You need to plan WHAT you are doing BEFORE the day arrives so you know what you might need to get ready for the special occassion. 2. Be creative. Be romantic. 3. Set a date and time. This may seem so obvious, but you would be surprised with how easy it is to continue to put off doing the date if there isn’t some sort of commitment to making it happen on a certain night AND having a time set for it to start. 4. Get things ready. It’s not enough just to plan for the date, you actually need to set things up for the date so it’s ready for the date to start. Get all the materials needed for the date you have planned. If you have kids, make sure you have a set plan on what to do with them and get that ready, too. 5. No phones, iPads, computers or social media. 6. No chores, doing dishes or cleaning up. 7. Snuggling is required if watching a movie.

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Date-Night

Ideas “Go Somewhere”

By: Michelle McCormick

Make Dates on Saturday mornings or days off! Plan a babysit swap with a friend

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Go to the Rocky Reach dam Park, flowers, museum, fish viewing

Head on a (mini) road trip Pack a lunch and snacks. Choose a cool or quirky destination about 30 min. to an hour away from your home and head there. It could be a new store, a flea market, a restaurant. Men tend to open up more when you’re sitting side by side than face to face.

Sit at a coffee shop & play games

Drive to Leavenworth, just for dessert

Take a home repair class at Home Depot

Walk around Pybus Check for free events: www. pybuspublicmarket.org/events/ Try free samples of the oil & vinegar, roasted nuts, tea.

Nibble your way through Costco pick out one new food item to bring home

Visit some art galleries

Gallery 4 south, Two Rivers Gallery

Take a trendy fitness class together Ever try spin class? Zumba? Cross-fit?

Take a scenic drive

Weather-permitting, a relaxing drive does wondrous things for the soul, and offers a great opportunity for couples to catch up in a quiet, relaxed

Re-live your first date

Go to Petco and look at the animals

Take a free workshop or class together

Go for a test drive

Walk downtown looking for photo ops make a night of selfies! Silly, serious, scary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; post on Instagram

Caffe Mela Free Live jazz every Tues. 7-9pm

Walk around Antique Stores

19 Wander a bookstore or the library Pick out some free movies?

22 Window shop downtown

maybe splurge on a banana split at Owlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fountain

January/February 2014

Let the games begin

Make it a movie night

There are plenty of ways to watch a new release without going to the movies or renting from Netflix. Head over to your local library and rent a recent flick, or log on to Hulu, where plenty of current films are available to stream for free.

1- Because you are staying home, it’s so easy to fall into the ‘normal’ routine of any other night. When you plan ahead of time, it gets you out of that ‘normalcy’ rut and into having something special to look forward to for the night. 2- Let go and be creative. Don’t let the fact that you are home stop you from making the most out of your night. Pretend you are out on the town and act like you would at a nice restaurant. If you are planning on dinner, make it a candlelight dinner. Go out of your way to make the night special. 3- NO distractions. It’s SO much easier to get distracted by things because you are at home. Make sure to be present and focused on your relationship, not things that need to get done around the house. Don’t worry about how clean your house is. Focus on you and your spouse and how to make the most of the night. Just enjoy! 4- Even if you don’t have tons of time because of long hours at work, don’t let that stop you from taking time out for your date night. Even a 30 minute mini-date can help you tune into each others’ needs.

Wii night

Cook a meal together

then enjoy by candlelight.

Ideas “At Home”

Take a shower or bath together

Cheese sampling

Go to the Cheesemonger in Leavenworth, buy samples of cheeses, then have your own tasting.

9 Photo shoot

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Everyone loves having pictures of their special someone, whether for your wallet, your desk, or for your home. Have fun with your photo shoot and come up with interesting costumes, backdrops, and angles.

Create a surprise for your kids!

Date-Night

Guidlines For AtHome Date Nights:

Order pizza and play old-school card games or board games like Battleship. Breaking out the old board games or dipping into your child’s stash can actually make you two closer. A study found that nostalgiatriggering activities can make you feel more connected to your partner. Pick up some candy that was popular when you were

Make popcorn balls, build a fort, paint something on their wall.

Play an old video game together What game is on the bottom of the pile or back of the shelf?

Photo shoot Everyone loves having pictures of their special someone, whether for your wallet, your desk, or for your home. Have fun with your photo shoot and come up with interesting costumes, backdrops, and angles.

Write love letters and read them to each other out loud

Re-arrange your home

10 12

Create Triathlons

Make a list together of activities you enjoy & food you like to eat. Then combine 3 for a fun time! Example: Play Connect Four (game) while watching Harry Potter while eating onion rings! Then plan when you will do them.

Youtube

Learn how to give a massage, learn how to swing dance, search for the funniest video you can find.

How many fun things can you think of that involve bubbles? Bubble bath, champagne, bubble wrap, homemade soda – everything that comes to mind, get it and have a night filled with bubblelicious fun. Because bubbles make everything better!

Have a video marathon of your favorite trilogy.

Dress Each Other Up

Go through your spouse’s side of the closet and make an outfit you’d like him or her to wear for you. Now is your chance to play stylist. (but you have to be a good sport and wear whatever he picks) If you own a camera, you can even have your own personal fashion shoot. Consider combining with another activity like window shop downtown.

Plan a picnic

Maybe even have him help you prepare and freeze ahead meals!

If it’s cold outside, spread the blanket on the floor, use your best dishes and play music on your ipod….pretend you’re outside!

Volunteering together is a chance to do something nice for your neighbors. You could work at a soup kitchen, read to kids at your local library, or collect clothes and food for the less fortunate. Cook a meal for a sick friend or neighbor, rake some leaves, etc.

This might include homemade pizzas, a bottle of Chianti, gelato, and an Italian-themed movie such as Life is Beautiful or The Italian Job.

Create a fun and romantic experience at home – roast marshmallows and share camping memories.

Get a waiter

Spend a Night in Italy

Have a bonfire and make s’mores

A Good Deed

Bake a bunch!

Night of Bubbly

Make out session on the sofa or go parking

Create a scavenger hunt

Have a great treasure planned when completed! Perhaps a friend would plan the hunt for you, ending up at a favorite spot.

Create you Bucket List Grab a couple notebooks and write down all the dreams you hope to accomplish before you ‘kick the bucket’ and decide together which ones you will tackle first.

Create Your Own National Holiday What about No Socks Day…May 8th. National Noodle Day… October 6th. Why not create your own national holiday, mark it on your calendar and celebrate it each and every year?

Make homemade caramel apples!

25 Learn something new together. At the library, pick up a book/video or check online to learn to cook Chinese food, Western-European history, learn Italian. What would your husband like to learn?

If you have older ‘teen’ children, hire them to serve dinner to the two of you in the dining room – they can eat Read to Each Other in the kitchen or before the Not everyone will enjoy reading out loud to his or “date” begins – then clean up her spouse. But some people enjoy the classics and disappear into their room. – or an old-fashioned beach read – and it is Or perhaps a neighbor would something they can share with their spouse. love to do this for you.

January/February 2014

Night hike

Grab a bottle of wine, a couple of glasses and a blanket, and go on a short hike to a place that has a nice view.

Watch the Sunset There are great places to sit in Fancher Heights

Pedal through a fancy neighborhood

Sick of the same-old scenery? Hop on your bikes and head over to a neighborhood known for gorgeous homes or gardens. Don’t forget to stop here and there to take in the beauty of your time together too.

Date-Night

Ideas “Outdoors” 6

Stargaze

Stargazing is an uber-romantic activity whether you have binoculars or not (but if you do have them, even better). Pick a clear evening to snuggle in the grass in your yard or a local park -- or to lie on your roof with blankets and pillows. Google and download a guide to the constellations – bring a flashlight and make a game out of identifying them. Or download a stargazing app on your phone

5 Catch a Sunrise (or sunset)

The date doesn’t have to end just because the night did. Wake up super early, pull the blankets off your bed (or out of a closet) and create a makeshift breakfast picnic while watching the sunrise. Check SunriseSunset.com to find out exactly what time to set your alarm for (or you can just pretend you’re still a teenager and stay up through the night).

Take a Hike

Head for the hills! Pack lots of water and your favorite healthy snacks and dress in layers so you’re prepared for sudden weather changes. This is a great way to enjoy nature and each other’s company.

Go to local yard sales

For the competitive, who can get the best deal of the day?

Attend a free outdoor concert

In the warmer months, do a little research, locate a free show, up your picnic basket and enjoy the live soundtrack to your supersweet date night.

Go sledding

See what makeshift sled you can come up with

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Lie in the grass and watch the clouds go by

Who can find the most unusual critters in the cloud formations?

Get sweaty!

Whether it’s playing catch with a Frisbee, kicking the hacky sack, or shooting some hoops, you’re sure to have some fun. If you have a whole day, you can play a lot of different sports and take breaks for snacks in between

11 Be a kid again

Go to a park and swing or play on the merry-goround. Can you still say “wheeee?”

13 Plan a picnic

Learn from each other

Teach each other how to do something – throw a Frisbee, paint, shoot a gun, fish, scrapbook a page together?

Take a blanket, basket, some yummy snacks, and a Kindle full of books, a game, his favorite magazine?

Search for scenery

16 Get in a Boat

Rent a boat or a kayak for the afternoon at Walla Walla Park.

Walk or bike the loop

Walk the East Wenatchee side at sunset?

Have fun scoping out locations for family photos. Take some “experimental” photos of each other.

Smell the roses together

Literally. During the summer, walk your neighborhood, the park at the dam, garden on Western Ave.

20 Walk in the rain

Go Fly A Kite

Go running

Pick out a race, set goals and train for a 5K together.

January/February 2014

THIS MOM GOT FIT

by Sandi Haustein

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When I was in college, I was the skinny girl who could eat whatever she wanted and not gain a pound -bottomless chips and queso, huge bowls of pasta, bloomin’ onions -- you name it, I ate it. But ten years, three pregnancies, and three dress sizes later, I struggled with my self-image for the first time in my life. I constantly compared myself to other young moms wondering how they had lost their baby weight while I still carried mine around. I hated going home to my small town because people I had known my whole life didn’t recognize me. Strangers asked me several times when my baby was due when I wasn’t even pregnant. Then, to make matters worse, a difficult loss plunged me into a deep depression, and I gained an extra ten pounds on my already overweight figure. My overeating and obsessive soda-drinking was damaging my body, but I didn’t know how else to deal with the grief. I needed to exercise, but in my depression, the last thing I wanted to do was put on my running shoes. I couldn’t start eating better, losing weight, and feeling healthier unless I made a change, but I knew that I didn’t have it in me to do it alone. I decided to develop a competition with friends who wanted to not only lose weight but build life-long healthy habits. I came up with a list of rules, hoping for three or four women to join me in accountability. To “qualify” for my competition, participants had to be at least 20 pounds overweight and willing to donate $10 towards a prize pot. Over a period of 15 weeks, we would earn daily points for drinking 8-10 glasses of water, eating six servings of fruits and vegetables, posting a detailed food journal, staying within a daily calorie goal, and recording every 10 minutes of exercise. Each Monday, we would weigh in and earn points for every pound lost, and the person with the highest percentage of weight loss that week would earn extra points. At the end of the 15 weeks, the woman with the most cumulative points and the woman with the highest percentage of weight loss would split the prize money. I posted my competition rules on Facebook, and to my surprise, not just three or four, but twenty-one friends committed to the competition we named Girls Getting Fit. These friends, from all different seasons of my life, bonded and cheered for one other with each pound lost, each goal reached and each new pair of fitting skinny pants. We supported each other through moments of failure, pulled muscles, job changes, deaths in the family, and cancer treatments. We lost weight through good oldfashioned hard work, one small change at a time, and we had fun doing it together. The eight women who persevered to the end lost a combined total of 165 pounds, an average of over 20 pounds per person.

get your body back

Lynn, my friend battling cancer, was the winner of the most accumulated points. After incorporating exercise and healthy eating into her life, her recovery after radiation treatments went from three weeks to ten days, amazing her doctors who had been encouraging her for a long time to get healthy. Rachel, the winner of the highest percentage of weight loss, lost almost 17% of her weight and went on to run two 5Ks. Lori’s ratio between “bad” and “good” cholesterol improved dramatically, and after three years of being on antidepressants, Deanne was able to wean off medication. I may not have been the Biggest Loser, but at the end of those 15 weeks, I had lost 23 pounds and more than two dress sizes. I learned to eat smaller portions and to view food as fuel instead of something with which to stuff my stomach when I’m bored or stressed. My husband and I discovered a love for kettlebells which somehow helped eliminate the back pain I had long experienced, and our family became more active, taking hikes on Saturdays and joining the YMCA to work out and swim. My weight loss and healthy lifestyle rebirthed self-confidence and a sense of beauty in me that had been missing for many years. The healthy habits I learned and the support of my Girls Getting Fit friends played an important role in my emotional healing, too. I know I’m not the only mom who has let her health take a back seat during the early years of parenting. Maybe you’ve struggled with making healthy food choices or fitting exercise into your busy life, and you feel like you’ll never be in shape. Why not make a small change towards a healthier you or better yet, start your own competition like Girls Getting Fit? It might just be one of the best decisions you ever make, for you and your family. *continued on page 34

January/February 2014

Building Healthy Habits Girls-Getting-Fit Style Drink 8-10 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. If you don’t like water, try adding a little lemon or lime juice for flavor. If you use a 32-ounce cup, you will only have to refill it once. Aim for at least 6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Start your day with a smoothie or eat a salad for lunch. Make it a goal to fill half of your dinner plate with nonstarchy veggies or salad and then fill the other half with a quarter protein and a quarter carbohydrate or starch. Know how many calories your body needs. Websites like sparkpeople.com, weightwatchers.com or the phone app “Lose It” will take your weight and activity level and help you determine how much you should eat daily to maintain your weight or to safely lose one to two pounds a week. Keep a detailed food journal. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, maintaining a food journal leads to greater weight loss success. Be honest about every bite. If you log your food as you go instead of waiting until the end of the day, you’ll be better able to plan what you eat and not go over your daily calorie goal.

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Exercise. Start small if you need to, but start. Commit to taking a walk as a family every night after dinner. Meet a friend early in the morning or during your lunch hour to work out. Try lots of different forms of exercise until you find something you love -- walking, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, kettlebells, jump rope, swimming, Zumba -- the possibilities are endless. Set measurable, realistic goals each week. If changing your eating habits and finding time to exercise feels overwhelming, pick one healthy, attainable goal each week. Your goal may be to drink 32 ounces of water before drinking anything else, to walk for 30 minutes three times a week, or to only eat second servings of vegetables. Be accountable to others. In Girls Getting Fit, we shared everything from our daily food journals and exercise choices to our weekly weigh-ins. Seeing each other’s successes encouraged us to keep moving towards our own goals and seeing each other’s failures helped us not to feel alone. **Sandi Haustein is a freelance writer who makes a mean green tropical smoothie and loves going on hikes with her husband and three sons.

Day by Day Calendar Your Guide to FUN in the Wenatchee Valley Note from Nikki: We are trying to make it easier for our Leavenworth friends! You will find that all events with a RED BOX around them take place in Leavenworth. We are also trying something new in listing weekly events in a separate place so they don’t jam up the entire calendar, hiding other new events. We hope this makes your planning a little easier as you can go through and highlight, for yourself, the events you want to attend this summer. Enjoy! Wenatchee Wild Home Game WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1 7:05 vs. Fairbanks. @ Town Toyota Center S’mores Roast 4:00pm-8:00pm @ Icicle Junction Activity SATURDAY, JANUARY 4 Center. $3 for 2 kits. Must be at least 12 years old or accompianed and helped Home Depot Kids Workshop by an adult. Supplies available at the 9am-Noon. Free workshop at Home Depot, Icicle Junction Activity Center, 565 West where kids, ages 5-12, will be making a Highway 2 in Leavenworth. December fun desk calendar. New workshop first 22-January 4. 548-2400 Saturday of each month. Register online or in store. Homedepot.com/workshops/kidsworkshops THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 S’mores Roast 4:00pm-8:00pm @ Icicle Junction Activity Center. $3 for 2 kits. Must be at least 12 years old or accompianed and helped by an adult. Supplies available at the Icicle Junction Activity Center, 565 West Highway 2 in Leavenworth. December 22-January 4. 548-2400

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 Steep Life Protocols: “avoiding avalanches through practical terrain management” 5:30pm at Pybus Market Legendary big mountain skier and mountain guide Dean Cummings travels from Valdez, Alaska, to Wenatchee to present his awardwinning Steep Life Protocols and show his new film “Chugach,” which documents the implementation of protocols to achieve first-descent lifelong endeavors S’mores Roast 4:00pm-8:00pm @ Icicle Junction Activity Center. $3 for 2 kits. Must be at least 12 years old or accompianed and helped by an adult. Supplies available at the Icicle Junction Activity Center, 565 West Highway 2 in Leavenworth. December 22-January 4. 548-2400

Ema

Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Fairbanks. @ Town Toyota Center Community Snowshoe Hikes First three Saturdays in January, 10:00am. Location: TBA This is your chance to sample winter’s fastest growing outdoor activity: Snowshoeing! Join us in exploring family-friendly trails while experiencing a sport that is great for beginners and kids. Trip leaders will introduce you to the fun of snowshoeing through the beautiful natural Winter Wonderland of our very own backyard while sharing fun and interesting information and answering questions along the way. Snowshoes and poles are provided, but only available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so REGISTER NOW! Pricing: Adult - $7.75 Child - $5.50 (12 years and younger) Discounted Pricing for Wenatchee Residents: Adult - $7.00 Child - $5.00. TO REGISTER, please contact SARAH FITZGERALD by calling (509) 888-3283 or emailing sfitzgerald@wenatcheewa. gov. You will be notified of the location once you sign up. These snowshoe course are sponsored by City of Wenatchee Parks and Recreation & WenatcheeOutdoors!

Joel

Maddie

January/February 2014

Weekly Events by Day EVERY MONDAY After School Action 3:30-5:30, FREE @ Communitiy Center, September-April Activities include video games, homework help, sports, computer use, games, snacks, special projects and more. Indoor Park @ Apple Valley Gymnastics, 230 S Columbia in Wenatchee 9:30-11am, for ages 5 and under. $7 per child, $3 for siblings. Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Group A Free, fun and interactive time for the children in your life to learn through play! 10am-11:30 at Cashmere Methodist Church, 213 S Division St in Cashmere. Info, contact Jan, 664-7350, ext107 Indoor Playground 10am-12pm @ the Community Center in Wenatchee, 504 South Chelan Ave $1/child, ages 5 and under. Every Mon, Tues & Wed. during winter months Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) @ Saddlerock Presbyterian Church , 6:45pm-8:30pm. BSF is a free, nondenominational, international study for women. Dig deeper into the bible today and meet some amazing women while you are at it! Children’s bible study occurs at the same time for school age children. Children must be registered first before attending, women are welcome to join at any time. Currently studying Matthew! bsfinternational.org NCW Young Life Meets every Monday Night 7:30pm-9:00pm @ Pybus Market in the Event Center. Navigating the teen years is a challenge, an adventure, and exciting ride...a scary ride! It’s a time of life when you’re searching for serious answers and serious direction. It’s also a time when you feel all alone. Young Life leaders understand where teens are at, and have an ear and heart to listen, to hang out, to help get through this volatile and crazy time! If you are a teen or know a teen that is looking for a lot of fun and some real answers to what’s going on, come chill with us. Young Life is a place you can be real, be yourself, be accepted and have a great time.

www.ncwkidconnect.com

Indoor Ultimate Frisbee (Goaltimate) A group of adults and teenagers play indoor Ultimate Frisbee (called Goaltimate) on Monday and Thursday nights at Foothills Middle School in the big gym. 8:00pm10:00pm. You can come in the side door on the east side of the building. Bring tennis shoes and a light and dark shirt. We love having beginners and folks with good spirit who want to stay in shape over the winter.

EVERY TUESDAY Play Gym @ SPORT Gymnastics 9:30-11am, for ages 6 and under. $5 per child, $9 per family. Indoor Playground 10am-12pm @ the Community Center in Wenatchee, 504 South Chelan Ave $1/child, ages 5 and under. Every Mon, Tues & Wed. during winter months Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Group A Free, fun and interactive time for the children in your life to learn through play! 9:30am-11:00 at Catholic Family & Child Service, 640 Mission Street in Wenatchee Citizenship Classes FREE; 6:30-8:30p, at Faith Lutheran Church, 224 Benton Street in Leavenworth. Citizenship classes to prepare for the citizenship application & exam. Bi-lingual classes Tuesday nights, Materials provided, English classes are offered simultaneously. Employers inform your employees! Takes place at P.D. Elementary. You can join classes any time! For more info, email office@faithlutheran. org or call 548-7010. After School Action 3:30-5:30, FREE @ Communitiy Center,

EVERY WEDNESDAY After School Action 3:30-5:30, FREE @ Communitiy Center, Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Group A Free, fun and interactive time for the children in your life to learn through play! 9:30am-11:00 at Catholic Family & Child Service, 640 Mission Street in Wenatchee. info, contact Jan @ 664-7350, ext 107

Indoor Playground 10am-12pm @ the Community Center in Wenatchee, 504 South Chelan Ave $1/child, ages 5 and under. Every Mon, Tues & Wed. during winter months Love Project Led by Dr. Robert Brizee Wednesdays at 7pm in the upper rom of First United Methodist Church, September-May. All are welcome. For more info, contact Dr. Bob Brizee at 662-6745. This group will choose which forms and expressions of love in marriage, with children, extended family, hurtful relatives, persons who hold radically different values, persons who have violated others. This group will take seriously Jesus’ “Love Your Enemy”. WVC Hepcats Swing Dance Lesson from 7-8pm, Dance from 8-10pm. All ages welcome! $5/night or $35 year membership. Come as you are and no need for a partner! Line Dancing 7:00pm at Alt 12 Fitness in Wenatchee. Free for members, $5 for non-members. More info, 289-0125

EVERY THURSDAY Play Gym @ SPORT Gymnastics 9:30-11am, for ages 6 and under. $5 per child, $9 per family Begins September 12 Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) @ Wenatchee Free Methodist 9:00am-11:00am This year the study is on the book of Matthew. Childcare is available once they are registered. www. bsfinternational.org Indoor Ultimate Frisbee (Goaltimate) A group of adults and teenagers play indoor Ultimate Frisbee (called Goaltimate) on Monday and Thursday nights at Foothills Middle School in the big gym. 8:00pm10:00pm. You can come in the side door on the east side of the building. Bring tennis shoes and a light and dark shirt. We love having beginners and folks with good spirit who want to stay in shape over the winter. Bring a friend! Scottish Dancing 6:30pm at Irish Dance Studio in Wneatchee. All levels welcome. more info, call 663-3743

Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Fairbanks. @ Town Toyota Center

EVERY THURSDAY

Wenatchee Fire Semi-Pro Soccer Home Game 7:00pm vs. Burnby Titans @ Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex, 2- 5th St. in Wenatchee.

(continued)

Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Group A Free, fun and interactive time for the children in your life to learn through play! 9:30am-11:00 at Wenatchee Public Library, 310 Douglas St. in Wenatchee. More info, contact Jan @ 664-7350, ext 107

EVERY FRIDAY Nights Out, Lights Out Public Ice Skate @ The Rink at Town Toyota Center. 7pm-9pm $5 admission, $2 skate rental. 667-7847, towntoyotacenter.com Play Gym @ SPORT Gymnastics 10-11:30am, for ages 6 and under. $5 per child, $9 per family

EVERY SATURDAY Play Gym @ SPORT Gymnastics 9:30-10:45 and 11-12:15pm for ages 6 and under. $5 per child, $9 per family Indoor Park @ Apple Valley Gymnastics, 230 S Columbia in Wenatchee 8:30-10am, for ages 5 and under. $7 per child, $3 for siblings. Famer’s Market 10:00am-2:00pm Inside Pybus Market, 7 N Worthen St. in Wenatchee Mountain Music Festival Saturday, December 28-February 22 Live at the Hampton Lodge at Mission Ridge. Two shows at 4:30pm and 6:30pm. $5 cover, Free with Day/Season Pass. www. missionridge.com Social Dancing Waltz, Swing, Night Club, Latin, Country. 7:00pm on Saturdays at Mountainview Fitness in East Wenatchee. Beginner lesson until 7:30pm, open dance until 9:30pm, no partner needed. $5. For more information, 630-2947

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5 Ski For Health Day Noon-3:00pm January is Learn to Ski month and they are celebrating by offering free Nordic ski lessons at Icicle River Trails. More info: www.skileavenworth.com or 548-5477

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7 Inspirational Breath Workshop Breath is the life force of our mind, body and spirits. How we limit or expand our capacity to take in oxygen directly correlates to how we live our lives. Open yourself to a more expansive, healthy life experience. Our professionally trained staff gently guides you to breath deeper into your life potential and inspired presence. Balance Point Fitness 10171 Chumstick Hwy. Leavenworth 7pm-9pm. Cost: $20.00. More info: Deb Pobst, 509-763-3442 www.theripplefoundation.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 10-12, 17-19, downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the event, lakechelanwinterfest.com

Dancing With The Wenatchee Stars

7:30pm at the PAC A show that communities are raving about. Similar to the popular TV show, 6 prominent community members are paired up with one of Utah Ballroom Dance Company’s professional dancers to learn a ballroom dance routine over one week. Once the local Stars have learned their routines they are costumed, add in some video highlights and a judging panel, and put them into a show where the audience will vote for who will win the mirror ball trophy. This interactive production is so much fun for everyone. $19-$35, tickets available at www.pacwen. org, 663-ARTS or at the box office

Learn To Ice Skate! Register for a six week session from January 7 - February 13 www.towntoyotacenter.com/lessons

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 Disney LIVE! Mickey’s Music Festival @ Town Toyota Center 1pm and 4pm, $22-$47, find $5 off coupons around town, including SPORT Gymnastics! Tickets available online at www. towntoyotacenter.com or at the box office. Child and Babysitting Safety (CABS) 9:00am-3:00pm at Wenatchee Valley YMCA, 217 Orondo Ave. A certification course for building a safe and successful babysitting business for 6-9th graders. Cost: $50 for YMCA member, $60 for community members. Register by January 9th. For more info, call 662-2109, visit wenymca.org, or see page 39 Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 10-12, 17-19, downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the event, lakechelanwinterfest.com

Mixed Media Painting! with Castilia Cava

January 7-28 at Icicle Arts, Barn Beach Reserve in Leavenworth. 4:00pm-4:45pm for beginners (any age!) 5pm-6pm for intermediates 6:30pm-7:30pm for expert. $52 for members, $65 for non-member, $15 for one class. iciclearts.org 548-2278 Bella Sera’s Platinum Bridal Show Presenting “A Beautiful Evening” 10:00am-4:00pm at the PAC in Wenatchee Sample wines, cakes and caterer dish bites. Watch the largest bridal and formal fashion show in the northwest and enjoy the freebies and giveaways! FREE admission!

January/February 2014

Free Sledding Day 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM At Camp Zanika, Lake Wenatchee. If you spend the night the cost is $10 -free for Camp Fire members. You can bring your own food or join our staff for dinner for $7 per person and breakfast the next morning for $ 7 per person. If you plan on spending the night and having meals you need to pre- register by emailing me or Peter at campzanikapeterdux@gmail.com. Kids under 10-$4 per person. For more information, contact Theresa Samuelsen at 509-663-1609

Bavarian Days At 10701 Ski Hill Drive, Leavenworth. Junior Nordic qualifier race at Leavenworth Ski Hill. Watch the juniors battle it out on classic and skate nordic skis. Fee varies by entrant’s age; No charge for spectators. For more info, visit www.skileavenworth. com or call 548-5477 Apple City Roller Derby 6:00pm at Wenatchee Sportsplex, versus Columbia Basin Roller Derby, live music by The Skiffs, $60 season pass, $10 general, $15 trackside, brownpapertickets.com, applecityrollerderby.com

Community Snowshoe Hikes First three Saturdays in January, 10:00am Location: TBA This is your chance to sample winter’s fastest growing outdoor activity: Snowshoeing! Join us in exploring family-friendly trails while experiencing a sport that is great for beginners and kids. Trip leaders will introduce you to the fun of snowshoeing through the beautiful natural Winter Wonderland of our very own backyard while sharing fun and interesting information and answering questions along the way. Snowshoes and poles are provided, but only available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so REGISTER NOW! Pricing: Adult - $7.75 Child - $5.50 (12 years and younger) Discounted Pricing for Wenatchee Residents: Adult - $7.00 Child - $5.00. TO REGISTER, please contact SARAH FITZGERALD by calling (509) 888-3283 or emailing sfitzgerald@wenatcheewa.gov. You will be notified of the location once you sign up. These snowshoe course are sponsored by City of Wenatchee Parks and Recreation & WenatcheeOutdoors!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12 Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 10-12, 17-19, downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the event, lakechelanwinterfest. com Bavarian Days At 10701 Ski Hill Drive, Leavenworth. Junior Nordic qualifier race at Leavenworth Ski Hill. Watch the juniors battle it out on classic and skate nordic skis. Fee varies by entrant’s age; No charge for spectators. For more info, visit www.skileavenworth. com or call 548-5477

www.ncwkidconnect.com

Parenting Seminar 6:00pm-8:00pm at Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, 1601 Fifth Street in Wenatchee. FREE! With Child care! Understand the uniqueness of your child in this seminar led by Chris and Michelle McCormick. Register by emailing amym@ wenfmc.org Please see ad to the left for more details.

MONDAY, JANUARY 13

Storytime + Activity 10:30am at Academic Toolbox, 2127 N Wenatchee Ave. Winter Theme.

GROWING & LEARNING

Successful Breastfeeding 6:30-8:30pm in Rooms A & B, 1201 S Miller Street in Wenatchee (the Hospital). The basics of breastfeeding, troubleshooting, pumping, resources and more. Free! Contact Joan at 665-6140 or jslack@cwhs.com for more info.

A certification course for building a safe and successful babysitting business for 6-9th graders.

Ladies Bunco Night 7:00pm-9:00pm in the lobby of Wenatchee Frist Assembly of God, 1520 McKittrick Bring a friend and a favorite snack to share. Contact Diane Bristow @ 679-2122 or email ddabristow@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 Storytime + Activity 10:30am at Academic Toolbox, 2127 N Wenatchee Ave. Winter Theme.

Child And Babysitting Safety (CABS)

Babysitting is usually a teenager’s first attempt at building and running a small business. Our new Child and Babysitting Safety (CABS) course comes in a magazine-format guide designed to engage and inform the aspiring babysitter. It gives teenagers everything they need to know, from getting started, to dealing with parents and children, to key safety, caregiving, and first aid tips.

COURSE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE Everything a teenager needs to know to get started:         

Safety and Injury Prevention Guidelines to make sure that everyone stays safe Leadership Strategies to build confidence when responding to conflict Play Time Basic Caregiving Skills Tips on age-appropriate play and staying involved Feeding, burping, diapering, and safe sleep practices First Aid

Pybus University: Family Art “Creations” Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front *Saturday, January 11. 9:00-3:00. Wenatchee Valley Y of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community $50/ Y Members. $60/ Community Members Kitchen at the Pybus Market. (7 N. Worthen Pre-registration required. Registration deadline January 9. St. in Wenatchee) Bring the entire family and join artist Terry Valdez and his crew of art helpers for a fun, explorative evening of creating your own SCULPEY clay creations. No *A light snack and refreshments will be provided. Please bring a sack lunch experience necessary. Each art participant will leave with their own clay creation and Wenatchee Valley YMCA. 217 Orondo Avenue. (509) 662-2109. www.wenymca.org easy to follow instructions for oven baking the public for the Empty Bowl Fundraiser FRIDAY, JANUARY 17 their sculpture. Event and art materials to support Women in our Shelter and sponsored by Terry Valdez Studios & The Transitional Housing Programs Bottomless Murder at Café Noir Grunewald Guild. No cost to participants. soup, bread, and drink with a hand-painted Limited to 30 total Participants Ages: 5 to Presented by Eastmont High School bowl. Cost is $15. For more info. please A Dinner Theater Murder Mystery Musical Senior Citizen call Chyvonna Torres at 509-662-3531. 7pm in Eastmont Junior High School Auditorium, 908 8th St. NE E Wenatchee. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15 Lake Chelan Winterfest Cost is $25, which includes a full 3 course Jan. 10-12, 17-19, dinner. Tickets available at pacwen.org, Larry The Cable Guy, Comedian downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish PAC box office, or 663-ARTS. For more 7:30pm @ Town Toyota Center information, please call 670-8233. Show lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale $55-$70, tickets online at www. walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, towntoyotacenter.com or at the box office dates are: Jan 17, 18, 24 & 25. $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the YWCA Empty Bowl Fundraiser event, lakechelanwinterfest.com 10:00am-2:00pm at YWCA Café AZ’s, 212 First Street. Café AZ’s will be open to

January/February 2014

Wenatchee MOPS

2nd and 4th Tuesdays 9am-11am @ Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, 1601 5th St. Contact: Jill Thayer: 393-4461 or jill.thayer.391@facebook.com

What is it?

MOPS stands for “Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers” , pregnant women through Kindergarten. MOPS is a grassroots movement that believes moms are world influencers. Incubating hearts and giving just-because-hugs can change the course of history. That’s why moms connect all over the world to a community of women, in their neighborhoods, who meet together to laugh, cry, and embrace the journey of motherhood. MOPS groups are rallying women to be more honest, to feel more equipped and to find their identity along side one another. These are moms. And moms make a better world. So contact your local MOPS (or simply just show up!) and join this amazing group of women!

>>>Storytimes

East Wenatchee MOPS

2nd and 4th Wednesdays 9am-11am at Faith Lutheran Church, 171 Eastmont Ave Contact: Bonny Langford, 884-7623 or email east.mops@facebook.com Faithluteranwen.com/mops

Peshastin Library

Leavenworth Library

Cashmere Library

Story Time: Wednesdays 11:30am

Story Time: Fridays 11:30am

Story Time: Wednesdays 10:00am

310 Douglas Street 662-5021

East Wenatchee Library

Story Time: Mon. Tues. & Wed. 10:30am

8396 Main Street 548-7821 300 Woodring 782-3314

271 9th Street NE 886-7404

Story Time: Tuesdays 10:30am Stories, Songs, Poems, Action Rhymes

Leavenworth MOPS

2nd Friday of every month 9:30am-11:30am at Leavenworth Church of The Nazarene, 111 Ski Hill Dr. Contact: Linny Jones 548-9923

www.ncwkidconnect.com

Wenatchee Library

700 Highway 2, 548-7821

Chelan Library 417 Bradley 682-5131

Story Time: Wednesdays 10:00am

Baby Rhyme Time: Fridays 10:00am in the Children’s room

14138 Kinzel Street 748-1517

Pajama Story Time: Tuesdays 7:00pm Come in your PJ’s! All Ages

Story Time: Wednesdays 10:00am

Entiat Library

Wenatchee Fire Semi-Pro Soccer Home Game 7:00pm vs. WSA Rapids @ Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex, 2- 5th St. in Wenatchee. Murder at Café Noir Presented by Eastmont High School A Dinner Theater Murder Mystery Musical 7pm in Eastmont Junior High School Auditorium, 908 8th St. NE E Wenatchee. Cost is $25, which includes a full 3 course dinner. Tickets available at pacwen.org, PAC box office, or 663-ARTS. For more information, please call 670-8233. Show dates are: Jan 17, 18, 24 & 25. NCW Bridal Premiere 2014 10:00am-4:00pm at Town Toyota Center, 1300 Walla Walla Ave. in Wenatchee NCW largest and longest running bridal show for over 25 yrs. You will find hundreds of products and services to help plan the perfect wedding. Bridal Premiere is truly a “must-attend” event for North Central Washington’s brides-to-be. For more information, contact Katrina Anderson at (509)662-1691 Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 10-12, 17-19, downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the event, lakechelanwinterfest. com

schedule of Events

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18

Barvarian Ice Fest January 18-19 A weekend grab bag of invigorating outdoor events includes snow sculpture, tug o’ war, an ice cube scramble for kids six and under, the great Frisbee sweep, and Leavenworth’s famous Smooshing Contest: a unique race peculiar to the Great Bavarian Ice Fest. The Smooshing contest is held on Front Street, with teams of four - their toes strapped to 8’ long boards - trying to maneuver and glide down the street tandem-style. A

Barvarian Ice Fest

God of Carnage (Play) 7:30pm at Riverside Playhouse, 233B N Wenatchee Ave. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the box office, or 663ARTS. Show dates are: Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1. God of Carnage is set in an up-scaled section of Brooklyn, where two married couples meet to sort out a playground fight between their sons. At first, niceties are observed but as the evening progresses and the rum flows, the gloves come off and the night becomes a side-splitting free-for-all.

wonderful thing about Ice Fest is that you can cheer from the sidelines or jump right in and compete for prizes. Mor info: www. leavenworth.org/event/2443 or call 5845907 See Schedule, this page. God of Carnage (Play) 7:30pm at Riverside Playhouse, 233B N Wenatchee Ave. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the box office, or 663-ARTS. Show dates are: Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1.

A weekend grab bag of invigorating outdoor events includes snow sculpture, tug o’ war, an ice cube scramble for kids six and under, the great Frisbee sweep, and Leavenworth’s famous Smooshing Contest: a unique race peculiar to the Great Bavarian Ice Fest. The Smooshing contest is held on Front Street, with teams of four - their toes strapped to 8’ long boards - trying to maneuver and glide down the street tandem-style. A wonderful thing about Ice Fest is that you can cheer from the sidelines or jump right in and compete for prizes. Saturday January 18th, 2014 (**schedule subject to change) 9:00am Registration Opens - Gazebo 9:00am - 3:00pm Snow Sculpture - Front Street Park 9:20am - 11:30am LWSC Skirennen Race - Golf Course 10:00am-3:00pm Dog Sled Rides - Black Bird Island 11:00am Great Frisbee Sweep - Front Street 12:00pm Ice Cube Scramble - Front Street, East Side 12:00pm LWSC Chili Cook Off & Hot Pepper Eating Contest - Leavenworth Ski Hill 12:00pm-3:00pm Boondocker Snowmobile Sled Pull Lion’s Club Park 12:15pm Live Ice Carving - Gazebo 12:30pm Ice Fishing Pond - Front Street Park 12:30pm Snowball Toss - Front Street Park Brick Area 1:00pm Bavarian Mug Relay - Front Street 1:00pm - 3:00pm Kids Crafts - Location TBD 2:00pm Smooshing Race - Front Street 3:00pm Tug-O-War - Front Street Park, East Side 5:00pm - 9:00pm Penguin Pub Crawl - Downtown Leavenworth Sunday January 19th, 2014 10:00am-3:00pm Dog Sled Rides - Black Bird Island 10:30am LWSC Relay Snowshoe Race- Ski Hill 4:00pm - 6:00pm Downtown Rail Jam- Front Street Park 6:00pm Leavenworth Fireworks- Skies over Downtown

January/February 2014

Visit crc.daveramsey.com for more information about the class, about Dave Ramsey or to register online! If you have never taken this class, NOW is the time! It really is amazing and can be life changing! Upcoming nine week Classes available in January: Sunday evenings 6:00pm-8:00pm January 5th-February 23rd at Wenatchee Free Methodist Church --or-Thursday evenings 6:30pm-8:00pm January 23rd - March 13th at Faith Lutheran Church in Leavenworth

Community Snowshoe Hikes First three Saturdays in January, 10:00am. Location: TBA This is your chance to sample winter’s fastest growing outdoor activity: Snowshoeing! Join us in exploring family-friendly trails while experiencing a sport that is great for beginners and kids. Trip leaders will introduce you to the fun of snowshoeing through the beautiful natural Winter Wonderland of our very own backyard while sharing fun and interesting information and answering questions along the way. Snowshoes and poles are provided, but only available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so REGISTER NOW! Pricing: Adult - $7.75 Child - $5.50 (12 years and younger) Discounted Pricing for Wenatchee Residents: Adult - $7.00 Child - $5.00. TO REGISTER, please contact SARAH FITZGERALD by calling (509) 8883283 or emailing sfitzgerald@ wenatcheewa.gov. These snowshoe course are sponsored by City of Wenatchee Parks and Recreation & WenatcheeOutdoors!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19 Lake Chelan Winterfest Jan. 10-12, 17-19, downtown Chelan; ice sculptures, wish lantern lighting, live music, wine and ale walk, parade, polar bear splash, fireworks, $7 pre-purchase, $10 at the event, family of four $25 pre-purchase, $35 at the event, lakechelanwinterfest. com Snow Shoe Demo 10:30-1:30, FREE! Come to Leavenworth Ski Hill and learn how to snow shoe! 10701 Ski Hill Drive in Leavenworth. 548-5477 Barvarian Ice Fest January 18-19 A weekend grab bag of invigorating outdoor events includes snow sculpture, tug o’ war, an ice cube scramble for kids six and under, the great Frisbee sweep, and Leavenworth’s famous Smooshing Contest: a unique race peculiar to the Great Bavarian Ice Fest. The Smooshing contest is held on Front Street, with teams of four - their toes strapped to 8’ long boards - trying to maneuver and glide down the street tandem-style. A wonderful thing about Ice Fest is that you can cheer from the sidelines or jump right in and compete for prizes. Mor info: www. leavenworth.org/event/2443 or call 584-5907 See Schedule, page 41. Conner

www.ncwkidconnect.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 “Chasing Ice” Film 7:00pm at Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, 127 S. Mission St. $5 For more information, visit www.wvmcc.org or call 888-6240. Pybus University: The basics of Loose Leaf Tea Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). Did you know that all true tea comes from the same plant? Or that tea is the second-most consumed beverage in the world? Do you know how incredibly good tea is for you? In this class we will discuss the five major types of tea, black, green, white, oolong, and puerh. Pybus University students will learn about: the correct way to brew each type of tea (amount of tea leaf, temperature of water, steeping time), the origins of many famous types of tea, and the health benefits of each type of tea. We will also offer a tea sampling so students can try each type of tea.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 Murder at Café Noir Presented by Eastmont High School A Dinner Theater Murder Mystery Musical 7pm in Eastmont Junior High School Auditorium, 908 8th St. NE E Wenatchee. Cost is $25, which includes a full 3 course dinner. Tickets available at pacwen.org, PAC box office, or 663-ARTS. For more information, please call 670-8233. Show dates are: Jan 17, 18, 24 & 25. 18th Annual Leavenworth Empty Bowls Painting Days 12pm-8pm Fee: $15 for individuals, $50 for a family of 4 ($12 for each additional child) Come paint a bowl! Family Glazing Days (12 and under) Saturday & Sunday only. Glaze your bowls in the Woodpecker Room at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. (219 14th Street, in Leavenworth) Soup Supper is March 20. Support the Communnity Cupboard Foodbank! For more info, contact the Upper Valley MEND/ Community Cupboard at 548-6727 or email info@uvmend.org

God of Carnage (Play) 7:30pm at Riverside Playhouse, 233B N Wenatchee Ave. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the box office, or 663-ARTS. Show dates are: Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1. An up-scaled section of Brooklyn, where two married couples meet to sort out a playground fight between their sons. The gloves soon come off and the night becomes a sidesplitting free-for-all.

Nissebakken Tele Race 5:30pm-7:00pm at 10701 Ski Hill Drive in Leavenworth. Do you know how to drop a knee for a telemark turn or just like to watch people crash wearing outrageous costumes? Head up to the Leavenworth Ski Hill for this telemark event and potluck. Fee: $20 LWSC members, $25 non-members. www.skileavenworth.com or 548-5477 Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Bismark @ Town Toyota Center

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w w w. n c wd i g i t a l. c o m January/February 2014

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 11th Annual Wenatchee Winter Wine Gala Wine, Food, Live Music, Raffles, Wine Sales benefit the Museum! 6:00pm-9:00pm at Wenatchee Valley Museum, 127 S. Mission, Wenatchee This elegant evening benefits the programs and services of the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. All tastings are included in the ticket price of $45 ($40 for members). Contact info@wvmcc.org or (509) 888-6240 to reserve tickets or for more information. Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Bismark @ Town Toyota Center 18th Annual Leavenworth FAMILY Empty Bowls Painting Days 10am-8pm Fee: $15 for individuals, $50 for a family of 4 ($12 for each additional child) Come paint a bowl! Family Glazing Days (12 and under) Saturday & Sunday only. Glaze your bowls in the Woodpecker Room at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. (219 14th Street, in Leavenworth) Soup Supper is March 20. Support the Communnity Cupboard Foodbank! For

more info, contact the Upper Valley MEND/Community Cupboard at 548-6727 or email info@uvmend.org Wenatchee Fire Soccer Home Game 7:00pm vs. Arlington Aviators @ Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex, 2- 5th St. in Wenatchee. Murder at Café Noir Presented by Eastmont High School A Dinner Theater Murder Mystery Musical 7pm in Eastmont Junior High School Auditorium, 908 8th St. NE E Wenatchee. Cost is $25, which includes a full 3 course dinner. Tickets available at pacwen.org, PAC box office, or 663-ARTS. For more information, please call 6708233. Show dates are: Jan 17, 18, 24 & 25. God of Carnage (Play) 7:30pm at Riverside Playhouse, 233B N Wenatchee Ave. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the box office, or 663-ARTS. Show dates are: Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1.

God of Carnage is set in an up-scaled section of Brooklyn, where two married couples meet to sort out a playground fight between their sons. At first, niceties are observed but as the evening progresses and the rum flows, the gloves come off and the night becomes a sidesplitting free-for-all.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 18th Annual Leavenworth FAMILY Empty Bowls Painting Days 10am-8pm Fee: $15 for individuals, $50 for a family of 4 ($12 for each additional child) Come paint a bowl! Family Glazing Days (12 and under) Saturday & Sunday only. Glaze your bowls in the Woodpecker Room at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. (219 14th Street, in Leavenworth) Soup Supper is March 20. Support the Communnity Cupboard Foodbank! For more info, contact the Upper Valley MEND/Community Cupboard at 5486727 or email info@uvmend.org Winter Fest 10:00am-2:00pm, In Downtown Wenatchee. S’mores, crafts, L-Bow the Clown, Hayrides, Kids’ 1K fun run, Bundle up 5K Run, and MORE! Put on by Wenatchee Downtown Association and Wenatchee Parks and Rec. For more info, visit www.wenatchee.org

MONDAY, JANUARY 27 18th Annual Leavenworth Empty Bowls Painting Days 10am-8pm; See January 25th

Tanner & Hayen Walton

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 28

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

18th Annual Leavenworth Empty Bowls Painting Days 10am-8pm Fee: $15 for individuals, $50 for a family of 4 ($12 for each additional child) Come paint a bowl! Family Glazing Days (12 and under) Saturday & Sunday only. Glaze your bowls in the Woodpecker Room at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. (219 14th Street, in Leavenworth) Soup Supper is March 20. Support the Communnity Cupboard Foodbank! For more info, contact the Upper Valley MEND/Community Cupboard at 5486727 or email info@uvmend.org

Pybus University: Introduction to Knitting Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). Join knitting expert Marianne Corning and members of the NCW Knitters Guild to learn the basics of knitting. Participants will begin work on a simple scarf. Please bring a size 7, 8 or 9 pair of knitting needles. Yarn and printed materials will be provided.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 18th Annual Leavenworth Empty Bowls Painting Days 10am-8pm See January 28th

Marriage Reawakening â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Divorce Proofing Your Marriage Friday, January 31, 6-8:30 and Saturday February 1, 9:00am-3:00pm at Wenatchee Free Methodist www.wenfmc. org/equipping classes. See page for more info.

Tutoring for Elementary & Middle School Students Certificated Teacher With 17 Years Experience Masters In Creative Arts Highly Trained In Math & Literacy One-on-One or Small Groups

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30 Cirque Ziva 7:30pm at the PAC Golden Dragon Acrobats present Cirque Ziva, a performance combining awardwinning acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a show of breathtaking skill and spellbinding beauty. Tickets are $19-$35, available at the box office, www.pacwen.org, or 663-ARTS

Home: (509)663-5358 Cell: (509)679-5016 Email: Cindy@NCWDigital.com

January/February 2014

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

United Marriage Class

Sundays 6:00pm-8:30pm February 2-March 20 Registration Required. Info session on January 19. A life changing marriage improvement opportunity! At Wenatchee Free Methodist Church, 1601 Fifth St. in Wenatchee. 662-1502

KaeLee Cox

Home Depot Kids Workshop 9am-Noon. Free workshop at Home Depot, where kids, ages 5-12, will be making a race car. New workshop first Saturday of each month. Register online or in store. Homedepot.com/workshops/ kids-workshops Have A Heart 34th Annual Auction 5:00pm-10:00pm at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 624 Elliot St. S. in Wenatchee. Celebrate “The Roaring 20’s” at St. Joseph Church’s Kuykendall Hall. The silent auction begins at 5:00, dinner by Garlini’s Napoletana is at 6:30 and the live auction kicks off at 7:00. Tickets are $35 per person or buy a table of 10 for $300. Beer, Wine and Liquor will be available for purchase. Guests must be 21 yrs and older. Last years auction raised over $100,000, all proceeds benefiting St. Joseph School. Please call the school at 509-663-2644 to reserve your tickets. God of Carnage (Play) 7:30pm at Riverside Playhouse, 233B N Wenatchee Ave. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the box office, or 663-ARTS. Show dates are: Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb. 1.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Successful Breastfeeding 6:30-8:30pm in Rooms A & B, 1201 S Miller Street in Wenatchee (the

9am & 11am at Eastmont Junior High www.columbiagrove.org 46

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Hospital). The basics of breastfeeding, troubleshooting, pumping, resources and more. Free! Contact Joan at 665-6140 or jslack@cwhs.com for more info.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Pybus University: 10 Simple Things You Can Do to Create Excellent Health Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). Wenatchee Naturopath Dr. Lara Plechner will explore 10 Simple Steps that are designed to optimize health. Participants will consider the impact that a person’s health has upon the people around them. Additionally, the class will explore how the health of the individual is related to the health of the environment. At the end of the class participants will assemble a step-by-step plan to build health for the individual, the family and the community!

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra Sweetheart Soiree 7:00pm $35 at Wenatchee Valley Museum. Celebrate with your sweetheart at the Symphony’s Valentine-themed musical soiree with Symphony soloists and ensembles, wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Tickets available at PAC box office, www.pacwen.org or 663-ARTS. Wenatchee Fire Soccer Home Game 7:00pm vs. Burnby Titans @ Wenatchee Valley Sportsplex, 2- 5th St. in Wenatchee

Think Locals First! Authors Event 11:00am-2:00pm at Pybus Market Meet and visit with fifteen local writers, have them autograph their books and learn what it takes to be a published author. A Book For All Seasons and Write on the River are sponsoring this unique and fun event in the concourse at Pybus Market. Doorprizes to given away also. The event is free to the public. Loweâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kid Clinic Free workshop for kids ages 5+ 10am-11am Craft is TBD

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Ladies Bunco Night 7:00pm-9:00pm in the lobby of Wenatchee Frist Assembly of God, 1520 McKittrick St. Bring a friend and a favorite snack to share. Contact Diane Bristow @ 679-2122 or email ddabristow@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 Pybus University: Intro to Blogging Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). An introduction to a few of the main free blogging platforms (Blogger, WordPress and Tumblr ) and a short crash course on blogging best practices. Most of the focus will be on organization, maintaining a writing schedule, developing your voice and sustaining your blog over the long term. A

personal computer is a good thing to bring but not absolutely necessary.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13 Garry Krinsky: Toying With Science 6:30pm at the PAC $9-$25 Tickets available at the PAC box office, www.pacwen.org or 663-ARTS Recommended for ages 3+ It has been said that Garry Krinsky resembles a living cartoon with his animated movement and non-stop energy. Commissioned and developed with the Museum of Science in Boston, Toying with Science explores among other things, the scientific principles of gravity, leverage, fulcrums and simple machines. Combining circus skills, mime, original music, and audience involvement, Garry and his audience investigate basic scientific information and delve into the imaginations of scientists who explore our world. During the program, Garry brings his science toys to life with motion, music, humor and insight. He turns audience members into stars as he playfully shares the stage, juggling, balancing and welcoming them into his colorful world. He performs original up-beat songs, that explore fulcrums, levers and basic mechanics. It is incredible how much action, fun and learning takes place in so little time! Storytime + Activity 10:30am at Academic Toolbox, 2127 N Wenatchee Ave. Valentine Theme.

Wenatchee High School Wa Wa and Apple Leaf Annual Fundraiser 7:00pm-9:00pm at Pybus Market The Wenatchee High School Wa Wa and Apple Leaf staff cordially invite the public to their annual friend and fundraiser. Free desserts will be served. There is no charge for admission, but attendees will be asked to make a voluntary contribution to support both important high school programs.

Winter Kids Camp

February 14-16, 2pm-11am @ Camp Zanika, Lake Wenatchee Learn how to snow shoe, build shelters in the snow, & lots of other fun activities. For ages 10+ $100 early bird discount of $25 if you register before January 10th. For more infoâ&#x20AC;? Theresa Samuelson, 663-1609 or zanika.net

Hannah Cox

January/February 2014

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Falling in Love With Your YWCA 6:00pm-10:00pm at CafĂŠ AZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 212 First Street Wenatchee. Romantic Dinner and Make a Difference in your community. Dinner, Dessert, Music, and Drinks. Tickets available at YWCA. For more info, call Kristina Fry at 509-699-0997

Red Wine & Chocolates 12:00 - 5:00 PM Feb. 14-16. Wenatchee Wine Country wineries will be offering a weekend full of tasting their great red wines with decadent chocolate treats! February 14-16. Check website for specific tasting room hours. Fee: Tasting Fees May be Charged. www.cascadefarmlands.com Contact: Leavenworth Tasting Rooms. Location: Downtown Leavenworth. Phone: 509548-5807 or 433-1054 or email info@ visitwashingtonfarms.com

Storytime + Activity 10:30am at Academic Toolbox, 2127 N Wenatchee Ave. Valentine Theme. Red Wine & Chocolates 12:00 - 5:00 PM Feb. 14-16. Wenatchee Wine Country wineries will be offering a weekend full of tasting their great red wines with decadent chocolate treats! February 14-16. Check website for specific tasting room hours. Fee: Tasting Fees May be Charged. www.cascadefarmlands.com Contact: Leavenworth Tasting Rooms. Location: Downtown Leavenworth. Phone: 509548-5807 or 433-1054 or email info@ visitwashingtonfarms.com Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Soo @ Town Toyota Center

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Fiddle Festival Barn Dance 7:00pm at 7409 Icicle Road in Leavenworth. Fee is TBD. An annual event, this year we take over Snowy Owl for a major barn dance. Faculty of the Fiddle Festival anchor a lively night of Northwest-style fiddling and dancing to brighten up our winter. For more info, contact Icicle Creek Center for the Arts at 548-6347, email icicle@icicle.org or visit www.icicle.org Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Soo @ Town Toyota Center

Ava Crollard

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Pybus University: Extra Virgin Olive Oil 101 Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). Find out why Fresh, Extra Virgin Olive Oil should be the only oil on your pantry shelf for cooking & consuming.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 Harlem Globtrotters 2014 Fans Rule Worl Tour 7:00pm @ Town Toyota Center $25-$241, tickets at box office or www.towntoyotacenter.com

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Columbia Choral presents Songs From the West 7:30pm at Grace Lutheran Church, 1408 Washington St Wenatchee. Tickets: $8 youth, $15 adult, available at www. pacwen.org, 663-ARTS, or PAC box office. Featuring choral music by Pacific Northwest composers and others from the western U.S. and Canada. 2014 Auction For The Animals 5:30pm-7:30pm at the Wenatchee Convention Center, 121 N Wenatchee Ave The Wenatchee Valley Humane Society is holding their largest fundraiser of the year and everyone is welcome. They use this fundraiser to support a significant

portion of their operation costs. There will be express check in/out, reserved seating with a purchase of an entire table, and a wide variety of auction items to make the event bigger and better than ever! John Curley, national celebrity and auctioneer, will be returning for the event. Tickets will go on sale January 6, 2014. For more information, visit wenatcheehumane.org

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22 Ladies of Hollywood 8:00pm-11:00pm at Wenatchee Eagles 1208 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee Come walk the red carpet with ChelanDouglas CASA’s ATEEM (Adolescents in Transition to Education & Employment through Mentoring) Program at Ladies of Hollywood. Dress as your favorite movie character or star and dance the night away at this women’s only, 21+ event! The night will include a silent auction, balloon pop, photo op area (watch out for those paparazzi!), bar, snacks and more! All proceeds will go towards ATEEM, CASA’s mentoring program. Cost is $25. For more information, call Chelan-Douglas CASA Program at 509-662-7350 or visit www.cdcasa.org

the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding emerging choreographers. Founded in 1974, the company embodies Mr. Ailey’s pioneering mission to establish an extended cultural community that provides dance performances, training, and community programs for all people.

Looking for some good Craft Time? Check out Craft Warehouse! They often hold crafting classes for kids and adults. Check in store for current classes or online at craftwarehouse.com Kid crafts, beading, scrapbooking, quiting and more! Kendal

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Ailey II 7:30pm at the PAC in Wenatchee. Tickets are $17-$35, available at the PAC box office, www.pacwen.org, or 663-ARTS. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging

 

  

 

 

 

 

January/February 2014

e k a T

Aim For Love

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (I Timothy 1:5 ESV) Have you ever lived next door to a musician? It can be a real treat at times when he or she is accomplished, but what about when said musician is, for instance, a lousy drummer who knows how to do nothing but pound? We all understand that in the right context musicians gathering to play is lovely. A symphony, for example, can perform tremendously beautiful and resonating pieces. They each play their part, complimenting one another to form one cohesive sound. But remember Paul’s warning to the Corinthians, that “if I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (I Corinthians 13:1)?

A Christian who misses that the “aim of our charge is love” is like someone pounding away at a cymbal, drowning out everything surrounding it. When we don’t aim for love, our selfish pride takes over. Our actions drown out the cross of Christ and point to ourselves instead of our our Creator. Realize then, that the body of Christ is meant to be a beautiful symphony, with everyone following the Conductor’s baton, playing in concert with one another, everyone’s sound harmonizing with the others. What will the “aim of your charge” as love look and sound like? *Devotional taken from www.shortdailydevotions.com

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Infant CPR for Family and Friends The American Heart Association CPR for Family and Friends Course is a noncredentialed entry level CPR course. This course includes infant CPR and choking management. For new parents and their families. 6:30-8:30pm, Cost is $7 Takes place at Central Washington Hospital classrooms 1 & 2, 1201 S Miller Street. Contact Joan Slack, 665-6149 or jslack@cwhs.com

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25 Pybus University: Tune-In, Trust, Empower - ‘An Integrative Approach to Boost Your Total Health and Wellness’ Class begins promptly at 7:00pm in front of the Cashmere Valley Bank Community Kitchen at Pybus Market (7 N. Worthen St. in Wenatchee). Join integrative health expert Kari Lyons-Price to learn about and experience firsthand the importance of taking time out– to ‘tune-in’ to you. These tools will assist with decreasing stress, overwhelm, and disconnection, and teach you how to increase your confidence, connectedness, and ultimately impact your own health.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Wenatchee Wild Home Game 7:05 vs. Kenai River @ Town Toyota Center

SATURDAY, MARCH 1 Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra Concert: Opera 7:00pm at the PAC. $16-$35, Tickets available at www.pacwen.org, the PAC box office or 663-ARTS. Act II from Mozart’s opera buffa Marriage of Figaro will be presented. Mozart’s Symphony 38 “Prague” is also on the program. Patrons may join Music Director and Conductor Nikolas Caoile in the theatre at 6pm for a Concert Prelude with background information about Mozart and these contemporaneous works. Wenatchee Wild Home Game 3:05 vs. Kenai River @ Town Toyota Center

Enchanted Evening 6:00pm-9:00pm, location is TBA For more information, contact Jessica Johnson at 509-663-7446 Dust off your little black dress or tie for our 2nd annual semi-formal wine, dinner, and benefit auction at Chateau Faire Le Pont in support of victims of violence. All proceeds benefit SAGE, your community resource for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, general crime and child victims of violence. Cost is $55 for a single and $100 per couple - will buy you dinner for 2 and a glass of wine.

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 Wenatchee Wild Home Game 3:05 vs. Kenai River @ Town Toyota Center

SAVE THE DATE! Get Connected Family Expo! March 29 at Sportsplex See ad to the lef tfor more details!

Special Olympics Washington Polar Plunge

March 8, 2014 Freezin’ for a Reason! Don’t be left out in the cold! Take a dip in the ice waters and be a part of the “coolest” event of the year! Join the fun, help raise funds and win prizes all in support of Special Olympics Washington. Special Olympics Polar Plunge Series is a fundraising effort organized by law enforcement agencies across the state to benefit Special Olympics Washington. This unique opportunity gives individuals, organizations and businesses the chance to support Special Olympics Washington by collecting pledges for the “opportunity” to plunge into frigid water across Washington State

Chicago

March 18th @ Town Toyota Center

o Connect o Interact o Enjoy o

Saturday March 29th

Second Annual

GE T CO N N ECT E D!

10:00am - 3:00pm @ the Sportsplex

------------------Tickets

Photo Booth Music Face Painting Activities Games Pacific Science Center Inflatables Agility Gymnastics Course Fun

Photo Booth

Free Giveaways

Event Sponsored By:

$3 Adults $2 Kids Ages 3-17 Under 3 are FREE

Family EXPO

**For vendor information or to reserve a booth, please email nikki@ncwkidconnect.com or call Nikki at (509) 834-8977**

January/February 2014

smile

baby!

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month! Celebrate your Child’s Smile & Keep it Healthy with regular dental exams.

Complimentary infant wellness exams for children up to 24 months in the month of February. (Call our ofÞce and mention this ad to schedule.)

Home of the Tooth Fairy!

OUR TEAM All of our staff members have a special love for children and dentistry, helping to put your child at ease in a caring, fun and safe environment during every appointment. We also educate your children in the proper way to take care of their teeth. Your children learn coming to the dentist can be fun! Meet Dr. Cara, Dr. Britt & the Smile Team at:

smilebugg.com

Dr. Cara’s Children’s Dentistry 650 N Miller, Wenatchee WA 98801 52 Phone: www.ncwkidconnect.com (509) 662-3621

RAVE REVIEWS! Super Friendly Service It was my sons first experience with a dentist and Dr. Britt did such an amazing job. He is still talking about how nice she was and about the cool glasses he got to wear with a Bumblebee on them :)Dr. Cara came in to introduce herself which was very nice, and Shelley was SUPER! I can't say enough great things about the superb service we got, from the front desk to the tour around the facility afterward! Everyone seemed more than excited to meet us and to make our visit a great one! Thank you Dr. Britt, Dr. Cara, Shelley, and Staff!!!! By Jennifer

Your child’s Þrst tooth, means it’s time for their Þrst dental visit!