Sonoma Family Life February 2018

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FREE!

February 2018

Camp Skills 22 life lessons

Calm Kids Mindful schools

Sweet Bliss Guiltless dessert

V-Day Fun

6 local events

FREE

Family Expo & Camp Fair FRIDAY APRIL 13 3-7 P.M. AT CODDINGTOWN MALL, SANTA ROSA

westminster woods RECREATION & PARKS

camp ministry

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outdoor school

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retreat center

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CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY With Mountain Mike’s

KIDS LOVE PIZZA!

Birthday Parties Baseball Teams Soccer Teams Fundraisers

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Healdsburg 1051 Vine St 707-433-2911

Windsor

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NOW OPEN Santa Rosa

4501 Montgomery Dr. 707-890-5033

February 2018

Every Issue 6

Dear Reader

8

Bits and Pieces Live Juicy Make Noise at the Library

10 Features 10 Keep Calm & Study On

Eat Some Heat Little by Little Be an Elfin Warrior Step Out

26

Life in a Post-Fire World

16 Calendar of Events Santa Rosa Supernova

Local students learn mindfulness.

12 Well-Rounded Camper Life skills kids learn at camp

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14 Fill Your Hearts Great, local ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

24 Healthy Bliss Treat your honey to a guilt-free goodie.

26 A Valentine for the Earth How our humorist greened her least favorite holiday.

4 SonomaFamilyLife

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February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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A Doctor’s ConfessiontotoPetaluma Petaluma Doctor’s Confession

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February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 5

Dear Reader

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veryone needs love. On Valentine’s Day make sure the Sharon Gowan Publisher/Editor people special Sharon@family-life.us to you get a little extra. Check out “Fill Your Hearts” (page 14) for local ideas for celebrating the big day. Looking for a treat to give your sweetie?

Find a guilt-free delight easy enough for kids to make in “Healthy Bliss” (page 24).

One way to feel more loving is to reduce stress. And mindfulness, practitioners say, is a great way to do that. Find out how Sonoma County students are learning the centering technique in “Keep Calm & Study On” (page 10).

This February, may joy abound and positivity prevail in your family. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Office Manager Patricia Ramos patty@family-life.us

Business Marketing Renee Nutcher renee@family-life.us Warren Kaufman warren@family-life.us

Features Editor Melissa Chianta melissa@family-life.us

Production Manager Donna Bogener production@family-life.us

Web and Social Media

Bennett Valley Union School District Registration for Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten (Kinder Bridge) for 2018-19 School Year begins February 6 & 7

Call 542-6272 to sign up

A limited number of interdistrict transfer requests for 2018-19 will be accepted

California Distinguished Schools

Yulupa Primary School Preschool–Third Grade 2250 Mesquite Drive, Santa Rosa 707 542-6272

Strawberry Intermediate School Fourth–Sixth Grade 2311 Horseshoe Drive, Santa Rosa 707 526-4433

Consistently high student academic achievement at both schools

YMCA provides on-site child care

Contributing Writers Holly Hester Christina Katz Karen Nochimowski Chelsea True

Billing Jan Wasson-Smith

Publishing Office P.O. Box 351, Philo CA 95466 Tel (707) 586-9562

Your child’s joy of learning is nurtured with our: • Excellent Teachers • Reduced Class Size (K–3) • Kinder Bridge Transitional Kindergarten • Extended Day Kindergarten (8:30-1:25) • Fully Staffed Libraries and Technology Labs • Visual and Performing Arts Programs

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• Band, Percussion and Chorus (4th–6th) • Boys’ and Girls’ Interscholastic Basketball (4th–6th) • Emphasis on Environmental Stewardship • Gifted and Talented Education (4th–6th)

Call to reserve tours: Yulupa 2/13, 2/21, 3/6, 3/14, 3/18 Strawberry by reservation only 526-4433 Registration Packets available Jan. 9. Children must be five on or before Sept. 1, 2018 to be eligible for kindergarten.

Two year Kinder Bridge program offered for children turning five on or after Sept. 2, 2018.

707 542-2201 • Visit us at www.bvusd.org 6 SonomaFamilyLife

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

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February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 7

Bits & Pieces

Live Juicy

W

hat better way to brighten up winter doldrums than a celebration of sunshine-colored fruit? For more than 100 years, the Cloverdale Citrus Fair has been doing just that, pulling out all the stops as it puts the spotlight on local crops. This year’s fair includes a parade, carnival, orange-juicing contest, pygmy goat show, gourmet food, and live music and theater performances. The fair will be held February 16–19 at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Cloverdale. Hours are February 16, noon–10 p.m.; February 17 and 18, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; February 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The parade will be held on February 17 at 11 a.m. in downtown Cloverdale. Admission is $5–$8; ages 5 and under get in free. (Free admission for seniors 62 and over on February 16 and kids 12 and under on February 19.)

Carnival tickets are $20–$28; performance ticket prices vary. For details, see cloverdalecitrusfair.org. ¶

Local livestock at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair

Eat Some Heat

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Make Noise at the Library

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ot kids with energy to burn? Take them to the Village Rhythms music workshop. Led

by Onye Onyemaechi, a master drummer from Nigeria, the class will give kids the chance to dance and play drums and other instruments. Besides teaching music, Onyemaechi will also explain the historical role of the drum in African villages. The free event will be held on February 15 at 3:30 p.m. at the Sebastopol Regional Library in Sebastopol and February 25 at 2 p.m. at the Central Santa Rosa Library in Santa Rosa.

Find out more about Onyemaechi’s work at villagerhythms.com. ¶

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arm up your insides with some fire-y chili, and walk away with the handmade bowl in which it’s served, at the Chili Bowl Express fundraiser. While you nosh on vegan or meat chili, you can listen to live music, watch ceramics demonstrations, peruse items in a silent auction, buy a raffle ticket, or stroll through an exhibit of ceramic sculpture and pottery. Sweet treats will be served at a coffee-and-tea reception, and wine and beer will be available at a cash bar. The event will be held at the Sonoma Community Center in Sonoma on February 10 with servings at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. Tickets are $30–$35 and may be purchased at sonomacommunitycenter. org/chili-bowl.html or at the door. ¶ Chili Bowl Express

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Little by Little

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ake baby steps. It’s what we might tell ourselves when we’re trying something new, especially if we feel overwhelmed or intimidated.

Mendocino County dad and nutritionist Sid Garza-Hillman believes it’s a great philosophy that will serve you well—whether you are trying to improve for your own or your family’s well-being. Hear him discuss the particular details of his Small Steps approach at Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma on February 16 at 7 p.m., when he’ll read from his new book Raising Healthy Parents (Roundtree, 2017). To find out more about Garza-Hillman’s work, see sidgarzahillman.com. For more info about the talk, which is free, see copperfieldsbooks.com. ¶

Be an Elfin Warrior

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he hit Netflix series Stranger Things has transformed the notoriously geeky fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons—not to mention the ’80s itself—into something cool. If your kids want to create their own Upside Down, let them converge imaginations with other wizards, elves, and mind flayers for an afternoon at the Sebastopol Library in Sebastopol. The Dungeons & Dragons Gaming Day, open to ages 9­–18, will be held on February 2, 3:30–5:30 p.m. Registration is required. Go to sonomacounty.libcal.com or call 823-7691. ¶

Step Out

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t’s hard to listen to Celtic jigs and reels without tapping your feet. So it makes sense that Irish dance would involve a lot of fancy footwork.

With Stepping Out, you can see members of the Dublin Irish Dancers perform traditional Celtic dance and music. The show happens on February 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Weill Hall in the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park. Tickets are $35–$85 and may be purchased at gmc.sonoma.edu. ¶

Life in a Post-Fire World If you live in the Larkfield/Mark West area, everyday you face a drastically changed landscape. The Tubbs Fire had a serious impact on these neighborhoods, and the Sheriff’s Office would like to address residents’ concerns. To this aim, the sheriff will be holding a meeting on February 1, 5–6:30 p.m., at the Rincon Valley Fire Station #2 in Santa Rosa. The casual gathering will have no agenda or presentations, but will offer residents an opportunity to talk and ask questions about security and mental health issues. See facebook. com/events/188197965104495 for more information. www.sonomafamilylife.com

February 2018

Dublin Irish Dancers

SonomaFamilyLife 9

depression and increased health and social connection.

But what is it really? Mindfulness is a set of skills that allows us to respond rather than react; to see with an open, curious mind; and to engage in the world with greater skill and compassion.

How does it work? By cultivating a set of skills that includes attention, empathy, and awareness of our somatic experience, we build a

Keep Calm & Study On

How Mindfulness Helps Local Kids Learn

By Chelsea True

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hat is mindfulness? What is the science behind it? And can it really help us live happier and more meaningful lives? These are questions that a growing group of Sonoma County teachers, parents, and students have been asking.

For thousands of years, contemplative traditions around the world have used mindfulness to reduce stress and suffering and to help people of all backgrounds meet adversity with courage and resilience.

Thirty-five years ago, at the University of Massachusetts Medical 10 SonomaFamilyLife

School, mindfulness emerged as a research-based intervention called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Mindfulness now has applications in education, professional development, cognitive therapy, and sports training—with benefits including reduced stress and

Imagine students in a classroom, or an entire school, beginning each morning from a place of focus, open-mindedness, and receptivity. well-regulated nervous system and affect the development of brain architecture and function. Areas of the brain responsible for memory and empathy grow in volume. An area of the brain corresponding to stress and anxiety, called the amygdala, decreases in volume.

How is this helpful in the classroom? Mindfulness increases executive function, a set of neurologically based skills that help us manage time, pay attention, remember details, and self-direct behavior. What’s more, mindfulness reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol. While cortisol negatively affects regions of the brain associated with learning and memory, mindfulness has been shown to help these same regions grow.

Why do teachers love mindfulness? Imagine students

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

126TH ANNUAL It's a bird!

in a classroom, or an entire school, beginning each morning from a place of focus, open-mindedness, and receptivity. Now imagine these students knowing how to return to this place on their own throughout the day.

What does mindfulness education look like in Sonoma County? In October of 2017, educators, counselors, and parents came together from all around the North Bay to form the Mindful Educators Alliance. The alliance aims to help mindfulness education grow in our region by first supporting the personal practice of the adults serving youth.

The inaugural meeting took place at the Sonoma County Office of Education in Santa Rosa. Guest speaker Daniel Rechtschaffen, author of The Way of Mindful Education (Norton Books in Education, 2014), shared tools for cultivating attention, empathy, and self-regulation—skills that help teachers and students live happy and meaningful lives.

Many local schools, including Sonoma Academy and the Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts in Santa Rosa, Credo High School in Rohnert Park, Lawrence Cook Middle School and Gravenstein Elementary School in Sebastopol, and the Healdsburg School in Healdsburg, are utilizing mindfulness in the classroom.

Simply Strings, a project of the Santa Rosa Symphony, is using mindfulness to help second through eighth graders develop musical excellence and promote social engagement.

Meanwhile, Sonoma State University is also weaving mindfulness into www.sonomafamilylife.com

freshman music classes. And after-school mindfulness programs that explore nature, art, and movement are emerging in Petaluma, Sebastopol, and Healdsburg. There are programs for parents blossoming, too.

How can you get started? Find a certified instructor through Mindful Schools (mindfulschools.org); take an online class with Daniel Rechtschaffen (danielrechtschaffen.com); speak with Doug Lerch at Seeds of Awareness (seeds-of-awareness.org) in Petaluma; or contact Chelsea True at Joyful Mind Project (joyfulmindproject.org) in Sebastopol.

Contact sonoma.mindfulness@ gmail.com for information about the Mindful Educators Alliance.

Chelsea True is the founder of the Joyful Mind Project, a Sonoma County nonprofit bringing mindfulness education to schools and families. Her work is featured in the new book Happy Teachers Change the World, by Thich Nhat Hanh and Katherine Weare (Parallax Press, 2017).

It's a plane!!

It's Citrus Fair!

February 16-19, 2018 FEBRUARY 16-19

Cloverdale Fairgrounds

DOUBLE STANDYRD (SATURDAY) IMAGINATION CIRCUS WASHBOARD WILLY’S JAMBOREE GREG FRISBEE VARIETY SHOW

Start with STOP Be mindful in four easy steps.

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top. Whatever you are doing, just pause for a moment.

ake a breath. Breathe normally.

Notice the sensation of breath in your body. Breath brings us back to what’s happening right now.

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bserve thoughts, emotions, and sensations in your body.

Try noticing whatever is happening right now with an attitude of curiosity.

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roceed. Now continue, perhaps with a little more understanding or kindness towards yourself and others.

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SonomaFamilyLife 11

Accountability. Do you wonder if you do too much for your children?

Whether they have to pack their own backpacks for an overnight hiking trip or show up wearing activity-appropriate shoes, kids learn to be prepared at camp.

Camp counselors have a way of expecting thoughtfulness and encouraging kids to practice it.

Well-Rounded Camper

By Christina Katz

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22 Things Kids Learn While Away from Home

eeling anxious about sending your child away to camp this summer? Fret no more. This list of life skills reminds you of all the reasons to send kids to camp.

Physical Skills Fitness. If your children are passionate about virtual realities, camp is the perfect motivation to get off the couch and get moving.

Healthy risk-taking. Camp is the perfect place to wear out children with excess energy. Counselors can help campers channel a zest for risks into safe outlets.

Proficiency. Do your children complain of boredom? Exposure to skill-building activities can convert kvetching into pride.

Intellectual Skills Decision-making. Do your children waffle when making decisions or go along with the crowd too easily? Then camp is the perfect practice-ground to help them learn to figure out and assert what they want for themselves.

Safety awareness. If you find yourself fretting about your children’s well-being, then send them to camp to learn about first aid, water safety, and other protocols.

12 SonomaFamilyLife

Time management. If your child often runs late, camp is a great place to learn timeliness. Your child will swiftly master punctuality when engaged in activities she or he enjoys.

And this skill will carry over into everyday life.

Tolerance. Kids sometimes live in homogeneous rather than diverse environments. If all the other kids are the same race, class, and social status where you live, how will your children learn to be open-minded? Camp is a great place to immerse kids in diversity so tolerance can take root.

Emotional Skills Listening. Do you feel your children just don’t listen anymore? Kids can certainly develop listening fatigue with parents. But after tuning in closely to some new-to-them camp leaders, they just might bring better listening abilities back home.

Playfulness. Got a perfectionist kid on your hands? Sometimes within the rush and rigors of daily life, families forget how to relax and enjoy life to the fullest. Camp is a terrific place to remember how to lighten up and enjoy the day.

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

We Grow Them★

Grit. This trendy term means a combination of courage and resolve.

If your child does not bounce back quickly from disappointments, camp may help him or her to learn tenacity, conflict resolution, and problem solving.

Self-appreciation. Do you appreciate the heck out of your kids but wish they would esteem themselves as much as others? Camp is a place where kids can discover new things to like about themselves.

Social Skills Sociability. Do you have shy or introverted children? If they lack peers who share the same passions, an interest-based camp can help your kids meet more like-minded people.

Emotional intelligence. Camp counselors have a way of expecting thoughtfulness and encouraging kids to practice it.

Cohabitating. If you want your children to learn new things, put them in a tent with roommates and watch the lessons unfold. Sharing space and resources with others is a crash course in self-awareness and peacekeeping.

Occupational Skills Mentoring. Camp counselors provide excellent examples of what a constructive mentor-mentee relationship is like.

Collaboration. At camp, every endeavor from cleaning a cabin to climbing a rock face becomes a new way to understand the importance of working together.

Negotiating. Your kids benefit from learning how to sort things out between themselves at camp. www.sonomafamilylife.com

Discussing, bargaining, and coming to agreements that make sense for everyone involved is a tool for creating a richer life.

Leadership. Camp provides opportunities for kids to discover and nurture the leader inside. Every child

Camp is a place where kids can discover new things to like about themselves. is a boss at something. You may not think of a prolific reader as a leader, but what a wonderful example she or he can set at camp for those who avoid books altogether.

REDWOOD STRONG!

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Environmental Skills Navigation. You won’t likely be able to convince kids that they need to learn old-school map techniques while they have GPS apps in their pockets. But put them in the middle of the woods with no Internet connection, and they just might feel differently.

CLOVERLEAF RANCH

Survival. Would your children know how to build a shelter, purify water, start a fire, and find food if lost in the wilderness? Learning naturalism empowers kids to feel competent and confident in every area of life.

SONOMA COUNTY STRONG SINCE 1947

Earth stewardship. One of the best ways to teach personal responsibility is through wilderness conservation. Learning about flora and fauna can spark kids’ innate respect for the natural world. ¶ Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz believes children of all ages deserve to regularly experience the wonders and richness of the wilds.

February 2018

www.regymnastic.com 707.763.5010

Resident Camp

create your own schedule enjoy over 25 activities make life long friends

Day Camp

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Sun. April 22 11am–3pm Sun. May 20 11am–3pm

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Cloverleafranch.com SonomaFamilyLife 13

Family Fun

Misner & Smith

Fill Your Hearts

6 Local V-Day Events Gregg Le Blanc at Cumulus Light Photography

efore you were parents, you were lovers. Make sure to take time out to nurture your relationship. Whether you and your partner like to hang out in the kitchen and cook, spend the day fishing, or revel in classical music, there’s something to entertain you both in this list of local events.

Sebastopol If your main squeeze has a poetic soul, check out the folk-rock of Misner & Smith. The duo will be performing their harmonically rich, lyric-driven tunes on guitar and stand-up bass at the Sebastopol Community Center on February 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22–$25 and available at seb.org. To get a feel for their sound, listen to some of their songs at misnerandsmith.com/listen.

14 SonomaFamilyLife

Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet

Peter Adamik

B

Rohnert Park Sweethearts with ears that bend toward the classical will enjoy the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet. The group will perform with special guest pianist Stephen Hough on February 9 at 7:30 p.m. on the stage of Weill Hall in the Green Music Center at Sonoma State University. If your dearest is more interested in string than wind instruments, take him or her to the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet on February 16 at 7:30 p.m., also at Weill Hall. Tickets for either event are $25–$75 and may be purchased at gmc.sonoma.edu.

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival

Geyserville Is your love an angler? He or she can cast a line and catch some dinner at the Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival. Enjoy live music, archery, a wildlife and conservation exhibit, and tours of the Congressman Don Clause Fish Hatchery. There will be eats and local vino, too. The annual free family-friendly shindig will be held on February 10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at the Milt Brandt Visitors Center at Lake Sonoma. For more information, see lakesonoma.org.

Healdsburg If there is any place we Americans associate with passionate romance, it’s Italy. So learning how to make pasta, especially if your amore is a foodie, seems like a perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Chefs Patrick and Casey Van Voorhis will pull out the flour and eggs and teach you not only how to make pasta, but to shape and fill agnolotti. The class will be held on February 16, 6–9 p.m., at the Relish Culinary Center. Admission is $99; register at relishculinary.com/class_schedule.htm.

Santa Rosa Children can make Valentines and sweet treats for Mom or Dad at the Valentine’s Crafts and Cupcakes class. Cupcakes and supplies for decorating them will be provided, along with all kinds of stuff to make a card with enough kid-charm to warm your favorite parenting partner’s heart. The class will be held on February 11, 1–3 p.m., at the Central Santa Rosa Library.

Windsor If your honey likes nothing more than getting wrapped up in a good whodunit, then an evening at the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater is just the ticket. Use the detective skills you usually reserve for figuring out who ate the last of the cookies or tracked mud on the clean kitchen floor to nail the killer in The Gumshoe Murders, an interactive drama set in the 1940s. Shows will be held at 7 p.m. on February 2, 9, 17, and 24 at Charlie’s at the Windsor Golf Club. Tickets, which include dinner, are $68 and may be purchased at getaclueproductions.com or by calling 837-0019.

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www.sonomafamilylife.com

February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 15

February

Julian Lage

Calendar of Events

Santa Rosa Supernova

J

azz superstar Julian Lage began to play guitar as a Santa Rosa kindergartener. Before long, it was obvious he was more than gifted; he was a prodigy. By the age of 12, he had performed at the Grammy Awards, and by 15 he was a faculty member of the Stanford Jazz Workshop at Stanford University.

The 30-year-old native son returns home to perform an all-ages show with his trio at the Raven Performing Arts Theater in Healdsburg on February 18 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30–$55 and may be purchased at raventheater.org. ¶

Thursday 1 Whirling Waters Vortex. New exhibit.

Be prepared to get wet. Weather permitting. $9–$12. Babies under 12 months: free. Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. 546-4069. cmosc.org.

Honky Tonk Angels. Combines

more than 30 classic country tunes with a comedy about 3 gals following their dreams to Nashville. Weekends. $22–$38. Feb. 1: 7:30 p.m. Feb 2: 7:30 p.m. Feb 3: 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 4: 2 p.m. 6th Street Playhouse.

52 W. 6th St., Santa Rosa. 523-4185.

6thstreetplayhouse.com.

Years of Franklin. After

the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., teacher Harriet Glickman wrote to Charles Schulz about integrating the world of Peanuts.

The result was the character of Franklin. Exhibit is a display of correspondence between Glickman & Schulz. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Thru Aug. 5. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. 579-4452. schulzmuseum.org.

Friday 2 FREE Dungeons & Dragons Gaming Day. 3:30 p.m. Sebastopol Regional Library. 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. Registration required: sonomacounty.libcal.com.

FREE P is for Parks: Nature & Books Unite! Bilingual

songs, nature stories & nature-themed crafts. Ages 3–5 & accompanying adults. Wheelchair accessible. 10:30 a.m. Cloverdale Library. 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.

Watch your child gain new skills and grow in confidence with each new level.

Sonoma County Children’s Music 867 Third Street Santa Rosa (707) 527-7900

Enroll now at

www.childrenlovemusic.com 16 SonomaFamilyLife

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Music Man Jr. Kids’ version of the

FREE Fam Team: A Celebration of

iconic musical. Thru Feb. 4. Feb. 2: 7 p.m. Feb. 3: 1 p.m. & 7 p.m. Feb. 4: 1 p.m. $15. Spreckels Performing Arts. 5409 Snyder Ln., Rohnert Park.

588-3400. ci.rohnert-park.ca.us.

American Music & Family Dance

Gumshoe Murders. Murder mystery

dinner theater. Feb. 2, 9, 17 & 24. $68.

7 p.m. Charlie’s Restaurant. Windsor Golf Club. 1320 19th Hole Dr., Windsor. getaclueproductions.com.

Rosa Library. 211 E. St., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Party. Local DJ/MC group Fam

Team takes listeners on a musical journey through the ages, highlighting the contributions of Americans of African descent to American music & global culture. 2 p.m. Central Santa

Monday 5 Museum Mondays for Little Ones.

Stories, arts & craft activities & movement games. Ages 1–5 & their caregivers. 10 a.m.–noon. $5 per child.

Saturday 3 Special Needs Activity Program.

er at Summ oma Son emy!

Acad

Fun & developmental activities for kids with special needs & their families. Alternating sessions of music, dance, arts, crafts, physical exercise & yoga. Presented by Rotary Cares & Healdsburg Park & Recreation Department.

Saturdays. 10 a.m.–noon.

Healdsburg Community Center.

1557 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg.

206-399-7597. wonder.rotarycares.org.

Nuestros Parques. Bilingual

(Spanish/English) naturalist leads family walk. 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Riverfront Regional Park. 7821 Eastside Rd., Healdsburg. parks.sonomacounty. ca.gov/play/calendar.

FREE Be My Valentine! Kids

will make animal valentines from heart-shaped paper cutouts. 9 a.m.– noon. Friedman’s Home Improvement Center. 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. Giant canopy next to garden center. cmosc.org.

Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect, Exploration Makes Explorers Half and full day camps Week-long sessions from June 18 through August 3 for ages5th 10-14 Rising to 8th graders

FREE Valentine Bean Bag Toss. You & your child can construct a beanbag toss game. 9 a.m.–noon. Home Depot.

6280 Hembree Ln., Windsor. Register: homedepot.com/workshops.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

Visit www.sonomaacademy.org for more information and to register.

Located in southeast Santa Rosa.

February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 17

Up to 2 adults per child are free before 11 a.m. After 11 a.m., regular admission applies. Charles M. Schulz Museum.

2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa.

579-4452. schulzmuseum.org.

Blvd., Santa Rosa. Registration required. Go to event on calendar at sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Wednesday 7 FREE Bilingual Storytime/Cuentos

Monte Rio Supper Club. First

Mondays of the Month. Guest chefs.

Live music. $15. Taster plate: $5. 6–8 p.m. Monte Rio Community Center.

20488 Hwy. 116, Monte Rio. (Across from movie theater.) monterio.org.

Tuesday 6 FREE Maker Studio: Aluminum Etching. Make art on metal using a safe-for-kids chemical reaction. Ages 7–12. 3:30 p.m. (Also held Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. at Healdsburg Library & Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. at Guerneville Library.)

Rincon Valley Library. 6959 Montecito

y Cantos. Explore books, songs &

rhymes in English & Spanish. For children ages 1–5. Libros, canciones, rimas y actividades en ingles y español.

Para niños edades 1–5. Gratis. 5:30 p.m. Rohnert Park Library. 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Friday 9 FREE Teen Anime Club. Read manga,

eat snacks, make crafts & watch anime. Ages 13–18. 4 p.m. Central Santa Rosa Library. 211 E. St., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Visit with a Beekeeper. 1–2:30 p.m.

$9–$12. Babies under 12 months: free. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. 1835 W. Steele Ln., Santa Rosa. 546-4069. cmosc.org.

FREE Children’s Book Sale.

Sponsored by Friends of Petaluma Library. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Feb. 10 (half-price day): 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Petaluma Regional Library. 100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quartet.

$25–$75. 7:30 p.m. Sonoma State University. Green Music Center. Weill Hall. 1801 E. Cotati Ln., Rohnert Park. gmc.sonoma.edu.

Priority Registration OPPORTUNITIES FOR Learning for aLearning lifetime - Committed future for a lifetime - Committedtoto the the future

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GradesJanuary TK*-1210-February • Transfers10Welcome Opening in Grades TK-12 • Transfers Welcome *Transitional Kindergarten

CHECK OURAll SCHOOL TOUR DATES AND OPEN HOUSE NIGHTS studentsWEBSITES are entitledFOR to a successful education.

Our focus is learning.

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18 SonomaFamilyLife

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Saturday 10 FREE African Village Celebration with Onye Onyemaechi. Experience

African music & culture. 2 p.m. (Other shows—Feb. 10: 11 a.m. at Sonoma Valley Regional Library; Feb. 17: 10:30 a.m. at Healdsburg Regional Library & 2 p.m. at Cloverdale Regional Library; Feb. 24: 11 a.m. at Guerneville Regional Library & 2 p.m. at Windsor Regional Library.)

Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library.

6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Hair & Skin Care for the Entire Family!

Champagne Hair Lounge

7981 Old Redwood Hwy. • Cotati

Special

Cut & Color $75 Special for 1st time clients.

Call for an appointment 707 665-5826 7 days a week

Cupid, Canape & Cocktails.

Valentine’s Day cocktail hour ride, featuring “Cupid’s Arrow” cocktails & a selection of savory & sweet bite-sized treats. Trains depart at 4:45 p.m. from Willits (299 E. Commercial St.) & 5 p.m. from Fort Bragg (100 W. Laurel St.). $10–$66. Also Feb. 17. 964-6371. skunktrain.com.

Chili Bowl Express Fundraiser. Vegan

or meat chili, live music, ceramics demos, silent auction, raffle ticket & exhibit of ceramic sculpture & pottery.

Seatings at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. & 5 p.m. $30–$35. Sonoma Community Center. 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. sonomacommunitycenter.org/ chili-bowl.html.

THINK SAFETY FIRST. • Never walk on the railroad tracks.

Walking on the tracks is illegal and dangerous.

• Stay behind the yellow strip on the platform before boarding and after exiting the train.

FREE Lake Sonoma Steelhead Festival. Live music, archery,

hatchery tours & wildlife & conservation exhibits. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Lake Sonoma. Milt Brandt Visitor Center. Skaggs Springs Rd., Geyserville. lakesonoma.org.

• If you have young children, hold their hands when boarding and exiting the train.

• Drivers should never stop on the tracks.

FREE Valentine’s Crafts & Cupcakes Class. 1–3 p.m. Central

Santa Rosa Library. 211 E St., Santa Rosa. sonomacounty.libcal.com. www.sonomafamilylife.com

Visit BeTrackSMART.org February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 19

FREE Valentine Tea. Find out

about Summerfield’s preschool & kindergarten programs. 10–11:30 a.m.

RSVP to tracy@summerfieldwaldorf. org or 575-7194, ext. 102. Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm. 655 Willowside Rd., Santa Rosa. summerfieldws.org/home.

Sunday 11 FREE Calling All Little Red-Haired Girls. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. If you are a

FREE I Heart Rohnert Park.

little (or not so little!) red-haired girl or boy, receive free museum admission in celebration of Charlie Brown’s affection for a certain Little Red-Haired Girl. Charles M. Schulz Museum. 2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org.

Activities for all ages, live entertainment, food, beverages & more. 1–4 p.m. Rohnert Park Community Center. 5401 Synder Ln., Rohnert Park. facebook.com/ rpcommunityservices.

Winter Warm-Up Walks. 3 to 5–mile

Wednesday 14

hike. 10 a.m.–noon. Foothill Regional Park. 1351 Arata Ln., Windsor. parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/calendar.

FREE inbeTWEEN Time. Fun place

to hang out & eat snacks. Special optional craft/activity. Ages 9–14. 4 p.m. Central Santa Rosa Library. 211 E St., Santa Rosa. sonomalibrary.org.

Spring activities are here!

Thursday 15 Rocks, Minerals & Folks.

Presentation by geologist Dr. Jane Nielson. $12. 7 p.m. Laguna Environmental Center. 900 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa. Registration required: lagunafoundation.org.

for the whole family!

February 15th.

Register for classes at SantaRosaRec.com 707-543-3737

Friday 16 FREE Maker Space for Teens: Unconventional Design Challenge.

B Mî `ƒ

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kids are invited to sleep over & participate in an evening of swimming, games, movies, arts & crafts & more.

Snacks & breakfast are served. 1st–6th graders. $20–$50. Feb. 16., 7 p.m.–Feb. 17, 9 a.m. YMCA. 1111 College Ave., Santa Rosa. 545-9622. scfymca.org.

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Teens will take objects such as old keyboards & turn them into something else. Grades 6 & up only.

4 p.m. Windsor Regional Library.

9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor.

Registration required: sonomacounty. libcal.com/event/3746069.

EXPRESSWAY STORAGE Mention this ad for:

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Cloverdale Citrus Fair. $5–$8. Ages 5 & under: free. (Free admission on Feb. 16 for ages 62 & over & on Feb. 19 for ages 12 & under.) Feb. 16–19: noon–10

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

p.m. Feb. 17 & 18: 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Feb. 19: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Parade: Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. in downtown Cloverdale.) cloverdalecitrusfair.org.

FREE Raising Healthy Parents.

Mendocino County dad will read from his new book. 7 p.m. Copperfield’s Books. 140 Kentucky St., Petaluma. copperfieldsbooks.com/petaluma.

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.

$25–$75. 7:30 p.m. Sonoma State University. Green Music Center. Weill Hall. 1801 E. Cotati Ln., Rohnert Park. gmc.sonoma.edu.

READY TO CHANGE SOME LIVES? Volunteers are critical to ending hunger in our community. An hour or two of your time is all it takes.

Pledge to volunteer with the Redwood Empire Food Bank today.

TAKE ACTION AT REFB.ORG

Silver Scream Fest. Independent

features, short films & special screenings, including the very first in-theater showing of Criterion’s brand-new Night of the Living Dead restoration. $29–$299. Roxy Stadium 14. 85 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa. silverscreamfest.com.

Hands-On Pasta Workshop. Chefs

Patrick & Casey Van Voorhis will teach you how to make, shape & fill pasta from scratch. $99. 6–9 p.m. Relish Culinary Center. 14 Matheson St., Healdsburg. Register: relishculinary.com.

Saturday 17 All-male parody of a beauty contest.

Fundraiser for Raven Performing Arts. Must be 21 or over to attend. $45–$60. 7:30 p.m. Raven Performing Arts Theater. 115 North St., Healdsburg. raventheater.org.

Mr. Healdsburg Pageant.

Family Hikes. Learn

about local plants & animals while participating in a citizen science project. 1-hour hike starts at 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. Spring Lake Regional Park. Environmental www.sonomafamilylife.com

Five Amazing Schools Enrolling Now for 2018-19 La Tercera Elementary School

Featuring a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)

Loma Vista Immersion Academy Charter School

Featuring the internationally acclaimed Dual Immersion Language Model

Miwok Valley Language Academy Elementary Charter School Featuring a focus on language and Expeditionary Learning

Old Adobe Elementary Charter School

Featuring a focus on Arts and Ecology

Sonoma Mountain Elementary Charter School

Kid’s Care Program

Available at all schools 6:30a.m.–6p.m.

Featuring a focus on Arts and Music

845 Crinella Drive, Petaluma • 707-765-4321 • www.oldadobe.org

February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 21

Discovery Center. 393 Violetti Rd., Santa Rosa. parks.sonomacounty. ca.gov.

Let’s Go Explore a Redwood Neighborhood. Interactive,

bilingual (Spanish/English) family program.

2–3:30 p.m. Stillwater Cove Regional Park. 22455 Hwy. 1, Jenner. parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov.

Call of the Wild Cat Show.

Pure-bred & domestic cats compete.

Fundraiser for local cat charities. $3–$5. Under 5: free. Parking: $9. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Thru Feb. 18. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Grace Pavilion.

1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. sonomacountyfair.com.

FREE Black History Month Film Series. Marshall. A film about

young Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases. 1:30 p.m. Windsor Regional Library.

9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Misner & Smith. Poetic folk-rock duo. $22–$25. 8 p.m. Sebastopol Community Cultural Center. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. seb.org.

Sunday 18 Julian Lage Trio. Jazz superstar &

Santa Rosa native performs. $30–$35.

6:30 p.m. Raven Performing Arts

Theater. 115 North St., Healdsburg. raventheater.org.

Tuesday 20 FREE Maker Studio: Digital Storytelling. Explore how to visually

tell a story using digital images & editing software. Students will make their own videos. Ages 9–12. 4 p.m.

Windsor Library. 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. Registration required: 838-1020. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

FREE National Park Service.

Entrance fees will be waived on President’s Day. 7 a.m.–dusk. Find a park at nationalparks.org.

Thursday 22 FREE Zumbini. The

Music Man Jr.

Zumbini program combines movement & world music to stimulate early learning while also providing a bonding experience. For kids under age 4 & their caregivers. 10:30 a.m.

Healdsburg Regional Library. 139 Piper St., Healdsburg. Registration required: 433-3772 or sonomacounty. libcal.com.

Friday 23 Jennifer Griego

FREE Rebuild Green Expo.

Trouble in River City

H

arold Hill may be a con man, but he is not beyond the reaches of love.

In a local youth production of The Music Man Jr., watch Hill redeem himself, thanks to a prim librarian who captures his heart. The show, a kids’ version of the iconic musical, will feature favorite numbers such as “Ya Got Trouble,” “Pick-a-Little,” and “Gary, Indiana.” Performances will be held at Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park on February 2 and 3 at 7 p.m., and February 4 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 588-3400 or logging on to ci.rohnert-park.ca.us (click on “Spreckels Performing Arts,” under the “Explore” tab). ¶

22 SonomaFamilyLife

Education, information & networking focused on resilient, affordable, community-centered “green” rebuilding options for communities affected by the fires. Education & Community Meetings: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Public Green Building Expo: 2–7 p.m. Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building. 1351 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa. rebuildgreenexpo.com.

Stepping Out. Members of the

Dublin Irish Dancers perform traditional Celtic dance & music. $35–$85. 7:30 p.m. Sonoma State

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

University. Green Music Center. Weill Hall. 1801 E. Cotati Ln., Rohnert Park. gmc.sonoma.edu.

Sonoma County Roller Derby.

Seaweed & Sea Vegetables: Who

$5–$25. Parking: $8–$10. Doors open at 4 p.m. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Grace Pavilion. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. sonomacountyfair.com.

Eats What? Hike 1/2 mile through

The Songs of Joni Mitchell.

Saturday 24 redwood forest to low-tide beach.

Learn to gather seaweed safely & responsibly. Try seaweed soup. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Stillwater Cove Regional Park. 22455 Hwy. 1, Jenner. parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov.

Cross & Crown Lutheran School 2 - 5 years Preschool Jr. Kindergarten – Kindergarten 1st through 6th Grade

Featuring Allyson Paige. 7 p.m. $15–$20. Sebastopol Community Cultural Center Annex. 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. seb.org.

Kids’ Night at the Museum. Pizza

Monday 26 1967–1975. Documentary presents

archival footage of civil rights activists such as Angela Davis, Eldridge Cleaver & Stokley Carmichael. 6 p.m. Petaluma Regional Library.

100 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. sonomacounty.libcal.com.

Sunday 25 Build a Bird Box. Learn about different designs for different birds.

TS

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(707) 795-7863

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Pete the Cat. Children’s musical. $12–$17. ($5 lap passes for ages 2 & under available on the day of show only.) 3 p.m. Luther Burbank Center.

50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa.

546-3600. lutherburbankcenter.org.

FREE Black Power Mixtape

dinner, games, art, crafts & cartooning. $25–$32. 5–9 p.m.

Charles M. Schulz Museum.

2301 Hardies Ln., Santa Rosa. schulzmuseum.org.

©P N

CCLS - PSP Private Satellite Program K-6th

Build a bird box for your home. Ages 8 & up. 2–4 p.m. Helen Putnam Regional Park. 411 Chileno Valley Rd., Petaluma. parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov.

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Rohnert Park: 360 Rohnert Park Expressway Santa Rosa: Coddingtown Mall 750 Farmers Ln. (by Ross) 2240 Mendocino Ave. (by Safeway) 750 Stony Pt. Rd. (by Starbucks) 1425 Fulton Rd. (by Raley’s) 2700 Yulupa Ave. (by CVS) ANY HAIRCUT ANY HAIRCUT Windsor: 9018 Brooks Rd. (by Mary’s Pizza) $ 99 $ 99 Healdsburg: 1017 Vineyard Plaza Sonoma: ANY HAIRCUT ANY HAIRCUT 19217 Sonoma Hwy. (Maxwell Village Center) $ 99 ANY $ 99 Terra Linda: HAIRCUT ANY HAIRCUT Northgate One Shopping Center 701 Sonoma $Mountain Parkway $ Petaluma: 99 99

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Cooking with Kids

Healthy

Bliss Make a Sweet for Your Sweetie

By Momma Chef

H

ave you ever found yourself wistfully staring into the refrigerator, looking for something that will satisfy your sweet tooth but won’t bust your diet? Probably a cheesecake is not the first diet-friendly goodie that comes to mind. But, by substituting all-natural Nectevia for white sugar, I was able to create a crave-worthy, creamy, splurge-safe cheesecake that has less than 3 grams of carbs and only 100 calories per piece. Like all of my Momma Chef creations, it’s quick, easy, and scrumptious.

24 SonomaFamilyLife

Splurge-Safe Low-Carb Cheesecake Ingredients 3 large eggs 16 ounces low-fat cream cheese, room temperature 3 tablespoons liquid Nectevia 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional) fresh raspberries (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F. Place eggs in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add in room-temperature cream cheese, Nectevia, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into greased pie dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until center is firm to touch. Let cool. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

This article originally appeared on MommaChef.com. It has been reprinted here with permission.

Karen Nochimowski, aka Momma Chef, is a mother of three active boys (ages 12, 8, and 5). On her blog, MommaChef.com, find more of her recipes, all of which require no more than six ingredients and six minutes of prep time.

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Classified Marketplace Lessons

After School

Childcare/Preschools

Are You Ready for a Musical Adventure?

Childcare/Preschools

Educating the Whole Child

YMCA PRESCHOOL

YMCA PRESCHOO

GROW.LEARN.THRIVE YMCA PRESCHOOL

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WHER ET

Piano technique • Music theory Ear training • Sight reading Improvisation, & fun

L A SSES 4

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Piano Classes 4 You (707) 397-5291 pianoclasses4you.com

Got Art? We Do!!!

Painting • Drawing Cartooning Mask Making Glass Staining Silk Painting Wood Burning Mosaic • Clay

BASEBALL

For children with physical and/or intellectual challenges.

Male and Female Players ages 5-25 Online Registration Dec 1–Feb 11 Register In Person at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Jan 13 & 14 1975 Cleveland Ave. Santa Rosa

(707)331-1321

www.eteamz.com/ northbaychallenger

Services

Celebrating 26 Years

5435 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park • 285-2002 www.scribblesandgigglesart.com

W

All ages & riders welcome!

W

Visit us at markweststables.com

We can help!

for your next birthday party!

Nutrition, Relationships, Motor Skills,Self Interpersonal Montessori In Motion: 3–6 yrs. Health & Serving 2-5 year olds Relationships, Self Confidence, and Cognitive & Children’s Circle: 2.5–3.5+ yrs. Interpersonal Academic Skills. & Confidence, and Cognitive KinderClub: 3–5 yrs.

PRICING &

Now Enrolling

433-8102 egfencing

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PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

707.544.1829

PRICINGwww.scfymca.org & Health & Nutrition, Motor Skil REGISTRATION: Interpersonal Relationships, S Register at the Parks and Recreation Office

YMCA Program Office The Y isConfidence, a non-profit community based organization. and Cognitive 9291 Old Redwood Hwy., Bldg. 300D 707.544.1829 Financial Assistance is available.

838-1260 • townofwindsor.com/preschool Academic Skills.

Program of First United Methodist Church Year-round • Play based Ages 2 - 5 (Pre-Kindergarten) Excellent Teacher-Child ratios Open 7am-6pm

FUMC

Preschool & Child Care Center

 Paternity and Child Support Order Establishment  Payment Collection Services  Payment Tracking and Accounting  Child Support Modification

Sonoma County Child Support Services 3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste 200 Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Check out our online web directories Schools

Homeschool Program Grades K-5

Like Us On Facebook

www.sunridgeschool.org 707-824-2276 February 2018

&

The Y is a non-profit community based organization.

Financial Assistance is available.

PRICING & REGISTRATION: Casa dei Bam

YMCA Office b io’s Program Since 1981 707.544.1829 Montessori School

Preschool•Kindergarten The Y is a non-profit Parent-Toddler Class community based Ages 18 months organization. to 6-years

Financial Assistance is available.

25th Anniversary!

Educating the whole child; head, heart, & hands.

Have an adventure party!

Academic Skills.

REGISTRATION:

Diane: 546-7012

2017 Introductory Special

Lessons Grooming Camps Pony Rides & More!

Part Time /Full Time Care

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: Health & Flexible Nutrition, Motor Skills, Plans Available

preschool@fumcsantarosa.org www.fumcsantarosa.org/preschool License#490110699

MARK WEST STABLES (707) 538-2000

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SANTA ROSA 2590 PINER RD. Serving 2-5 year olds

ini

Classes • Camps Birthday Parties

Montessori In Motion & More!

Part Time2590 /Full Time Care PINER RD. Flexible Plans Part TimeAvailable /Full Time Care Flexible Plans Available Serving 2-5 year olds

Rh

Learn to play piano in a small group

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2427 Professional Dr. • Santa Rosa Near Steele Lane & Hwy 101

707-528-0889•www.rhioscasa.com

The Bridge School. Located in Central Santa Rosa, 1625 Franklin Ave. Year-round full/half–day. Rich nurturing environment.

Center based program for ages 3–5 with separate 2’s program. Caring, qualified teachers. Julie & Andrew Day; owners.

Lic.#493005697. 575-7959.

Playtime Daycare/Preschool Join our loving family. Spacious playroom, large yard, meals provided. CPR & first aid certified.

M-F. Infants & up. Call Wendy 539-7524. Lic. #04746.

SonomaFamilyLife 25

Humor Break

A Valentine for the Earth A Mom Makes Peace with V-Day

By Holly Hester

I

hate Valentine’s Day. There. I said it. And that doesn’t make me an un-romantic person. It’s just that my idea of romance isn’t someone feeling forced to buy me flowers because it’s a national holiday. What are we all, just a bunch of sheep?

Don’t answer that. Let’s all just say Baaaaah.

Valentine’s Day has always been a traumatic experience in my life. I remember in high school you could secretly buy someone a carnation and send it to her in class. This meant by the end of the day the most popular girls would be walking around barely able to carry all the carnations in their arms while the rest of us were slithering through the halls carnation-less like a bunch of untouchables in Les Miserables.

I remember the looks on the faces of the popular girls (most of whom were wearing clichéd cheerleader outfits). They tried to stay modest, but every molecule of their beings just screamed, “Too bad, losers.” I would usually get a meager one or two of these secret carnations, and I always knew who they were from: a disturbing boy from the AV department who ate his boogers.

26 SonomaFamilyLife

As an adult my Valentine’s Day didn’t get much better simply because of my disdain for receiving flowers. I would always forget to tell a boyfriend in advance that I hated getting flowers. And then Valentine’s Day would roll around and there I would be with a plastered smile on my face saying, “Oh, they’re beautiful! Let me put them in a vase so I can slowly watch

I always end up just getting my husband a bottle of wine (and a quiet dark place away from children to drink it in.) them die over the next week, and then my cats can tip them over and my house can forever be infused with the smell of rotting water.”

Now that I’m married my husband knows to keep it simple: salted caramels and a quiet, dark place away from children to eat them in.

But the real question is: What do I get my husband for Valentine’s Day? Yikes. That’s another story. I have always failed miserably on that one and end up just getting him a bottle of wine (and a quiet dark place away

from children to drink it in.) This year, I thought I’d surprise my husband with a scarf that I knitted. But, with just two rows done, it looks like I won’t be quite finished with it by Valentine’s.

I thought I was just going to have to give up and get my husband a bottle of wine again, but fortunately, I was saved by an e-mail I got from one of my favorite eco-friendly clothing stores, Indigenous. It’s a fair-trade company that sells clothes made with organic materials by artisans in South America.

I got my husband one of their rancher shirts. This is the first Valentine’s gift I’ve ever given him that I’ve been excited about because I felt like I was doing some eco-good—not just sheeping along with the rest of the proletariat on this forced, unromantic, Orwellian holiday.

So Happy Valentine’s Day, Bill.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Planet Earth.

And Happy Valentine’s Day to all the carnation-covered popular girls that I went to high school with. Losers.

(No, I’m not bitter at all.) ¶ Holly Hester lives in Sebastopol and writes about life on her blog, Riot Ranch. Find her book, Escape from Ugly Mom Island!, on Amazon.

February 2018 www.sonomafamilylife.com

Join Our Community Apple Blossom Elementary School

Our mission is to nurture our students’ creative and critical thinking, academic proficiency, global awareness, appreciation for diversity and respect for themselves and others in a continually changing technological world.

Grade levels: K-5 • Small class sizes: K-3 (18-20), 4-6 (24-26) Interactive, project-based learning • On-site pre school Before and after-school care ART, MUSIC, GARDENING, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The Art of Academic Excellence 707.823.1041 www.twinhillsusd.org

sonoma

700 Watertrough Rd. Sebastopol, CA, 707.823.6278 twinhillsusd.org

IT’S MORE THAN JUST A GAME YMCA JUNIOR WARRIORS BASKETBALL LEAGUE

A positive youth basketball league for children ages 6-15. Emphasizing the fun of the sport, while keeping competition in perspective.

Practice 1 hour a week with games on Saturdays.

LOCAL

#1 local resource for for 25 years local families

TEE BALL

Pressure free environment where children ages 4-7 can learn, develop and practice fundamental baseball skills and embrace teamwork.

INTRODUCTION TO VOLLEYBALL

This program will focus on the fundamentals of the game of volleyball!

Offered for ages 7-12!

TRACK & FIELD

This Y program combines technical development and fundamental techniques with safety and fun in mind for kids ages 7-12.

2 hour practice each week.

Call the Y Program Office for more Information at 707-544-1829 or visit www.scfymca.org to register online

magazine • web • email • events

The Y is a not-for-profit Community Based Organization.

Financial Assistance is available.

www.sonomafamilylife.com

February 2018

SonomaFamilyLife 27

When reading is easier,

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