NW Kids Magazine November 2011 by Emily Olson

kids northwest

NOVEMBER 2011

MAGAZINE

SPOKANE | COEUR D’ALENE | SPOKANE VALLEY | SANDPOINT | DEER PARK

Are you ready

Bounce off the walls? to

• Birthday Parties • airoBics classes • dodgeBall • corPorate Parties • Family Packs

1322 E Front Ave Spokane

(509) 321-JUMP

WWW.JUMPSKYHIGH.COM

nwkids

Check out our this month’s book review by Newman Lake resident, Kylee B.

inside04 NOVEMBER 2011

PAGE 4 MASTHEAD

PAGE 5 EDITOR’S NOTE

DEPARTMENTS 9 Business Profile

with the holidays approaching, stress levels rising, temperatures dropping and kids staying inside 99% of the time...there is no time like the present to explore youth yoga and its benefits

23 OUR HEALTH

14 OUR PICKS

25 OUR LIVES

Local events; a trip to Cataldo Mission; our first school spotlight; Local Business Profile, Famous Faces; our first Q&A

Check out the best of autumnal finds this month; Interesting reading for all ages

18 OUR KIDS

Guide to skiing, boarding, and sledding; we have a new Grub Club member; Arts & Theater; youth yoga

Compare and contrast Obstetrics and Midwifery; Humor essay on learning to redefine success

Double Layered Pumpkin Pie; Learn how to save with Groupon; It’s a modern date night when you learn to geocache

30 OUR DIRECTORY

Local businesses make the world go round...so take a peek at some awesome resources in our area

www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 3

inside04

17 breath slowly

06 OUR TOWN

FAMILY PET MEMORIAL

Subscribe!

Cremation Service & Cemetery

Trusted Since 1967

Providing Compassionate and Dignified Private Cremation & Burial Services for your Beloved Pet. • Available “On-Call” • Specializing in Private Cremations • Serving Our Community For Over 40 Years • Recommended and Used by Our Local Veterinarians Greater Spokane 509.467.4248

North Idaho 208.457.7111

PUBLISHER Northwest Kids Magazine EDITOR Emily Olson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Olson MEDIA/EVENTS DIRECTOR Rebecca Templeton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Emily Olson | Tammy Marshall | Mary Long | Lisa Smith Molinari EDITORIAL INQUIRIES OR SUBMISSIONS Northwest Kids Magazine welcomes editorial inquiries and suggestions. Please contact Emily at emily@northwestkidsmagazine.com Northwest Kids Magazine is published monthly. 2600A E Seltice Way #306 Post Falls, ID 83854 info@NorthwestKidsMagazine www.NorthwestKidsMagazine.com

MAIN ADVERTISING OFFICE: 208.457.7211 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from publisher. Photographs, graphics,and artwork are the property of Northwest Kids Magazine © 2011 Printed in the U.S.A. on Recycled Paper

4 northwest kids magazine

Every pet deserves to be loved!

editor’s note

all started one year ago...with the puppy on the left. That would be Angus. Angus is the first puppy from my brother, Pete’s, ambitious adventure into the world of South African Boerboels. Angus had barely settled into his new home (in fact it was his first night) when I arrived at their house, met him, fell in love and began imagining my new life on the run having become a dog-napper. Thankfully, my brother, not wanting to see me turn to a life of crime, gave me permission to borrow Angus for the night and I knew instantly that my life would never be the same. Although Angus was adored by our brood, I had no choice but to return him to his real family...but that is when the plotting and conspiring to have a boerboel of our very own began. Fast forward one year and the first litter of bouncing, pouncing, plodding, tromping boerboel puppies have been born. It was clear that one of the massive babies was destined to become part of our family and two weeks ago we welcomed our boy, Hank, into the clan. (Handsome Hank, as we call him, is pictured at right at only 10 weeks old!) So far, we’ve learned a few surprising lessons about owning such a large breed dog such as: he can easily consume 3 cups of food every day, he can simply step up onto the couch, and most importantly we’ve learned that he was well worth the wait! Enjoy this month’s issue, packed with great new local voices and interesting articles about what’s happening in our community today!

Thanks and see you next month! Emily

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our community

School’s Out Day Camp Kroc Center, 1765 W. Gold Course Rd., Coeur d’Alene Ever wonder what you are going to do with your kids on those pesky school’s days off? The Kroc Center in Coeur d’Alene is there to fill the babysitter gap for you. On Friday, Nov. 11; Tuesday, Nov 22; and Wednesday, Nov. 23 they’ll be offering day camp for kids ages 6-13. Cost: $35, per day. kroccda.org 208-667-1865 A Christmas Carol Spokane Civic Theatre 1020 N. Howard St. Charles Dickens’s most famous character will come to life on the Spokane Civic Theatre’s main stage. The meaning and wonder of Christmas will be revealed through the legendary Ebenezer Scrooge. Performances scheduled from Nov. 18-Dec. 18 on Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and on Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets: $29; $27, seniors; $22, student. spokanecivictheatre.com 509-325-2507 Christmas Tree Elegance Tree Lighting The Davenport, 10 S. Post St. The ornately beautiful trees on the mezzanine with light up on Monday, Nov. 28 in the evening. Free. 509-455-8888

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LOCAL EVENTS

Fall Folk Festival SCC, Lair, 1810n N. Greene Look no further if you’re seeking something to do Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 12-13-even if you’re on a budget. The 16th annual Fall Folk Festival features dancing on eight different stages, music, food and crafts for kids. Not only is this a learning experience for youth, it’s interactive and it’s free. Saturday, Nov. 12, from 11 am to 10 pm and on Sunday, Nov. 13, from 11 am-5 pm. 509-747-2640 spokanefolklore.org Campbell House Holiday Tours The MAC, 2316 W. First Ave. Decorated just like the famous local socialites did during the Victorian era, the English Tudor house next to the MAC Museum will smell of baking cookies and history. Opens for Christmas Friday, Nov. 25 through Jan. 1. $7; $5, seniors and students. northwestmuseum.org 509-4563931 KPBX Kids Concert The Bing Theater The band Jive Five will perform WWII swing-era music during this concert on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 1 pm. Free. 901 W. Sprague kpbx.org 509-328-5729

Holiday Fair Trade Festival Sandpoint Community Hall Sandpoint, Idaho An alternative shopping excursion that not only offers plenty of unique items for sale, but a little education experience on economy and where goods come from. On Friday-Saturday, Nov. 18-19. 208-255-4410 Annie by CYT The Bing Theater Spokane’s Christian Youth Theater will be bringing out the sunny days during this production about a little orphan that will be performed from Nov. 4-13. The Bing, 901 W. Sprague cytspokane.com Christmas Parade and Lighting Ceremony Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second St., Coeur d’Alene Watch the lights come up and the Christmas spirit once again emerge this day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 25. More than 1.5 million lights come on. Parade starts at 5:30, lights come on at 6 pm. Free. Visit local merchants for a free candle to light during ceremony. www.cdaresort.com 208-765-4000 ext. 21

Popovich Pet Theater Kenworthy Performing Arts Moscow, Idaho If anyone could herd a group of cats it would be Popovich. His pets mesmerize his audience and dazzle with their amazing tricks. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at 7 pm. Tickets: $25; $15, youth. The Bing, 901 W. Sprague. He will perform in Sandpoint on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 7 pm. Panida, 300 N. First St., Sandpoint, Idaho Call: 208-2639191. He will perform in Moscow on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 3 pm and 7 pm. Tickets: $20; $15, youth 12 and younger. 208-882-4127 comedypet.com

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever SFCC, Spartan Theatre, Building 5, 3410 W. Ft. George Wright Dr. Spokane Children’s Theatre presents this classic favorite on Friday, Nov. 25, at 4 pm; Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 26-27, at 1 pm; Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 3-4, at 1 pm and 4 pm; SaturdaySunday, Dec. 10-11 at 1 pm; and on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 4 pm. Tickets: $12; $10, youth. spokanechildrenstheatre.org 509328-4886

A totally immersed environment. No this is not your grandpa throwing you off the dock and expecting you to swim. Jury’s still out if that just causes a fear of water anyway.

Life lessons, middle school and how West Valley City School’s changing the way our children learn. by Tammy Marshall

We’re talking about an alternative public middle school that’s also a city. Kind of like the games Life and Monopoly rolled together in a educational format where kids go home telling their parents they actually enjoyed their day at school. Touted by West Valley School District as an experiential learning environment, kids walk through the school’s doors and into an independent city. They have to work in one of their pre-selected jobs, if they get in trouble they go to the courthouse where a jury of their peers provides a verdict. In a test result performance overview on Education. com WVCS received a 7 out of 10 stars. The website used the Washington State standardized test results to calculate the rating. In the 2010 results for math and reading West Valley City School was about on par with the state average. In science they were ranked slightly below the state average. Really though, test results aren’t everything. When I visited WVCS as an AmeriCorps member in 2007 I walked into the science room and was immediately immersed in the world of biology as interpreted by fish. The youth that showed me the room and who happened to have his City School job there knew everything about the fish. He knew what they ate, their

natural habitat and even how they procreated. Lewis and Clark High School senior Katie Blevins attributes much of her teamwork skills and dedication to learning to the experience she received at WVCS. “It was a great foundation for the skills that I would need later in life,” Blevins says. “The jobs really was a great idea. They teach you about tuition, managing a bank account and more. I really enjoyed it because it was almost like a city itself because there’s a bank, city hall, courthouse, cafe, a fish farm and many more jobs. I’m so happy that I went to city school because if I hadn’t I don’t think I’d be as successful as I am to this day,”she continues. A school that not only teaches you the fundamentals, but teaches how to learn. Although still in the experimental learning phase, this public school has a waiting list to get in. WVCS recommends you call today to get on the list that will then lead to an interview process that will hopefully result in an admission. With a little more than 200 pupils in grades 5-8, this school’s teacher/student ratio stands at 24 to 1. According to WVCS alumnus Blevins, the teachers give 200 percent to the students. “It prepared me for the real world in education. By attending a project based school they really teach you how to break things into parts so it’s not as stressful, because if I didn’t have those skills I would definitely be having some problems by now with time management and other things,” Blevins says.

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education

CITY SCHOOL

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our community

PARKS & REC

cataldo mission An area brimming with autumnal beauty and steeped with history.

he oldest standing building in all of Idaho is found here, in the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park. The Mission of the Sacred Heart or Sacred Heart Mission was constructed between 1850 and 1853 by Catholic missionaries and members of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Sacred Heart Mission and the Coeur d’Alene’s Old Mission State Park provide an educational experience not found anywhere else, giving visitors an opportunity to examine the dynamics and complexities between Jesuit missionaries and the tribal people among whom they settled. The park features the Sacred Heart Mission building, a restored Parish House and an historic cemetery. The visitor center includes a gift shop and an interpretive movie about the history of the Mission and the Coeur d’Alene Indians.

31732 S Mission Rd Cataldo, ID 83810

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Q&A At The Table With Local Children’s Author

Kelly Milner Halls by Tammy Marshall

When did you first decide to write children’s books?

In the early 1990s I wrote my first book, Dino-Trekking, which was a family book about museum exhibits featuring fossils. I was writing nonfiction for children’s magazines and newspaper sections, fulltime. I was a freelancer. I didn’t make the final shift to books for young readers until 2003 when I wrote Dinosaur Mummies, a book about dinosaur fossils that included soft tissue along with bone. Why did you pick Spokane to live? I had just gone through a very difficult divorce in Colorado and wanted a safe place to start over. I had one friend in each of four cities -- Austin, TX, Cleveland, OH, Tempe, AZ and Spokane, WA. I visited each town on assignment and fell in love with Spokane. I packed two daughters, two dogs, four cats, a ferret and a hamster into my Dodge Neon and headed west. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. Spokane is ideal. What is your favorite thing about writing books for youth? I studied journalism thinking I’d write for adults. But I don’t have that killer instinct. When I am forced to write about an adult who makes bad choices -- robbing a bank, selling drugs, swindling old folks -- I think, “Wow, does this person have kids at home?” I am haunted by the people hurt by the things their parents might do, so writing hard news wasn’t for me. Writing fun news for kids means I never have to hurt a single person’s feelings. It’s perfect for a mindset like mine, which is basically “do no harm.” Tell us about your latest release In Search of Sasquatch. I wrote a book called Tales of the Cryptids in 2006 that explored dozens of mysterious animals that might or might not be real. Most of them leaned more toward being fictional, but one stood out as especially astonishing. Bigfoot. I thought it was a creature of hoax when I first tackled Cryptids, but as I did the research, I began to realize

there was quite a bit of credible scientific evidence to suggest there Could be an unidentified bipedal ape in North America. I didn’t have room in a broader book like Cryptids to tell that story, so I wrote In Search of Sasquatch to expand upon that subject. It was such an amazing experience. I loved it. Have you ever thought about switching genres? I have. I am a huge fan of YA or young adult literature -- fiction for teens written by authors like Chris Crutcher, Sherman Alexie, Rita WilliamsGarcia, Christopher Paul Curtis and others. I am trying to learn to write those stories and my first short story will be published in January 2012 by Chronicle Books in an anthology I edited called Girl Meets Boy. It’s a whole other animal -- for mature audiences 14 and up -- not for younger readers because the stories are pretty rough. Fortunately, that book will be in the YA section under Milner Halls, so my younger readers are unlikely to find it. What can we expect from you in the future? My primary passion will always be writing quirky nonfiction for kids. So my next book will be Alien Instigation, a look at UFOs for kids 9 and up, from Millbrook in January of 2012. After that, Hatchlings: Life-Size Baby Dinosaurs, for kids 7 and up, from Running Press in April of 2012. Further down the road, I’ll have a book about video games, one about a baby elephant and a book for National Geographic on animal rescue stories. When you’re not writing what are you doing? When I’m not writing, I’m traveling to elementary and middle schools all over the country to speak to kids about the wonders of weird and the magic of following your dreams. I help them to understand writing and reading can be fun, and I love sharing my books and research with those kids. I also like to paint, work on my photography and visit places that simply amaze me.

www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 9

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WHIZ KIDS Educational Toys by Tammy Marshall

Turn your TVs, video games, computers and other electronics off. Not because you have to, but because you’ll want to after a visit to Whiz Kids. After a short hiatus when Whiz Kids sadly closed its doors at River Park Square, toy enthusiast Joy St. George purchased and reopened March of 2010 in the Skywalk Level of RPS.

808 W Main Ave #251 Spokane, WA (509) 456-TOYS

communication skills plus brings out the imagination. The family plays a game such as Zingo and the younger children learn how to spell DOG by looking at the picture of the dog and the word on their Bingo card. A baby discovers if she shakes a maraca, she hears a sound. An older child (or adult) follows the steps listed in the various origami kits and creates beautiful flowers or clever animals,” St. George says.

You may not find your garden variety Toys R Us toys there, but you’ll find plenty of toys designed to delight and education youngsters of all ages.” I try to limit the toys that customers can get at Toys R Us and the other chain stores,” St. George says. “ I do have some plush Angry Birds, I’m currently running a promotion with the wooden Thomas the Train where the customer can get a ‘mystery train’ with the purchase of other Thomas items, and I have some Madame Alexander dolls that are the same size as American Girl dolls,” she continues.

According to St. George, 90 percent of the items in the store are $20 or less. Which makes a day in the park or Mobius followed by a stop at the toy store, or even a stop for a birthday present comparatively inexpensive.

In exchange for electronic games like LeapFrog, St. George recommends toys that involve interaction either between the parent and child or the child with a peer or peers. “Most of our toys are interactive – they are fun but with some sort of learning involved. The child follows instructions, often with a parent’s help, and builds a robot. Two children each have a puppet and talk back and forth, which sharpens their

If the brilliant colors and menagerie of toys doesn’t light up your child’s face, Whiz Kids carries the recyclosaur by local artist Peter Thomas which is made of cardboard pieces that when assembled becomes a dinosaur replica. Thomas is known for his dinosaur sculptures he creates for First Night Spokane.

St. George says she loves the positive energy in the store and the looks of delight from the kids and especially the giggles given by babies seeing the toy store for the first time.

A little of everything, and a whole lot local.

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faces FAMOUS

czar

madisyn

carson

zibby ava simone

catie

caden

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Would you like to see your child here? If so, visit our website and submit your photo --be sure to check back next month to see if you won!

WINNING PHOTO adrianna gracie anne

olivia

hailey

Submit your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo to be entered into our random drawing... great prizes for those who win! Start submitting today! sasha

Elliot & Nolan are this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winners and will receive a FAMILY PASS to SKY HIGH SPORTS!

1322 E Front Avenue Spokane (509) 321-5867 brannon www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 11

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our picks

•Cool Turkey Cedar Chips from etsy.com

•Gobble ‘Til You Wobble...

ADORABLE THANKSGIVING PLACEMATS from Etsy.com

haute

AUTUMN •Thanksgiving review decor WOOD DECORATIVE BLOCK from Etsy.com

•Plush gourd for soft decoration SOFT PUMPKIN from Etsy.com

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•Fanciful Dog Collars

CONES AND BONES from Etsy. com

our picks

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•Twisted Papers

Sombre door card from Etsy.com

•Can you dig it? baby onesie MY FIRST THANKSGIVING OUTFIT FROM ETSY.com

•Baby’s first turkey bone rattle

MAKE IT SHAKE RATTLE from Etsy. com

•Have a thankful heart block RUSTIC THANKS BOARD From Etsy.com

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our picks

READER REVIEW

October Selections Stuck Oliver Jeffers Stuck is about a boy named Floyd, who got his kite stuck up in a tree. That may not sound all that exciting at first, but wait until you see the methods Floyd uses to try to get his kite out of the tree and the bigger mess he creates while trying to solve his dilemma.

Hereville-How Mirka Got Her Sword Barry Deutsch

This is one of those cozy books you read to your child at bedtime over and over again, while admiring the illustrations and giggling throughout the story. Both you and your child will also enjoy the childlike font used in the book.

Spunky, strong-willed, eleven-year-old Mirka Hirschberg isn’t interested in knitting lessons from her step-mother, or how-to-find-a-husband advice from her sister, or you-better-not warnings from her brother. There’s only one thing she does want: to fight dragons! Granted, no dragons have been breathing fire around Hereville, the Orthodox Jewish community where Mirka lives, but that doesn’t stop the plucky girl from honing her skills.

Reader Review

Has your child recently read a great book? Submit their book review at www.northwestkidsmagazine.com.

The Call of the Wild Jack London

Kylee Behar

As Reviewed by Kylee Behar, age 10 The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, is perhaps one of the best books I’ve ever read! It is about a dog name Buck who is stolen and put on a train and sent to Alaska. Once Buck is in Alaska there is a dog fight and a dog which he had made friends with was killed. Scared, Buck ran away and got lost in the forest. Finally Buck was found by the same dog which killed his friend. This is a very sad, but heartwarming story about a dog. Photo by Beautiful Photo Studio

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calm calm

YOUTH YOGA Y

outh yoga is quite different from adult yoga in so much as the benefits to be achieved for children don’t involve them resembling a movie star they’ve seen, nor does it abide any social pressure they may have to be “zen”. Rather, the benefits are the achievement of peace and calm. Yoga is very therapeutic and has a tendency to resolve conflicts both in our body and in our mind, even conflicts we may not have been aware of. With winter now at our heels, it is imperative to provide activities which our kids can participate with indoors. You and your children may just find that yoga is the pleasing, quiet, calm activity which brings you closer.

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skiing, boarding, & sledding... that’s right...it’s winter! The weather is turning! And for the better. Time to put away that windbreaker and get out your ski mask and neoprene gloves and hit the slopes! compiled by Tammy Marshall

49 Degrees North Mountain Resort

Families love 49! For their out-of-the way bunny hill, little kids and beginners adults can practice their skiing before they hit the big slopes. Unlike many other resorts, the beginners area isn’t corralled right next to the ski lodge, where thoughtless skiers could easily crash into the little ones. Lift tickets: $54; $45, youth; $10, 6 and younger. Slopes expected opening: Friday, Nov. 25. 3311 Flowery Trail Rd., Chewelah, Wash. Visit: ski49n.com Call: 935-6649

Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area

Look no further for the right location to introduce your child to the wonderful world of skiing. Every Saturday morning at 10 am during ski season, on the top of this quaint ski mountain, kids from age 6-17 will be introduced to the world of skiing by certified instructors for free! That’s right for free. Register by January 21, 2012 to guarantee a spot for next season. Call ahead to see if they can’t squeeze you in for this season. Generally the first to see snow, Lookout opens around Thanksgiving. I-90 to Montana Exit 0 takes to straight to the mountain. Mullan, Idaho Visit: skilookout.com Call: 208-744-1301

Mount Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park

Conveniently located less than 30 miles from Spokane’s downtown, this family-friendly mountain may be known for its night skiing, but is also a great place to get your kid off the bunny hill. The advanced parts of the hill are great for learning to maneuver and the lodge awaits your dismount from the hill and into a mug of their hot cocoa. Cost: $45; $35, free 6 and younger. 29500 N. Mount Spokane Park Dr. Visit: mtspokane. com Call: 238-2220

Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Certainly a fabulous mountain, this resort offers excellent skiing. Go for the mountain, but don’t forget the shops down below in the wonderful town of Sandpoint. Everything on this mountain is state-of-the-art from high-speed quads to ten lifts. 10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd., Sandpoint, Idaho Visit: schweitzer.com Call: 877-487-4643

Silver Mountain Resort

Not just a mountain, but an activity destination. If one kid prefers skiing and the other one disdains the cold, rent one of their condos and while kid one hits the slopes kid two will have a blast in their warm indoor water park. 610 Bunker Ave., Kellogg, Idaho Visit: silvermt.com Call: 866-344-2675

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Don’t forget about sledding and tubing. These places offer up some winter fun without all the expensive gear. Manito Park 1800 S. Grande Blvd. Spokane, Wash. Underhill Park Hartson Ave. and Fiske St. in Spokane near the Ben Burr Trail Fernan Saddle 11 miles north of Coeur d’Alene on the west side of the Panhandle National Forest Holmberg East side of Five Mile Prairie near Whitworth University

Mount Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park 29500 N. Mount Spokane Park Dr. Schweitzer Mountain Resort 10000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd., Sandpoint, Idaho Silver Mountain Resort 610 Bunker Ave., Kellogg, Idaho Cherry Hill Park 15th St. and Hazel Ave., Coeur d’Alene

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GRUB CLUB

Take fruit (we used seasonal apples), top with your favorite yogurt and dash with sprinkles. An easy and mostly healthy after-school snack that kids can make themselves.

Signature snack created by Chef Sara Brantingham. Fruit, yogurt and don’t Forget the Sprinkles! bon appétit

Put some sprinkles on top and that will make even the pickiest of kids give it a second look. Sometimes that’s all you need.

3. Meat’s browning...

The Grub Club AUGUST

garret

SEPTEMBER

taylor

OCTOBER

mason

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NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

your child here

sara

ARTS & THEATRE

Some specialists feel that when kids are involved with art they learn better academically and socially. I think if you ask the kids though, Art is just fun and you know we all like to do what’s fun.

Art is such a big word, it encompasses a whole lot more than just paint or paper. Art is something that grows the more you feed it. by Tia Wooley

So, maybe you have an artist on your hands, what do you do now? Is this just a case of let’s create something and mom will love it, or does your child have the “gift?” My mom always took a couple of drawings when we were kids and framed them and put them on the walls, she even did that with some of my kids art. What she also did was provide them with some artistic guidance and a lot of art materials. My kids aren’t “artist” artists, but they do have an artistic branch that I know was a little seed planted by my mom. It turns out, she was doing it right. To feed the potential talent of your young ones, keep lots of age appropriate materials around: paper, paints, crayons, pencils, glue stick, clay, dough and turn off the tv and see what happens. As Cecile Charles at the Gallery of Thum says, “if your child is obviously talented, enroll them in an art class, something that will give them direction and the basics.” She also has some other suggestions, like having them compete in age specific contests and enter something in the Spokane Interstate Fair to let them see what competition is about. Take them to art galleries and artistic events to see what else there is to think about. Let them take some art history classes to give them a solid footing in the world of art.

our kids

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There are a lot of classes on different art subjects offered around town. The City of Spokane Parks and Recreation provides a long list of art related classes that your child can take or you can take with your child for $15 and up. www.SpokaneParks.org The Gallery of Thum offers classes in painting, crafting, sewing and clay, with prices ranging from $15 - $45 per class. www.GalleryofThum.com If your child is in to more than just drawing or painting, then www.TheArtCoop.net might be the place to go. They provide classes on things like beading, felting, making concrete leaves, and making cool stuff out of used stuff. You need to have enough people ready to take the class with them, but you won’t be disappointed! The key thing is to know that artistic ability is in everyone. Even if they don’t seem creative, creativity comes out in different ways for different people, and the best thing to do is to just encourage it. As Cecile told me, “The spark brought out by the desire to be involved in creating is what teaches children to think outside the box. Thinking outside the box is what fosters other creative thinking and can improve other learning skills, even if the child is not bent on creating art.” I need to go by some crayons now.

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• our kids

HUMOR

The Sandwich Queen October

by Lisa Smith Molinari

About a million years ago, I had a career. I had a briefcase, an office, a secretary, and a view from the 24th floor. I did research, argued motions, interviewed clients and attended the firm holiday party. My name was on the wall in the lobby. But then, when I least expected it, something happened. That something was an incessant, unrelenting thing called life. Two years after being unexpectedly blindsided by love, I found myself sitting on my Navy husband’s bachelor couch in our dumpy base house, in a state that did not recognize my law license, nursing our new baby while watching Maury Povich interview people who’d been abducted by aliens. At first it was kind of fun, getting to relive all the times I played house as a kid, except that the babies really filled their diapers and I also had to do the boring stuff like making sandwiches and cleaning toilets. I never really thought it all through, and truly believed that I’d get back to my career at some point. Fifteen years, seven moves, and two more babies later, I’m still making sandwiches and cleaning toilets, and the opportunity to get my career back simply never came. In the meantime, I’ve discovered that long term housewifery does not always provide one with the obvious sense of achievement that a career offers. In fact, the daily drudgery of housework and mothering is highly susceptible to being completely taken for granted. We do not get bonuses for sparkling floors, pay raises for fresh laundry, or promotions for perfectly steamed green beans.

22 northwest kids magazine

So, we veteran housewives must seize our ego boosts where we can get them. Recently, my son, Hayden, started his sophomore year at his new high school, and I pack his lunch every day as usual. But this time, I decided to bump it up a notch. My usual routine was to roll up three slices of deli chicken breast and place them onto two slices of whole wheat with a leaf of lettuce and a slice of Swiss cheese. To reward my son for working hard at football practice, I decided to double the meat, adding tender slices of ham and roast beef to the chicken. Two slices of pepper jack and extra lettuce made the sandwich so thick that I had to put it into a quart-sized storage bag. On our way home from football practice that evening, Hayden, who is firmly entrenched in that infuriating stage of teenagedom characterized by an almost complete lack of normal conversation, said, “Hey Mom, I really liked that sandwich.” My heart nearly skipped a beat. Over the next couple weeks, I continued crafting thick, meaty sandwiches, sometimes substituting cheeses, adding spicy slices of pepperoni, or a fresh sub roll. Instead of waiting for accolades, I had taken to eagerly asking him how he liked the sandwich on our ride home from football practice. He would answer in typical teenage brevity, but always communicated his appreciation. Then one day, Hayden told me that his football buddy commented on how meaty his sandwich was, and that he wished his mom made sandwiches like that.

Northwest Ob-Gyn’s Newest Providers Sarah Hammil, MD. UROGYNECOLOGY

Fellowship Trained Urogynecologist Providing compassionate care with the latest medical procedures and treatments for urogynecology and gynecology

I couldn’t believe my ears and was exhilarated by my new sense of culinary superiority.

Kathryn Miles, MD. Ob-gyn

Trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr. Miles particularly enjoys helping adolescents and young women with all of their gynecologic needs and obstetric care.

Call me pathetic, but the seemingly insignificant compliments gave me a renewed sense of purpose, and a slight spring in my middle-aged step as I packed the lunches each morning.

Shelley Northern

Sometimes, I’d receive a bonus with my son’s usual mumbled words of praise. Like the day he told me that the school security guard noticed how thick his sandwich was, and ordered Hayden to bring in an extra one for him sometime. And the time his JV football coach called him over during practice and said, “Hey, I heard your mother makes you a big deli sandwich every day for lunch; so when are you going to bring one in for me?” Sure, it’s true that the closest thing I have to an office has a washer and dryer in it. And yes, it is rather ironic that I used to have a secretary but am now Secretary of the Football Boosters Club. And even though my name is no longer posted in an office lobby, my name is the one my kids utter when they want a tissue, help with their homework, a snack, someone to hear about their day at school, or a hug. While I may never make Senior Partner of a Law firm as I had planned over 20 years ago, I’ve attained a status I never expected. I’m Head Nurse, Accountant, General Manager, Commander in Chief of the House, and thanks to recent events, The Sandwich Queen. Sure, my scepter may be a toilet bowl brush and my carriage a mini-van, but I don’t mind, because I know I am loved by my people.

ARNP, CNM

Certified Nurse-Midwife Promoting a continuous and compassionate partnership throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Guest columnist at Northwest Kids Magazine.

3 3

women covering

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providers with over

aspects of women’s healthcare and joining years of experience at

Lisa Smith Molinari is a columnist and Author of “The Meat and Potatoes of Life” blog at http://themeatandpotatoesoflife. com 105 W 8th sUITES 6020 & 6025 Spokane, WA

(509) 455-5050

www.nw-woman.com www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 23

• our health

How to decide... by Emily Olson

OB or Midwife?

If you are like most of my friends and myself, when you found out that you were expecting your first child there was a sudden onslaught of new information...almost as if this information was for a secret club and you didn’t know the right handshake until the pregnancy test came back positive. Well, now you’ve been granted “all access” to this new world of information...but what does it all mean? In addition to the landslide of medical terms you’re quickly trying to assimilate into your vocab, there is a new calendar to wrap your brain around, moods to contend with and last but not least...an general information overload. So, let’s try to make it a little simpler, just this once. We wanted to know why a mom-to-be would elect to go with a Nurse-Midwife vs. an Obstetrician and decided to get to the bottom of it by speaking with one of each (both amazing ladies, moms, and healthcare providers). Here is what we found out about how the two of them often work together to compliment each other’s practice and provide you with the best care possible. These are my amazing contributors who helped set me straight on the basics. Both women practice out of Northwest OBGYN in Spokane and are very, very helpful at answering questions.

Dr. Katie Miles MD., OB/GYN

Shelley Northern ARNP, CNM

OVERVIEW: What is a Nurse-Midwife?

A nurse midwife is an advanced practice registered nurse who has had extensive training in obstetrics usually earning a Masters Level degree. Some nurse midwives can have their own private practice, but most work in hospitals, family planning centers, and the public health service. Midwives are revered for their practice of treating a birth as more than just a medical procedure and helping mothers remain connected with the experience throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum.

What is an Obstetrician?

An obstetrician is a medical specialist who focuses on labor and delivery. Obstetrics is actually a surgical sub-specialty, meaning that an obstetrician attends surgical training and then specializes in the care of pregnant women and in surgeries which are related to labor and delivery, such as Cesarean sections. He or she typically works in a hospital environment, so that if a laboring mother experiences complications during the course of labor, she can be rushed into an operating room for treatment. The non-surgical version of this medical specialty is midwifery.

Do Nurse-Midwives and Obstetricians work together well?

YES! In fact Midwives often feel it necessary to work with an OB in the event a pregnancy moves from low risk to high risk. The key, of course, is the “low-risk” part — which means young, healthy mothers with routine pregnancies and no complicating variables like multiple fetuses or a history of delivery problems. These are the only kinds of cases midwives are intended to handle.

What is the scope of a Nurse-Midwife’s care capabilities?

Dr. Miles is board eligible in obstetrics and gynecology. She graduated from the University of Washington Medical School in 2006. She completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester in New York in 2010. While providing comprehensive OB/GYN services, Dr. Miles particularly enjoys providing education and care to adolescents and young women.

24 northwest kids magazine

Shelley earned her Bachelor in Nursing from Johns Hopkins University in 1994. She worked as a labor and delivery nurse before obtaining certificate in nurse-midwifery from the University of Washington in 2008. Shelley is accredited by the American College of NurseMidwives. She is from the Skagit Valley in Western Washington.

The nurse-midwife is educated and trained to provide a broad range of health care services for women and newborns. CNM functions include diagnosis (taking a medical hystory, doing a physical assessment, ordering laboratory tests and procedures), managing therapy (outlining care, providing prescriptions, coordinating consultations and referrals), and activities that promote women’s health and reduce health risks. As with the nurse practitioner profession (NP), CNMs are legally allowed to write prescriptions in some states but not in others.

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FOR DINNER

our lives

â&#x20AC;˘

Double Layer No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

A fluffy cream cheese and whipped topping layer is spread onto the bottom of a graham cracker crust. And then comes the pudding, pumpkin and spice layer. This luscious pie is then chilled and garnished with gingerflavored whipped topping. A must-try for all of the die-hard and not-so-die-hard pumpkin pie lovers.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon milk 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust 1 cup cold milk 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin puree 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS 1. In a large bowl, whisk together cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk, and sugar until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread into bottom of crust. 2. Pour 1 cup of milk into large bowl, and thoroughly mix in pudding mix, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. When thickened, spread over cream cheese layer. 3. Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set. PER SERVING (8 servings total): about 356 cal, 16 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 18 mg cholesterol www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 25

•

our lives

MONEY MATTERS

Groupon?!? by Mollie Olson

Does $100 per week sound like a lot for take-out? Well that is the conservative estimate for American families...the real number could be out of this world. Hello Groupon! Want to try the new Pho restaurant across town but not sure you will like it. Or maybe you want to take in a movie at the Art House Cinema. A great way to try new things in your community is to use Groupons. Chances are you’ve heard of Groupon before but if not, allow us to introduce you. Groupon, a Chicago based company started in November 2008, offers steep discounts for local attractions in your community. You can receive 50%-90% off the costs of local restaurants, exercise classes/gyms, beauty and entertainment. Groupon can offer these steep discounts because they use the buying power of the masses to secure the lowest cost for their offers. Here is how it works; once you register for an account with Groupon.com, you will begin to receive emails with the Featured Deal of the day. The “deal” is on when the set number of groupons have been sold. Groupon Featured Deals can expire when a set number of groupons are sold or once the clock on the deal has ended. If you are interested in purchasing the Featured Deal, just click “Buy Now”. You will receive an email informing you that your groupon is ready to use. You can either print the groupon or use an electronic version when redeeming. Be sure to check the Groupon restrictions to make sure you are still interested. It is as simple as that. Now trying new restaurants, exercise classes, and entertainment in your community is more cost effective than ever.

26 northwest kids magazine

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DATE NIGHT

our lives

•

GEOCACHING - a modern date

At its simplest level, geocaching requires these 8 steps:

Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game. Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPSenabled devices and then share their experiences online.

1.Register for a free Basic Membership. 2.Visit the “Hide & Seek a Cache” page. 3.Enter your postal code and click “search.” 4.Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name. 5.Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device. 6.Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache. 7.Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location. 8.Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

www.northwestkidsmagazine.com 29

Adoption Open Adoption Services 1623 W Gardner Ave Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 328-6274

Dr. Tracy Ridgeway 920 N. Spokane Street Post Falls, ID 83854 (208) 819-6472

Mark Iverson, Adoption Attorney 900 N Maple St Ste 201 Spokane, WA 99201 (509) 462-3678

Pooch Parlor 5602 North Wall Street Spokane, WA 99205-6436 (509) 489-2886

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or visit us online

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