NW Kids Magazine August 2013

liv e • play • do

magazine

Local Back to School Threads Get Organized for the school year Last Chance Road Trip: Oregon Coast Aquarium Found Around Town: Back to School Gear Food and Community: Green Zebra Grocery

nwkidsmagazine.com

Aug 2013

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editors’

Corner

The dog days of summer are upon us and as the months of sunscreen and adventure come to a close we’re looking forward to what the coming year will bring. One of my kiddos (Beth) is heading off to Kindergarten this year and I’m experiencing a mess of emotions. Don’t be surprised if you find me in the school supply aisle getting misty-eyed over boxes of crayons and number 2 pencils or getting butterflies over scheduling our first back to school haircuts. Can one be excited, sad, nervous, a little relieved, (especially after a summer of breaking up fights between siblings), and incredibly sentimental all at same time? This is such a big milestone for our family; one we’ve been gearing up for over the past couple of years, but now I want to slow down time and soak up every last minute before it all changes.

This month in NW Kids we focus on, you guessed it, heading back to school. Preparing for the school year ultimately means getting organized. If your families are anything like ours, you need all the help you can get in this department. Check out the piece on how to do just that.

Returning to school typically means back to school shopping.

Don’t miss Laura Jost’s breakdown on some sweet styles from local designers. And if you’re in need of a convenient new and healthy shopping option for busy school nights, read up on what’s to come from the forthcoming Green Zebra Grocery.

August also brings music and outdoor festivals. On August 3, please come down and join us for Rox in Sox, a new book and music festival just for kids featuring some of our favorite performers like Mo Phillips and Aaron Nigel Smith. The list is way too long to name all the awesome bands and authors so check out roxinsox.com and stop by and say “Hi” at the event.

We look forward to seeing you.

Kelley & Beth

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Contents august 2013

8 Found Around Town: Back to School Gear 10 Healthy Food for the People in Your Neighborhood: Green Zebra Grocery 12 Back to School Threads 18 Last Chance Road Trip: Oregon Coast Aquarium 24 Getting Organized for the School Year 28 Calendar of Events On the cover: Schoolhouse Supplies is an award-winning nonprofit that supports public education in Portland by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies. They operate Oregon’s only volunteer-run Free Store for Teachers, which is stocked with supplies donated by the community, the Tools for School backpack giveaway, and Schoolhouse Supplies Online programs. For more information visit, schoolhousesupplies.org.

Cover Photography by schoolhouse supplies

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Listings Aim High Martial Arts.......................................... 23 Amanda Arp.......................................................... 22 Barre3.................................................................... 29 Beanstalk............................................................... 21 Bella Organic Farm................................................ 11 Bella Stella...............................................................9 Bennett Suzuki Violin Studio................................ 22 Black Wagon......................................................... 17 Coffee Kids............................................................ 15 Creekside Show Stable......................................... 11 Dizzy Castle........................................................... 29 Do Jump!............................................................... 22 German American School..................................... 15 Harmony Road Music Center................................ 27 Just Between Friends............................................ 19 K12........................................................................ 21 Kids’ Backyard Store.................................................2 KUIK Kid Fit!.......................................................... 22 Learning Palace........................................................9 Legacy Medical Group.............................................3 Little Fruit Farm Montessori.................................. 21 My Masterpiece Art Studio................................... 27 North Clackamas Aquatic Park............................. 11 OHSU Adoption Health Services........................... 15 Oregon Artist School............................................. 22 Oregon Coast Aquarium....................................... 19 Oregon Episcopal School.........................................7 Oregon Gymnastics Academy.............................. 27 Oregon Hope Chinese School............................... 22 Portland Aquarium............................................... 23 Portland Early Learning........................................ 27 Portland Language Arts....................................... 22 Portland Rock Gym............................................... 19 Portland Trampolines...............................................2 Prefresh................................................................. 17 Rasmussen Farms................................................. 23 Rox in Sox.............................................................. 31 Scuola Italiana...................................................... 22 Sister Fresh............................................................ 17 Sit Still Salon......................................................... 25 Soccer Shots.......................................................... 32 Spanky’s Legendary Consignment....................... 17 Spielwerk Toys..........................................................9 Sweet PEAS Kidzone............................................. 27 Too Cute for Kids................................................... 23 Trinity Lutheran School......................................... 15 Village Home...........................................................9 Westside Montessori International...................... 19 World Forestry Center........................................... 20 World of Smiles..................................................... 27 6 | NW Kids Magazine

magazine

Publisher / Advertising Director Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editorial Beth Friesenhahn beth@nwkidsmagazine.com Kelley Schaefer-Levi kelley@nwkidsmagazine.com Account Manager Laurel Ackerman laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Client Services Coordinator Amber Newby amber@nwkidsmagazine.com Design Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Client Ad Design Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com

Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies.

Printed locally; Please recycle.

what we’re reading

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found around

Town

ZizzyBee Bags (3 pack) at zizzybeebags.com, $16 and up Pencil Case by Blue Q at Screaming Sky, $4

Tovolo Sandwich Shapers at New Seasons Market, $8 and up

Oots! Lunchbox at Spielwerk Toys, $35

Lego Notebook at The Lego Store, $13

Schwings at Coffee Kids, $9 Crocodile CreekWatch at Child’s Play, $15

Little Lark Eco Lunch Bag at littlelark.com, $22 Keen Coronado High Tops at The Keen Garage, $50 Reusable Kids Aluminum Water Bottle by Liberty Bottleworks (12 oz) at REI, $18

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Rendering by LRS Architects

Healthy Food for the People in Your Neighborhood: Green Zebra Grocery by jana wingate Is this your typical night? You just got off work, you still have to cook dinner, get the kids’ lunch together for the next day and you haven’t had a chance to go grocery shopping yet. Going to the grocery store is going to take at least an hour and the convenience store on the corner is definitely not an option. So what do you do? For at least three Portland neighborhoods, Green Zebra Grocery will soon be the answer.

What is a Green Zebra you ask; a Green Zebra is an heirloom variety tomato that grows particularly well in the Northwest, and was Lisa Sedlar’s (former CEO of New Seasons Market) inspiration for the name of what will become a small chain of locally owned markets designed with the shopping ease of a convenience store, but with a twist. According to Shannon Hiller-Webb, the Co-Founder and Marketing Director, the staff at Green Zebra Grocery think families can benefit from greater access to healthy, fresh and locally sourced foods. She explains, “There is a lot of demand for fresher, healthier food options within neighborhoods.

We support Portland Plan’s 20-minute Neighborhood concept where everyone can have access to the goods and services they need within a 20-minute bike ride or walk from home, and we will strive to reach that goal.”

They believe in the marriage of health and convenience with a similarity to the corner grocery store that our parents and some of us grew up with, only healthier. Working with farmers from within the Willamette Valley and surrounding areas whenever possible, they 10 | NW Kids Magazine

are proving to be a sustainable business as well.

They believe that helping to preserve local farmland is a responsibility that we all share and they will do so by supporting family farms and local food entrepreneurs. As Hiller-Webb says, “Being a sustainable business is just business to us, there’s no other option as far as we’re concerned.”

Green Zebra Grocery is also keenly aware of how chaotic family life can be and so they will offer healthy kid snack packs, as well as healthy meal packs for families in their Grab-n-Go section. To keep things fresh, the majority of the deli and Grab-n-Go products will be made inhouse. And they will take food sensitivities into account and offer specialty products from local companies.

Everything that Green Zebra Grocery is trying to create is from a standpoint of good living, healthy food for healthy bodies, and a healthy community, all great things for Portland families and beyond.

This amazing take on the local corner store will be coming to the Kenton neighborhood in September, with the Woodstock and Richmond locations opening in 2014. To find out more about Green Zebra Grocery’s local community events, like them on facebook or visit, greenzebragrocery.com.

Jana Wingate is the mother of 5-year-old Rowyn, and lives with her husband and daughter in North Portland. She graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a BA Degree in Journalism.

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Back to School

Threads

Article and Photography by Laura Jost

Figgy’s About: Shelly Figueroa is the original founder of Figgy’s Patterns, where simple and modern sewing patterns for children are born. She is passionate that quality playwear should be fashionable and functional.

Shelly lives with her husband, two sons, and parents (European-style) and teaches sewing and design in her home studio. What once was a roster of six students has grown to over 300! She is now working with Irene Rodegerdts to open “Figgy’s Sewing Studio & Fabric” later this year in Lake Oswego.

Review: Figgy’s is ahead of the curve when it comes to patterns for children. Nothing too flashy, just beautiful designs that you can make your very own; pure style. All patterns but one have variations that encourage you to customize your finished product: long sleeves, short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves…it’s up to you! My kids are always thrilled to select their own fabrics and this time was no exception; even I was super excited to get started. And the best part is that not only do you get printed instructions, there is support for Figgy’s “sewists” on the website; the ‘Blog’ link has a ‘Tutorial’ section with additional pictures and directions if you need them. Because you never know when you’re going to need help with pocket bags at 11:30pm. The end results make me want to sing and dance. Everyone should feel this way about their kids’ clothing.

Tried and tested: Are you kidding me? Do you know how much time I spent sewing?! They were allowed to put them on and take them off. But seriously, the pockets were a gigantic hit with the kiddos. And they were so proud to wear clothes that they had put their own spin on.

Our back-to-school picks: The Banyan includes patterns for pants, shorts, and two types of knit tees for both boys and girls. The Sunki is a pocketed, do-it-all dress plus ruched leggings. And the not-yettackled Nituna swing coat can be made fully reversible or lined for heavier wools to keep your little one toasty on those cold, rainy days that follow them into the school yard.

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Do you want more?: Shelly is the author of Sewing for Boys (Wiley, 2011), and a contributing author to Sewn Hats (Wiley, 2012). You can also find a Craftsy.com online sewing class on Figgys.com under ‘Workshop.’

When I learned that I would be a mother to a daughter, I had the typical sugar plum dreams of all of the adorable outfits that I’d get to dress her in. When she was about 18 months old, she started shrieking “NO!” if she saw me coming at her with any garment that she did not approve of. Then I had a son and I was told that little boys were go-with-the-flow when it came to clothes. In my house, this is absolutely not true. Both of my children have a distinct sense of style. The hardest part is finding clothes that feel good, aren’t impossible to care for, and with designs that strike the balance between what they really want to wear and what you won’t want to hide at the bottom of the drawer and hope they never find.

Luckily for us, there are some local designers that have done the dirty work. They are creating artistic, durable clothing for the littlest of us with bright perspectives and lots of home grown goodness.

Prefresh About: “Kids are rad. You will never be quite as awesome as they are, no matter how hard you try. The best you can do is hand them the keys and get out of the way. We are so inspired by their ability to be just who they are, do what they want; and tap into that deep well of creativity that we all try so hard to get back to, that we created Prefresh to just be an awesome brand for kids. Nothing more. No deeper truths, no back story of triumph over adversity, just cool for the sake of being cool. Remember, creative kids grow up to be...creative kids.”

Review: The first time I laid hands on a Prefresh tee, I sincerely wondered if I could squeeze a child’s size 4 onto my body. They don’t lie when they print “Made with 100% Magic” on their tagless labels. The epitome of comfort, my son’s first uber-soft tri-blend tee became his go-to shirt, undershirt, and pajama shirt. Sometimes, it was the ONLY thing he wanted to wear. I washed it so many times I just knew that the next time out of the dryer, I’d find a hole in the buttery fabric, but I never did. And now that tee has been passed to more than one kid, and it looks as great as ever. Add that kind of durability to cool graphics and domestic production, and that’s a brand that I can really get behind. The current line is no exception; it’s chock-full of smart, kid-pleasing designs that will last. To quote my four-year-old as we scrolled through the online selections, “Yup; I love it.”

Tried and tested: These samples ended up slathered in yogurt and covered in farmer’s market cherries with no post-wash staining, survived a full body dive from a friend’s yard onto the sidewalk that caused chest roadrash but no holes, and precarious tree climbing. Magic, indeed.

Our back-to-school picks: The Ninjas and Bat Skills tees are the perfect heathered grey with characters on the front and phrases on the back. Coming or going, these tees are lovable. The Monster Mountain hoodie is soft and simple; I literally witnessed a kid-fight over this one.

Hometown proud: The Totally Local Tee, Lumber Jacket, and Ranger Vest will have you ready to roam the Kenton neighborhood and pose with Paul Bunyan himself.

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Little Lark About: Created in 2006 by Christy Nyboer, an internationally exhibited painter and sculptor, Little Lark is a woman owned and operated company that crafts unique apparel for young children that isn’t limited by traditional colors and motifs. Their designs are beautifully modern and non-gender specific. All apparel is sweatshop free, 100% cotton, lead free, and screen-printed by hand. Little Lark is inspired by what is beautiful, terrific, and optimistic about our world.

Review: Little Lark is just one of those brands that, once I was introduced as a new mother, I could spot anywhere. Their designs are thoughtful and seemingly, effortlessly cool. Garments made for children that successfully transcend age and gender while maintaining any kind of style are rare. One day after swim lessons, we were supposed to meet family for dinner, but my son had drenched his shirt. We were in the area and popped into Lark Press to grab a new one. I can only describe the face he made while making a selection as ‘giddy.’ He had the hardest time choosing and I couldn’t blame him. From wild animals to constellations, you can see the influence of Christy’s love of books and fond memories of living in Alaska as a child. And recycled fabric labels are soooo kidfriendly.

Tried and tested: Washed and worn (and washed and worn) and cycling at unsafe speeds for training wheels. The lunch bags are a generous size and I was able to use combinations of food containers that I can’t fit into standard, zippered bags.

Our back-to-school picks: The Build A Bot and Horse tees are whimsical, but unassuming.

Printed on richly-hued, soft cotton, these are made to be daily favorites, for sure. The Bike sweatshirt is cozy and dense with a downy inside sure to cut the chill of autumn breezes. And the Mushroom lunch bag features the most adorable gnome that I have ever laid eyes on. But, really, can you make a bad choice?

alittlelark.com

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Gift to give: Little Lark’s organic infant bodysuits are the perfect gift for someone expecting that doesn’t know who they are expecting! They are also awesome for baby brothers and sisters to wear while they send their older sibling off to school.

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Sister Fresh About: A few years ago, Erin Keys dusted off her sewing machine after a 15-year hiatus to make her daughter some cute summer frocks. Her friends started eagerly requesting her designs for their own daughters, which grew first into trunk shows and then into her custom boutique clothing company.

Sister Fresh was a moniker given to Erin by a barista, which she then endearingly gave to her daughter.

A busy, multi-tasking mom, Erin knows how quickly little girls grow and her designs are made to showcase their sweet faces, play on their innocence, and represent their sprightly personalities.

Review: With a consistently changing selection of fabrics and colors, Sister Fresh keeps things… well…fresh. With little details like contrast-textures, buttons, and edge stitching, it’s clear that each dress is made with real attention to detail. All of her fabric is pre-washed and dried before production, which makes for accurate sizing and comfort. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I wasn’t familiar with this line, but the sample was beautiful. While photographing the dress in action, there were several people that had to stop and look. There’s nothing quite like a sweet girl in an amazing dress.

Tried and tested: This dress was twirled, skipped, swung, and leaped in. For swinging, fireman’s poles, and severe twirling, I would recommend leggings or something of the like. It was also rolled in the daisies. I washed against the label instructions with a perfect outcome. And it was also worn as pajamas after a sneaky middle of the night change of dress.

Our back-to-school pick: The Knit Ruffle Dress. Available in a number of colors, this dress is as twirly and swirly as they come. With the structure of a party dress, but the comfort of a tee, this is an all-around great design for kids suited to daily activities and special occasions.

Keep an eye out: Sister Fresh will have an updated website and new dresses/patterns coming soon!

sisterfresh.com

Laura Jost was always excited to go back to school and wear her first-day outfit. But really, who wouldn’t be excited about zippered-ankle white jeans and mule faux-boots. Right?

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by Kelley Schaefer-Levi and Beth Friesenhahn

Photography courtesy of the Oregon Coast Aquarium

LAST CHANCE ROAD TRIP:

OREGON COAST AQUARIUM With school starting in just over a month, there is little time left to enjoy the last sweet moments of summer. Why not squeeze every ounce of fun in before hunkering down in September? In the Portland area we are fortunate enough be able to head to the Oregon Coast all year long, but if your schedules are anything like ours during the school year, there are few opportunities. If you have a free day or two and can hit the coast, be sure to pay a visit to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. We never tire of this fantastic coastal gem, exploring its exhibits, and we seem to find something new every time we go.

Since 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium has been a destination for families. The Aquarium, a nonprofit, public aquatic marine science exhibition facility educates visitors about the abundance and scarcity of coastal resources while promoting awareness, conservation and stewardship, and offering viewers a world-class aquarium experience.

Thousands of visitors come each year to see the Aquarium’s indoor and outdoor exhibits and to learn about the wonders of marine life by enjoying hands on experiences. The site of the Aquarium is located on 39-acres in Yaquina Bay opposite Newport’s historic bay

front, and sits adjacent to an estuary, which is home to many Oregon coast native plants. Of the Aquarium, PR Coordinator Erin Paxton said, “We hope visitors of all ages are inspired by the over 15,000 incredible animals that call the Oregon Coast Aquarium home. Our exhibits are designed to give these ambassadors of their species the best possible environment, while encouraging visitors to develop a sense of stewardship for the ecosystems these animals inhabit.”

Recently, we had the opportunity to take our kids on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Aquarium. Behind-the-scenes tours can be scheduled for small and large groups and are a great way to see the inner workings of how the marine animals live. We learned a lot about how they came to the Aquarium, what they eat and what their daily habits are. And to top it off we had the honor of being kissed by one the resident harbor seals, “Boots”. It was fantastic and we highly recommend the tour. The experience created a special day we won’t soon forget. Along with the behind-the-scenes tour we were able to view the newly remodeled Pinniped exhibit, now home to the Aquarium’s harbor seals and California sea lions. The kids loved to watch them swim and perform a continued on p. 20

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few tricks for their food. We also took in the sea otters. These cuties, including the wildly popular “Judge” and “Mojoe” were really fun to watch.

After meeting the sea lions and taking a short break in the Sea Bird Aviary, where the kids were thrilled to see some Horned Puffins and Rhinoceros Aukulets, we had the pleasure of visiting a Giant Pacific Octopus. The octopus was a little bit shy and wasn’t feeling very social, but we were still able to observe the mysterious, eight legged creature, learn all about its eating habits and how it survives in the sea. Did you know an octopus only eats about three times a week?

Our next stop was an aerial view of the Passages of the Deep exhibit. If you’ve been to the Oregon Coast Aquarium you might be familiar with this breathtaking exhibit. It features 200 feet of acrylic tunnels that stretch through three different marine ecosystems representative of the sea life and habitats off the Oregon coast. We were able to view the deep from above and it was truly amazing to see it from this vantage point because you get a good sense of how deep the water is, and how many fish swim in the waters below.

For a memorable adventure at the Aquarium, you can now book a unique experience like this summer’s new Guest Snorkel Program.

Paxton explains, “Our dive/snorkel experts will fit you with a dry suit, mask and all the equipment you need to explore the Orford Reef and Halibut Flats exhibits of Passages of the Deep from above. The program is available to visitors ages 8 and up.”

After awing with wonder at dozens of sharks, bat rays and sturgeon, we moved on to The Sea & Me exhibit. This was a great stop for our kids, all 5-years-old and under. The exhibit opened last year and still captures the imagination of visitors with its interactive displays and tropical fishes. Highlights of the exhibit include a mini submarine sea lab and a free-play area in the Aquarium’s theater where visitors can explore “sea” discovery boxes that include ocean “biofacts” like shark jaws and 20 | NW Kids Magazine

whale baleen; or books about some of the sea life. We also loved that The Sea & Me encouraged creativity and imaginative play with marine and animal-themed costumes and a stage area where the youngest of visitors can act out their own ocean adventure.

To end the day we stopped by the Aquarium gift shop and had lunch at the Ferry Slip Café.

The food was great, didn’t break the bank, and the kids’ meals came with a complimentary Frisbee. We had a great visit and can’t wait to go back. For more information on the Oregon Coast Aquarium visit, aquarium.org

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Getting Organized for the School Year by Mary Jo Monroe

The start of the new school year can be stressful not only for children, but for us parents, too. Fortunately, there are several things you can do at home before September to make the school year run more smoothly this time around. First of all, set up a system for organizing the kids’ schoolwork before they start bringing it home by the armfuls. Get a basket for each child (stacking baskets work great) and store it someplace centrally located where the schoolwork tends to pile up. Be sure to label each basket with your children’s names.

When the schoolwork comes home, look through it and recycle what you can that very evening. Anything that might be worth keeping long-term goes into the appropriate child’s basket. At the end of the year, do a final sort of each child’s basket to pare it down to only the best-of-the-best, and file it away in a folder labeled with each child’s name and grade.

The paperwork students receive at the beginning of the year (e.g. class list, snow day information, school lunch calendar, etc.) can also be stored in the same place as the schoolwork. Simply add another stacking basket and label it “2013-14 School Paperwork.”

Homework needs a spot all its own. For grade school kids, you can get each child his or her own clipboard (there are lots of fun colors and designs to choose from) and mount it to the wall near where homework is done each night. Children can be taught to clip their homework to their clipboard when they get home from school so parents can keep tabs on what needs to be done.

While we are on the subject, it is important to consider where your children will complete their homework each evening. If they are 24 | NW Kids Magazine

young, they will probably want to be somewhere close to Mom and Dad, perhaps at the dining room table or kitchen counter. Older kids will probably want their own desk in a room with a door they can close. It is a good idea to institute a family-wide “quiet time” each evening so kids can do homework without feeling like they are missing out on the fun other family members are having watching TV or playing noisy video games.

It’s important to keep track of homework, but it’s equally important to keep track of backpacks, coats, musical equipment and sports gear. I always recommend designating space for these things near the door where the kids enter and exit most often. If the family tends to enter and exit through the garage door, carve out space there for belongings and don’t feel guilty about neglecting the hall closet by the front door.

Once the school year starts, an efficient morning routine will become vital to getting everyone out the door on time. If getting the kids going in the morning seems to require constant nagging, try printing out a list of the morning routine on a piece of paper and framing it behind glass. The kids can use a dry erase marker to check a box next to each task when they finish it. If your children are not readers yet, you can draw pictures to indicate each task that needs to be completed.

Make preparations for breakfast and lunch on school days a snap. Make space in two areas of your pantry: one for breakfast, the other for lunch. Store kid-friendly breakfast foods like cereal and granola bars on the breakfast shelf.

Store kid-friendly lunch foods on the lunch shelf. This will enable the kids to make their own breakfast and lunch, saving you precious time to get yourself ready each morning.

not be caught off-guard by having no child care lined up for a teacher in-service day. Cozi is a popular app that allows you to share a calendar with everyone in the family.

A final key to getting out the door on time is the use of a timer. Set a timer to go off 10 minutes before everyone has to head out the door. When everyone hears that timer, they know to finish up their tasks, find their coats and backpacks, get their shoes on and be ready to go. Make sure that timer is LOUD!

Making plans now and taking the time to create some changes in your home will be sure to get you off on the right foot once school starts this fall.

Once the school year starts, it will be helpful to have a family calendar that is accessible to everyone. As soon as you get your children’s school calendar, enter all the important dates for the entire year (e.g. late starts, vacations, winter and spring concerts, etc.) so you will

Finally, enter new contacts such as your children’s teachers, coaches and friends into your phone or computer as soon as you receive your kids’ contact list from school.

MaryJo Monroe is a professional organizer in Portland and owner of reSPACEd, a home organizing and design business that specializes in helping families get organized. respacedpdx.com She lives in North Portland and has a 7-year-old son, who has been known to spend play dates reorganizing all of his Legos.

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Monthly

Calendar

music & Performances

SUMMER FAIRS/ FESTIVALS

THURS IN AUG

AUG 1-10

Kruger’s Farm - Farm Tunes

Bring a picnic and enjoy sweet melodies on beautiful Sauvie Island. Live music, food carts, free crafts for the kiddos and more. $10/car, 6:30-9:30pm. krugersfarm.com

AUG 5

Washington Park Summer Festival - Obo Addy’s Legacy: Dia Tribe

Traditional West African music, dance and drumming evolve into hip hop and break dance in this dynamic tribute to a Portland legend. Free, 6pm. portlandoregon.gov/parks/ article/446664

AUG 8-10

Director Park - Polaris Presents Galaxy Dance Festival

This three day festival presents a spectrum of dance, with free classes, demos, performances and more! Free. polarisdance.org

AUG 9

Washington Park Summer Festival - NW Dance Project’s In Good Company

Portland’s own award-wining dance company explores the mix of innovative movement and sounds found on vintage vinyl and live vocals. Free, 6pm. portlandoregon.gov/parks/ article/446664

Washington Park Summer Festival Rose Garden Amphitheater

10 consecutive nightly performances in the lovely Rose Garden Amphitheater. Check website for performance schedule. portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/446664

AUG 2-11

Clark County Fair

Carnival rides, monster trucks, kid-friendly concerts, jousting - the ultimate summer fun! $7-10 (kids 0-7 free), add’l cost for carnival rides. Check website for hours. clarkcofair.com

AUG 2-4

Pickathon 2013

This 15th annual indie roots music festival is jam-packed full of family fun. Kids 12 and under are free. Tickets $100+. pickathon.com

AUG 3

Fremont Fest 2013

Who loves a good parade? Join the kid, bike & pet parade and after enjoy shopping, crafts, bouncy castles, 5k walk/run and more. businessonfremont.com

AUG 3

Obonfest

This Japanese festival commemorates one’s ancestors and features great food, free dance lessons, and hundreds of decorative lanterns.

Free, 3-9pm. oregonbuddisttemple.com

Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur.

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August 2013 AUG 3

AUG 22 - 24

Bring the family and enjoy an entire day of live music, books, face painting, hula hooping, arts & crafts and more.

Families are asked to bring socks, shoes and books at the door to distribute to kids in need. Free, 10am-6pm. roxinsox.com

Celebrate Italian-American culture as Pioneer Courthouse Square becomes “Piazza Italia” for the 22nd Annual Festa Italiana Portland.

Food, grape stomping, pizza tossing and non-stop entertainment. 11am-11pm, free. festa-italiana.org

AUG 9 & 10

AUG 24

Rox in Sox - Children’s Music & Book Festival

Tualatin Crawfish Festival

Two days of fun: crawfish feasts, kids + adults eating competitions, dog parade and more. tualatincrawfishfestival.com

AUG 9-11

The Bite of Oregon Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Enjoy a smorgasbord of food and drinks from all over Oregon, including live demos and Iron Chef Oregon! $5 per day (kids 12 and under, free), Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-8pm. biteoforegon.com

AUG 10

16th Annual Alberta Street Fair

Spend the day in our beautiful Alberta district, with kids’ parade at 11am (or join the parade at 10:30) Curious Comedy Theater, kids station and more. Free, 11am6pm. albertamainst.org

AUG 18

India Festival Pioneer Courthouse Square

Come down and enjoy live music, dancing, food and entertainment throughout the day. Get a glimpse of India and its subcontinent’s culture, history and people.

11am-8:30pm, free. icaportland.org

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22nd Festa Italiana Pioneer Courthouse Square

Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation Center - Bug Fest

Celebrate and discover invertebrates at the Nature Park Interpretive center. $3 per person, children 2 and under free, 11am-4pm.

503.629.6350. thprd.org/nature/programs/ bugfest.cfm

AUG 23 - SEPT 2

Oregon State Fair - Salem, OR

Carnival rides, competitions and entertainment galore. Did someone say REO Speedwagon and Loverboy? $3-$20, kids 5 and under are free. oregonstatefair.com

EVENTS FRIDAYS

Ladybug Nature Walk Portland Parks

Take a naturalist-lead nature walk with your child (ages 2-5) in a different park each week. $4 per child, 10-11am. portlandoregon.gov/parks/article/455719

SATURDAYS

Portland Farmers Market Kids Cooking Classes

A unique experience for kids to learn about local and seasonal ingredients and make their own delicious creations. Registation required, $5; 8:30-10am. portlandfarmersmarket.org

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AUG 2

Laurelhurst Park Movie: Mary Poppins

Pre movie entertainment at 6:30, movie begins at dusk. Free! portlandonline.com/parks

AUG 2

Green Bean Books Spanish Story Time

Join Portland Early Learning Project for a lively and interactive Spanish Story Time!

Great for little ones! Happens every first Friday of each month. 11:15am-11:45. greenbeanbookspdx.com

AUG 3

Director Park - Portland Aquarium and the Oregon Mermaids Enjoy an afternoon of Mermaid Tales including stories, face painting, animal encounters and an ocean clean-up presentation. Free, 1-3pm. portlandaquarium.net

AUG 4

$2 Day at OMSI

Enjoy a day at OMSI for just $2 bucks.

9:30am-5:30 pm. omsi.edu/events

AUG 6-7, 13-14, 20-21

Regal Movie Theaters $1 Summer Movie Express

See a kid-friendly movie for just a buck.

See website for showtimes, 10am. regmovies.com/Movies/Summer-MovieExpress

AUG 7 & 21

Oregon Zoo - Sunset at the Zoo

A special after-hours offering with live music, food, animal demonstrations, arts and crafts and more. $8.50-$11.50 (kids 2 and under, free), 5-9pm. oregonzoo.com

AUG 9-11

Lego Store - Master Builder Event

Help a real LEGO® Master Builder construct an eight foot tall The Hulk™ during a three day LEGO building event at Washington Square. 10am-6pm. lego.com/en-us/ stores/us/washington-square

AUG 11

Providence Bridge Pedal

Check out 10 awesome bridges from your bike. Whoop! blog.bridgepedal.com

AUG 13

Oregon Zoo - Second Tuesday

Visit the animals for just $4. Kids 0-3 free, 9am-6pm. oregonzoo.com

AUG 15

Director Park - Portland Parks & Recreation: Rock Wall

For climbers 45-250lbs. Climbing release required to be signed by guardian/parent 18 years or older - available at park or online. Free, 2-4pm. portlandoregon.gov/parks/60439

AUG 17

Redhead Event - Pioneer Courthouse Square

Calling all redheads! Natural redheads will gather at the Square to break the newly updated Guinness Book of Records of the largest gathering of natural redheads. 9am4pm, free. redheadevent.org

AUG 25

Sunday Parkways - Southeast

Walk, bike, run, roll, meet your neighbors and enjoy entertainment in parks and along the routes. Free, 11am-4pm. portlandsundayparkways.org

Remember to check the NW Kids online calendar for dozens more outings and activities each day. Share with friends, subscribe to the RSS, add directly to your calendar, and more features. There’s something going on you don’t want to miss!! nwkidsmagazine.com 30 | NW Kids Magazine

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