January RMParent 2014

JANUARY 2014 • RMPARENT.COM

Resolutions that work!

Local

libraries

Choose

chores

Winter

localvore

Foodalutions for the New YeaR

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JANUARY 2014

Departments Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Feeling lighter—resolutions brighten the dark days

AS WE GROW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chores teach life lessons—work around the house can lead to future success

Family activities . . . . . . . 10 Building book love—local libraries are loaded with indoor fun

Healthy living . . . . . . . . . 12 Embrace your inner localvore—check out these options to help you eat more locally produced foods in the winter

Community news . . . . . . 14 Estes Park set to rebuild with new resources, Estes Park recommits to community, health; the Fort Collins Symphony Guild 2014 Musical Zoo is gearing up to help families with young children reconnect, renew your immunizations, refresh your parenting skills

Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

New Year’s Foodalutions—establish new eating habits to make your 2014 a healthy year

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 0 Events and activities for parents, kids and families

Special Sections Youth Program & Activity guide plus School Directory

JANUARY 2014

Northern Colorad

SCHOOL o DIRECTOR Y PAGE 10

Program Directory

BY CATEGORY PAGE 22 ALPHABETICAL PAGE 24

School Calendars PAGE 50 List of Advertisers

PAGE 54

Find the right school for your child. Explore the options: Neighborhood, charter, specialized programs, nontraditional, independent and more. Also learn about school of choice policies and deadlines in your district.

Features 18

T he get-in-shape plan

Set reasonable resolutions: find activities that you enjoy, choose a doable diet— look at what you are drinking, avoid ‘free’ calories, and consider your plate.

Time out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 A selfish resolution—Time for some quality me-time

School District News Thompson School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 TVHS Orchestra to perform at Annual CMEA convention, “No-Shave November” at Walt Clark MS, Cottonwood Plains students jog for their school, Coyote Ridge Elementary celebrates “Who We Are” with flood relief, TSD celebrates “Read Aloud Day”, TVHS’s Nicole Wilson recognized as 2014 Miss Loveland Valentine

Poudre School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Explore the options for kindergarten in PSD, School Choice program, musher talks about challenging Alaskan Iditarod sled dog race, volunteer feels welcomed and appreciated at school

Greeley-Evans District 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 District 6 continues to provide services to students displaced by floods, outstanding students, athletes and teachers featured on District 6 website

Lunchbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 School menus for Poudre, Thompson, Greeley-Evans and Windsor

ABOUT THE COVER: Cameron, 4 and-a-halfmonths-old, loves wrestling with Daddy, getting spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and snuggling with Momma. Photo by Cheri Schonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com.

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perspective Feeling lighter

Resolutions brighten the dark days

A

ly and Kristin showed me a story that Amy Satterfield posted on Facebook.

She said I could share it with you here.

On this day, the day before the Winter Solstice, my dad used to stand outside on the front porch of our house on 57th Street, then rush in, pretending to be terrified: “Amy,” he’d yell to me (because I ALWAYS played along), “I don’t mean to alarm you, and please don’t tell your mom because it’s just going to upset her, but I’ve been watching the sun for several months now, and, well, I don’t know how to break this to you, but it’s GOING AWAY. I figure we’re going to be in complete darkness, and we’re all going to freeze to death, in about six months. I’m so sorry.” And he and I would pretend to boo hoo and wring our hands. And then, the next day, he’d rush inside again: “Amy! We’ve been saved! The sun is coming back! I timed it, and it’s coming back! We’re going to be all right!” And he’d swing me in his arms, and we’d cheer. It was one of my favorite games with Dad. I love this story. It can be a touching memory of a dad and daughter having a moment in a way that only they share or a metaphor for the human condition, depending on how you feel like viewing it today. Just when we think things are looking bleak, we might notice that they’re not quite as dark as today...and we should celebrate that!

Maybe that’s why we make New Year’s resolutions...to pledge to make the world, our world, better, we could say lighter, in the coming year. And with the darkest (and maybe coldest this year) days behind us, we can look toward the spring renewal...metaphorical and literal.

If you need some resolution ideas, we have them for you in this issue! Let’s take a quick look...starting with our feature story. Lynn Utzman-Nichols explores resolutions on diet and exercise that work (page 18). The bottom line is: don’t resolve to do an exercise routine that you don’t like. Don’t resolve to start a running program if you hate running; find something you like.

Richard Keller serves up some solid tips on “foodalutions,” resolutions you make about food (page 16). He suggests realistic ways to change your habits around food from portion size to food choices. And in Community News (page 14), Kim Sharpe takes us on a tour to rethink the new year with rebuilding, recommitting, reconnecting, renewing and refreshing our ties to our communities.

And in Time Out (page 42) find out why Katie Harris is changing her standard resolution to spend more time with the kids.

Oh, and my resolution for the new year? To lighten up!

Thanks for reading, Scott

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JANUARY 2014 • Volume 18, Issue 8 PUBLISHER Scott Titterington, (970)221-9210 scott.rmpublishing@gmail.com EDITOR Kristin Titterington, (970)221-9210 kristin.rmpublishing@gmail.com Calendar editor Aly Titterington calendar@rockymountainpub.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Zaynard emily.rmpublishing@gmail.com ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Greg Hoffman, (970)689-6832 greg.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION Wendee Brungardt, Sharon Klahn, Cherese Macy, Rob’s Bike Courier Service COVER PHOTO Cheri Shonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lea Hanson, Katie Harris, Richard Keller, Kim Lipker, Kim Sharpe

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PUBLISHING 825 Laporte Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80521 Voice 221-9210 Fax 221-8556 editor@rockymountainpub.com www.RMParent.com Rocky Mountain Parent magazine is published monthly by Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. Publication of this paper does not consitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised. RMP reserves the right to refuse any advertisement for any reason. The opinions expressed by contributors or writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rocky Mountain Publishing. ©2013 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

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as we grow Attach chores to your daily routine Kids will remember and accept chores easier if it is a part of their daily routine.

For example, have kids put their dirty clothes in the hamper while changing into their pajamas at bedtime. Or when they eat breakfast, the dog gets fed, too.

Chores teach life lessons Work around the house can lead to future success L ynn U t z m an N i c h o ls

K

ids live for fun and play, so introducing work into their world isn’t always well received. Kids seem to have a magic shield that reflects work back at parents.

Between the procrastination, whining, promises to do it later or outright tantrums, parents often get tired. In the end, some parents give in and do the chore themselves—knowing what takes them five minutes would have taken an hour of cajoling to get their child to do it.

If this sounds familiar, here’s a pep talk: It’s worth it to persevere. The payoff is way beyond completing the chore at hand. It’s about your child’s future success. Kids who grow up with chores and responsibilities adjust better to life after home. They have more patience, are more flexible and have a “can do” attitude when facing challenges on their own.

Since our world has rules and demands people do things they don’t always want to do—like going to work, standing in line, waiting in traffic—it is vital that kids learn that life isn’t always fun and games. For kids, this translates to doing household chores and home-

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work. It also means not quitting a class, sport, game, project, or friendship the minute things get tough.

Besides independence and tolerance, teaching responsibility helps kids get along better with others.

Kids who see chores as helping out the family carry that view into the world. It gives them an “us” versus “me” perspective. Instead of thinking how this will only affect me, they start thinking how it will affect the entire family, class or team.

Picture the moment you ask your child to do a chore. You get resistance, right? How can you stop the dawdling before it takes hold? Or before you become a broken record? Try these tips: Be clear on the task For kids to succeed, they need to know what is expected of them. Spell out exactly what you want done and by when.

Some parents like to post a chore list in their child’s room or on the refrigerator.

That’s fine, just make sure it isn’t too long especially for young kids.

Praise kids for a job well done Positive praise from involved parents is the most powerful motivator you can give a child. Praise makes kids feel useful and valued. Yet it’s okay to reward kids for completing a task. Offer incentives, as in spending time with mom or dad doing a favorite activity. It’s also important that kids know chores are expected of them for nothing else than simply being a part of the family.

Resist judgment if a job’s not done well Instead of commenting on their character or scolding them, state the problem and ask for solutions on doing it better next time.

Physically show a child how to complete a task, if needed. Creating an atmosphere where mistakes are okay and are merely opportunities to learn goes a long way.

Choose chores that are right for the age It’s never too early to teach responsibility, but 5 is usually a good age to introduce set chores. For 5-year-olds, one or two small chores a day is enough. It might be putting toys in their toy box, or placing silverware on the table. Giving choices between this chore or that helps, too. For kids under 10, choices should be kept at one or two. Until they become pre-teens, asking open-ended questions when it comes to chores or other matters, usually doesn’t work. Be direct.

Keep in mind each child’s personality.

Kids bring different temperaments to their tasks. Some kids are simply not as persistent as others, more apt to get distracted or have trouble getting organized. Picking chores that fit your child’s personality will help her succeed.

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family activities

Building book love

Local libraries are loaded with indoor fun Kim Lipker

C

abin fever can afflict a family as soon as the latest cold snap arrives. Virtually overnight, the house becomes a dark and dingy prison with mom as the unwitting jailer. While older kids trudge off to school, the tots of the land stay inside and when a cold week has passed, you feel like you’ve been cooped up for a year. Cold snaps and long winter days are the perfect opportunity to turn things around and embrace your inner bibliophile. Luckily, northern Colorado has libraries galore to help with that.

Clearview Library District, serving Windsor, Severance and West Greeley Located in downtown Windsor, this little library is big with heart. Little ones will delight in the life-size tree that they can scramble through right in the middle of all those books. Everyone gets equal billing at this library with book club kits for adults, fun programs for the kids and a creative writing program for the teen. The bookmobile, or BoMo, has an extensive outreach program that travels throughout the district. Check out their website for a complete listing of programs BoMo stops and more: www. clearviewlibrary.org.

High Plains Library District serving Firestone, Greeley, Erie and Kersey along with other member libraries in northeastern Colorado This impressive network of libraries is matched only by the extensive services that they provide. There are beautiful brick-and-mortar libraries throughout the district such as the Carbon Valley Regional Library in Firestone and Greeley’s two libraries: Centennial Park and Farr Regional Libraries. Even Erie has a cute, sun-filled community library. But what is more notable is that the district 10

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offers all of this: book clubs, storytimes and other programs for all ages; wireless technology and a mobile app; laptops to check out and take home; and audio eBooks to download to your tablet, computer or MP3 player. Their online resource center is comprehensive with separate tabs for kids and teens. Visit www.mylibrary.us for more information.

Poudre River Public Library District serving Fort Collins Fort Collins libraries comprised of The Old Town Library, Council Tree Library and the Harmony Library has always had muscle and is more than happy to bring as much book love to the community that they can. Attracting big-name authors to visit and programming live music in buildings formally known for their quiet are how the district sets the bar. While there may be little shushing, there are still a lot of book activities going on with story times and writing contests. The district has a new Discovery Catalog system that makes it easier to find materials. They have also expanding

their eBooks offerings through a service call Freading that has more than 20,000 titles for Nook, Android, Mac iOS and the Kindle Fire. Not only that, but any library cardholder, in good standing may now check out a Nook for three weeks.

Click on www.poudrelibraries.org for more information.

Loveland Public Library serving Loveland The Loveland Library is the perfect small-town library with a friendly staff, great books and fun family activities.

They even offer a one-of-a-kind program called Waggin’ Tales that is so popular that sessions fill up fast. Beginning readers pick out a book from the children’s collection and practice reading to therapy dogs for 15-minute intervals.

They have a knitting club and school’sout science activities, homework help, LEGO club, chess club and more. Visit www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org for more information. Click on the For Kids button and then Waggin’ Tales for a schedule.

Organize your own library Stay put, and you can create a library right at home. Gather all of your books and sort them according to categories or alphabetically. Decide on an easy symbol for each category and put an identifier on the spine of each book. Have your child help create checkout slips or bookmarks for each book. You can then take turns browsing for books, checking out books and bringing them back. Pick a favorite category and have story time with music and props. Continue the home library tradition throughout the year.

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healthy living

Embrace your inner localvore

Options to help you eat more locally produced food in the winter L e a Hans o n

T

he word Localvore is an emerging term that describes the conviction that food grown closer to where you live is not only more nutritious and better tasting, but also less burdensome to the environment than mass-produced food shipped from distant agricultural complexes. While there are clear wins to this practice, there are also losses.

One of the most apparent cons to localvorism is choosing to forego some of your favorite foods due to the region in which you live as well as buying within the current season. Practicing localvorism in the warmer months isn’t difficult when one factors in all of the options for farm shares, but in the winter months, the practice can feel much more daunting.

Luckily, there are many options in northern Colorado that make localvorism a little easier.

Winter Farmers’ Markets • Be Local Winter Farmers’ Market www.belocalnc.org/wintermarkets/

Opera Galleria, Old Town Fort Collins January 11, 18, & 25; February 8, 15 & 22; March 8 & 22; April 5 Winter vegetables and artisan foods including late-season produce. This market features a large number of local growers including Native Hill Farm, Branch Out Cider, Jodar Farms, Donoma Farms, Westbridge Farms, and more.

Grocers • Beaver’s Market beaversmarket.com/aboutu/season.php

1100 W. Mountain Ave., Fort Collins Beaver’s buys produce from local growers throughout the year and highlights in-season fruits and vegetables in their store and online along with tasty recipes.

Food co-ops • High Plains Food Cooperative

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www.highplainsfood.org

Any person can register as a consumer and have weekly access to local foods and products produced with sustainable practices that demonstrate good stewardship of the environment. Once a member, you can pick up your weekly orders at a local distribution center.

The HPFC offers a wide range of products including meat, vegetables, eggs, and more.

• Fort Collins Food Co-Operative www.ftcfoodcoop.com/

250 E. Mountain Ave., Fort Collins The Co-op has full grocery, dairy, frozen food, meats, health and beauty, household items, produce and deli departments. All items are handpicked to be the best selection of local, organic and quality products. Throughout the store there is a system of symbols and colors on each label to identify dietary qualities and production methods; a blue label identifies locally grown food.

Northern Colorado Distribution Centers: • Laura & Rick Reeser

424 7th Street, Greeley, CO, 80631

• Cozy Cow Dairy,

28607 Weld County Road 17, Windsor, 80550

Direct Purchase Options • Amy & Ellen’s Grass-Fed, Grass-Finished Beef www.barncatservices.com/beef/

Reserve a whole, half, or quarter beef raised and butchered just west of Fort Collins.

• Craig Angus Ranch www.craigangusranch.com/

Orders can be put in all year and take 60-90 days for delivery.

• The Farm at Sunrise Ranch sunriseranch.org/grassfed-beef/

Beef processed a this small, familyowned is available in variety packs as well as per-cut.

• Heart J Beef at the Sylvan Dale Ranch www.heartjbeef.com/

A tradition at Sylvan Dale for more than fifty years, this natural, free-range, grass-fed beef can be ordered by phone or email.

• Long Shadow Farm www.longshadowfarm.com/

Chickens, ducks, and turkeys are all free-range and lambs are grass-fed and live with their mothers. All animals are raised free of hormones and antibiotics.

• The Old Fence Farm theoldfencefarm.com/

Local source for organic, grass-fed lambs born and humanely raised on the same chemical-free farm for its entire life.

• Quatrix http://quatrix.us/

Also offering aquaponically grown vegetables all year round, Quatrix raises tilapia, which are raised, processed, and retailed/wholesaled through various local grocers.

• Sun Prairie Natural Beef http://sunprairiebeef.com/

100-percent Grass Fed Beef serving the Front Range and beyond. Pick-up locations exist in Longmont, Loveland, and Fort Collins.

• Morning Fresh Dairy www.morningfreshdairy.com/

Offers all-natural milk from locally raised beef with no artificial hormones, pesticides, preservatives, or rGBH. • Windsor Dairy, www.windsordairy.com

Also offering cheese, beef, and pork, the Windsor Dairy is the only licensed, Grade A and organic dairy in Colorado committed to producing raw milk from 100-percent grass-fed beef.

• MouCo Cheese Company www.mouco.com/

Opened in 2000, this artisan cheesery produces award-winning sift-ripened cheeses including Camembert, ColoRouge, and Truffelo.

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community news

Rethink the New Year

Rebuilding, connecting, immunizing and parenting B y K IM S H A R PE

A

new year offers an opportunity to start again and place “re” in front of a lot of verbs. To revisit and recommit ourselves to meet past goals and follow through on promises made.

To review where we’ve been and perhaps reset our course. To reinvest time into activities which support a balanced life.

This readjustment period is for individuals, couples, families, communities and our society as a whole.

Estes Park set to rebuild with new resources The unique setting of Estes Park makes it particularly vulnerable to heavy rain and runoff events. Since the town sits in a bowl-like valley, all watersheds converge within the populated areas of the valley.

The September 2013 flood is known to have exceeded a 500-year event, equating to less than a 0.2-percent chance of occurring in any given year. This event drastically changed the former floodplains, and these changes have critical implications for public and building safety.

Since the flood, the town’s Community Development Department and Floodplain Manager have been focused on studying and mapping new floodplains, permitting temporary work for landowners, and long-range planning for floodplain sustainability. There are four mapped floodplains within town boundaries. In order of most affected by the September flood, they are Fish Creek, Fall River, Big Thompson River and Black Canyon Creek.

And the town has lost no time in rebuilding after the devastating floods. With new funding, it plans to continue repairs.

The town applied for and received a grant from the Northern Colorado Community Foundation to complete funding for a Fall River corridor master planning process. The $50,000 grant combined with a previously awarded 14

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$94,000 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board complete the necessary funding for the master plan.

To assist property owners with river restoration, the town has taken several steps, including applying for and receiving the Northern Colorado Community Foundation grant; budgeting $61,000 in 2014 for floodplain needs; and becoming a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) sponsor, which funds high-risk bank stabilization work identified by NRCS before spring runoff.

In response to comments received at a December 2013 community meeting about river restoration, the town is also helping to establish a Fall River coalition, which will establish a forum to bring property owners together and find ways to engage non-resident property owners.

Property owners along Fall River and Fish Creek are encouraged to join an email list to receive updates pertinent to river restoration within each corridor.

People can sign up by updating the subscriber profile at the bottom of any town emails they already receive or on the town’s Facebook page, using the “Join our email list” link (www.facebook.com/ townofestesparkco).

For more information on floodplain management post-flood, contact the Community Development Department at 970-577-3721.

Estes Park recommits to community, health In addition to rebuilding floodravaged waterways and infrastructure, two separate projects could enhance the sense of community in Estes Park, and make it a destination for those seeking health and wellness.

One project that has been discussed for about a decade is the establishment of a multi-purpose community and recreation center. The Estes Valley Rec-

reation and Park District (EVRPD), in partnership with the town of Estes Park, the Estes Park School District R-3, the Estes Park Medical Center and the Estes Valley Public Library District have proposed the construction of a “Community Wellness Recreation Center.”

The group has given several public presentations about the project and is gathering feedback from citizens regarding their interest in the proposed center, including what kinds of programs and services they would like it to include. On January 2, a community-wide mail-in survey will be distributed to gather even more input from the public. An online version of the survey will be accessible at www.evrpd.com.

EVRPD Director Skyler Rorabaugh stresses that community input is critical to the center’s planning process. “The center is intended to be community based first and foremost versus tourist based. We want it to appeal to a multigenerational market with full family participation.

There should be something for everyone.”

He also says that the center would partner with local businesses and service providers for operational support and staff. The center’s amenities could include multi-purpose space with stateof-the-art audio/visual equipment for meetings and classes; a large basketball court that could be converted to a volleyball court; cardio and circuit training equipment; space for pre-teens and teens to congregate; a café with WiFi connections where people could work; space for arts and crafts of all types; performing arts practice and storage space; grandparent/grandchild programming; preschool programming and perhaps even child care. The new center also would house an expanded senior center, and perhaps a satellite library site and community garden. Another use for the center would be as an emergency shelter.

The location envisioned for the

community center would be adjoining the existing aquatic center on the site of the old elementary school that is schedule for demolition in May 2014.

A second center that town leaders are considering would be modeled after the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center located in Aurora, Colorado. Town Trustees, Stanley Hotel owner John Cullen and again, the Estes Park Medical Center CEO and board of directors are in negotiations to transform a section of land near the Stanley Hotel into a $15 million, world-class, private health and wellness center focused on research-based weight loss and athletic training.

The EPMC plans to raise all funds necessary from various foundations to build the center and ultimately own it. Cullen is committing to purchase from the town the land on which the center would be built, plus construct and own the wellness center’s guest lodging facility. The current proposal on the table would require Cullen to enter into a 99-year lease agreement with the hospital for use of the land.

So while the EPMC board fully supports and would invest in both the proposed community and recreation center and the health and wellness center, the public should know they are very different projects with distinct target audiences and purposes.

Reconnect with family through music The Fort Collins Symphony Guild 2014 Musical Zoo is gearing up to help families with young children connect. This is a oncea-year adventure in the arts, especially music, for the young, targeting those between 3 and 12, as well as the young-at-heart.

This year’s event will be Sunday, February 16, 2:30-5:30pm at the Timberline Church, 2908 Timberline Road, Fort Collins. Tickets are $2.00 per person; children 2 years old or younger are free. The ticket price includes all of the afternoon’s activities and events, including refreshments.

There are four parts to the program.

The first three parts occur concurrently between 2:30pm and 4:30pm.

In the “Mall Area” of the church, various performers will strut their stuff, including strolling musicians, “street dancers,” face

painters, and carnival-like entertainers.

“Short Performances” will take place in three different venues, one of which features ensembles from across northern Colorado: a marimba group, UNC dancers, an opera signer, a group of cellists and the World Percussion Ensembles.

Another venue will have ensembles from four Fort Collins high schools. The third one will include music groups from four middle schools, a display of international musical instruments and an art display.

There also will be a musical “Petting Zoo.” Sitting face-to-face with musicians, guests can listen to instruments played solo and then try to play them with the help of a musician. In addition, there will be two pre-school rooms where guests from 1 to 4 years old can use smaller-sized instruments and explore music with the help of teachers from four local music schools.

Beginning at 4:45pm in the Main Auditorium, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf will be performed by members of the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra, directed by Maestro Wes Kenney. The piece comes alive as the story is narrated by Bas Bleu’s Wendy Ishii and is interpreted by dancers from the Canyon Concert Ballet. Before the performance, guests are encouraged to color in placards depicting the key instruments and characters of Peter and the Wolf. Then, while listening to the orchestra, they can interact with the music by lifting the placards when they hear the instrument representing a specific character played.

As he was leaving Timberline Church last year, one 7-year-old boy was heard to say, “Next year’s Musical Zoo is not to be missed!”

Vouchers will be sold in advance be-

tween January 30 and February 15 at the following Fort Collins establishments:

• Philomusica, 2105 S. College Ave. • Clothes Pony, 111 W. College Ave. • Learning Express, 2720 Council Tree Ave. • Boomer Music, 3761 S. Mason St.

Tickets also will be sold at the West Entrance of Timberline Church from 2:30- 4:45pm on February 16.

For more details, visit www. fcsymphonyguild.org/education.

Renew your immunizations In an effort to better serve patients, as of January 1, 2014, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment will be moving to an appointment system for all immunization services. For an appointment call 970-498-6767 in Fort Collins or 970-619-4580 in Loveland. Please note: The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment is unable to provide routine immunizations to those who are fully insured; however, the health department does bill Medicaid.

Refresh your parenting skills A free 12-week class based on a nationally acclaimed parent education program which provides gentle guidance and support for parents will begin on January 16, 6-8pm. The class runs through April 17. This program focuses on skill building and coping strategies, and is designed to enhance parents’ self-awareness and thereby increase understanding of their children. A corresponding children’s class and care by trained professionals also is available. The class will be held at The Family Center / La Familia 309 Hickory Street #5, Fort Collins. Registration is required; call 970-221-1615.

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nutrition New Year’s Foodalutions

Establish new eating habits to make your 2014 a healthy year R i c h ard K e ll e r

N

ew year, new you. That’s what every radio, television, newspaper, and Internet add touts once the calendar flips from December 31 to January 1. And it’s true in many ways, as the start of a new year gives you and your family a fresh palette to make some tweaks in your life. It could be spending more time together, reducing your debt, or, as we talk about in this column, adjusting the way you eat. In other words, you make one or several food resolutions, or foodalutions, to help establish new eating habits around the house.

Yes, these foodalutions can be tough to maintain, especially during the grand candy months of Valentine’s Day and Easter, but there are ways to do it if you take it slow and make the process entertaining. By the start of next year, your eating habits could be much different than when you proposed your foodalutions. Here are a few things you might want to try in the upcoming 12 months.

Smaller Portions Those plates you bought downtown during Small Business Saturday look great on the kitchen table. Unfortunately, they tempt you to load them up with food. Past studies have shown that serving meals on smaller plates makes families believe they’re getting a larger portion in the first place. In this foodalution you may want display those larger plates and use the smaller ones you bought at the local dollar store.

Drink more water For some reason, kids find it easier to reach into the refrigerator and grab a can of soda or a bottle of juice than a glass of water from the adjacent dispenser.

Regardless if it’s hot or cold outside, water is one of the best things to drink out there. Not only does it keep a person more hydrated than a can of Diet Coke, but it can help your kids feel fuller during 16

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the day, preventing them from grazing through the cabinets and ratcheting up your grocery bill. Another foodalution is to make sure water is always handy for everyone. Should your family members not be interested in using the dispenser, fill some reusable water bottles and place them in the refrigerator for easier access.

Reduce genetically modified foods This is slightly harder to do than filling water bottles, but it can be quite beneficial to your family members, especially those who experience food allergies. About 75 to 80 percent of all processed foods on the supermarket shelves contain some form of genetically modified crop such as enriched wheat, soy, or corn. In order to reduce the consumption of GM foods for this foodalution, avoid boxed foods at all cost and work toward eating more organic and farm-to-table products.

This will make you feel better mentally as well as physically, thanks to all the fresh intake.

Dine in more December was a pretty tough month for you when it came to eating at home.

With parties, shopping, and numerous other events that threw your schedule off, your meals consisted of more burgers and pizza than healthier options.

Now, at the start of the new year, you’re feeling a little tired, sick, and bloated.

The best thing to correct this situation is to establish a foodalution that says you’ll cook more at home. And be more adventurous in your cooking, while you’re at it. Try some new recipes with ingredients your family enjoys. This will keep them at home more than the drive-thru.

Plant a garden Just because it’s January doesn’t mean you and your family shouldn’t begin planning a garden for the spring. In fact, it’s the perfect time to go outside and find a spot to plant. It doesn’t take much space, and the result can be homegrown fruits and vegetables you can use in numerous ways throughout the year.

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The

get-in-shape plan

Setting resolutions on diet and exercise that work Lynn Utzman-Nichols

J

anuary 1 is Black Friday for gym managers. They love this time of year. A recent news story reported that gym memberships in January go up 30 percent. Of course you know why. A good number of Americans make resolutions to get in shape or lose weight, but after getting started, they find that the actual effort needed to carry out these goals is too much to handle.

According to a government survey, 25 percent of New Year’s resolutions are broken in a week and less than half are still in place after six months.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set them. Just take some time to think about them first.

If you don’t want to be a negative statistic, take some great advice from Dr. Peyton Taliaferro, a family physician with Colorado Health Medical Group (CHMG) Primary Care in Loveland: Choose wisely. In other words, if you dread just thinking about going to the gym every day, don’t resolve to do so.

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“Let’s say you hate running, but come January 1st you resolve to run every day to lose weight. Running is a great way to lose weight, unless you hate doing it. If you hate it you may be able to tough it out a week or two, but eventually you’ll find reasons not to run. The only way to effectively stick with a new exercise routine (or a diet) is to like it,” he adds.

That’s where some thoughtful planning and some trial and error come in.

Don’t let a date on the calendar dictate when you start a new weight loss or exercise program. “Instead of running to the gym on January 1st, simply resolve to take the time to really explore what might work for you,” Taliaferro says.

Find a physical activity you enjoy Some things we do because they are fun and we hardly notice they are exercise.

What are those activities for you? Riding a mountain bike down a trail? Skiing?

Sledding with your kids? Hiking in the woods? Swimming at the pool? Walking

and chatting with neighbors? Chasing the dog in the back yard? Whatever these fun activities are, do more of them. Let them be your exercise plan.

“If people enjoy what they do and make it a part of their life, the lifestyle change is done for them without a big effort. It simply becomes the way people live their lives,” Taliaferro says.

Of course, you can’t always do what you absolutely love every day. On busy days, settle for the next best thing— things you don’t mind doing, like walking the dog or riding your bike around the neighborhood with your kids.

“The answer is think more, do less.

Ask yourself what you like doing or wouldn’t mind doing. Maybe you find the treadmill boring, but if you do it while watching your favorite TV show, you might enjoy it. The key is finding what works for you. Be active as much as you can, and be realistic,” he adds.

Making it a group activity helps. If you can come together as a family over

a common goal, like moving your bodies together every day, you’ll have more success. And you’ll be packing in some family fun.

Think of it this way: One of the benefits of being in good shape is that you physically can do more. You can walk farther, climb higher, and explore more together as a family.

“Exercise lets you get out and experience more of life. It’s the second most important thing you can do to live a longer, healthier life, right behind not smoking,” Taliaferro says.

Choose a doable diet When it comes to food, think about what you like and don’t like. If you love foods with carbs, like bread, pizza and pasta, don’t resolve to go on the Caveman or South Beach diet. That’s unrealistic.

“I hate the idea of dieting, because dieting means people have to give up something they enjoy. If you don’t like your diet you will eventually fail, because it is really hard to win a fight you have to fight every waking hour of the day,” he says.

Instead of cutting out certain foods and putting them on the “never” list, vow to manage them instead.

“I say, plan for chocolate. If you say no to chocolate it will become all you think about. Instead, allow yourself to have small amounts of chocolate at select times—a chocolate kiss or a bite-size candy bar once or twice a day. Or, trade something else on your plate for chocolate. If you normally take a big helping of potatoes, put half of them back and say, that’s my chocolate. It’s the same calories in the end but you get enjoyment out of it so you will have a much greater chance of success than if you ban it all together,” Taliaferro advises.

There is no one right way to diet and lose weight. The key is finding a style that works for you.

“The way to lose weight is to simply burn more than you take in. How you do that is very personal. Take a hard look at what you are eating and make sure you burn more than you eat either by limiting your diet, increasing your exercise, or both. There is no right diet.

Diets are just ways. If a particular one works for you, that is great. If not, be

critical about what might,” he adds.

Follow Dr. T’s top three When patients ask Dr. Taliaferro how to lose weight, he gives them three simple tricks: Look at what you are drinking; avoid ‘free’ calories; and consider your plate.

Most people don’t realize the amount of calories they consume in drinks. Most drinks besides water have lots of calories whether it’s milk, juice, beer, wine or soda.

“If you drink one soda or can of beer a day, that’s about 150 calories. If you run the math, it adds up to 1050 a week, or 4500 calories a month. A pound is 3500 calories, so that can of soda each day equals about 15 pounds a year! That one daily decision has a huge impact on your health,” Taliaferro says.

Next up, cut out ‘free’ calories. Free calories are all those snacks you didn’t plan on during your day. They are the donuts at the staff meeting, the candy bar in the checkout line and the cookies at the school social. It’s extra food you eat almost automatically, without thinking.

Keep alert and choose to cut them out or keep them to a minimum.

Finally, consider the size

of your plate. It helps with portion control, and eating less means you’ll have less to burn.

“Studies show that today’s plates are several inches larger than plates of the 1930s, and we fill them. I advise patients who want to lose weight to switch to a salad plate. I say, fill it up, but think about its design. Reserve a third for meat and potatoes or bread and two-thirds for fiber—fruits and vegetables. It’s a great formula for weight loss,” he adds.

So, go ahead. Make that resolution.

But don’t do it without a lot of planning and thought: “A successful resolution takes asking yourself the hard question, not ‘what can I do?’ but, ‘what am I willing to do?’ If you like your answers rather than dread them, you’ll stick with it,” Taliaferro concludes.

University of Colorado Health sponsored this article.

Need a Little Help Getting Started?

Seek Advice from an Exercise Therapist UCHealth offers ongoing conditioning classes at both their Loveland and Fort Collins gyms.

Exercise therapists guide your exercise program to meet your personal fitness goals in a group atmosphere.

What: Conditioning Class Where: Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave, South Building, Suite 170 When: Mon – Fri Cost: $63/month Info/Sign up: 970-624-1710 Note: A similar class is offered at the Harmony Campus in Fort Collins on Tues & Thurs for $37 a month. Call 970-297-6550 for more information.

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thompson school district news

TVHS Orchestra to perform at CMEA ed to visit WCMS and place a donation in the fundraising bucket in the front office. All funds received will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital via the 97.9 Big Country radio station.

The Thompson Valley High School Chamber Orchestra has been selected to perform at the annual Colorado Music Educators Association convention in Colorado Springs on Jan. 24, 2014, at the Broadmoor Hotel’s International Center.

The chamber orchestra was selected after submitting recordings of two performances from their spring 2013 repertoire. A panel of judges listened to the recordings and, after careful consideration, nominated the group to perform at the 2014 convention. It is an honor for the students to be selected, as they represent the highest caliber of statewide musical quality. Driving this accomplishment for the ensemble is their daily dedication to detail, hard work in the classroom and practice room, and refined musicianship that has come to be a standard in the TVHS orchestra program.

This is the first high school chamber orchestra program in Loveland’s history to be selected to play at the state music convention.

Works to be performed in January include: “Sospiri,” “Sighs” for strings and harp by Edward Elgar, “Concerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 1” for three solo strings 20

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and orchestra by Archangelo Corelli, “Prayer” for cello and strings by Ernest Bloch, “Pizzicato Blues” by Darren Mitchell, and the great “Fantasia on a Theme” by Thomas Tallis, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Bob Kreutz, the orchestra’s conductor, says that he is entirely proud of their accomplishments and would invite the public to hear their warm-up concert, which will be held at Thompson Valley High School’s Roberta Price Auditorium on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7pm. They will be joined in that performance by two other outstanding local string ensembles selected to perform at the music convention: the Northern Colorado Cello Choir, conducted by Beth Wells, and the Poudre High School Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Bennett Stucky.

“No-Shave November” at Walt Clark MS It was “No-Shave November” at Walt Clark Middle School. A group of WMCS teachers stowed the razors for one month to educate people about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle. The public was invit-

Cottonwood Plains students jog for their school Cottonwood Plains Elementary held its first jog-a-thon school fundraiser on Oct. 11 with hopes of raising money to support playground improvements, outdoor education, field trips, technology, and school activities. The kids came through in a big way with over $15,000 raised!

Great weather prevailed as Cottonwood’s 412 students participated in half-hour shifts by grade, running and walking laps on the playground. Over 100 parents and other adults supported the kids by running, walking, volunteering and cheering. Students set goals before the event, with many classes taking physical activity breaks in the weeks leading up to the jog-a-thon to train for their part.

“We spoke to students about setting goals and how to make them realistic. They worked hard and encouraged one another. It was great to see students giving each other high fives,” remarked Dave Patterson, principal of Cottonwood Plains Elementary. “Many students felt a sense of individual accomplishment, and we were proud of everyone.” The course was a loop on the grassy field behind the school, with six laps measuring approximately one mile.

Most students completed 12 to 15 laps on average, with older students finishing over 20 laps.

Cottonwood had held two smaller jog-a-thons in the past as part of the wellness initiative at the school led by staff. The school’s PTA, which had always relied on catalog sales as its source of monies for the school each year, decided to switch to a jog-a-thon this year. “We wanted to offer a fundraiser that encouraged students to meet their

goals, while also promoting wellness and community involvement,” said Carly King, president of Cottonwood’s PTA. “We are thrilled with what the students achieved and can’t wait to do it again next year!” Student prizes were donated by local businesses and unlike catalog sales, 100-percent of the funds raised stayed at the school.

Cottonwood Plains Elementary is tucked away in a housing community near Highway 287 and has been educating students in the Thompson School District since 1994. Forty-one percent of students qualify for free and/ or reduced meals, and a fair number of students have English-as-a-second language backgrounds.

Coyote Ridge Elementary celebrates “Who We Are” with flood relief The second grade classes at Coyote Ridge Elementary School have been focusing on the inquiry unit “Who We Are.” The central idea of this unit is “Together, people can overcome obstacles to achieve global health.”

The recent flooding provided an authentic opportunity for a studentinitiated action to collaborate and provide support for those who were affected in our communities. The second grade classes developed a plan for the action and organized the entire effort.

In three short days, the students were able to collect a variety of donations. The kindergartners collected 37 packages of socks, first graders collected 57 packages of underwear, second graders collected 367 toiletries, third graders contributed 19 containers of coffee and eight packages of coffee filters, fourth graders donated 27 containers of cleaning supplies, and fifth graders collected 93 Halloween costumes!

The items were donated to the Northern Colorado Donation Center and the House of Neighborly Service in Loveland.

TSD celebrates “Read Aloud Day” On Nov. 12, more than 5,000 elementary students learned firsthand how much fun reading can be! In celebration of the district’s annual Read Aloud Day, mem-

Coyote Ridge Elementary students collected items for flood relief.

bers of the community visited elementary schools and read to students.

All elementary schools participated in the event and more than 200 teachers signed up to have a guest reader.

The list of visiting readers included authors, school board members, retired teachers, librarians, current and former district staff, parents, and members of local businesses. Our thanks to all who helped make this yearly event a special day and a huge success!

TVHS’s Nicole Wilson recognized as 2014 Miss Loveland Valentine The Loveland Chamber of Commerce, along with its panel of five judges, selected Nicole Wilson, a Thompson Valley High School senior, as the 2014 Miss Loveland Valentine. Wilson was one of eleven Loveland-area female high school students up for the prestigious title. Wilson earned the win after writing an essay, conducting an interview with judges and presenting a heartfelt “Loveland My Community” speech to attendees of a luncheon hosted by Thompson Valley Rotary.

One of Wilson’s key messages in her speech was the importance of family and how the people of Loveland are more than just neighbors; they are family and the heart of the community.

2013 Miss Loveland Valentine Madison

Polansky and long-time Miss Loveland Valentine chaperone Norma Jean Goodheart were on hand to present.

Not only is Wilson an honor student and student body president, but also she excels in many extracurricular activities such as volleyball, FBLA, DECA, National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. She gives back to the community by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, the annual Loveland Spring Waterway Cleanup, and painting hearts with the Thompson Valley Rotary and has served as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. She has also initiated the “Adopt a Family” program at her school and helps run the school’s canned food drive in support of the Food Bank for Larimer County. Wilson plans to study business and focus on social consciousness in college.

Miss Loveland Valentine is Loveland’s spokesperson as she makes many presentations throughout the community including television, newspaper and radio interviews. As the selected candidate, Wilson will receive scholarship funds toward her college education awarded from Ted and Mabel Thompson’s Trust.

Wilson will be accompanied to all of her engagements by the official Miss Loveland Valentine chaperones, Norma Jean and Chet Goodheart.

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poudre school district news Volunteer feels welcomed and appreciated

Terah Brooks is the Volunteer Building Coordinator for Lab School for Creative Learning and Polaris Expeditionary Learning.

Poudre School District has over 20,000 volunteers, consisting of parents, grandparents, seniors and community members. Managing that many volunteers in 48 schools is quite a feat! Helping the PSD’s Volunteers & Partnerships office manage the multitude of volunteers at each school site is a Volunteer Building Coordinator (VBC). These dedicated volunteers donate many hours to ensure the volunteer program at their school is a success. Some have done it for many years, starting in elementary schools, and continuing in this volunteer position even after their children move on to middle school and even high school!

Volunteer Building Coordinator for Lab School for Creative Learning and Polaris Expeditionary Learning, Terah Brooks, became the coordinator after seeing the expeditionary learning model in place for a while, and witnessing the impact it had on her children. “I was 24

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in awe of the way this one school was able to meet the needs of all my children, who run the gamut from gifted to challenging, with such dedication and grace,” says Brooks.

In addition to the VBC position, Brooks serves as a member of PAC, attends every field trip with the younger kids’ classes, and volunteers in the classroom twice per week. And, she says, “I love every minute of it.” She was able to attend Eco Week in the fall and enjoyed interacting with other parent volunteers.

This is her favorite “volunteer memory” thus far. She enjoyed seeing teachers, volunteers, and students out of their element, and it “really brought a new perspective into view.” Brooks says, “It was amazing to watch everyone really challenge themselves and it’s an experience I’m looking forward to repeating next year.”

Brooks and her husband have four boys, ages 18, 16, 9, and 7. She manages her husband’s law practice in Old Town.

She grew up in the Waverly area and attended elementary school there, as well as Wellington Junior High. In her spare time, Brooks likes to go on bike rides with her f amily, read books, and watch movies.

Brooks says, “I think we, as parents, have a responsibility to aid in the education of our children in any way that we are able, and for me that means being involved in the school. One of the things I love so much about Lab/Polaris is the sense of community. I love being a part of a smaller school and not only recognizing most faces in the hallways, but also feeling welcomed and appreciated.”

Poudre School District kindergarten registration Kindergarten is an important step for both you

as a parent and for your child. Parents are encouraged to explore the educational options available in Poudre School District.

There is no tuition for half-day kindergarten programs; full-day programs are $2,100 per year (subject to change).

The first payment is due at time of registration; the remainder is due in nine monthly installments from August 1, 2014 – April 1, 2015. Full and partial scholarships may be available; parents need to check with the individual school for eligibility requirements.

One-way transportation is provided for kindergarten students attending a half-day program who live more than one mile from their neighborhood school.

Round-trip transportation is provided for students in an all-day program who live more than one mile from school.

Information and orientation meetings for parents of kindergarten students have been scheduled at elementary schools. For a complete schedule, please visit the PSD website at www.psdschools. org, click on the School Registration under Quick Links.

Kindergarten registration for students entering school in fall 2014 is scheduled for Thursday, February 13, 2014. Registration will be held from 7am to 6pm at all elementary schools (unless otherwise noted; see attached schedule). Children who

will be 5 years of age on or before Sept. 15, 2014, are eligible to register.

On the day of registration, parents should bring their child’s birth certificate (original or certified preferred), emergency contact information, and immunization records.

School Choice Option PSD’s School Choice program allows families to select the school that best meets their child’s educational needs.

Nearly 70 percent of PSD families choose to send their children to a neighborhood school, the school located in the attendance area in which they live.

Neighborhood schools teach PSD’s rigorous standards-driven curriculum, along with gifted, enrichment, and accelerated options. Specialized schools offer a different curriculum, focus area, or method of instructional delivery than neighborhood schools.

To determine which school is your neighborhood school, visit the School Locater webpage under Schools/Programs on the PSD website (www.psdschools.org).

School Choice Applications Online - The online school choice application can be accessed on the PSD website at www. psdschools.org under the School Registration quick link. Families that do not have computer access at home can visit any PSD school or the district administrative office, 2407 LaPorte Avenue, to apply.

School Choice students are accepted on a space-available basis, and transportation is the responsibility of the parent.

First consideration deadlines for the 2014-15 school year, school choice application process: • Jan. 31, 2014 Secondary (6-12th grade) • Feb. 14, 2014 Elementary (Kindergarten-5thgrade)

Musher talks about challenging Alaskan Iditarod sled dog race Despite not having a good crash story, musher Ken Anderson entertained PSD students with his tales of competing in the challenging Iditarod, a 1,000 mile sled dog race through remote Alaskan country.

Anderson talked to students at Linton, Olander and Livermore

A Linton Elementary student dressed up in cozy musher gear.

elementary schools about his dream, his dogs and the commitment it takes to run the race. He even dressed up a “volunteer” student at each school in the bulky musher gear. Red Paw and Poudre Pet and Feed Supply sponsored the presentation.

Also known as the “last great race on earth,” Anderson talked about how he dreamed of running the Iditarod race, that runs from Anchorage to Nome, after he received a book about it when he was 9 years old.

Now he has a total of 50 dogs, including retired dogs and dogs in training, which he’s raised from puppies. During the Iditarod, he has 16 dogs in the race. “That’s a whole lot of dogs and a whole lot of power,” Anderson said.

One student asked Anderson if he ever had an accident during the race. “I’ve been pretty lucky. I don’t have a good crash story. I’ve fallen

asleep before. You get very little sleep because you have to do everything yourself. You can’t have any help,” explained Anderson.

Anderson competes in several sled dog races, but calls the Iditarod “the Super Bowl of what we do” because it is challenging and includes big money prizes for top finishers in the race.

PSD Calendar of Events Jan. 6...... No School, Teacher Work Day Jan. 7...... Students first day back at school following winter break.

Jan. 14.... 6 :30pm Board of Education business meeting, Johannsen Support Services Complex, 2407 LaPorte Ave. Jan. 20.... M artin Luther King Day, No school!

Jan. 28.... 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting and work session, Johannsen Support Services Complex, 2407 LaPorte Ave.

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greeley-evans district 6 news Services provided to flood-displaced students

With the help of a state grant and countless donations from businesses, churches, organizations and generous private individuals, Greeley-Evans School District 6 is continuing to provide services to students impacted by the September flooding in Greeley and Evans.

District 6 has identified more than 1,000 students affected by the floods as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Under this federal act, the school district must provide services to these students that remove any “educational barriers.” This includes providing clothing, including: school uniforms at schools where they are required, shoes, socks, underwear, general clothing, coats, hats, gloves and winter boots. The district has also provided students with backpacks and school supplies, and is providing transportation back to their home school for many students who were displaced and are living in temporary housing.

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Many of these items – with the exception of transportation – have been provided through donations of cash and goods. NCMC Inc., which own North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, recently donated $50,000 to assist students impacted by the floods. Other large donations have come from Flood and Peterson ($13,000), and $14,500, which was raised during a benefit concert shortly after the floods. Many faith organizations have also made large donations of goods and cash.

Donations have also been made directly to schools that have the largest numbers of students affected by the floods.

“The community has been incredibly generous during this crisis,” said Superintendent Ranelle Lang. “We have used and will continue to use every bit of this assistance to help our students, most of whom lost everything in the floods.”

In addition to private donations, District 6 received a $118,000 Project

SERV grant from the Colorado Department of Education. These federal, pass-through grants were made available to school districts throughout the state that were highly affected by the flooding. The money is being used to employee two, full-time homeless liaisons, who will help track and provide services to homeless students throughout the district.

Also, the Project SERV grant will fund two counselors who will be contracted through North Range Behavioral Health to provide emotional and psychological support for students affected by the floods. One will be based at Bella Romero Elementary School, which had more than 200 students displaced by the floods. The other will be based at Greeley West High School, but will travel to other schools as necessary.

District 6 employees and community members also donated to ensure the students impacted by the flooding had a gift for the holidays. An Angel Tree - with the first name, gender and age of each affected student – was placed in the lobby of the Administration Building. Participants were asked to purchase a new toy for younger students and a gift card for older students. Each student included on the Angel Tree received a gift.

Outstanding students, athletes and teachers featured on District 6 website Outstanding students, excellent athletes and teachers who go above and beyond for the students are now featured in videos on the Greeley-Evans School District 6 website.

Student Spotlight, Student Athlete of the Week and Teachers Who Make a Difference are now available for viewing on the homepage of the District 6 website at www.greeleyschool.org.

These videos are also featured on cable public access channel 16.

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lunchbox Poudre School District— Elementary student lunches are $2.25, secondary student lunches are $2.50 and reduced lunches

are $0.40. Entrees offered daily: Elementary—a variety of fruits and vegetables, milk and juices; Secondary--hot and cold sandwiches, fruits and vegetables, deli salad and pizza.

Elementary schoolS 7 Cheese raviolis; Italian dippers 8 Orange chicken & brown rice; penne w/meat sauce 9 Burrito; chicken nuggets 10 Pepperoni or veggie pizza; Italian chop salad 13 Chicken patty sandwich; baked potato bar 14 Lasagna; chicken bites and biscuit 15 Beef fried rice & egg roll; cheeseburger 16 Beef tacos; turkey & cheese wrap 17 BBQ chicken or cheese pizza; BBQ chicken ranch salad 20 No school!

21 Spaghetti & roasted veggies; ham &

cheese sub 22 Asian Teriyaki bowl; baked chicken & biscuit 23 Chicken enchilada bake; Mexicali hot dog 24 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; chef salad 27 Sloppy Joe; mac n’cheese 28 Ziti pasta; trout treasures 29 Spanish chicken; turkey & gravy w/roll 30 Cheese quesadilla; chicken patty sandwich 31 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; sweet corn salad Secondary schools 7 Chicken broccoli Alfredo; beef enchilada bake

8 Chicken nuggets; grilled cheese & tomato soup 9 Orange chicken w/rice; Philly cheesesteak 10 Asian noodle bowl; beef burrito 13 BBQ chicken sandwich; mac n’ cheese 14 Spaghetti & meatballs; cheese quesadilla 15 Ranch chicken bites; chicken enchilada bake 16 Potato bar w/chili or broccoli cheese; Spanish chicken 17 Turkey pot pie; Asian Teriyaki bowl 20 No school!

21 Lasagna; Chicken noodle soup & grilled ham sandwich 22 Baked chicken & biscuit; beef burrito 23 Penne pasta & sauce; chicken fajita burrito 24 Beef Szechwan; trout melt sandwich 27 Chicken quesadilla; cheese raviolis 28 Turkey & gravy w/biscuit; Italian spaghetti 29 Meatball sub; chicken noodle soup & grilled ham sandwich 30 Philly cheesesteak; Asian Teriyaki bowl 31 Veggie lasagna; BBQ chicken bites & biscuit

Thompson R2J School District — Elementary lunches are $2.50. Secondary school lunches are $2.75. Reduced lunches are

$0.40. Offered daily: PBJs & fruit.

Elementary schoolS 6 Chicken breast strips; sloppy Joe 7 French bread boat; hot ham & cheese 8 Grilled cheese; hot roast beef sandwich 9 Chicken mini tacos; Cuban sandwich 10 Stuffed shells; chicken parm sandwich 13 Spicy chicken sandwich; pulled pork sandwich 14 Pizza stick; chicken nuggets 15 Burger bar 16 Nachos; lasagna

17 Fish fillet sandwich; grilled chicken sandwich 20 No school!

21 Variety pizza; chicken fajita wrap 22 Baked potato w/toppings 23 Enchilada casserole; chicken strips 24 Meatball flatbread; French bread boat 27 Turkey pot roast; nachos 28 Chicken parmesan; hamburger 29 Pizza bar 30 Black bean tostada; chicken nuggets

31 Sweet & sour chicken; pretzel w/cheese Secondary schools 6 Chicken breast strips 7 French bread boat 8 Grilled cheese 9 Chicken mini tacos 10 Stuffed shells 13 Chicken patty sandwich 14 Pizza stick 15 Hamburger 16 Nachos

17 20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31

Fish nuggets No school!

Variety pizza Baked potato w/toppings Chicken quesadilla Meatball flatbread Turkey pot roast Chicken parmesan Grilled chicken sandwich Black bean tostada Sweet & sour chicken

Greeley District 6 —To obtain a complete meal, student gets an entrée and can select 1-3 sides. Elementary lunches are $2.25, and middle school lunches are $2.50, reduced-price lunches are $.40. Offered daily: PBJ. Elementary schoolS 7 Chili w/cinnamon roll; club hoagie 8 Chicken Alfredo pasta; sun butter sandwich 9 Turkey pot pie; ham & cheese hoagie 10 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; sun butter sandwich 13 Pork carnitas w/tortilla; chicken salad sandwich 14 Turkey & cheese wrap; Chicken cordon bleu sandwich 15 Toasted cheese sandwich w/tomato soup; sun butter sandwich 16 Herb chicken; Italian hoagie 17 No school!

20 No school!

21 Teriyaki chicken; club hoagie 22 Lasagna w/breadstick; sun butter sandwich 23 Buffalo chicken sandwich; ham & cheese hoagie 24 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; sun butter sandwich 27 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich 28 Bean & cheese burrito; turkey & cheese wrap 29 Ziti w/breadstick; sun butter sandwich 30 Turkey; Italian hoagie

31 Cheese or taco pizza; tuna salad sandwich Secondary schools 7 Chili w/cinnamon roll; club hoagie 8 Chicken Alfredo pasta; PBJ 9 Turkey pot pie; ham & cheese hoagie 10 Hawaiian or cheese pizza; PBJ 13 Pork carnitas w/tortilla; chicken salad sandwich 14 Turkey & cheese wrap; Chicken cordon bleu sandwich 15 Toasted cheese sandwich w/tomato soup; PBJ 16 Herb chicken; Italian hoagie 17 BBQ chicken or cheese pizza; tuna

sandwich 20 No school!

21 Teriyaki chicken; club hoagie 22 Lasagna w/breadstick; PBJ 23 Buffalo chicken sandwich; ham & cheese hoagie 24 Pepperoni or cheese pizza; PBJ 27 Hamburger/cheeseburger; chicken salad sandwich 28 Bean & cheese burrito; turkey & cheese wrap 29 Ziti w/breadstick; PBJ 30 Turkey; Italian hoagie 31 Cheese or taco pizza; tuna salad sandwich

Windsor School District — Price for elementary lunch is $2.30, for middle school students, $2.50. Reduced lunches are

$0.40. Salad bar is served daily with entrees. Offered daily: PBJ and yogurt.

Elementary schoolS 7 Chicken nuggets 8 Curly Spaghetti 9 Pancakes/sausage 10 Cheesy nachos, Cheese or veggie pizza 13 Burger 14 Creamy turkey 15 Chicken tenders

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16 Chili 17 No school!

20 No school!

21 Corn dog 22 Beef stew 23 Chicken Alfredo 24 Big Daddy pizza 27 Chicken sandwich

28 Taco 29 Mac n’cheese 30 Mozzarella sticks 31 Teriyaki chicken Secondary schools 7 Chicken nuggets 8 Curly Spaghetti 9 Pancakes/sausage

10 Cheesy nachos, Tuscan turkey wrap 13 Cheeseburger 14 Creamy turkey 15 Chicken tenders 16 Chili 17 No school!

20 No school!

21 Weiner wrap

22 Beef stew 23 Chicken Alfredo 24 Baked potato bar 27 Chicken sandwich 28 Taco 29 Mac n’cheese 30 Mozzarella sticks 31 Teriyaki chicken

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JANUARY 2014 ONGOING Through January 5 Scrooge! The Musical!

Bring the whole family for this holiday classic! Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Market Place Dr., Johnstown, CO. 970-744-3747 or www. coloradocandlelight.com.

Through January 5 Over the Tavern In the nostalgia-laden Eisenhower years of the 1950s, the large Pazinski family has a lot going on in their cramped apartment “Over the Tavern.” This is a warm and hilarious look at family, love and growing up Catholic. Bas Bleu Theatre Company, 401 Pine St., FC. 970498-8949 or www.basbleu.org.

January 4 – February 1 Dangerous Liaisons

By Christopher Hampton. This awardwinning play and film exposes secret lovers as victims in a game of lust, scandal, and revenge at the hands of two elite master manipulators. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 970221-6730 or www.LCTIX.com.

January 10 – March 8 Yeah Yeah Yeah: A Beatles Concert Event Their songs. Their stories. Midtown Arts Center, 3750 S. Mason St., FC. 970-2252555 or www.midtownartscenter.com.

January 16 – March 23 9 to 5: The Musical Pushed to the boiling point by their boss, three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Market Place Dr., Johnstown, CO. 970-744-3747 or www. coloradocandlelight.com.

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January 17-18 Kicker Arenacross Freestyle Motorcross Show Budweiser Event Center, 5290 Arena Circle, LV. 7:30pm. 970-619-4100 or www.budweisereventcenter.com.

Friday, January 3 Scrabble @ Your Library Players of all ability and experience levels are welcome. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 10am - Noon. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

January 17-19 Big Thunder Draft Horse Show Budweiser Event Center, 5290 Arena Circle, LV. 970-619-4100 or www. budweisereventcenter.com.

First Friday Gallery Walk Old Town Square, Downtown, FC. 6-9pm. 484-6500 or www. downtownfortcollins.com.

January 17 – 26 Delval Divas The Rialto Theatre Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 970-962-2120 or www.ci.loveland. co.us.

Wednesday, January 1 Happy New Year 2014!

Thursday, January 2 The Kids’ Comedy Show Lots of laughs for the kid in all of us!

Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 10:30-11:15am, 11:30am12:15pm, & 2-2:45pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Misfit Toys Make a mutant creations out of disassembled toy parts! Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 11am-Noon. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Santa’s Tech Help Workshop Bring in your electronic holiday gifts for some user help. Farr Regional Library, High Plains Library District, 1939 61st Ave., GR. 2-4pm. 970-506-8500 or www.mylibrary.us.

Genealogy Help @ Your Library Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 1pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Make Fancy Snowflakes Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Introduction to Computers Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 3-5pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

First Friday: A Night Greeley is thriving with local artistic talent! Stop by any and all of the participating art galleries for a wonderful evening. Downtown Art Galleries & Studios, GR. 5-8pm. 970-356-6775 or www.greeleydowntown.com.

Saturday, January 4 Teen IRS: Interesting Reader Society Meeting Join this special group of young adults in grades 6-12 who meet monthly to talk books, movies, music, and other topics of interest to teens. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 11am-1pm. 970-2216740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

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iLearn Technology: Computer Basics 101 Windows 7. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-9622665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Sunday, January 5 Animal Afternoon Join Larimer Animal People Partnership volunteers and their special story-loving critters. Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 3-4pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Read & Seed: Egg Carton Snow Goggles Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens. iLearn Technology: Computer Basics 101 Windows 7. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-9622665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Introduccion a Computadoras Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Knitter’s Circle Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

English Hour An hour-long English lesson for new learners. Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 2-3pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Creative Writing for Teens Participate in a wide variety of fun creative writing activities! Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 3:30-4:30pm.

970-686-5603 or www.clearviewlibrary.org.

Monday, January 6 The 39 Clues: The Hunt is On! Join us for a little competition and agent training. Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2-3:30pm. 970-2216740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Wednesday, January 8 Kindles @ Your Library Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 7-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

iLearn Technology: Internet Tips & Tricks Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Read & Seed: Egg Carton Snow Goggles Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Tuesday, January 7 Noontime Nature with Kevin Cook Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. Noon. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

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Vickie’s Knitting Loom Group Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 1pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Bean Art Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 2pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Nighttime Nature with Kevin Cook Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 6pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

The Way Way Back The Rialto Theatre Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 7pm. 970-962-2120 or www. ci.loveland.co.us.

Lego Club Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Thursday, January 9 Excel Basics Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Lifestyle Matters: Embracing Change is the Key Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

DIY Pistachio Shell Candle Votive Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 4pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Color Tablets & Library eBooks Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Good For You: Budgets & Coupons Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

How to: eReaders, eBooks, and Apps Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6:30-8pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Homework Help Night Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970506-8622 or www.mylibrary.us.

AMPLIFIED! A showcase of local talents. WindsorSeverance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 4:306:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Friday, January 10 Claire de Lune An evening with the classics. The Rialto Theatre Center, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 7:30pm. 970-962-2120 or www. ci.loveland.co.us.

Introduction to Microsoft Word Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 3-5pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

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Saturday, January 11 American Girl Doll Day Bring your favorite doll and learn how to skate with our certified instructors.

Greeley Ice Haus, 900 8th Ave., GR. 123pm. www.greeleyicehaus.com.

Winter’s Farmer Market Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave., FC. 10am-2pm. 484-6500 or www. downtownfortcollins.com.

Chess @ Your Library Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to join us for these informal drop-in chess games. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 10am-Noon. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

21st Century Technologies Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

10am-1pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Sunday, January 12 On A Winter’s Night Presented by Studio West Dance Center.

The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 1pm & 5pm. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX.com.

Animal Afternoon Join Larimer Animal People Partnership volunteers and their special story-loving critters. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 3-4pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Word Basics Learn how to use this Microsoft program. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 10am-Noon. 970-2216740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Fly Tying Workshop Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 10am-12:30pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Writing Workshop: Your Book and the Marketplace Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-4pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Introduccion a Microsoft Word Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Movie Night: Turner and Hooch Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-9pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

English Hour An hour-long English lesson for new learners. Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 2-3pm.

970-506-8622 or www.mylibrary.us.

iLearn Technology: Microsoft Word 101 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org. iLearn Technology: Microsoft Excel 101 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 12:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Knitting Club Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Traffic Skills 101 A course for beginners, returning and seasoned cyclists. Westbridge Medical Suites, 1107 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 8:30am-4pm.

224-6112 or www.fcgov.com/fcbikes.

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Monday, January 13 Read & Seed: Squirrel Feeder Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens. iLearn Technology: Gmail 101 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Tuesday, January 14 Self Image Program Promote healthy choices for tweens and teens. Berthoud Community Library, 236 Welch Ave., Berthoud. 4:30pm. 970-5322757 or www.berthoud.colibraries.org.

Read & Seed: Squirrel Feeder Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Parent & Child: Coiled Baskets The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 5:30pm. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Kevin Cook: Runner of the Steppe Great stories of life and living. Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. Noon-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Anime Club Teens gather together after school to watch anime favorites, chat about manga, and munch some yummy snacks.

Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 4-5:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

International Night: Ghana Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org. iLearn Technology: Computer Basics 201 Windows 7. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-9622665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org. iLearn Technology: Microsoft 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 12:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Paws to Read Curl up with a dog and read. Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6pm. 970506-8622 or www.mylibrary.us.

Creative Writing for Teens Participate in a wide variety of fun creative writing activities! WindsorSeverance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 3:304:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

family

2012-2013 WWW.RMPARENT.COM

August 2012 • rmp August 2012 • rmp

resources for parents in northern Colorado

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Food to Fight Cancer Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

6-7:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Black & White eReaders & Library eBooks Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Wednesday, January 15 Chick Corea & Bela Fleck The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

Writer’s Ink Working on a piece of writing? Come for suggestions. Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-506-8622 or www.mylibrary.us.

Money Matters: Tax News Everyone Can Use Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 6:30-7:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Minecraft Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Lego Club Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Thursday, January 16 Larimer County Genealogy Society General Meeting Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 6-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Excel Beyond Basics Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Nooks @ Your Library Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 7-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org. iLearn Technology: Microsoft Word 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

DIY Dreamcatcher Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 4pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

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Homework Help Night Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Friday, January 17 Foodie Walk Old Town Square, Downtown, FC. 5-8pm. 484-6500 or www. downtownfortcollins.com.

Introduction to the Internet Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 3-5pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Saturday, January 18 Winter’s Farmer Market Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave., FC. 10am-2pm. 484-6500 or www. downtownfortcollins.com.

Tap Kids Eight of the nation’s most talented young tap dancers take to the stage in this rousing, joyous celebration of American youth culture. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 2pm & 6pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

Breast-Feeding Class McKee Medical Center, 2000 N. Boise Ave., LV. 10am-12:30pm. 970-669-9355 or www.bannerhealth.com.

Sunday, January 19 Game Day @ Your Library Play a board or card game from our collection or bring a favorite from home.

Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Author Visit with Ruth Ozeki Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 2-3:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Fly Tying Workshop Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 10am-12:30pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Introduccion a la Internet Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

English Hour An hour-long English lesson for new learners. Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 2-3pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Monday, January 20 Read & Seed: Evergreen Trees Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens. iLearn Technology: Gmail 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

School Out Science Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Tuesday, January 21 Read & Seed: Evergreen Trees Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Parent & Child: Herbal Tea Blending The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 5:30pm. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

• Individual instruction and small group activities • After school and Saturday lessons available • Safe, trained horses and ponies Indoor and outdoo arenas

Follow us on:

• Equine-assisted psychotherapy with Dr. Margot Nacey (for children and teens

Facebook | Our Blog | Twitter | Ravelry

Open Knitting every Tuesday night

• NEW! Ponies for Preschoolers! with instructor Dr. Margot Nacey.

Come to the shop from 6-8pm and work on a current project or get started on a new one. Join us for some casual social knitting.

Shop hours are Tuesday 10 am to 8 pm , Wednesday- Saturday 10 am to 5 pm .

We are closed Sunday and Monday.

1408 WEST MOUNTAIN AVENUE FORT COLLINS, CO 80521 • 970.407.1451

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fortcollinsclub.net RMPARENT

| 37

Creative Writing for Teens Participate in a wide variety of fun creative writing activities! WindsorSeverance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 3:304:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Pruning & Planting Trees and Shrubs Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

6:30-7:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Wednesday, January 22 Odyssey Dance Theatre The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

Vickie’s Knitting Loom Group Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 1pm. 970-962-2665 or www. lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Lego Club Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Thursday, January 23 Chris Perondi’s Stunt Dog Experience The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

Gear Heads: Felted Bracelets & Cuffs Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

6-7:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Apple’s iPad & iPad Mini Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

6-7pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Friday, January 24 Facebook Basics for Personal Use Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 9-11am. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org. iLearn Technology: Computer Basics 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 1:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Global Belly Laugh Day Movie Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Introduction to Email Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 3-5pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

International Night: Ghana Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 7-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Tot Art Class: Wobbly Animals Draw and paint fun animals that dance on the page! Loveland Museum/ Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 10:30-11:30am. 970-962-2410 or www. ci.loveland.co.us.

iLearn Technology: Microsoft Word & Excel 302 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Saturday, January 25 Winter’s Farmer Market Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave., FC. 10am-2pm. 484-6500 or www. downtownfortcollins.com.

Homework Help Night Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Natalie Merchant & The Fort Collins Symphony The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

GPO Connoisseur Concert #4 Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., GR. 7:30pm. 970-356-5000 or www.ucstars.com.

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Answer Cache: Databases for Adults Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 9-11am. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Seizing the Story for Teens Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 1-3pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org. iLearn Technology: Microsoft Word 101 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Brickmasters Come build with our LEGOS! Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 10am-Noon & 1-3pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Sunday, January 26 Animal Afternoon Join Larimer Animal People Partnership volunteers and their special story-loving critters. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 3-4pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

SuperDogs Wild Wild Woof Presented by The Pet Club. Budweiser Event Center, 5290 Arena Circle, LV. 2pm. 970-619-4100 or www. budweisereventcenter.com.

Introduccion al Correo Electronico Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

English Hour An hour-long English lesson for new learners. Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 2-3pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Introduction to Bionutrient Food Production Sponsored by the Sustainable Living Association. River Rock Commons Community House, 520 N. Sherwood #35, FC. Noon-2pm. 970-224-3247 or www.sustainablelivingassociation.org.

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Monday, January 27 Authors Alive! Kent Haruf Visits Hilton Fort Collins, 425 W. Prospect Rd., FC. 7pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Granny Squares & Beginning Crochet Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

12:45-1:45pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Spellapalooza A spelling bee for adults! Sponsored by Poudre Libraries. Avogadro’s Number, 605 S. Mason St., FC. 6:30-9:30pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Read & Seed: Scented Cleaning Powder Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Wednesday, January 29 District 6 Honor Bands 2014 Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., GR. 7pm. 970-356-5000 or www. ucstars.com.

Homework Help Night Lincoln Park Library, High Plains Library District, 919 7th St., GR. 4-7pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

iLearn Technology: Microsoft Excel 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9:30am. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Patchwork Bookmarks Come make some. Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 4-5pm. 970-686-5603 or www.clearviewlibrary.org.

iLearn Technology: Microsoft Excel 101 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Youth Book Club: A Partnership with the Colorado Eagles Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Tuesday, January 28 Read & Seed: Scented Cleaning Powder Story time plus an educational and fun hands-on activity. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 1010:45am & 11-11:45am. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Parent & Child: Tie-Dye with Natural Dyes The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., FC. 5:30pm. 970-416-2486 or www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Symphony Talk: Magnificent Mahler Old Town Public Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. Noon-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org. iLearn Technology: Microsoft Word 201 Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 5:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Creative Writing for Teens Participate in a wide variety of fun creative writing activities! Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor. 3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www.clearviewlibrary.org.

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Jobs: Ready, Set, Go! Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. Noon-1pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

The Sandwich Generation Roundtable: A Discussion Group Centennial Park Library, High Plains Library District, 2227 23rd Ave., GR. 1-2pm. 970-506-8622 or www. mylibrary.us.

Amazon Kindle Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

6-7pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Friday, January 31 HABAJEEBA! Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., GR. 7:30pm. 970-356-5000 or www.ucstars.com.

Lego Club Windsor-Severance Library, Clearview Library District, 720 3rd St., Windsor.

3:30-4:30pm. 970-686-5603 or www. clearviewlibrary.org.

Facebook Beyond Basics for Personal Use Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 9-11am. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Wednesdays Wild World of Art Class: Valentine Card Collage Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., LV. 3:30-4:30pm. 970962-2410 or www.ci.loveland.co.us.

Backwards Day Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 3:30pm. 970-962-2665 or www.lovelandpubliclibrary.org.

Thursday, January 30 Disney Junior Live on Tour! Pirate and Princess Adventure Budweiser Event Center, 5290 Arena Circle, LV. 6:30pm. 970-619-4100 or www.budweisereventcenter.com.

Ballroom With A Twist Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., GR. 7pm. 970-356-5000 or www.ucstars.com.

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time out

A selfish resolution Time for some quality me-time

K A TIE H A R R I S

T

here tends to be a trend in my New Year’s resolutions from year to year. Like many parents, I’d imagine, I vow to spend more quality time with my kids, playing, laughing, crafting and baking. I promise to be more patient with them, to let the little things go and to do a better job of knowing when and how to discipline them. Year after year I tell myself I’m going to be a better listener when my 6-year-old begins one of her rambling stories about her make-believe job and children and all of their accomplishments, or when my 4-year-old demands my attention to tell me his sister is picking on him again.

Each December, as the new year again approaches, I take a moment to wonder if I’ve done any better in the past year than in all the other years past. The goal of achieving any semblance to parenting perfection is daunting, not to mention impossible. And yet, as January nears, I once again buck up and tell myself this year will be different. That after the house cleaning, laundry folding, three-meal-a-day cooking, husband attending, pet feeding, errand running, full-time job and second parttime job, I will still find time to sit down and play with my kids for the amount of time they deserve.

This pattern of unachievable resolutions is exhausting. The time spent constantly worrying that I’m not doing enough for my kids is taking up the very time I could be spending with them.

While I sit on the floor building castles out of blocks with my 4-year-old, I’m distracted by a to-do list of beds to be made and floors to be swept.

This year, I’m strongly considering throwing my go-to resolution out the window. I think it might be time to give up on my dream of winning the Moth42

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er of the Year award, and just be okay with being an okay mom. So this year, for the first time since giving birth to my daughter six years ago, I’m going to make a selfish resolution.

Instead of punishing myself each day for not finding the extra twenty minutes to do one more puzzle, I’m going to treat myself each day to twenty minutes of alone time with a good book, while my kids entertain each other.

Instead of feeling guilty for heating up frozen chicken nuggets for

the snooze button, treating myself to another ten precious minutes of sleep.

This year, I resolve to be selfish. To take care of my needs and to do the things that make me a happier, more fulfilled and more patient person. If, in doing so, I happen to become a more patient mother, or find myself relaxing enough to let the dishes sit in the sink and play with my kids instead, or maybe even listening and responding to my daughter’s story about how her invisible friend is on vacation in Hawaii this month as I sip my gingerbread

dinner instead of making the homemade kind after a busy day, I’m going to treat myself to a latte the next morning for staying awake long enough to get food on the table.

I will no longer jump out of bed the second my daughter wakes up asking for breakfast, but will lovingly remind her that she knows how to spread jam on a piece of toast and hit

latte, then so be it. But I will no longer tally the minutes of quality time that I spend with my kids each day, and wonder if they were enough. For just this one year, I will take care of me. I challenge any of you parents who, like me, wonder if you’re doing enough for your kids at the expense of your own sanity, to do the same. Just for one year. Happy New Year!

PATIO FRIENDS FUN

5 Old Town Square | Fort Collins

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