1112RM Parent

noVemBer 2012 • rmparent.com

Welcome,

BABY NUMBER 2

ALSO INSIDE:

WINTER

WARM-UPS ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

cySt or tumor? hoLiday happeningS turn down energy coStS taLking turkey

SpeciaL Section:

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Juiced on Imagination will be hosting fun art from 10am-2pm!

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noVemBer 2012

Departments perSpectiVe . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Boss of my body—Talking to kids about sexual abuse

women’S heaLth. . . . . . . . 8 Cyst or tumor?—breast lumps come in predictable forms

Special Sections WINTER WARM-UPS

Wint

r WArM-eU P

S

ADVERTISIN

G SUPPLE MENT

Explore the possibilities for this winter and see what programs these providers have for your families.

Fort Collins Childre Theatre Presen n’s ts:

Peter Pan the

famiLy actiVitieS . . . . . . 10 The holidays are here—local markets, holiday lights, Santa visits, parades, caroling, and more

heaLthy LiVing. . . . . . . . . 12

Hot tips for a cold winter—turn down the energy costs in your home

community newS. . . . . . 14 Natural Areas department celebrates 20 years, Greeley saves 96 million gallons, UC Health receives Peak Award, explore the world of raptors

nutrition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Talking turkey—not all birds are created equal

caLendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Events and activities for parents, kids and families

time out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Showing in one hour—the voicemail no mom wants to hear about her house that’s for sale

School District News Thompson School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Early Childhood Program gathers input for readiness goals, Big Thompson announces the 62nd Annual Chili Supper and Silent Auction, marching band takes first place

Poudre School District. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Dunn volunteers are exceptional people, calendar of events, Rotary Teacher of the Year finalists honored, new audiology lab, Fall Frolic at Beattie

Nov. 16-18 •

Musical

lctix.com

WOMEN + FAMILY

HEALTH GUIDE

Check out this guide to see how the Affordable Care Act affects your family. And learn about when you should choose organically grown over conventionally raised food. Then find out about fighting obesity.

Plus, here’s how you can keep your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning and avoid winter sports injuries. Feeling off? Blame it on perimenopause.

Cold & flu season got you down?

Read this story. And finally, check out the health calendar.

2012-2013

Features 18 WELCOME TO YOU, BABY NUMBER 2!

The second time around the baby wheel can be as joyful as the first—especially if you prepare your child for her new sibling during the pregnancy.

Introduce the two in a positive way and make sure she feels special after the baby is born.

Greeley-Evans District 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Principal honored by gifted-and-talented association, District 6 to host third annual Citizens Academy

Lunchbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 School menus for Poudre, Thompson, Greeley-Evans and Windsor

ABOUT THE COVER: Theodore, 14 months old, is a Fort Collins native who enjoys shooting hoops, “tormenting” his two older brothers and playing with his cat, Roscoe. Photo by Cheri Schonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com.

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perspective Boss of my body

Talking to kids about sexual abuse

F

unny thing...I was going to write about our Women + Family Health Guide this month, but then Craig Secher from Realities for Children invited me to a breakfast fundraiser for the Child Advocacy Center.

Talk about a sobering way to start your day!

I looked around the room at all the people coming together to support child victims of abuse and their families, and all I could think is, “I’m not worthy...” I’m sitting there looking at the proverbial tip of the spear, people in the trenches doing day-in and day-out what most of us don’t even want to acknowledge exists...even in the post-Sandusky age.

(1 in 4 girls will be sexually abused by the time they’re 18 and 1 in 7 boys!)

Well that was just the setup; then came the speaker, Erin Merynn, the namesake of Erin’s law, which you might have heard of on Oprah. This impressive young woman stood in front of a room of people, as she has done many times, and detailed the abuse she faced as a child from a neighbor friend’s uncle and from an older cousin as a tween. The room was silent as she described how she found the courage to go public with her story and to pursue her mission that children everywhere would be empowered to speak up in the face of sexual abuse and that no other child should have to go through what she endured. Erin’s Law, as I understand it, mandates that schools teach children about child abuse and how to speak up about it. Kids learn stranger danger, and drug and alcohol danger in school, and they learn about fires but they don’t learn about what to do when a trusted friend or family member (which is who it is 93 percent of the time) touches them inappropriately. They have no vocabulary to talk about it and the only adult telling them what to do is the perpetrator who is threatening them.

The first Erin’s Law was passed in Illinois and Erin has been covering the country state-by-state to pass more. Currently, four states have passed it and it’s pending in another 10.

Erin also talked about how important the Child Advocacy Center, CAC, was in her home town to helping her feel trust and giving her the ability to talk about what had happened. Instead of uniformed policemen, CACs provide a nonthreatening environment where professionals conduct forensic interviews. Check out our local CAC at www.larimercac.org. I’m certain they could use your support. Also, check out www.erinmerryn.net so see what’s going on with Erin’s Law and order one of her books. And, learn more about Realities for Children in Larimer and Weld counties (and now in Boulder).

Their mission is to shine a light on the darkness of child abuse www.realities forchildren.com. You will be amazed at both the extent of the problem and the extent of the effort to prevent child abuse and neglect right here in our own backyard. Find out how you can help!

Oh, I guess I should make a small pitch: Be sure to check out the Woman + Family health guide...you’re the boss of your body when it comes to your health, too.

Thanks, Scott 6

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NoVEmBEr 2012 • Volume 18, Number 5 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 ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Angela Isaac, (970)391-5212 angela.rmpublishing@gmail.com DISTRIBUTION Wendee Brungardt, Sharon Klahn, Rob’s Bike Courier Service COVER PHOTO Cheri Shonfeld, schonfeldphotography.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Katie Harris, Richard Keller, Ann Schimke, Lynn Utzman-Nichols

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. ©2012 Rocky Mountain Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without express written permission is prohibited.

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women’s health

Cyst or a tumor?

Breast lumps come in predictable forms Ly nn Utz man-Nichols

H

ave you had your first breast lump scare yet? I was in my late 30s when I had mine. I went in for my annual mammogram and was told I’d need an ultrasound.

There was a lump they wanted to check out further. On film it looked like a cyst, but to be extra sure they recommended having it aspirated— that means sticking a needle, guided by ultrasound, into the cyst and draining it. I had an uncomfortable few days of waiting for the appointment, but good news quickly came. Within minutes, the doctor said all was fine as the cyst collapsed upon itself indicating it was just fluid and there was nothing else to the gray area that showed up on the ultrasound.

Since that happened I’ve heard other women tell of the same experience. I’m here to say if this happens to you, don’t give it a moment’s worry.

It will more than likely be a simple cyst or another benign, non-cancerous lump. According to WebMD, 80 percent of breast lumps are benign.

The biggest maker of breast lumps is fibrocystic changes that occur in our breasts as we age. As our hormones fluctuate lumps can form, which happens most often right before menstruation. Cysts usually go away on their own eventually. A few other usually harmless conditions cause breast lumps, namely fibroadenomas that occur when excess milk glands are formed, and intraductal papillomas, wart-like growths near the nipple.

What you really want to know when you find a lump is if it’s cancer or not, right? Here’s an easy way to tell: Does it move around when you push on it? If so, it’s most likely a cyst. Is it painful? Again, probably a cyst. Does it grow, shrink or disappear on its own, often after your period?

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Again, cyst! Yet if it is hard, feels like a pea or marble, stays fairly stationary when you push on it, doesn’t hurt, and sticks around from month after month, get it checked out. That’s what a tumor can feel like. Fibroadenomas can feel that way as well.

And don’t delay just because you are scared. I had breast cancer and yes, finding out was about the scariest thing I’ve ever lived through—but I am here to tell about it. I did self-breast exams fairly regularly, something I became

it was cancer and I burst out crying.

She didn’t know what to do with me, so she and her assistant simply bolted, leaving me alone to hyperventilate and carry out the bad scene on my own.

That’s not my point of telling you this.

My point is, if you are worried, get it checked out. Thankfully, my tumor was still small—stage 1—and after that first bit of bad news, the rest was positive.

The moral is I caught it early and I am fine. If you catch it early, you’ll probably be fine, too.

trained to do thanks to my fibrocystic, lumpy breasts. This time it was different. I noticed a pea-sized, hard lump one month and so I checked on it over time. Month two, then three passed and it hadn’t changed or gone away so I decided to go in for a mammogram.

It didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t concerned.

That is until they called me in for the ultrasound. That’s when life became a surreal, tragic movie and I was the star.

The radiologist told me she thought

I know there’s debate about whether getting annual mammograms is effective. I say get one faithfully every year, especially if you are 40 or over.

Experts at WebMD agree. And do self-breast exams regularly. You don’t have to hang the dorky reminder in your shower, just get friendly with your breasts. Often.

But mostly, don’t worry—that lump you feel is probably just an annoying cyst.

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family activities

The holidays are here

local markets, holiday lights, Santa visits, parades, caroling, and more Katie Harris

I

f your kids are anything like mine, Santa’s been on their brains since before the first leaf fell from the first tree this fall. The holiday season seems to come around a little earlier each year, in the form of red taffeta dresses in shop windows, strands of lights being strewn onto roofs in a rush to beat the snow, and, at least at my house, letters for Santa.

While the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holiday can be exhausting at times, it’s also a season filled with opportunities to help others and activities to bring the family closer together.

Shop-Local Holiday Bazaars Gifts from the Gardens: Crafts from local artisans as well as plants grown in-house will be available for purchase. Friday, Nov. 30, 5-8pm; Saturday, Dec. 1, noon8pm. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. Fort Collins. 970416-2486. www.fcgov.com/gardens.

Holiday Artisan Market: Support local artists and crafters at one of the largest, most popular craft fairs in Northern Colorado.

Friday, Nov. 23-Saturday, Nov.24. Doors open at 10am. Cost: $1 entry fee. Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Dr. Fort Collins.

970-221-6644. www.fcgov.com.

Holiday Open House: Visit downtown vendors for refreshments, music, prizes and activities. Stop by the Greeley Freight Station Museum for a ride on the Polar Express. Saturday, Nov. 24, 9am-5pm. Historic Downtown Greeley, 9th Avenue. 970-356-6775. www.greeleydowntown.com.

Holiday light shows Garden of Lights: Enjoy a whimsical walk through the gardens, where the plants and residents will be decorated with holiday lights. Friday, Nov. 30-Monday, Dec. 31, 5-9pm. The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave. Fort Collins.

970-416-2486. www.fcgov.com/gardens.

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Visits with Santa Breakfast with Santa: Receive a hot buffet style breakfast, 5x7 photo with Santa, door prize giveaways and a goody bag, all included in the $10 ticket cost. Saturdays, Dec. 8-22, 8:30-10am. The Promenade Shops at Centerra. Tickets on sale beginning Nov. 19. Contact 970-461-1285. www.thepromenadeshopsatcenterra.com.

Catch the Glow: Kids’ events will include hay and pony rides, visits with Santa and other characters, and carolers.

Friday, Nov. 23, noon-9pm. Downtown Estes Park. 970-577-9900. www. estesparkcvb.com.

Foothills Fashion Mall Santa: Skip the lines to visit Santa this year at the mall when you sign up for the virtual queue online or through your smart phone.

Santa arrives Saturday, Nov. 17, opening weekend hours: 11am-8pm. 215 E. Foothills Parkway, Ste 220, Fort Collins. 970226-5555. www.shopfoothills.com.

Lights Up: The trees at Front Range Village will be aglow as you enjoy live music, visit with Santa and have your picture taken. Friday, Nov. 16, 6:30-9pm. 2720 Council Tree Ave. Fort Collins. 970-2269050. www.shopfrontrangevillage.com.

Old Town Square: Enjoy music from Santa’s concertina and harmonica, participate in a variety of holiday activities, and of course, meet Santa! Santa’s hours: Wednesday-Sunday, noon-6pm, beginning Nov. 17. Old Town Square Fort Collins. 970-484-6500. www.down townfortcollins.com.

Windsor Wonderland: Head to Boardwalk Park to cheer on Santa’s arrival by carriage.

Stick around for pictures, carriage rides, hot cocoa, music and shopping. Saturday, Dec. 1, 2-5pm. 100 N. 5th St. Windsor.

970-674-2441. www.windsorgov.com.

Parades Catch the Glow Parade: Friday, Nov. 23, dusk. Downtown Estes Park. 970-577-

9900. www.estesparkcvb.com.

Greeley Lights the Night Parade: Saturday, Nov. 24, 5:30pm. Historic Downtown Greeley, 9th Avenue from 16th St. to 7th St. 970-356-6775. www.greeleydowntown.com.

Community Activities 2012 Jingle Bell Run/Walk® Northern Colorado: Deck yourself in jingle bells and throw on your favorite holiday sweater! Proceeds from this festive walk/run 5k will benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Cost: $30/adult; $20/youth. Saturday, Dec. 1, 8am. CSU Oval, Laurel and Howes, Fort Collins.

303.756.8622 x230. www.jinglebellrun northerncolorado.kintera.org.

21st Annual Carolfest: Follow the Choice City Singers through Old Town Fort Collins singing traditional Christmas carols. Total walk is 1/2 mile, outdoors. Friday, Dec. 7, 6:30pm. Meet at Opera Galleria, 123 North College Ave. Fort Collins. 970-484-6500. www. downtownfortcollins.com.

Cookie Bake-Off: Bring a batch of your favorite recipe to be judged at Mary’s Mountain Cookies at Front Range Village. There will be separate contests for kids and adults. Saturday, Dec. 8; cookie drop-off from 1-4pm; judging at 5pm.

2842 Council Tree Avenue #167, Fort Collins. 970-226-9050. www.shop frontrangevillage.com.

Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides: Enjoy a free old-fashioned carriage ride down Main Street. Sundays, Nov. 25-Dec. 23, noon-4pm. Main Plaza, The Promenade Shops at Centerra. 970-461-1285. www. thepromenadeshopsatcenterra.com.

Skate your turkey off: Skate for only $3, plus free skate rental with the donation of two non-perishable food items for the Weld County Food Bank. Friday, Nov. 23, noon-5pm. Greeley Ice Haus, 900 8th Ave. Greeley. 970-350-9402. www. greeleygov.com/Recreation/IceHaus.

JOHN M. JAMES, M.D.

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or call 1-800-735-1434 • www.coloradoallergy.com

Got Grandkids?

Visit rmparent.com for family-friendly activities in northern Colorado.

facebook.com/RockyMountainParent

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healthy living

Hot tips for a cold winter Turn down the energy costs in your home

By Ann Schimke

W

ith months of cold weather on the horizon, it’s tempting to turn up the thermostat and take long steamy showers to fight the chill. But cranking up the heat and using copious amounts of hot water consumes needless energy and costs you money. Instead, why not take a few basic steps to keep your household comfortable but energy-conscious this winter?

Program your thermostat Heating a home accounts for about 30 percent of a household’s energy use, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. One of the easiest ways to cut back in this department is to install a programmable thermostat or actively use the one you’ve already got. A basic programmable thermostat costs $20-$40 and makes it possible to have multiple daily and weekly settings depending on household schedules. It’s easy to override the programmed temperature without affecting other programmed blocks of the day or other days of the week.

Aim for a 68-degree setting when you’re home and set the temperature 10-15 degrees lower when you’re away from home and 5-10 degrees lower when you’re asleep. A reduction of 10 to 15 degrees for a period of eight hours can lower your annual heat bill by up to 15 percent, according to Department of Energy estimates.

Staying comfortable in a slightly cooler home may mean a few small sacrifices over the next several months, but they will soon become habit. You may need to get acquainted with socks and slippers instead of bare feet, sweaters on top of t-shirts, and extra blankets on the bed. I will be the first to admit that some of my family members occasionally balk at wearing an extra layer inside and instead push for a higher thermostat 12

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setting. But on the flip side, we’ve gotten so used to sleeping with the temperature in the low 60s, anything higher feels uncomfortable.

Cut hot water use Hot water consumption is typically the second largest household energy expense, accounting for about 17 percent of a utility bill. To cut costs, make sure your hot water heater is set to 120 degrees, which is adequate for most household purposes.

For every 10-degree reduction, you will

save 3-5 percent on your water heating costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. You may also want to insulate your hot water storage tank to reduce the amount of heat loss that occurs.

Second, consider ways to reduce hot water use. Showers are one of the biggest hot water consumers in most households. They typically use about 10 gallons of water per use, compared to seven gallons for the washing machine and six gallons for the dishwasher. Thus, consider taking 5-10 minute showers and installing aerating, low-flow shower

heads. It’s also worth remembering that a short shower uses less hot water than a full bath tub so, if your kids are old enough, it may be time to switch.

The laundry room is another place to initiate hot water reduction measures, especially if you’ve got small children like mine who have a special ability to go through multiple outfits a day. Whenever possible, use the cold or warm wash cycle instead of hot and always rinse with cold water. Also, make sure to wash full loads.

Other wintertime tips • A ir-dry laundry on drying racks or indoor clothes lines.

• Replace your furnace filter once a month.

• Cover drafty windows with heavy-duty clear plastic taped tightly to the frame.

• Use LED holiday light strands to decorate inside or outside.

• Open curtains or shades on southfacing windows during the day to let in sunlight to naturally heat the house.

• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning.

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community news Natural Areas department celebrates 20 years Natural areas are part of what makes Fort Collins such a special place to live.

There are 39 natural areas to visit with over 100 miles of trail. November 2012 marks two decades since the inception of the Natural Areas Department. Come and help celebrate the 20th anniversary with a reception and a year of activities.

Year of the natural areas—Mayor Karen Weitkunat will proclaim The Year of the Natural Areas at the Nov. 6 City Council meeting, 5:30pm, City Council Chambers, 300 Laporte Ave. Natural Areas Director John Stokes will be there to accept the proclamation.

Then, everyone is invited to a party.

Thursday, Nov. 15, 5:30-7:30pm at the Lincoln Center, Canyon West Room, 417 West Magnolia St. Includes presentations, appetizers, cash bar, music. Free registration required at www.fcgov.com/webtrac activity #49903.

Your Passport to Natural Areas— Challenge yourself in 2013, by getting outdoors for 20 minutes, 20 times, or visit 20 different natural areas!

You can also lend a hand with a volunteer project; enjoy an educational program or share photos, stories or video about your natural area experiences.

Complete your Natural Areas 20th Anniversary Passport and turn it in for a prize and a chance to win a backpack

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filled with outdoor supplies.

Also look for a natural areas video on Cable 14 and other surprises through November 2013.

Find all the celebration happenings at www.fcgov.com/naturalareas.

Greeley saves 96 million gallons of Water During the first 15 days of October, when compared with the five-year average, Greeley customers saved 96 million gallons of water, or enough to supply 640 homes for an entire year. Compared

with last year, the savings is even greater, 111 million gallons or water for 740 homes. “I would like to thank City of Greeley residents for being responsive to our voluntary watering restrictions, “ says Jon Monson, Greeley’s Water and Sewer Director.

This year due to wildfires and drought conditions, the City of Greeley asked customers to voluntarily stop lawn watering on October 1, two weeks earlier than usual. This is the time of year when the first frost occurs and can damage underground sprinkler systems.

The City of Greeley facilities, street medians and parks that do not have sports activities on them, stop lawn watering in early October. In addition, School District 6 voluntarily shut down watering early to non-sports fields and lawns. Sports fields still need some water, due to wear and tear and safety concerns.

This will keep more water in our reservoirs for use over the winter and will help once lawn-watering resumes in the spring. The normal watering restrictions extend to Dec. 31 and allow customers to water trees and shrubs in

the winter, when temperatures are above 50 degrees. Residents are encouraged to water trees and shrubs this year due to the dry conditions. Without water, older, stressed, and new trees as well as certain species like birch are especially susceptible to winter kill. Please water only when needed.

UC Health receives Peak Award Rocky Mountain Performance Excellence announced that University of Colorado Health in northern Colorado received the 2012 Peak Award, the highest regional recognition for performance excellence.

The UC Health services in northern Colorado include Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins; Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland and Colorado Health Medical Group, which has locations across northern Colorado, southern Wyoming and western Nebraska.

For more information, go to: http:// pvhs.org/body.cfm?id=11&action=detail &ref=238.

Open house for two recycling initiatives With interest growing from many portions of the community about taming Fort Collins’ waste stream, the City Council has asked staff to explore two innovative waste-reduction approaches.

One is the idea of incentivizing and/or requiring the local community to recycle more of the cardboard that is thrown away daily in large quantities, despite this common material’s value, marketability, and well-established collection systems. The second area of discussion concerns the ubiquitous grocery

bags that seem to be so freely handed out by retailers, and routinely discarded after a single use.

The public is encouraged to weigh in, and a variety of options are available to convey citizen opinions. An Open House is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 8, 4:30-7pm in the Community Room of the City office building at 215 N. Mason.

In addition, online comments may be submitted on the City’s website at two unique pages: www.fcgov.com/ recycling/cardboard, and www.fcgov. com/recycling/plasticbags. Additional information is also available at these sites.

At the Open House, citizens will learn more about: • The municipality’s interests in stemming the tide of landfill-bound waste • Community goals to divert 50% of our trash from landfill disposal • The two new recycling strategies with the potential to divert large quantities of cardboard into the recycling stream, and to dramatically shift shoppers toward using durable bags to hold their grocery purchases.

City staff will be on hand to discuss the two initiatives for cardboard and disposable shopping bags, and to welcome comments about which types of approaches citizens feel would work best for cardboard and disposable bags. Light refreshments will be available.

At the Council’s work session on Nov. 27, staff will present information about both

issues–cardboard recycling, and, limitations on single-use shopping bags.

Comments and input from the community are being sought before Nov. 16 for inclusion in the staff report.

Questions about the November Open House may be addressed to Susie Gordon in the Fort Collins Environmental Services Department via email at sgordon@fcgov.com, or by phone at (970) 221-6265.

Explore the world of raptors Bird lovers will enjoy the Birds of Prey Course presented by the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program. The course, which is designed for beginners as well as experienced birders, is held on the first three Saturdays of November. RMRP Executive Director Judy Scherpelz has taught the class for 20 years. “I present the class with explanations to match all interest levels,” Scherpelz said. “The more you know about birds and their environment, the more enjoyment you will get from watching them in their natural surroundings.”

The cost is $60 per class, $160 for all three classes. Fees help RMRP save lives through rehabilitation and change lives through environmental education.

Courses are taught at Rocky Mountain Raptor Program, 720-B East Vine Drive, FC on Nov. 3, 10, 17, 9am to 5pm. You may register for one, two, or all three sessions by calling 970-4847756, or contacting judy@rmrp.org, or going to www.rmrp.org.

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nutrition turkeys are those allowed to be outside for a certain period of time. What this length is depends on the turkey breeder.

Since there is no specific designation defined by the USDA, the amount of time growers let their turkeys out of the pens can be very small. Others will permit their turkeys to roam a larger area of land and hunt-and-peck for their food. In both cases, the turkeys have an option to return to their shelters when ready. If considering a free-range bird do some research to determine the period of time the manufacturer permits for their poultry.

Talking turkey

Not all birds are created equal R i c h a r d K e ll e r

Y

ou’re walking the aisles of your local supermarket in search for a Thanksgiving turkey. You stop at a bin overflowing with Butterballs, plump and bursting with white meat.

You reach in to grab one and your eye drifts towards another section of the freezer. A turkey with the label ‘Free Range’ entices you. Further down, poultry with information detailing Heritage or Kosher increases the intrigue. You put down the Butterball, step back, and ponder your selection.

So goes the purchase of Thanksgiving birds in the 21st century. No longer is a turkey a turkey. Instead, several varieties cater to differing tastes. However, you may be unfamiliar with them and what they offer you and your family. To guide you to the right selection for the dining room table, below are some explanations on some of the more common turkey types.

had any artificial flavors or preservatives added. However, they can be flavored with items such as salt and water.

Natural Don’t confuse this with organic. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), turkeys are considered natural when they haven’t

Free range Next to natural and kosher, free-range turkeys are the next most frequently found in your supermarket. According to requirements defined by the USDA, free-range

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Organic More popular these days, these turkeys are fed organically grown feed all of their lives. In addition, the birds are not treated with antibiotics or other types of drugs. Be careful when purchasing these since manufacturers that utilize these practices may not be organic certified.

Kosher Many people swear on kosher turkeys because of their moistness and flavor when done cooking. They are prepared at the farm by soaking them in cold water twice and then salting both the inside and outside. The process produces a clean bird that doesn’t need any brining prior to cooking.

Pastured This is a variation of the free-range concept where the turkeys are raised solely outdoors and are permitted to find food on their own. Though it may not sound appealing, the variety in their diet— insects and certain grasses—and increased activity results in a flavorful, meatier bird.

Heritage As defined by The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Heritage turkeys are those bred in the most natural way possible. This is done through the mating of grandparent and parent stock of American birds such as the Red Bourbon or Standard Bronze. These turkeys must also have a long lifespan prior to preparation for sale. According to the ALBC, this is a 3-5 year period for toms, the most common Thanksgiving turkey.

Another element that defines a Heritage turkey is its ability to withstand natural elements since its development and growth take place outdoors.

The last qualification is a slow growth rate. In order to be qualified as Heritage, turkeys need to reach a marketable weight in seven months without any growth treatments. This permits the birds to create a strong skeletal structure for the growth of muscle.

Unlike other turkey types, those labeled Heritage are said to have a gamey flavor to them with less breast meat and bigger legs and thighs. Consider this when purchasing for your family.

The Matthews House

Adoption Dreams Come True believes every child deserves a home that is loving, safe and permanent. The agency will make this dream come true for children by supporting birth parents in their decision to relinquish, aiding adoptive parents in their process to adopt, and therefore working to make happy, healthy families.

970-493-2557 adoptiondreams.org

“Through Realities’ support for Adoption Dreams Come True we are able to ensure that children will have permanent and loving homes. Realities For Children Members also support the Dream Room, which aids Larimer County families with every day needs for their control ofchildren. their lives, shape futures for young Thank youpositive to all who support Realities and For Children!” themselves become successful contributors Cindy Sarai -Executive Director Adoption Dreams Come True Partnered in service with 19 Affiliate Youth Agencies, Realities For Children Charities provides support for the unmet needs of abused and neglected children in Larimer County. Each month in Parent Magazine a different Realities For Children Affiliate Agency will be featured.

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Welcome to you, Baby Number 2!

Preparing your one and only for a new sibling

By Lynn Utzman-Nichols

S

o you’re pregnant. Congratulations! But this time it’s not just mom, dad and baby makes three.

You’ve got a little one to add to that equation, making it inherently a bit more complicated. Yet it can be just as joyful, if not even more so—especially if you prepare your child for her new sibling during the pregnancy, introduce the two in a positive way and make sure she feels special after the baby is born.

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Breaking the newS No doubt you can’t wait to tell your child that he’s got a sibling on the way.

Not so fast. If he’s just two or under he may get frustrated with the long wait.

“If he’s still a toddler wait until the last trimester to break the news. Toddlers simply don’t have a sense of time and will keep expecting the baby to come today or tomorrow,” advises Kristin Glenn, Community Health Instructor for University of Colorado Health. Of course,

if he notices your growing belly you may want to spill the beans earlier. “It helps if you connect the birth to a big event, like a holiday or a season change. You can say, ‘The baby will come when the trees get leaves,’” adds Glenn.

According to handouts given to parents by Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH)’s Education Department on expanding families it’s important to speak of the baby as ours, not yours or the child’s.

“Once she knows, bring your child

to doctor visits with you. Let her listen to the heart beat and get her own ultrasound picture of the fetus to share with friends,” suggests Glenn. Let your child feel the baby’s kicks and talk a lot about what new babies are like.

Creating realistic expectations of what babies can do is important. Rather than emphasizing how fun the baby will be and that you are growing a little playmate for her, explain that newborns don’t do a lot at first. If possible, spend time with a family that has a newborn and point out the obvious, as in: ‘Look how Aunt Sara has to carry the baby around a lot,’ or ‘See how the baby can’t sit up and play yet?’ Ideally, also let her visit with older babies so she understands the progression.

Finally, make sure your child knows the plan for when you go to the hospital.

“Be specific. A few weeks before you are due, review what will happen when the baby comes. Tell him how you will be gone overnight and that he and Grandma will get to have a special day together doing his favorite things,” advises Glenn.

Let him know Grandma, or whoever, will bring him to meet the baby in the hospital. Ideally, visit the hospital first so he knows what to expect. UCHealth offers tours at both PVH and Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR) for expectant families with kids (see box).

“It can be scary for children even if they know the plan. During hospital tours we ease the kids’ fears by acquainting them to the hospital and doing activities to make them feel special,” says Carol Skeen, Coordinator for Family Education at PVH. During the tour they get a wristband that says ‘I’m a big brother/sister,’ visit the birthing rooms and see the whirlpool tubs, play games

and get a birthday card to decorate and give to the baby when it arrives.

Lastly, try not to make big changes such as replacing his crib with a bed, switching rooms, toilet training, giving up a pacifier or other events right before the baby comes. If you do, there’s a good chance it will backfire. “One family I know thought they’d surprise their son when he was away at his grandparents before the birth by creating a big boy bedroom for him with a bed, new paint and new decorations. When he came home he melted down. It was too much change for him,” says Glenn. Big changes and a new baby can increase the chance that your child will revert to his past, baby-like behaviors. Little ones do best with a lot of routine and stability. introductionS, pLeaSe When the day arrives ideally let your child say goodbye to you and let her know you will call her right after the baby is born. Better yet have her caretaker bring her to the hospital in the final hours so she can come meet the baby shortly after birth. Skeen recommends that when your child enters the room have someone else hold the baby so you can give her a big hug. Consider having a gift packed in your bag for her, or having a little birthday party for the baby and letting her blow out the candle on the cake. Ask her advice on picking out the clothes the baby should wear home.

Finally, give her something special to hand out to her friends to announce the baby’s birth—gum, stickers or candy.

Be prepared for her to cry when it is time to leave, but reassure her you will see her soon and she can call to talk whenever she wants. When you arrive

Tour the hospital with your child Both PVH and MCR offer hospital tours for parents and children ages 2-7 years specifically designed to see where they’ll visit when the baby arrives. These free tours often run monthly. Call 495-7500 or go to www.pvhs.org for more information and to register. Current tours include:

Sibling Preview Tours: MCR, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., Loveland: Saturday November 17, 12:15pm.

PVH, 1024 S. Lemay Ave., Fort Collins: Saturday December 1, 12:15pm.

Sibling Preparation Class: The Women’s Clinic of Fort Collins offers this class to prepare your 3- to 8-year-old for a new sibling. A tour of the hospital is included. This two-hour class, led by Kristin Glenn, often runs monthly. The cost is $25 and classes begin in January. For more information or to sign up call 493-7422 or visit www.fcwc.com and click on Classes and Seminars.

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home make sure your hands are free to greet her with another big hug.

And baby makes four It’s a shocker to young children to have to share their parents with a new baby. Some liken it to if your husband brought home a new wife and announced she’d be living with you from now on. No doubt you’d request she go back to where she came from!

Know jealousies and adjustments are normal and be patient with your child. Enhance the positives—creating pride in being a big sister or being a big kid goes a long way. So can lessening the shock by carving out one-on-one time with your child.

“Your child will crave alone time with you. There is information that suggests 15 minutes of quality time is worth more than two hours of distracted time. Each day, set aside time to spend with your child without the baby. Let her pick what to do and announce that you won’t let baby or your cell phone interrupt you. That it is just you-andher time,” advises Glenn. Also, when friends or family offer to take your child out suggest they take the baby for an hour instead—giving you time alone with your child.

Another great suggestion by Glenn is to keep a basket of special toys just for nursing time. When you start nursing, the toys come down. When you’re done, they go back up. “Put in toys he really likes. It might even make him look forward to nursing time,” adds Glenn. Other ways to fit in quality time with your toddler is to play a game together next to baby as she sleeps on a blanket, read a book to him while nursing or include him in baby’s care by having him fetch diapers or amuse baby by tickling her feet.

Also, allow your child to have toys that the baby can’t touch. As much as you want your young child to learn to be nice and share, know that these are hard concepts for a child, especially under 30 months.

A final caveat. Don’t leave your toddler alone with your baby, even for a minute. “They mean well but toddlers have impulses they can’t control. If baby makes him mad he might hit her. ” warns Glenn.

Preparing your young child for a new sibling can go a long way in making 2 +1 + another = fun!

This article was sponsored by University of Colorado Health.

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Prepare your child for a sibling with a good book The PVH Education department recommends the following books to read to young children before and after a new sibling comes: Waiting for Baby, Annie Kubler I’m a Big Brother, Joanna Cole I Used to Be the Baby, Robin Ballard A New Baby at Koko Bear’s House, Vicki Lansky Before You Were Born, Jennifer Davis How You Were Born, Joanna Cole The Berenstein Bears’ New Baby, Stan & Jan Berenstein The Best Gifts, Marsha Skrypuch To Welcome a New Baby, Barbara Collman

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thompson school district news Early Childhood Program gathers input for readiness goals

Parents, staff and community members gathered to discuss and prioritize readiness goals for Early Childhood students.

The Thompson Early Childhood Program is getting ready—ready to prepare its preschoolers for kindergarten.

That means ready children, ready families, ready schools and ready community, Early Childhood (EC) Administrator Theresa Clements says. “As our tagline says: Readiness is more than the ABCs and it begins at birth.”

EC, (which is part of the Thompson School District, combines the federal Head Start, Colorado Preschool Program, special education and tuitionbased participation), asked an audience of about 30 what it will take to create readiness goals for the future. The group composed of kindergarten teachers, preschool staff, parents and community members met Oct. 15 in a session with the EC staff to begin the process.

The readiness framework for preschool children is a cornerstone of building expectations, programs, and actions in preparing students to be successful in kindergarten and beyond.

The state is enacting readiness legislation that takes effect in 2013-2014 when school readiness plans and assessments will be initiated.

The EC program serves about 550 preschoolers in the district, work24

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ing through federal, state and Larimer County to align their focus closely with state and district standards. “It will all be aligned from preschool on. It’s all connected,” Clements said.

She noted that readiness is about all aspects of a child’s life. “School readiness is enhanced when schools, families and community service providers work collaboratively to ensure every student is ready,” Clements says. Head Start says: “If children are ready, families are ready and schools are ready, the child can possess the skills knowledge and attributes necessary for success in school and later in life.”

As she spoke to the group, Clements provided them with Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework. She said she wants them to bring forward their thoughts and expectations. “We want to hear from you at a gut level,” Clements told participants before they broke into smaller groups to address the five general Head Start framework components of language and literacy, approaches to learning, social and emotional development, physical development and health and cognition and general knowledge.

“What is it a child needs when

they walk out the door of preschool so that they are successful when they reach kindergarten?” Clements asked.

“We want to capture that.” As people discussed specific goals under the headings, Clements said her staff was looking to pare down two to three major ideas within each area of what a child needs to be ready.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t work on all the others but we want to define the most important areas,” she said. The challenge for us is that they need to be broad in the goal statement – what we want for all children.”

After participants listed several goals, they then each identified their two to three priority goals in each area.

“We will take the work from tonight to the EC staff and program councils to continue to identify the key goals and continue the process of redefining readiness goals,” Clements said.

Head Start Program School Readiness Act passed in 2007 and was followed by the state enacting similar legislations. Larimer County followed suit with a countywide effort to support school readiness. Clements said the Larimer school districts – Thompson, Poudre and Park in Estes have worked closely address readiness issues. For more information visit www.thompsonschools.org or call 970-613-5052.

Big Thompson announces the 62nd Annual Chili Supper and Silent Auction The fifth-grade class at Big Thompson Elementary School is proud to host the 62nd Annual Big T Chili Supper on November 10, 2012, in the Big Thompson Gym, located at 7702 West U.S. Highway 34, just west of Loveland.

From 4-8pm, they’ll be serving up delicious Wendy’s chili, chicken noodle soup, and hot dogs with a delectable dessert, from brownies to pie and cake, to make the meal complete. All

for just $3 for children under 12 and $6 for adults. And drinks are included! Tickets are available at the door.

“What’s so great about the Big T Chili Supper is not only do you get to sit down and share a meal with other Big T parents,” says Travis Mosebar, parent of a first grader, “you get to meet the other great students and other like-minded community members who support Big T and the Thompson School District. It’s great fun.”

In addition to the Chili Supper, Big T’s PTA provides a silent auction, and the school librarian hosts a book fair in the library. “Not only can you enjoy an inexpensive dinner ‘out’ for the whole family, but there are great opportunities to get some holiday shopping done early while you help support Big T students,” shares Stephanie Hancock, VP of the PTA, “as all proceeds go to Big Thompson Elementary School to help finance field trips, sports equipment, classroom materials, and so much more.”

To learn more or to donate, please

call 310-9243 or email pdbgfrog@ aol.com. Big T is looking forward to one of the best Chili Suppers yet!

Marching band takes first place The Loveland High School Crimson Regiment Marching Band took first place in 4A competition in the Northern Regional qualifier for state competition in November.

The LHS show was Rhapsody

in Red, White and Blue. Also in 4A, The Thompson Valley Eagle Marching Band placed fourth with their show, Grace Under Fire. In 2A competition, Berthoud High School placed third. Fossil Ridge High School won the 5A competition.

A total of 17 bands competed for the opportunity to play at the state competition in November. For more information, see www.cbamarching. com/2012recaps.html.

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poudre school district news Dunn volunteers are exceptional people When asked what she likes to do in her spare time, Cooley says, “between a full time job, after-school activities, and weekend music lessons, by the time I have any spare time I usually like to do something pretty mellow, like get lost in a good book or play games as a family.”

Cooley also credits the success of the volunteer program at Dunn to the staff, saying, “The staff is always so helpful and accommodating; I can’t imagine working with a better group of people.”

Dunn Volunteer Building Coordinator, Kris Cooley.

Poudre School District has over 14,500 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 junior high and even high school!

Dunn Volunteer Building Coordinator, Kris Cooley, has been coordinating volunteers at Dunn for the past three years. This will be her last year as VBC at Dunn as her children will move on to middle school next year.

Cooley works full time and feels this is the best way for her to volunteer for her children’s school. “Our Dunn volunteers are exceptional people,” says Cooley.

“They all give so selflessly of their time to make our school a great place to grow up.”

Cooley has been instrumental in ensuring that volunteers are registered, and volunteer needs are filled for staff. She has also been key in the transition to an automated check-in system for volunteers.

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Rotary honors Teacher of the Year finalists Three outstanding Poudre School District teachers were honored for their commitment to students and education during the annual Fort Collins Rotary Clubs’ Teacher of the Year awards.

PSD teachers Kelly Motichka, Dawn DuPriest and Martha Petty, finalists for the PSD 2012 Rotary Teacher of the Year, were recognized by more than 250 Rotary members at a special luncheon Sept. 26 in Fort Collins. Preston Middle School teacher Dawn DuPriest was named the 2012 Teacher of the Year.

The three finalists were selected from 27 teachers recognized by the three Rotary Clubs last year as teachers of the month. Nominees were selected because they embody the Rotary International principles of service, integrity, recognition of individual worthiness, advancement of international understanding, and personal responsibility to society.

Dawn DuPriest, a math teacher at Preston Middle School since 2008, was a software engineer before she became a teacher.

“I loved the problem-solving part of being an engineer, but felt I was more energized by the people factor, the human factor,” she said, adding that she knew she would love teaching because of the positive experiences she had volunteering as a tutor and outdoor education instructor.

As a teacher, DuPriest enjoys watching her students develop into confident

problem-solvers as the year progresses. “I think the biggest challenge is to recognize that each student is an individual learner and still help all of them grow,” she said.

“The biggest joy is when you get to the end of the year and see the kids end at a better place than where they started. Some even say they love math, when they didn’t before, and that’s a tremendous accomplishment.”

In addition to teaching, DuPriest incorporates her engineering experience as a volunteer coach of two girls’ Lego robotics teams at Preston, guiding them as they solve problems using engineering, technology, research and global awareness skills.

She has also taught computer programming enrichment classes for several years at Preston’s summer Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics Institute.

Kelly Motichka is in her 10th year of teaching math at Poudre High School. She became a teacher to help kids reach their full potential.

“My favorite part is building relationships with the kids and helping them reach that “Aha” moment and seeing them become more self-confident,” she says. “I like making math fun and something that they are good at and proud of.”

Motichka is very involved in the PHS community and has volunteered for several roles including Class Council sponsor, Phoenix Garage volunteer, track and field volunteer and Geometry Support teacher.

She is currently co-sponsor of the PHS

Calendar of Events Nov. 13 ....... .. 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting, JSSC Conference Center Nov. 21-23 ... No School. Thanksgiving Break!

Nov. 26 ....... .. T eacher Collaboration Day, No School! for K-8 students Nov. 27 ....... .. 6 :30pm, Board of Education business meeting and work session, JSSC Conference Center.

Student Council, which involves helping more than 60 students coordinate several service projects like the Feed Our Families Food Drive held near the holidays.

Martha Petty, media specialist and instructional coach at Harris Bilingual Elementary, knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age. As a child, she set up her own library in the basement of her home.

“I had check-out sheets and the neighbors would come over and check out books,” she said. “I always wanted to be a teacher. I love kids and I love watching them learn.”

Petty, who has taught at Harris for the past 10 years, is bilingual and teaches research, reasoning and technology skills in two languages. She also serves as an instructional coach at the school, providing support to her colleagues regarding new standards and other professional issues.

“For me, the perfect world is working with both students and staff. I want to be a conduit for change, and assist others as we continue to move forward in the best interests of the kids,” she said.

Petty is also known for organizing service projects at Harris that help other people, like teachers and students from other countries. “We want to honor all people where they are now. I feel this school does that.”

New audiology lab offers more accurate testing The lab, located in the Barton Early Childhood Center, is part of PSD’s Audiology Services, which serves about 800 students from birth to 21 years of age during the year. PSD Audiology Services conducts hearing screenings in all 50 PSD schools in the fall and spring.

PSD audiologist Ashley Piccone said students who don’t pass their hearing screening are referred to the lab to be tested with more diagnostic equipment. The lab also serves students with a known hearing loss who need their hearing checked every few months to detect changes.

“We need to have reliable results so kids can be fitted appropriately with hearing aids so they can hear in the classroom,” said Piccone.

The new lab, purchased with American with Disabilities Act funds, replaces an outdated hearing lab in the district.

This year’s Rotary Teacher of the Year finalists were Martha Petty (left), Harris Bilingual Elementary teacher; Dawn DuPriest (center), Preston Middle School teacher; and Kelly Motichka, Poudre High School teacher. DuPriest was selected as the Rotary Teacher of the Year.

Beattie Elementary students participated in the one-mile Fall Frolic race Oct. 2. Races for all grades were scheduled at specific times throughout the day. All students and most staff participated in the run, which began and ended at the Beattie Nature Center. Winners of the races were not those that finished first, but those that who guessed their finish time closest to their actual time.

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greeley-evans district 6 news Principal honored by gifted and talented association

The Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented honors Wesley Tuttle.

The Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented have named Wesley Tuttle, principal of McAuliffe Elementary School in Greeley, administrator of the year.

“I was humbled and honored,” Tuttle said of his award. “I was also very surprised.”

Tuttle will be honored at the National Association of Gifted and Talented Convention on Nov. 15 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. CAGT is a nonprofit advocacy organization that provides leadership and support to students, parents and educators of gifted young people in Colorado.

Tuttle said it is the goal of the entire staff at McAuliffe to ensure every student advances in their learning.

“We have a large number of kids who achieve at a very high level,” Tuttle said. “We want to continue to push them forward.”

Linda Johnson, gifted-andtalented coordinator for GreeleyEvans School District 6, nominated 28

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Tuttle for this honor. In her nomination letter, Johnson cited Tuttle’s personal commitment to helping all of the students succeed.

“Wes has been known to personally tutor an occasional math student performing two or more grade levels ahead and beyond, in addition to his other duties as principal,” Johnson wrote. “On another occasion, while working with a parent of an Early Entrance kindergartner, he, along with the school’s GT facilitator, spent many hours planning instructional accommodations that would meet the needs of this very advanced child.”

McAuliffe parent April Freier echoed that sentiment. She said her daughter, Mazlyn, 11, now a sixth grader at Winograd K-8, benefitted from the individual attention she received through the gifted-andtalented program. Her son, Braeden, 8, a third grader at McAuliffe, has also received some services through the gifted-and-talented program.

“We have been very happy with the program. Wes is a wonderful guy,” Freier said. “I really appreciate the way they took care of Mazlyn’s individual needs.”

District 6 to host third annual Citizens Academy Greeley-Evans School District 6 is inviting residents of Greeley and Evans to attend its third annual Citizens Academy.

The Citizens Academy is for those residents who are interested in learning more about how our schools and district operate. There are six, two-hour sessions throughout the school year, beginning Nov. 5.

Academy participants will tour elementary, middle and high schools, the administration building and other support service offices. Topics will include overviews of school finance and administration, curriculum and instruction, facility maintenance,

school management, student achievement results, school bus services and student nutrition.

The Academy will meet from 11am to 1pm on the first Monday of the month from November through April. Our nationally recognized nutrition services department will provide lunch.

Here is a schedule of Academy dates and locations: • M onday, Nov. 5: District 6 Administration Building, 1025 9th Ave., Greeley • M onday, Dec. 3: Dos Rios Elementary School, 2201 34th St., Evans • M onday, Jan 7: Brentwood Middle School, 2600 24th Ave. Court, Greeley • M onday, Feb. 4: Northridge High School, 100 71st Ave., Greeley • M onday, Mar. 4: Transportation Office, 155 E. 27th St., Greeley • M onday, Apr. 1: District 6 Service Center, 2508 4th Ave., Greeley

There is no cost to attend the academy. The class size will be small in order to allow in-depth conversations.

To register for the Academy, please contact Theresa Myers, director of communications for District 6, at 348-6003 or at tmyers@ greeleyschools.org.

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lunchbox Poudre School District —Elementary student lunches are $2.15, secondary student lunches are $2.40 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 school 1 Veggie wrap; Teriyaki chicken & rice; chicken sandwich 2 Turkey & cheese wrap; cheese pizza; hummus & veggies 5 Chicken Caesar salad; chicken sandwich; turkey potpie 6 Yogurt & fruit box; mac n’cheese; hot dog 7 Chicken quesadilla; cheeseburger; ham & cheese deli 8 Chicken enchilada; chicken nuggets; PBJ 9 Veggie wrap; pepperoni pizza; cheese raviolis 12 Beef burrito; yogurt & fruit box; sausage pancake wrap

13 Grilled cheese sandwich & tomato soup; chicken sandwich; PBJ 14 Chicken broccoli Alfredo; chef salad; chicken nuggets 15 Thanksgiving meal; PBJ 16 Veggie wrap; BBQ chicken sandwich; cheese pizza 19 Sloppy Joe; turkey & cheese deli; chicken nuggets 20 Yogurt & fruit box; chili & cinnamon roll; cheeseburger 21-23 No School!

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27 Veggie lasagna; cheeseburger; PBJ 28 Asian rice bowl; chicken sandwich; hummus & veggies

29 Chicken drumstick; beef burrito; veggie wrap 30 Mac n’cheese; French toast sticks; tuna salad sandwich Secondary schools 1 Orange chicken w/rice; hummus & veggie 2 Asian rice bowl; Mandarin chicken salad 5 Mac n’cheese; chicken Caesar salad 6 Pasta w/sauces; Buffalo chicken salad 7 Chicken nuggets; Veggie soup & salad 8 Baked potato bar; chef salad 9 Turkey gravy w/potatoes; hummus & veggies

12 Cheese raviolis; taco salad 13 Italian lasagna; chef salad 14 Chicken nuggets; Tomato soup & salad 15 Turkey gravy w/potatoes 16 Chili w/cinnamon roll; chicken fajita salad 19 Beef stir fry; Mandarin chicken salad 20 Mac n’cheese; taco salad 21-23 No School!

26 Mac n’cheese ; chicken Caesar salad 27 Veggie lasagna; buffalo chicken salad 28 Chicken nuggets; veggie soup & salad 29 Baked chicken; chef salad 30 Chicken broccoli Alfredo; hummus & veggies

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 1 Taco; baked potato; taco salad 5 Roasted chicken; Caesar salad; turkey sandwich 6 Chicken Alfredo; baked potato; chicken tender salad 7 Sloppy Joe; rice & bean burrito; garden salad 8 Nachos; baked potato; taco salad 9 Orange chicken w/rice; fruit & yogurt plate; turkey sandwich 12 Mac n’cheese; Caesar salad; turkey sandwich 13 Pot roast; PBJ w/cheese stick

14 Chicken sandwich; burrito; garden salad 15 Chicken tacos; baked potato; taco salad 16 Manager’s choice 19-23 No School!

26 Chicken w/mashed potatoes & gravy; rice & bean burrito; turkey sandwich 27 Cheese pizza; baked potato; chicken tender salad 28 Burger; rice & bean burrito; turkey sandwich 29 Chicken burrito bowl; baked potato; taco salad

30 French bread boat; fruit & yogurt plate; turkey sandwich Secondary schools 1 Taco; PBJ w/cheese stick 5 Chicken w/mashed potatoes & gravy; sloppy Joe 6 Chicken Alfredo; burger 7 Hot roast beef sandwich; spicy chicken sandwich 8 Nachos; meat lasagna 9 Orange chicken w/rice; French bread boat 12 Mac n’cheese; veggie quesadilla 13 Pot roast w/potatoes; burger

14 Chicken sandwich; nachos 15-16 Manager’s choice 19-23 No School!

26 Chicken w/potatoes & gravy; PBJ w/cheese stick 27 Cheese pizza; chicken fajita wrap 28 Burger; chicken parmesan sandwich 29 Chicken burrito bowl; meatball sandwich 30 French bread boat; hot ham & cheese sandwich

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 1 BBQ chicken; ham & cheese hoagie 2 Pepperoni pizza; egg salad sandwich 5 Chili w/tortilla; turkey & cheese wrap 1 Pollo roll-up; PBJ 2 Baked ziti w/breadstick; chicken salad sandwich 3 Chicken w/roll; ham & cheese hoagie 4 Cheese pizza; tuna salad sandwich 12 Pork sandwich; turkey & cheese wrap 13 Taco; chicken salad sandwich 14 Lasagna w/breadstick; PBJ 15 Chicken sandwich; ham & cheese hoagie

16 Pepperoni pizza; egg salad sandwich 19 Hamburger/cheeseburger; turkey & cheese wrap 20 Burrito; chicken salad sandwich 21-23 No School!

26 Sloppy Joe; turkey & cheese wrap 27 Chicken w/brown rice; PBJ 28 Spaghetti; chicken salad sandwich 29 BBQ chicken w/roll; ham & cheese hoagie 30 Pepperoni pizza; egg salad sandwich Secondary schools 1 BBQ chicken w/roll; ham & cheese

hoagie 2 Pepperoni pizza; egg salad sandwich 5 Chili w/tortilla; turkey & cheese wrap 6 Fiesta chicken roll-up; PBJ 7 Baked ziti w/breadstick; chicken salad sandwich 8 Chicken w/roll; Italian wrap 9 Cheese pizza; tuna salad sandwich 12 BBQ pork sandwich; chicken fajita wrap 13 Taco w/rice; club wrap 14 Lasagna w/breadstick; PBJ 15 Chicken sandwich; ham & cheese hoagie

16 Pepperoni pizza; egg salad sandwich 19 Hamburger/cheeseburger; turkey & cheese wrap 20 Bean & cheese burrito; chicken salad sandwich 21-23 No School!

26 Sloppy Joe; chicken fajita wrap 27 Chicken w/rice; PBJ 28 Pasta w/meat sauce; club wrap 29 BBQ chicken w/roll; ham & cheese hoagie 30 Pepperoni pizza; egg 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 1 Teriyaki chicken 2 Pizza dippers 5 Chili chips n’ cheese 6 Hog dog 7 Pancakes & sausages 8 Chicken tenders 9 Big Daddy pizza 12 Chicken sandwich

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13 Chicken Alfredo 14 Bean & cheese burrito 15 Turkey & gravy 16 Pizza dippers 19 BBQ sandwich 20 Chili w/cinnamon roll 21-23 No School!

26 Taco 27 Chicken nuggets

28 Mac n’cheese 29 Grilled sandwich & tomato soup 30 Cheese/variety pizza Secondary schools 1 Sweet & sour chicken 2 Meatball sub 5 Chili chips n’ cheese 6 Weiner wrap

7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19

Pancakes & sausages Chicken tenders French dip Chicken sandwich Chicken Alfredo Bean & cheese burrito Turkey & gravy Steak & cheese sandwich BBQ sandwich

20 Chili w/cinnamon roll 21-23 No School!

26 Taco 27 Chicken nuggets 28 Mac n’cheese 29 Grilled sandwich & tomato soup 30 Hot & spicy chicken sandwich

LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES (LFS) Rocky Mountains has been helping children and families since 1948. In Northern Colorado LFS provides services in foster care, unaccompanied refugee minor (URM) foster care, adoption, pregnancy counseling, parent education and support, teen pregnancy prevention and counseling for older adults and caregivers. Over the past year, LFS has provided 165 loving foster homes for 274 neglected and abused children.

Great foster parents are essential to our success and many more foster homes are needed.

The LFS Foster Care Program provides skilled and caring substitute families for children who cannot live with their birth families. Each child in foster care has an important reason to be in foster care. Ranging in age from birth to age 18, foster children may have been neglected, physically or sexually abused or have exceptional needs with which birth families struggle. Problems of trust and building healthy relation ships with others are very common for these children. Foster families provide foster children with a safe, nurturing home and work with LFS staff to address each child’s special needs.

The goal of foster care is to provide permanency for these children, which may be reunification with their birth family, adoption, or independent living (for older teens).

Could you be a foster parent? No special degree is required-all you need is a love of children and the de sire to help! Foster parents come in all shapes and sizes; a couple with children of their own, emptynesters with a lifetime of parenting skills, single people with love and support to offer, grandparents who want to help children...the variety of people that make great foster parents is endless.

LFS will work with you to evaluate the type of child that would best fit in with your family. Throughout this process, you may select an age range, gender and types of behaviors with which you feel most comfortable. The goal is to create the best possible fit for all involved. One of the greatest needs is foster families who can care for sibling groups.

The URM foster care program is another great foster parenting option.

This program helps children, generally teenagers, who have been legally resettled in the United States without a parent or relative to care for them.

These children have often endured significant hardships, loss and trauma. URM foster parents help these children adjust to our educational, financial, political and social systemshelping them learn to function independently while also encouraging them to maintain their own culture.

Interested in exploring the rewarding world of foster parenting?

Call 970.266.1788 to register for an information meeting. LFS will provide the information you need to make your decision as well as the training and support you will need along the way. Discover how you can help the vulnerable children of Northern Colorado.

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Do something for

Yourself!

FItnESS ClaSSES FoR MoMS on-tHE-Go visit www.fortcollinsclub.net for schedules

· Group Power · FCC Club Fit · Zumba · Water Aerobics

Take the online Life Traits Quiz and get 2 weeks of FREE MEMBERSHIP! (New Members Only)

· UJAM · Spin · Yoga · Pilate

970-224-CLUB 1307 East Prospect Road

Fort Collins, CO 80525

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NOVEMBER 2012 ONGOING Through November 11 In the Heights A gripping story, incredible dancing and a cast of lovable characters take you on an exhilarating journey into a vibrant Manhattan community.

Midtown Arts Center, 3750 South Mason St., FC. 970-225-2555.www.

MidtownArtsCenter.com November 8-10 A Chorus Line The musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

November 8 – January 13 Mame Follow Mame as she leads her young nephew through life in New York during the jazz era. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Market Place Dr., Johnstown, CO. 970-744-3747 or www. coloradocandlelight.com.

November 9-11 Hall of Gifts Over 50 artisans display handcrafted items. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX.com.

November 9-16 Gallery of Trees The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX. com.

November 16-18 Peter Pan Presented by the Fort Collins Children’s Theatre. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

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Thursday, November 1 Sugar Skull Come ‘n’ Go Craft for Kids Together kids and caregivers decorate a sugar skill, a traditional folk art of Central and Southern Mexico, while learning about Dia de los Muertos.

Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 10am-Noon. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

David Copperfield A Mini-Seminar Lecture. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 78:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Sinbad One of Comedy Central’s top 100 stand-up comedians of all time, Sinbad’s signature “hit ‘em in the face” style has kept audiences laughing for over two decades. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

November 23-25 The Nutcracker Performed by the Canyon Concert Ballet. Rialto Theatre, 228 E. 4th St., LV. 970-962-2120 or www. rialtotheaterguild.org.

Short Poems: Larger than They Appear Award-winning northern Colorado poet Lisa Zimmerman will read from her new chapbook of short poems, Snack Size, as well as other collections of her work. Loveland Museum/ Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 7-8:30pm. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

November 30 & December 1 Christmas Presence The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

Friday, November 2 Scrabble @ Your Library Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 10am-Noon. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

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Noches en Familia: Family Nights ¡Ven y disfruta un tiempo de cuentos, manualidades, canciones y películas en español! Come and enjoy a time of stories, crafts, puppets, and songs in Spanish. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 5pm. 970-2216740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Native American Dancers Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by enjoying a performance by the Denver Indian Singers and Dancers.

Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2-3pm 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

The Fresh Beat Band This is Nick Jr’s popular preschool music group. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX.com.

Masterworks #2: Musical Harvest Boulder pianist Hsing-ay Hsu returns to reproduce the elegance of this classic piano concerto. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

Lighting of Downtown Ceremony Thousands of strands of holiday lights will illuminate our historic downtown.

Oak Street Plaza, Downtown, FC. 6-7pm. 970-484-6500 or www.

DowntownFortCollins.com.

Boot Camp for New Dads For men, taught by men! North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 9am-Noon. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu.

First Friday Gallery Walk This event showcases local galleries, artists and art shows. Downtown, FC. 6-10pm. 970-484-6500 or www.

DowntownFortCollins.com.

Breastfeeding: Off to a Good Start Designed for expectant parents who are considering breastfeeding.

North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 9am-Noon. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu.

Saturday, November 3 Introduction to Genealogy Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 9am-Noon. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Labor and Birth for Teens Discussion topics include labor and birth preparation, breathing, relaxation, and comfort techniques.

North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 10am-4pm. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu.

Sunday, November 4 The Mostlies: Deja Poo *The Feeling That We’ve Heard All This Crap Before Just in time to help you deal with the uncertainties and decisions of election day, their parodies and satirical comments will have you laughing on both sides of the aisle. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

Tech-“Knowledge” E Tech Fair.

Experts on eReaders, iPads and tablets will be available for questions as well information on downloadable eBooks, eAudiobooks, music and videos, all available for free from your public library. Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 1-5pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

NaNoWriMo Launch Party and Write-in Join us for the National Novel Writing Month Launch Party. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-5pm 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Fort Collins Reads: Trinity Umrigar Published earlier this year, “The World We Found” explores religious, cultural and lifestyle differences in present-day India and the United States. The Hilton, 425 W. Prospect Rd., FC. 2-4pm. 970221-6697 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

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

PoudreLibraries.org.

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Monday, November 5 Bright Beginnings for One-Year-Olds Explore how thinking and interactions change as your infant becomes a toddler on the go. Loveland Library, 300 North Adams, LV. 9-10am. 970-495-7528 or www.pvhs.org.

Bright Beginnings for Two-Year-Olds Learn how to promote early literacy, brain development, and a healthy/safe environment for the active twos.

Loveland Library, 300 North Adams, LV. 10-11am. 970-495-7528 or www. pvhs.org.

Rincon de Cuentos Libros, titeres, canciones, cuentos infantiles, manualidades y mucho mas! Este evento es en espanol y para todos. Harmony Mobile Homes, 2500 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Teen Thursday Art Exploration: Van Gogh Create unique Post-Impressionism paintings in the style of Van Gogh.

Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 4-6pm.

Ages 12+. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

David Copperfield A mini-seminar lecture. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-8:30pm.

970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries. org.

Friday, November 9 Tot Art: Colors of the Rainbow Create a masterpiece with finger paints.

Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 10:30-11:30am.

Ages 2-6. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., GR. 6:30pm. 970-356-5000 or www. greeleygov.com/UCCC/events.aspx.

Saturday, November 10 Interesting Reader Society Meeting Young adults meet monthly to talk mainly about teen stuff. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 11am-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Chess @ Your Library Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 11am. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Teens Write Creative writing tips from author Todd Mitchell. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1:30-3:30pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Wednesday, November 7 Ailey II There’s a new spirit at the globallyacclaimed dance company. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX. com.

Bright Beginnings for Infants Explore how thinking and interactions change as your infant becomes a toddler on the go. Poudre Valley Health System, 1025 Garfield Ave., FC. 10-11am. 970495-7528 or www.pvhs.org.

Wednesday’s Wild World of Art Sand Prints. Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 3-4pm.

Grades K-5. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Thursday, November 8 Patriotic Poetry Reading The Museum will reveal a Civil War memorabilia display case and host several patriotic programs close to Veteran’s Day. Loveland Museum/ Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 5:30-7pm. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

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Dana and Susan Robinson Two guitar-playing, banjo-frailing, fiddle-sawing, and harmony-singing interpreters of the American experience.

Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Treasure Island, The National Tour, Sails into Greeley Sail aboard the HMS Hispaniola with young Jim Hawkins for a daring adventure on Treasure Island. Union

Intro to Small Wind Power This 8-hour seminar covers the basics of wind energy for the homeowner who is considering installing a residential or business scale wind turbine. SLA Offices, 200 S. College Ave., Suite 140, FC. 9am-5pm. 970-224-3247 or www. sustainablelivingassociation.org.

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Higher Education’s Role in Our Society’s Future Dr. Martin Carcasson, of CSU’s Center for Public Deliberation, will guide participants through a civil discussion of higher education’s role in our future.

Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 6-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Money Matters: How to Spend Less Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Baby Care 101 Prepares expectant parents in the basic care of newborns for the first few months. Topics include signs of illness, safety, development, and parent adjustment. Poudre Valley Hospital, Indian Paintbrush Room, 1024 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 9am-Noon. 970-495-7500 or www.pvhs.org.

Spanish Prepared Childbirth Ask questions and make informed decisions about issues surrounding the birth of your baby. North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 9am-1pm. 970‑378-4044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu. Survival Skills for New Parents This class is designed to give you plenty of information related to the firth six months of parenting.

North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 9am-1pm. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu.

Sunday, November 11 Intro to Off Grid Systems This 8-hour class covers the fundamentals of off-grid renewable energy system design for those who are considering moving off the grid, or want a more thorough knowledge of the system they already have. SLA 40

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Offices, 200 S. College Ave., Suite 140, FC. 9am-5pm. 970-224-3247 or www. sustainablelivingassociation.org.

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

PoudreLibraries.org.

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.

Woodworking for Women Learn the basics of simple joinery with simple tools that you can use to create your own tables, planters, shelves, benches, trellis’ and the like.

Hammertime, 1000 E. Laurel St., FC. SLA Offices, 200 S. College Ave., Suite 140, FC. 9am-5pm. 970-224-3247 or www.sustainablelivingassociation.org

Monday, November 12 Rincon de Cuentos Libros, titeres, canciones, cuentos infantiles, manualidades y mucho mas! Este evento es en espanol y para todos. Harmony Mobile Homes, 2500 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5-5:45pm. 970-2216740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Prepared Childbirth Ask questions and make informed decisions about issues surrounding the birth of your baby. North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 6-8:30pm. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu.

Tuesday, November 13 Tiny Trekkers at the Loveland Library A morning filled with crafts, stories, fun facts and some outside time. Loveland Public Library, 300 N. Adams Ave., LV. 9am. 970-679-4489 or www.larimer.org.

Kevin Cook: At Home in the Trees Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. Noon-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Kids’ Club Tuesday Just for tweens. Science, crafts, books, history, movies, etc. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 3:30-5:30pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Reveille 3: Letters from Home Passionately inspired by the Swing Era, Denver-based Reveille 3, pays tribute to the music of the Andrews Sisters.

Council Tree Library, 2733 Council Tree Ave., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

International Night: Pakistan Please join Ayesha Khalid for a presentation about her native Pakistan, which will include a brief description of Pakistan’s geography, and history.

Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

un F s ’ It shy l a r T a It’s cation du E s ’ It It’s the

Garbage Garage Larimer County’s waste & recycling education center at the Larimer County Landfill in Fort Collins

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Wednesday, November 14 Wednesday’s Wild World of Art Harvest drawing and watercolor.

Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 3-4pm.

Grades K-5. 970-962-2410 or www. lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Rocky Mountain Raptors: Wintering Birds of Colorado The Rocky Mountain Raptor Program will bring birds for you to view. Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 6:30-7:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Money Matters: How to Spend Less Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. Noon-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Bright Beginnings for One-Year-Olds Explore how thinking and interactions change as your infant becomes a toddler on the go. Poudre Valley Health System, 1025 Garfield Ave., FC. 10-11am. 970495-7528 or www.pvhs.org.

Breastfeeding Basics Learn techniques that can help breastfeeding go smoothly. Topics include process of breastfeeding, ways to prevent and care for problems. Dads welcome. Poudre Valley Hospital, Indian Paintbrush Room, 1024 S. Lemay Ave., FC. 6:30-8:30pm. 970-495-7500 or www.pvhs.org.

Thursday, November 15 Natural Areas 20th Anniversary Party Presentations, appetizers, music. Lincoln Center, Canyon West Room, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 5:30-7:30pm. 970221-6730 or www.LCTIX.com.

David Copperfield A mini seminar-lecture. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. Noon-1pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Friday, November 16 Miro Quartet Hailed by the New York Times as possessing “explosive vigor and technical finesse”, the dynamic Miró Quartet enjoys its place at the top of the international chamber music scene. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-221-6730 or www.LCTIX. com.

Literature Comes Alive: Charles Dickens Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields St., FC. 7-8:30pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Saturday, November 17 Tellabration 2012 Storytellers from all over Colorado will delight you with tales from many places and times. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 10am-2:30pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

We’re having a Baby: A Class for Siblings Kids will learn what a new baby looks like, how to become a “big helper,” and how to make friends with the new baby.

North Colorado Medical Center, 1801 16th St., GR. 9:30-10:30am. 970‑3784044 or www.BannerHealth.com/ NCMCFamilyLifeEdu. Skygazing See and discover fun facts about planets, stars, constellations, galaxies and other celestial wonders. Fossil Creek Reservoir Regional Open Space, LV. 7-10pm. 970416-2815 or www.fcgov.com.

Sunday, November 18 NaNoWriMo Write-In Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Game Day @ Your Library Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 1-5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Monday, November 19 Rincon de Cuentos Libros, titeres, canciones, cuentos infantiles, manualidades y mucho mas! Este evento es en espanol y para todos. Harmony Mobile Homes, 2500 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Bright Beginnings for Infants Explore how thinking and interactions change as your infant becomes a toddler on the go. McKee Medical Center, 2000 N. Boise Ave., FC. 11:15am. 970-4957528 or www.pvhs.org.

Tuesday, November 20 Video Games Live The excitement of a rock concert and the emotional power of a symphony orchestra meet the technology, interactivity and stunning visuals of your favorite video games in this amazing show! The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7:30pm. 970-2216730 or www.LCTIX.com.

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Antarctica Lecture Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 7-8pm. 970-221-6740 or www.

PoudreLibraries.org.

Bright Beginnings for Infants Explore how thinking and interactions change as your infant becomes a toddler on the go. Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., LV. Noon1pm. 970-495-7528 or www.pvhs.org.

Saturday, November 24 Thanksgiving Tooth Climb Shake off the post holiday blues with a hike to Horsetooth Falls. Fort Collins, CO. 9am. 970-679-4489 or www.larimer.org/naturalresources/ registration.

Sunday, November 25 Foothills Pops Band: Cranberry Pops The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St, FC. 7pm. 970-221-6730 or www.

LCTIX.com.

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NaNoWriMo Write-In Mad dash to the finish write-in.

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

PoudreLibraries.org.

Genealogy Program Wills and probate records. Old Town Library, 201 Peterson St., FC. 2-3pm. 970221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

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.

Monday, November 26 Rincon de Cuentos Libros, titeres, canciones, cuentos infantiles, manualidades y mucho mas! Este evento es en espanol y para todos. Harmony Mobile Homes, 2500 E. Harmony Rd., FC. 5pm. 970-221-6740 or www.PoudreLibraries.org.

Wednesday, November 28 Wednesday’s Wild World of Art Goldfish painting: step-by-step painting with underwater inspiration. Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N. Lincoln Ave., GR. 3-4pm. Grades K-5. 970-962-2410 or www.lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Bright Beginnings for Two-Year-Olds Learn how to promote early literacy, brain development, and a healthy/safe environment for the active twos. Poudre Valley Health System, 1025 Garfield Ave., FC. 10-11am. 970-495-7528 or www. pvhs.org.

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time out

Showing in one hour

The voicemail no mom wants to hear about her house that’s for sale

I

t was 10am when I loaded my 3year-old son, Matt, into his car seat, hopped in the front, and turned on my phone. That’s when I got the message from our realtor. Our house had just been scheduled for a showing in one hour.

Anyone who’s ever had their house on the market knows that the whole spiel they give you about 24-hour notice before a showing is complete baloney. We had yet to receive a call more than a few hours in advance. It wasn’t the short notice that had me throwing my car into gear and zipping down the driveway of the horse ranch I was managing at the time, it was the fact that we hadn’t had a showing in over a month. And consequently, my house hadn’t been cleaned in about as long.

Here I was, flying toward home, while simultaneously attempting to dial my husband at work and a friend at my daughter, Haley’s school to please, please, please pick her up at dismissal time in half an hour. Luckily she answered on the first ring and was ready and willing to help.

I made it home with 20 minutes until show time. I begged Matt to pick up the toys in the basement, knowing full well that such a request of a 3-yearold was futile. Upstairs, I found the beds unmade and laundry piles littering the floor. I decided to tackle the bathroom.

No sooner had I gotten the toilet to a sparkling shade of off-white, then my son came hurtling up the stairs and proudly announced that he had to poop.

Any mother of a newly potty trained preschooler knows they have a tendency to test just how much toilet paper can be shoved in the toilet bowl and still flush.

This time it didn’t.

Once again I bombarded my husband’s voicemail with messages, begging for justice and a plunger. No luck and I was forced to give up on the clogged toilet and move on. I reluctantly made 46

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K ATIE HARRIS

my way downstairs only to find that Matt had somehow beat me, and had succeeded in using, and clogging the downstairs toilet as well. Frantically I sent him back to the basement and began shoving dirty dishes in the cabinet under the sink.

Just as I was about to pat myself on the back for the faux-clean appearance of my actually messy house, I remembered I had yet to check on Matt’s progress downstairs. Reminding myself to breathe, I made my way down to find him crumbling large globs of Play-doh into teensy, tiny little crumbs on the basement floor. And yes, that’s when I started yelling. Matt burst into tears.

Once again, we loaded up in the car, this time with the dogs in tow, and made our way to pick Haley up from the friend who’d been watching her on the school playground. I spent the entire ride begging my inconsolable son’s forgiveness for my moment of mommy impatience, eventually managing to reduce his tears to sniffles.

After picking up Haley, and lunch, we headed home at the end of our showing window.

No one was there and, from the looks of it, no one had been there. The kids were hungry, the dogs were restless, so I picked up my phone once again and dialed the showing realtor’s office. I tried not to think about the whole extra hour I would have had to clean had I known they were

running behind schedule.

As I stood in the garage, asking the realtor’s voicemail if they were running late, my daughter began screaming through the car window. Did I mention that our newest dog gets carsick? Well, she does, and at this particular moment she’d just made that point crystal clear all over Haley’s lap.

I darted inside, grabbed a wad of paper towels, and began wiping up the puke.

Go ahead, guess what happened next.

Naturally, as I stood in the garage, still dressed in my manure-covered boots, hayfilled clothes, and holding paper towels drenched in throw up, the realtor and her clients pulled up behind me in the driveway and cheerfully hopped out. She asked me if I’d like to stick around, since they’d only be a minute. Mortified and speechless, I shook my head, hopped in the car, and pulled out like a bat out of hell.

Our dog threw up one more time, this time on the seat of my car, while we sat parked a block up the street in front of a neighbor’s house, waiting out the showing. At one point my son also pulled down his pants and peed in that neighbor’s front yard. But that’s a story for another day.

Suffice it to say, those lovely people didn’t buy our house. We’re still here. They did, however, thank me for my cooperation in working with their schedule.

The good news is they didn’t comment on the mess. In fact, they never even made it upstairs to check out Matt’s clever toilet experiment. Apparently they took one look at our 2-story house, realized that the realtor had missed that crucial detail in the MLS listing, and drove off into the sunset to the next ranch floor plan on their list.

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