parent ILLINOIS VALLEY
JULY 2022
Riding off into the sunset Wyanet girl tries her luck at the Junior High Rodeo Association
publication
Also: n
Introducing children to another era at the Hegeler Carus Mansion
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Easy dessert recipes for kids
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How Illinois Valley families cope with busy schedules
Illinois Valley Parent 426 Second Street La Salle, Illinois 61301 (815) 223-3200 (800) 892-6452 www.newstrib.com Publisher Dan Goetz
Contents A House of History 4 Hegeler Carus Mansion will fascinate children.
Breeding Confidence Through Horsemanship 9
Niche Editor Shannon Serpette
sserpette@shawmedia.com
Regional Advertising Director Jeanette Smith jmsmith@shawmedia.com
Writers Brandon LaChance Katlyn Sanden Shannon Serpette Summer Traver
The Hochstatter family of Wyanet follows the Jr. High Rodeo Circuit.
The Sweet Life 12 Easy dessert recipes for children to make.
Untangling Busy Schedules 18 Parents feel the intensity of their family’s overpacked schedules.
Photographers Katlyn Sanden Shannon Serpette Designer Liz Klein
On the cover: Quincy Hochstatter, 13, of Wyanet, poses with her horse named Kitty. Quincy says Kitty is very competitive, making rodeo that much more fun.
Published by:
PHOTO BY KATLYN SANDEN
est. 1851
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Treating Teenage Acne without Prescription Medication Acne vulgaris is the most common reason for breakouts in teens and young adults. It occurs when hair follicles are blocked with dead skin cells, bacteria and oil. Symptoms range from blackheads, pustulefilled pimples and red, tender bumps. There are prescription medications to treat acne, but there are also many non-prescription products and procedures that can help reduce breakouts. Dr. Nicole Norris at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa in Peru sees teenagers with their parent present for acne in her office. She agreed to share some of her favorite non-prescription pearls to get your teen’s acne under control. What over-the-counter products are helpful for acne in teens? “Most acne treatments are focused on keeping sebum levels low and decreasing bacteria growth. These treatments are also very drying to the skin, creating more dead skin cells, which creates a low oxygen environment and proliferation of bacteria. My medical estheticians and I help acne patients find a balance of hydration and exfoliation with their acne regimen. Acne products that contain benzyl peroxide, salicylic acid, niacinamide and retinol are among the most effective. Moisturizer and sunscreen are also an important part of acne regimens. When acne-affected skin is too dry it causes more breakouts. A good acne regimen should keep the skin from being overly dry or overly oily. Whenever there is a change made to the acne regimen, I encourage my patients not to judge effectiveness for at least 1 month. I also encourage them not to start with too many products at one time.”
a peel but minimal redness. We offer a Customized Acne Protocol for teens, which includes 6 treatments, each separated by 2 weeks, and includes a mix of facials, peels and Hydrafacial, all targeted at getting acne under control.”
Are there any other tips you have on keeping teenage acne under control? “The bacteria that is most often associated with teenage acne (p.acnes), thrives in low oxygen environments and loves sugar, carbs, and dairy protein. I counsel my teenage acne patients to eat healthy and avoid extreme sugar, carbohydrates, and dairy in their diet. It is also important to wash your face twice a day with a facial cleanser, not body soap. For teenage girls, we recommend clean makeup and foundation that is either coconut oil-based or aloe vera-based. These foundations provide an antibacterial quality and promote a high oxygen environment on the skin, which p.acnes is averse to. What are some procedures that you offer in your My most important tip to my teenage acne patients medical spa that help with teenage acne? “Acne vulgaris is not picking! Squeezing acne in order to “pop it” is the number one cause of acne scarring and forever can be markedly improved with our acne facials, teen changes the skin. Acne scarring can be improved, but Hydrafacials, and acne chemical peels. Facials are it can never be completely resolved.” helpful in their hydration and anti-inflammatory effects. Hydrafacials provide exfolitation, vacuum If you are interested in having your teen come in for suction of pores, and hydration. They include a peel an Acne consultation and treatment with Dr. Norris and are antibacterial with blue light therapy. Teens and her team, please call us to schedule. Procedures love Hydrafacial because it is painless, there is no may be performed on the same day if requested when down time, and they get to see everything that was scheduling. For teens under 18, a parent must be suctioned out of their skin at the end in what we call present for their initial visit. Call 815-780-8264 today the “Gunk Tank!” Chemical peels are antibacterial to get their skin ready for school! (Acne consultations, and keep oxygen levels high on the skin surface. Teens acne products, and treatments in the medical spa may have 2-3 days of erasure-shaving like peeling after setting are not covered by medical insurance.) SM-LA1991865
A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 3
The Hegeler Carus Mansion in LaSalle will immediately impress children with its sheer size and imposing appearance.
A House of History Hegeler Carus Mansion will fascinate children Story by Summer Traver E Photos by Shannon Serpette
L
ooking for an informative place to take your children where they’ll have to put down their devices and learn something? The Hegeler Carus Mansion in LaSalle will give children an insight into local history and how life used to be. The general tour will show them what life was like for children long before they had phones and computers, and it can give them a greater understanding about industry and immigration.
Tricia Kelly, the longtime tour director at Hegeler Carus Mansion, gives fascinating tours, sharing what she’s learned about the Hegeler Carus family, as well as tidbits about family legend and lore. She encourages children to keep records of their own, documenting their lives for future generations. “If you want your story told, keep a journal,” she said. While walking up to the mansion, one could be reminded of the Scooby-Doo haunted
4 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
houses or the Addams Family house because they, along with the Hegeler Carus Mansion, are all examples of Second Empire-style homes. “We are fascinated with these buildings because we grew up with them, but we didn’t grow up in them,” Kelly said. The sheer size and old age of the mansion will intrigue young visitors right from the start – it’s almost 150 years old with 57 rooms. Ten of the rooms are bedrooms, and there
Hegeler Carus Mansion tour director Tricia Kelly shows off the mansion’s roofline. She said that style of roofline was used by one of the spooky mansions featured in the opening credits of the original Scooby Doo cartoon. are eight bathrooms. German immigrant Edward Hegeler settled in LaSalle and began a business, the Hegeler-Matthiessen Zinc Company, with his business partner, Frederick William Matthiessen in 1858. If your child has ever been hiking at Matthiessen State Park, they’ll be interested to learn that the park is named for Frederick and that some of the land for the park was donated to the state of Illinois by Frederick’s heirs after he died in 1918. The Hegeler Carus Mansion was actually built on the zinc company property. Edward Hegeler had a huge family of two sons and eight daughters, which is another fact that will seem unusual to today’s children, who typically have much smaller families than that. “This was a place full of children,” Kelly said. The eldest child, Mary Hegeler, will be the main focus on the tour because women were not allowed to do much during this particular time period, and she accomplished a lot with her
These old-fashioned dumbbells are hollow and were used for women’s workouts. dad’s support. In the general tour, you will learn about Mary Hegeler and her accomplishments and just where the Carus name comes from. Children on this tour will find a few spots in the house that will hold special appeal. When you enter, there is a two-floor gym on a lower level that you can view from the upper level. There are original hanging rings, a stationary bike, and
more. The hollow, wooden dumbbells were used by the women to keep their muscles toned. At a time when women were expected to be dainty, Edward Hegeler encouraged his daughters to exercise. “Girls were supposed to be pretty to look at, delicate,” Kelly said. Another interesting observaSee MANSION page 7
A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 5
This area in the mansion, the children’s balcony, was where the children would put on shows and entertainment for others.
6 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
Two antique dolls inside the Hegeler Carus Mansion.
A sled and some other toys of the past.
Mansion FROM PAGE 5
tion was how the house was built. The walls have two layers of brick wall along with horsehair paste to insulate the home. There are parts of the walls where you can see how they were made. Some of the rooms have been renovated to their original form. Children will notice devices they aren’t familiar with in their modern lifestyles, including a light switch that you need to pull out in order to turn on the lights. While many of today’s children are educated in public or private schools, things were different for the Hegeler children. They were homeschooled and were taught three languages, two musical instruments, and they all learned to swim. The children were treated like little adults. They were not allowed to eat in the dining room until they had adult manners, so they ate in the children’s room. In the children’s room, visitors can see some of the books the children read. German was spoken fluently in the household, so there were many books in the library in German. There were no televisions, so if the weather was nice, the kids were outside playing. In the winter, they built snowmen just as we do now, but they were more elaborate. There is an actual picture of one of the snowmen that looks like a sculpture, and the details are amazing. When inside, some things the children did to keep occupied were playing hide and seek,
One unique feature the Hegeler Carus Mansion has is a home gym. Even the girls in the family were encouraged to exercise. reading, and playing with the toys they had, such as Victorian dolls. The children also had unique pets like a parrot that could talk and a monkey, as well as a dog named Tatters that left his mark on the house. “I think it’s really important
for kids to understand there was a time when cell phones did not exist,” Kelly said. Boys on the tour may find it interesting how little boys dressed back in older times. See MANSION page 8
A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 7
If the idea of reading or writing in cursive is intimidating to your children, this crosshatch example at the Hegeler Carus Mansion will impress them.
Mansion FROM PAGE 7
“Little boys wore dresses. They were called frocks,” Kelly said. The Hegeler Carus Mansion is an excellent place to tour to give children some perspective on how different life was in other centuries.
An unnamed tutor in a photo at the Hegeler Carus mansion.
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Kelly wants people to keep in mind that these tours would not be possible if people from the past hadn’t meticulously kept journals and documentation of photos. “We are losing our history faster than at any point in history. Keep records. Print out your photos and write out on the back the first and last name and date with specific location,” she said.
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Breeding Confidence Through
HORSEMANSHIP Story by Katlyn Sanden Traveling around the United States together is just what the Hochstatter family of Wyanet does. Usually with a horse trailer in tow, the trio consisting of Travis, Heather, and their daughter, Quincy, can be found following the Jr. High Rodeo Circuit. As challenging as it can get working with unpredictable animals and teenagers, the trio agrees there’s nothing better than the memories made together in the show barn. “Honestly, we weren’t sure if Quincy was ever going to get involved with horses,” Heather said. “I think she didn’t show any interest because when horses are there all the time, it’s not really that exciting.” She’s referring to the days Quincy was young and when
“I really just wanted to start riding to see what it would be like. I saw my cousin riding horses and thought it was amazing. I really wanted to do it.” Quincy Hochstatter they started their own business breeding horses. It wasn’t just a hobby. It was, and still is, their livelihood. The young family lived in Texas for a bit, but it wasn’t until they moved back to Illinois that Quincy started to get excited about what was right in front of her. “That’s when Quincy said, ‘I want to show at the 4-H fair,’” Heather said. “She was
eight, and we were both like, ‘Awesome, let’s do it!’ At that point, we literally spent more time saddling the horse and getting the horse ready, and she’d ride for five minutes. It was a ton of work at that time, but anytime she wanted to ride, we’d let her ride. We didn’t push her. It was fun for us to get back into it at that See HOCHSTATTER page 11
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Quincy, and her mom, Heather Hochstatter, take a break to talk strategy. PHOTO BY KATLYN SANDEN
10 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
Hochstatter FROM PAGE 9
level when it wasn’t work all the time, and we could actually enjoy the horses again.” Quincy, 13, said it wasn’t until she was watching her cousin ride and witnessed firsthand how much fun she was having that she thought horses might actually be for her too. “I really just wanted to start riding to see what it would be like,” Quincy recalled. “I saw my cousin riding horses and thought it was amazing. I really wanted to do it.” Quincy has come a long way since that realization. She now competes in the Jr. High Rodeo Association, as well as a travel team that does horsemanship. Barrel racing and pole bending are among her top rodeo classes, and on her horsemanship team, she learns how to ride and communicate with horses she’s never met before. “It’s (horsemanship) been awesome for confidence and the ability to ride anything,” Heather said. “She can climb on anything and I
don’t have to worry about her.” “Over the past year, I have definitely been getting more confident with getting on other horses I really don’t know. That has been helping with my control of horses, and my perspective of how many different kinds of horses there can be,” Quincy added. Along with self-confidence, both Heather and Quincy have a strong appreciation for all the other life lessons horsemanship and rodeo are teaching. “It teaches so much,” said Heather. “It teaches responsibility. Another big thing it teaches is that Quincy works really, really hard and doesn’t always get what she wants. That’s huge for today’s youth and even some adults. We’re working really hard every day, but there’s a lot of people working really hard every day.” “So much has to come together,” Heather said. “She’s showing against other 13-yearolds on animals, so some days somebody has a really good day and some days somebody has a really bad day. There’s a lot of work put in, but that doesn’t guarantee you anything. It has
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to be that hard work put in, the consistency, and God-willing it all comes together and works out the way you want it.” And some days, Heather struggles with finding the line between coach and mom. “It’s hard to be a mom and a coach,” Heather said. “There’s a lot of drama. I have to work really hard to separate those things because I want to prepare her, but I also want to support her. It’s hard when she comes out of the pen and you want to be like you did this, this, and this wrong, or you did this, this, and this right. It’s challenging to balance that. Do you coach? Do you hug? What do you do at that spot?” Despite those struggles, working so closely together towards a goal, has a way of working out for the best. Quincy has big dreams of making it to nationals in either barrel racing or pole bending someday, but realizes how far she’s come since her early days. “I’ve been practicing a lot with my horse to make it to the point I’m at,” Quincy said.
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A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 11
The SWEET Life EASY DESSERT RECIPES FOR CHILDREN TO MAKE By Shannon Serpette
W
hether your child or grandchild loves to experiment in the kitchen or you want them to learn a new skill, baking can be a creative and fun outlet for children. The key to successfully teaching your child skills in the kitchen is starting with easy recipes and ensuring you’re there to supervise them at all times. With the easy-to-make recipes we’ve assem-
bled, they may have a question or two they’ll need help with (as well as some supervision getting things in and out of the oven), but the majority of the work can be done by young, inexperienced bakers. They’ll be gaining confidence in the kitchen, and you’ll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy having some tasty dessert that you didn’t have to make for once. That’s a win-win situation for everyone.
Lucky Rice Krispie Treats INGREDIENTS 4 Tbsp butter 1 - 10 oz bag of mini marshmallows 6 to 7 cups crisped rice cereal 2 cups Lucky Charms marshmallows DIRECTIONS Line a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with parchment
paper or spray with nonstick spray. In a large pot, melt the butter and then stir in the mini marshmallows. Stir until it is fully melted down, and then fold in the rice cereal and gently combine it. Add half of the Lucky Charms marshmallows and gently fold together. Press the mixture into your baking dish. Press the leftover Lucky Charms marshmallows onto the top, and let the treats sit for an hour before slicing.
12 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
Chocolate Lava Mug Cake INGREDIENTS 3 Tbsp melted butter 3 Tbsp sugar 4 Tbsp flour 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa 3 Tbsp milk 1 egg 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 oz chocolate bars or chocolate chips Small pinch of salt DIRECTIONS Put the butter inside an oversized coffee mug and microwave it for 20 seconds. Add the sugar, flour, unsweetened cocoa, and a pinch of salt. Stir it well, and then add milk, the egg, and baking powder. Stir it until the batter is smooth. Add in your favorite chocolate bar or chocolate chips by placing them on top of the batter. Finally, slowly pour one tablespoon of water over the middle of the mixture – and don’t stir it. Microwave for one minute and then check if it’s done. The top should be set but still sticky. If needed, you can microwave for an additional 20 seconds.
Nutella Pastries INGREDIENTS 1 large egg 1 Tbsp water 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 3 Tbsp Nutella 1 tsp grated orange zest Icing Ingredients 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp orange juice 1/8 tsp grated orange zest DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and whisk the egg with the water in
a bowl. Unfold the puff pastry and cut it into nine squares. Put one teaspoon of Nutella into the middle of each one and sprinkle it with a little of the orange zest. Brush the edges of the pastry puff with the egg mixture and fold one corner over the filling to make a triangle. Press the edges to seal. After you’ve filled in all the triangles, put them on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. While the pastries are baking, mix the powdered sugar, orange juice, and orange zest together. After the pastries have cooled slightly, drizzle the icing over the tops.
MORE RECIPES ON PAGES 14-16 A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 13
Easy Peanut Butter Cookies INGREDIENTS 1 cup natural peanut butter or natural SunButter 1 cup sugar 1 egg Sea salt for sprinkling DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir the egg, sugar, and natural peanut butter or SunButter until combined well. Spoon one tablespoon of the mixture about one inch apart onto a greased baking sheet. Press a fork onto each mound to flatten them, making a crisscross pattern. Sprinkle the sea salt on top of each cookie. Bake for about 10 minutes, and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes on the pan before removing.
Puppy Chow INGREDIENTS 1 - 12 oz box of rice Chex cereal 1 - 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup peanut butter or SunButter 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 - 2 lb bag of powdered sugar DIRECTIONS Put the cereal in a big bowl, and then put the chocolate chips, peanut butter or SunButter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for 60 seconds and stir until smooth. If it hasn’t fully melted, put it in the microwave for another 30 seconds and stir afterward until it’s completely melted. Stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the mixture onto the cereal and stir gently with a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix – if you see some clumps, it’s fine. Pour the powdered sugar over the top of the mixture and gently stir to combine it. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
14 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
No-Bake Banana Pudding INGREDIENTS 1 - 5 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix 2 cups cold milk 1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 1 Tbsp vanilla extract 1 - 12 oz tub frozen whipped topping (thawed) 1 - 16 oz package vanilla wafers, crumbled 14 sliced bananas
DIRECTIONS In a big mixing bowl, beat the pudding and milk together for two minutes. Blend in condensed milk until smooth, stir in vanilla, and fold in whipped topping. Layer the wafers, bananas, and pudding mixture in a glass serving bowl.
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Elsa Fudge Editor’s note: This blue fudge is sure to delight any Frozen fan. INGREDIENTS 3 and 1/2 cups white chocolate chips 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Blue food coloring Sprinkles for the top, if desired Cooking spray
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Untangling Busy Schedules Parents feel the intensity of their family’s overpacked schedules Story by Brandon LaChance There is no written formula to life. No one knows what lifestyle is the best or how to make it work. However, modern families are feeling the struggle with their daily tasks, duties, responsibilities, and activities quickly filling up their schedules, leaving little time to decompress. If you’re feeling the pressure of an overpacked schedule, you’re not alone. These Illinois Valley families are coping with the same issue. The Tony and Tanya Milus household in Mendota has been manipulating schedules and Google Maps for years for full-time jobs and activities for six children ranging from 20-to-1 ½ years old. “It’s pretty much on me. I am home with the kids, and he works long hours and 45 minutes away,” said Tanya Milus, 34, a Peru native. “He does help during his one day off during the week, which is usually Wednesday. Other than that, it’s me. Right now, my schedule starts with Domenic needing to be at driver’s ed at 6:30 a.m. every day Monday-Friday. Then he has basketball. “In the evening, I juggle three baseball schedules and two soccer schedules,” she added. Tony is a sales and finance manager at Gjovik Chevrolet in Sandwich. For the last 1 ½ years, he has been driving 45 minutes to work and 45 minutes back after long days. On his off day, he helps as much as he can with the five children who are at home: Domenic Richey (15, Tanya’s son from a previous relationship who will add football practice to his schedule in August), Elizek Milus (11, two baseball games and two practices a week), Camden Milus (9, one baseball practice, two baseball games, two soccer practices, and a soccer game every Saturday), Bentley Milus (6, one baseball game and practice a week and one soccer game and practice a week), and Maverik Milus (1 ½, eats, cries, sleeps, smiles). Peyton Milus (20, Tony’s son from a previous relationship) does not live in the house, but he was the start of Tony and Tanya learn-
18 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Meet the Milus family, with this picture featuring the boys and mom together. Front row (left to right): Camden (Cam), Bentley (Benny), and Elizek (Eli). Back row: Domenic Richey (Dom), Peyton (Pey), Maverik (Mav), Tanya, and Tony. ing to juggle schedules. “I try to stay as in-tune with Tanya as much I possibly can. I have a calendar at work that I put all of my sales on – anything we sell goes on it with the customer’s name – but also, I have to fit all the kids’ schedules in the calendar’s little square,” said Tony, who is 36 and a 2004 Mendota graduate. “That means their baseball, soccer, practices, and what Domenic has going on because he is now in driver’s education every morning. I do everything I can to stay as well organized as I can and not forget something. But I’m a man, and we forget almost everything. Tanya has to remind me about a lot of things. Tony admits he’s a work in progress when it comes to juggling an intense family schedule. “She has always been 100 percent about our kids. I’ve had to work on that. I’m one of those who on my free time, I want to do other things. I’ve really scaled that back and taken a bigger approach to actually doing dad
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Domenic Richey dribbled the ball up the court last year when he was a starter for the Mendota boys’ basketball freshman squad.
stuff. I’ve honestly just grown up. I’ve grown as I went,” he said. “I can see it with every kid. I can start with Peyton, who is almost 20, to Maverik, who is 1 ½, and between you can see how much better I got with every kid. She’s always been consistent. If it wasn’t for her, I promise you we wouldn’t be where we’re at today.” The calendar helps Tony, but according to him, it’s all about the communication. The couple didn’t have all the schedule kinks worked out originally, but after learning a text or a quick phone call can save an argument and get the children where they need to be with as little hassle as possible, communication has been the number one priority. “You have to have communication. It doesn’t work without it. There is no secret to our marriage and us raising kids. There are going to be struggles, and everything isn’t sitting in a perfect line,” said Tony. “Being able to be on the same page most of the time, and I stress most of the time, works really well. If you’re not on the same
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Maverik tries to get his shades on as he joins his mother, Tanya, on a shopping trip. page and one side doesn’t know what’s going on, it is very, very difficult. “For instance, Wednesday is my day off, and I’m taking Maverik to get his shots. Honestly, it’s the first time I’m doing it by myself since she isn’t coming with me, but that’s the part of me helping her, so she doesn’t have to worry about so much stuff. She sets all of those appointments and does everything.” See BUSY page 20
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Bentley wades in the water.
Busy
FROM PAGE 19
Staying at home with the boys is enjoyable for Tanya, but sometimes it can be taxing. Every once in a while, when the school-age boys are in school, mom takes a little time for herself. “I do send Maverick to daycare two days a week to keep my sanity,” Tanya said. “When the kids were in school, I did have time to myself, which usually consisted of grocery shopping by myself and necessary things like that. There were times I’d go work out or get a pedicure. Now that it’s summer break, I still try to run and get things done by myself. But I usually get a couple phone calls while I’m gone to straighten the children out at home. “I always say the summer is my busy season and it’s from April to July. I’m normally on my own with the kids – and if one kid has a baseball game in Spring Valley, another has a baseball game in Mendota, and another has soccer practice across town – I get overwhelmed trying to get everyone where they need to be because I like to be on time for everything,” she said. “I’m also really bad about asking for help. I will wait until the last second. I don’t know why, it’s just my thing. I feel like I should be able to get it all done, and I can’t.” While they may not contact other family members until the last minute, they’re able to figure out their schedule with the help of each set of their parents, brothers, sisters, and close friends. Busy can equal stress. But active, enjoyable schedules and family can be a delight as well. For Tanya, even during the times when she feels she is going to lose her mind, she thinks about it and wouldn’t want it any other way. Her sons are enjoying life, and they will always have someone there for them even when Tony
20 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
Camden pulls up to take a jump shot at the basketball court at Strauss Park in Mendota. and Tanya are not. Tony shares the same happiness with having six sons. “My favorite part of being a dad is that I’ve always been a big believer – you raise them how you want them to be when they grow up. Then you watch as the older ones teach the younger ones what you’ve taught them,” Tony said. “Even though you have to reiterate things, you don’t have to worry about stressing it as much as you did with the older ones because they do it for you toward their younger brothers,” he said. “I was a lot harder with Peyton, Domenic, and Eli. I watch now as they tell their younger brothers (Camden, Bentley, Maverik) wrong from right,” he said. “They do it in a loving way. They’re not jerks about it. That’s the most enjoyable thing for me as a father, they take the qualities you’ve given them, and they share with their brothers. “We have two baseball games every night. It is so much fun watching your kids grow up and play baseball and basketball. I’ve been blessed for literally the last 15 years to watch these kids play sports and see the joy on their faces when something good happens. Most of my kids are so mentally strong that even when something doesn’t go right, you’re still proud of them for the fact that they don’t let it get the best of them. They don’t get upset. I’ve always told my kids their team is the most important thing. Watching them interact with their teammates even when they’re not having a good game is a really great thing.” Besides reoccurring schedule and bussing issues, the only other everyday issue is attention. Like every child, the Milus boys want every minute they can get from their parents, and sometimes they want it solo. Tony and Tanya know attention needs will See BUSY page 22
Camden (left), Bentley (middle), and Elizek smile after slamming down dunks at a trampoline park. PHOTO SUBMITTED
A NewsTribune Publication | Illinois Valley Parent | July 2022 21
Busy
FROM PAGE 20
always be an issue, but they do their best to accommodate ice cream dates to the park or watching professional games on TV. On a weekend in June, the Milus parents took Eli, Camden, and Bentley to a trampoline park and a hotel so they could swim. The next day, Tony and Eli put their cowboy boots on and went to a Travis Tritt concert. Tony says they try to live by Tanya’s approach to subside the attention issue: ‘Whatever makes them happy.’ The Milus family is not the only family in the area dealing with busy schedules and the hustle to get everyone where they need to be. Here are some other examples of Illinois Valley families managing their busy lives as best as they can:
care of their two children, A.J., 6, and Ayva, 2, who has Down Syndrome. MAX AND TIFFENY EVANS-SEE, MENDOTA Max works 12-hour shifts from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., while Tiffeny works 4-9:30 p.m. The days when both parents have to work, Max has one hour to pick up their three children – Aaron (10), Damian (3), and Liam (1) – and give the two younger ones a bath to get them in bed on time. He also tries to make sure he spends quality time with Aaron and makes sure he reads for a half hour. Max said it’s easier in the summer, but when school is in session, Tiffeny has to get Damian and Liam ready early so she can pick up Aaron from school and then rush them to the babysitters.
BRIA BROMENSCHENKEL AND DEREK PIECHA, LASALLE Addison is a 12-year-old who plays travel softball for Aftershock year-round and city softball during the summer. Kaden is a 13-year JAMIE ELLIS AND RYAN FONDEROLI, SUBLETTE old who plays sports all year, including city “It takes a village. I’m teaching in DePue. baseball, travel basketball, and he races dirt Dominic (15) is in three sports at St. Bede bikes competitively. While keeping them both with golf, bowling, and tennis. Sophya (11) on high honor roll, Bria works full-time at an plays travel softball (plays for Rage) and basoral surgeon office, and Derek works full-time ketball, regular season volleyball, basketball, with the City of LaSalle. Derek also plays softtrack and field, and summer softball in Amboy. ball for the Oglesby Men’s League. JioVanny (8) and Stella (6) go to Amboy and Bria says, “We’re currently juggling six are involved in basketball, baseball, soccer, sports between the three of them. There isn’t and softball,” Jamie said. one day of the week that we don’t have at “I try to do as much as I can, but Grandma least one sporting event, including the weekand Grandpa (Catherine and Larry) Ellis do end. Most days are spent running around the most between dropping off and picking up. while passing our son, Ky, who recently turned Grandma and Grandpa (Velma and Bob) Fon- 1-year-old, back and forth. We make sacrifices deroli, some of Sophya’s teammate’s parents to make it all happen, but I wouldn’t change it (Callie and Pat Bodmer, Ashley Krieser), my for the world. Hey, it’s fun, right?” sister (Connie Hunt), my niece (Ashley Vickery), my nephew (Tyler Hunt), and my aunt JOHN AND STEPHANIE HANSEN, MENDOTA and uncle (Roberta and Fred Pohl) all help as John is the Mendota girls’ varsity basketwell since sometimes we have three different ball coach and works for JJ&L Carpentry, games going on at three different venues with while Stephanie is an assistant auditor at long distances between. So far, it works. I love First State Bank. my village, and I’m very thankful for everyHere is what a day looks like for them: one,” she said. From 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. John is on a roof. After a full day at the bank, Stephanie is at OSF in RYAN AND PAULA WIDOLFF, COMPTON Mendota with Jack (six months) for a hemoAs of June 21, Ryan – who joined an ironphilia treatment, from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. Owen worker’s union in 2008 – has only had 34 days (3) goes to soccer at the YMCA from 4 to 4:50 off in 2022. He worked every day on the calen- p.m, and bowling league is at the Elks Lodge dar in both January and May and has been to from 5 to 6 p.m. Summer basketball practice nine different states, some of them twice. Paula takes 1 and a half hours. Lilly (6), Zeke (4), is an auditor at Rochelle Community Hospital and the rest of the family then need to eat, who works from home part-time while taking shower, and get ready to do it all over again.
22 July 2022 | Illinois Valley Parent | A NewsTribune Publication
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