Wichita Family Magazine November 2012

family Wichita

NOVEMBER 2012

FiveTips for a Happy Holiday Gathering Turn Good Lunchboxes into Great Lunchboxes

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Connecting, Sharing, Learning & Playing

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Inside this issue....

Connecting: Cari’s Corner

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Sharing: Before You Blog

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Five Tips for a Happy Holiday Gathering

8 Doctor’s Orders

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Turn Good Lunch boxes into Great Lunch boxes 10 Kids Korner

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Learning: News and information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

12 Playing: Product Picks

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Connecting

family Wichita Publisher:

For the Families, LLC 316.295.8465 Publishers Eric and Christy Clark Editor & Vice President of Sales and Marketing Cari Fischer Advertising inquiries contact: 316.295.8465 or sales@wichitafamily.com

Well, the weather hasn’t proven it to us yet, but November is here! If your home is anything like mine, this means hiding Halloween candy in very high places, the start of our holiday shopping, and THANKSGIVING! This year I am so thankful for being welcomed into the Wichita Family Magazine gang. It has been such a blessing for me, and for my family. I have had the honor of meeting so many wonderful people, and being introduced to the incredible companies who keep Wichita alive and running.

This month, we welcome a new contributing writer to the WFM family. Amy Ragland is a talented local blogger who I have enjoyed following for quite some time. I hope you take a moment to visit her fun, and relatable blog.

We have an incredible contest planned for November. We want to see your favorite holiday recipes! Email, or send us your recipes on our Facebook page.

We will announce the winner on Friday November 15th. The winner will receive an incredible prize pack with items for your kitchen, as well as having their recipe and photo printed in our December issue.

Good luck, and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Cari Fischer Editor-in-Chief cari@wichitafamily.com

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Wichita Family Magazine is published 12 times a year by For the Families, LLC. Wichita Family Magazine is available free, at schools, stores, restaurants, libraries, retailers and local attractions, as well as other places families frequent. For a complete list of where to find Wichita Family, or for subscription rates, visit www.wichitafamily.com.

Mailing address: P.O. Box 817 Wichita, Kansas 67201 How to reach us: Phone: 316.295.8465 Email: publisher@wichitafamily.com Copyright 2009 by For the Families, LLC. All rights reserved. Wichita Family Magazine is not responsible for errors, omissions or contest fulfillment from third parties. Reproduction in part or in whole without written permission is strictly prohibited. Wichita Family is distributed free of charge. The magazine’s advertisers make this possible, so support them! We reserve the right to edit submitted material. All submissions will be considered for publication, but we reserve the right to refuse material.

Materials will not be returned. Any editorial content or advertising published is the property of For the Families, LLC.

www.WichitaFamily.com

TIMETESTED FAMILY APPROVED! It’s getting tougher to make ends meet for our area families and for businesses. Now, more than ever, we need to be there to help. Reach customers who are looking to spend their money wisely with our affordable advertising rates.

Call for details at 316-295-8465.

LEARN. GROW. THRIVE. School Day Out Camps GREATER WICHITA YMCA When school’s out, days full of fun and adventure are in store at the Y. Our licensed school day out camps for ages K-12 will engage your kids with a variety of fun, educational and physical activities.

Winter Break Camps December 21, 2012 - January 2, 2013 Andover, East, South & Northwest YMCAs Income-based pricing is available.

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BEFORE YOU BLOG

by Amy Ragland

When I first started blogging in 2009, I was a stay-at-home mom to a one-yearold and expecting our second child.

My blog became a creative outlet, a place for me to utilize the writing skills I had used in my professional life.

Maybe you have thought about starting a blog. Programs like Wordpress and Blogger make it easy to have a blog up and running quickly. But before you hit publish on your first post, here are some pros and cons of blogging that you might want to consider.

Benefits of Blogging It’s a great way to share pictures and stories. Robert Bishop writes about his family at dadblogkc.blogspot.com. “I started blogging because my kids do funny stuff and I wanted to make sure I recorded these stories somewhere,�

Bishop said. He also uses his blog to give perspective on life from a dad’s point of view. “I feel like dads don’t get enough respect, so even if I’m not a shining example of great parenting, I just wanted to put my voice as a dad out there.�

Blogging makes preserving family memories easy. When Susan Dyer started her blog, One Kansas Family (dyerlife.blogspot.com), her boys were three and four. Now they’re nine and ten. “After I write the last post of the year, I turn the blog into a hard back book using blog2print.com,� Dyer said. “My boys love to read the old posts, and laugh about what they said and

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did when they were younger.�

A blog can be a place to share your hobbies and interests. While some blogs – like mine – are all over the place topically, other can be more focused. Scott Weaver is a professional photographer who shoots many K-State sporting events. He uses his blog (scottweaverphotos.wordpress.com) to highlight some of the photos from the games. #

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Things To Watch For You open yourself up for criticism.

While most of the feedback on my blog is positive, there have been a few posts that generated negative comments. I’ll admit, it stings, especially when the criticism comes from someone who is important to me.

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Maintaining privacy is difficult. My kids were tiny when I started blogging.

Now they’re five and three. I try to keep in mind that anything I post about them to the internet will be there when they become teenagers. Before I hit publish, I always try to ask myself: “Will someone I love be hurt or embarrassed by this post?�

Blogs need fresh content. Readers want to see new posts or they will stop coming back. But don’t feel like you need to post every day. Dyer’s advice: start out small. “Blog when you want... and just write down your thoughts,� she suggests. “Write about what interests you. A blog is really just an online journal, and you are the author.�

Amy Ragland is a wife and mom of two in Wichita. She blogs at blankiesandbooboos.com.

Find us and “Like� us on Facebook.

www.facebook.com/WichitaFamilyMagazine

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logging. It seems everyone’s doing it. Many people use blogs to share information, promote a business, or just keep farflung friends and families informed of what’s going on.

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Know a business that is worthy of recommendation to other familes?

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Nominate your favorite in our Third Annual “Best For Family” Reader’s Choice Awards

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Visit our website in December to vote or for additional information.

Five Tips for a Happy Holiday Gathering

(Family Features) The holiday season is all about gathering family and friends together. But hosting any kind of holiday gathering means stacking a lot of items on your plate during an already busy season, taking the fun out of the festivities. With a little planning and the right attitude, you can pull off a fantastic event and enjoy being the holiday host or hostess.

Author and television host Katie Brown understands that when it comes to hosting a gathering – especially a holiday event – success is in the details. Here she shares her top five tips to help you entertain with less stress and more holiday spirit.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Make it Easy on Yourself

You don’t need to create an over-thetop, gourmet feast that keeps you slaving in the kitchen. Choose dishes that you can make several days in advance, and then pace yourself. Soups, casseroles, marinated salads and some desserts taste even better when they’ve had time for their flavors to fully blend.

Don’t Worry about Stains

When people are having a good time spills are bound to happen. But it doesn’t have to ruin your holiday cheer.

If an accident happens, you can help prevent stains from setting in by using a stain remover product like OxiClean® Versatile Stain Remover, which is chlorine free and color safe.

Add Simple Drama to Your Décor

You don’t need a total room makeover to create a holiday masterpiece. Just think color, pattern and texture. For example, fill vases or bowls with cranberries and sprigs of evergreen, or fill baskets with red apples, or jars with candy canes – the more sizes and shapes the better.

Create an Elegant Tabletop

Decorating is all about editing what you already have. For a chic holiday centerpiece, look for trays, ribbons, books and ornaments, and even leaves and branches from the yard–– they can all be used to help set a lovely table.

Also important is to make sure your dishes are sparkling clean. According to a recent survey from the makers of OxiClean®, 88 percent of respondents admit they are embarrassed to serve food on dishes that are cloudy or have spots.

Doctor’s Orders

“Did you know that Halloween is the second most commercially successful holiday world-wide next to Christmas? With that being said, millions of kids have partaken in many of the festivities that go along with it. Simple ground rules put in place before and after Halloween is essential to ensure your children make the right choices when it comes to their oral health. First, select candies with the least amount of sustainability (Meaning if it’s sticky and acidic, try to avoid it). Sour candies produce acid that erode teeth and gummy candies stay in contact with teeth longer increasing the likelihood of decay. Second, see if the consumption can be limited to one or two pieces per night. Constant snacking greatly increases the chances of cavity formation. Make the holidays a safe and enjoyable time of year without the worry of tooth decay.”

Get the Kids Involved

Give your younger guests a hand-made souvenir. Set up a cookie station with sugar cookies, frosting, colorful sprinkles and toppings so they can decorate their own dessert. You can also set up a small craft table and let them make ornaments to take home and hang on their trees.

Make the most of your holiday entertaining by keeping things simple.

www.WichitaFamily.com | 9

Optimizing Health. Optimizing Life.

Since 1975

Family Care

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Welcome Anne Zauderer, DC to the Riordan Clinic Medical Team CHIROPRACTIC $"3& '03 5)& 8)0-& '".*-: By keeping your spine well aligned on a regular basis, you and your family can prevent illness before it can set in and become chronic. (&/5-& "%+645*/( 5&$)/*26& for safe, specific adjustments in children, adolescents, adults, and seniors 13&(/"/$: $"3& to accommodate your changing body $3"/*"- "%+645*/( 5&$)/*26& for infants and children #0"3% $&35*'*&% 1&%*"53*$ CHIROPRACTOR )&-1 '03 $)*-%3&/ with ADD/ADHD, Aspergers, Autism, Sensory Processing Disorders 1"*/ "/% "35)3*5*4 ."/"(&.&/5

Call now to schedule your appointment. 316.682.3100

3100 N. Hillside t Wichita, KS 67219 316.682.3100 t www.riordanclinic.org

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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Turn Good Lunchboxes into Great Lunchboxes (Family Features) Food and lifestyle expert Evette Rios has five easy tips to help families pack a healthier lunch, and turn a good lunchbox into a great lunchbox:

Don’t be afraid to give them a sweet treat.

Instead of a candy bar or cookies, try packing Go-GURT® Portable Lowfat Yogurt. With a fun tube and smooth, creamy texture, these treats are Subtract the fat. specially made to freeze and thaw by Remove unnecessary fat with fat-free lunchtime.

If kids help select it or cook it, they’ll deli meats – your kids won’t know the eat it. difference.

Give them a choice and involve them, but guide their choices. Let them cruise the produce aisle and pick out the Children who eat a poor quality food they want to eat. breakfast or lunch may give in to temptation, so offer healthier snacks When shopping for healthier like nuts and dried fruit. ingredients to feed your family, Rios recommends looking for the Great It’s not juice if it’s not 100 percent. for You seal on Walmart produce available in stores now and on select If you are going to serve juice make Great Value and Marketside products sure its 100 percent fruit juice. beginning this fall.

Avoid temptation with snacks.

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Learning

News and information from our partners at Wichita Public Schools

Brooks and Airbus take the Flying Challenge Students at Brooks Technology and Arts Magnet Middle School will have a unique opportunity to learn about aviation, science, math and engineering from engineers from Airbus. Around 70 Brooks students will be paired with Airbus engineers during the school year as part of the Airbus Flying Challenge, a partnership between Brooks, Airbus, the United Way, Communities in Schools and Wichita State University.

The students met with the engineers for the first time and explored many science exhibits together during the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Launch Event at Exploration Place.

The Airbus Flying Challenge matches Brooks students with mentors from Airbus and engineering students from WSU. The partnership encourages students to learn about careers in aviation and to see how math, science and engineering can be used every day. The students will meet with their mentors at school and during field trips. At the end of the school year, the students who complete the program will fly in an airplane with

Airbus engineer Rosemary Lesser watches students have fun in a flight simulator at Exploration Place.

their mentor.

Airbus has a similar program in Toulouse, France. This is the first Flying Challenge

in the United States. Airbus gave the United Way $250,000 to sponsor the program.

Ortiz students learn to stay safe during a fire Students at Ortiz Elementary received a unique fire safety lesson during Fire Prevention Week. Wichita firefighters gave them safety demonstrations on how to prevent fires in their home and how to escape during a fire in WFDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s realistic traveling safety exhibit, called the Mobile Prevention Experience.

The Mobile Prevention Experience is a trailer designed to look like a kitchen and a bedroom. The students were reminded about not putting items like a towel close to the stove, to not play with lighters or candles, and why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to have a smoke detector in their home.

Ortiz was the first place the Mobile Prevention Experience was used. Mayor Carl Brewer stopped

by Ortiz to watch the students participate in the safety lessons. The Wichita Fire Department plans to take the special display to other schools throughout the district

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Wichita Fire Department Lieutenant Martin Gutierrez talks with Ortiz Elementary students about the importance of having a smoke detector in their home during a special safety demonstration.

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What does this mean? It means that, as a publication Stanley Elementary was presented a $25,000 check from Target during an all-school assembly. audited by Circulation Verification Council (CVC), we have a clear understanding of our impact, including the number of households we reach, how much we’re read and our influence on purchasing decisions. When it comes to serving readers and advertisers,CVC is the standard.

Stanley receives 37 $25,000 gift from Target02 461 PUBLICATION IMPRINT 5

Students and staff have reason to celebrate thanks to a large gift form Target. Stanley was presented a $25,000 Give with Target grant.

Representatives from Target presented the check during an all-school assembly at Stanley Elementary. The students gave large Thank You cards

to the store representatives to show the schools’ appreciation.

The school will use the grant funds to purchase technology, recess equipment, materials and incentives to encourage positive student behavior.

Stanley is the only school in Kansas to receive the Give with Target grant.

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Circulation Verification Council (CVC) audits 2,200 publications across North America to measure receivership and readership.

A CVC audit is a benchmark of performance and service. We’re proud to announce that we’re in the top 5 percent of audited publications, a true reflection of our commitment to our readers and advertisers.

There are standards of performance. And then there's Gold.

GOLD STANDARD PUBLICATION

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product picks

Enter for a chance to win one of these products. Visit our Facebook page @ www.facebook.com/WichitaFamilyMagazine What’s For Lunch?

If your kids are like mine, the ‘ol PB&J is probably getting a little old. With over 70 delicious recipes that you can prepare in 20 minutes or less, comprehensive shopping lists and even much needed tips, your children will be begging to know what’s on the menu. ($14.95) www.amazon.com

November is all about food! With the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching, here are some amazing products to help you and your family make the most of your family time.

Lunch box (by: California innovations) With hundreds of fashionable options, California innovations is sure to have the lunch box, or bag that compliments your own personal style. www.californiainnovations.com

Fit Fruit With all of the chemicals used when growing todays produce, it’s nice to know there are products out there to safely clean them away. Fit Fruit is a quick and east way clean your fruits and veggies.

It’s also 100% natural, vegan, and kosher! www.tryfit.com

Faucet Face These glass bottles don’t stop with their adorable graphics. Each bottle you buy provides a minimum 100 liters of clean water for a family in rural india. ($15) www.faucetface.com

Chic Wrap One of my favorite new kitchen tools, this fantastic product takes the frustration out of using cling wrap and looks fabulous at the same time. ($9.99) www.chicwrap.com

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Natures Flavors Whether you’re looking for natural food colorings, flavorings, or even herbs and spices, Natures Flavors has many all natural options to enhance any Thanksgiving table. www.naturesflavors.com

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YOUR CHILD can

Thrive

Online public schooling means individualized learning for every student.

Often, a one-to-one approach is what it takes to realize a child’s innermost possibilities. As the leader in K–12 online education, K12 offers tuition-free, online public schooling that adapts to fit every child. ´ Innovative, proven curriculum ´ Passionate, certified teachers ´ Flexible pacing, individualized learning It’s the choice between a child trying to fit the school, or a school that fits your child.

K12 programs are available in Kansas through the Lawrence Virtual School (K–8), Lawrence Virtual High School (9–12), iQ Academy Kansas (7–12), and Insight School of Kansas (7–12 and adult learners interested in completing high school).

We are accepting applications for the current school year in all of our programs.

Visit us online for full details and upcoming events.

VISIT K12.COM /KSSCHOOLS CALL 855.753.7149

Thank you for your support this season!

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