Photography Issue Take Frame-Worthy Photos Best Sites for Sharing Find a Photographer (online guide) Plus—Easy one-pot meals MeMedia Kids
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Listings Birthdays The Little Gym . ..............................3 Mz. Pearl’s Variety Show .............12 Penny’s Puppet Productions .......12 Munchkin Playland ......................25 Sound Roots School of Modern Music ................... 21, 32
Books & Toys
Just Between Friends sale ............17 Taste of Home Cooking School ...18 Goodnight Moon performances ..27 Superkids Resale sale . ..................29 Early Learning Matters open house ......................................29
Food & Restaurants
New Seasons Market .....................2 SpielWerk Toys .............................17 Munchkin Playland ......................25 Steiner Storehouse ........................19 Hopworks Urban Brewery . ........27 Taste of Home Cooking School ...18 Me Too Café . .................................21 Childcare Beaverton Bakery . .........................25 A Mother’s Love ............................15 Happy Hollow Children’s Center . .........................16 Goods and Clothing Portland Wiz Kids . ............... 19, 24 Backyard Adventures ....................28 Clementine .....................................17 Events and Seasonal Super Kids Resale .........................29 Mama Baby Boutique ..................17 The Mom Shop . .............................3 Chic Eye Designs ..........................17 The Pals Project . .............................7 Goddard School Summer Sneak Peak . ....................................15 Haircuts Pass It On sale ................................19 Sit Still .............................................25
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Horseback Riding
Caron d Studio ................................9 Quiet Rein Riding School ..........25 Didi Danielle Photography ........10 Kiddie Kandids .............................31
Health & Fitness
The Little Gym . ..............................3 Professional Services Barre3 ...............................................13 Candice Aiston ..............................21 Baby Boot Camp ...........................12 C & C Taxes ...................................13 World of Smiles . ...........................13
Music, Theatre and Dance Childbloom ....................................19 Magic Music Studio .....................19 Sound Roots School of Modern Music ................... 21, 32 Penny’s Puppet Productions 12 Bennett Suzuki Violin Studio . ..12
Photography Reversed Lens Photography .........7 Times Two Studios . .......................7 Pure Image Photography . .............8 Petite Fleur . ......................................9
Schools
Portland Wiz Kids . ............... 19, 24 Little Fruit Farm Montessori . ....24 German American School ..........23 Escuela Viva . ..................................23 Bodhi Tree Learning Center . .....23 Goddard School ............................15 Sunshine Montessori School . ....15 Happy Hollow Children’s Center . .........................16 Oregon Virtual Academy ............11 Saturday Academy........................ 19 The Early Learning School .........21 Early Learning Matters ................29
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3
Editor’s Corner Letting Go
My daughter Rory has a stuffed giraffe she calls “Jerr.” Received as a gift at my baby shower, Jerr was there to welcome Rory home from her birth, and soon became a permanent fixture in my little girl’s arms. She came with us everywhere, and every nap and every night of slumber passed with that giraffe snuggled up in Rory’s arms. Jerr truly became a member of our family. The giraffe was Rory’s comfort, her lovie. When she got near her Jerr, she’d stroke its soft belly and jam her thumb in her mouth. Jerr’s numerous bald spots are testament to the hours she logged in my daughter’s hands. Because Jerr aided and abetted Rory’s thumbsucking habit, like an addict, she would slyly seek him out. As a toddler, she’d—adorably—stand outside her crib and reach through the slots to get in a stroke and a suck. As a 4- and then 5-year-old, looking for a fix, she’d—not so adorably—climb stools or scale counters to get to Jerr. Everyone told me she’d grow out of the thumbsucking, and of course they were right. I admit this development thrilled me. Until… One night a few weeks ago, I tucked Rory into her bed, and the giraffe was missing. For several weeks, Jerr was nowhere to be found. And Rory didn’t seem to mind. She was fine without her the giraffe – I was the one who looked for Jerr, but Rory hardly mentioned it. How could this be? How could she not miss her beloved Jerr? I realized Rory was outgrowing her lovie, and I recognized that she would one day also outgrow her other early childhood rituals and habits. It occurred to me that just like thumb-sucking and rubbing Jerr, she might one day outgrow her need for me. If she could so effortlessly get by without her giraffe, she could surely get by without her mama. And though intellectually I know that one day she will grow up and be independent, I watched with joy when, upon seeing Jerr emerge from the depths of one of the laundry hampers, Rory screamed in delight “JERR!!” Emotionally I know she will never outgrow her love—for me or for Jerr—completely. She hugged her little lovie tight to her chest. So did I. Lots of love to you and your lovies this month! —Jessica davis, Jessica@nwkids.com 4
Editor / Publisher Jessica Davis jessica@nwkids.com Editorial Assistant Julie Shamblin julie@nwkids.com Advertising Manager Michelle Snell michelle@nwkids.com Account Manager Jenifer Jepson Wiggin jenifer@nwkids.com Artists Erin Sorenson, Corrina Reff, Teddy Raines corrina5455@yahoo.com, karistm@gmail.com Contributors Alisa Gaylord, Dawn Sorem, For Photography submissions photos@nwkids.com
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NW Kids is published monthly by littlemedia, llc. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle
Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
contents Photography 6 Profile 14 Food 20 Birthday 24 Crafts 22 Mama Says 30
on the cover... Photos on left courtesy of sugarplum photo, www.sugarplumphoto.com, photos on right submitted by a local parent
what’s inside... Take Frame-Worthy Photos Family Networking Programs OPB's Children's Programming Chief Discusses the Current Lineup MeMedia Kids Takes Personalized Storybooks to a New Level Best Websites, Recipes, Crafts, and more
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on the web... New! Photographer Guide: www.nwkids.com/guide.photography searchable school Guide: www.nwkids.com/guide/schools ticket giveaways! Enter to win four tickets to Goodnight Moon at the NW childrens theater: www.nwkids.com/tickets
show us where the fun is.. Your little one could be on the next cover of NW Kids. Email your pics to photos@ nwkids.com 5
Photography
ten tips to turn Your Photos into Keepsakes Contributors: Melissa Hathaway, Melissa Tomeoni, Emma Darden, Christy Rimrodt
We all love having beautiful shots of our kids, and often we rely on sessions with professional photographers to get “frame-worthy” prints. Problem is, we do this maybe once or twice a year, and the kids make beautiful memories every single day. So we asked a few local experts how to take better shots to capture the other 364 days of the year. A typical home shot is generally taken with a point-and-shoot digital camera. The child is standing up and looking straight at the camera. If we’re lucky, our little one has a goofy grin. The question is – does this really reflect what your child looks like? Will it match what your memories of your child will be? Follow these simple tips to capture frameworthy photos.
Top two photos courtesy of Sugarplum photo, bottom photo courtesy of Reversed Lens 6
Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
Get Down. Get on your knees or belly, so you can interact with the environment your child experiences. “See what they see, explore the world from their point of view,” says Melissa Tomeoni from Soul Mates Photo. Your photos will be more realistic plus shooting them from their level helps kids relax because they don’t have to raise or lower their head to look at you. Getting down at their level also helps them relax because you can show them your camera, show them images on your screen, and help them feel involved in the photo-process. Move / Examine Pieces and Parts. You need to get close to your little one if you want a great photo. If you’re at the birthday party, you must put down your cake and get right up next to the candles. “You can’t just sit there; you have to train yourself to move closer to the action,” advises Emma Darden of Reversed Lens Photography. Same with the first steps or the first missing tooth. “Face it – your house is probably not picture
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perfect all the time – don’t let that pile of laundry or clutter in the back of the room ruin a perfectly good photo. Just crop it out,” says Darden. Along these same lines, take photos of individual body parts, recommends Tomeoni. “Get super close ups of those chubby legs, fingers and ears – any body part you love to squeeze and smooch.” These will be images you want to remember. ”It’s also really fun to tell your child to look at themselves in the lens reflection,” says Christy Rimrodt of Studio Christy. “This creates great eye contact and they will move in REALLY close to the lens!” Focus on the child. Your kids will respond more naturally to your face than they do to some camera pointed at them. The picture will reflect if the camera makes them tense. Tomeoni recommends you do this instead: with your camera, focus on your child (preferably the eyes will be in the center of the portrait box), then hold the shutter down halfway. This keeps the frame in focus. While
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Photography
keeping your finger in place, move the camera down so your little one can see you make your funny faces. Chat with your child, maintain eye contact, and get him or her to relax. The moment that happens, start snapping away at the shutter. stoP PosinG! Capture your children’s everyday lives instead. “If I could eradicate one word from the English language, it would be ‘cheese,’” says Darden. “This posing halts any authentic moments and creates a contrived emotion.” If you really want to get your child in the act of being joyful, take photos of those ordinary moments around the house— brushing their teeth, nursing, eating, listening to stories, watching TV. Make sure you photograph them with their favorite stuffies or your favorite hats and coats. Document it all. A good way to help your child be natural is to just talk to them. “Most of the time if you get them going on something they love or are excited about, they will forget that the camera is there and let their guard down,” says Rimrodt. She also suggests specific activities, such as asking two kids race each other in the backyard, or spin around in a circle. watch tv. Darden says this will help demonstrate one of the cardinal rules of Photo courtesy of Soul Mates Photo
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NW Kids Resource Guide to Local Photographers Specializing in Mama, Baby, and Child portraits: photography: the Rule of Thirds. Basically, take a rectangle, draw a tic-tac-toe pattern, and focus on the where the lines intersect. On TV, the actors are rarely smack dab in the middle of the screen – they are slightly off the side, which is a much more compelling composition. In experimenting with composition, don’t be afraid to crop off at unexpected locations. “It’s okay to cut off the top of someone’s head to get close ups of your child’s eyelashes, or ears, or teeth.” These intentional crops add visual interest. Turn off that darn flash! Most people set their flash to Auto and don’t think too much about it. But Auto flash is the No. 1 thing that will ruin a really good snapshot, according to Melissa Hathaway of Melissa Hathaway Photography. Your camera should have the capability of turning off the auto flash — pull out your handy dandy manual for instructions for how to do this (see next tip). Next, you want to find a big open light source. If you’re indoors, look for the biggest window in your house and stick your kids right in front of it. Now, snap away! “Even on the cloudiest days here in the Pacific Northwest, a simple thing such as moving your subject to a bigger light source in your house will do the trick,” says Hathaway. Read the ManuaL. All the photographers we spoke with agree that learning how to use your
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www.nwkids.com/guide/photography More Tips, including how to organize and share your digital photos: www.nwkids.com/ photo/organize See these principles in action in the NW Kids online slideshow: www.nwkids.com/photo/ slideshow Photographer websites: Melissa Hathaway Photography www.melissahathaway.com Reversed Lens Photography www.reversedlensphotography.com/ Soul Mates Photo www.soulmatesphoto.com/ Studio Christy www.studiochristy.com/
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Photography
Photo courtesy of Reversed Lens Photography
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camera can do a world of good. In addition to the auto flash three settings in particular—White Balance, Portrait Mode and Burst or Action Mode— can help you hone your craft. Many local photo supply shops, including Pro Photo Supply in the Pearl District, offer classes or walk-in advice on your particular camera settings. And most important of all – MaKe sure You alwaYs have a FullY charGeD batterY! You should have two batteries, one charging while the other is in use. When a photo session is over, put the used battery on a charger and put the backup fully charged battery in the camera for the next time. shoot oFten. Delete. Go ahead and take 100 shots. It probably takes at least 10 tries to get one good picture of one person. Choose the best one and delete the other 99. Repeat frequently and you’ll have an amazing album that doesn’t overwhelm you putting it together. Print Your Photos. They don’t do much good hiding out in your camera or on your laptop if you don’t share them. Put them in frames or albums or at least on a photo sharing website. If you want the absolutely best possible image quality for print, switch your camera to save images as TIFF or RAW and edit them with your software (note that these files are considerably larger -- they’ll fill your memory card twice as fast.) For emailing, printing or posting online, you’ll eventually convert them to JPEG format. JPEGs are perfectly acceptable in most cases, but you should set your camera to “high quality” or “fine” to maximize their crispness. Don’t forget to DocuMent aGes between 5 – 18! Professional photographers are busy at several key stages in a baby’s life: at birth, when the baby starts to move, and right around his or her first birthday. Then the kids are often not professionally shot until they graduate from high school, leaving a whole lotta cute on the table. "This is one of the most common things I hear from clients," agrees Rimrodt. Just take photos on a regular basis of all children and you’ll be fine. Also try not to neglect the early days of baby #2 , #3, and so on…
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Family-Friendly Networking
T
en years ago we would have balked at the idea of checking our personal email more than once or twice a day and certainly any convo involving texting, Facebook apps or Twittering would have rendered us clueless. We would also pore through family and friends’ scrapbooks, albums, or if your family is like mine, flip through stacks of unfiled photos… we even perhaps sat through a slideshow of someone’s trip to Europe. Now, of course, when we communicate more frequently from our blackberries and laptops than face to face, it only makes sense that we would also share our personal photos and family updates on specialty networking sites. In a cyber-sea of networking sites, its time to
get on board with the one that makes the most sense for your family. Three types of networking sites go beyond the typical Facebook or MySpace format – thus ensuring that little ones (or even grandma for that matter) won’t be seeing inappropriate messages or sharing screen time with former colleagues or people we knew in high school.
Sites for the Whole Family Perfect for families who want to stay well connected, family networking sites allow relatives and approved members to post photos, share stories or videos, plan events, and give quick updates on everyone else’s lives. There’s no shortage of these sites, but our personal favorite is www.WorldWideNest.com. Not only
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Learn more at K12.com. Interested in a full-time public school option? The K12 program is available through the Oregon Virtual Academy—an online public charter school authorized by the North Bend School District for grades K-8 that offers state-certified teachers, a free loaner computer, and a range of extracurricular activities. Enrollment for the 2009-2010 school year opens in March. It’s not too early to start thinking about fall! Join us at an upcoming event to learn more. Visit www.oregonva.org for complete enrollment information and a full listing of events. www.oregonva.org | 866.529.0163
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11
Photography is it free and easy to use with lots of great features but it’s also the brainchild of a local Hood River gal (Melanie Salisbury). The website describes each family’s nest as a “virtual scrapbook, photo album, newsletter and refrigerator door wrapped in one.” Sounds good to us! Others to check out include myfamily.com and ning.com.
Just for Kids Sites There’s not doubt about it, little kids will always want what the big kids have. So it’s no wonder that more and more sites are popping up that offer many of the same features that the big kids have on Facebook and MySpace but that also satisfy parents’ concerns about safety, security and sure-fire filtering. On sites like www.imbee.com, kids can connect with friends from school, join groups to make new friends and participate in parent- and teacherapproved activities. Although the site is designed especially for kids ages 7-13, it’s also important to
remember that even the best laid plans might have a few holes so, as with all the world of cyberspace, don’t let your guard down completely.
Baby Networking Sites Despite how improbable it may sound, sites such as www.totspot.com and www.Kidmondo. com are growing in popularity. On these sites, parents create profiles from the perspective of their babies and provide updates to interested parties via photos, stories about outings and news about their development milestones. Yes, we’re talking about personal sites for individuals who communicate via smiles, cries and coos, and yes, social networking has stretched to the crib, but hey, it provides parents with an outlet for creative pursuits, right?
Marketplace Mz. Pearl’s Variety show for Parties heather Pearl 503-358-3441 heather@nomadictheatre.org
check my website for performances; available for birthday parties BENNETT SUZUKI VIOLIN STUDIO P R I VAT E A N D G R O U P L E S S O N S
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Profile MaRY GaRdNER: Matchmaker NW Kids: We like some of the new shows on OPB this year. Are these coming from PBS or are they locally produced? Gardner: Most of OPB programming primarily comes from PBS, which is a national service for programming. There’s been a new director of children’s television at PBS who is slowly, slowly changing the face of PBS Kids. She is strongly committed to bringing educational and fun shows to air and to developing educational online content. She said, “Dora (the Explorer) should have been a PBS show,” and I think you are seeing a move in that direction with our new shows—Martha Speaks, Word World and Word Girl. NW Kids: Those are great shows. Gardner: These all have educational value, and they’re presented so that kids don’t realize they are learning. We are making a conscious effort to update the programming, keeping it fresh and making learning fun. NW Kids: One thing I like about the new shows is that I haven’t seen the characters plastered all over stuff. Will there one day be Martha Speaks dolls? Gardner: The marketing and the licensing of toy characters have nothing to do with PBS or OPB. Those decisions occur with the show producers. NW Kids: So let’s talk about what you mean by “educational.” I watch Curious George or Clifford and I wonder what the kids are really learning. Gardner: These shows teach other skills. Bob the Builder for example, has a strong emphasis on social skills, which are necessary for preschool. 14
As OPB’s children’s programming manager, Gardner chooses which shows — and when —air on your local PBS Kids. Her opinion can shape which TV characters your children will fall in love with. Gardner spoke with NW Kids about what goes on behind the scenes at PBS and OPB. The learning is not obviously academic. NW Kids: So what are the factors that determine whether a show stays or goes? Gardner: Financial considerations are a huge factor – producers of a show will run out of money or OPB can no longer afford it. Sometimes the actors on the show move on – LeVar Burton has not made a new episode of Reading Rainbow in several years. Bob the Builder – if you pay attention you’ll notice the characters have different voices over time. Sesame Street has been very lucky to keep the same core people on the show, plus it benefits from all the celebrities that appear. (note: The Muppet Wiki has a pretty good list of guest stars: muppet.wikia.com) You’ll see a show move to one day a week or into the 6:30am timeslot – this is a signal to viewers that the show is going away (note: Mr. Rogers now airs in this timeslot. Be prepared to bid adieu). NW Kids: So are all the shows on OPB your personal favorites? Gardner: Yes and no. I have been doing this a long time so I have experience making predictions. I hear from a lot of parents. And I go with my gut. Shows like Barney I just don’t think any adult really understands… Thomas is almost magical. It is suprising to me sometimes how shows just catch on. I introducted it to my grandson and the way he adored it, I just saw something. Tune into PBS Kids on OPB:
www.opb.org/kidsfamily/ and check out the great online programming for additional educational experiences. Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
appropriateness (to the year), violence, sex, highlights the overall message of the show and also reviews whether it's any good.
Favorite Online Destinations There’s no denying that I luuuurve the Internet. This month I thought I’d share some of my favorite family sites. www.pbskids.org Great extension of some of your favorite shows, with interactive games, downloadable worksheets and more. www.kerpoof.com Kerpoof is a dynamic activity site where children of all ages can make pictures, movies, drawings, cards, or complete stories. Turn any picture into a coloring page: choose a setting or background, and drag and drop elements onto the page, save and print. www.worldwidetelescope.org Explore the universe, take tours of space, and excite children about the world beyond planet Earth. www.youtube.com This is a no-brainer! We use it to demonstrate an activity the kidlets have never done before, such as skiing or gymnastics, and of course, for short videos or show clips to entertain with. I feel dumb even trying to describe YouTube, because I am most certain you know what it is.
www.parenthacks.com This site, made by a local parent, offers tips or “hacks” for life around the house. The wide variety of tips include “pipe cleaners: the perfect road-trip toy,” “tidying up is more fun with cooking tongs” as well as meatier topics such as discussing death with toddlers and juggling motherhood and work. www.eensies.com Penned by two teachers, this blog is chock full of quick, digestible bits of fun, educational tips, such as counting games to develop math skills to help parents create fun “homework time.” The bloggers respond directly to readers, so if there’s something you’re a little embarrassed to ask your kidlet’s teacher… www.todayisfun.com/blog The activities on this blog will help you keep kids occupied for hours on end, without having to spend money or buy stuff. Some categories include Waiting Room Activities, Things to Do at a Restaurant, Good for the Car, and so on. You can also check out my Delicious bookmarks online for more sites I like as well as articles on topics I think you'll like, (www. delicious.com; user name is magazinemama).
www.storynory.com Classic and original audio tales read aloud in a crisp English accent. Pretty good collection of stories from which to stream, download, catch in itunes or in an iphone. www.storylineonline.net On this site, designed for kids to navigate themselves, Hollywood stars (mainly those recognizable to tweens) read books aloud in well-produced and engaging online videos; discussion questions, downloads and more accompany each story. www.commonsensemedia.org This site reviews websites, tv shows, dvds, video games and provides detailed analysis on age 16
Portland City Search Winner 2005, 2006, 2007 4455 SW 99th Ave. Beaverton, OR 97005
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Organic, sustainable gifts and essentials for mom and baby. Spring sale on now through April! www.clementinenw.com 503-919-0134
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"This Tigard girl is playing at Cook park and really hamming up the camera. She loves to sing, dance, slide, and watch Barney!" Thanks to her parents for sharing this photo. Have one you want to share? Send it to photos@nwkids.com.
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Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
Waldorf Inspired: Toys Remedies Skin Care Books Portland-made felted wool creations
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Food
Creating meals the whole family can eat
T
by Alisa Gaylord
he first few months of feeding my daughter solid food was simple. I prepared and froze batches of puréed baby food that I could pull out of the freezer to defrost at meal time. Then, the day Claire turned ten months old, she refused her beloved puréed baby food. I was challenged to create healthy meals that the whole family could eat. Even as a professional baby-food creator, I struggled to find a combination that not only would my 3 1/2 year old son eat, but also that would encourage Claire to utilize her newly found pincer grasp. I’ve never been one to make a lot of one-pot meals, but I turned to them with glee, thinking of the time I would save by not chopping Claire’s meals into the appropriately sized bites. I sought out meals that already contained tiny bits of grub so Claire could feed herself with her little pincers and I could still serve one meal to the entire family. It’s still a lovely time of year for warm comfort foods, and with St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, meat-filled puff pastries came to mind. I created a lighter version of chicken pot pie made with root vegetable risottos, and pastas. With a one-pot meal, you have all of the food groups in one go. Plus, there’s less cleanup at the end of the meal! I also found that my son, Ethan, was more willing to eat his vegetables when they were incorporated into the dish rather than on the side. He happily picks out the peas, carrots, and green beans to eat from the chicken pot pie. Often, he eats more veggies than he does chicken! Now, I am looking forward to the day when my daughter masters the use of her spoon! These one-pot meals satisfy the littlest eaters to the rest of the family. Alisa is the founder/owner of Gaia Baby Food (www. gaiababyfood.com). She lives in SW Portland with her husband, two children and their labrador dog. 20
Recipe: Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie This can easily be made vegetarian, use vegetable broth and leave out chicken.
Ingredients:
½ onion, small diced 1 parsnip, small diced 2 carrots, small diced 1 celery, small diced 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth 4 cups any combination of frozen vegetables (peas, broccoli, cauliflower, yams, etc) 2 cups cooked chicken, small diced (left over chicken works great) 2/3 cup flour 1 ½ cups any type milk (even fat-free) 1 tablespoon thyme 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon worcheshire 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted 1 tablespoon olive oil Preheat oven to 400º. In a large stock pot, add olive oil to pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, carrots, parsnips, celery, and black pepper until softened, about 10 minutes. Add chicken or vegetable broth, bring to boil over high heat. Add frozen vegetables, reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove vegetables from pot and place into a large glass baking dish. Add chicken to glass dish. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl whisk flour, milk, and worcheshire together until lumps are gone. Slowly add flour mixture to broth. Return heat to mediumhigh heat. Broth will thicken. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Slightly roll out puff pastry and place on top of chicken mixture. Cut a few slices in puff pastry to allow for venting. Place in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Puff pastry will be golden brown. Enjoy! Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
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Crafts
Spring Flowers Made With Paper rolls S pringtime is here and the flowers are popping out their pretty little heads, why not make some flowers of your own? This project is perfect to do inside on rainy spring day or outside on a sunny spring day, but no matter the weather, when you are finished you will get to enjoy a bit of outside beauty inside!
Materials ❁ Several toilet paper rolls ❁ Wooden BBQ skewers ❁ Paper or plastic cup ❁ Tempera or acrylic paint ❁ Foam brush ❁ Paint brush ❁ Crinkle paper or shredded paper ❁ Scissors ❁ Small container for water ❁ Newspaper (to cover table)
Steps ❁ Paint the skewers (these will be the stems of the flowers) and set them aside to dry. ❁ Next, using your foam brush paint the inside of your toilet paper rolls, these will be your flowers. ❁ Then, with the foam brush paint the outside of your toilet paper rolls using different colors and add some designs to them with the paint brush. Set them aside to dry. ❁ If you want you can also paint your cup, this will be the vase. ❁ After the toilet paper rolls are dry, carefully cut half-inch slits on both ends leaving one inch uncut in the middle. ❁ Then peel back each slit and make a nice round flower. ❁ Poke the skewer in the bottom of the flowers. ❁ Take the shredded paper and place it in the vase. ❁ Put the stems in the vase (crinkle paper will help hold the flowers in place). ❁ Now that the flowers are opened up you can paint more designs on the flowers. Enjoy! Dawn Sorem teaches arts and crafts classes and she does private classes/parties for both children and adults. If you would like more information or to set up a time to have her do an art project for a group you can contact her at envelopcards@gmail.com. Dawn is also the owner and designer of Envelop Cards, you can view her latest designs and see a list of her upcoming classes at: www.envelopcards.com.
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Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
It's like sending your child to Germany for the day. At the German American School of Por tland we have a knack for teaching children a second language. We make it fun. Not only do our students learn a second language, they are immersed in German culture through music, ar t, books and conversation with ever yone around them. In return, they have the oppor tunity to become better listeners, more exible mo in their thinking and more open to other languages and cultures. Bilingualism. The gift that lasts a lifetime.
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Birthday Personalized Books from MeMedia Kids Perfect for a Birthday or Any Day Who wouldn’t want to be the star of his or her own adventure? Rich Nevin, a Portland parent and founder of MeMedia Kids, thought that kids should star in their own stories. Doing so could help them connect with reading and enjoy all that great picture books have to offer, so he set out to make a great children’s book. Within a few years, MeMedia Kids has married the personalized book concept with compelling storytelling that places your kids in the center of the action. MeMedia Kids has on online, interactive interface where you upload multiple photos of your child, play around with cropping and angles, and create the character of your child. Within a week or so, you will receive a hard-bound, highquality, 8-inch by 8-inch book with your child’s face throughout the book, complete with his or her name on the cover. There are currently two books available with more planned. “We were challenged to tell a story in such a way that the kids could take the experience
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and extend it to their own storytelling efforts,” says Nevin. “From a creativity standpoint, we wanted to be in their (the kids’) brains a bit.” He emphasizes that story comes first; the line of offerings from MeMedia Kids is not meant to be a “cute” keepsake that is kept on a shelf; it is meant to be a beloved book that is read over and over again. So what goes into making a great children’s book? “A healthy dose of research,” says Nevin, whose two children / “consultants” who provide ideas about what kinds of things the characters should do and feedback on the direction of the books. Nevin says “they are fickle editors.”
MeMedia Kids is located right here in Portland and online at www.memediakids.com The website has additional activities, including coloring pages, songs, character voiceovers and more:
www.memediakids.com/coolstuff
Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
Now Offering Decorating Sessions Kids Design Their Own Delicious Birthday Cake! beavertonbakery.com 12375 SW Broadway, Beaverton | 503-646-7136
16857 SW 65th, Lake Oswego | 503-639-8900
Enter to win a free cake + decorating session: www.nwkids.com/tickets | Event: Cakewalk Winners chosen monthly
Real Style, Real Fun *haircuts, coloring, styling *mini-manicures & pedicures *birthday parties *fun accessories & unique gifts
Rain Creek
Quiet Rein Riding School
5656 Hood St. Suite 105, West Linn, OR 97068 503-657-3975 www.sitstillkids.com
walk-ins welcomed—appointments recommended
NOW OPEN!
tais kulish 2008
ENJOY Hunter, Jumper, and Equitation lessons in a gentle, focused environment. Quiet Rein provides professional care and training for riders and their horses preparing for the “A” show circuit, in association with Rain Creek Farms. WE OFFER a positive & safe start on experienced school horses for all ages & skill levels. A fun place for young kids to play Delicious Stumptown coffee and espresso Magazines & WiFi Reserve for parties
18335 NW West Union Rd, Portland 97229
503-533-5438 munchkinplayland.com Call 503.282.2711 for advertising information
HORSE AND PONY lease options and sales are available.
Summer Camps will be offered in 2009! Jill McGrady, Trainer/Instructor Vicki Zacharias, Trainer/Instructor At Rain Creek Farms 20833 S. Redland Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 544-7999 cell | www.quietrein.com 25
Performances & Concerts Through March 22 HONUS & ME: A BASEBALL CARD ADVENTURE With an original 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card in his possession, 12-year-old Joe Stoshack soon learns that the card is not only valuable but magical. An OCT production; www.otct.org March 1, 6 & 8 THE KING PERFORMANCE AT ALPENROSE DAIRY OPERA HOUSE The King is the story of Saul and David, Israel’s first kings. Brilliant costumes and lively dances the whole family can enjoy. www.alpenrose.com March 6 & 7 PETER PAN Children are the stars of this production telling the story of Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and the island of merry buccaneers. plays twice in March at Oregon City Children’s Theatre, www.occtheatre.org March 7 Captain Bogg & Salty in Concert Portland’s roughest swaggerin’ scallywaggs play rare Portland performances to celebrate the national release of their newest CD,“Emphatical Piratical.” 11am & 1pm, Curious Comedy Theater; www.ticketturtle.com for tickets March 9 NOONTIME SHOWCASE: PORTLAND OPERA TO GO, CINDERELLA Noontime Showcase is a once a month program featuring family-friendly performances; presented by the volunteers of PCPA as a “thank you” to the community for supporting the arts! Free event, tickets not needed. Especially geared toward kids in grades K - 6; 12pm, www.pcpa.com 26
March 2009 Calendar
March 14 Benefit Family Concert for IHI Guest appearances by popular musicians Steve Seskin and Peter Yarrow. IHI offers a range of youth programs. 5pm - 6pm; $5 per person/$10 per family The Monkey and The Rat. www.themonkeyandtherat.com March 14 Bee Positive Dance Party David Hall and friends are back for another singand-dance-along, ants-in-your-pants-along good time! Airplay Café; $7 kids, $12 adults, toddlers under 18 months free. www.beepositive.net March 15 PROFESSOR BANJO CONCERT The banjo-slinging, old-time singing “Professor Banjo” entertains children with sing-a-longs, dancing games, and lively old-time music. 5pm; Airplay Café, $10 per family March 21 YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERT: STRANGE INSTRUMENTS FOR A MAGICAL TIME Portland Baroque Orchestra introduces dances and songs played for knights and queens in palaces and gardens on 400-year-old instruments. 2pm, First Baptist Church, www.pbo.org March 21-April 5 GOODNIGHT MOON This new musical delights in the poetry and music of everyone’s favorite bedtime story. Best enjoyed by kids 4 and up. Various show times, Northwest Children’s Theater, www.nwcts.org March 28 TOY TRAINS CONCERT The Toy Trains play rock music for kids and families in highly enjoyable shows with a variety of instruments. At Airplay Cafe, 5:30 - 6:30 ($5 per person, or $10 for families) www.toytrainsband.com Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
events March 1, 14 & 28 little KiDs’ JamBoree Interactive event using simple instruments, songs, imagination and movement. Check www.littlekidsjamboree.com for location and times. March 4 story time mUsiCian 10:30am, Garden Home Community Library, 7475 SW Oleson Rd. www.gardenhome.plinkit.org March 13 family friDays Chamber music for everyone, 7pm (tickets firstcome first served at 6:30), Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis St. $5 per person www.communitymusiccenter.org March 14 & 21 Parent’s sUrvival niGHt 6-9:30pm, The Little Gym – Children enjoy an evening of physical fitness, games, and fun under the watchful eyes of professional instructors. Call for times & pricing, directions, and to reserve your spot. www.thelittlegym.com March 14 niGHt in tHe mUseUm Portland Children’s Museum, 5:30pm-8:30am, $40 for members (up to 4 people with 1 adult) and $55 for non-members. Overnighter with crafts, games, movies, dinner and breakfast. www.portlandcm.org
❤ Family
friendly ❤
Great for afternoon playdates! featuring a Healthy & organic kids menu keep the kids happy in our FUN indoor play area!
2944 SE Powell
PORTLAND, OREGON
503.232.4677
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March 23-27 safeWay sPrinG BreaK at oaKs ParK 12-5pm, Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way www.oakspark.com March 15 sHamroCK rUn – 1K lePreCHaUn KiDs laP 7:45am, SW Naito Pkwy between Oak St and Stark St. www.shamrockrunportland.com
March 25-april 26 annUal tUliP festival 9am-6pm, Wooden Shoe Bulb Company, 33814 South Meridian Rd. www.woodenshoe.com
March 15 ComeDy sPortZ for KiDs 2pm, Comedy Sportz, 1963 NW Kearney St. www.portlandcomedy.com
March 27-29 Better livinG Home, GarDen & lifestyle sHoW Various starting times, Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Marine Drive. www.betterlivingshow.org
March 17 st. PaDDy’s Day enriCHment at tHe Zoo 10am, Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd. www.oregonzoo.org
March 29 CeleBrate sPrinG BreaK WitH flUmPa & WenDy 1pm & 2:30pm, Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Rd. www.oregonzoo.org
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Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
ONGOING EVENTS Please visit the NW Kids website for more detail, location, and contact info.
MONDAYS
TINY TOT TIME 10:30am, Green Frog Toys PARACHUTE PLAY 3pm, Portland Children’s Museum FREE MONDAYS AT WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM 10am – 4:30pm
TUESDAYS
TODDLER STORY TIME 10:30am, Garden Home Community Library
STORY TIME 10am, Café Sip-n-Play FREE ADMISSION TO THE PORTLAND POLICE MUSUEM 10am – 3pm
WEDNESDAYS
HONEYBEE HIKES 10am, Leach Botanical Garden THIRD WEDS. – LITTLE PIRATE STORYTIME 11am, Captain Henry’s
THURSDAYS
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME & ACTIVITY 10am, Barnes & Noble – Jantzen Beach POP IN PLAY TIME 12 – 1:30pm, Pump it Up Jr.
FRIDAYS
CHILDREN’S STORY TIME 10am, Borders Book – Bridgeport Village KID’S “OUR TIME” YOGA 10am, Poise Studio, Beaverton FIRST FRIDAYS – OPEN STUDIO AT MY MASTERPIECE ART STUDIO 5 – 8PM, 7905 SW Cirrus Drive, 27G
SATURDAYS
GUIDED NATURE WALKS 10 – 11:30am, Tryon Creek State Park TREEmendous Second Saturday at the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum 10:30am – 3pm THIRD SATURDAY – Free admission to the Oregon Historical Society
Don’t forget about the area’s many museums. Most offer free admission on certain days and times. Several are free all the time. www.nwkids.com/MuseumDeals
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Mama Says
Paid Family Leave: You can’t plan for everything By Teresa Weis
A
plan. To plan. The Master Plan. It’s been planned. Like so many parents, we thought we had planned for everything. We planned to start “trying” early (as an infertile couple, we were advised it could take quite a while to conceive). So of course, we got pregnant within one month, throwing our timing off course. Our plan was for our son to be born at the beginning of next summer, not the end of this one. We saved three months worth of salary to pay for my maternity leave, which would be unpaid. Currently, pregnancy as a short-term disability benefit is not a state law. Some companies do provide it, but not all, and most employees do NOT have any benefit options to extend or pay for leave. So I planned for the gaps in my salary. Our plan, however, did not include five weeks of bed rest. It did not foresee our son’s premature birth six weeks early. Our plan had no clause for our son’s two-week stay in the NICU, nor for the extra time off my husband had to take from work. How does anyone plan for the sheer (physical, emotional, spiritual) exhaustion of a newborn? Can one plan or prepare for constant emotional overload? Fear, joy, worry, love, doubt, powerlessness and frustration all ripped our hearts and guts out as we watched our wee child struggle for life, unable to hold him through all the tubes.
Who could’ve planned for our son’s ongoing respiratory problems, or the additional time it took to establish breastfeeding—complications of his premature birth? My baby was three months old before he was able to nurse without assistance. According to our original plan, I should be just be heading back to work! How does one plan for the guilt and sadness that course through your body when you first drop your wee baby off at childcare, earlier in his life than you thought he might be ready? My husband and I had to go back to work just to keep the household afloat, and so we prayed our son’s lungs and immune system would stay strong. We planned like no other... we really thought out the best way to maximize our time off to care for a healthy newborn. And life happened anyway. No conceivable plan could have accounted for the complications or just the plain reality of having a baby. People who argue against paid family leave usually say, “you should have planned better.” But the fact is, paid leave was the missing bridge that could have allowed us to stick with our plan. It could have saved our community and Oregon taxpayers the financial costs that we were simply unable to bear. The plan with children is that there is no plan that can encompass all the unknowns that their little lives bring.
Teresa Weis works in a school as a therapist, has a private practice in Portland, and is a member of Parents for Paid Leave, a grassroots group working to pass the paid family leave insurance bill currently in front of the Oregon Legislature. When not doing these activities or parenting a 20 month old, she plays washtub bass and sings in the Stumptown Jug Thumpers. To learn more about the bill and how you can help please visit www.oregonpaidfamilyleave.org or www.parentsforpaidleave.org 30
Say you saw it in the pages of NW Kids
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