Giggle Magazine - Gainesville - Oct/Nov 2016

alachua

county’s

PREMIER

p a re n t i n g

M AGA Z I N E

OCT/NOV 2016 | Volume 8 • Issue 5

p

Don't let politics get between you and your friends! tasty seasonal drinks for the whole family

lus

14

Protecting yourself and your family from zika

must-see museums (all in florida!)

trick-or-treating has never been

so sweet! pg. 27

www.gigglemagazine.com gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016 1

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gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nicole Irving CREATIVE DIRECTOR Allison Raber copy EDITOR Colleen McTiernan GRAPHIC DESIGNERs Tanya Consaul, Claire Stortz Vice president of sales Shane Irving marketing assistant Delia Albert PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alison Walker Web Designer Tanya Consaul ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE April Tisher executive assistant Sayeh Farah ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ashleigh Braun Contributing Writers Carmen Basile, Ashleigh Braun, Claire Carlton, MS, RD, LD/N, Rizwana Fareeduddin, MD, FACOG, Nicole Germany, Nicole Irving, Helen Kornblum, Paige Benton McKee, Danielle Pastula, Olivia Pitkethly, MA, LMHC, April Tisher Contributing Photographers Sincerely Gone Photography, Langley Kate Photography

Mailing address

headquarters address

5745 SW 75th Street 101 SW 140th Terrace Unit 286 Suite C Gainesville, FL 32608 Jonesville, FL 32669 Gainesville Office: p. 352.505.5821 Tallahassee Office: p. 850.254.9704 Fax: 877.857.5140

gigglemagazine.com giggle@irvingpublications.com Giggle Magazine is a registered trademark property of Irving Publications, LLC. All rights reserved.

Giggle Magazine is published by Irving Publications, LLC. Š 2016

Irving Publications, LLC reserves the right to edit and/or reject any advertising. Irving Publications, LLC is not responsible for the validity of any claims made by its advertisers. Nothing that appears in Giggle Magazine may be reproduced in any way, without written permission. Opinions expressed by Giggle Magazine writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the publisher’s opinion. Giggle Magazine will consider all never before published outside editorial submissions. Irving Publications, LLC reserves the right to edit and/or reject all outside editorial submissions and makes no guarantees regarding publication dates.

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gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

Creating happy, healthy smiles, one child at a time.

Providing specialized dentistry for children and adolescents in a “child-friendly� environment, we focus on preventive care to help each child have a healthy smile that will last a lifetime.

Serving infants, children and teens in Gainesville and surrounding areas State-of-the-art digital technology Latex-free office Now accepting insurance from Humana, Delta Dental PPO and Solstice

Haile Plantation Village Center 5209 SW 91st Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608 and Northwest Professional Center 4910 NW 27th Court, Gainesville, FL 32608 Dr. Robert N. Mixon, D.M.D., P.A. Dr. Michael G. Gooch, D.M.D. Dr. Andrew C. Gooch, D.M.D.

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016 Education Matters! We are proud to be Board Certified Pediatric Dentists.

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from the publisher

always a mama bear From the moment my babies were born, my number one job has been, and always will be, to protect them. Protect them from boo-boos and bullying.

Protect them from strangers and speeding cars and from cyber space and things that I can’t see. My job is to protect them. Period.

We strive to keep our children happy and healthy every single day. But, we all know, sometimes even as much as we try to protect them, we can’t every step of the way.

MEET OUR

COVER CUTIE!

In this issue, we hear the touching story of Conor, a child whose entire life, and family’s life, was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. This inspiring story of how the family sprang into action and rallied together to protect their son and brother from the unknowns of this disease is heartwarming.

We also explore the very serious and important topic of gun safety and our children. It is important to note, that no matter what side we are on, keeping our children safe around guns is never a side, but a responsibility. We lay out how to talk to, and teach, your young children about guns and the safety and responsibility that goes along with them.

One of our biggest assets is our home and the people who are in it. The thought of someone breaking into it and potentially taking all your material possessions or worse, hurting someone inside, is something very hard to imagine or deal with. We explore how to protect your home, so that when and if someone tries to break in, you are prepared and protected!

What is your favorite movie?

Barbie and the Sea Pearl What are you going to be for Halloween? A butterfly What is your favorite stuffed animal? Tiger the tiger

Nicole Irving, Publisher nicole@irvingpublications.com

Like us on Facebook /GIGGLEMAGAZINE

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How old are you? 5

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What is your favorite fall snack? Popcorn follow us on Twitter @GIGGLEMAGAZINE

Visit us on Pinterest /GIGGLEMAGAZINE

Follow us on Instagram @GIGGLEMAGAZINE

Photo by Sincerely Gone Photography

Protecting our children is our number one job. I hope that this issue inspires you to look beyond the dangers you can see to the dangers that you can’t, so you can protect your family and others before an accident occurs.

Lizzie

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

5

oct · Nov 2016 happy family • happy community

TM

56 happy home 54 Bye, Bye Bathroom Germs 56 GIGGLE STAMP Turkey Decor For Your

Home

60 Queries from the Curious

learn life 10 Talking to Your Kids About Gun Safety

Handwriting

70 What's In A Middle School Magnet?

74

Set Your Kids Up for Club Success

14 Avoid Being "Unfriended" During Election

Season

18 POWER PARENT Tony Espetia 20 Getting Better with Age: What to Do

When Your Kids Delay Parenthood

22 happy family Maltby Family

happy community

Stay Informed About Zika

102 Alachua County Back-to-School Photos

86 infant

34 In the Kitchen: Popular Spices for Your

Holiday Recipes

Dapper in Diapers: The Evolving Cloth

65

88 TODDLER

18 of Our Favorite Toddler Books!

90 early years

How Mobile Devices Affect Movement

36 Sip Through the Holidays

Milestones

92 kids

health

Do That For Yourself: The Top 10 Before 10

94 tweens

Party On! Birthday Celebration Ideas for

40 Oh, Poop! What Your Child's No. 2 Means

42 Childhood Obesity: Supporting Healthy

Eating Patterns in Children

96 teens

44 Blushing Beauty

How to Stay Involved in Your Child’s Academic Career ALACHUA

COUNTY’S

PREMIER

PARENTING

MAGAZINE

GIGGLE MAGAZINE

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OCT/NOV 2016 | Volume 8 • Issue 5

p

HALLOWEEN | GUN SAFETY | BEST FLORIDA MUSEUMS

27 Spooky & Sweet Halloween 46 Our First Year with Diabetes: One

Family's Story 65 Naturally Beautiful: DIY Wreaths 76 Protecting Your Home 78 14 of the Best Florida Museums gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

Tweens

Volunteering Past Elementary School:

fe a tu res

6

Diaper

lus

14

14

TASTY SEASONAL DRINKS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

36

PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY FROM ZIKA

MUST-SEE MUSEUMS (ALL IN FLORIDA!)

27

DON'T LET POLITICS GET BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS!

trick-or-treating has never been

so sweet! pg. 27

www.gigglemagazine.com GIGGLEMAGAZINE.COM | OCT/NOV 2016 1

Photo by Sincerely Gone Photography

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Plate photo courtesy of Pier1. Family photo by Sincerely Gone Photography. Wreath Photo by Langley Kate Photography.

30 On Top of Spaghetti...

conception 2✱ college™ 84 expecting

98 OCT/Nov Calendar 104 corkboard

forks & spoons

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68 The Write Stuff: How to Encourage Good

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life

Talking to Your Kids About

Gun Safety

BY OLIVIA K PITKETHLY, MA, LMHC

One in three American homes with children has a firearm in the house, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. Even if you don’t have a gun in your home, chances are your neighbor does. Teaching your children about gun safety is important, regardless of your ideology about guns themselves.

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be able to fire it until he was bigger. They taught him about gun responsibility and let him see the gun and touch it to avoid curiosity.

“It’s not a novelty,” she said. “I think that is the best way to not have to worry about accidental shootings. If they aren’t curious,

Teaching gun safety to your children is important, even if your family does not keep guns in the house. Unfortunately, Anna Henderson* had a young cousin who played with a gun at a friend’s house and accidentally shot and killed himself. She agreed with Wohl, that children need to be educated so they won’t be tempted to play with a gun should the opportunity present itself.

“We have unloaded guns locked in a safe in our house,” Henderson said. “They know never to touch guns in our home or anyone else’s. Ever. They understand guns can hurt or kill people and are not toys.”

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

“I was totally against having a gun in my house until my son was old enough to respect it,” said Laurie Wohl, mother of one. She waited until her son, who is a Boy Scout, completed his first gun safety course before they discussed gun ownership as a family. She and her husband purchased a gun with pressure locks so her son wouldn’t

they won’t sneak it. Don’t make it a novelty, but a tool.”

We have unloaded guns locked in a safe in our house,” said Henderson. “They know never to touch guns in our home or anyone else’s. Ever. They understand guns can hurt or kill people and are not toys.

Cary Gallop is the Crime Prevention Deputy with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. He recommends discussing guns with your children early, as soon as they start asking questions.

“Children begin to ask questions very early in their toddler years,” said Gallop. “I believe that you need to establish safety talks about guns in general as well as toy guns, BB guns, water guns and anything that they might encounter. We have seen a number of intelligence bulletins over the years in law enforcement where people have engineered real gun parts into toys such as a super soaker water gun. Effectively making the super soaker look like a toy but it is a fully functioning shotgun.”

Lee Mason is a combat veteran, father of four and owner of ArchAngel Gunsmithing Outfitters in Newberry. He, along with Deputy Gallop, advised parents to keep firearms unloaded and locked in a safe with the ammunition locked up in a separate location. Mason said children should be aware of the gun’s location, and parents should teach their children the same safety issues they themselves have learned.

Mason is teaching his children gun safety and had a great teacher himself. “My father wouldn’t allow me to shoot a gun until I knew every part of a gun,” he said. “I had to identify every piece, put it together and take it apart by myself.”

In addition to teaching children each part of the gun and its uses, he suggested having a child complete his first gun safety course at age 8 and then having him continue to attend several courses over the coming years. He said reiteration and practice is best, so if a child is in the presence of a gun without an adult, he or she will have an automatic response and know exactly what to do.

“At age 8 a child accepts accountability, understands responsibility, respect and awareness,” said Mason. “They can begin to understand the complex functions of each part of a firearm. Children should be taught that guns are a harmful tool, like a hammer or a knife, and to use safety precautions.”

Another important component of gun safety is being aware of a person’s surroundings. “You have to teach kids how to read emotions and moods,” said Mason.

“Figure out the intentions and mood of the person holding a weapon. Don’t engage with someone with heightened anger or sensitivity. Our stress levels automatically rise when someone is nervous. Teach your children through your own actions.”

If you don’t feel comfortable teaching your children gun safety yourself, you could sign them up for a safety class. RadKIDS is a 10-hour family-centered safety education program that emphasizes essential decisionmaking skills as well as physical resistance options to escape violence. It enhances a child’s natural instincts and increases resilience as well. Gallop said part of the course teaches kids what to do if they see a gun: if you see it out, don’t touch it, run and tell a trusted adult.

“It is my goal to see radKIDS taught in P.E. class of every school in Alachua County,” said Gallop. “We are kicking off the month of October at Micanopy Cooperative Elementary School by teaching radKIDS every day in P.E. to the fifth-graders. PK Yonge has been offering it for the last 10 years and now I want to usher it into every school in our county.” ✽ *name changed to protect privacy

Q. “I don’t have a gun in my home, but my kids like to play with the neighbor’s kids. How do I ask my neighbor if they have guns in the home without offending them?”

A. “Start the conversation by asking, ‘How does your family feel about guns?’ This will open the door and facilitate communication about previous and current experiences with guns,” advised Mason, who admits this can be a touchy subject. “If a person has a concealed carry license, they probably have safeguards in place. Many families use shotguns for personal protection or for hunting. If they hunt, they might take the kids hunting, too.”

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gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

righT

now, 50 local children in fosTer care are searching for Their

These

children are

all ages

superhero They

are

diverse and unique

some

have

siblings

all

of Them need a

forever family

Partnership for St services for fosterong Families is now the lead age r youth in celebrate NATIO h Central Florida ncy providing adoption NAL ADOPTIONNort MONTH by finding. This November, let’s of these local ch forever fa ildren. Let’s brin g them all home milies for each .

Run with us on November 5.

Visit PSFSUPERHERO5K.ORG to learn more. gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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life D

r

Rp b

Unfollow, don’t unfriend In the months surrounding a presidential election, you find out how your friends really feel about the candidates. You might also discover you share differing views on some controversial topics. If it’s a topic you feel very passionate about, you may even wonder how you can be friends with them. Your friendships can survive this, if you want them to.

If their posts are making you cringe or groan every time you see them, you can temporarily unfollow them on Facebook.

You will still be friends with them, and after a few months, start following them again when topics aren’t so heated.

Avoid Being “Unfriended” During Election Season My husband and I learned early on how to protect our marriage: we avoid politics. As two opinionated people on opposite sides of the spectrum, we became frustrated with each other during our first presidential election as a dating couple. Had we been on Facebook at the time, I’m sure I would have unfriended him and vice versa. Fortunately, we soon realized that we were not going to change the other’s beliefs and our relationship is not based on whom we vote for. Now, when he posts a political article, I happily scroll past.

However, I’ve seen many people get into heated debates online and wonder how their relationships survive, or if they survive. Here are some tips for online etiquette during this election season.

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Say it to their face, not their Facebook

Even when conversing with family members online, there’s still a sense of anonymity in an online world. This false sense of security can lower your inhibitions, and you may end up saying something you will later regret. Be respectful in your interactions. Avoid name-calling. Remember, when you have a debate online, you have an audience, and there are some people who just enjoy instigating arguments. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t be comfortable saying to them in person. Take the high road and say, “I’d be happy to discuss this further with you. Want to do lunch?”

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard someone say, “If so-and-so wins this election, I’m moving to Canada!” So far, I have no friends who have actually followed through with this. Yes, you feel passionately about your political beliefs, but think before you speak. Otherwise, you just sound dramatic and no one will take you seriously anyway.

Consider the source

If you find yourself getting really upset at someone else’s post, and it’s someone with whom you have a close relationship, evaluate how much this person means to you, and how much politics play a role in your relationship. Is an argument worth jeopardizing your relationship? Or is it best to agree to disagree? Like my husband and I realized, our relationship is based on trust, love, fun and mutual respect. Don’t let your political ego get in the way. ✽

Yes, you feel passionately about your political beliefs, but think before you speak.

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved. Icons designed by Freepik.

BY OLIVIA K PITKETHLY, MA, LMHC

Don’t make promises you can’t keep

FROM GIGGLE MAGAZINE gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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RESOLVING DIVORCES COLLABORATIVELY

Trained in the Practice of Collaborative Law

Pledge not to litigate • Voluntary exchange of information • Cost effective Commitment to respect both parties’ shared goals • Negotiate without having courts decide issues

Divorce • Child Support • Paternity • Custody • Domestic Violence • Post Judgement F LO R I DA S U P R E M E C O U R T C E R T I F I E D FA M I LY M E D I ATO R

Law Office of Jennifer Kirkhart Curcio Family Law, Collaborative Law, Criminal Law

352.327.1201 | 2835 NW 41st Street | Suite 240 | Gainesville, FL 32606 | www.curciolawfirm.com

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life

po w e r p a r e n t

tony espetia Realtor for Coldwell Banker M.M. Parrish and Oakmont Barry Bullard Sales Team Husband to Rachel Dad to Ethan, Ashton and Arden

Maintaining a healthy balance between work and family can be tough, but Tony Espetia learned early on from his own parents that a strong work ethic is the key to balancing the two. He may have to stay up well after his kids have gone to bed to stay on top of his work, but this father of three makes time to attend events that are important to his family because in his book, family always comes first. photos by sincerely gone photography

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What does your typical workday look like?

My schedule is different every day because I work around the needs of my clients. A typical day would include activities like scheduling inspections, ordering surveys, meeting with clients, showing homes, listing presentations and marketing meetings. My schedule gets filled quickly.

How do you balance work life and family life?

Balancing work and family is challenging. I have to stay organized and prioritize on a daily basis. However, because I make my own work schedule, I am able to attend important family events like soccer and tennis games, and I look forward to picking the kids up from school a couple times a week to hear about their days. Once a week or so, we have family pizza night and spend time together catching up on our week.

What advice would you give to other working parents?

It’s OK to not get everything done on your list. Work is important, but family comes first. A quote I’ve always liked, though I’m not sure of the author, is, “You will never have this day with your children again … spend time with those you love. One of these days you will say either, ‘I wish I had,’ or ‘I’m glad I did.’”

What sacrifices/compromises have you had to make? I work late at night after the kids go to bed to have

more time during the day to spend with my family.

When and how do you make time for yourself?

Weekends are the busiest time of my week. I usually take a day off during the week that I don’t schedule meetings to catch up on personal errands or projects. A couple times a week I play tennis in the evenings with friends at the Jonesville Tennis Center.

Who is your greatest inspiration?

My family. My kids motivate me on a daily basis; I want them to grow up knowing I worked hard to give them the best childhood I could. My parents have also been a source of inspiration. With their love and support I learned the importance of a strong work ethic and balancing time with family.

Who are your biggest supporters?

Without a doubt my wife and kids.

What is your go-to breakfast?

Not really a fan of breakfast, but I have Mexican food for lunch or dinner a couple of times a week.

What is your coffee order?

Regular with one cream and two sugars, unless my wife is around. Then we like having an espresso or cappuccino together.

What is your must have work tech item? My phone.

Don’t know what I would do without it!

Finish this sentence: I hope that I have taught my children ... respect, responsibility and hard work, so that one

WHAT ARE 5 THINGS YOU MUST HAVE AT WORK? ❶ My phone ❷ iPad ❸ Notebook ❹ Business card holder ❺ Sunglasses.

day they can achieve all their goals. ✽

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life

g r a n dp a r e n t s

Getting Better With Age: What to Do When Your Kids Delay Parenthood

BY OLIVIA K PITKETHLY, MA, LMHC

The girls and I will choose to do things with her that won’t require much physical activity or cause her too much soreness,” she said. “We used to invite her on road trips with us, but she can’t tolerate sitting for too long. I’m sure she feels she’s missing out as she gets older.

Many women are waiting until their late 20s to have their first child, according to The National Center for Health Statistics, and we are seeing more and more parents having children in their 30s and 40s. With older parents comes older grandparents, and those few years in age really make an impact.

“I was 69 years old before my first grandchild was born,” said Rose Pitkethly, my mother-in-law. “It’s harder being an older grandparent. You don’t have the stamina, flexibility or energy that you did 20 years ago.”

Ivette Maldonado agreed. The mother of two notices how her mother struggles with aches and pains and tries to make accommodations for her.

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gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

The past 10 years have also shown a steady decline in births, correlating with the economic recession. Perhaps many are afraid they can’t afford to have children. According to the Pew Research Center, the typical cost to raise a child from age 0 to 18 is $245,430.

Contraception has become much more effective and available in recent years, resulting in fewer “surprise” babies.

Additionally, a woman’s chance of being infertile increases after her mid-

Alternative

Marcia Ise and her husband were married 10 years before they felt they were ready to have children. She was 37 and her husband was 47. "I think waiting really makes us appreciate them and our time with them more," she said.

"We did so much in our 10 years of marriage before them that I've never felt like I've had to sacrifice anything in my life for them."

Naturally, their parents were ecstatic when they announced their first pregnancy, and they were supportive throughout their marriage. "I was lucky our parents never pressured us," said Ise. "Actually, when we told them they were so shocked since they assumed we just weren't going to have kids."

Whatever the reason your children have waited to have kids of their own, remember your value. Being an older grandparent doesn’t mean you can’t do anything with the kids; it just means doing different things. Ask the parents to reserve certain activities just for you: painting pictures, playing board games, teaching them how to cook, etc. Make meaningful memories with your grandchildren by adding your own special touch. ✽

Activities

Instead of:

Try this:

▶ Taking a long walk ▶ Racing around the yard ▶ Playing on the floor ▶ Being in the hot weather

▶ Going for a car ride ▶ Taking a dip in the pool ▶ Going fishing in your favorite creek ▶ Snuggling up with a book ▶ Finding an indoor playground or going to a movie

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

Many of her friends became grandparents long before she did, and they didn’t have to deal with the many medical issues associated with aging, such as arthritis, heart disease or high blood pressure.

So, why are people waiting longer to become parents? One of the reasons people are putting off having children is to pursue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree. In 2014, nearly 2 million students were enrolled in a master’s, specialist or doctorate program. A large investment in education typically leads to dedication to one’s career. Couples may opt to become more established in their professions before deciding to grow their family.

30s. So, if she is waiting until then to have a baby, she may have some difficulty conceiving and may need to pursue fertility treatments or other options such as surrogacy or adoption.

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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life

h a ppy f a m i ly

Meet t he

Maltby Family

Rich, Stephanie, Brynn (8) and Carys (5, but turning 6 in November!)

PHOTOS BY SINCERELY GONE PHOTOGRAPHY

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Occupation(s): Rich is an attorney with Frost Van den Boom here in Gainesville. His practice areas are business and civil litigation, transactional, real estate, construction and tax.

Favorite local restaurants: Crafty Bastards, Limerock Road, Dragonfly and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Favorite local “Must go” places: Lake Alice and The Swamp. The girls said Kimball Wiles Elementary School and Haile Plantation Country Club.

What are your children’s favorite meals that you cook? Favorite kids' meals would be steak, white chicken chili and tuna casserole.

What is your family’s favorite holiday?

There’s a big debate over our favorite holiday.

The girls think their birthdays are the best holidays, but we all think Thanksgiving is our overall favorite.

Describe your family in 3 words: Creative, fun-loving and adventurous.

Favorite games to play as a family: Uno, Candyland and Wahoo.

Do you have any pets? No current pets.

Our 11-year-old dog passed last summer.

Why do you love raising your family in Gainesville? We absolutely love Gainesville! We moved here in August 2014 for Rich to get his LL.M. in taxation at UF College of Law with the intention of staying only for the school year. By January 2015 our entire family wanted to stay in Gainesville for good! Our girls absolutely love the schools they've attended (Wiles and Abiding Savior), we have met friends who are now family, we LOVE the Gators and the Florida weather, and the opportunities/ adventures that our family has are numerous, both locally and all around the state.

What makes your kiddos laugh? The kids love dad jokes and tickle wars. A booger joke will always have them rolling.

What would your family's dream vacation be? Our dream vacation right now is a Disney cruise!

Our family is most like: The Huxtables.

Is there anything exciting coming up for your family? There’s nothing too exciting on the horizon. Upcoming holidays are always exciting and I'm sure we will be traveling somewhere!

The kids’ favorite books: “The Giving Tree,” “Miss Nelson is Missing!” “BonyLegs” and all Dr. Seuss. “Goodnight Moon” was a fixture for years. Brynn is starting to get into “Harry Potter.”

Favorite date spot: Dragonfly, Key West and always tailgating/Gator football games!

Favorite website: YouTube Kids is the favorite website in our house right now.

Movie in our DVD player right now: “Inside Out.”

Favorite picnic spot: Any beach and tailgating!

Mommy and Daddy’s favorite TV shows: We are always looking for the next Netflix binge show. Too many past favorites to list!

Favorite family activity: Family movie night! ✽

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Make Our No-Sew

Witch Tutu (and

Broomstick!)

What You'll need: TUtu

• Crochet elastic ribbon or a premade crochet headband • Four to five spools of Black 3" Matte Tulle, 25 feet each Broom

• Large stick for handle; we found ours at Hobby Lobby • Smaller sticks/twigs for brush; found at Hobby Lobby • Faux lavender • Twine • Glue gun How to make: TUtu • Cut and secure your waistband. Elastic ribbon is very stretchy, so you won't need as much as you think! Use an extra piece of tulle to secure the pieces in the back.

• Cut your strips of tulle. Each strip will need to be double the length you want for the skirt.

• Wrap your elastic around something big, such as a

chair back. Starting at one end of the elastic, fold your tulle in half and pull the folded end through the first gap in the elastic. Pull the end of the tulle through itself into a lark's head knot. Repeat around the entire bottom row of the elastic. If you want the tutu to be fuller, repeat the process on the next row above.

• When the tutu is complete, place around the waist

Eye See You! Rice Krispie Treats

Ingredients: • 6 cups Kellogg's® Rice Krispies® cereal

• 3 tablespoons butter • 4 cups mini marshmallows • Candy eye sprinkles (found at craft stores) • Chocolate chips (optional) Directions: • Prepare treats according to the Rice Krispies package directions. For a chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 10 second intervals. When fully melted, carefully drizzle chocolate over cooled treats.

Gently press in candy eye sprinkles.

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and use the extra piece of tulle to tie the back closed.

You can also use a piece of ribbon.

Broom

• Determine the length you'd like the broom to be;

you may have to saw off a portion of the stick if you would like it shorter.

• Bunch the smaller sticks and twigs around the end of the handle. Let some of the handle go down into the smaller twigs for stability. Use twine or rubber bands to secure the sticks in place.

• Pull the lavender apart into individual stems. From the bottom, work each piece up into the brush portion of the broom.

• Wrap a large piece of twine around the top of the

brush portion, and use a glue gun periodically to secure the twine. Once it is fully wrapped, glue the end of the twine down.

safety tips for Trick-or-Treating • Remember, there is safety in numbers! Kids should

ALWAYS travel with a parent or in groups and NEVER alone.

• Keep pathways clean. Remove anything that children might break, crack or get caught on their costume.

• If you are handing out candy, be sure to leave any sidewalk lights on to light the path.

• Have children wear sneakers or comfortable shoes.

Blisters, tripping and falling are not fun.

• Keep pets at home. It can be too much for Fido! Save his costume debut for handing out candy or a private party.

• Avoid making homemade treats to hand out.

• Give each child a glow stick to make them easier to spot in a crowd. Parents, bring flashlights.

our top

• Watch traffic patterns. Even though you may think

certain neighborhoods' internal roads are closed, many are open. Stay out of the road and use walkways.

Halloween Movies 1. “Hocus Pocus” (1993)

2. “Beetle Juice” (1988)

3. “The Nightmare

Before Christmas” (1993)

5. “It’s the Great

Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)

6. “Monster House” (2006)

7. “The Addams

Family” (1991)

4. “Casper” (1995)

• Do not push your child. Listen to them if they are tired or cranky. There is no reason to push the envelope when it comes to candy collecting.

• If your child is timid or afraid of certain things, take that into account when venturing out.

• Stay hydrated. Florida Halloweens are still hot, so it is important to bring water along.

• Be sure to bring along insect repellant. Bites are no fun! Spray them down.

• Do not allow your children to eat ANY candy while

trick-or-treating. Be sure to check your children's candy for anything suspicious before allowing them to eat it.

freaky fingers Get into the Halloween spirit with these spooky shades.

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Sun Kissed

Essie Petal Pushers

sinful Colors Professional Frenzy

Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear pixel perfect

sinful Colors Professionals mint apple

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forks & spoons

On Top of Spaghetti…

BY CARMEN BASILE

MEATBALLS 1 pound lean ground beef (addition of lean Italian sausage meat optional) 1 large egg 1–2 slices water-soaked white bread M cup prepared Italian breadcrumbs* Salt and pepper to taste

IT’S NOT YOUR BISCUIT’S GRAVY “Gravy” is what Italians call the sauce within which meat has been cooked. More elaborate meals were usually prepared on Sundays. Meatballs, sausages and other pieces of either pork and/or beef were simmered in the sauce. That sauce was mixed into the pasta course, the "primo piatto" or first dish. The meat, accompanied with salad and/or vegetables, was then served as the "secondo piatto" or second dish.

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and shape into patties about the size of an egg. Add some water if mixture is too dry, or some extra breadcrumbs if too moist.

Over medium to medium-high heat, fry meatballs until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Add meatballs to freshly made tomato sauce and simmer on low heat for ½ to ¾ hour. Do not allow sauce to boil. *ITALIAN BREADCRUMBS 1 cup freshly grated breadcrumbs ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese ¼ cup fresh minced Italian (flat-leaf) parsley 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon dried oregano Freshly ground pepper to taste

WHY SHOULD I SALT THE WATER

As a sauce simmers and develops character, it will naturally evaporate water. It's always a good idea to reserve some of the salted pasta water. It's perfect (better than plain water) for thinning out any pasta sauce that gets too thick. ✽

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© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved

Salt is put into the pasta water to flavor the pasta. Without it, the pasta itself tastes bland, no matter what the sauce. There is no hard-and-fast rule about how much salt to put in your water, but most cooks suggest adding no less than 1 ½ tablespoons of salt for every pound of pasta.

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forks & spoons

In the Kitchen:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Making memories, seeing family from far and wide and, one of the most important aspects of the holidays, baking delicious holiday treats.

Your Holiday Recipes

In this kitchen spotlight, we’re taking a look at a few of the top spices used in holiday cooking and baking so you can kick your holiday menu up a notch.

Popular Spices for

BY DANIELLE PASTULA

N U TM EG

CINNAMON

Where it’s from: Native to the Indonesian Moluccas Islands, also known as the Spice Islands, nutmeg comes from the Myristica fragrans tree. Nutmeg is the seed of the tree, and mace, another less common spice, is derived from the dried shell of the seed. The Myristica fragrans is the only tree in the world that acts as the source for two distinct spices.

Where it’s from: Cinnamon is a spice sourced from the inner bark of several trees of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae.

Roughly 80 percent of the world's supply of Ceylon cinnamon, or true cinnamon, comes from Sri Lanka and South India, but it is also sourced from the Seychelles and Madagascar.

Harvesting cinnamon requires a process of cutting, peeling away the outer bark and drying the inner bark.

Nutritional benefits: With its own unique flavor, nutmeg is mildly earthy and nutty with just a hint of sweetness. Although this spice is typically used sparingly, it’s also a rich source of vital B-complex vitamins, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A and many flavonoid antioxidants like beta-carotene.

Twist on the traditional: Although nutmeg is mostly a dessert spice, its nutty flavor also nicely complements savory dishes featuring potatoes, eggs or meats.

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Popular holiday recipes: Considered one of the most popular spices second only to black pepper in the U.S. and Europe, cinnamon is used year-round, but it’s especially popular in holiday cookies, breads and candied nuts.

Twist on the traditional: If you want to try something new this holiday season, try using cinnamon as a sweet accent for roasted butternut squash, braised short ribs, or in a hearty Bolognese sauce.

Where it’s from: Allspice, also called Jamaica pepper and myrtle pepper due to its peppercorn appearance, is the dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta dioica tree. This tree is native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico and Central America, but allspice is now grown and harvested all over the globe in warm, tropical climates. The name “allspice” is thought to have come from the English, who thought allspice had a combined flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Nutritional benefits: While allspice is believed to have anti-inflammatory and digestive health benefits, allspice’s best nutritional asset is its high vitamin C content. This high vitamin C content provides allspice with antioxidant properties that could aid in developing resistance against infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Popular holiday recipes: When it comes to popular holiday dishes, allspice is used similarly to cinnamon and nutmeg in that it can be used in cookies, cakes and breads, but its biggest claim to holiday fame is being a popular ingredient in gingerbread.

Twist on the traditional: Allspice adds a deep, warm flavor to savory dishes, which is why it’s the primary spice used in jerk seasoning.

This flavor makes it delicious for popular holiday dinner dishes including pork loin, spiced butternut squash soup or sweet potato casserole. ✽

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved

Popular holiday recipes: Most commonly used in desserts, pies (specifically apple and pumpkin), muffins, custards, cookies and cakes, nutmeg is also a popular spice for sprinkling on holiday beverages. Whether it’s in eggnog, Masala chai, mulled wine, or used as a garnish over foamy coffee drinks, you can’t go wrong with a dash of nutmeg to spice up your seasonal drink.

Nutritional benefits: High in powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols, cinnamon has excellent anti-inflammatory properties.

In fact, in a research study published in the Diabetes Care journal, findings showed that inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with Type 2 diabetes reduces risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

A LL S P I C E

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Sip Holidays

forks & spoons

THROUGH THE

{ HOLIDAY SPICED CIDER • 3 ½ cups apple cider • ¼ cup water

• 1 cup spiced rum • ½ cup apple liqueur • ¾ cup orange juice concentrate • 1 orange, zested (Save the rest for later to garnish!)

BY ashleigh braun

These easy-to-make slow cooker drink recipes will be sure to spice up any holiday party or cold winter day. Slow cooker drinks are the perfect solution when you’re on the go; simply toss in your ingredients, let it simmer and enjoy! Try these recipes to help stay warm and cozy no matter the weather.

• ¼ cup lemon juice • O teaspoon ground nutmeg • O teaspoon ground ginger • 2 cloves • ½ cup of ground cinnamon

Serve with cinnamon sticks and garnish with orange slices.

ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY. NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.

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© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved

Combine the apple cider, water, orange juice concentrate, spiced rum and apple liqueur in a large slow cooker. Let simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Monitor to ensure it doesn’t boil. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, lemon, ginger and orange zest. Cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally for 4 hours or until thoroughly heated.

SPICED CARAMELVANILLA CHAI TEA • 8 Tazo Vanilla Caramel Chai Tea bags • 2 cups milk • 2 cups cream • 3 cinnamon sticks • ½ cup caramel syrup • Pinch of nutmeg

APPLE CRANBERRY SANGRIA

On low heat, place milk and cream in slow cooker until warm.

Add 8 Tazo Vanilla Caramel Chai Tea bags. Let tea steep until the liquid has turned a light, golden-brown color.

Add caramel syrup, nutmeg and cinnamon sticks.

Cook in slow cooker on low heat for 1–2 hours. Remove cinnamon sticks before serving.

PERFECT HOLIDAY PUNCH FOR KIDS

• 1 bottle sweet white wine

• 1 bottle cranberry juice

• 1 bottle red wine

• ¼ cup honey

• 2 cups apple cider

• 1 orange, zested and juiced

• 2 Honeycrisp apples, sliced into small pieces

• 1 lemon, zested

• 2 cups cranberry juice • 2 cups cranberries • ½ cup brandy • 4 cinnamon sticks • ½ cup allspice • ½ cup nutmeg • ¼ cup lemon juice Combine the white wine, red wine, brandy, apple cider, cranberry juice and lemon juice in a large slow cooker. Cook on low.

Add cinnamon sticks, allspice and nutmeg. Let sit and stir occasionally for 2 hours. Shortly before serving, add 1 cup of cranberries and 1 cup of apples.

Serve warm, adding the remaining cranberries and apples to the top of the drink. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

• 2 cups apple cider • 3 whole cloves • 1 cinnamon stick • 2 tablespoons cinnamon

sticks!

SWEET PEPPERMINT HOT CHOCOLATE • 4 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped into small pieces

• Dash of nutmeg

• 4 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped into small pieces

• 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced

• 2 cups milk • 2 cups half and half

On low heat, add cranberry juice, honey and cider to slow cooker. Stir until honey is melted through.

• 5 ounces marshmallow cream

Add lemon zest, orange zest and juice to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Add the cloves, nutmeg, apples, cinnamon and cinnamon stick. Simmer in slow cooker for 45 minutes at medium heat.

Turn heat to low to keep warm while serving.

On low heat, place chocolate pieces in slow cooker, and stir until melted. Add milk, half and half, marshmallow cream and syrup.

Serve warm with whipped cream and garnish with an apple slice.

Serve with peppermint sticks — perfect for stirring!

SPICED MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE • 2 ounces milk chocolate, broken into tiny pieces • 4 ounces white chocolate, broken into tiny pieces • 2 ounces dark chocolate, broken into tiny pieces

Serve with peppermint

• 4 cups half and half • 2 cups milk • 12-ounce can sweetened condensed milk • 3 cinnamon sticks • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract • ½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

• ½ cup peppermint flavored syrup

Cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3 hours, stirring occasionally until blended well.

Serve warm in mug topped with whipped cream and a blend of white and dark chocolate shavings.

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health slightly brownish look. According to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, bright red or black stools are ones to be concerned about because they can indicate a problem in the gastrointestinal tract. Also, in infants white, chalky or gray stools can be an indication of a liver blockage. In either instance, be sure to see your child’s pediatrician right away.

➜ texture

Oh, Poop! What Your

Child’s No. 2 Means by april tisher

I have to admit, until I became a mom, I never gave excrement much thought. As soon as your first baby is born though, it becomes super important. The first one! Did they go?

How many times a day? What did it look like? You find yourself discussing your child’s poop with your husband, mother and friends like it’s normal conversation. Why? It turns out that what is in your child’s diaper can tell you a lot about his or her overall health.

➜ Color

Stool can vary widely in color. One thing to note is that certain colored foods, drinks and even medications contain artificial or natural colorings that can and do change the color of poop. If you’ve ever changed your child’s diaper after she’s eaten John Deere green icing, you know what I’m talking about. Some color is normal; for example, the first few poops, referred to as meconium, are black and tarry in color.

Also, breastfed babies have a mustard yellow, seedy look to their poop, while formula-fed ones have a more normal

The bristol stool scale (illustrated below) is a medical research tool used to determine and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for different diseases of the bowel. Consult your doctor regarding diagnosing and treating any conditions for your family.

Type

40

Shape

Description

Most Likely Cause

1

Separate hard lumps

Very constipated

2

Lumpy and sausage like

Slightly constipated

3

A sausage shape with cracks in the surface

Normal

4

Like a smooth, soft sausage or snake

Normal

5

Soft blobs with clear-cut edges

Lacking fiber

6

Mushy consistency with ragged edges

Inflammation

7

Liquid consistency with no solid pieces

Inflammation

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

The texture of poop can give you a whole host of information. Normal consistency should be like soft serve ice cream or mushy snakes. If you consistently see hard pellets, large bumpy sausages or liquidly stool with ragged edges, things are not as they should be. You can reference the Bristol stool scale, an official medical chart that classifies feces into seven categories to give you a more detailed account of what to look for.

Many parents make the mistake of thinking if their child goes every day they are not constipated. This can be misleading; large or hard-formed stools are a much better indicator of constipation. If you notice frequent or large amounts of mucus in your child’s stool, this can be a sign of an intolerance or infection as well. Your child should not have painful, hard-to-pass bowel movements.

➜ smell

I know, all poop smells bad, but really putrid, unusually foul or fishy smelling No. 2 can signal a problem. It can be just from a certain food or from bacteria in the colon, but if it is present frequently or accompanied by diarrhea or a large amount of it, it could be something else. Very stinky poop can be an indicator of indigestion, lactose intolerance or celiac disease. More commonly it can be caused by a food allergy or intolerance, or some kind of organism that doesn’t belong in the intestinal tract, like Giardia. Something to remember is that babies who are not eating solid food yet do not have much smell to their dirty diapers, but once the real food comes on board, so does the smell. Don’t be surprised by this change, it is normal.

Just like with adults, things like travel, antibiotics and acute stomach bugs can cause changes in your child’s bowel habits.

If something doesn’t seem normal, contact your child’s pediatrician for advice. Making sure that your child is getting age-appropriate nutrition and is staying hydrated will keep things moving in the right direction. ✽

HELP KEEP OUR PIPES CLEAN.

Only f lush the 3 Ps EVERYTHING else belongs in the TRASH, including “flushable” wipes.

Alachua County Hazardous Waste Collection Program The Environmental Protection Department offers FREE disposal and recycling of household hazardous wastes. Call 352-334-0440 or visit www.alachuacountyhazwaste.us for a list of items.

For more info, visit gru.com/flushables

health

Childhood Obesity:

Supporting Healthy Eating Patterns in Children

By CLAIRE CARLTON, MS, RD, LD/N

Childhood obesity has become a highly discussed topic in recent decades, as its prevalence has increased at a worrisome rate. According to the CDC, about 17 percent of children aged 2–19 are considered obese. Obesity in children can be defined as having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile in gender-specific, BMI-for-age growth charts.

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More concerning than obesity itself are the long-term health consequences attached, such as increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This can be a very sensitive issue, but there are several lifestyle and nutrition interventions that can be implemented to prevent and reverse obesity in children. In addition to visiting the pediatrician, check out some of the following ways to improve negative childhood eating behaviors and my recommendations for supporting healthy eating in your children.

BE AWARE Children are naturally drawn to sweet and slightly salty tastes. Unfortunately, the food industry has taken advantage of this by placing hundreds of hyper-palatable foods and beverages on grocery store shelves. In particular, consumption of juice and sugar sweetened beverages such as soda, sweet tea and fruit-flavored drinks are common in children. The problem is that the body does not easily recognize calories from beverages. Regardless of whether the sugar is natural in juice

Š 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

I

t’s easy to make the assumption that childhood obesity is directly caused by an excess intake of calories, but the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) I, II and III show no corresponding increase in calorie intake as obesity rates have climbed. Nutrition and food choices certainly play a role in weight and growth patterns in children, but they are not the only reasons children are becoming obese. Also at play are socioeconomic factors, physical inactivity, ethnicity and genetics, to name a few.

or from high fructose corn syrup in soda, these beverages are an extremely concentrated source of sugar. For example, a 12-ounce Coke contains 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar. However, when a child drinks a soda, the brain does not register that calories have been consumed.

Children are actually very good at regulating their food intake (they eat when hungry and stop when full), but when the body and brain are “fooled” so to speak, the child may end up eating more calories from food to feel physically full. Over the long term, the excess calories could play a role in becoming overweight and eventually obese.

SUGARY SNACKS Sugar consumption can be a vicious cycle. Snacks and beverages that are

entirely composed of sugar (a quickly metabolized form of carbohydrate) do not satisfy hunger. Often, these foods provide a quick burst of energy, then leave kids feeling tried and irritable.

They certainly don’t support good energy levels to stay physically active.

For example, parents may give their children fruit snacks. Oftentimes they are made with "real fruit,” or 100 percent juice, but this snack is still composed entirely of carbohydrates. A child who eats this snack will quickly feel hungry again and likely end up asking for another snack. Switching the snack to something with some protein, complex carbohydrates and fats, such as an apple with peanut butter or a fruit and yogurt, would be more satisfying and nutritious.

Quick tips to support healthy eating patterns in children ››

While parents may feel an obligation to restrict unhealthy foods, it is important to avoid doing so. This can actually increase a child’s desire for those foods. Food restriction at home can lead to overeating when a child finally has access, such as at a friend’s house. Alternatively, children may feel the need to eat those forbidden foods in secret.

›› Remember that children may not always like a new food the first time they try it. Continue to expose children to new foods; it can take repeated exposures before they accept a new food. If your child dislikes a new food, never force her to eat it, as this creates a negative connotation with that food and may discourage her from trying it again.

›› Parental eating patterns have a great influence on a child’s food preferences, so make sure you are also eating a varied diet. Make healthy eating fun for your kids with a trip to the farmers market where you let each child choose a new fruit or vegetable. The kids can search online for a new recipe using that food and then help to prepare the dish.

MEALTIME It has become quite common for children and families to eat in front of the TV or with other distractions. Family mealtime has a great influence on the development of healthy eating patterns in children.

This can be difficult when children have busy schedules filled with extracurricular activities, however, when feasible, family meals should be made a priority. Studies have shown positive relationships between family mealtime and the overall quality of children’s diets. Specifically, children who eat with their families tend to have higher intakes of nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron, folate and vitamins B6, B12, C and E, as well as higher intakes of fruits and vegetables. ✽

Experiment with these nutritious swaps for kids of all ages!

Instead of fruit snacks, try “Ants On a Log” — celery sticks filled with a spread of natural peanut butter and topped with raisins. This classic childhood snack is perfect for after school, before sports practices or at any time of day! It provides protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates to keep kids full of energy.

Make snack time fun and allow the kids to help assemble this easy, healthy snack!

Instead of ice cream try a yogurt parfait. Let the kids build their own yogurt parfait for a healthy afternoon snack. Check your labels as lots of yogurt brands sneak in excess sugar, artificial colors and flavors. Skip the “diet” yogurts, too; they can be filled with artificial sweeteners, coloring, thickeners and gums to compensate for the lack of fat and sugar. Choose a plain, whole milk yogurt and let the kids customize it themselves with assorted toppings such as fresh fruit, nuts and a drizzle of honey. Whole milk yogurt is creamier, and the fat keeps children satisfied. Yogurt parfaits are a perfect breakfast or snack full of calcium, vitamin D, protein, probiotics, fiber and healthy fats.

Instead of Goldfish crackers try roasted chickpeas. A few years ago, roasted chickpeas became trendy in the nutrition world. Both children and adults enjoy this snack, which can be prepared savory or slightly sweet. Chickpeas are chock full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, manganese and iron. gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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health

Blushing Beauty

BY ASHLEIGH BRAUN

1

2

Steps to Your Best Blush

With summer fading, chances are your sunkissed glow is too. Using blush can brighten up your face, add color to your cheeks and give you a fresh, healthy-looking flush that will leave people wondering if you just spent a weekend at the beach. Here are some tips for achieving your best blush this season.

1. Choose the best blush color for you There are perfect hues of blush for every skin tone. When selecting a shade of blush, choose a color that is close to the color your cheeks turn when you’re naturally flushed.

5

For lighter complexions, use pale pinks, peaches and apricots that will bring out warm tones in the skin, adding a healthy glow.

For darker complexions, stick to plum shades, rosewoods or burnt oranges that will enhance your rich complexion and add a pop of color.

4

If those don’t work for you, you can always try warm, natural shades of nude, beige or light brown to give your face that effortlessly flushed appearance.

3

7

6

9 1. e.l.f. Powder Blush Palette in Light (CVS, $6) 2. Neutrogena Healthy Skin Blends Sheer Highlighting Blush in Pure #20 (CVS, $13.99) 3. By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Blush #5 Sexy Pink (Fragrancenet.com, $79.99) 4. Jane Iredale Quad Bronzer in Rose Dawn (Janeiredale.com, $48) 5. Yves Saint Laurent Blush Radiance #6 (Fragrancenet.com, $61.99) 6. Youngblood Crushed Loose Mineral Blush in Coral Reef (Fragrancenet.com, $25.99) 7. L’oreal True Match Super Blendable Blush in Apricot Kiss (CVS, $10.99) Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty Brushes (Walmart/Walmart.com) 8. Flower Ultimate Blush & Contour Brush ($12.98) 9.

Flower Ultimate Retractable Brush ($11.98)

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2. Get the right brush

Having the right brush is critical to making sure your blush is applied evenly, without streaking or looking unnatural. A wide, angled brush or a wide-headed loose powder brush is best for applying powder blush. An angled head is ideal for creating a sculpted, contoured look, while a wide head is better for a seamless application over the entire cheekbone.

3.

Apply your blush Apply your blush in a sweeping upward motion from the apple of the cheek outward and upward toward the temples. Concentrate your brush on your cheeks before moving it up your face. Be sure to blend to get rid of any potential streaks and to make your cheeks look naturally flushed.

Photos courtesy of manufacturer/photographed by Giggle Magazine.

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OUR NEW LIFE WITH Type 1 Diabetes

Surviving

the First Year

by karen perrin

Conor, one of our sons, was 9 years old when he was diagnosed with Type I diabetes (T1D), an autoimmune disease that leaves patients unable to regulate their blood sugar levels without giving themselves tightly controlled doses of insulin. Looking back at the weeks prior to his diagnosis, we had noticed some changes in his behavior that we attributed to a variety of other causes. For instance, his appetite had noticeably increased and he seemed to be constantly hungry, even after finishing a meal. But despite this, he had actually lost 10 pounds, and since he was thin for his age, he really couldn’t afford to lose that weight. We thought he was just going through some sort of unusual growth spurt and would surely be growing any day now. He had also been using the bathroom with urgency and drinking a lot more than usual — he seemed constantly thirsty. But since this was summer in Florida, we thought he must have simply been rehydrating often, something Florida parents usually tell their children to do during the summer. Conor has some other health conditions that affect his muscle strength and stamina, so we thought his symptoms could be related to that as well. We have no family history of T1D so we were not thinking “diabetes.” The day before his T1D diagnosis that June, Conor played in a baseball game. It was the last game of the season, and he said he didn’t want to play. We didn’t want him to quit and

he wasn’t really “sick” — no fever, vomiting, etc. So we persuaded him to play, telling him it was the last game and that his team needed him. Again, it was a hot summer day, but he seemed unusually tired, even having difficulty at times swinging the bat with any force. We still thought these were effects from his other medical conditions combined with the heat, but things seemed to have gotten worse. I’m a nurse and had learned the signs of T1D, but I feel that sometimes health care providers can be less cautious when health issues arise with their own children, not wanting to sound an alarm if it’s nothing. I finally asked a friend, who is also a nurse, and she said, “You need to take him in, something is wrong.”

We were seen in the after hour’s clinic that evening.

When they checked his blood sugar and the meter simply read “High,” I knew that meant Conor’s diagnosis would be Type 1 diabetes. The normal fasting blood sugar range is 70–100 mg/dl while a reading of “High” usually means the blood sugar is over 600 mg/dl. My mind immediately imagined worst cases scenarios for my son’s future from what I had witnessed in my nursing career: blindness, kidney failure and amputations. Later in the hospital, the laboratory blood sample registered a blood sugar level of 848 mg/dl. Conor’s life and our family’s life had changed forever.

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W

e were quickly admitted to Shands and introduced to the amazing team of doctors, nurses and diabetes educators in the Pediatric Endocrinology Department — people who would become part of our extended family. We were immediately plunged into what seemed like another world, one dictated by blood sugar levels, counting every carbohydrate consumed and insulin injections. Conor is the second oldest of our four boys and is, of course, the most averse to needles.

This, on top of raising four boys with both my husband and myself working full time, was going to be a challenge!

But with the support of our new family members (the Endocrine staff), we started the learning process. We gave ourselves saline injections with the same small needles used for insulin injections so we would know that it wasn’t as bad as we were imagining. And it wasn’t. We learned about the signs to look for with high blood sugar, most of which we’d already seen before Conor’s diagnosis. We learned about the dangers of low blood sugar, including coma, seizures and death, as well as how to treat it. Candy and juice were now medicine, which caught Conor’s attention! I was very familiar with all of this, having been an ICU nurse, but it had never been this close to home before.

After a four-day hospital stay and rigorous training, we were able to go home. But honestly, it was almost like bringing home a newborn for the first time. We were exhausted, anxious and uncertain.

T1D is a 24/7/365 job with no breaks.

Conor required six to eight injections of insulin per day, numerous finger sticks for blood sugar checks and carbohydrate counts for everything he ate and drank.

We downloaded phone apps to assist in the carb counting. My husband and I took turns waking up at 2 a.m. every night to

!

When most people hear the word “diabetes,” they picture a person who may be overweight, eats too many sweets, or both, and has to take insulin because of their diet. This is Type 2 diabetes, which is the more common form. According to Mayo Clinic, Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone people need to get energy from food. This differs from Type 2 diabetes, in which the body resists the effects of insulin or doesn’t produce enough to maintain a normal glucose level.

40,000 people are diagnosed with T1D each year in the U.S.

Though Conor has Type 1 diabetes, many people still ask if he can have juice, candy or other sweets. And the short answer is “yes.” People with T1D can eat anything. But since their pancreas can no longer regulate their blood sugar levels by making sufficient amounts of insulin, people with T1D must administer the right amount of insulin for the amount of carbohydrates they consume. They must take over the function of their damaged pancreas. So when one of his classmates has a birthday and brings in cupcakes to share with the class, Conor can enjoy one, as long as the carbs are entered into his

Warning Signs

Either type of diabetes is dangerous if left untreated. Be aware of these warning signs.

• Extreme thirst • Frequent urination • Drowsiness or lethargy • Increased appetite • Sudden weight loss

48

sneak into Conor’s room and check his blood sugar because we were terrified of the nighttime low we had been warned about.

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

• Sudden vision changes • Sugar in the urine • Fruity odor on the breath • Heavy or labored breathing • Stupor or unconsciousness

insulin pump. I recently saw a T-shirt that summed up this point perfectly: “What should people with Type 1 Diabetes NOT eat? POISON … or anything that contains poison.” Unfortunately, the number of people diagnosed with T1D every year is increasing. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms and seek medical attention.

His diagnosis came during the last week of school, making it challenging to find child care during the summer. We were just learning how to cope with our new lifestyle and had to train others to take care of him so we could be at work. There are not many programs that have a nurse available for summer camp. Luckily, our children’s school, St. Patrick Interparish School, was willing to learn to give injections, check blood sugar and count carbs. They learned what to do in an emergency and called us immediately with any questions/concerns. They knew Conor and our family, so it was such a relief to have him there. Conor was also encouraged to go to Florida Diabetes Camp three weeks after his diagnosis.

This was a great opportunity for him to be around others of varied ages at different stages of diagnosis. He learned to check his own sugar, give himself insulin shots and to count carbs. The counselors and staff of the camp were amazing. He went back the next year as well, and it was a “diabetes vacation” for us as well. The next school year, his teacher, Mrs. Milliken, was very cooperative and helpful in doing what she could to accommodate Conor’s “new normal” at school.

Gainesville not only has a wonderful diabetes medical team, but also an amazing group of supportive families. I contacted the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation shortly after we returned home to gather more information. Within a day, a Gainesville mom of a child with diabetes reached out to me to give support.

I joined a JDRF-sponsored social media group with her and other families living with T1D that organizes get-togethers, educational guest speakers, fundraisers for diabetes and even a place to get diabetes supplies in a pinch. They readily answer questions, provide tips, keep us up to date on the newest research progress, support local 5k races that raise money to support T1D research and disseminate other important information. We have found Continued on page 51.

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Continued from page 48.

Left to right: The Perrin family participating in a UF photo contest for World Diabetes Day, celebrated on November 14. Conor after his diagnosis. Supplies needed for Conor's insulin pump site change, which is done every three days.

› Serious Statistics

T1D appears to be on the rise according to these facts and figures.

• 1.25M Americans are

living with T1D including about 200,000 youth (less than 20 years old) and over a million adults (20 years old and older).

• Five million people in the

U.S. are expected to have T1D by 2050, including nearly 600,000 youth.

• Between 2001 and 2009,

there was a 21 percent increase in the prevalence of T1D in people under age 20.

• Annual T1D-associated

healthcare costs in the U.S amount to $14 billion.

• Less than one-third of

people with T1D in the U.S. are achieving target blood glucose control levels.

• T1D is associated with

an estimated loss of life expectancy of up to 13 years.

Jdrf.org/about/fact-sheets/type-1-diabetes-facts

their support invaluable in dealing with this unpredictable disease.

Six months after diagnosis, we were fortunate to get Conor an insulin pump. This is a device about the size of a pager that delivers a small, steady insulin dose all day (basal rate). It can also calculate and deliver insulin for correcting high blood sugar and carbohydrates consumed.

We just manually input how many grams of carbs in his meals and his blood glucose values. It delivers insulin through tubing and a site under the skin usually attached to his hip or stomach, which needs to be changed every three days.

Another huge advance in T1D care was the continuous glucose monitor (CGM). This is another device that tracks his blood sugar every five minutes using a filament under the skin. We can check this data on our smartphones and set both high and low parameters that alert us if his sugar gets too far out of range. We have been able to get more sleep at night knowing the CGM will alert us if Conor’s sugar gets too high or too low.

With T1D, ailments that were previously only annoying now can require hospitalization. GI bugs and the flu can take away the only option we have to raise Conor’s blood sugar if it gets low — eating. And they can change the way his body responds

to insulin, so much closer blood sugar monitoring is required when Conor gets sick. In addition, stress can also affect how much insulin his body needs to correct high blood sugars.

We have adopted the philosophy that it is not only Conor that has T1D, but our entire family, since diabetes truly affects the entire family. We all must be aware of the signs of high and low blood sugar and what to do in an emergency.

Conor always has to carry an emergency supply of insulin and sources of sugar with him, along with his blood sugar testing supplies. Either my husband or I accompany him on field trips and scout campouts. Conor requires more attention to keep his blood sugar in a healthy range.

We have to train the teachers at the start of every school year. We educate his classmates so they understand what it means to have diabetes. My husband became a board member for JDRF. We have done several 5k runs in support of diabetes, and the entire family has entered research studies. This past year we attended the Friends For Life conference in Orlando, put on by the group Children with Diabetes. It is an international conference that has discussion groups for all ages, including siblings and family members. Up-to-date educational and research material is presented, and attendees have the opportunity to meet famous people with T1D who have gone on to do extraordinary things, such as mountain climbers, American gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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Right: The Perrin family participating in the JDRF One Walk® in Jacksonville, Florida.

The event raises money to help fund research towards T1D.

Ninja warriors, racecar drivers and musicians. Exhibitors are available to answer questions and let you try different supplies. It was wonderful to be surrounded by other families who understand the minute-by-minute struggle that is T1D. Looking back on our first year with diabetes, I can honestly say we are a stronger family because of T1D, not that I would wish it on anyone else. It is still a life threatening disease that has no cure, but I am grateful for the support we have received and friends we have made because of T1D. I am thankful to be in Gainesville where the T1D community has been extraordinary. ✽

› How does Conor feel about all this?

After being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Conor spent very little time feeling sorry for himself. Of course he was unhappy that he had to get shots with every meal or snack, so he gravitated toward carb-free items like cheese sticks or deli meat to avoid having to get a shot.

After going from insulin shots to an insulin pump, there was an adjustment period. The delivery device used to insert the site intimidated him at first. It has to be changed every three days and rotated around different areas on his body so as not to build up scar tissue at one site. Early on, Conor was hesitant to change his pump sites and try new spots on his body. Later, Conor was approved by our health insurance to receive a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a device that samples his body’s sugar and sends that data to our smartphones so we can monitor him remotely. Of course, this is another site through his skin that we have to change periodically.

Conor has adapted very well, and these devices sure make things easier for us all. For instance, before his insulin pump was being used he had to wait until it was convenient to give an insulin shot before he could eat his Publix cookie. Now, he just enters the carbs into his pump and enjoys the cookie at the store.

When asking Conor how he feels about having diabetes, he sums it up as a pain in the neck but a “gotta do” that he just deals with. We learned at the Friends for Life

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conference that there is high risk for burn out in children and teens with T1D. They simply get tired of constantly checking and thinking about their blood sugars. So to avoid this, we try to give him breaks from his diabetes.

This entails us doing all the glucose checks, carb counts and insulin dosing for a certain time period. He is a typical pre-teenaged boy and gets frustrated when we continually remind him to check his sugar, ask “what’s your number?” or force him to eat all of his meal because his pump has already given him the insulin dose for those carbs. There have been occasional missteps, like when he mistakenly entered his blood sugar of 200 as grams of carbs consumed, which gave him way too much insulin.

Fortunately, we caught it right away, but since the insulin had already entered his body, the fix was that he had to do what he told his pump he had done and consume 200 grams worth of carbohydrates. Break out the honey and juice!

In addition to looking and feeling better since his initial diagnosis, Conor has become more engaged, focused and has a sense of humor about his T1D. When asked about his insulin pump, he may simply say “I wear my pancreas on the outside, that’s just how I roll.” He enjoys it when we jokingly tell his brothers to count their carbs or to put 30 grams into their pumps before dinner. We are amazed at his resilience and easygoing attitude.

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happy home amount of bacteria depending on factors such as cleaning habits and traffic. Reduce dampness by drying off in the shower and wipe down the floor at least once a week.

Make Your Own! Searching for a safe and effective way to banish mold and mildew in the bathroom? Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water and pour into a spray bottle.

Spray area and let sit!

Toilet

What makes a toilet so dirty isn’t necessarily what’s always in it, but more or less what comes out of it. When we flush the bowl, the swirling water creates aerosols and germs that disperse onto the floor, sink, walls and even towels. By simply cleaning the bowl weekly and flushing with the lid down, you’re greatly reducing the spread of bacteria.

Faucet/Faucet Handles

As the most touched area in a bathroom, it’s important to wipe down faucets and faucet handles daily. Using disinfectant wipes and solutions will cut the buildup in half.

Razors

Bye, Bye Bathroom Germs

Leaving razors in wet conditions can cause them to become rusty and attract old hair and dead skin, which can then lead to irritation when used. Keeping razors in dry places and swiping them with alcohol every few days can ensure a longer life and less bumps.

BY NICOLE GERMANY

On the surface your bathroom might look clean and polished, but you’d be amazed at how many germs are hiding just out of sight. From the toothbrush holder to the bathmat, mildew and bacteria cling to just about everything. While the bathroom might not win for the dirtiest room in the house (the kitchen takes that top honor) there are multiple spots we often forget about altogether.

Toothbrush/Toothbrush holder

Ever look inside your toothbrush holder?

If you haven’t, you’ll be amazed to see the amount of gunk situated right next to your toothbrush. Toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months because of bacteria buildup, and tossing a toothbrush holder in the dishwasher every other week will make it as good as new.

Bathtub

Every time we use the shower or bathtub, the bacteria we’re washing away finds shelter on every inch of the tub. It’s best to look for a “tough on scum” cleaner and really scrub with a sponge rather than just wipe clean.

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Loofa/Washcloth

Anything that is constantly damp is the perfect hotbed for bacteria and mold. It’s best to switch out anything used to clean your body and wash weekly.

Bathmat

Your bathmat is a breeding ground for mold because it is constantly wet. Try cleaning it in the dishwasher or washing machine about once a week to keep mold at bay.

Bathroom floor

Crowned the dirtiest surface in the bathroom, the bathroom floor can have a very high

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Bathroom Stats • There are 3.2 million microbes per square inch of a toilet bowl.

• The Public Health & Safety Organization conducted a survey that found stove knobs and refrigerator handles to be ranked higher with bacteria than bathroom door knobs.

• The average sponge can carry upward of 10 million bacteria per square inch, around a quarter of a million times more than your average toilet seat.

• Video game controllers carry 7,873 bactaeria per 100 square centimeters while toilet seats are home to an average of 1,600 bacteria per 100 square centimeters.

More than 75 percent of dish sponges and rags had Salmonella, E.coli and fecal matter compared compared to the 9 percent on bathroom faucet handles.

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happy home

g i g g l e s ta m p

Turkey Décor

for Your Home Turkey is of course the quintessential mascot of Thanksgiving. It provides for a tasty meal, but it is also ever present in home and table décor for the fall season. Whether they’re hanging on a door welcoming friends in or sitting ready to serve at the next feast, these friendly birds are all the rage this fall!

Thanksgiving Melamine Personalized Plate Purpleberrygifts.etsy.com $22

Heritage Turkey Salad Plate Pottery Barn $12.50

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Autumn Oak Turkey Serving Platter Pier One/Pier1.com $34.95

perfect for Gold Turkey Figurine mantles!

Target $12.99

Wood Turkey Monogram Slinkslinks.Etsy.com $20

Celebrate Fall Together Turkey Pillow Kohls $35.99

Images provided by manufacturer/photographed by Giggle Magazine.

Turkey Salt and Pepper Shakers Kirklands.com, Online Only! $7.99

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YOUR HOME. YOUR STYLE. YOUR CUSTOM CLOSET! (352) 318-0818 AMANDA@ADIVINECLOSET.COM ADIVINECLOSET.COM Amanda Carreon, Owner of A Divine Closet

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happy home to besiege ourselves with the busyness of life. We bemoan not having enough time, energy or money to get it all done — a mindset that demoralizes and overwhelms us. Some of us take an odd pride in having so much to do. Our culture makes us feel important if we’re busy and in demand. Or maybe that’s our own interpretation of modern life. The more texts and emails, the better!

All of our frantic activity looks like productivity, but is it bringing us closer to what we truly want? People who seek out coaching often ask for help because they want to change something that has eluded them. What we do shapes who we are or who we will become. A good coach always listens for the client’s underlying agenda. How will changing what she does affect who she is or wants to become?

A s k H e l en

Queries from the Curious by helen kornblum

It’s happening again. Before every holiday season I promise myself that I’m going to keep things simple and not work myself into a frenzy over an impossible to-do list that stresses me and everyone around me. I already feel myself losing my balance with the demands of work, special plans for the kids and too many family expectations.

How do I stop this?

What we choose to do is also a reflection of our priorities. If you don’t impose your priorities on your to-do list, the list will hijack your life. You have to make choices to exert control. Must you accept every holiday invitation you receive? What’s your family’s favorite activity? How many holiday cards and homemade cookies are you determined to produce and at what emotional cost?

What effect does all that shopping have on your annual budget for other family goals? What can you do to resist the consumerism that surrounds you? The answers to these questions are different for every person.

Wow! Look at the vocabulary you used in that question: frenzy, stress, losing, demands and expectations. Although none of these words suggest a happy holiday, you understand the most important concept, that YOU can stop the impending overwhelm.

You can have leisure and calm all year long if you’re willing to pause long enough to sort out your priorities, make conscious decisions and manage your expectations.

Most of us have already turned our lives into a never-ending to-do list, no matter the season. We use scrap paper lists, clever paper templates or electronic apps

At its heart, taking this approach is a spiritual exercise, nicely suited to the November through January season. ✽

 Helen Kornblum is a life coach and organizer in Gainesville, FL. Find her at www.CoachandOrganizer.com. Her specialty is coaching teens and young adults who have ADHD or ADD.

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Live Life at Legacy at Fort Clarke in Gainesville FL

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EGACY L L at fort clarke

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Traditional Fall Wreath Magnolia leaves Nandina leaves Japanese maple leaves Crepe myrtle seedpods

naturally beautiful The end of summer and beginning of fall is the perfect time to hunt for interesting and unique wreath components. Gorgeous natural pieces can be found in your yard, in the woods or anywhere around you! written and styled by Paige Benton McKee | photos by langley KATE PHOTOGRAPHY

Materials • Wreath base • Floral wire (to securely attach all pieces to the wreath) • Clippers • Plant material ideas: dried blooms, berries, seedpods, foliage (dried or live), sticks, moss, grasses, weeds, wildflowers, etc.

Paige says: "Purple is a favorite fall color for me. It's a refreshing contrast to the commercialized orange that surrounds us all season."

The beginning of fall is the time of year to deadhead all of your spent summer blooms. But before you take them to the curb, give them a second look — they could be perfect in a wreath! All varieties of hydrangeas are wonderful options, as are spent agapanthus blooms, seeding plants and dried foliage.

"Hydrangea blooms aren't just for summer," said Paige. "I love the dusty and muted shades that they acquire this time of year. Pair them with fall elements such as leaves, seed stalks and a rustic wreath, and they'll transition right into fall."

Fall in Florida Wreath (above) Palmetto leaves Bamboo leaves Pinecone lilies Foxtail fern Wandering Jew Air plants

Hydrangea Wreath (right) Dried hydrangea blooms Sycamore tree leaves Vitex dried blooms/seeds

Your wreath can be as intricate or simple as you like. Once you've collected your materials, let your imagination go wild! Use floral tape to securely fasten all pieces to your wreath base and don't be afraid to cut live greenery and let it dry on your wreath.

Wildflower Wreath I found all of these wildflowers along a lakeshore. I always have a pair of clippers in my car and love to have them at the ready when I come across something to clip — whether it's gorgeous blooms at their peak, pretty foliage or dried seed pods. Sometimes weeds can make the unexpected finishing touch.

Paige says:

"The air plants were the only plants that I purchased to make these wreaths. However, they are native in Florida, and some may be lucky enough to have them growing on trees in their yards. They need watering once or twice a week." âœ˝

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learn

Giggle

Tip:

Some kids extra help may need some , and y with your ou can consult ch to see if th ild’s teacher ey recomm end occupatio nal therap y.

The Write Stuff: How to Encourage Good Handwriting

use a chalkboard to write, and the sentence either goes uphill or downhill! Use lined paper to help guide their hands. Remind children that capital letters should stretch from the top line to the bottom line, and lower case letters should be half the size of uppercase. To separate words in a sentence, have your child place his index finger between words.

BY OLIVIA K. PITKETHLY, MA, LMHC

Have your child write a letter to a friend, a grandparent or even Santa Claus. Talk to your child about what she wants to be when she grows up and then discuss how good handwriting is important in that profession. Games, such as tictac-toe or hangman, can also help improve writing skills, and it won’t feel so much like homework if you make it fun!

Learning how to write is a struggle, for both the kids and the parents! Kids have to learn to hold a pencil with “pinchy fingers,” keep their hands and shoulders steady and leave spaces between words. Parents have to learn how to have patience with beginning writers, avoid placing pressure on or rushing their children, and help them develop their skills.

Developing hand strength is also important. Having children manipulate Play-Doh, pick up grains of rice or alphabet macaroni and practice simple finger exercises will help them develop fine motor skills.

Children who are a little older may have some difficulty keeping their sentences in a straight line. I’ve seen many kids

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Some kids may need some extra help, and you can consult with your child’s teacher to see if they recommend occupational therapy. An occupational therapist can evaluate a child’s muscle strength, endurance, coordination and muscle control. They can help your child develop proper posture for handwriting, such as the proper use of the arms, hands, head and eyes. They can also develop handwriting curriculum and suggest effective strategies to you and your child’s teacher. ✽

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

One common program that simplifies the learning process is the “Handwriting Without Tears” program. “There are only four strokes the kids have to learn: big line, little line, big curve and little curve,” said preschool teacher Brittany Clark, who has been teaching for five years. “Every letter, number and shape has a combination of those four. It makes it fun, kind of like a puzzle.”

➜ Practicing at Home

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learn Magnet Program Options Howard Bishop Middle School Academy of Technology and Gifted Studies, or the @cademy, is a program that focuses on gifted or advanced coursework in all core subjects along with accelerated technology courses where students can earn industry recognized certifications in programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel.

Lincoln Middle School’s The Lyceum Program describes itself as a premier program for academically talented, highly motivated and well-behaved students.

It is a rigorous program designed to ready students for success in advanced high school programs.

What’s In A Middle School Magnet?

BY APRIL TISHER

Alachua County has a somewhat unique middle school situation that unless you are “in the know” can seem intimidating. In about the fourth grade you will start to hear the rumblings of “what are you going to do for middle school?” Luckily, I had friends with older children who had been through the process before to guide me along. To help you, here is a brief rundown of what I learned.

Beginning in the fall of your student’s fifth grade year, you need to start considering whether or not a non-traditional approach to middle school is right for your child and your family. Since these options may not be at your zoned school, there will be considerations such as transportation and schoolmates to think about. All students attending a magnet program are eligible for bus transportation to and from the school. Sometimes students receive letters from these special programs inviting them to apply. These letters are typically sent out in the late fall to students that are identified as gifted within the school system and are in enrichment programs in elementary school. Not all programs require a gifted designation however, so if your child does not receive a letter, contact the director for the program you are interested in for more information. Each program has

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its own minimum standards for standardized test scores as well as GPAs that they use for admission.

Timelines for these magnets usually begin with open houses in January. Students are able to schedule shadowing days where they actually spend a day following around a sixth grade student enrolled in the program to get a sense of what it would be like to go to school there. These shadowing dates fill up fast so it is important to check the school’s website and register for them as soon as possible. It helps to schedule them prior to the application deadline, if possible. If your child decides after spending a day there they are not interested, this will save you the effort of completing an application for that school. These shadowing days are excused by your child’s elementary school, but it does help to check with your child’s current teachers first to ensure that you are not scheduling days away that are critical.

Applications are due around the beginning of February and first round acceptance letters begin to go out at the end of the month. By the beginning of March students must commit or decline to programs and then a second round of acceptance letters go out. If it sounds like your 10-year-old is applying to college, it is a similar process.

Oak View Middle School’s Center for Advanced Academics and Technology (CAAT) is located in Newberry, but is still part of Alachua County Schools.

It is a technology focused advanced academic program, but accepts less students than Lincoln and Bishop, so it is a bit more competitive.

Westwood Middle School is a Cambridge International Center, which is not a true magnet program, but rather a separate curriculum offered to high achieving students zoned for Westwood. Like a magnet, there is an application, shadowing and acceptance process, and you can apply for a zoning exemption if this is the program best suited for your student. Acceptance into the program does not guarantee a zoning exemption will be granted, since the school board must also take into account the number of students attending that are zoned.

Fort Clarke Middle School offers the R.E.A.C.H (Research, Evaluate, Analyze, Communicate, Historical Perspective) program, which is also not considered a magnet program, but is a special option for zoned students that they apply for. It is an academically rigorous, research-focused curriculum intended for highly motivated students.

Of course, your child can just choose to go to the school they are zoned for. All the middle schools offer advanced or gifted coursework in addition to the regular programs that follow all the state standards.

These options are offered as additional choices that may appeal to your student. For more information on all these programs please visit Sbac.edu and click on Magnet Programs under the Schools and Centers link. ✽

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learn

Set Your Kids Up for Club Success

BY DANIELLE PASTULA

We all want to help our kids reach their fullest potential, but how many times have you been asked for help with homework only to be left scratching your head?

Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Thankfully, you can help your kids when it comes to other school activities, specifically their after-school clubs.

The following are some steps you can take to be an active participant in the activities your kids enjoy and help them reach their extracurricular goals.

Pl ay ga me s at ho me Whether your child is on the chess team, mathletes or basketball team, there’s probably some element of your child’s club of interest that you can practice with her at home.

Try scheduling some time every week on a specific day where you can work together to help her fit in some extra practice time, as well as spend some quality time together.

the mercy of fundraising efforts because school budgets can’t support every club or the materials they need. Whatever it may be, there are plenty of things that go into a successful club that you can have a hand in.

Hel p the m mai nta in bal anc e At the end of the day, your child’s club activities are for her to develop new skills, socialize with peers and learn how to set and achieve goals. However, it’s easy for clubs to take over and overwhelm your child if she’s involved in too many clubs or not interested in a particular club anymore.

Help her navigate the balance between school and extracurricular activities, and show her how to choose what she wants to try and what she wants to drop off her schedule.

Clubs should be fun, so whenever you see that your children are becoming overwhelmed or disinterested, it’s time to help them learn how to create balance in their lives by either deciding to leave the club or take a break from other activities. ✽

Let her have an area where she can work on her own One of the biggest factors for your child’s club success is helping her make the activity more accessible outside of the days her club meets.

So, to help her fit in extra practice time, let her have an area in the home for her to leave out her Legos or chess board, or keep a basketball net in the yard that she can easily go to whenever she has some spare time. Making her club materials visible is a great way to encourage and remind her to practice and improve her skills.

Add supp ort wher e it's need ed

This support could mean hosting a quarterly fundraiser, coordinating transportation for a regional competition, or some other helpful task. Oftentimes after-school clubs are at

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© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

If you’re finding it tough to participate with your child’s specific interest because you’re not a chess whiz or the best athlete, simply being there to help with the other aspects of the club is a huge part of your child’s club success. After all, if there’s no club for him, he won’t have the opportunity to pursue that passion.

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Keeping Your Home

S FE

From the Outside In

BY DANIELLE PASTULA

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“You never know what you’ll do until it happens to you.”

if burglars do attempt to break into your home, they’ll give up quickly if they’re unable to gain entry and move on to their next target to avoid drawing attention to their activities.

While this sentiment might be true for some scenarios, when it comes to keeping your home safe from burglary, there’s plenty you can do to prevent a home invasion.

KEEP YOUR FAMILY INFORMED AND STAY ALERT

According to the FBI, a household burglary happens every 14.4 seconds for a total of 3.7 million per year in the United States.

You just can’t afford to not play it safe.

Here are some of the top ways to keep your home guarded from the outside in, whether your family is away for vacation or tucked quietly in their beds.

GET THE RIGHT REINFORCEMENTS

Burglars need an entry point, so the better your doors and windows, the more of a deterrent it will be for potential robbers.

The most common door type used in homes and apartments is the hinge door. These exterior doors should be solid wood core or steel clad in order to ensure optimum security. Avoid lightgauge aluminum, hollow core or composition board doors, which can be easily battered or bored through.

These doors essentially deem your deadbolt useless, no matter how strong it is.

Sliding glass doors are also attractive for burglars since they can be easily removed from their tracks. The best way to make them safe is to install an auxiliary lock, such as a deadbolt or pin mechanism, as well as a Charley bar, which can be used to prevent the door from sliding open.

For windows of any design, the main thing to consider is getting additional reinforcements in the form of pins through the frame, screws in the track or keyed locks.

FOLLOW STRONG PREVENTION HABITS

According to research conducted

by SecurAmerica, most home burglaries occur between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., when people are most likely to not be home. The average time it takes for homes to be burglarized is just 10 minutes.

These statistics mean that it’s important to practice good habits all the time. Especially during broad daylight, when you may think it’s OK to leave a back door unlocked while you run up the street to grab something from the store.

“

In most cases, we tell people they need to make noise and turn on lights and/or set off alarms in the home to let the wouldbe perpetrator know that there is someone home.

”

When you regularly practice strong prevention habits such as consistently locking your doors, closing your garage door, setting your alarm and not posting your whereabouts on social media, you’re helping to lower the likelihood that a burglar would see your home as an easy target. Even

Finally, one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to plan and discuss what you would do in the event of a break-in while you’re in your home.

According to Cary Gallop, the crime prevention deputy for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and a certified crime prevention practitioner, most burglars want to enter an unoccupied home to avoid being detected. “In most cases, we tell people they need to make noise and turn on lights and/or set off alarms in the home to let the wouldbe perpetrator know that there is someone home.”

Fleeing your home and running to a safe place in close proximity is usually the last option to take, unless you believe the person wants to do you harm, Gallop said.

“If you decide to flee your own home, you should consider these questions: Where am I running to? Do I have the physical ability to avoid the confrontation or am I in good enough shape to run?

How far away is help if I need it?

I.e. friends, law enforcement and neighbors that I trust.”

Gallop also said that enhancing your self-defense skills is something everyone should do.

However, it’s also important to keep in mind that 90 percent of self-defense is awareness, risk avoidance and risk reduction. Only 10 percent of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design techniques are physical; most focus on changing your daily habits and making your home less attractive to criminals. ✽

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OF THE BEST FLORIDA MUSEUMS

BY NICOLE GERMANY

While most tourists come to the Sunshine State to get away from the snow and indulge in the beautiful sandy beaches, there’s actually more to Florida than just our infinite sunny days. With endless history, some of the best-kept secrets are the spots that many seem to skip over altogether.

So next time the clouds open up and the rain starts falling, escape the present and enjoy the past with some of these must-see museums around Florida.

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#3 SOUTH FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER AND AQUARIUM

#1 LIGHTNER MUSEUM

St. Augustine In 1947, Otto Lightner purchased what used to be the Alcazar Hotel and transformed it into a living, breathing space for his eclectic and diverse collection of artwork, antiques and collections that once belonged to millionaires. Lightner makes it fun to get the kids involved and offers a scavenger hunt that gets them up close and personal with everything from shrunken heads to human hair art.

Lightnermuseum.org Adults $10, Children (12-18) $5, Under 12 Free

#2 MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Jacksonville The Museum of Science & History, otherwise known as MOSH, aims to bring the community an atmosphere where learning is fun. With everything from a planetarium to an exhibit on the science of energy, MOSH sheds light on an innovative way to understand the unknown for all ages.

Themosh.org Adult $12.50, Children $10, 2 and under Free

West Palm Beach The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium provides visitors with an engaging experience thanks to its approach of making science education so hands on. Exhibits such as Nano give visitors the opportunity to build models while the Aquariums of the Atlantic offer daily touch tank demonstrations and live feedings.

Sfsciencecenter.org Adults $15, Children (3-12) $11

#4 FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Gainesville As Florida’s official state natural history museum, the Florida Museum of Natural History is constantly expanding with one-of-a-kind exhibits not seen anywhere else. While there you can choose to get up close and personal at a butterfly release in the Butterfly Rainforest, encourage your child’s curiosity inside the discovery room or come face to face with shark jaws ranging in height from 2–9 feet.

Flmnh.ufl.edu General Admission: Free; Butterfly Rainforest: Adults $13, Children (3-17) $6

#5 MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY & SCIENCE

Fort Lauderdale Ever find yourself wanting to hang out with bats, pet iguanas or take a simulated trip to Mars? The Museum of Discovery & Science gives you the opportunity to do all of these in the same day with exhibits to satisfy the whole family.

Mods.org Adults $15, Children (2-12) $13.00

#6 JOHN & MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART Sarasota Situated in Sarasota, The Ringling combines unique performances, special events and artistic exhibitions to give insight into John and Mable Ringling’s quest to find European art and spectacular circus acts. Exhibits include paintings, acrobatic acts, sculptures and decorative arts from around the world.

The Ringling also offers art making classes and story time just for the little ones!

Ringling.org Adults $25, Children (6-17) $5, 5 and under Free

#7 MORIKAMI MUSEUM & JAPANESE GARDENS

Photos courtesy of individual museums.

Delray Beach With 16 acres of picnic areas, strolling paths and serene surroundings, the Morikami Museum is one of Palm Beach County’s most treasured cultural attractions because of its ability to intertwine a beautiful connection between Japan and South Florida. Morikami also offers month-by-month programs that encourage the whole family to enjoy Japanese culture.

Morikami.org Adults $15, Children (6-17) $9, 5 and under Free Continued on page 81.

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Continued from page 79.

#8 DON GARLITS MUSEUM OF DRAG RACING

Ocala Have a little one (or maybe even a hubby) who loves fast and shiny things? With over 300 cars, the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing houses one of the largest collections of Fords in the state. The museum opened in 1984 and since has become home to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

Garlits.com Adults $25, Teenagers (Ages 13-18) $15, Children (Ages 5-12) $10

#9 MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

North Miami The Museum of Contemporary Art looks to combine a mixture of programs such as live jazz concerts, creative classes for teens and children, and lectures to ensure that the community always has access to the best of contemporary art and its historical influences. Artists such as Gianni Versace, Pablo Cano and Salvador Dali have all had work displayed at the museum, as well as local emerging artists looking to get their foot in the door.

Mocanomi.org Adults $5, Children under 12 Free

#11 SKELETONS: ANIMALS UNVEILED!

Orlando As one of the only two skeleton museums in America, Skeletons: Animals Unveiled! features over 40 exhibits and more than 500 real animal skeletons. With everything from an African Safari exhibit that features massive elephant and giraffe skeletons, to the creepy flesh-eating beetles that help clean the bones, this place will keep the kiddos exploring all day.

Skeletonmuseum.com Adults $19.99, Children (3-11) $12.99, 2 and under Free

#12 TALLAHASSEE MUSEUM

Tallahassee Established in 1957, the Tallahassee Museum intertwines North Florida’s history, nature and wildlife through exhibits, special events and more. The Tallahassee Museum offers about 30 permanent exhibits and a wide range of opportunities to see native animals, such as the Florida panther or the red wolf, in their natural settings. The museum also offers zip-lining courses designed for the whole family.

Tallahasseemuseum.org Adults $10.50, Children (4-15) $7.50, 3 and under Free

#13 FANTASY OF FLIGHT

Photos courtesy of individual museums.

#10 SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM

St. Petersburg Founded with the works collected by Reynolds and Eleanor Morse, the Dali Museum brings together a collection of over 2,100 breathtaking pieces that include 96 oil paintings, original drawings, photos and of course that famous portrait of Abraham Lincoln that makes you look twice. The Dali’s calendar of events showcases daily story times and creative activities to engage and educate children while at the museum.

Thedali.org Adults $24, Students (13-17) $17, Children (6-12) $10, 5 and younger Free

Polk City Take a stroll through one of the world’s largest private collections of vintage aircrafts and go back to the days of Orville and Wilbur Wright.

The magnificent thing about these planes is that they don’t collect dust, but instead catch air because they are flown daily. You can even snag a seat on a real biplane for a scenic tour over Central Florida for a cost of $70.

Fantasyofflight.com Adults $12, Children (6-12) $8

#14 KEY WEST SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

Key West Set sail into 1856 and experience Key West during the time of some of the most dangerous wrecks and recoveries to date. Kids of all ages will enjoy the costume-clad actors, films and artifacts that tell the story of a time when “wreck ashore!” was yelled every time a new wreck was spotted.

Keywestshipwreck.com Adults $15.04, Children $8.59, 3 and under Free ✽

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conception2college™  expecting

Stay Informed About Zika

 infant | 0-1

Dapper in Diapers: The Evolving Cloth Diaper

 toddler | 2-3

18 of Our Favorite Toddler Books!

 early years | 4-5 How Mobile Devices Affect Movement Milestones

 kids | 6-9

Do That For Yourself: The Top 10 Before 10

 tweens | 10-13

Party On! Birthday Celebration Ideas for Tweens

 Teens | 14-18

Photo by Sincerely Gone Photography.

Volunteering Past Elementary School: How to Stay Involved in Your Child’s Academic Career

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expecting

pregnancy

Stay Informed About Zika

BY RIZWANA FAREEDUDDIN, MD, FACOG

What is Zika and where did it come from?

Zika (“zee-ka”) is a virus carried by the mosquito species Aedes aegypti. It was first found in Uganda in 1947 and has spread rapidly in the past decade. An outbreak in South America in 2015 found an association with a severe birth defect, calling international attention to the virus.

How do you get ZIka? The Zika virus is transmitted through a mosquito bite. It can also be transmitted through unprotected intercourse with an infected individual. You are at risk if you travel to areas such as South America, Puerto Rico or the Caribbean.

How do you treat Zika?

There is no treatment or vaccine.

What are the signs of infection?

Rash, mild fever and conjunctivitis (red eyes) can last seven to 10 days.

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© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

➜ Dr. Fareeduddin is a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist in Gainesville, Florida. Follow her on Twitter at @rizwanafl

If I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant, why should I avoid Zika?

Zika is associated with microcephaly, a severe birth defect with long-term health and intellectual disabilities. Microcephaly is a very small head measurement and associated with an abnormally developed brain. It can occur if a pregnant woman gets infected during the pregnancy.

If I am pregnant how do I know if I have Zika?

If you are pregnant, have symptoms, have traveled to any known affected areas or have had sex with someone who has recently traveled there, tell your OB-GYN. You will be referred to a Maternal Fetal Medicine (High Risk OB) specialist for a detailed ultrasound. Blood testing will be performed through your local Health Department. Tests through other labs should eventually increase access to testing.

What is the chance my baby develops a birth defect if I am infected with Zika while pregnant?

If you get infected with Zika while you are pregnant, the risk of microcephaly ranges from 0.95–13.2 percent. This may change as we learn more about the affected babies.

What are my chances of getting infected where I live?

As of August 2016, there have been five confirmed cases of Zika infection in Alachua County, one in Marion County and two cases in Leon County.

0.9513.2%

All of these cases are travel-related and were not acquired locally. It is unlikely you will get infected unless you travel to affected areas.

If I am a man or non-pregnant female, why should I care about Zika?

Zika can be sexually transmitted. Many pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned and avoiding infection is crucial. It also affects timing of pregnancy. Women with Zika should wait eight weeks after symptoms start before trying to conceive. Men infected with Zika should wait at least six months after symptoms. Women and men who have traveled to affected areas should wait at least eight weeks before trying to get pregnant.

For latest information and list of affected areas visit Cdc.gov/zika or the Florida Department of Health Zika information hotline at 1-855-622-6735.

How do I avoid getting Zika?

Avoid mosquitos! Use EPA-registered insect repellents that contain one of these active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus (para-menthane-3,8diol). Always use as directed — they may safely be used during pregnancy.

Remove standing water, check window screens for tears and wear long-sleeve clothing and pants. If you are pregnant and your male partner has traveled to an affected area, condoms are recommended.

The CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant avoid travel to Zika affected areas. In Florida, avoid travel to Miami Beach or the Wynwood area of Miami. ✽

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infant

ages 0-1

Dapper In Diapers: The Evolving Cloth Diaper

BY NICOLE GERMANY

These days babies’ bottoms are getting an upgrade thanks to cloth diapers, and people are starting to take notice. With the increase in popularity, a debate has sparked comparing cloth diapers to disposable. The big question is, which is the better pick? For starters, always stick to what works best for you and your baby, but if you’re looking to take the plunge and try something new, cloth diapers could be your new best friends!

Experimenting with cloth diapers starts first with understanding the basics. Test out a few options before spending a fortune on something that doesn’t end up working. When it comes to cloth diapers, there are a few different kinds: prefold,

pocket, fitted and all-in-one. Each is slightly different in terms of the benefits it offers.

•

Prefold - If you’re on a budget, these flat, rectangular cloth diapers just require you to fold, shape and add a cover over top.

•

Fitted - These diapers consist of multiple absorbent layers and fasten on with hook and loop closures.

•

Pocket - Made up of a waterproof cover, this option allows you to insert an absorbent pad or prefold into the pocket.

•

All-in-one - Consisting of a set of absorbent layers, the all-inone diaper makes quick changes more convenient and is great for overnight use.

Anderson admitted it gets tricky, stinky and yucky at times, but it's important to her to use cloth because her mother did it for all 11 of her children! ✽

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Depending on your preference for storing dirty cloth diapers, some moms start with soaking the cloth in a wet pail before throwing it in the washer, however that is not always necessary. To start a load of diapers, follow these steps: 1. Remove inserts from pocket diapers 2. Start a cold rinse with no detergent 3. Run a load with a quarter cup of detergent 4. End with another cold rinse

» Fast facts •

A typical family can spend between $2,000 and $3,000 per baby for two years on disposable diapers, while cloth diapers and accessories run about $800 to $1,000 if you wash them yourself.

•

Each year, enough disposable diapers are thrown away to circle the globe 90 times.

•

Families switch to cloth diapers for a variety of reasons including the desire to become more eco-friendly, the savings from switching and the overall comfort cloth diapers bring for some babies.

•

Cotton Booty is a monthly cloth diaper mystery box subscription service that sends you a name brand cloth diaper each month.

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

Other factors to remember are how many diapers you’ll need to invest in and how often you’ll want to do laundry. Heather Montes, mother of three, suggested buying about a dozen diapers per size.

“I do a few loads of laundry every day with Arm & Hammer Wash or Borax and air dry the covers and throw the inserts in the dryer with no fabric softener.”

Also consider a mix of disposables and cloth when traveling, but make sure to always pack enough! Kathy Anderson took a week vacation and only packed cloth. “I brought enough to last the whole trip and did a wash before my return home. They aren't easy to pack so using space saver bags in my luggage was a lifesaver!

Companies also sell wet bags that hold dirty diapers between washes, which contain the stink.”

Washing process

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toddler

ages 2-3

18 of Our Favorite Toddler Books!

BY Nicole Irving & Nicole Germany

1 "What Do People Do All Day?" teaches

10 "The Little Engine That Could" is a tale

BY: RICHARD SCARRY

BY: WATTY PIPER

2 "Press Here" is an interactive adventure that gives kids the opportunity to press, shake and tilt their way through the pages of the book.

11 "The Rainbow Fish" colorfully shines as he

BY: HERVE TULLET

BY: MARCUS PFISTER

3 "Llama Llama Mad at Mama" takes a task like shopping and helps make it fun for llama and mama. BY: ANNA DEWDNEY

12 "The Gruffalo" is a heartwarming story about a mouse that always expects the worse from his predators, but ultimately gets the best from them. BY: JULIA DONALDSON

kiddos that everyone has their own role whether it be a firefighter, mailman or just a mommy.

4 "Green Eggs and Ham" introduces Sam-IAm and explores the age-old story of trying something before refusing it. BY: DR. SEUSS 5 "The Story of Ferdinand" tells a tale of a bull who would rather enjoy the smaller things in life than be forced to fight in bullfights.

of one little engine that surprises everyone by completing a task no one thought was possible.

learns to make friends by sharing a little piece of him with everyone he meets.

13 "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" hilariously shows that even once you get a mouse a cookie he will still need milk and a place to stay and so on. BY: LAURA JOFFE NUMEROFF 14 "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed"

BY: MUNRO LEAF

brings together five little monkeys that disobey mama and one by one fall off the bed.

6 "A Pocket for Corduroy" takes a lost bear

BY: EILEEN CHRISTELOW

named Corduroy and follows him as he searches high and low for material to make a pocket of his own. BY: DON FREEMAN

7 "Pat the Bunny" is a classic “touch and feel” book that lets children touch things like “daddy’s scratchy face” and the fur of a fake bunny. BY: DOROTHY KUNHARDT 8 "Guess How Much I Love You" lovingly

shows how much Little Nutbrown Hare loves his daddy and how far Big Nutbrown Hare's love for his son extends.

BY: SAM MCBRATNEY

9 "Madeline" shows how one redheaded girl lives life in an orphanage and finds adventure in everything she does.

BY: LUDWIG BEMELMANS

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Your 2—3-year-old will now begin to show interest in story lines and characters, rather than just drooling and eating their board books. Reading at this age is more of a bonding experience for you and your little one rather than a lesson in phonics and grammar, so have fun with it and choose titles and books that they can relate to and that also unleash their imagination. This is an important stepping stone toward a love of reading!

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15 "Make Way for Ducklings" follows Mr. and Mrs. Mallard as they scope out just the right location for their little ducklings to call home. BY: ROBERT MCCLOSKEY 16 "No, David!" lets it be known that even after all the bad things kiddos might get into, parents will still love you even if you misbehave.

BY: DAVID SHANNON

17 "Olivia" the piglet loves adventures so much that it tires her family out. She’s the perfect character to keep kids excited to try new things. BY: IAN FALCONER 18 "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" introduces the alphabet to children in a unique and colorful way. BY: BILL MARTIN JR.

c2c

early years

ages 4 - 5

How Mobile Devices Affect Movement Milestones

by NICOLE IRVING

Movement milestones of a 4—5-year-old that CAN’T be achieved while sitting using a device

1

Standing on one foot for 10 seconds or longer

2

Climbing (safely)

3

Beginning stages of skipping

Your child’s movement milestones are building blocks to his success — one can’t work without the other. These milestones that your 4—5-year-old should hit are extremely important for his development, both physically and mentally.

5

From October to November 2015, The American Academy of Pediatrics conducted a study on children and exposure to mobile media. The results were astounding. Out of the 350 children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old that were surveyed, 75 percent of 4 year olds owned their own cellphone.

Beginning to master somersaults

When children are sitting and playing on a device, they are not moving their bodies. Period. As adults, we know how dangerous it can be to walk and text. Many adults have gotten hurt this way (can you say manholes?). With this being said, extended exposure to mobile media can have a negative effect on a child hitting his movement milestones, not to mention the other side effects it Out of the 350 children can cause. Certain milestones at this age are keys to future ones, and it is important to make sure your between the ages of 6 child is hitting them. months and 4 years

Dressing and undressing on their own

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So, if you see that your preschooler has gotten into the rut of playing on his or your device more than you would like, take a step back and reevaluate when and how much time he uses it. We’ve all handed our kids the phone to keep quiet in a restaurant, but with a bit of discipline on both sides, hitting these milestones will be easy peasy! ✽

6 7

Holding a fork and spoon, and showing signs of using a childappropriate knife. At age 5, children can begin to spread butter or jam with a knife.

8

Catching a bounced ball the majority of the time

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

old that were surveyed, 75 percent of 4 year olds owned their own cellphone.

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4

Hopping

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kids

ages 6-9

Do That For Yourself: The Top 10 Before 10

BY APRIL TISHER

Being a 10-year-old today is very different than it was when I was 10, but it is still important to teach children things that give them a sense of autonomy and maturity. After talking to some experts, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 things to teach your children before they turn 10.

1

How to save money. This is a big one for my husband. He has always made our children put a portion of their money (birthday, allowance, etc.) in savings and keep a portion to spend and/or donate.

5

2

How to comparison shop. This one is a big one for me. I love a deal and it physically pains me to see someone pay more for something than they have to. Show children how prices vary from one place to the next, whether you’re online shopping or looking at sales fliers.

7

How to manage school responsibilities.

Children turn 10 late in their elementary school years; this means that the things they learn now prepare them for middle school. Dr. Jill Geltner, professional school counselor at Howard Bishop Middle School, sees the importance of children learning to navigate their own educational needs.

They should be taught before sixth grade the organizational skills needed to keep an agenda, keep up with homework and school assignments, and how to plan ahead for tests and projects. Every child is different and requires varying levels of parental support, but the burden should start to shift in favor of the student as they move toward middle school.

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10

6

How to perform basic personal hygiene. Dr. Elizabeth Kowalski, mom of three, said by 10 she expects her children to keep themselves clean, shower, brush their own teeth, dress and be ready for whatever they are doing next, without being reminded to do so.

How to prepare a simple meal for themselves. Dr. Kowlaski also feels it’s an important life skill for her son to be able to make himself something to eat on his own. Not necessarily to be able to cook, but fix something to eat for breakfast, lunch or snack. They can also assist adults with making larger or more complicated family meals.

How to do simple household chores. This was something that Dr. Geltner and Dr. Kowalski both felt strongly about. By 10, children should be able to take out the trash, put away clothes or empty the dishwasher. Dr. Geltner recognized that some children might prefer to work outdoors helping with yard duties or walking the family dog. Overall, the point is for children to feel a sense of duty and importance to the family group.

9

8

How to navigate. We all have devices that use GPS these days, but you still need to teach basic navigating skills. Sometimes (gasp) you don’t have a signal or Siri takes you totally out of the way to get to an address. Your child should know how to look at a simple map and know which way is east or west. Theme park maps and geocaching are good ways to teach this skill.

How to relax. At the end of the day, Dr. Geltner emphasized the importance of teaching children how to have down time. We no longer put them down for naps, but balancing life with relaxation time with friends and leisure activities are part of what makes a productive and content child. ✽

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

© 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

3 4

How to write a letter. Writing a letter is almost a lost art. I was grateful when my child’s teacher had the class practice addressing and stamping envelopes in third grade. I am a one of the holdouts, and I make my children write handwritten thank you notes to friends and family after receiving gifts.

How to manage their own stuff. This stuff can refer to their gym clothes, backpacks or lunchboxes. Mom of two Amy Hogue said she decided that she was no longer going to “rescue her children.”

If they forget their lunch box, they will learn their lesson the hard way. Leave their schoolwork on the table; they will suffer the natural consequences from their teachers. Hogue said past generations didn’t have parents running to the school to bring forgotten items, so they learned quickly how to be responsible!

Father of three boys and Gatorball coach Kevin Clarke subscribes to this same mantra with sports equipment. He stresses to his players that they “carry their own bag!” He doesn’t want to see his players’ parents schlepping bat bags to and from the fields. They are also told to “put their eyes on” their equipment and uniforms before they leave the house to ensure that everything is there; he doesn’t buy the “my mom forgot to wash my uniform” excuse.

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tweens

ages 1 0 - 1 3

Party On! Birthday Celebration Ideas for Tweens by nicole irving

Mall Scavenger Hunt This is a great party idea for young ladies. What tween girl doesn’t love a good mall trip? › What you will need • Small cash envelopes for each girl.

Consider this their party favor.

• Cellphones, one per group.

• A scavenger list of each store, item or landmark they need to visit. › How to: Create a scavenger hunt of items/ places/landmarks that the girls have to locate/find in the mall.

Break them up into groups at the mall. The first group to text all the photos of the items on the scavenger hunt, wins! Have them take photos/selfies of themselves with the items, and have them text it to you. Give them a set timeframe to get all the photos sent by.

After the scavenger hunt is complete, host a dinner party in the food court and then allow for some shopping time!

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It is wonderful that so many tweens these days are attuned to the needs of charities in their community. A wonderful way for your kiddo to celebrate another year of life is for him to give back to a charity of his choice. › How: If, for instance, your tween is especially moved by animal rights, why not host a birthday party for all his friends and have them bring their animals, if possible, to a big park or your backyard?

Here, you can host Frisbee contests, sit and stay contests and even have the kids make their own dog or bird treats.

In lieu of gifts, this is the perfect opportunity to collect canned food, leashes, dog beds and kitty litter to donate to a charity. If you aren’t sure what to get, just visit any charity website or call and ask what they need at this time.

For party favors, donate an item in each guest’s name to a local pet shelter!

Visit each store on your scavenger hunt first to give them the heads up that a party is coming through.

gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

In the Kitchen!

If you have a budding Food Network’s Chopped Junior winner, a cooking party is just what the chef ordered! › How: Invite a local chef for a cooking lesson — something you know the kids will enjoy or the birthday kiddo’s favorite food.

Pizza, ziti and brownies are always winners.

Have them cook and eat the food together.

Don’t forget to sing!

› Added bonus: Have aprons and chef hats for each guest!

Take Polaroids of each guest with the birthday chef and add the photos to mini scrapbooks with recipe cards of what they made. They can now start their own cookbooks. ✽

For favors, have wooden spoons and spice jars filled with M&M’s. © 2016 iStockphoto LP. All rights reserved.

› Rules • Nothing leaves the store.

• Be nice and respectful to store employees and property.

• Stay with your buddy!

• Have fun!

Honor A Charity

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teens

ages 1 4 - 1 8

Volunteering Past Elementary School: How to Stay Involved in Your Child’s Academic Career

BY NICOLE IRVING

Your child enters kindergarten, and your eyes light up the moment you see the parent sign-up sheet. Your dreams have come true. Countless hours of cutting, pasting, reading, cooking, baking and field trips are just a signature away. The angels sing, hymns play and your calendar begins to overflow with dates of lunchroom volunteering and organizing box tops.

Fast-forward eight years.

Your child walks into the first day of high school, alone. You’re pretty sure there are no field trips that you could sign up for, and box top cutting is a thing of the past.

Cupcakes for birthdays garner an “Are you kidding me MOM?!” and any attempt to volunteer in the actual classroom is shut down by words like “exam,” “studying” and “thank you, but no thank you.”

As the kiddos get older, their workload gets greater and their social lives at school become more important. Having a parent around isn’t always ideal. So, the question stands, how do you keep a pulse on your children’s academic environment once they start high school? The following are some fun ways keep involved and informed without embarrassing your kid in front of his peers.

PTA/PTO

Sporting events Friday night football is a classic family fun activity. Who doesn’t love supporting the home team? Many team parents have an opportunity to help sell tickets, as well as man concession stand sales and T-shirt sales. Away games might need

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Dances Between homecoming and prom, there may be opportunities to chaperone or help plan school dances. Just make sure your kiddo knows you will be there. Surprises aren’t ideal at this age.

College tours Many high schools venture out on college tours. This might be a great opportunity for you to chaperone and go along for the ride. You can bear witness to the way your own child reacts to different schools in different areas. Plus, it is a great way to collect lots of materials and knowledge that might not make it back home otherwise!

Host pre-game/post-game pep rallies. If you are able, this is a great way to stay connected to your student athlete, his teammates and their parents.

Host a post-game party at your pool or a pre-game carb party for the runners! The kids will surely appreciate it, and this is a great way to talk to other parents/coaches.

Business partnership If you work for a business or own a company that could be helpful to the school, look into becoming a partner. This will allow some inner circle time with the school/kids and let you keep a hand in the game. ✽

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This is a great way to get involved and support the school. There are so many ways to be a part of it and on so many different levels.

chaperones. Always contact the coaches/ schools for the correct protocol.

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Dr. Reid W. Montini, Harvard & University of Florida Educated

7520 W. University Ave., Suite C • Gainesville

352-332-7911 MontiniOrtho.com gigglemagazine.com | OCT/NOV 2016

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happy community October 1

Battle of the Bands 5 – 10 p.m.

Tioga Town Center Tiogatowncenter.com Free!

October 7

Oktoberfest 5 – 10 p.m.

Haile Village Center Hvcoa.com

October 9

Trinity’s Fourth Annual Great Pumpkin Run 5k 6 p.m.

(Packet pick up starts at 4:30 p.m.)

Trinity United Methodist Church Trinitypumpkinrun.com

October 13

Campus USA Movie on the Lawn: “Zootopia” 6 – 9 p.m.

Campuscu.com Free!

October 16

26th Alachua Main Street Harvest Festival 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Main Street, Alachua, Florida Alachuabusiness.com

October 22

Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation Open House and Animal Fair 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

8528 East County Road 225, Gainesville, FL 32609 Carsonspringswildlife.org

12th Annual Florida Bat Festival 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Lubee Bat Conservancy Lubee.org

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October 22

October 31

October 22

November 4

O2BKids Spooktacular 5 – 9 p.m.

O2Bkids Supercenter O2bkids.com

Baby Gator Family Field Day Babygator.ufl.edu Free and open to the public

October 23

Sunny’s Howl-A-Palooza 3 – 6 p.m Sun Country Sports Center – West Suncountrysports.com

October 23

Halloweener Derby Day 1 – 4 p.m.

Westside Park Halloweener.org

October 27

Eighth Annual Gainesville Gone Austin 6 – 10 p.m.

Hitchcock Farm at the Santa Fe River Ranch Gainesvillegoneaustin.org

October 29 and 30

42nd Micanopy Fall Festival Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Micanopy, Florida Micanopyfallfestival.org

October 30

Third Annual All Saints’ Day Cemetery Tour 1 – 4 p.m Historic Kanapaha Presbyterian Church Cemetery Kanapaha.net

October 31

Halloween

Chomp or Treat 5:30 – 8 p.m.

Evans Champions Club Floridagators.com

Swamp Chomp 7 – 10 p.m.

Girls Place Girlsplace.net

November 5

Partnership For Strong Families’ Superhero 5K Run/Walk 7 a.m.

Westside Park Psfsuperhero5k.org

November 5 & 6

35th Annual Gainesville Downtown Festival and Art Show Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Gainesvilledowntownartfest.org

November 10

Woofstock benefiting the Alachua County Humane Society 6 – 10 p.m.

The Barn at Rembert Farms Woofstock2016.com

November 11

Veterans Day (Public Schools Closed)

November 19

DOXA Dance Company Presents Sleeping Beauty and the Saving Prince 6:30 p.m.

November 21–25

Public Schools Closed

November 24 Thanksgiving

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October 22

o cto b e r / n ov e m b e r ca l e n da r

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happy community

Alachua County goes

Tatyana, 1st Grade

Zachary, 1st Grade

Izzy, VPK

Halle, 2nd Grade

Taylor, Pre-K

Grace, Miss Cara's Music & Movement

Amozya, 2nd Grade

Courtney, 3rd Grade

Avery, College Freshman

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Nolan, Kindergarten

Rukker, Preschool

Esther, Kindergarten

Dinah, 2nd Grade

Chloe, 2nd Grade Mason, VPK Micah, 4th Grade ChĂŠ Jr., 5th Grade

Samantha, Kindergarten Nicholas, 4th Grade Andrew, 7th Grade

Rebekkah, Kindergarten

Our first day of school photos didn't go as planned at all! We were forced inside due to the slight sprinkle - my daughter couldn't have her hair wet! I ordered a cute sign that never was delivered and none of the Pinterest ideas were OK-ed by the kiddos. Of course, everyone wanted to direct. My little ones decided the door was the best background and hijacked the camera. In the middle of my internal meltdown and frustration that I wouldn't get the "perfect" back-to-school photo I was able to take a deep breath and realize what a perfect moment I had! My 3 kids were having a blast!

-Kimberly R., mom of Lillian, 2nd grade, Noah, 3 and Oliver, 1.

happy community

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