L I V E • PLAY • DO
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Fall & Winter No School Day Camps Holiday Performances | IVF & Surrogacy Guide nwkidsmagazine.com
NOVEMBER 2023
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Editor’s Note We’ve made it to the third month of the school year and the holidays are just around the corner. While some of us love the rainy season that keeps the Pacific Northwest green, it tends to make for long days when you have little ones at home. Having a few events and outings to look forward to can make all the difference in breaking up the monotony. We’re here to help! The November issue of NW Kids features a guide to all of the best holiday performances that Portland has to offer. If you’re looking for day camp options for the upcoming holiday breaks and teacher in service days, we have that too. Next month will be a continuation of the holiday fun with gift guides, even more holiday events and camps and a guide to local light displays. Get out your calendars and decide which of the upcoming events are a can’t-miss for your family. We can’t wait to see you there! In the meantime, may you have a safe, happy and cozy November. Cheers,
Mary
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Contents NOVEMBER 2023 8 No-School Day Camps & Activities 12 2023 Holiday Performances 17 New Business Spotlight: Rosebud Preschool 18 PJA Perspectives 20 IVF & Surrogacy Resource Guide
Cover photography by JORDAN BERGENDAHL
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magazine Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram: @nwkidsmagazine • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle.
Editor/Account Manager Mary Brady mary@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Taylor robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com
Listings Aim High Martial Arts...................................11 All Families Surrogacy..................................... 7 CareOregon....................................................24 Cedarwood Waldorf School............................. 7 Forest Hills Lutheran Christian School...........16 GSPDX............................................................17 Holy Redeemer Catholic School....................16 Imago Theatre.................................................. 7 Little Fruit Farm................................................ 7 Montessori Children’s House..........................23 NWCT............................................................... 3 6 | NW Kids Magazine
OMEGA Gymnastics.......................................10 Oregon Ballet Theatre....................................16 Oregon Episcopal School................................. 2 Owl & The Dove Montessori............................ 2 Play Fit Fun.....................................................11 Portland Spirit................................................16 Portland Village School..................................23 Rice NW Museum of Rocks & Minerals.........10 Rosebud Preschool at Rose Villa Senior Living.23 Sellwood Community House.........................10 St. Rose School...............................................23
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No-School Day Camps & Activities Are you making plans for how to keep your kids busy, engaged and happy during the upcoming holiday and teacher in-service days? Look no further! We’ve rounded up a fantastic list of options. Check their websites for the most up-to-date offerings!
Aim High Martial Arts Aim High is offering day camps on November 10th and December 8th in addition to the holiday break camps covering school closures during Thanksgiving week and the 2 week Winter Break! Ages 5-12 aimhighma.org/camps
Mittleman Jewish Community Center Need something for your kids to do when school is out of session? Keep them busy and having fun at the MJCC with sports, swimming, gymnastics, arts and crafts, games, and more! *Kids must be potty trained. Ages 3-12 oregonjcc.org/youth-programs/vacationcamps
Northwest Children’s Theater Wizard School Nov. 20-22 There are two locations to choose from. Both depart from Platform 9 3/4: The Judy, NWCT’s new home in downtown Portland and Westminster Presbyterian in NE Portland. Wizards, witches, elves, and giants unite! Discover new fantastic beasts, learn how to cast spells, and earn house points in this full-day camp! Ages 6-12 nwcts.org/wizard-school 8 | NW Kids Magazine
Photo by David Kinder
Northwest Children’s Theater Winter Break Camps
Photo by David Kinder
’Tis the season for FUN with NWCT’s Winter Break Camps. Discover Rudolph’s Bright Light, explore The Forbidden Forest, perform in Wonderland, Neverland, and more! Full day & half day options available. The Judy, NWCT’s new home in downtown Portland: Dec. 18 - 22 Rose City Methodist in NE Portland: Dec. 18 - 22 The Reser in Beaverton: Dec. 26 - 29 Ages 4-14 nwcts.org/winter-break-23
OMEGA Gymnastics OMEGA Gymnastics camps keep your kids active with supervised play, gymnastics instruction, and craft. Choose half day or full day weekly options. Ages 5-12 omega-gymnastics.com/camps
Play.Fit.Fun. What do you do with your kids on non school weekdays? Play.Fit.Fun’s Non School Day Kids Action Camp is the FUN answer! They offer half and full day camp options where your kids can play, stay active, make new friends and be well cared for and engaged. Grades K-6 playfitfun.com
Sellwood Community House Camp isn’t just for the summer, it’s for the school year too! SCH offers K-5 camps on most PPS no-school days that are chock-full of themed games, crafts and activities. Register for select days or all no-school days. There’s never a dull no-school-day at SCH! Grades K-5 sellwoodcommunityhouse.org/schoolyear-camps NW Kids Magazine | 9
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2023 Holiday Performances
FEATURED Nov 25-Dec 27 (Saturdays and Sundays) Cinnamon Bear Breakfast Cruise Cinnamon Bear and his friends from Maybeland are back this holiday season! The whole family will enjoy reserved seating and a plated breakfast while a cast of fanciful characters entertains the kids with storytelling, music and magic. Tickets include a picture with Cinnamon Bear atop his magical throne and much more! Cinnamon Bear has been a holiday tradition for generations and you’re invited to make this season one your child will remember forever. See website for pricing and times. portlandspirit.com/cruise/cinnamonbear
Nov 25-Dec 31 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at NWCT The holiday classic soars off the screen in this musical adaptation of the beloved television special. Because of his shiny nose, Rudolph doesn’t feel like he belongs in Christmastown and sets off to find a place that accepts him. Along his journey, he encounters fellow misfits, only to realize that home is where he has belonged the whole time. When a storm threatens to keep Santa’s sleigh from taking flight, it’s up to Rudolph to save Christmas! See website for ticketing ad showtimes. nwcts.org/shows/rudolph
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The holidays are a magical time and one of the most treasured traditions of the season for many families is heading out to take in a live performance. From opera, ballet, theater and music to a fun breakfast cruise on the Willamette River, we have all of the best of the season here. Check it out and start planning your holiday fun!
EVENTS Dec 8-24 George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at OBT Join Marie and her Prince as the Sugar Plum Fairy leads them on an unforgettable journey through the Land of Sweets where brave toy soldiers battle mischievous mice, snowflakes dance, candy canes leap, and flowers waltz. The irresistible holiday tradition of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® awaits. Don your holiday finest and make merry memories! See website for ticketing and pricing. obt.org/23-24-season/nutcracker-2023
Dec 9-Jan 1 ZooZoo Imago is bringing back to Portland its globe-trotting production ZooZoo this holiday season. Bugeyes, hippos with insomnia, arrogant anteaters, introverted frogs, paradoxical polar bears, acrobatic worms, self-touting accordions and tricky penguins fill the stage with wonder, awe and humor. See website for ticketing and pricing. imagotheatre.com
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Nov 24
Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Step inside the magical adventures of Disney’s Frozen and Encanto as they are brought to life like never before at Disney On Ice! Dazzling ice skating transports you to Arendelle to be a part of Anna’s adventure to find Elsa whose icy powers unleashed an eternal winter. Olaf Kristoff and Sven take you along as they encounter wintry conditions in a race to bring back summer. See website for pricing and showtimes. disneyonice.com/frozen-andencanto/portland-or-veteransmemorial-coliseum
Get into the festive spirit with Mannheim Steamroller! With hits like “Deck the Halls” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” this highenergy performance will have you singing along and tapping your toes. Experience the magic as the spirit of the season comes alive with the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller. $35+ portland5.com/arlene-schnitzerconcert-hall/events/mannheimsteamroller-christmas
Nov 14-15
Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree
The Hip Hop Nutcracker at Keller Auditorium What do you get when you combine the elegant holiday score of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and a DJ with pin-sharp contemporary hip hop dance? This hit show mashes up two very American icons into a stunning production that has met with rave reviews since its 2014 Washington debut. See website for pricing and showtimes. portland5.com/keller-auditorium/ events/hip-hop-nutcracker
Nov 22-Dec 10 Black Nativity PassinArt: A Theatre Company presents Black Nativity by poet and playwright Langston Hughes. Based on the traditional Nativity story, the spirit-filled, inspiring gospel song play features traditional Christmas carols performed in a gospel style with a few new songs specifically for the show. $27-$40 portland5.com/brunish-theatre/ events/black-nativity 14 | NW Kids Magazine
Nov 25-Dec 3 Get ready for an unforgettable Christmas experience as they celebrate their 61st year! This spectacular 90-minute show is packed with excitement, featuring an immersive nativity, a special visit from Santa and his dancing elves, and a non-stop extravaganza of music, dance, and pageantry that will kickstart your holiday season with joy and wonder. $27-$47 singingchristmastree.org
Nov 30 Cirque Musica: Holiday Wonderland Audiences will be dazzled by the acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks, and holiday cheer. The show blends the spellbinding grace and daredevil athleticism of today’s greatest circus performers with a musical mix of timeless seasonal favorites. $25-$45 cirquemusica.com/holidaywonderland
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Dec 16-17
Who’s Holiday: A Comedy with a Twist of Rhyme
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The beloved Cindy Lou Who from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is all grown up and boy does she have a story to tell! While preparing her trailer for a Christmas party Lou Who lets the audience in on the good, bad, and ugly of her life since meeting the Grinch. Matthew Lombardo’s “… raunchy riff on Dr. Seuss’ yuletide tale” will leave you in stitches and filled to the brim with holiday cheer. $20-$35 bagnbaggage.org/event/whosholiday
Dec 1-23 It’s a Wonderful Life It’s A Wonderful Life is a holiday favorite for all ages! An angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. $35+ portland5.com/winningstad-theatre/ events/its-wonderful-life
Dec 2-17 Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly A sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set two years after the novel ends, MISS BENNET continues the story, only this time with bookish middle-sister Mary as its unlikely heroine. Mary is growing tired of her role as dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings’ romantic escapades. When the family gathers for Christmas at Pemberley, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and possibly even love. See website for pricing and showtimes hart-theatre.org
Experience Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale as only the Muppets can tell it. Kermit and the gang help Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) find redemption and his holiday spirit one fateful Christmas Eve. Join your Oregon Symphony as they perform the memorable score while this delightful family film plays on the big screen. $35+ portland5.com/arlene-schnitzerconcert-hall/events/muppetchristmas-carol-concert
Dec 23 Christmas with C.S. Lewis Here we find him at his home near Oxford on Christmas Eve hosting a group of Americans who are Christmassing in England. They are about to experience an unforgettable assortment of Yuletide recollections which stimulates a whole range of emotions – curiosity, laughter, gladness and even some tears. $66 portland5.com/newmark-theatre/ events/christmas-cs-lewis
Dec 26 Concert-at-Christmas with Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra A Portland tradition since 1961, this post-holiday concert celebration showcases the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Conservatory Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble, and an orchestra uniting PYP Alumni, representing many decades of PYP’s first century. See website for in-person and livestream ticket prices. portlandyouthphil.org/events/events/ Concert-at-Christmas/957
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NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT Rosebud Preschool Rosebud Preschool is Portland’s only Reggio-inspired, intergenerational preschool for children ages two to five. Located on the campus of Rose Villa Senior Living, Rosebud combines the colorful, creative, child-centered approach of Reggio education with meaningful programming that includes Rose Villa residents to create opportunities for intergenerational learning. Call them to schedule a tour today! • 503-607-7000 • preschool@rosevilla.org • Rosevilla.org/preschool • 1 3505 SE River Rd. Portland OR, 97222
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Academy (pjaproud.org) provides a rich ThePortland PJAJewish Perspective
academic and cultural learning experience for kids from early childhood through 8th grade. We’ve invited budding writers from the middle school Humanities classes and writing exploratory to join our team for a series that gives you a glimpse into thoughts and life - from their perspective.
Life by Akiva K
The sadness of life…time going by The watch seems to never end. A sweet song echoes in my head. A rhyme of sadness is too far away to reach. When I cross the ocean, the sweet waves crash, Forming waves of fire. A sad day goes by with no tears; A happy day goes by With so many tears you can’t count. A life passes by in the blink of an eye, But a day flashes in ten thousand blinks. The sweet words of time -Clashing of water to sand. I fear time. When we look down at sand, We see rocks that tell a tale of their own.
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My Wings by Hannah
The water has a deep and enticing blue. It sings a siren’s song that I must pursue. I dive in, feeling weightless and carefree, The waves embrace me, carrying me out to sea. My strokes are strong, my breaths are deep, I’m in my element, my soul to keep. The sea surrounds me, a vast expanse. My heart soars with each rhythmic dance. The sun on my skin, the salt in my hair, I feel alive, without a care. The water is my sanctuary, my escape, A place where I can truly be awake. Swimming is my passion, my love, A gift from the heavens above. In the sea, I find my truest self, My fears and doubts are put on a shelf. So let me swim, let me be. In the water, I am truly free. My heart soars, my spirit sings, In the sea, I have wings.
Akiva is a current seventh-grader at PJA. In addition to writing, he enjoys illustrating, reading and biking. Hannah is a current eighth-grader at PJA. In addition to writing, she enjoys swimming, reading and spending time with her family and friends.
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IVF & SURROGACY A RESOURCE GUIDE The decision to start (or grow) your family can be a deeply emotional and personal process, only made more difficult when fertility issues or other medical conditions stand in the way of conceiving without intervention. The Portland area (and beyond!) is full of amazing options to help you find your path.
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EDITOR’S PICK: All Families Surrogacy, LLC
All Families Surrogacy, LLC is a thriving gestational surrogacy agency based in Oregon. Their team is comprised mostly of experienced surrogates and has a passion for helping to create loving families of all kinds. 12725 SW Millikan Way, PDX | 503-906-7960 allfamiliessurrogacy.com
Circle of Life Surrogacy, LLC Services Include: Surrogacy circleoflifesurrogacy.com
Heartland Surrogacy
Services Include: Surrogacy heartlandsurrogacy.com
Heart to Hands Surrogacy Services Include: Surrogacy hearttohandssurrogacy.com
Northwest Fertility Center Services Include: IVF and other infertility treatments fertilitynw.com
Northwest Surrogacy Center, LLC Services Include: Surrogacy nwsurrogacycenter.com
OHSU Fertility Consultants
Services include: Surrogacy, IVF and other infertility treatments ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/women/ services/fertility/
Oregon Fertility Institute
Services include: IVF and other infertility treatments oregonfertilityinstitute.com
Oregon Reproductive Medicine Services include: IVF oregonreproductivemedicine.com
Oregon Surrogate Agency Services include: Surrogacy surrogacyoregon.com
Surro Connections
Services Include: Surrogacy surroconnections.com
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IVF BY THE NUMBERS Since it’s introduction to the U.S. in 1981, IVF and similar techniques have resulted in the birth of over
200,000 BABIES
About
1 IN 100 U.S. BIRTHS is the result of ART*
As a result of fewer embryos being transferred, the incidence of
The average cost of an IVF cycle in the U.S. is
$10-15,000
TRIPLET, QUAD AND QUINT BIRTHS has gone down dramatically and is now only
MATERNAL AGE remains the most important predictor of success
1%**
60%
DELIVERY BY MATERNAL AGE
50%
Twin births have also decreased, but remain at
22%**
40% 30%
39-40 41-42
20% 10%
In the past 30 YEARS, the chances of bringing home a baby after each IVF try
35-37
<35
>42 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015
HAS INCREASED from about
to over
5%
30%
*Assisted Reproductive Technology **as of 2015
Efforts to track IVF activity in the U.S. began in 1995 but
WAS NOT FEDERALLY MANDATED UNTIL 1992
Source: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology sart.org 22 | NW Kids Magazine
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