Momaha Magazine - June 2015

momaha.com

volume 6 · issue 6

June 2015

Cool & Fruity Guilt-free desserts to welcome summer

plus

Dad Day pleasers : Adventu r e s he’ll talk abo for years ut

Get organized Be neighborly: sit & chat a spell

WHERE THE WALLS BECOME

THE WORLD AROUND SUMMER ALL-DAY CAMPS Fontenelle Forest welcomes you to a summer of discovery and learning in a place where the quiet wild of nature offers an unparalleled opportunity for your child to learn. Nature Discovery Day Camps feature science based learning through play.

Visit

FONTENELLEFOREST.ORG for complete camp listings.

Same day sick appointments 7 days a week!

Same Day Pediatrics is not an urgent care clinic, but a real pediatric clinic with scheduled appointment times, seven days a week, for all Omaha kids.

We’ll have your child on his or her way to feeling better by bedtime.

402-334-SICK (7425) Same Day Pediatrics at two locations:

Boys Town Pediatrics Pacific Street Clinic 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road

(139th & Pacific Street, on Boys Town campus)

Boys Town Pediatrics 72nd Street Pediatric Clinic 7205 West Center Road Suite 104 (72nd & West Center)

BOYS TOWN

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1

EVENT

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

FREE

MONDAY JUNE 8

EVENT!

AT 6:00PM

FOR AGES 4-12

STOP BY SCHEELS AND HAVE FUN MAKING A GIFT FOR DAD!

IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE FATHER’S DAY

MONDAY, JUNE 8 6:00PM PLEASE MEET AT THE KIDS KLUB SIGN BY THE COFFEE BAR VISIT SCHEELS.COM/EVENTS FOR OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

THIS SUMMER...

GO WILD ON AN AMAZING GARDEN ADVENTURE

From posed to playful, discover more than 30 monumental bronze works by acclaimed wildlife sculptor Dan Ostermiller during Lauritzen Gardens Gone Wild.

ON DISPLAY THROUGH OCTOBER 4 • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Off Interstate 80 at 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha | (402) 346-4002 • www.lauritzengardens.org

2

SWIM WITH CONFIDENCE Sign-up for Summer 2 Programs Session Dates: July 5-August 8 Member Registration Opens: June 15 Non member Registration Opens: June 19

The YMCA has fun programs the entire family can enjoy! Contact your local YMCA for an updated schedule and to get registered!

Group Fitness Classes • Youth Sports • Swim Lessons • Early Childhood Education Martial Arts • Medically-based Wellness • Dance & Tumbling • Personal Training YMCA members receive priority registration and a discount on most programs!

JOIN IN JUNE AND SAVE Become a YMCA member June 12-15 for ONLY $1 and pay NO joining fee!

• FREE Get Started Program- includes 2 sessions with a trainer!

• FREE drop-in childwatch while you use the Y and FREE childcare during monthly Parent’s Night Out • Access to all 9 YMCA locations in the Omaha metro area

You will not be drafted until July 3rd. Valid at all YMCA of Greater Omaha locations. Must be a new member.

Cannot combine with any other offer. Must present coupon and provide bank draft/credit card info.

YMCA OF GREATER OMAHA • METROYMCA.ORG 3

SPECIAL OFFER! 14-WEEK SUMMER MEMBERSHIP FOR JUST $14.50/WEEK

• MEMBERSHIP DATES: Memorial Day through Labor Day 2015 (May 25 - Sept. 7) • Upon your first visit you will receive COMPLIMENTARY JUMP SOCKS & A SOUVENIR CUP WITH UNLIMITED SODA! • Memberships can be used 7 DAYS A WEEK, based on availability WWW. D E F Y G R A V I T Y U S A .COM

momaha where moms connect VOLUME 6 . ISSUE 6 . JUNE 2015 editor in chief CHRIS CHRISTEN chris.christen@owh.com 402-444-1094

creative director + designer HEIDI THoRSoN hthorson@owh.com 402-444-1351

momaha.com editor aSHlEE CoffEy ashlee.coffey@owh.com 402-444-1075

production coordinator PaT R I C I a “ M U R P H y ” B E N o I T

content contributors aMy G R aCE aMy TokoS SaNDRa WENDEl H E aT H E R W I N k E l DEv HaNUMaRa DaNa DaMEWooD alISoN BICkEl kURT a. kEElER lEIa MENDoza

account executive E M I ly M a R T I N emily.martin@owh.com 402-444-1411

account executive MEGaN GUENTHER megan.guenther@owh.com 402-444-1489 Momaha Magazine is a monthly publication of the Omaha World-Herald, 1314 Douglas St., Suite 600, Omaha, NE 68102.

Momaha is a registered trademark, and all content is copyright 2015 by the Omaha World-Herald. All rights reserved. The opinions and perspectives published herein are those of the authors and should not be construed as those of Momaha Magazine.

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CONTENTS

Real MoMs + advice 6 Momaha.com Editor 8 On Our Radar 10 More Time with Kids 16 Summer Miller 20 Get Organized 22 Dad’s Day Experiences 24 Be Well

Recipes

12 Banana Sushi 12 Fruit Rubik’s Cube 13 Fruit Spring Rolls 15 Candy Apple Bar 18 Pad Thai

on The coveR Spray-painted pineapple TexT + sTyling Heather Winkel phoTogRaphy Dev Hanumara

Spray pineapple with Wilton Edible Color Mist (available at craft stores) and put on display.

Once the party is rolling, make slicing and serving a big deal (like carving a turkey).

5

MoMaha.coM editor // aShlee coffey Wife to Kevin Coffey, music critic for the Omaha World-Herald.

Mom to Sam. Native of Plattsmouth, Nebraska.

‘Awesome DADs’ Get FAce time

J

une is all about fathers and what they mean to us.

I love my memories of hanging out with my dad, fishing on the lake every summer. I once caught a fish that was almost half as big as I was. My dad was so proud.

I know my son, Sam, will come to have lasting memories of time spent with his dad.

Kevin (my husband) is so patient and kind. His character voices for bedtime stories are simply the best! He’s so animated that Sam rolls on the floor in laughter. It warms my heart through and through.

Father’s Day, June 21, is an excellent time to thank the fun and funny men in our lives for making their families happy.

You can even meet some of them that day in the debut of our “Awesome Dads of Momaha” feature on momaha.com. It’s an ongoing tribute to all those guys who put their kids first, play dress up, coach a team, shoot free throws in the driveway for hours, or simply make bedtime stories better.

Join in with your own photo of an awesome dad. Share it with us on Facebook or Twitter or email us at momaha@owh.com. #MomahaDads. Your dad could be featured in the future.

To all dads out there – we wish you a day filled with laughter – and, if you like, a little bit of fishing.

Get Social Facebook momahacom TwiTTer @momaha_owh PinTeresT momahaowh

Enroll now!

Summer Camps for beginners to advanced!

Concerts For Performers • Lessons For Beginners 13270 Millard Ave. | Omaha | 68137

6

402.691.8875

omaha.schoolofrock.com school of rock omaha

@SORomaha

THE BEST PLACE FOR KIDS.

GraceAnn, age 7 Asthma

Visit ChildrensOmaha.org for more information on how we can help your child.

For a pediatrician, family physician or pediatric specialist, call 1.800.833.3100.

7

on our raDar CoMPIleD by Chris Christen

August 7,8 & 9th 2015 in Hastings Nebraska

Over 35 Events Throughout Hastings!

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Wednesday Warm Up Cool doWn

Through July 29 Fitness and cocktails? It’s happening Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at Turner Park in a free outdoor workout and happy hour series presented by Prairie Life Fitness. Gather at the pavilion stage for an hour-long workout, then “cool down� with exclusive happy hour specials at Midtown Crossing restaurants. Open to the public. midtowncrossing.com

sWing for Kids

June 5 You support the Papillion-La Vista Schools Foundation when you participate in this golf tournament and dinner at Eagle Hills Golf Course, 501 Eagle Hills Drive, Papillion. Proceeds help fund Kids Club, summer library programs, junior high tutoring, post-prom activities, an elementary arts program and much more. 11 a.m. check-in; noon shotgun start. Registration: Golf and dinner, $125 per person; dinner only, $25. plvschoolsfoundation.org

sand in the City

June 5-7 In this benefit for the Nebraska Children’s Home Society, 18 corporate and community teams compete to build their best 15-ton sand sculptures. The event, at 10th and Mike Fahey Streets in downtown Omaha, includes an interactive Kid Zone with two giant sand boxes, bounce houses, face painting, concessions and more. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission: Free. nchs.org

Kids at the Kastle

June 7 Joslyn Castle says hello to summer with a family fun day on the museum grounds. On tap: Yard games, snacks and tours of the historic home built by early Omaha philanthropists Sarah and George Joslyn. Hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Admission: $5 per person. joslyncastle.com

JUnKstoCK

June 12-14 In this popular rite of summer, juried junk vendors from 10 states sell vintage finds, antiques and one-of-a-kind repurposed goods on the grounds of an old dairy farm on the western fringes of Omaha. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Rain or shine.

General admission: $6 per day; $15 for a three-day pass. Early Bird Ticket, $25, allows you to shop the show two hours before the general public on Friday and return as often as you like the rest of the weekend. The farm is located at 315 S. 192nd St. Stop by the Momaha booth and meet our team! junkstock.com

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Life is a Journey Six extra-special ways to spend time with the kids.

TexT Amy Grace iLLusTraTions Heidi Thorson

r

alph Waldo Emerson famously said, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Apply that to an outing with the kids and you have a pretty swell adventure in the making. As the dad in our house reminds me, the most important aspect of spending time with kids is to be plugged in and present. While the destination may be exciting, the trip itself provides a golden opportunity to bond in a memorable way. Our dad’s advice: Use the drive to ask kids questions, sing their favorite songs or just be downright silly. Here are six ways to make a positive connection with your kids.

Put your nose in a book

At last check, there were 12 public libraries in the metro area. Head for the one closest to you, or take a field trip to a branch that is new to you. Participate in story time or another planned activity, or just pick out new books, find a cozy spot and read together.

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Create with your hands Drop-in art studios dot the metro. Our family recently discovered the Kids D.I.Y. Studio, 5127 Leavenworth St. It’s ideal for getting hands-on arts and crafts time without a huge investment in materials, setup and cleanup. Dropin for unstructured crafting or sign up for a class.

From collages and fairy gardens to crocheting and birdhouse painting, you’re sure to find something to tickle their imaginations – without putting a dent in the household budget.

be an artist for a day

Joslyn Art Museum has a new 1,500-square-foot interactive space called ArtWorks. Our family loves it. You can make your own stop-motion movies, throw virtual pottery, curl up in a reading space and even email or share your creations via social media. Find this fascinating space in the lower level of the museum’s Memorial Building. Admission is free.

disCover diamonds

If your kids are more pinch-hitters than artists, head for Werner Park in Papillion to watch the Triple-A Storm Chasers. Or take in the NCAA Men’s College World Series, June 12 to June 23 (or June 24 depending on championship play), at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. The downtown ballpark also hosts the TD Ameritrade College Home Run Derby on July 2 followed by a Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza sponsored by the Omaha WorldHerald. Watch the newspaper for admission coupons.

share a skill

It may sound silly but shopping for gardening supplies or homeimprovement materials can be pretty fun. If you’re handy with wood or have a green thumb, now is the time to teach those skills to the next generation. Build a birdhouse from a kit.

Or pick out tomato plants or petunias and spend the rest of the day turning an outdoor space into something that will change and grow right along with your kids this summer.

Celebrate with a donut

Stop off at a bakery.

This is one of my kids’ favorite things to do with their dad. Almost every Saturday, they drop by Gerda’s – a German bakery in midtown Omaha – for fresh-baked donuts and pastries.

Sometimes they take a dozen ‘to go’ and head for their grandparents’ house. Other times, they just belly up to the counter, eat their goodies and soak up the atmosphere at this popular neighborhood gathering spot.

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11

Snacks a puzzle? Try these refreshing ideas.

TEXT + STYLING Heather Winkel PHOTOGRAPHY Dev Hanumara

F

ruit makes a nutritious afternoon snack or light dinner dessert when it’s humid and sticky outside. But fruit salad can get a bit boring. Wouldn’t it be fun to build a fruit Rubik’s Cube?

Or to see fruit poking out of a colorful spring roll? Sushi even provides a twist!

banana sushi

HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Peel 4 bananas and lay them on wax paper. 2. Melt one 12-ounce package of chocolate chips. 3. Spread a layer of melted chocolate on the top of each banana and quickly sprinkle with sunflower seeds. 4. Let chocolate harden before slicing.

5. Serve with honey as dipping sauce and eat with chopsticks. (Makes 4 servings)

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Fruit rubik’s Cube

HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Chop watermelon, kiwi, apple and cantaloupe into 27 1-inch cubes.

2. Arrange into a square block, alternating so each side of the square has a mix of fruits.

(Makes 1 serving)

Fun shapes

TRY IT OUT: Cut 1-inch thicknesses of watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew and use cookie cutters to make shapes. Try watermelon with a star cookie cutter and fill the cutout shape with blueberries for the Fourth of July.

Fruit spring rolls

HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Slice 2 apples and 3 nectarines into julienne strips. Dip apples in 2 cups lime juice to prevent browning. 2. Slice 6 strawberries and 1 kiwi into thin, round pieces. 3. To assemble, fill a 9-inch pie pan with warm water and submerge round rice paper, one piece at a time. Allow to soak until rice paper is soft and pliable.

4. Carefully remove rice paper and place on a plate. 5. Layer generous portions of kiwi slices, then apple and nectarine strips, then strawberry slices at one end of rice paper. 6. To roll, fold the edge with the filling, then fold toward the center, rolling until closed. 7. Serve with a trio of dipping sauces: honey, greek yogurt and applesauce.

(Makes 2 servings)

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Waffle Cone Basket Makes: 1

HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Arrange flowers in waffle cone. 2. Fold 18-inch grosgrain ribbon in half and hot glue ends to the waffle cone, near the tip. 3. Crisscross ribbon around the front of the cone, gluing as you go. Make sure that your final glue dots are evenly balanced near the mouth of the cone so that your bouquet hangs evenly. Some trial and error may be necessary.

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Candy apple Bar Prepare the bar: Gather a variety of small serving dishes and fill with dipping sauces (chocolate, peanut butter and caramel) and toppings (Nerds candy, miniature chocolate chips, sliced almonds, crushed Oreo cookies, sunflower seeds and miniature marshmallows).

HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Wash and slice apples using an apple slicer or a knife. 2. To make painted wooden skewers, fill a plastic cup with water-based acrylic paint and dip one end of each stick.

Let dry before using on your bar. 3. Thread slices on the unpainted end of the wooden skewers. 4. Instruct guests to dip apple slices in a sauce and then sprinkle with toppings of their choice.

apple Car

TRY IT OUT: Make a fruit car with an apple slice, two grapes cut in half (as wheels) and toothpicks as axles.

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Sessions in May, June and July.

Check website for schedule.

eaglerungolf.com .com 15

The ‘Knead’ To Publish Idea for book simmers, then rolls to a boil.

TeXT Ashlee Coffey, Momaha.com Editor PhoToGRaPhY Dana Damewood & Alison Bickel

S

ummer Miller dreamed of publishing a book.

As a writer and an editor, it was a logical next step.

But first, she had to get beyond all of those false starts languishing in her computer files…

And then, like magic, “New Prairie Kitchen” emerged and everything changed.

“I had always planned on writing a book,” Summer says. “I just didn’t know my first book would be ‘New Prairie Kitchen.’ But I’m glad it was.”

The book, released in March, includes more than 50 recipes and 25 profiles of chefs, farmers and producers of artisan goods in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.

The project wasn’t without challenges.

Summer was pregnant with daughter Juniper, now 4, when she started her research.

She also had a son, Jackson, now 6.

And there was also the issue of time.

Thankfully, her husband was onboard and supportive.

“We had a conversation about the time commitment,” Summer says. She told husband Steve Widhalm, “‘Give me five years to try to pull this off.’ It wasn’t open-ended. I didn’t get a lifetime” to fulfill the dream.

“For someone else, the book might have taken a year or two” to complete, Summer says, recalling the sleepless nights and other demands that go with being a wife and mother.

Full-time daycare for the kids wasn’t an option, so she used the Mom’s Day Out program (offered through her church) to give herself 12 to 15 hours per week for research and interviews. She stole hours late at night and early in the morning and whenever her mother could take the kids for an afternoon.

The book, Summer says, celebrates the collaboration it received from those she interviewed. “I don’t know if I would have (finished) if it was just me in a room with my ideas. But because I felt that I had a responsibility to all of these people, I just kept with it.”

In the writing process, she caught herself caring about what her children ate and how they reacted to the experience. Many of the book’s recipes were tested with them in the kitchen. Today, both kids routinely cook with mom.

Farmer’s markets and food pickups from Community Supported Agriculture programs are regular outings.

Sometimes she feels guilty about that.

“I think, ‘Oh, we should’ve been coloring’

Expires:6/30/2015

16

Summer Miller

or something like that instead. You wonder if any of this stuff resonates, especially for me because my kids were so little during that time period,” she said. “But then my son recently illustrated how seeds are planted and I thought, OK, these lessons are meaningful and this is part of the life he’ll remember of me.

It’s not for nothing, and it’s not just because I wanted to write a book. It was good for (them).”

Somewhere in their memories, the value of sticking with something until it’s finished will prevail, too.

“I never dreamed it (the book) was going to get the attention or success it has received,” Summer says.

Her advice for other moms with big dreams: Have patience with yourself.

“I hope we mothers put a little more faith in our selves and in our spouses and children and their ability to enjoy life even if we’re not immediately involved in every second of it,” she says. “It’s OK. There’s room for mom, too.”

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fOR THE wAY YOu likE TO livE.

home. fashion. food. travel. inspiredlivingomaha.com HEATHEr And JAMESon HooTon

GivE THAi A TRY!

A lighter but savory alternative to a Chinese meal.

TEXT + PHOTOGRAPHY Ashlee Coffey, Momaha.com Editor

I

used to love Chinese food, especially Mongolian beef and General Tso’s chicken. But something peculiar happened. Either my taste buds changed or my body told me it no longer liked the sodium in those meals.

Thank goodness for Thai food. Honestly, I’m not sure why my husband and I didn’t discover it sooner. We’re absolutely nuts for the pad Thai at Mai Thai in Aksarben Village and at Sister’s Cafe in Plattsmouth. The latter is a German and Thai restaurant. It sounds weird (don’t worry, the ethnic dishes aren’t mixed), but it is so good.

Lately, we’ve been trying our hand at homemade Thai food and we’ve had some success. In fact, we’ve gone from following package directions to a ‘T’, to creating recipes with twists of our own.

Here’s a dish our family enjoys.

18

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Homemade Pad THai how to make it:

1. Place 8 ounces of rice noodles in a baking

dish and cover with very hot water. Let noodles soak for 30 minutes. (Do not over-soak or noodles will turn hard.) 2. Place 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large sauce pan and cook over medium heat. Add one egg, scrambling it. 3. Once the egg is cooked, add one pound chicken (pork or shrimp), sliced and cook through. 4. Drain the soaking noodles and add them to the pan with another 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir noodles for a few minutes until slightly firm, but tender. Add a tablespoon of water if noodles appear too firm.

5. Add one package pad Thai sauce, 2 scallions, chopped and ¼ cup chopped peanuts; stir about one minute. 6. Serve in a shallow dish or bowl garnished with a lime wedge, ½ teaspoon cilantro and remaining chopped peanuts.

TIP: In Thai restaurants, you can choose your level of spiciness. On a heat scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the spiciest, I go for 3 while my husband goes for 4 or 5. At home, we make pad Thai without heat and we each add our own level. For super-hot flavor, add Sriracha or Samba Oelek chili paste.

But be warned: This is spicy stuff!

Sensory Integra on Dysfunc on

- What is it?

Let ProCare3 help change your child’s world with Physical, Occupa onal & Speech Therapy Call today at 402-330-3211.

My child over responds and finds clothing, physical contact, light, sound, food, or other sensory input unbearable.

My child under responds and show li le or no reac on, not even to pain or extreme hot and cold.

My child has sensory motor problems including weakness, clumsiness, awkwardness or delays in acquiring gross and/or fine motor skills.

19

Get ORGanized // amy tOkOs Amy Tokos is a Certified Professional Organizer and the owner of Freshly Organized. You can find more organizing tips at freshlyorganized.com.

Pull up a chair. Break out a beverage.

Get to know the family next door.

s

ummertime is the perfect time to get to know your neighbors beyond calling out to them while you’re working in the yard, walking the dog or fetching the morning paper. Extend the conversation by inviting a neighbor to sit and chat a spell. Here, three steps to making those impromptu visits even more enjoyable.

DON

ATE

tidy UP

Heaven forbid that a drop-in visitor would be turned away because of a less-than-tidy house! Clean the kitchen after every meal and pick up your main areas before you call it a day.

Enlist the entire family and within 10 minutes your whole house will be tidy.

Too much ‘stuff’? Set up a ‘donate’ box in your laundry room or mud room.

Place five items in the box each day.

In a month, you’ll have 150 fewer items cluttering your home.

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sPRUCe UP

Make your front porch a welcoming spot. Add a couple of chairs or simply keep the steps swept clean. Place blooming plants in pretty pots in the area. If your front entry isn’t designed for hanging out, steer conversations to the back yard. Again, two to four chairs in a shady spot are all you need to encourage an impromptu visit.

Park yourself there with a refreshing beverage and see who wanders your way to say ‘hello’ in the waning hours of the day.

stOCk UP

A smart hostess keeps an ample supply of beverages on hand.

Stock up on flavored bottled water, lemonade, iced tea or known favorites.

For a special treat, the neighbor kids will love you for popsicles and s’mores. And while you’re filling a tub with ice, don’t forget the bug repellent and sunscreen. They can be kept in a caddy by your chair.

Stay informed and save money!

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180th & Dodge • 402-932-2922 192nd & Pacific • 402-991-0696 ENROLLMENT@SMALLMIRACLECHILDCARE.COM

Keep up-to-date with the issues that are important to your family.

Get 50% off the Omaha World-Herald’s standard rates: 7-Day home delivery only $29 for 13 weeks or Weekend home delivery only $20 for 13 weeks

Call 402-346-3363 or go to Omaha.com/specialoffers

www.smallmiraclechildcare.com

Meet your kid’s new teacher.

Send your child on a fascinating Ed-Venture at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Before you know it, your kids will be teaching you all sorts of fun facts about life’s best things.

Classes range from preschool to teens to classes you can take as a family. Subjects range from butterflies to rhinos.

Visit OmahaZoo.com/education to enroll your child in their next Ed-venture today.

21

Fab For DaD

Protect Your Hair from the

SUMMER SIZZLE

10 adventures for the best Father’s Day – ever.

TEXT Chris Christen

D

oes Dad really need another shirt?

Probably not. And besides, shirts wear out. This year, give Dad an experience that he’ll talk about for years to come. Here are 10 adventures for 10 types of guys.

1. The PhoTo Buff

Send Dad to Rockbrook Camera for a photography course of his choosing. Group sessions on a wide variety of techniques start at $30. One-on-one coaching also can be arranged. Add a gift card for a photo enlargement so he can show off his favorite work. rockbrookcamera.com

2. The Cigar Lover

Chlorine Clarifying Treatment

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Sunday 10am - 5pm Monday 12pm - 9pm 9am - 9pm Tues-Th 9am - 6pm Friday Saturday 8am - 4pm

Don’t worry if you have no idea what to buy.

A good tobacco seller will ask a few questions and steer you to the perfect choice. At Anthony Erickson’s Hearth Cigars & Pipes in Omaha’s Florence neighborhood, customers can pull up a chair, light a cigar and shoot the breeze in a man cave setting for as long as they like. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays. hearthcigarsandpipes.com

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Spirit World’s Whisk(e)y Flights let Dad sample their extensive selection of whiskeys without committing to a full bottle sight unseen (or rather, untasted). Tastings start at $15. spiritworldwine.com

7. The sPeeD Lover

Send Dad jetting across water on an airboat.

One-hour Platte River adventures with Bryson’s Airboat Tours start at $150 for one to two passengers; $180 for three to four passengers.

Five or more passengers, $45 per person. Rally point: Fremont State Lakes Recreation Area near Fremont. brysonairboattours.com

8. The DeeP sea Lover

DiVentures in Omaha holds a 60-minute Try Scuba course every Sunday at 1 p.m. Cost: $75. If the introduction goes swimmingly, Dad can get a $50 credit toward full-fledged scuba diving lessons and go on group dives in local waters. diventures.net

9. The ThriLL-seeker

Be warned. Dad just might squeal with delight when he sees that you’ve signed him up for the bacon-of-the-month club at Cure Cooking in Omaha and Fort Calhoun. Chef Chad Lebo makes his dry-cured/cold-smoked bacon with local heritage breed pork and sells it to club members at a discount in 1-, 2-, and 3-pound quantities. Chose from 3-, 6- and 12-month memberships. curecooking.com

A zip-line adventure 300 feet above Mt. Crescent Ski Area awaits in Crescent, Iowa.

At 1,600 feet, the Screaming Eagle is one of the longest zip lines in the United States.

Reservations required. Weight limit (50 to 250 pounds). Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. One zip, $25; three zips, $40 (ticket cannot be split between riders). Dual side-byside racing zips reach speeds of more than 40 mph – in case you want to send the kids along with Dad. skicrescent.com

4. The Car Lover

10. The exTreme aThLeTe

3. The BaCon Lover

Rent a Mustang or other muscle car for a day.

Find one by pre-arrangement through a local car dealership or major auto rental firm. Even the kids will go bonkers over a sports car for a day. Hot diggity!

5. The WooDWorker 17650 Wright Street Ste. 6 402.334.6211 bellezzasalon-omaha.com

6. The Whiskey Lover

Midwest Woodworkers offers classes in table saw basics, cabinet and furniture making, carving, bowl and pen turning and much more.

Sessions range from three to nine hours, $69 to $275. midwestwoodworkers.com

For the adrenaline rush of a lifetime, send Dad skydiving. Tandem jumps from 12,000 feet are available through Skydive Atlas at small airports throughout Nebraska. A tandem jump with a one-mile freefall is $235 per person; video and photos of your jump sold separately. skydiveatlas.com. The Lincoln Sport Parachute Club in Weeping Water is taking reservations for tandem jumps during its Redemption Boogie, July 16-19, at the Plattsmouth Municipal Airport. skydivelspc.com. Find more opportunities through SkydiveCrete in Crete. skydivecrete.com

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BE WELL COMPILED by Sandra Wendel

LateNight special Daily after 6pm EXTREME WRISTBANDS sell for $14 each

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KOPECKY MONTESSORI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Mysteries of the Universe Explore the universe through science, math, and technology: constellations, planets, robotics, weather, flight simulation, field trips, swimming, crafts, and more!

WEEKLY ENROLLMENT AVAILABLE!

402-393-1311

12504 Pacific St | www.OmahaMontessori.com 24

Building good HaBits

What you see ... and what they get.

RefRigeRatoR Raid

When teens raid the refrigerator, make sure they see healthier choices. Because they’re growing, they have unique calorie and protein needs, as well as important vitamin and mineral needs such as bone-building calcium, vitamin D, iron and folate. Good eating habits now are critical because an estimated 90 percent of overweight and obese teens will remain overweight or obese as adults. Keep meals and snacks healthy and simple to prepare. Smart choices: Low-sugar cereal (with a sprinkle of natural peanut butter powder to zing up the flavor), Greek yogurt with fresh fruit (the extra protein keeps teens feeling full) and pizza (yes, pizza!) with thin whole-wheat crust and veggies, not meat.

Source: Houston Methodist Wellness Services

PictuRe-PostcaRd vacation

If you overspend on an exotic vacation, your kids may overhear you worrying about money for the rest of the year. So which memory will stick with them? What’s really good for the family is financial security. Take that modest camping trip instead, enjoy quality time and save a year or two for that dream vacation.

Source: Donna Skeels Cygan,“ The Joy of Financial Security”

talk time

If you watch TV, do it as a family. Hit the mute button during commercials and use the time to discuss the show’s topic. Finding out what the kids think about the storyline may not be specifically relevant to their lives at the moment, but you may be surprised by their observations and impressions.

Source: Indiana University

BathRoom BReak

A whopping 75 percent of Americans surveyed said they used their smartphones in the bathroom (to read texts, browse social media feeds and answer calls).

While 92 percent said they washed their hands after using the toilet, only 14 percent washed their phones.

Note to self: Carry disinfecting wipes.

Source: “IT in the Toilet” survey by 11Mark

FACT:

Research shows that helping others is a key to happiness.

PRIMROSE WAY:

Infants – Private Pre-K & After School

Helping people sure feels good!

CALL FOR A TOUR. Primrose School of La Vista

8202 S 97th Plaza | La Vista, NE 68128 402.517.1153 | PrimroseLaVista.com Each Primrose School is a privately owned and operated franchise. Primrose Schools and The Leader in Educational Child Care are trademarks of Primrose School Franchising Company. ©2014 Primrose School Franchising Company. All rights reserved. See primroseschools.com for ‘fact’ source and curriculum detail.

The Rose’s Production of

A musical based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney Film O i i l music i and d lyrics l i by b Richard Ri h d M. M Sherman Sh d Robert R b B. B Sherman Sh Original and Book by Julian Fellowes New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe C C t d by b Cameron C M ki t h Co-Created Mackintosh Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI)

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