KBR Kids Day along Buffalo Bayou: Sat., June 14, '08

Here's something fun to do with your family this weekend!

Buffalo Bayou Partnership will be hosting its second annual KBR Kids Day along Buffalo Bayou. Join us for a FREE day of adventure and bayou-rific activitiesKBR Kids Day on Buffalo Bayou.

Saturday, June 14, 2008
10am-2pm at Downtown’s Sabine Promenade (Sabine Street between Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway) Click here for a map and directions

Family fun festivities include:

• hands-on activities with over 20 Houston non-profit organization partners
• Up close with birds and bugs on the bayou
• bayou boat rides and kayak demos
• wildflower plantings
• bat games and fishing lessons
• bayou scavenger hunt
• live music, park performers, balloon artists and much more!

Special appearances:
10-11am - Skateboarding demonstration with PUSH skaters at the Lee and Joe Jamail Skate Park and Houston Texans TORO mascot
11am-noon - break dancing performancesnoon-1pm - Houston Rockets Power Dancers
1-2 pm - Houston Rockets CLUTCH mascot
Parking available at City Lot H and C(Memorial Drive between Sabine Street and Houston Avenue)

Discovery Green Park: Refreshing

Yesterday afternoon, Little K & I went to Discovery Green Park in downtown Houston. While I do suggest you check out the Web site at http://www.discoverygreen.com/, let me tell you that the description of the Gateway Fountain does not do it justice.

Little K & I first walked around the pond & watched the remote control boat floating along. We spoke with one of the police officers & headed to the playground. I was intrigued by the yellow music equipment. You can also climb on it. Little K preferred the bridge, slide and (kind of) trampoline. I also like that the floor of the playground is that rubberized material so if kids fall, their tumble is at least cushioned. Unfortunately, there were no swings at the playground, which made me sad.

So, we ventured to the Gateway Fountain. Here's the description from the official Web site: "This fountain offers a visual gateway to the park for visitors approaching from McKinney Street and is an extension of the playground area. Two systems of jets create a myriad of water activity atop a gently sloping granite surface, with 14-foot high arcing jets serving as landmarks and smaller jets cycling on and off to invite park visitors for a closer look or some fun in the spray. "

Now let me tell you how it really is. These AMAZING water jets start off at a low level -- almost teasing you to come closer. Of course, we did. Then, they slowly get larger & larger until suddenly you're soaked in water & surrounded by dancing jets of water so you might as well enjoy it. Then, suddenly, the water dissipates. Then, on one side of the patio, fountains leap up to 14 feet and splatter to the ground. Kids ADORE this. With Houston as hot as it is (already!), I think this is the best thing to do in town for FREE.

Parents & grandparents can also sit on the side to watch the kiddos play in the water. Patio tables & chairs are available but Little K needed me to join her. A cafe is also nearby so you can get refreshments.

The downer? I took AWESOME photos of our adventure but my husband accidentally hit "reformat" on my camera & deleted the pics. AHHH! "Oh well," I said. "Now we have to go back this weekend WITH DADDY." He smiled & agreed.

Check back for new photos from Discovery Green Park. Until the next nap time...

Celebrate the Re-Opening of the Downtown Library

So the downtown library is re-opening this weekend and will celebrate with Houston families on Saturday & Sunday. The celebrations are free. Here are a few things that I think will be of particular interest to kids:

• I think both music groups (at noon and 2 pm on Saturday) will be really fun for young kids.
• There will also be a gadget petting zoo so the kids can play with digital cameras, printers, MP3 players, etc. Kylie loves that stuff. For a free event, it sounds fun.
• On Sunday at 1:30 pm, author Rosemary Wells will be there to chat with kids. She's the author of the book and corresponding TV show "Max & Ruby" on Noggin. That's usually pretty cool.

THE HOUSTON PUBLIC CENTRAL LIBRARY IS FINALLY RE-OPENING THIS WEEKEND WITH A TWO-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA. The Houston community is invited to join Director of Libraries Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Mayor Bill White, Council Member James Rodriguez, and other City officials for the opening ceremony Saturday, May 31 at 10am, followed by a free celebration throughout the weekend. There will be something for everyone to enjoy including music, crafts, food, multicultural dance performances, library tours, technology test-drives and author appearances. The first 1,000 people through the Library's doors receive a commemorative book bag. Scheduled events are 10am-6pm Saturday, May 31, and 1-5pm Sunday, June 1.

The Central Library is located in downtown Houston at 500 McKinney. The weekend of entertainment includes a festival on the Library's Plaza with music by Trout Fishing in America, Jose Luis Orozco, Grupo Kache, and more. There will also be 20 booths of family entertainment, Ringling Bros. clowns, appearances and book signings by visiting authors including Rosemary Wells, David Wiesner, Anita Bunkley, Bill Crider, Ellen Hopkins, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Bapsi Sidhwa, and Katherine Center. Multicultural dance performances take place throughout each day, and the gadget petting zoo will be a crowd favorite.

And this year, the Houston Public Library is turning their annual "Summer Reading Program" into a fun family affair. Everyone is invited to participate in the program running June 1 through August 1, including kids, teens, and adults. To register go online or visit one of Houston's 38 neighborhood and HPL Express library locations.

For more information, call 832.393.1313 or log onto http://www.houstonlibrary.org/.

Until the next nap time...

Countdown to Summer

It's almost here. I'm so excited about swimming, grilling out, running through the sprinkler and the long lazy days of summer. You'd think I was a student getting out of school for the summer. Still, I always look forward to Memorial Day weekend as the kickoff to a great summer season. What are your plans for the summer?

Many plan road trips and the Salch family is no different, although I'm a bit sour about the price of gas. One thing we started was a family song for car rides. Our song is by James Taylor and is called something like "Jelly Man." None of us knows all the words. I have to still look up the words online. However, we shout and throw our heads and hands about the car like a spastic octopus. You can't hold back the laughter. What's your family song?

Until the next nap time...

Kids Say the Darndest Things

We had a fun but busy weekend again but I want to share two funny things related to young kids. First, Friday night, we had a few friends over to grill out. Little K was thrilled that her Aunt Juji (it's just a love name, don't worry!) was coming over. Whenever my sister/Juji comes over, Little K moves her collar aside to look for a mole that Juji has on her collar bone. Little K has done this ever since she could talk. Then, my sister explains that it's a mole, kind of like a freckle and the two move on in the conversation. Any ways, Friday night, this same scenario played out except Little K asked my sister if that was chocolate. I don't know if Little K thought Juji had dropped chocolate ice cream on herself or what, but it was hillarious. Who would of thought?

Saturday, we visited some family friends in Richmond, TX. My friend Kris, the dad, explained that his almost-4-year-old daughter went to school last week and the teacher asked what her favorite restaurant was. To everyone's surprise, she replied candidly "Hooters." Wow! That's a wholesome conversation. Her mom assured us that she would clarify that they had not ever been to Hooter's before. Kids say the darndest things.

Until the next nap time...

Professional Photographer in the Making?

Little K's newest fascination is taking photos with my digital camera. (Thus, this photo of moi. Talk about a close-up shot.) At first, I was hesitant and didn't want her to waste the film.

Wait. What film? If the photo stinks, I'll just delete it.

Now, I struggle with the fact that I don't want Little K to drop the camera and break it. Mind you, I've already dropped it on a playground and scratch the screen.

Fine. Let's just be careful and she can use it.

So now Little K is practicing her photo craft and thinks it's such a treat. Aha! Here's a reward that cost me nothing and won't rot out her teeth. Maybe this is a good idea after all.

Until the next nap time...

Mother's Day Weekend

Yesterday, Trent & Little K treated me to the beginning of a great Mother's Day weekend. After breakfast, we visited the new Starbucks on 43rd Street near our house. It was welcoming, clean and family-friendly. We later went shopping for Mommy and ate a cowboy lunch at Hickory Hollow Restaurant.

Next up was the Art Car Parade. We especially liked the dog car, the City of Houston mobile -- disguised as a huge caution cone & the waving flag vehicle. It was a fantastic way to spend an hour.

Saturday, we went to Denis' Seafood at Memorial City and had a great time together. Wishing you all a very Happy Mother's Day.

Until the next nap time...

Let the Good Times Roll

Is my family jinxed?

On Wednesday, I slipped and fell down 14 of the 16 wood floor stairs... on my tailbone. I went to the doctor yesterday and was told that they don't think I broke my tailbone but have probably torn the ligaments around it. The doctor massaged my tailbone (no, I'm not even kidding. It was SO embarassing.) and told me to keep ice on it. It will hopefully feel better by next week. Ugh.

This morning, Little K was so excited to get into the school that she ran right into the open car door. After she finally calmed down, I saw she has a big scratch and a shiner under her left eye. Poor thing.

Then, this afternoon, my husband called to tell me that he was heading to the ER. He was connecting a trailer to the back of his truck and something moved and his middle finger got stuck in between the hitch and the ball. Several shots & 5 stiches later, Trent has this huge cast on his middle finger that looks like he's flicking everyone off! Somehow in the madness, Trent took time to photograph the gaping hole in his finger. He encouraged me to post the photo but since I gagged when I saw them, I figured the pics were too graphic for my family-oriented blog. Believe me, it was disgusting.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that my sister Colyn was robbed last Monday night. Then, Colyn, who's 7.5 months pregnant, got hit by an SUV while she was walking in a crosswalk in downtown Houston. She was thrown 15 feet from the SUV. Amazingly, both mom and child are okay. I haven't a clue how that worked except by the grace of God. For real.

Now that we have all this bad luck out of the way, we only have good things left. I'll toast to that. Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. I'm heading to pick up Little K now. Our celebrations may now begin.

Until the next nap time...

Stargaze for Mother's Day Weekend

Here's a fun way to kick off Mother's Day weekend.

Friday, May 9 6-9pm: Nights on Blue Bayou: Stargazing Downtown’s Sabine Promenade (click here for directions)Free Family FunJoin Buffalo Bayou Partnership for an evening under the stars at downtown’s waterfront park, the Sabine Promenade. Stargazing will be the theme for this event, second year in a row, as the night unfolds and the dramatic trail lights appear.

• Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Discovery Dome planetarium
• Boat rides
• Night Hikes
• Live Jazz and Reggae music with Free Radicals
• 6:30pm Break Dancing with Youth Advocates
• Storytelling
• Astrology reading
• Screen printing star art
• Park performers and balloon artist

Bring a picnic or purchase food and drinks on site. Blankets and lawnchairs, canoes or kayaks are encouraged for optimal stargazing. For more information, log onto http://www.buffalobayou.org/ or call 713.752.0314.
Until the next nap time...

Trip to Denver

We had a wonderful weekend in Denver last weekend. We even toured the Denver Broncos training facility. See the photo of my husband Trent & Little K in front of John Lynch's locker. Little K mostly enjoyed running on the indoor track field with her friend Connor.

The weather in Denver was absolutely gorgeous. I was really impressed, too, by the Recreation Center in Highlands Ranch. It included an indoor pool with a lazy river, obstacle course, water playground and hot tub. Absolutely impressive and rewarding for families there. I wish the YMCA would do something like that here.
Of course, the real reason for our trip was for Collyn's baptism and it went off without a hitch. Well, Little K and Connor provided some entertainment while we tried to focus on the ceremony.
It was also great to catch up with our friends Amy & Baxter. Ten years ago, I would not have imagined that our conversations would have changed (do I dare say "evolved") as they have. From child development to books and baby products, I think we covered it all. Thanks for a fabulous trip.
Until the next nap time...

Preparing for Bed Time

The other night, my husband was over at my sister's house, while I helped Little K get ready for bed. We both took baths and then I helped Little K climb into her PJs. Next, we went into my bedroom so I could get PJs on too.

"Mommy, nobody wants to see your big-girl panties," Little K announced.

As I struggled to get my nightgown over my head, I replied with a terse tone: "I'm putting my night gown on."

"But nobody wants to see your big-girl panties," she repeated with a disappointing look in her eyes.

I've now been chastised and embarassed by my 3-year-old. It wasn't until later that night when I found the humor in the whole thing. Oh well.

Until the next nap time...

Last Thursday night, Trent & Little K has special Daddy time while I went to "A Celebration of Reading," benefiting the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Barbara Bush Texas Fund. When I offered to help my mom set up for this event, she misunderstood my intentions and got me a ticket to the event. Cool, right? Well, I'd rather stay home in the evenings to spend time with my daughter and husband but I went any ways.

It was amazing. We gathered in the Hobby Center and were seated. Former President George W. H. Bush and Barbara Bush welcomed everyone and introduced the first author, who would read a 10-minute excerpt from his book. Low & behold, in walked Former President Bill Clinton. Wow! He read from his book "Giving" and then announced that some members of the audience would receive a complimentary copy of his book (including moi). All politics aside, this was pretty impressive.

We then heard from a woman who said she had graduated from college without knowing how to read by faking it and cheating. She struggled to find work and said it was especially difficult to find the right products at the grocery because she couldn't read the labels on meat. Finally, she went to the Reading Commission and began to learn to read. Programs like the ones being sponsored at "A Celebration of Reading" helped this woman learn to read. Her goal: to read a book to her second grader's class. She was on her way.

Next we heard 10-15 minute readings from the following:

• Jim Nantz: journalist for CBS Sports and author of Always By My Side
• Immaculee Ilibagiza: survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and author of Left to Tell
• Amy Grant - contemporary Christian artist and author of Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far
• Jill Conner Browne - author of the Sweet Potato Queens series

This is a photo of the stage, including a custom made book case that was designed and underwritten by the interior design firm where my mom works. The stage set was then donated to Ronald McDonald House Houston to help youngsters nurture their love for reading. Super cool.
I don't think anyone in the audience left the event without feeling inspired. Just in case we needed a boost, a light dinner and discussion followed.
Now I have a long list of books to read and plenty of inspiration to do good for others. Reading 20 minutes per day with my daughter is my first step.
Until the next nap time...

Kazdin Method Works

Yesterday, I finished reading the book The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child with No Pills, No Therapy, No Contest of Wills. The last phrase "no contest of wills" especially caught my attention and my husband's since he recommended the book to me. (No, he has not read the book yet.) I think this book is one that I'll refer to throughout Little K's childhood & teen years. I really like how it's broken into age-related chapters so I could turn to the preschool chapter and get the answers I need. In 10 years, I'll refer to the preteen chapter. (Wow, that's weird to think about.)

Any ways, we are now using the point chart, reward system & positive opposites that Kazdin describes and Little K is making remarkable progress. Yeah! She's excited about getting dressed in the morning "like a Big Girl" (1 star), some times she's willing to have a "Big Girl Tubby" (another star) and she's doing great with "Big Girl Bed Time" (another star). After so many stars, she gets to choose a treat like reaching into a grab bag or choosing a game for us to play together. Kazdin walks you through the pitfalls and makes it practical. Here's my online review of the book. I'm actually glad my husband put this on my "To Read" list.

Until the next nap time...

Mother's Day is 2.5 Weeks Away

Yep, our special day is just a few weeks away & I've really been thinking about it. I'm very lucky in that my mom and my 2 grandmothers are still living. We also are blessed to have my mother-in-law Mary Ann and my husband's paternal grandmother in Illinois. Oh, and don't forget my aunt, who is also my Godmother, who lives one neighborhood north from me. Little K actually has 2 Godmothers. Whew! What a list. How will we spend time with all of these special ladies on Mother's Day?

Well, we won't. Despite some pressure that's been thrown my way, I told Trent this morning that I'd really like to celebrate Mother's Day at home with my immediate family. Maybe I can get my nails done that weekend and we can hang out by the pool with absolutely no agenda. The Salch trio could go to a nice dinner on Saturday night and just enjoy not being in a hurry. At some point, I'll head to my Grandmother's place around the corner to visit with her, too. Maybe I can take my own Mom to lunch on that Friday. I am just putting on the brakes because I don't want to be running all over town or all over my neighborhood trying to please all the special moms in our lives. (Note: it's interesting that most of these people are on MY side of the family. I think that says something about me as a people pleaser.) So here's the plan:

Grandma in Illinois: card
Mother-in-Law Mary Ann: gift & card
My Mom: card (I still want to find the right gift.)
My Grandmother: card and flowers
My Grammy in Ohio: card
My Godmother around the corner: gift & card
Little K's Godmothers: gifts

It's quite a list, don't you think? Hopefully, they'll understand that this Mommy needs some slow-down time. What do you WANT to do for Mother's Day?

Until the next nap time...

Life's a Beach

We really had a relaxing time in Galveston last weekend. The beach has very few people. The sun was warm but the breeze just right. I was so surprised when we walked on the beach at 5 pm on Friday and found amazing shells. I found a whole Sand Dollar, not a broken one. Little K and I even found what I think it an old hermit crab shell that's completely in tact. It was as if someone had decorated Pirates Beach with gorgeous shells just before we took our stroll. I think this is one of my favorite times of year to visit Galveston.

Saturday for lunch, we ate at Waterman's on the west end of the island. We sat outside so we could watch the boats pull up in the bay. The seafood was fantastic as usual. For dinner on Saturday night, we joined my in-laws at Guido's for an unbelievable meal. (Thank you, Cici & Popi!) My snapper with shrimp was scrumptuous. Little K mostly enjoyed eating her Popi's shrimp!

Sunday found us just lying around, soaking up some rays. Even our cat TJ found a spot on the patio to relax. If you can sneak in a trip to Galveston before summer is upon us, I encourage you to do so. I may even see you there.

Until the next nap time...

Markers Are for Paper

Here's the photo from Friday when I discovered that Little K had taken it upon herself to decorate her skin. She was not happy about me entering her nap room made art studio. Luckily, Little K did not decorate her aunt's bedding or walls. And we finally got all the marker off her skin, except her belly button. Every time I tried to wash it, Little K skirmed & giggled. Oh well. Little K is now very good at saying "Markers are for paper." I'll post more photos from our Galveston weekend soon.

Until the next nap time...

What Your Child's Doing Instead of Napping

I was busy working at my desk when Little K began to cry. She was supposed to be in the mist of a restful nap. I went it to the bedroom where Little K was supposed to be sleeping, and discovered...

Since we're spending the day in Galveston, Little K was "invited" to nap in her aunt's room. I didn't realize that Little K had markers and a coloring book in there. What I did learn is that the theory of coloring in a coloring book versus.. say... your face and arms hasn't sunk in yet. The craziest part about it was that I immediately covered my mouth because I didn't want Little K to see me cracking up.

"I'm going to walk out of the room for a minute because Mommy is pretty upset," I told her. As I entered the family room, I pinched my nose so I could laugh silently. I grabbed my camera. I just couldn't resist. Without commenting, I snapped two photos for proof later on. Then I calmly explained that we color in coloring books, not on skin and not during nap time.

I'll post one of the HILLARIOUS photos later. Thank goodness Little K does not have to go to school tomorrow. There's now more meaning to my sign off.

Until the next nap time...

Being A Present Parent

Today, I have to watch several Oprah episodes that I had recorded in an effort to get caught up to speed on Oprah's interest for a client. I think it's interesting how so many of her shows hit upon slowing down to "be present" and finding peace with yourself.

One Mom said that she had several adopted children who had lost their biological mother. Almost to make up for their loss, she tried to be the ultimate, the perfect mom. I do this all the time. Finally, this mom said she experienced a powerful awakening. "As a mom, I'm not perfect, but I am present." By present, she meant that she was emotionally, spiritually and yes even physically connected to her children. This was pretty moving to me, too, because I'm learning to let go of striving for this perfect mom (perfect entrepreneur, perfect...) image. This woman's comments gave me something to replace that struggle with. Instead, I can just be happy about being fully present with Little K and my husband. That's doable.

Another Oprah show featured Maria Shriver with some surprising confessions about her struggle to identify herself as Maria Shriver -- not a Kennedy or Arnold's wife or the first lady of California or even the journalist. (Maria was asked to leave the network when Arnold became Governor to avoid an appearance of inobjectivity.) Any ways, here's a quote from Maria that I thought was empowering:

"I was raised in a family that equated self-worth with personal achievement. Achievement brought not just acceptance but power, recognition and love. I'd been taught that if you weren't doing, if you weren't serving, if you weren't accomplishing BIG, then you really weren't being. You weren't even seen.

"I've learned that being seen actually for who you are, not for what you do is probably the greatest gift anybody can give you and you can give as a parent to your child and to your friends." -- Maria Shriver

I love it! Hope that gets your thoughts moving. Until the next nap time...

Playing Hookie

This morning, Little K just did not want to go to nursery school so... she didn't.

We ran an errand together and then met our MOPS group at Young at Art for paint your own pottery. At first, we attempted a salad plate with a princess drawn in the middle. I thought that would make a great "You Are Special" plate. One of my friends told me about that type of plate, which can be used on birthdays and holidays or just days when kids need a little boost of attention. Soon, Little K didn't like the fact that Mommy was painting most of it & asked for her own plate. Fair is fair. Little K's plate includes a handprint with pink and yellow designs. We can pick the plates up next week so I'll post a photo of our masterpieces.

Last night while putting Little K to sleep for the night, we said our prayers and Little K caressed my face, imitating how I prepare her for a good night's sleep. How sweet, right? Then she softly played with my hair, making small ponytails on either side of my head. Harmless, right? Then she shouted "LONGHORNS!" Hillarious! My sister-in-law should be proud. I cracked up.

Until the next nap time...

Trip to Hermann Park Train

On Saturday, Trent & I took Little K to the new train at Hermann Park. We had beautiful weather and loved the train ride. The new seats will actually fit two adults and a child so it was a good family activity. The train route currently doesn't have any stops (except at the entrance) but I believe future plans include stops at the local playground. I figure it's great entertainment for only $2.50 per person. The train runs from 10 am - 6 pm weekdays and until 6:30 pm weekends. My only concern was the parking. We ended up spending more time trying to find a parking spot than we did enjoying the park. Note to self: head to Hermann Park early.

Over the weekend, I also came across this "Kids Speak 101" article in a newsletter from the Rockwell Team in Ohio. "A fourth grade teacher likes to collect well-known sayings. She gave the first half of the saying to her students and they came up with the rest:

• 'The grass is always greener... when you leave the sprinkler on.
• A rolling stone... plays the guitar.
• The grass is always greener ... when you remember to water it.
• A bird in the hand is... a real mess.
• You have nothing to fear but... homework.
• A penny saved is... nothing in the real world.
• The squeaky wheel gets... annoying.
• Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and ... someone yells "Shut up!"
• A journey of a thousand miles begins with .. a blister.'"

Until the next nap time...