Bellaire Aquatic Center is a Splash

If you haven't checked out the new Bellaire Town Square Family Aquatic Center, you're missing a great way to cool off with the kids. An you don't have to live in Bellaire to enjoy this water park.

I especially like that Bellaire has provided a family-friendly place for kids of all ages. My friend Jenny took her daughter (who turns 2 in September) here last weekend & had a blast. My nephews (ages 7 & 10) think this place rocks!

The Aquatic Center is located at 7001 Fifth Street, across from the Bellaire Recreation Center and is open 10:30 am – 8:30 pm Monday – Saturday and 1-8 pm Sunday. http://www.bellaire100.com/

Fish Gallery Starts School

Little K loves fish and, of course, the Little Mermaid so I'm excited about this fun treat.

Starting tomorrow, the Fish Gallery will have storytime every Thursday starting at 3:30 (till 4:30). This will continue throughout the summer. The activities are for kids of all ages and includes a touch tank, scavenger hunts and music. After attending 5 times, your child gets a "special gift". Check it out.

The Fish Gallery
4527 Lomitas , Houston, Texas (Kirby/59)
713-523-FISH
http://www.thefishgallery.com/

Until the next nap time...

Great Resources for Parents

I'm slowly pulling things back together after an insanely wonderful weekend in San Antonio. I'll post details later. However, I now have several tidbits related to kids and parents that I want to share.

With summer and swimming upon us, water safety is of utmost importance. Our friend Amy shared this story as a good reminder. Thanks, Amy.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5001282&page=1

Juli sent me this link to a short article on Oprah.com about balancing work & life as a mom. I can be a bit defiant or so I'm told so it's no wonder I like this article. Here's a great quote from the article: "Being forced to seek balance within ourselves, we can make our unsteady, stumbling days feel less and less like disaster and more and more like a joyful dance -- the dance of a wildly, wonderfully, perfectly unbalanced life."
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5001282&page=1

Finally, Andrea submitted this link about a new way to share photos & updates with your family & friends. Check it out.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/06/05/totspot-finally-an-activity-stream-for-your-baby/

Until the next nap time...

The Story of the Tomato

This spring we decided that our family would start a small garden. Great PaPa Don has an amazing garden in Ohio. It's been so much fun over the years that we tried one ourselves. Remembering to water the darn plants in the Texas heat remains a challenge. However, yesterday, we reaped the "first fruits of our labor" so to speak.

The blackberry plant finally turned one of its red berries to a rich black. Little K was quick to snatch it up. Before I knew it, the sole blackberry was gone. "Yummy!," Little K said.
The tomato plants are at last turning their taut green jewels into luscious red. Here, my husband Trent & our daughter Little K pull two of the reds for a pre-dinner snack. Now here's where the comedy enters.
Little K & I took the tomatoes inside to wash them. My daughter was so eager that she kept putting the fruit up to her mouth. Before a bite mark in the red flesh appeared, I grabbed it. At the same time, I'm thinking What's a little dirt? It's not that big of a deal if the tomato isn't washed. Unless of course, there's a caterpillar crawling on it. YUCK!

I showed Little K the caterpillar & cleverly explained that that's why we wash our food before eating it. The caterpillar wanted some food, too, but now he's been washed away. Little K looked at me with unconvinced eyes. My husband & I promised there were no more caterpillars.
I carefully sliced the beautiful, home-grown tomato. We sprinkle pepper on it and start eating them. Suddently, Little K stares right in the middle of her slice and drops the tomato in alarm.
"There's a DOG in there!" she exclaimed.
"There's a what in your tomato?" I ask half amused.
"A dog. There's a dog in the tomato," she said assuredly.
My husband & I peer into the tomato, only to find the fruit's innards -- tasty & as Mother Nature intended. We howled in laughter while Little K quickly moved on. There was no convincing her that a DOG could NOT fit into her tomato slice. Oh well.
Until the next nap time...

Library Offers Summer Fun for Kids

Library story times, movies and other free events offer a great way to keep kids’ brains engaged throughout the summer. For instance, many of our libraries invite toddlers and preschoolers to story time with bubbles, finger puppets and parachute play. Others host Family Nights with music and activities.

I remember as a child, a neighborhood mom loading all the kids on my street into her car and dropping us off at Kendall Branch Library. One time we watched a Pippi Longstockings movie. Afterward, the librarian showed us where to find books on that same character. A second mother picked us up from the library and took us to eat lunch. The next week, other moms took a turn. The neighborhood kids loved it.

Check out what's going on at your neighborhood library at www.houstonlibrary.org/branches.

Until the next nap time...

"Jellyman Kelly" by James Taylor

So we finally downloaded the words to our silly, family song. It's "Jellyman Kelly" by James Taylor. According to http://www.songfacts.com/, here's some background on this song.

"This song was written by James Taylor in the living room of his home in 1979. The music was inspired by a poem that was written by James' then five-year-old daughter, Sarah Maria Taylor, the artist Better known as Sally Taylor.

As James sat down in the living room of his house with his guitar, In walked little Sally Taylor, with a poem she'd written while in school one day. The teacher had asked students to write poems about their favorite cartoon characters. Sally decided to write a poem about a cheerful, bouncy little clownlike character, whose name was Jellyman Kelly. Jellyman Kelly is a sunny, funny, bouncy little man, whose most favorite thing in the world is the one and only, Jelly! His partner is Jenny Mulhenny, the daughter of a fireman, whose favorite thing to do is boil hot water.

When she was finished writing, Sally came home and sat down on the sofa with James, and read her poem to him. After she was finished reciting her poem, James exclaimed, "Sally Taylor! That's a very interesting poem! We ought to put those words to music!" Within a half an hour, James composed a cheerful, bouncy little guitar melody for the song that would become one of his biggest hits."

Again, it's a silly roadtrip song. Here it goes.

Here's a story about Jelly Man Kelly
He loves jelly the most
ah but most of all
Jelly Man Kelly loves jelly on toast

Here's the part about Jenny Mahenny
She's the fireman's daughter
ah but most of all
Jenny Mahenny loves to boil hot water

So Jenny put the kettle on
Jelly Man Kelly can he come home Jenny can he come
So Jenny put the kettle on
Jelly Man Kelly can he come home Jenny can he come

OOOH! Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come?

OOOH! Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come.

Lalalada doo doo doo doo
Papayodalehoodo fo faamyaka yaka yaka yakahuh uh nooooh

Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come?

OOOH! Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come.

Here's a story about Jelly Man Kelly
He sure loves jelly
And maybe someday
You and me friend we can have tea with him

One more time...
OOOH! Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come?

OOOH! Can he come home Jenny
Can he can come home Jenny
Can he come?"

Hope your family finds a tune that makes you laugh as much as this one does our family. Until the next nap time...

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...