We are celebrating our 100th episode of “Where You Live” this weekend!! Isn’t that amazing!? It’s a really fun show from party central-Craig’s Cruisers! Several kids and their families joined us from the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. We taped the show, played arcade games, did unlimited activities and enjoyed the pizza/pasta/salad buffet and a special cake! Cruiser and the gang at Craig’s really took care of us! Be sure to watch this weekend as we look at some of our favorite stories about families, kids, community organizations and expert insights on family life! We’ll also be giving away 100 prizes during the show and offering you the chance to win a party for eight at Craig’s Cruisers!!! Get all the info. this weekend on “Where You Live” Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and p.m. on WOTV 4 and 6:30 p.m. on WOOD TV 8.
For the past few weeks mornings and bedtime have become more and more difficult in my house. In previous years I don’t remember Sophia really being affected by daylight savings, but for some reason this year it’s painful! Each morning around 6:30am I hear a faint voice coming from down the hall, “Mom, is it wake-up time yet?” Suddenly the days of getting ready without the three year old are over. Then comes bedtime and the battle begins, “Mom, it’s not dark out yet and I’m not sleepy.”
I emailed my friends over at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital who connected me with Dr. John Schuen, who board certified doctor who specializes in sleep medicine. Here are some words of advice he gave me and any parent who is dreading springing forward this year.
• It’s natural for kids to impacted by the light outside. We are impacted by light. Light enters the brain and effect hormones that influence wakefulness or tiredness.
• Children can typically adjust to one hour difference fairly easy. It does take preparation.
• Parents should try to get their little one to bed a little earlier on Saturday night. Start by backing up. Could start a day or two before. Depends on how well your child deals with change, do it earlier and smaller increments of ½ hour at a time.
• The time change backs up everything you ordinarily do to get ready for bed, including bathtime, reading books, etc. So, playing the Wii isn’t a good idea.
Posted Mar 11th 2010 1:43 PM by Crash for the West Michigan Whitecaps
Filed under: Whitecaps Blog
My good friend Bill Steffen said Winter is over. I sure hope he is right. Almost all the snow on the field has melted. There is a little snow on the warning track, but if I have to stand there with a heater to melt it, I will.
The warmer weather and all of this talk about Spring can only mean one thing: BASEBALL IS ALMOST HERE!
A lot of people ask me what my favorite thing about the season is, but I love so much about the summer that it is hard for me to answer. I decided to make a Top 5 list of my favorite things about the baseball season. They are not in a certain order because it is too hard to choose my favorite. After reading my list, you should tell me yours!
Here is the list:
The promotions. Crash Dash is fun even though Franky always finds a way to distract me, and the dizzy bat races are so funny because the people never run straight. Plus, on the really hot days, sometimes the crew surprises me by spraying the hose!
The fans. The fans are the best. I love how loud they cheer and how excited they are.
The game. Sometimes the Whitecaps lose and sometimes they win. Either way, it is fun to hear the crack of the bat. It is such a cool sound.
The team. The players always make me feel part of the team. I know I am their number one fan, and it is fun to make special handshakes and high-five them when they do a good job.
The food. Our ballpark does a good job at feeding me. We have a new food item being revealed at the end of March, and I cannot wait to find out what it is. I am sure I will love it, and I cannot wait for my first hot dog of the season!
It takes a lot of time, effort and passion to put together a weekly television show. I’m blessed to have a great team that makes it happen every week! John VanDoorne is our photographer and editor and Jamie Allen is our producer. Our team of three puts out a product I am very proud of! I’m thrilled that the Michigan Association of Broadcasters feels our work is awarding winning as well. We recently received a “Best In Category” award for “Maranda: Where You Live” as well as a special Merit Award from MAB. It’s a great honor to be recognized for our work, it’s also a great honor to work with an awesome team and wonderful community partners! We are proud to be a part of “Where You Live”!
Posted Mar 9th 2010 11:56 AM by Shari Steinbach for Meijer
Filed under: Healthy Living
How you spend your food dollar is more important than ever. One great way to get more value for your dollar is by including fruits and vegetables in your family meals. Fruits and vegetables are not only full of health-promoting nutrients and fiber, they may help you feel full and delay hunger longer. There are many bargains to be had in the produce department, as well as the canned, frozen, and juice aisles. Here are some ways to get the most nutritional value for your money.
Check for specials on fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables before planning meals. Consider what’s in season that may be less expensive.
Compare the prices of different sizes and varieties to get the best value.
Be adventurous – try a new recipe or a new fruit or veggie. Have you tried butternut squash? What about a new kind of pear?
Make fruits and veggies the center of the plate: try vegetable stir-fry with quick cooking brown rice, bean and cheese quesadilla, vegetable curry, or a grilled portabella mushroom sandwich with low-fat cheese. I like to sauté diced zucchini and grated carrots until soft and then add them to a jar of pasta sauce. Serve this veggie sauce over a multi-grain pasta.
Replace half the meat in a recipe with veggies, fruit, and/or dried beans. Think “vegetable stew with beef,” “veggie chili with ground turkey,” or “Asian vegetable salad with diced chicken.”
Plan ahead and take fruit and veggie snacks with you. If you get hungry while on the go, you won’t be in a situation where expensive, high calorie snack foods are your only option.
Last summer, 12 year old Alexandria Mueller was our Summer Reading Club Grand Prize Winner. Her and her family just got back from an amazing trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Keep watching the website for more details on the 2010 Summer Reading Club and your chance to win big!
Come on out to Flick's Family Film Festival at Celebration! Cinema. Click for more information!
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From Maranda
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