Boys and Brunch... 05/14/2012
My Mother’s Day was pure delight. We enjoyed the first 2012 Sunday Parkway in Portland and discovered a wonderfully delicious breakfast spot in NE Portland. Helser’s on Alberta first came to my attention when watching Breakfast Special on OPB. After a glowing recommendation, I was eager to try the fare of this local café. 
Mother (and children) weren’t disappointed. The highlights:  Homemade crumpets! Think English muffins, but better than anything you’ve had from the store shelf.  Smoked Salmon Hash. The true sign of a northwest chef behind the griddle.  Potato Cakes and a Scotch Egg. A hard boiled egg, wrapped in sausage, rolled in panko bread crumbs, and deep fried = Genius! Add Comment The Pen is Mightier than the ... 04/25/2012
 Over Spring Break this year, we traveled to Colorado to see family. Our air carrier of choice for the trip was Frontier Airlines. Half way through the outbound flight (just when the toys and books brought to distract the boys began to lose their luster), we were served warm cookies. It was delightful. Heading back to Oregon on the return trip – we heard the rumor that Frontier Airlines had decided to stop serving cookies on its flights. My youngest son took this news very seriously. Upon take-off he asked for pen and paper and penned a quick note to the cabin crew. He held tight to the note throughout the flight and was visibly relieved when the cookies were finally served. 
At the precise moment we received our cookies – my son handed his note to the flight attendant. The look of confusion quickly changed to a smile for the steward. “I’ll be sure to pass this along!” he told my son. My son nodded solemnly and then leaned back with a huge grin on his face, enjoying every single bite of that gooey, warm chocolate chip cookie. I mention this event, as at the time it took every ounce of strength I had to conceal the pure joy I experienced watching this drama unfold. My kid was using writing to say something to someone. He was giving his opinion, trying to enact change, making his voice heard. He was not prompted by his mother, or his teacher, or an assignment from school. He was using writing on his own terms, for his own purposes. Later he even explained to me, “I used two exclamation marks to show that I really meant what I said!” It just doesn’t get any better than that.... 
Quiet Time... 03/11/2012
My husband and I testified at a planning commission meeting this past week. That means our first grader was asked to sit quietly (and still) for more almost two hours. This is a tall task within the uncomfortable City Council Chambers of City Hall. Mommy bragging moment: our boy handled it beautifully. This wasn’t our first meeting at City Hall. When we go to these events, we go prepared. A bag (with books, paper, crayons, snacks and water) holds all our trusty supplies. As a last minute addition, I threw in a handheld calculator as we headed out from home. 
Wowza: What a success! My son quietly busied himself with this calculator for at least half the meeting. He added. He subtracted. He multiplied. He divided. He said “Hello.” 
An oldie, but a goodie!
I’ve now added a simple hand-held calculator to our ‘quiet time’ supplies. What a gem. Hooray for citizen involvement and numerical distractions! Nature Kids... 03/08/2012
Tucked behind North Salem High School, is the Friends of Straub Environmental Learning Center. This community gem offers a monthly Nature Kids class that is both fun and educational for children grades 2-5. My sons attended 2 of the classes this year and enjoyed both. First, we attended a talk about urban wildlife given by the Turtle Ridge Wildlife Center. Turtle Ridge rehabilitates injured, sick or orphaned wildlife in the Salem area and brought several birds that have recovered from injuries. We also attended a great hands-on class that explored all things wormy! As well as learning about the role of worms in our local ecosystem, my boys constructed their own worm condos. It was good ol', dirty, fun-filled learning. Classes in the Nature Kids Youth Naturalist Series run monthly, throughout the school year, and are free of charge for those interested. A great educational resource for families, you can check out the offerings on the web or by calling 503-391-4145 for more info. Cross Country Perfection... 01/30/2012
This weekend our family went cross-country skiing, and although I've blogged about this activity before, I mention it here because it is SO MUCH FUN! I'd also like to take this opportunity to announce that this time around - we had the entire family on skis! 
That's right, my youngest has outgrown the sled that dear- old-Dad used to drag behind him while skiing. Our boy now has feet big enough to fit into the rental boots too. Hooray! I must admit that our first-timer was a bit cautious when first clipped-in, but within twenty minutes he was a lean-mean-skiing-machine. Those tooth-pick sized poles were almost cuter than I could bear. The weather was absolutely gorgeous up at the snow park - an Obery Family must for snow play. The kids didn't need to wear their heavy coats and we all wore sunscreen & sunglasses. The snow was a bit icy in places which caused a few falls now and then, but overall we could not complain. I took one fall which left me a bit sore the next day. I foolishly went down a curved slope - not realizing that the slope curved again and continued another 30 yards. It was the exact out-of-control, total abandon-of-logic, chaotic-movement that I would never tolerate in my day-to-day life. I got a face full of snow and a fit of giggles. My son called it "epic" -- Thank you very much. And on the subject of falling: my graceful, always-in-control- of-his-muscles husband and I stood along the trail talking as the kids played in the meadow between us and our neighbors when suddenly..... his skis and poles began flailing up-and-down and side-to-side as he lost his balance on a bit of icy snow. Almost twelve years of marriage and I've never seen this man fall. It was totally worth the wait. He and I were laughing so hard I almost fell too. My other posts have centered on where, when, and what is need for a successful family trip to the snow. In this post, I want to share the most important secret of all: the who. Take those you love - take those who make you laugh - take those who can carry you back to the parking lot if you twist an ankle. Urban Hiking for the Whole Family... 01/11/2012
Question: What do you do when you want to get out for a family hike, but have a list of must-do items that just won't allow time for a drive up to the hills? Answer: 
This urban trail offers hikers and mountain-bike enthusiasts a touch of the outdoors without ever having to leave town. Part gravel/part pavement/part dirt path: The (less than 1 mile) trail meanders down the hills of south Salem just skirting the backyards of a variety of homes. Here's how we found the trail: Drive west on Kuebler Road in Salem just past Skyline Road. Turn right on to Croisan Scenic and park where the street ends. There is a gravel road that takes you twenty feet, then the dirt path leads off to your left. View Croisan Creek Scenic Trail in a larger map Library Events We Love... 01/04/2012
Have I mentioned how much I love my local library? While these events have passed, I’m posting them here so that you can keep an eye out (and join in the fun) next time they roll around. Our library usually hosts these events twice a year and are favorite for my boys.  Participants donate one book in return for $100 of auction money. After reviewing the offerings, the librarian begins auctioning off each book to interested buyers. Bids are made in $10 increments and you can buy, buy, buy until your money is gone.  During this past auction, several chapter books went for as low as $10. Other books sparked a bidding war with bids climbing as high as $70.  I like to watch the money management strategies taken by the young participants. Some wait and wait until the perfect book comes up for auction and then blow the whole wad.  Others bid on books no one else is interested in so as to get the maximum amount of books possible. Each of my boys came home with four new books and smiles. Everyone knows the classic Bingo – but the library version has (of course) an early literacy twist: Book Bingo!  This non-competitive game of bingo features bingo cards with words rather than numbers. Participants have to read the words on the card to play the game.  My first grader was a bit nervous at first, unsure of some of the holiday words featured on his card. However, after just one game I saw his confidence and competence rise.  In the end, his voice rang out, “BINGO!” and he proudly chose a new book for his prize. In Salem, the best way to get the latest library information and schedule is to join the Salem Friends of the Library and receive a monthly newsletter at your home mailing address. I try to remember to pick the newsletter up at the library – but I always forget. I have received the newsletter by email – but it’s too long to digitally peruse. Instead… for a steal-of-a-deal life membership I can do my part to support local literacy AND receive a monthly newsletter updating me on the latest and greatest services provided by the regional resource. Magic and the Mill... 12/23/2011
You still have a chance to catch Magic at the Mill 2011. 
This great event offers the walking tour of the Mission Mill facilities, tunes by local musicians, a miniature train exhibit, a variety of children's crafts, and a visit with Salem's very best Santa Claus. Be sure to dress warmly and, once inside, be sure to get your free tickets for the historic home tours. Crazy Cougar Crush... 11/23/2011
Oregonians have a true gem in the Oregon Zoo. Two weekends ago, my husband and I took our boys for a full day of spying the 2,000+ animals on display. During the long car ride home our 6 year-old talked non-stop about the cougars. We heard how far they jump; how fast they run; how tall they stand; what they eat; where they sleep; and a detailed description of what makes them so uniquely beautiful. It was 60 minutes of cougar crush confessions. (Side note: I savored every single moment and plan to look back fondly on this car trip one day - when he turns 15 and refuses to talk to me at all.) Overall, I gave the trip two thumbs up. It was a bit cold and a bit wet, but a true bright spot of family fun. Here are just some of the highlights:  Active Animals- A truck load of snow was brought in just as we arrived on Sunday morning. Layering snow and fish and snow and fish right next to the viewing window for the black bear exhibit, zoo employees provided us with an up-close and personal view of the action.  Zoo Train- Who doesn’t like a train ride through the trees and the chance to peek at the elephant yard from another view? Even better: it’s truly Oregon style with a biodiesel engine.  Predators of the Serengeti- This new, impressive exhibit was perfect for my 9 year-old, as he just completed a school report on these amazing animals. I’ve never before seen such a great cheetah enclosure. Other new learning: hyenas area BIG!  Interactive Displays- The Oregon Zoo does a great job of presenting informational displays that catch your eye (rather than the standard printed poster that makes your eyes glaze over). This poster amplified the animal sound when you placed the pine cone over each picture. The elementary teacher in me says, "Bravo!"  Elephants- We visited the elephant house twice: once to see the baby inside, once to see the baby outside. I never tire of how skillfully these animals use their trunks to gather hay. My youngest never tires of the elephant poop jokes. Oh my! Teen Scene... 11/10/2011
In the 6th grade, I often walked after school from my middle school campus to the local public library. Spreading my books across the oak table in the magazine room, I often had a whole room to myself to study, read, and daydream. It was book-worm heaven - but incredibly square. These days, afternoons at the library have reached a whole new level of cool. The Salem Public Library Teen Scene has converted to dusty old basement into a a groovy new space -- as appealing to teens as the Discovery Room is to toddlers. Stacks of teen-friendly books, hundreds of graphic novels, a game station, a computer/video production lab, concerts, pizza parties, book talks, writing groups, and library staff ready & willing to provide a safe place for teens to gather: This great space offers something for book worms, musicians, writers, and teens with any and every interest. As an educator, this thrills me. As a momma, I feel grateful that my community cares about our youth. Thanks Salem! | On the Go
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