On a Saturday afternoon at Ice & Olives, Terry and Melissa Wright are setting up.  The two, wearing orange and black bowling shirts, are connecting amplifiers to microphones, a little sound board, a guitar, and an iPod.  Though busy, their eyes smile at the children and adults in the room, promising a fun, energetic show.  When two o’clock comes, Peanut Butter Hamster will be ready to play.

The moment arrives: Terry makes introductions, and they begin.  The music is bright, bouncy rock and roll, woven from the couple’s voices, Terry’s guitar, and the studio-recorded backing track, which lives on the iPod.  Part of the group’s stated mission is to make “music you and your kids will love.”  Between songs, Terry elaborates on that theme.  Families today are “so spread out, we’ve got to spend more time together.”  Indeed, for one number, the Wrights bring their own children up to sing.

The joint is hopping.  One little girl is jumping up and down so hard to the music, that I’m afraid she’ll break the floor.  Parents and kids are together enjoying a concert, eating cupcakes.  Some of the kids are on their feet dancing, some wiggling in their seats.  Looks like they like it.

The music is made to be interesting for the adults, Terry explained to me, while the lyrics are “aimed at the kids, teaching them lessons, trying to encourage positive choices, moral values, the golden rule.”  The messages are pretty direct, with songs like “Fit and Healthy,” “Mind Your Manners,” “I Wanna Play Outside,” and “I’m So Happy.”

Toward the end, the Melissa sneaks into the audience, looking for volunteers.  Three kids come to the front to contribute verses to “Old MacDonald.”  As Terry said later, “We like to get kids involved, make them be the star.”  Today’s stars were a little quiet, but not too shy to make animal noises.

This wrapped up a 45 minute set.  Terry and Melissa wrapped everything up and thanked the audience.  Now the adults got up.  The room was cheery: people milling about and talking, kids running and laughing.  As people walk to the door, they say goodbye to the Wrights.

Some nice family time.  Mission accomplished.

Their CD, Good Clean Fun, is available at CD Tradepost locations, or their website, www.peanutbutterhamster.com.

[ Cale Herreman | Gary Krohe | May 2012 | republished from Spring 2012 print issue XYZ ]

During the week long migration, which includes the transition of 280,000 bibliographic, 120,000 patron and 475,000 item records to the new catalog,  the library’s old catalog will be visible, but not up-to-date. Customers will still be able to check out at the library and on the bookmobiles, but will not be able to place holds on materials.

During the transition, customers will not be able to: place new holds on materials, check  or log into their library account, pay late fees, check out movies and games from the DVD dispenser, or renew items online. Customers will be able to: check out materials at the library and bookmobiles, retain placement on the “holds” list, return materials from the DVD dispenser at the desk, get help from librarians, register for new library cards and view the library catalog, although it will not be up-to-date.

One week with just a few of the library’s plethora of services and materials unavailable, will be well worth it, as the new catalog will bring broader search features, enable patrons to keep lists, create library notifications via text message and contain a new catalog just for kids.

Information on the new catalog upgrade will be updated on the library’s digital branch, www.tscpl.org.

I figured out the way to get the kids to eat.

A way, at least.

What you do is, you let them get out of their seats, go under the table, and pretend they are fish. Vicious creatures of the deep dark sea. Ravenous sharks, dying to eat. You put some food on their forks, which you then dangle over the table’s edge while saying things like, “Oh, I’m a poor fisherman, won’t I ever get a bite? All day, and not so much as a nibble. How will I ever provide for my family?”

Then when the fish strike, you get all excited about there finally being some action, but when they take the bait and swim off you make a huge production out of the loss and devastation of the big one that got away.

“Oh, it was huge. Huge! And it just cleaned the hook right off! Didn’t leave a thing. How could it do that to me? I’m so frustrated. I’m a poor hungry fisherman. Now my family will starve back on land. What will I do? I guess I’ll just have to keep trying.”

Etc.

They can’t be fed fast enough. “This fishy wants some more food!” the kids say. “This fish is so hungry! Hey you terrible fisherman, try to catch us!”

Jeff Tigchelaar is a stay-at-home parent operating out of Lawrence, Kansas. He writes on the side. Of buildings. No, of paper.

[ May 2012 ]

I love tilapia; it’s such a simple, mild and easy to cook fish. It’s cheap, fast, and versatile. This recipe may have some new flavors combinations for some, but I promise you will love this recipe as much as I do. Especially when you realize how quick and easy it is.

4 tilapia fillets

Salt and ground black pepper

1 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup mandarin oranges

1 1/2 tbls of chili garlic sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Season both sides of tilapia fillets with salt and black pepper, cumin and coriander. If you have Old Bay seasoning sprinkle that on there as well and omit the salt.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-hight heat. Add tilapia fillets and cook about 3 minutes minutes per side, until fish is fork-tender.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mandarin oranges, cilantro and chili garlic sauce. Spoon the mixture over the fish before serving. A squeeze of lemon or lime if you have it wouldn’t hurt either.

Cook’s is one of my favorite restaurants.  I love it so much that after I had a surgery and the doctor told me I could eat regular food again, it was the first place I wanted to go. I was craving their mashed potatoes and gravy.

Ambiance + Service:

Cook’s is a family-owned diner and the decor is homey and casual to match, nothing fancy. I don’t mind, however, because the food is so good.

When you walk in, you order at the counter and they give you a number. You then seat yourself at a table. They have trivia cards on the table, so you can play with your friends and family or just quiz yourself. This is a bonus.

I also like that Cook’s is the kind of place where even a younger kid could go order some dessert at the counter or refill their drink all on their own.

Food:

I usually get the chicken tenders with honey mustard and mashed potatoes and brown gravy. I like that they let me substitute the potatoes for the french fries that normally come with the kids meals. The kids menu is good and the meals come in cool cardboard cars.

My mom likes Cook’s because they also have some healthy options and good salads too. My dad really likes the chili and the chicken fried steak.

I didn’t have dessert at this visit, but I’ve had them before and they are good. They have brownies, cakes and pie plus eight flavors of ice cream. My favorites are the chocolate fudge brownie and cookies n’ cream ice cream cone.

Last Thoughts:

There’s no real down-side to going to Cook’s except the door to the bathroom is kind of heavy, which makes you think it’s locked sometimes.  Cook’s is always busy.  It seems like every age-range enjoys eating there. The food is always good and I always know what to expect.  I’ll definitely go back – again and again.

Grant enjoys trying new restaurants and interesting foods, like Bison and Elk burgers, Escargot and Sushi. When not eating his three squares, his interests include tennis and reading.  His favorite Topeka hangouts include the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, The Topeka Zoo, playing tennis at Woodvalley and the movies.Grant loves animals and thinks he might like to be a Biologist when he gets older. His favorite subjects in school are science and reading.   

Ever since first encountering LEGOMAN on the Shawnee County lake grounds hundreds of snapshots ago, XYZ photographer, EJ Drake, knew he was onto something special.

“I wanted to take a picture of it on a stove,” laughs Drake. ” From there, I started taking pictures of the LEGOMAN in different situations.”

Photo courtesy of edrake photography

The adventures of LEGOMAN became a staple on Drake’s photography website and blog, prompting several volumes of adventures. The epic adventures of LEGOMAN grew and so did the fan base. At the request of LEGOMAN’s followers to create a book of the first one hundred photos, Drake has released the entire LEGOMAN collection, containing all three volumes, as well as the previously unpublished series LEGOMAN: Ninja and LEGOMAN: Frankenstein.

To celebrate the release of the book, print  versions are $5 off and the iPad/iPhone versions are only $3.99.

“It’s 194 full color pages of AWESOME,” insists Drake.

As for LEGOMAN’s best adventures, Drake notes they are all great and when asked if this is the last we will see of his unconventional, yellow superhero, he notes “Yes, for now.”

For more information visit http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3172410.

*Prices good through May 31st, 2012

Dia was founded in 1996 by Author Pat Mora to link children’s books, languages and cultures. Día means “day” in Spanish and is a family literacy initiative celebrated every year. It’s an opportunity for communities across the country to practice DÍA = Diversity in Action.

Photo courtesy of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

This event offers family-friendly ways to immerse your little ones in the Hispanic and Latino cultures. In addition, El Dia offers free snacks and books to visitors.

El Día Schedule of Events | Cambio de horario

6:00 pm – Book Pick-up | Entrega Recepción de Libros

6:05 pm – Dennis Rogers, Native American Dance Performance | Dennis Rogers presenta espectáculo de danza Nativa Americana

6:25 pm – Abuelita Mary Valdivia Reads Llama Llama Red Pajamas | La abuelita Mary Valdivia lee Llama Llama Rojo Pijama

6:35 pm – Rosie Cutrer, a Multicultural Storyteller | Presentación de Rosie Cutrer – cuentista multicultural

7:00 pm – Craft Time – Create a craft you can eat! | Tiempo de Manualidades- ¡crear una manualidad que te puedas comer!

by Leah Sewell

“Biologically, boys are slower to develop than girls and often struggle with reading and writing skills early on.”

“The U.S. Department of Education reading tests for the last 30 years show boys scoring worse than girls in every age group, every year.”

“Boys don’t have enough positive male role models for literacy. Because the majority of adults involved in kids’ reading are women, boys might not see reading as a masculine activity.”

“Many books boys are asked to read don’t appeal to them. They aren’t motivated to want to read.”

These are all pretty dismal-sounding statements, but they’re quoted from the website of the national initiative, Guys Read, that’s taking a stand against literacy problems in American boys.

Started in 2001 by elementary educator Jon Scieszka, Guys Read seeks to get boys reading the kind of stuff that they want to be reading with some camaraderie, snacks and activities peppered into the mix. It’s a program that makes reading palatable to boys around ages 8-12 who again and again, are losing interest in reading in alarming numbers.

Now Topeka area boys can get in on Guys Read by joining the local charter at Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Tween Librarian, Jason Lamb, discovered the Guys Read program and has been working to get it implemented at the Topeka Library.

“Educators and librarians tend to push literary fiction on all kids because we think the better the book, the better the reader. But for boys 8-12 years old, they need to be more interested in what they’re reading,” said Lamb. “Boys need more immediate stimulus – action, humor and graphics…Let’s find something they’re interested in, and feed it, shovel it in, and keep finding more and more stuff they’re interested in.”

Lamb is very excited about the program, which begins May 12 (2 p.m. in the library’s Lingo Story Room), and has a lot of cool books, activities and other draws for boys wanting to join the Topeka Field Office, which is the proper name for the local branch of Guys Read, although the boys themselves will come up with their own name for the reading group. Lamb gave the example of “Chicken Machete” as a name founded by one group in the past.

The reading group will also have a secret password, but Lamb wouldn’t divulge this XYZ reporter of any specifics.

“I can’t tell you the password because you’re a girl,” he said plainly.

The charter, which every member will sign at the first meeting, includes provisions like guarantees of snacks, and rules such as “no girls” and “no parents allowed.”

“This will be about fun, first and foremost,” Lamb assured. “And if they know it’s fun, they’ll be more willing to participate.”

The flow of the meetings will proceed as such: 15 minutes of icebreaker stuff, 15 minutes of book discussion and the rest of the time is an activity very loosely-based on the book that the group is reading. The books are free and the group meets once a month.

And what kinds of books will they read?

There’s a Guys Read library that includes titles like “Funny Business” and “Thriller,” fast-paced reading packed with action and humor. But Lamb also plans to spontaneously cull the best boys’ fiction from the stacks at TSCPL.

“I’ll go through the shelves, and if it says ‘butts,’ ‘farts’ or otherwise, it’s a good candidate,” says Lamb.

The peels of laughter from 3rd-graders are nearly audible.

To get your crude-joke-loving boy (age 8-12) involved in the Guys Read program at TSCPL, bring him to a meeting (first-timers are always welcome, even if they haven’t read the book) on one of the following dates:

May 12, 2-3 p.m.
June 9, 2-3 p.m.
July 14, 2-3 p.m.

Questions? Call Youth Services at TSCPL at (785) 580-4565.

The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library hosts Discover Kansas Archaeology from 2pm to 3:30pm Sunday, April 29 in Marvin Auditorium 101BC. Take a walk through prehistoric displays, examine an archaeologist’s toolkit and find out what an archaeologist does after discovering an artifact.

Marvin Auditorium will take on a fair feel with tables for sponsor organizations, including the Kansas Historical Society, Professional Archaeologists of Kansas, Kansas Anthropological Association and, of course, the library. Dan Rowlinson, Kansas Anthropological Association member and flintknapper, will demonstrate flintknapping (making stone tools), answer questions about the process and explain how those tools would have been used.

“Kansas has a lot of amazing archaeology and there are excellent ways people can get involved.   This event will give people an idea of how they can participate,” says Virginia Wulfkuhle, public archeologist at the Kansas Historical Society, who will also be available to answer questions at the event.

Bring lots of questions for the pros, learn how you can go on an archaeological dig and browse the display of related books. Come and go as you please and bring the kids. Don’t forget to stop by the display in the rotunda to see artifacts courtesy of the Kansas Historical Society.

[ April 24, 2012 | photo courtesy of TSCPL ]

by Janice Watkins

Having just blown out the candle on his first birthday cake on March 31, it would be difficult to imagine that one-year old Carmello was one of the 274 babies born drug-exposed in a Topeka hospital last year. “Advanced for his age”, according to his proud mother, Tashara Charles, Carmello thankfully shows no early signs of any lifelong behavioral, developmental, or medical challenges that many infants who are exposed to drug usage in utero often face. Carmello and Tashara’s combined success story will be staged front and center on Wednesday, April 25, as part of Kansas’s Drug Endangered Child Awareness Day.

“I knew that when my son was born, they would find cocaine in his meconium,” states Tashara solemnly, as she reminisces about the first days of Carmello’s life.

As Tashara had already had involvement in the family courts prior and two of her children had been adopted through family adoptions, she knew that she had to make a different decision when it came to Carmello, whom she had dubbed her “miracle baby.”

Tashara and Carmello | photo courtesy Kansas Children's Service League

Overcoming her fear of possible court involvement, Tashara self-reported her drug usage and reached out to the United Way and their Drug Endangered Child program coordinator as part of the Successful Connections program, following the birth of her baby. Tashara was then assigned a DEC case manager through KCSL.

“Tashara said her biggest struggle was being overwhelmed,” says Jennifer Gassman, the DEC case manager assigned to Tashara’s case. “It was difficult to try to put together a stable life, with housing, finances and parenting, while trying not to relapse. Many clients have had negative experiences with SRS or the law and are distrustful of services at first.”

Tashara’s early intervention with the DEC program allowed her to enter outpatient treatment with her son in tow and start submitting to random Urinary Analysis (UAs) to keep her accountable. In addition, KCSL began to monitor Carmello’s development as part of the program. Carmello remarkably showed no signs of the drug usage affecting him and needed no further referral to any infant-toddler development services, which the program can provide if necessary.

“It took me a long time to realize that it’s not what I wanted,” sighs Tashara. “It’s about your child – that child does not have a chance to make that decision themselves.”

Now, 15 months sober, Tashara is taking each day one step at a time.

“I try to tell everyone, ‘You’ve got to stay active and involved,’” Tashara notes of others who may be struggling with the same desires that she once had.

Tashara, who would like to move on as an advocate, will get her chance to do just that, when she will be the key speaker on the south steps of the Capitol on Drug Endangered Awareness Day at 2:30 p.m Wednesday April 25. The press conference will include mayor’s and governor’s proclamations, and despite her fear at speaking in front of the Governor, Tashara is sure in her new calling.

“What I’ve lost, it’s not worth it,” she says with eagerness in her voice. “I just want to reach one and teach one.”

[ April 23, 2012 | by Janice Watkins ]

photo courtesy the United Way of Topeka