(Mostly) sugarless crafting for Katy kids

 This year, our big annual family vacation starts quickly after the Fourth of July. Preparations are in full swing and keeping us very busy, so we are not planning a major party or event for Independence Day. A low-key barbeque, sparklers, and a few crafts are plenty to keep our 2 and 4 year olds busy and happy.

 Cutting back on the sugary treats in our house means no red, white, and blue jell-o or sugar cookies. Homemade ice cream, made with reduced fat ingredients, may still make it to the table, but we are proudly bidding farewell to the majority of our patriotic sweets. Instead, the children will help me make fruit-and-lowfat vanilla yogurt parfaits. We may make it extra fun and throw a little red and blue food coloring into our yogurt. (more…)

June 30th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Nellie helps decorate wheelchairs for the parade

June 28, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Girl Scout Nellie McClellan has patriotic spirit and she is spreading it around the Oakmont Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center of Katy.  As part of her service project to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, McClellan and her twin sister Maureen have been volunteering at the nursing home this summer. With the guidance of her advisor, Johnnie Jackson, activities director at Oakmont, Nellie is planning a Fourth of July program for the residents and their families on Friday, July 2.  She recruited friends from the local community, including band mates from Katy Taylor High School and family to help with the special event.

“One of my fondest memories growing up was decorating my bike and riding it in our neighborhood’s Fourth of July parade with my friends,” says McClellan. “I thought having a parade would bring a little cheer into the lives of these residents who have become my friends. I also knew they would enjoy live music so I asked some of my friends in my school band to play with me.”

The festivities will begin with a patriotic wheelchair parade throughout the facility. Helpers will adorn wheelchairs with red, white and blue décor and give residents flags and pom-poms to wave.  Everyone will wear red, white or blue and have kazoos to make music as they roll through the hallways. The parade will end at the outside pavilion where sparklers will be lit. Then, families of residents are invited to join residents for a “cookout” lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs. After lunch, McClellan will lead a musical ensemble in patriotic music and encourage residents to read poems and sing along. (more…)

June 28th 2010 Posted to Katy News |  Email This Post

Welcoming Home a New Katy Cutie

Our toddler son has been  hearing all about his triplet brothers in the NICU ever since their birth nine very long weeks ago. Now that one is ready to come home in a few days, the rush to get every single last-minute thing done has swung into full-gear.

Every parent who has brought home a sibling knows that Child Number One experiences a wide range of emotions. Although our situation is a bit different than most families’, here are a few things we did to better prepare our son. In the weeks ahead, I’m sure I’ll know if they made a big difference or not.

First, we did our best to include Son Number One (SNO) in some decions regarding his brothers. My husband and I let him make the final decision on the color of paint for the boys’ room. Of course, we had already chosen three finalists from which he could choose. SNO also helped pick out special (more…)

June 25th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

The City of Katy is preparing for its 21st Freedom Celebration Fireworks display

Fireworks will go off starting at dark – about 9:00 PM – at Katy Mills Mall on July Fourth. Fireworks will be shot off from the east side of the mall, between the mall and Katy Fort Bend Road.

The success of the fireworks displays has been due to the contributions of Katy area business and citizens. However two years ago, the fireworks nearly didn’t light up the sky because of a slump in financial support from local business and because Rice Festival proceeds weren’t being applied to the Fireworks funds that year. Until a local business, Warehouse Pool Supply, stepped up and helped make up the deficit in funds. The Chamber of Commerce has agreed to raise the Rice Harvest Festival ticket prices for 2010 so that a portion of the proceeds can be applied to the 2011 Fourth of July Fireworks display. (more…)

June 25th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

How do you preserve your Katy family memories?

When I was a young girl, I remember being very proud of one of my possessions- my scrapbook.  My mother had started a scrapbook for me when I was a baby and had added to it as the years passed.  It wasn’t fancy.  It was simply a compilation of pictures, letters, certificates, and drawings…in essence, all of my good memories.    By the time I went to college, I had three large notebooks filled with my life’s history. During college, I remember flipping through pages of my treasured scrapbooks on many occasions.  The scrapbooks have always seemed to be a powerful reminder of what matters most.  

When I got married, my mother gave me six empty scrapbooks and supplies to start on scrapbooks for my husband and family to be.  My husband jumped aboard the scrapbook wagon.  He began the long process of gathering any and all memorabilia he could find.  It was a treat to walk down his life’s path with him as we compiled his scrapbooks.  With much time and effort, he too had scrapbooks that detailed his life. (more…)

June 25th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

What lessons have your Katy kids taught you? 

This morning, I raced around the house knowing that the day was full.    I peered at the clock and noticed that I had five minutes to eat breakfast before I had to rush to the car and set off.  I hurriedly poured a bowl of cereal and did what I tell my children not to do.  I began to eat, standing up in the kitchen, and tried to quickly devour my Cheerios.  Just as I took my first bite, my youngest child ran up to me and began to explain what was on his mind.  In animated speech, he flung his arms up and, while doing so, hit my cereal bowl.  Cereal and milk covered my face, hair and clothes.  I was absolutely drenched with my breakfast!   In exasperation, I let out a shriek of shock and frustration. 

Now I was really pressed for time!  I raced to the laundry room, took my milk-covered clothes off and ran to the bathroom to wash off my face and hair.  I knew I would definitely be late and I felt frustrated!  As much as I had (more…)

June 22nd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

June 21, 2010 – Katy, Texas – The MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy recently celebrated National Cancer Survivor’s Day, which is held annually on the first Sunday in June in hundreds of communities worldwide to celebrate survivors and their caregivers.  Nikesh Jasani, M.D., medical oncologist at MD Anderson Regional Care Center at Katy, left, pins an “Only One Me” survivorship button on MD Anderson patient Maria Inez Danino.  Please mention you fuond this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

Nikesh Jasani, M.D. with Maria Inez Danino

June 21st 2010 Posted to Katy News |  Email This Post

Katyites don’t have to look far for Summer fun!

Welcome to the first day of summer even though the Katy heat has made us feel like it’s been summer for sometime now. If you still are looking for some fun summer activities don’t worry. Katy/Houston has plenty!

For all you swimming types both Splashtown and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island are offering great summer specials and events. Be sure to visit both of their websites for information and details. If you think that your family may enjoy one of these parks multiple times this summer then consider a summer pass. If you love water parks those are a great deal.

Looking to introduce some education into your summer activities then consider visiting one of the wonderful museums in the Houston Museum District. You can read up on all of the museums at the museum district (more…)

June 21st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

June 21, 2010 – Katy, Texas – The University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration is expanding its business degree offerings in the fall to include the Bachelor of Business Administration program at the University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch. The BBA program in Cinco Ranch will offer five areas of concentration – accounting, finance, general business, management and marketing. This program is intended for upper-level undergraduate students transferring from other institutions with at least 54 semester credit hours. In 2007, UHV began offering a BBA program at the University of Houston System at Sugar Land. Enrollment there grew to more than 400 students this spring. School officials are anticipating the same rate of expansion for the BBA program starting this fall in Cinco Ranch.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

June 21st 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

A free summer Bible study at The Waters Church in Katy

This summer, The Waters Church is offering a free Bible study session through its women’s ministry, Sisterhood.  The Bible Study consists of an hour long teaching session, on DVD, given by Beth Moore.  Following that, there is a time for discussion among the women in attendance. 

The group of women meets every other Tuesday night at The Waters Church, located at 2710 North Mason Road, # 145 in Katy.  This Tuesday, June 22^nd, is an “on” week, or a week we are meeting.  For more information, or for directions, visit www.iamthewaters.com.

This upcoming Tuesday, we will be viewing the second session of the nine session series.  The DVD series is a recording of when Beth Moore taught her (more…)

June 21st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

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The Perfect Summer Choice for Katy families

June 21st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

How do you teach your Katy kids good manners?

Let me first say that I am not writing this because my children have fabulous manners.  In fact, when I recently received a call from my son’s elementary teacher, informing me that my son was over-doing it on the bodily noises, I paused to consider whether I was being effective in my teaching of good manners.  So, I don’t have all the answers, but I am a believer that good manners are not old-fashioned and that they definitely still apply.  I think children and adults alike would benefit in reviewing and renewing polite behavior.   Here are some of my mental ramblings on good manners:

The words please, thank you, excuse me, and I’m sorry are magical words in human interaction.  It is amazing how polite words can diffuse tense situations and help calm emotion.  On the playground, in the doctor’s office, (more…)

June 19th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Keeping your Katy yard looking good throughout the summer months

When our family moved to Katy, I was excited to experiment with the many varieties of tropical plants that I had never been able to plant in our previous yards in the Midwest.   I frequented Home Depot and Houston Garden Center to find the perfect trees, shrubs and flowers for our new Katy home.    Within months of moving into our home, I had planted a plethora of palms, fruit trees, crepe myrtles, magnolias and dozens of shrubs.   I was excited to watch my tropical yard flourish.  Needless to say, within a year’s time, quite a few of my tropical beauties had died.  I had always had a green thumb, so I wondered where I had gone wrong.

I soon learned that due to the clay-based soil, trees, shrubs, and flowers are not happy unless they are planted in raised beds where they have adequate (more…)

June 19th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Scene,New to Katy |  Email This Post

Katy resident offers suggestions from local event options to keeping things at home           

The Katy/Houston area is full of options to celebrate the Dad in your life with. It all depends on what you are looking for. Does your family want to go out to eat or stay home for a cookout? Maybe you’re looking for a fun event to attend?

The Children’s Museum of Houston is celebrating Father’s Day all week with special activities at Daddy Daze! Make a card, learn about Daddy’s in nature and so much more at the popular museum.

Sam Houston Race Park will be celebrating Father’s Day, this Sunday with live racing, great food and lawn mower races. Some lucky Dads will b (more…)

June 18th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Show Your Katy kids that You Care

While attending a family reunion last week, I observed my three-year old niece, Allison, in my sister’s arms.  Many of our family members were talking with each other, and I overheard my niece say to her mother, “Mommy, look at me!  Mommy, I am talking to you!”  She then touched both of my sister’s cheeks and made my sister look her straight in the eyes.  Allison then said, “Now…I want to talk to you.  Are you listening to me?”

Once my niece had her mother’s eye contact, she was content.  She then said, “I want to tell you something.  I saw a bird flying over there.”  She beamed that she had been able to share with her mother what she had found so wondrous.  Since witnessing this small interaction, I have become more aware of the necessity of giving eye contact so others know we are truly listening.  (more…)

June 16th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Family Fun that’s close to Katy

Avery, helping her Aunt Amanda pick a blueberry.

This weekend, we will be participating in a three-year family tradition: picking our own blueberries off of the bush at Moorhead’s Blueberry Farm.  It is located in Conroe, a short drive from my sister’s home in Spring.  From Katy, it is roughly an hour’s drive, but well worth the trip.

Moorhead’s Blueberry Farm (www.moorheadsblueberryfarm.com) is open to the public for blueberry picking from late May until mid July, with changes each year based on how the year’s weather has affected berry growth and ripening.   They do not charge admission and blueberries cost $1.50 a pound, payable by cash or check only.  They are open from 7 am until 9 pm every day each week, but recommend coming either early or late due to the heat.

The past two years, by the middle of June, the blueberry picking has been slight due to extreme heat the first year and a long winter the second year.  However, on the website this year, the forecast for berries looks good!  The latest update says that there are still plenty of berries and we are thrilled to have our first year of a heavy harvest. (more…)

June 16th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting,Katy Scene,New to Katy |  Email This Post

June 16, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Five Katy ISD fifth-grade students have been selected to participate in Education in Action’s 2010 Lone Star Leadership Academy summer program.

The students, from Griffin and West Memorial Elementary Schools, will travel to Dallas/Fort Worth to participate in leadership activities with students from all over Texas. Student participants are selected based on their commitment to community or school and overall grade point average.

The Katy ISD students participating this year are:

• Kirsten Yates, West Memorial Elementary
• Cody Meng, Griffin Elementary
• Matthew Hammond, Griffin Elementary
• Alyssa Palmer, West Memorial Elementary
• Jamie Tan, Griffin Elementary

Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

June 16th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

Are your Katy kid’s immunizations up-to-date and ready for the new school year?

If not, the summer months are the perfect time to take care of their immunization needs. Pull out their immunization cards and check them for what shots may be needed.

Any child who is in need of a vaccination and all children moving into the Texas from another state will need proof of current immunizations being given before being allowed to attend school in the fall. If a child is a little behind in receiving immunizations, that child will be allowed a 30 day grace period for immunizations that cannot be given all at once. For instance, if the child needs two doses of the polio vaccine, they can’t be given at the (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Katyites are lucky to find free times in Houston Museum District

You don’t have to spend money to entertain your family and introduce them to something new. You just have to know where to look. The Houston Museum District is home to some of the best museums in our nation. We as Katyites are lucky to be close enough to enjoy such opportunities but not too close that we feel like we are in the big city of Houston itself.

Just because your kids are not in school doesn’t mean that they can’t learn something this summer. If you play this right they won’t even think that they are learning because they will be having so much fun!

Of course, we know about the major museums in the district such as the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Children’s Museum. But did you know that there are 18 museums in the (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

Life in Katy with a toddler and a pre-schooler

I am constantly amazed by my girls.  Yesterday, I went in to wake up my four-year old from her nap and just sat and stared at her.  On a daily basis, I appreciate the obvious things about her: her sense of humor, her creative mind, the way she spins in circles when she feels beautiful.  But yesterday, sitting on her bed watching her breathe in and out, I was struck by the little things.  How her hands have grown.  How this amazing creation coexists with me every day of my life.  How I can know the exact outline of her face and still be surprised when I really look closely at how perfectly she was formed.

I sat there, watching my daughter sleep, thinking about how not 2 hours earlier I was praying for more patience to deal with the latest act of defiance.  With both of my daughters, four-year-old Avery and 18-month Kate, I feel like I spend my time living between adoration and frustration.  The same little creature that throws temper tantrums is the one I was (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Babies & Tots,Community Blog,Katy Kids,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

 A few tips on making shopping more enjoyable with your Katy kids

I have recently begun taking my Granddaughter to the grocery store with me. And, much as I did with my children when they were young, I gave her jobs to do that made her feel like she was part of the shopping. This had the same effect with her as it did with my kids – it kept her from whining and complaining the entire shopping trip.

What was the trick that kept her happy and me sane? Well there were three things really. The first thing I did was to let her have her own cart; one of the smaller two-tiered carts at HEB. They are short enough for her to see over (she’s 5 years old), and even fully loaded, they’re light enough for her to push around. She also gets to unload her groceries onto the conveyer belt when we get to the grocery stand. (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Turn to Katy bookstores to have fun and escape summer heat

While most people look to event venues for summer entertainment don’t forget to think outside the box. Local bookstores often host signings and events. For anyone who loves to read or wants to share that love with someone else this is a great opportunity to get autographed books and meet with authors. And it is a budget event! It only costs the cost of the book.

Katy bookstore, Katy Budget Books (www.katybooks.com ) often hosts book signings. This is a great opportunity to share the love of reading with your family.

Murder By the Book (www.murderbooks.com) off of Bissonnet is also a popular place to follow for great events involving thriller, crime and (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

Finding creative fun around your Katy household

Corn starch is great for cooking, I suppose.  I think it is supposed to be used to thicken soups or something.  I don’t use it much in the kitchen, because, admittedly, cooking is not one of my strengths.

However, I keep plenty of corn starch in the pantry at all times.  Some days drag on with two busy children, and the days that seem the longest are the ones that we aren’t able to leave the house because we’re waiting to be fever free for 24 hours or because I’ve somehow misplaced the keys to the car… again.

Enter corn starch.  Equal parts corn starch and water will make that fabulous stuff that is neither a solid nor a liquid.  When you pick it up, it becomes a (more…)

June 15th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

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June 15, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Newsweek recently released the 2010 list of America’s Best High Schools, naming four Katy ISD high schools among top 1,622 schools in the nation. The four Katy ISD high schools ranked this year are: Cinco Ranch High School (No. 478), Seven Lakes High School (No. 689), Taylor High School (No. 982) and Katy High School (No. 1387).

The schools listed in the America’s Best High Schools 2010 report represent only six percent of all American public high schools. Rankings are determined by a combination of the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge (AICE) tests given at the schools, compared to the number of graduating seniors.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

June 15th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

A great place to enjoy the summer while staying close to Katy

Discovery Green, located downtown, is one of the most inclusive free places to enjoy summertime in Houston.  It includes two large water features, similar to any local neighborhood splash park… except much, much larger, and a playground area as well.  Additionally, there are little remote controlled boats to rent and a snack bar/cafeteria and restrooms.

Visit www.discoverygreen.com for directions and more details, such as fun events held each weekend (and often during the week as well).

Discovery Park was opened in 2008, and I only recently discovered it last October while I was downtown for a conference.  Even when it was too cold for the water parks to be open, the playground area was an obvious draw for (more…)

June 14th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Parenting,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

June 10, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Katy High School’s parent teacher organization, The Friends of Katy, is pleased to announce the 2009-2010 Friends of Katy scholarship winners.  They are (front row, left to right): McKenzie Wright, Jessica Barnett, Kelsey Peters, Caroline Cowart and Nicholas Peltz with Ms. Lisa Hinks, Friends of Katy Scholarship chairperson; (back row, left to right) KHS principal, Dr. Steve Robertson, Grant Fielding, Jonathon Fisher and Matthew Perry with Ms. Cathy Sciba, KHS Lead Counselor.  Each recipient will receive $1,000 for college tuition.  Congratulations to these outstanding Katy High School seniors!  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

Friends of Katy Scholarship Winners

June 10th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

June 10, 2010 – Katy, Texas – OKE 4^th & 5^th graders participated in The Element Song Showdown after their last Eureka! Experiment.  4^th grade winners: Aditya Shah, Micah Wall, Pearson Broadrick, Francisco Rivera, and Paige Sauer.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

5th grade winners: Patricia Cabanilla, Gabbi Marchelli, Deborah Orta, and Emil Mudra. Winning Teachers: Katie Parnell and Angela Martin

June 10th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

Bookworm Heaven In Katy 

June 10th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Scene,Katy Worklife |  Email This Post

The Results of a Katyite’s water-only experiment

Last week, I posted a blog about my one big temptation: sugary drinks.  Whether it is Kool-Aid, Coke, or sweet tea, I just love to drink anything with lots of sugar and lots of calories.

For years, this has been my primary health weakness, but in the last several months, my love for sugary drinks has gotten a little out of hand. 

And so a week ago, I decided to try a little experiment.  I cut out all drinks except one coffee in the morning (I couldn’t let go of sugar AND caffeine in one week!), and committed to drinking water only for the past week.  The hope was that after a week of healthful drinking, I’d be a transformed individual; I would see the err of my healthless drinking and desire only water from here on out. (more…)

June 10th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy |  Email This Post

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A Katy Mom-to-Be reflects back on a favorite childhood pool activity

With our baby due this already very hot summer I find myself thinking back to a fun pool activity from my childhood. And it’s the perfect example of how the simplest things can bring the most fun. So what is this cool idea? It’s simple, it’s cool, it’s giant ice cubes!

On hot summer days my parents use to take large Tupperware bowls, fill them with water and freeze them. In more recent years when my brother and I would talk about how much we loved those summer days with the giant ice cubes my parents told us that they would put the water-filled bowls in the freezer the night before. So it does take a little planning but the good news is that it won’t go bad. If your swim day gets rained out don’t fret!

When it’s time to swim take out the Tupperware bowls and hold them upside down to slide out the giant ice cube. Be sure to support the ice that will be (more…)

June 09th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Katy makes it easy to help ensure the safety of your child

Make sure your child is protected by getting a Child Identification Card

The Katy Police Department offers a service to help locate lost or abducted children. The Kid ID  program provides parents with a photo ID card for their children. But this is no ordinary photo ID card.

Sergeant J. L. Field, the police officer in charge of the program for Katy Police Department, says that this card is connected to a national database, which can be accessed by any police department in the U.S. Once all identifying information about your child is collected, it is sent to the KidID.org along with the card information.

My daughter and I had my granddaughter go through the ID card process at the main police department. It took all of 20 minutes. During the process, Sgt. Field took two photos of my granddaughter – one facing the camera and a profile photo. He also took a photo of my daughter (granddaughter’s mom) facing the camera. Mom’s photo and the profile photo do not appear on the card, but are attached to the profile which is uploaded to the KidID.org data bank. (more…)

June 08th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Kids,Katy Parenting,Teens & Tweens |  Email This Post

June 8, 2010 – Katy, Texas – At the State Solo & Ensemble Contest held in Austin on May 29th and May 31st, the following Taylor High School Choir students received medals:

• Superior (1) rating on Solo:  Mary Kim, Natalia Romero, Jasmine Johnson, Melanie Piche 
• Excellent (2) rating on Solo:  Jean Durbin and Bethany McDougal

The Taylor Choir is under the direction of Mr. Kevin Riehle and Miss Kristin Taylor.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

June 08th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

How to make worship time not only bearable, but faith-filled, with your Katy kids

If you’re like me, taking your young child to church is not always a prayerful experience—except it increases the likelihood that YOU’RE praying that your child will behave! Not what the whole church-going experience should be like, I think.

Our son is almost three, and he is barely able to sit and watch a half hour video at home. It takes some work to guide him in his church experience. Distractions abound—from the people sitting around us to the hymnals in front of us.

How many toys—if any—do we take with us? Do the books we bring need to be religious in subject? Should we bring food for a Mass that takes only an hour? If he does begin to get fussy, do we grin and bear it or take him to the back? Won’t that teach him to misbehave in the first place? These are the questions we struggle with. (more…)

June 08th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Parenting,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

Movie Time for Katy kids

June 08th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

The Layla Grace Foundation’s first fundraiser held close to Katy

Little Layla Grace Marsh touched the lives of thousands with her short life.  Layla Grace was diagnosed with cancer when she was 16 months old.  Layla, along with her family of mother Shanna, father Ryan, and sisters Claire and Jenna, fought a courageous fight against the disease. 

During Layla’s battle with cancer, Shanna and Ryan began to use social media, such as twitter, facebook, and a blog, www.laylagrace.org, to share information with her family and friends and to invite people to support Layla through prayer.  Because her tweets and blog posts were so real, and because Layla has a contagious smile, the last several months of Layla’s life found her twitter with 45,000 followers (and still growing!) (more…)

June 08th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

Make summer in Katy more fun with cool themed picnics

You’ve planned the perfect summer picnic with your kids.. Food, drinks, games – the works. They each invited a friend or two to make a party out of it You no sooner get the picnic packed up in the car, when – Crash! Rumble, rumble. The picnic is called on account of rain. Let’s face it, we’ve had a rash of pop-up storms in this first week of June. So what happens when the planned picnic gets rained out? Plan a themed picnic that can be eaten indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather.

For a Beach Picnic, everyone dresses in bathing suits (with cover ups if desired) and either flip-flops or swim shoes. For the decor, spread out beach towels on the sand or on the living room floor. Food can be packed in the ice chest or individual sand-bucket “picnic baskets”. Pack the buckets with anything you and your kids like to eat at the beach. Include some mood music for the drive to the beach, or the drive to the living room beach. This could be kids summertime music, the Beach Boys, or sounds of the beach including seagulls and waves. (more…)

June 07th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

The taste of summer in Katy, TX

Watermelon jello

This week for our summer dessert, my girls and I made watermelon Jello.  To be more exact, we made strawberry Jello in a watermelon rind.

I first found the idea at www.theidearoom.blogspot.com, a blog I check on occasion.  It’s simple and fun, and Jello is healthier by way of desserts than most of the things I make, so I included it in the summer dessert line-up for my family.

The basic idea is to cut a watermelon down the middle and clean it out.  Once the watermelon has been removed (and feasted on!), it is time to make the Jello.

To fill both halves of my ‘personal’ sized watermelon, I used 3 large boxes of strawberry Jello and 4 ¼ cups of boiling water.  I whisked them together for 2 minutes and then poured them carefully into the watermelon halves.

It should be noted here that watermelons are round, which means they roll.  And pouring boiling water into a round, rolling watermelon rind is not exactly something I’d recommend doing any time, and especially not with little helpers underfoot.  This I discovered the hard way. (more…)

June 04th 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Family Fun |  Email This Post

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June 4, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Taylor High School student, Elizabeth Neville, is pictured with her Ten Year Piano Study Award. Presented in May 2010, the award represents ten years of study with one teacher.  Elizabeth studies piano with Mary Ann LaCour of Katy and she is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Neville of Katy.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

Elizabeth Neville

June 04th 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

A Katyite Struggles to find the differences between Life’s Necessities and Life’s Extras  

The day began like any other—the warm Katy sun gently brightening our bedroom. Its beams lightly danced across the alarm clock that was just about to go off at a leisurely hour. Our son was still sleeping happily in his own bed. The lovely smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted—okay, so I’m lying through my teeth.

Here’s how it happened: our diabetic cat (see a previous blog) still feels the need to eat throughout the night. His next vet appointment is in a few days. So, after being rudely awakened at various hours of the night, here he was again early in the morning. Our toddler son was also at our bedside with his new exclamation, “I need food.” Wonderful.

The day’s agenda loomed in my mind: “Doctor appointment at 9:30; haircut at 10:30, and then to work. Oh, is there a way to visit the triplets in the NICU today? We’re going out of town, we can’t visit tomorrow, we need to go. (more…)

June 03rd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

With the world becoming more technologically advanced, are your Katy kids getting the education they need?

Technological advances allow for a wealth of knowledge to be readily available.  Any inquiry that arises from the young questioning mind can easily be researched on the internet and explored.  What a great asset this technology is as we try to teach our children.

It would seem plausible that children would be smarter than ever before since information is literally at their fingertips.  Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the case.  So much is available, that often the wrong types of information and technology squash the young, fertile mind.

I recently read an article in Time magazine on children and media consumption.  The article stated that children ages 8 to 18 are consuming more media than ever before.  A survey showed that children and teens are (more…)

June 03rd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

How do you teach your Katy kids about helping?

I recently asked my seven-year old to help me with some housework.  Immediately, he peered at me and said, “How much are you going to pay me?”  I could tell by his tone, that he was weighing whether or not it was worth doing the job by how much he would be compensated.  To his question, I replied, “I am not going to pay you anything.  Sometimes we work just to be helpful.  Work is fun, and often it is most fun when we do it without expecting anything in return.”

My response had clearly surprised him.  He sat and thought for a minute and then said, “So, you aren’t going to pay me to do these jobs?” 

“No.”  I said.  “Today, you are simply going to help me because you are a member of the Lewis family, and there is work that needs to be done.”  (more…)

June 03rd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

June 3, 2010 – Katy, Texas – The troop created “boo boo bunnies” as part of their badge work and donated them to Fielder Elementary School’s Nurse Phyllis Bell.  Representing GSSJC Troop #5004 are Bethany B, Olivia F, Catherine L, Shianne W, Stephanie H and Jennifer P.  Accepting on behalf of Fielder Elementary are Phyllis Bell, RN and Chaudia Nunez, Clinic Aide.  Students at Fielder look forward to receiving this special prize when receiving care from Nurse Bell and her staff!  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

Troop 5004 along with the Fielder Elementary School nurse

June 03rd 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

June 3, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Morton Ranch Junior High students, including Ashley Thornhill (pictured) and science teacher, Roy Eriksen recently participated in a model rocket project associated with a unit on space exploration. Students got the chance to launch their model rockets from the MRJH football fields. Eriksen played an integral role in designing the lab, as he helped coordinate which rockets the students could build and the order in which they would be launched. The successful project was a collaborative effort among the entire sixth-grade science team, he says, and it was great to see students so engaged and excited about science.  Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.

MRJH Science Students Launch Model Rockets

June 03rd 2010 Posted to Katy News,School News |  Email This Post

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LaCenterra’s Summer Sounds Concert Series Beginning June 10

June 2, 2010 – Katy, Texas – Live music returns to LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch with the introduction of the Summer Sounds series presented by Members Choice Credit Union and Kasasa.  Guests are invited to unwind after a long day or get a jump on the weekend with this Thursday evening series featuring a talented line-up of local and regional artists. The Summer Sounds series offers a sizzling mix of Latin, reggae, cool jazz and Caribbean country.

 “When the opportunity to join LaCenterra’s Summer Sounds series came our way, we were delighted.  We understand the importance of community and are always looking for unique ways to share information and to say ‘thank you,’” said Kelly Gaines, Vice President of Members Choice Credit Union.  “The series allows Members Choice to introduce its newest banking product, Kasasa, while having a great time with MCCU members and Katy area residents alike.”

MCCU recently announced the availability of Kasasa, a new brand of free checking and savings accounts.  Kasasa pays consumers to use their account with what interests them most—high interest, automatic savings, money donated to charity or free iTunes^® downloads.

The Summer Sounds series kicks off June 10 with JALEA, Houston’s hippest, young Latin dance band. The name JALEA, Spanish for “jelly,” says it all to music fans who love to shake and shimmy on the dance floor.  The group’s repertoire includes salsa, meringue bachata, cumbia, reggaeton and Latin pop, as well as U.S-based party favorites from disco to swing. (more…)

June 02nd 2010 Posted to Business News,Katy News |  Email This Post

Using our Katy community offerings to our club’s advantage

My daughter decided to do ballet as her extra-curricular activity this year, but she loves bouncing around in the gym.   Luckily for her, our mothering club, AMOK (All Moms of Katy) and Westwood Gym teamed up to offer Gym Day once a month.

Through AMOK, my daughter is given the chance each month to participate in a 45 minute gym class.  Our club has worked out an arrangement with Westwood Gym that allows children in the club to pay a small fee and participate in gym classes without any other sort of contract.

My daughter and her friends (ages 3 and 4) love Gym Day!  It is actually my daughter, Avery’s favorite day of the month.  The coaches are friendly, fun, and obviously well trained.  (more…)

June 02nd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

How Katy Families can get ready for this year’s season

Yesterday launched the first day of Hurricane season. If your family wants to learn more about how to be prepared in a hurricane or how these massive storms form then the Houston Weather Museum is the place for you. During the month of June Thursdays are free for all museum guests. Talk to meteorologists and learn about the function and history of hurricanes in the gulf. And there are prizes involved as well. All visitors can enter to win a hurricane kit and weather radio donated by Midland Radio.

“Believe it or not we need hurricanes, states meteorologist and The Weather Museum Executive Director Jill Hasling. “The hurricane is one mechanism by which nature releases the tremendous buildup of heat in the tropics. Hurricanes also are the mechanism to bring tropical moisture into the farm lands of the central United States and often breaking droughts.” Hurricanes are useful and don’t need to be feared. As long as your family is prepared then you will be ready. There are many ways to get ready for such a (more…)

June 02nd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

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The options are endless for Katy families. Get out this Saturday in Katy and/or the Greater Houston area

National Trails Day is June 5, this Saturday and is targeted at getting people outside, on trails and walking or hiking. The Houston area offers many picturesque settings for just this occasion.

If you love your dog then take them with you and enjoy some great food at the Houston Arboretum and Nature’s Center’s Annual Tails on Trails. The arboretum, one of Houston’s best trails, invites dogs on leashes and their owners for an afternoon of hiking the arboretum trails that wind along an 155 acre of lush lands and a vast variety of wildlife.

Before your hiking journey pick up water and a doggy bag. After the hike return to the party for food provided by Freebirds World Burrito and Smartwater.  There will also be music and prices. For more information on (more…)

June 02nd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Family Fun,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

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A Katyite’s Attempt at Drinking Enough Water

I rank among the middle of the crowd when we’re talking about health.  My family and I eat healthy meals for the most part, we don’t stock our kitchen with processed foods, and we are careful to keep trans fats out and saturated fats to a healthy level.

However, when it comes to staying hydrated, I really struggle to be healthy.

I’ve spent most of my life detesting water.  It’s just so… boring.  And tasteless.  And unattractive.

In order to get myself to drink water, I’ve tried many different tactics: for a while, I only allowed myself something delicious to drink (like a cola or tea) after I’d had a full glass of water first.  I’ve tried adding lemon to my water, and I’ve even tried using a shot of Kool-Aid to make water more appealing. (more…)

June 02nd 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy |  Email This Post

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How do you foster Katy family closeness?

In a little over a week, I will be attending a family reunion.  We have decided to go on an Alaskan Cruise- the most exciting and elaborate reunion we have ever had.  As much as I am excited to go on the cruise, what really excites me is the uniting of loved ones for an entire week.  I have three sisters, whom I adore, and I can’t wait to be with them.  I am enamored with my nieces and nephews as well, and I know the cousins may have the best time of all.  In addition to my sisters and their families, I have wonderful parents, an amazing grandmother and a fabulous aunt who will be joining us on the cruise.

When it comes right down to it, I think that the relationships we have are our most prized possessions.  I for one, wouldn’t trade my family for anything!  As I think about family, I think of the many vicissitudes of life.  We have all had struggles from time to time, and we have helped each other through the difficult times.  Though life is ever changing, family can and should be our rock that we lean on when times get tough.  (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

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Katy cyclists have rules of the road

It’s been a beautiful spring, with endless days of sunshine. The summer promises more of the same fabulous bike riding weather. Before the kids hop on their bikes and ride off into the sunshine,  it’s time for one of those periodic bike safety chats. Accidents happen, and none of us wants to be the parent sitting with their kids in the emergency room with a bike related injury.

First, since head injuries are the most serious, bikers should always protect their head by wearing a helmet. The helmet should meet safety regulations, be the right size, and be worn properly. Next keep the kids’ bikes in good shape. A chain that keeps slipping off or breaks that don’t work is a recipe for problems.

Kids should know the safety rules of the road. They should always keep an eye out for cars. A driver might not see your child until it’s too late, but if they are in the habit of being aware of cars, they can prevent accidents. The next one may not see so obvious. They should watch out for people so they don’t have an accident with a walker or another child playing in the yard. Parents should set and enforce the rules for where their children can ride bicycles, but in general it’s best if children under 10 keep to the sidewalks. (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

How a Katy writer/mom-to-be uses Twitter to find fun while working from home

Twitter is an easy way to follow the information that you want without too much effort. Businesses are seeing this growing trend and using it to build their followers. I’m an at home freelance journalist so I follow many businesses and people on Twitter to help find topics and what is of public interest. But recently I discovered that what began as a business tactic is quickly becoming an avenue for finding family fun!

In my writing I cover a lot of events so I follow all the popular Katy and Houston area event venues. By doing so I’ve found that most of them offer special coupons and specials for their Twitter followers!

The Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Houston Symphony are taking this a step further by hosting a special event for their Twitter (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Family Fun,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

Are Katyites prepared for a possible storm?

The beginning of hurricane season brings with it many stressors. Two of the biggest are the hassles of hurricane preparedness and the worries of helping young children understand and cope with what’s happening. So how can parents make this easier for themselves and their children? By getting the kids involved in the process.

First, have your children help compile 2 lists: the first contains hurricane supplies that your family will need, the second contains the nonperishable foods your family would like to eat. Next, send the children on a hurricane scavenger hunt around the house. Let them see how many of the items they can find on the hurricane supply list. After that, let them help you check the supplies to see what needs replacing (like batteries) and what still needs items are missing from the list (i.e. radio, first aid kit). After all, even small children can check flashlight batteries and light bulbs to see if they need replacing. Do the same with the hurricane food list. (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy,Katy Parenting |  Email This Post

A fun ladies’ night out in Katy

Last night, I participated in my first ever Bake and Take.  The concept was first presented to me by a friend, and it sounded like so much fun that we decided to organize a Bake and Take with our church, The Waters Church (www.iamthewaters.com).

A Bake and Take is like a cookie swap – except all of the baking takes place together! 

We gathered with around 15 ladies from our church and created ten amazing dessert recipes.  There was a station with the needed ingredients, recipe and kitchen appliances and utensils laid out for each of the ten recipes.  As women arrived, they chose a station and worked in twos, threes and fours to complete the recipe.  Some recipes did not need to bake, and those that did shared the oven without issue.  (When I was first thinking through this type (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Katy Scene |  Email This Post

A Katyite shares the reason she runs 

Angela and her husband at the Space Center 5K last year

I have never been the type of person who likes to run.  In fact, up until last year, I despised running.  It was something I did merely for the health value, but I am not like those people who enjoy running for the sake of running.

However, once we had our second child, we decided it was time to let our gym membership go to save money.   For a while, I didn’t exercise much.  But, for me, exercise is about knowing I’m doing what I can to stay healthy, to have strong lungs and a strong heart so that I can be my best for my children.

Since I’m not a runner, and since my husband and I stay very busy, I knew that there would have to be something bigger than just “today I should run” to keep me on track.  So, last year around this time, I searched the internet for 5K runs in the Houston area and found one at Space Center Houston that is held each July.  I decided to train for it, and found online guides to becoming 5K ready in 6-8 weeks. (more…)

June 01st 2010 Posted to Community Blog,Healthy Katy |  Email This Post