Red flags in speech development: when to worry

Stephanie Marz from Bend Speech Express shares an important article with the True North Readers.

by Robin Hansen

Urban legend claims speech delay is not serious. The legend also says,"boys talk later" and "most all" kids will "catch up" naturally. The fact is MOST kids don't just catch up naturally. Never let these urban legends stop you from seeking help. What if you allowed denial to keep your child from the gift of early intervention? What is it turned out to be nothing? What is the worst that can happen? You have a child that speaks well and you can stop speech therapy! There is no loser in seeking help early. Denial, and delay can lead to a tremendous amount of personal guilt as windows of opportunity may never be regained.


Many people still believe children who are speech delayed because of poor parenting skills. This is not the case, unless the parents has been very negligent or abusive. Thanks to the latest research as demonstrated in the documentary, , MRI's now show that at 6 months, they can predict which babies will have speech issues. If your baby shows any delays, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician. Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech and language therapist or a developmental pediatrician for an evaluation as soon as possible. If you child is under age 3, you can call your local regional center for a free appointment to have them evaluate your baby. Regional centers will evaluate and offer intervention services at no cost. If your child is age 3 or over, call your local school district to ask for an evaluation. If the school district finds your pre-schooler eligible, they will offer speech therapy and possibly other services, if needed.

Keep in mind that the wait time for evaluations and eligibility process can take 2-4 months. A "wait and see" approach can waste valuableintervention time. The criteria for eligibility for children age 3 and up, may be far more stringent because they are covered by a different set of state standards than the 0-3 group does. One year of speech therapy at age 2 can negate the need for years of speech therapy at a later age.

If your child does have a speech delay, keep in mind that there is a very high possibility your child may be diagnosed with a learning/attention or reading disability later on. At age 5 or 6, ask the local school district for an educational evaluation to measure phonemic awareness, auditory and perceptual skills plus processing disorders. If there is an inability to acquire oral language naturally, it follows that aquiring written language acquisition will be difficult too.

Newborn to 3 months:

• Startles to loud sounds

• Quiets or smiles when spoken to

• Seems to recognize your voice

• Increases or decreases sucking behavior in response to sound

• Makes pleasure sounds (cooing)

• Cries differently for different needs

• Smiles when he sees you

Red flags: No sounds (cooing)/quiet baby; doesn’t react to you 4 to 6 months

4 to 6 months

• Moves eyes in direction of sound

• Responds to changes in your voice • Notices toys that make sounds

• Pays attention to music

• Babbling sounds (more speech-like); many different sounds including "p, b, m"

• Vocalizes excitement and displeasure

• Makes gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with

Red flags: Quiet baby—no sounds; no eye contact with you; no attention to voice or music

7 months to 12 months

• Enjoys games and peek-a-boo

• Turns and looks in direction of sounds

• Listens when spoken to

• Recognizes words for common items like "cup", "shoe", "juice"

• Begins to respond to requests ("Come here," "Want more?") • Babbling has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata upup bibibi"

• Uses speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention

• Imitates different speech sounds

• Has 1 or 2 words (bye bye, dada, mama) although they may not be clear

• Uses communicative gestures such as pointing and pulling

Red flags: Quiet baby—few vocalizations; no sound play or babbling, pointing or gesturing by 12 months; only vowels in vocalizations; does not respond to voice or sounds.

12 months to 15 months

• Maintains attention to pictures

• Understands simple directions especially with vocal or physical cues

• Uses one or more words with meaning

Red flags: No communicative gestures such as pointing or pulling; vocalizations with only vowels; no imitative skills; no response to parent’s vocalizations; no response to name.

15 months to 18 months

• Says more words each month; vocabulary of 5-20 words

• Vocabulary composed mainly of nouns

• Much jargon-like speech

•Able to follow simple commands without cues ("Get your bear.")

Red flags: No single words by 16 months; no imitative skills; limited consonants in speech; no response to directions with cues.

18-21 months

• Points to a few body parts when named

• Follows simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll the ball," "Where’s your shoe?")

• Listens to simple stories, songs, and rhymes

• Points to pictures in a book when named

• Uses many different consonant sounds at beginning of words

• Expressive vocabulary of 25-50 words

Red flags: Limited variety of consonants; vowel distortions; few words, limited imitative skills.

21 months to 24 months

• Uses some 1-2 word questions ("What’s that?" "Daddy?" "Bye bye?")

• Puts 2 words together ("more cookie", "no juice", "Mommy book")

• Language explosion around 18-24 months; vocabulary of 150-300 words by 24 months

Red flags: Limited spoken vocabulary; limited variety of consonants; distortions of vowels or sounds; little response to name, directions, questions.

24 months to 36 months

• Understands differences in meanings of words (in/out, go/stop, up/down)

• Follows two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table")

• Has a word for almost everything

• Uses 2-3 words to talk about and ask for things

• Speech is understood by familiar listeners most of the time

• Often asks for or directs attention to objects by naming them

Red flags: No language explosion by 30 months; unintelligible speech; small vocabulary; no simple 2-word combinations by 27 months.

36 months

• Hears you when you call from another room

• Answers simple "who?," "what?," "where?," "why?" questions

• Talks about activities at school or friend’s home

• People outside family usually understand child’s speech

• Uses a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words

Red flags: Unintelligible speech; limited vocabulary; short utterances (only 1-2 words); limited consonants; little response to questions or directions.

Review of Red Flags for Developing Speech and Language:

• Little sound play or babbling as infant

• No babbling, pointing, or gesturing by 12 months

• No single words by 16 months

• No spontaneous 2 word phrases by 27 months

• Missed "language explosion" by 30 months

• Any regression in speech, language, or social skills at any age

• No eye contact or response to sounds

• No response to name by 15 months

• No response to directions or questions by 24 months

• Limited number of consonant sounds or vowel distortions by 24 months; low intelligibility for toddler (24-36 months)

• Poor verbal imitation skills by 12 months

• Small vocabulary for age; not much variety

Risk Factors:

• Family history of speech and language disorder

• Medical history of chronic otitis media with effusion

• Motor disorders/muscle weakness

• Limited or poor parental interactions

For more info: http://www.childrensmemorial.org/documents/SpeechLangDevellMilest.pdf



How Does Your Child Hear and Talk? American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, http://www.asha.org/ .

Agin, Marilyn C, M.D., " The Late Talker-When Silence Isn’t Golden", November 1, 2004, http://www.contemporypediatrics.com/ .

Language Development in Children, http://www.childdevelopmentinstitute.org/ .

Resources: Beyond Baby Talk, by Apel and Masterson, 2001.

NW Community Balloons Over Bend Children’s Festival benefiting Saving Grace

For over 22 years Saving Grace has celebrated healthy families and healthy communities with our Saving Grace’s Children’s Festival. This year, Saving Grace has joined in partnership with Balloons Over Bend to create an exciting new family festival that will continue to benefit Saving Grace and our work throughout Central Oregon. Join us on Saturday July 23rd at Riverbend Park from 10am to 6pm.


This festival promotes a healthy, fun lifestyle for children. Nearly 40 different local organizations and businesses are hosting a variety of games and crafts for kids of all ages. Everything from face painting to science experiments with exploding balloons. There will also be a premier bounce house area and food and craft vendors. A variety of entertainers will take over the stage at Riverbend Park all day long.

This is a great way to enjoy a fun filled day as a family. The festival is free, but tickets must be purchased to participate in the booth activities and the bounce area. In addition to individual tickets, a family pack will be available. For every family pack purchased you will be entered into a children’s bike giveaway drawing.

The proceeds from the festival will go to help provide 100% free services to those in need of help within our community. Saving Grace provides a place free from fear in our emergency shelter, a 24-hour hotline, emergency transportation, safety planning, support groups, children's advocacy, community education and more.

For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering at the Children’s Festival please contact lauren@saving-grace.org. Saving Grace provides comprehensive family violence and sexual assault services and promotes the value of living life free from violence.

Annual Pet Parade a Holiday Favorite

Enjoy this slideshow of some highlights from the annual Fourth of July Pet Parade. You can click on an image to see the entire gallery on staff photographer, Kimberly Teichrow's website!

Kokanee Cafe is open for lunch as of June 1!

The Kokanee Café is a rustic restaurant nestled amongst the ponderosa pines in the enchanting forest surrounding the Metolius River. They have been serving fine Northwest Cuisine for over two decades, and  now offer a full bar to compliment their menu and eclectic wine list.

Returning for his sixth year at the Kokanee Café, award-winning chef Roscoe Roberson has artfully created a menu that stays true to the Northwest Tradition of quality locally-grown and raised meats, fish and produce with a unique, artistic flair.

Whether you are celebrating one of life’s special occasions, or just looking for a spot to enjoy an exceptional meal while taking in the beauty of the Metolius River Basin, the Kokanee Café is the perfect spot!

Adventures in Parenting - on Vacation. By Kimberly Teichrow

Sometimes you get lucky in Vegas. Sometimes, not so much. I suppose it’s all about the odds.

We have been vacationing in Vegas for 6 years now – and yes, we take the kids. Neither my husband nor myself gamble, but we all really enjoy the city. It’s typically our one true vacation, where we lounge by the pool, take in a few fun sights, and enjoy the wonderful food that Vegas has to offer. Most of our other vacations take a certain amount of energy and this one – well, we work really hard at relaxing.

Our boys look forward to Vegas every year – mostly for our traditions. We always get Gelato at the Venetian in honor of my husband’s and my trip to Europe before we had kids (although Max likes to claim he was there – at 9 whole weeks in my belly). We always visit Circus Circus and win way too many (but way much-loved) stuffed animals. We love buffets, and full days at the pool at our timeshare, M&M World, and one big show each year. I’m sure you can understand the draw, and how much the boys anticipate the trip.

 Needless to say, my oldest son was completely distraught when, upon landing at McCarran Airport in Vegas, he proceeded to get completely sick in the men’s bathroom. I wish there was some way of tracking down the poor soul who had to clean it up. The rest of the evening was, and I’ve given him permission to say it without reservation since it truly was, hell. Poor kiddo – up all night. Clearly not food poisoning, I crossed my fingers that the bug would stop with him. He was a trooper and managed a dip in the pool the following evening, but we were down one day of relaxation and fun.

We rallied the troops once Max felt better and knocked off a few of our traditions, including a full day at the pool, and even a trip to the Hoover Dam, where once we were down in the “belly” of the Dam, the elevators malfunctioned and we “evacuated” out through areas where the public rarely visits. Which was, in a word, cool!

By Tuesday evening, we were feeling great and looking forward to the rest of the week when, alas, poor Dave was bug-struck. Poor hubby. Up all night. One more day out of commission. Dave was a trooper, though, and joined us for a bit at the pool the following day.

A day later, just when we were all ready to press forward and visit the much-anticipated (well, by the Mom-tographer at least) Valley of Fire State Park, followed by our big show, the Jabbowockeez the next day. I get bug-struck. Poor me. Up all night.

Really? Three of us? On our favorite (and not exactly cheap) vacation? I guess the odds were not in our favor this time.

The boys took it all in relative stride – and while we did have to take it a bit slower than normal, we did manage to have a whole lot of fun. Maybe not as many gut-busting meals, but is that such a bad thing? We managed to cover a good portion of our traditions – we ARE hauling back to Bend a fresh crop of well-loved Circus-Circus stowaways. I did manage to get myself out of bed, slowly, and make it to the Jabbowockeez show at the Monte Carlo – which was, by the way, amazing.

 

I’m considering this vacation an offering to the Gods (we’re Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series fans) – and will hope that the next few years of vacations will be full of health & wellness!

I mean really, the odds are in our favor, right?

Kimberly Teichrow, staff photographer for True North Parenting, lives in Bend, Oregon with her family. They love to take adventures, and Kimberly loves to capture them through her lens. You can see more photos, and read more about their travel adventures at Wildfire - Kimberly's new travel & photo blog.

Peter & the Wolf Ballet at the Tower Theater Friday June 17th!

Characters from Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" will be represented by an orchestra instrument and danced by students from the Academie de Ballet Classique.


You will be delighted by this musical story by Sergei Prokofiev and adapted to dance. Each character is represented by an orchestra instrument and danced by Students of Valerie Holgers’ Academie de Ballet Classique. The dancers present the story of a young boy, his animal friends; Duck, Bird and Cat, a worried grandfather and a menacing wolf. Set in Russia, the story comes alive with dance and the rich musical composition of Sergei Prokofiev.

Tickets: Reserved Seating $11.50, Children 5 and under are FREE with a paid Adult, Day of Show $13.50

KITS FOR KIDS HOLDS PIZZA NIGHT FUNDRAISER FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN JUNE 21, 2011

Kits For Kids will hold a fundraiser June 21 5-8pm at Abby’s Pizza on NE 3rd St in Bend. Abby’s Pizza will donate 20% of the night’s proceeds to help purchase hygiene products for some-900 homeless children in the Bend LaPine, Sisters and Redmond school districts.


The Kits For Kids group annually sews bags, fills them with everyday hygiene items and donates them to the Family Access Network (F.A.N.) who distributes them through local schools.

For more information about needed supplies or how to help contact project chairwoman Helen Smith at 541 382-8502 or hsmith@bendcable.com

Sweet Peas & Cascade Couriers Make Cloth Diapers a No Brainer!

Weighing the options of disposable versus cloth diapers for your baby? Sweet Peas Diaper Service makes the decision simple: Clean cloth diapers dropped off at your door, dirty diapers picked up by the bicycling eco-warriors at Cascade Couriers. Done. Contact them today!

If you're not sure about the effect of disposable diapers on our planet, here's a little information via Wikipedia:

An average child will go through several thousand diapers in his/her life. Since disposable diapers are discarded after a single use, usage of disposable diapers increases the burden on landfill sites, and increased environmental awareness has led to a growth in campaigns for parents to use reusable alternatives such as cloth or hybrid diapers. An estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year.


The environmental impact of cloth as compared to disposable diapers has been studied several times. In one cradle-to-grave study sponsored by the National Association of Diaper Services (NADS) and conducted by Carl Lehrburger and colleagues, results found that disposable diapers produce seven times more solid waste when discarded and three times more waste in the manufacturing process. In addition, effluents from the plastic, pulp, and paper industries are far more hazardous than those from the cotton-growing and -manufacturing processes. Single-use diapers consume less water than reusables laundered at home, but more than those sent to a commercial diaper service. Washing cloth diapers at home uses 50 to 70 gallons of water every three days, which is roughly equivalent to flushing the toilet 15 times a day, unless the user has a high-efficiency washing machine. An average diaper service puts its diapers through an average of 13 water changes, but uses less water and energy per diaper than one laundry load at home.

OREGON RUSH SOCCER CLUB ANNOUNCES NEW WPSL TEAM; PARTNERS WITH TRUSTED SPORTS FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR YOUTH TO GET & STAY IN THE GAME

Oregon Rush Soccer Club announced that it will be fielding a Women’s Premier League Soccer Team in 2011, and will feature the Trusted Sports Foundation as their official non-profit partner. The partnership will focus on motivating kids to thrive in life through sports participation. As part of a new fundraising initiative called “Kids In The Game,” these two organizations are working together to ensure youth from all walks of life have opportunities to engage in athletics.


As the newest member of the WPSL, Oregon Rush will be bringing together current and former Rush players, as well as ex-collegiate players who reside in Central Oregon. The team is for current high school, college and older women, and is part of the largest women’s soccer league in the United States. “We have an incredibly talented team, and a good mix of youthful enthusiasm and experienced players who play at a very high level,” stated Oregon Rush Head Coach and Executive Director John O’Sullivan. “We are thrilled to offer a top level experience for our current and former players, and a place for top collegiate players to spend their summers and play a very high level of soccer.”

Rush is also using their new women’s team to raise the visibility of sports as a critical positive developmental tool for the next generation of Americans. The team will be wearing the “Kids In The Game” logo on their jerseys to highlight their commitment to providing sports opportunities to all children regardless of experience, ability, and finances.

Ben Harper’s August Show to Benefit BendAid Art & Music Programs

Monqui Presents and Les Schwab Amphitheater announce Ben Harper’s show (August 26, 2011) will donate $1.00 per ticket sold to BendAid’s dedicated music programs under the direction of Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools. Through the Ben Harper show and other events during the year, BendAid is establishing a sustainable program to assist significant programs such as Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools.

With school budgets experiencing major cuts recently, BendAid believes the local community needs to assist arts and cultural programs in the local community and schools.

Purchase your Ben Harper tickets today and support local K-12 music programs: http://ticketfly/benharperbend

LSA Schedule: http://www.bendconcerts.com/

Monqui NW events/info: http://www.monqui.com/
Education Foundation: www.bendlapineschoolsfoundation.org/
BendAid: http://www.bendaidmusic.com/ and info@bendaidmusic.com

Stand on Liquid's Demo Daze and Warehouse Open House event is today, May 24th!

Stand on Liquid will have dozens of boards to demo at River Bend Park from 2pm- 5pm, including amazing brands such as Lakeshore Paddleboards, C4, Tahoe SUP, Riviera, Ron House, 404, Gerry Lopez, and Hovie.


If you are a new SUPer, don’t worry! Instruction and guidance will be provided by SOL staff and….wait for it……big wave surf legend Gerry Lopez!

Following the afternoon paddle session join them for music, brew and hot board deals in their new warehouse located at 1320 SE Reed Market Rd.

If you have trouble finding it, just listen for some music and follow your nose towards the BBQ. Gotta stand up to get down! See you there.

The Environmental Center brings Bag It! the movie to McMenamins

One night only on May 25th


Senate Bill 536 is currently working its way through Salem. The bill prohibits the use of single use plastic bags at retail check outs in Oregon. Oregonians use an estimated 1.7 billion plastic checkout bags every year. Plastic pollution has become a critical problem in our oceans, accounting for as much as 90 percent of the estimated 100 million tons of toxic trash that spirals 500 miles off the Oregon Coast. The movie, Bag It! takes a look at our daily use and dependence on plastic. “It’s a timely film considering what is happening with Senate Bill 536 right now,” says Mike Riley, Executive Director of the Environmental Center. “Hopefully the film will give us all a better understanding of why moving away from plastic bags and plastic in general, is an important step in protecting human health and the health of our environment.”


The film will play at 6pm (doors open at 5:30pm). Tickets will be sold at the door for $5 each. COCC students with valid ID get in free thanks to the Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholars program at COCC. For more information visit the Environmental Center’s website at www.envirocenter.org.

More about the film:
Bag It follows “everyman” Jeb Berrier as he navigates our plastic world. Jeb is not a radical environmentalist, but an average American who decides to take a closer look at our cultural love affair with plastics. Jeb’s jour­ney in this documentary film starts with simple questions: Are plastic bags really necessary? What are plastic bags made from? What happens to plastic bags after they are discarded? What he learns quickly grows far beyond plastic bags.

What he discovers is shocking. Learn more about the film at http://www.bagitmovie.com/.


About The Environmental Center:
The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. We translate sustainability into practical, local action to help create a healthy future for people and the planet.

Our programs incorporate education and advocacy to advance our vision of a sustainable Central Oregon. Find us on the web at www.envirocenter.org or at our public facility at 16 NW Kansas Avenue in downtown Bend, Oregon.


Shauna Quistorff
Director of Communication & Development
541-385-6908 x12

Awbrey Glen Golf Club Gears Up for Spring with Family-friendly Events

As the days grow longer and milder weather approaches, moms across Central Oregon are once again on the lookout for fun, healthy family activities. One option to consider: Awbrey Glen Golf Club http://www.awbreyglen.com/. With monthly Kid'z Klub activities, a playground and events like the annual Junior Golf Camp, northwest Bend's private golf club makes it easy to enjoy time outdoors as a family.

Awbrey Glen Golf Club offers several different levels of family memberships. Many include full access to all Club amenities, including the restaurant, golf, swimming, fitness, family events, wine events, fly-fishing at the club's private lake, invitations to Club social activities, and much more.

Upcoming kid-friendly events include the Kid'z Fishing Derby on Sunday, June 12; a father-son/daughter golf tournament on Sunday, June 19; and the Club's Junior Golf Camp June 21-23.

"Parents might not immediately think of a golf club as a kid-friendly place, but here at Awbrey Glen Golf Club, we work hard to make the whole family feel welcome," stated Awbrey Glen Golf Club Membership Director Keith Kessaris. "Kids can have fun here. It allows families to stay active together in a way everyone can enjoy."

Awbrey Glen Golf Club is home to Central Oregon's only five-hole par three golf learning course. The award-winning club's lush18-hole championship golf course stretches out over 7,000 yards and challenges seasoned and novice golfers alike. On June 13-16, the Club will host the Pacific Northwest PGA 2011 Oregon Open. Learn more about Awbrey Glen Golf Club and view all the Club's scheduled events at http://www.awbreyglen.com/.

Contact:
Anne-Marie Daggett
the marketing dept.
541-330-6420
amg@marketingdept.net

Lahaina Galleries 35th Anniversary!

Meet ten world-class artists Sunday, June 26th, from 11am – 2pm


Lahaina Galleries is celebrating their 35th anniversary in Bend and you are invited! Ten artists from around the globe will be at the gallery showcasing new works that will range from paintings and etched metal to leather and rare carved gem sculptures.

Artists attending: Russian realist, Alexei Butirskiy, Chinese impressionist, Thomas Leung, German innovative etched-metal, Andreas Nottebohm, Taiwanese leather sculpture, Liu Miao Chan, California impressionist, James Scoppettone, Japanese master, Hisashi Otsuka, Northwestern colorist, Donna Young, Canadian National Geographic acclaimed gem sculptor, Lyle Sopel and the Italian master-realists, Alessio & Marcello Bugagiar.

Lahaina Galleries is located in the Old Mill District on the Deschutes River in Bend.

For more info visit http://www.lahainagalleries.com/,  Lahaina Galleries on Facebook, or call: 541-388-4404

Major Stand Up Paddle Event to Take Place in Bend on Father’s Day Weekend

The first annual Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will take place at Riverbend Park on Saturday, June 18. The Challenge will include three competitive events: a six-mile long course, a two-mile short course, and a judged “Expression Session.” Contestants and spectators will also have the opportunity to try out the latest gear from popular SUP manufacturers like KIALOA and Surftech.


The spectator-friendly course will run from Riverbend Park, just past Bill Healy Memorial Bridge, through the “Old Mill stretch” of the Deschutes River, and back (three times for the six-mile event and once for the two-mile event).

All proceeds of the 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will be divided equally between the Bend Paddle Trail Alliance (BPTA) and the Bend Recreation Foundation Scholarship Fund. “It’s very important to us to give back to our wonderful community,” says Lainey Booth, one of the organizers of the Challenge and co-owner of local SUP shop, Stand Up Paddle Bend. “We’re excited to raise awareness about the BPTA’s efforts to improve the Colorado Dam and build a whitewater park at Miller Landing. That project will have a terrific effect on Bend’s economy,” she says.

Because the 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge will be one of the first races to count toward the World Paddle Association’s recently announced Pacific Northwest championship, many high-profile SUP athletes are expected to compete.

Matt Purvis, Marketing Vice President of title sponsor Northwest Community Credit Union, says it was a natural decision to support the Challenge. “We celebrate everything ‘northwest.’ The Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge is the perfect place to meet our current and future members and support a great community event,” he says.

All contestants will be invited to attend a VIP pre-party, hosted by Northwest Community Credit Union, on Friday, June 17th.

Well-known Portland paddler, Karen Wrenn, who has finished impressively in SUP events all around the world and recently made history by becoming the first person to paddle consecutively between all eight Channel Islands, will be teaching a paddling clinic on Friday, June 17th so that athletes can learn new skills to utilize in the Challenge.

To register for the 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge or for more information, readers can visit www.BendPaddleboardChallenge.com, email Info@BendPaddleboardChallenge.com, call 541.639.2655, or drop by Stand Up Paddle Bend or the Bend or Redmond branches of Northwest Community Credit Union.

The 2011 Northwest Community Credit Union Bend Paddleboard Challenge is proudly supported by Stand Up Paddle Magazine, Robberson Ford Lincoln Mercury Mazda, Cascade Lakes Brewing Company, Clear 101.7, KTVZ, Fox Central Oregon, and Stand Up Paddle Bend

Tumalo Creek will have over a hundred and fifty boats to demo the day after the Pole, Pedal, Paddle

Did you miss Spring Paddlefest or are you still looking to find a boat that is just the right fit? On Sunday, May 22, 2011 Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe will host its annual Post-PPP Demo Day from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on the lawn behind the shop. Tumalo Creek’s demo fleet will triple in size in order to provide for the huge demand during race day. Kayaking experts will be on hand to help answer questions, fit paddlers into boats, and offer advice.


This is a unique opportunity for new paddlers to try out a wide variety of boats. Advanced paddlers looking to upgrade will also benefit by gaining a hands-on knowledge of what is available before investing in a new boat.

Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe has been proudly supporting the Pole, Pedal, Paddle with safety boaters for eleven years running.

For more information contact Tumalo Creek Kayak & Canoe at 541.317.9407 or 411@tumalocreek.com

Parents' Choice Silver Honors Award

Congratulations to Art Dawg Magazine (TN Editor's Pick- Aug. 2010 issue), on their Parents' Choice Silver Honor award!

ArtDawg magazine, an educational children’s art publication created by graphic designer Julie Hill, recently won a Parents’ Choice Silver Honors award for Spring 2011 Magazines. Established in 1978, Parents’ Choice is the nation's oldest nonprofit guide to quality children's media and toys. The Foundation’s purpose is to search out and recommend products that help kids grow – imaginatively, physically, morally and mentally—fairly priced products that are fun, safe and socially sound. Editor and publisher, Julie Hill, of Bend, Oregon, is deeply honored and grateful to win such an award. With over 30 years of art experience working as a graphic designer, owner of The Design Ranch, Inc., as well as a dedicated parent and volunteer art teacher, she aims to spread a cultural appreciation of visual art in all its forms, and with her magazine, hopes to reach out to children and encourage them to embrace their creative imagination through easy-to-understand instructions, hands-on projects, and educational articles about contemporary and classic artists.


“It’s all about inspiring kids to be creative. In these times of budget cuts in our schools, art education is becoming a more and more difficult line item to fund. ArtDawg provides an opportunity for kids to still receive art education through a subscription they receive at home, Parents, family or friends can choose to ‘give the gift of art education’ to a child. With so much time being spent in our schools 'teaching to the test', most teachers find it difficult to find the time to prepare lesson plans for art. ArtDawg magazine is a ready-made teaching tool for art in the elementary school classroom. I am seeing more and more subscriptions from teachers and I couldn’t be happier” Hill explains.

Now on its seventh issue, Artdawg is a steadily growing magazine with subscriptions on the rise. Recent issues have focused on such artists as Van Gogh, Thiebaud, C.M. Russell and John James Audubon, and teach kids about art through the ages, as well as encouraging them to try out their own art in the same style through how-to instructions to create fun and exciting projects. As a mother of three, Mrs. Hill knows just how important creativity and imagination are in raising a child, and shows that knowledge through her magazine’s colorful, fun-filled articles. “I also want kids to see that it is possible to grow up and be an artist, so, in each issue, I highlight an interesting and often surprising job in the world of visual art.” Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob Squarepants, Duff Goldman, owner of Charm City Cakes and the star of the Food Networks, “Ace of Cakes” have both been featured in the magazine. Readers have also been introduced to Mary GrandPre, the illustrator responsible for creating the art for all the Harry Potter Books.

Julie is a graduate of California’s prestigious Art Center College of Design, receiving her degree in Graphic Design. She has served as a volunteer art teacher at a number of different schools over the years, encouraging her students to explore and innovate in their artistic works. Artdawg allows her to continue teaching, albeit in a different manner, and allows her to facilitate a creative understanding between parents and their children. “Artdawg is an innovative visual arts publication for children ages 5-12 that is just beginning to spread its wings,” say the Parents’ Choice awards, “ Well-executed themes are bolstered by relevant activities and projects.”

For more information, visit www.artdawgkids.com or call Julie Hill at 541.318.5057

A Travel Series, By Kimberly Teichrow { part 5 }

Welcome to part 4 of my travel series on Disneyland – I’m hoping that by sharing our family’s experience, you’ll feel a bit less overwhelmed with planning your own family’s vacation – and be able to tailor to your own family’s personality. Check in often and follow our family’s experience, including a selection of our favorite photographs!

Planning Ahead: “Super Tip”

We are fortunate that friends of ours are quite the Disney connoisseurs – and gave us a money-saving, vacation enhancing Super Tip, which I’ll get to in a moment.

One aspect of the Disneyland experience, and by Disneyland, I mean the bigger Disneyland resort area – including California Adventure and Downtown Disney, is how many layers of experiences one can have. Layers upon layers.  And, they can be tailored to your family’s personality.

Classic Disneyland - It's a Small World

If this is your first trip to Disneyland and it’s a short one, odds are your trip will be packed with hitting the classic highlights – such as riding Space Mountain, getting dizzy on the Teacups, or visiting the princesses.  Given a bit more time you may find yourself exploring deeper, and checking out Tomorrowland’s House of the Future, or CA’s It’s Tough to be a Bug. From fulfilling to building traditions, it seems each family has its own agenda in terms of how they explore Disney.

Once you’ve had your fix of all of the Must-Do’s, its time to check out another layer of Disney: Hidden Mickeys! Disney Imagineers have built fun directly into the architecture and landscaping of the Disneyland Resort. You can check out the book: Hidden Mickeys Guide: A Field Guide to Disney’s Best Kept Secret by Steven Barrett as your guide! The classic Mickey shape has been sprinkled (with Pixie Dust, I’d imagine) throughout the parks, and it’s your job to find them! We hadn’t discovered this particular experience until our second Disney trip just this year. We brought the guide with us and spent the last 2 of our 6 days at the park finding hidden Mickeys at the areas we happened to be in. Once we got the hang of it, and knew (relatively) what we were looking for – it was pretty fun. Hidden Mickeys can be as little as a small classic Mickey head and ears shape on one of the many coats of armor decorating the waiting area the Matterhorn, to large wheels arranged in the classic head and 2-ear in the middle of the Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Can you see it?

I admit, they can be tough, and a guide book is a good way to go. What’s nice about this particular book, is there are several sections, based on how you want to discover the Hidden Mickeys… either with less direct clues, an area-by area scavenger hunt, or obvious, “look for this” clues that lead you directly to them. We haphazardly went through a bit of each section. On our drive home, we each found ourselves instinctively searching for more Hidden Mickeys – in fact, our youngest son found one while blowing our glass floats in Newport just last month (on one of the propane valves)!

Hunting for Hidden Mickeys is a fun experience you can have while at the parks themselves, and you get to take the memories of the hunt home with you. One layer of Disneyland that is both an experience and a souvenir are trading pins. Pins have always been at the Disney parks, but in 1999, as part of the Millennium Celebration, pin trading was introduced. It has certainly flourished and the number of pins available is impressive. You’ll notice while at the parks, that many of the cast members (employees) wear lanyards around their necks, or a square piece of material on their hip with several pins attached. If a cast member has a pin that you want, and you have a pin to give back to them… they are obligated to make the trade!

Showing off our pins, including Grandma's first 2 pins!

This brings me (finally) to my Super Tip! Our Disney-savvy friends instructed us to search on Ebay for “Disney trading pin lots” and purchase trading pins before our trip. While the pins at the parks range from $7-$20 (and more…) each, we managed to purchase a “lot” of 40 pins for only $39. Forty pins, you say? Yup! Each of our boys started out with 20 random pins from the Ebay purchase. You don’t need that many, of course… but I’d argue its more fun if you do. Just don't forget to make your purchase far enough in advance of your trip, that they arrive before you leave (obvious, I know... but I fell into that trap - and had them mailed to our hotel in Anaheim because I'd waited too long)!

We bought the boys each a lanyard at the parks, but you could certainly get one less expensively beforehand. There were a handful of pins the boys thought they wanted to keep, and it was their responsibility to keep track of their special pins, and pins they wanted to trade. I loved that the boys had their eyes out all of the time, looking for pins to trade, which opened up doors for them to make conversation with the cast members. The interactions were often humorous and cast members always very friendly and happy to make the transaction with them (I’m pleased to say there are no exceptions in our experience).

Each year we let the boys choose a very special pin to purchase for one of their souvenirs – something that they hadn’t traded for, and something that reminded them of our experience at Disneyland. I’ll admit that I’ve got the bug as well… the boys (my husband included), even bought me my own lanyard and a few pins to get the trading started.

It seems like as soon as you think you know it all about Disneyland, the Imagineers have left something behind to grab your attention yet again, and bring you back into the many, many layers of Disney.

Previous Article: Part 4

Planning Ahead: "Buying Tickets"

Up Next: Part 6 - 

Planning Ahead: “Techy Tips”

Kimberly Teichrow, staff photographer for True North Parenting, lives in Bend, Oregon with her family. They love to take adventures, and Kimberly loves to capture them through her lens.

Volunteers Needed for Habitat for Humanity's Women Build Program

As part of Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program, Bend Area Habitat for Humanity (BAHfH) will begin building a home for Lorinda Harris and her two children on Saturday, May 7 from 8:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. at 2871 Spring Water Place in Bend. Bend Area Habitat for Humanity is looking for a crew of women volunteers to help build the home. Volunteers do not need construction experience and all of the tools will be provided by BAHfH. The Women Build will continue every Saturday until the completion of the home later this summer.


The Women Build program, underwritten by Lowe’s, brings women from all walks of life together to learn construction skills and then use those skills to be part of the solution to poverty housing. Bend Area Habitat for Humanity received two grants totaling $20,000 from Wells Fargo & Company and Lowe’s to build the house.

For more information please contact:
Robin Cooper

Community Outreach Manager
Bend Area Habitat for Humanity
1860 NE 4th St., Bend, OR. 97701
(541) 385-5387 ext. 229 office
(541) 508-8681 cell

2011 Salmon Run Set for Saturday, May 7

Now in its 22^nd year, the Salmon Run is one of Central Oregon’s longest standing and most anticipated 5K and 10K run or walk events.  The event starts at 9am and ends around 12noon.  Pre and post-race activities include warm-ups, food, vendor booths and an awards ceremony.  A kids’ fun run makes the event something special for all ages.  Salmon Run is also a great training run for the Pole Pedal Paddle, two weeks later, ass the course is very similar to the PPP course


Early registration is underway at www.envirocenter.org.  Late registration begins April 23^rd, when prices will increase by $5.

A Travel Series, By Kimberly Teichrow { part 4 }

Welcome to part 4 of my travel series on Disneyland – I’m hoping that by sharing our family’s experience, you’ll feel a bit less overwhelmed with planning your own family’s vacation – and be able to tailor to your own family’s personality. Check in often and follow our family’s experience, including a selection of our favorite photographs!

Planning Ahead: “Buying Tickets”

First of all, you’ll want to think about how long you’ll be spending in Southern California, and how many days of your vacation you’ll want to spend in the parks itself.

There are several factors to consider, including time of year – which can have a big impact on the crowds at Disneyland. You can find attendance charts online, but generally when school is out, it is more crowded. Don’t be too afraid of the crowds, however. I’m not sure there is a company out there as prepared to handle crowds as is Disneyland, it is truly impressive. Granted you’ll need to have a good attitude and be prepared for lots of bodies around you, but it is certainly manageable.

We found a good deal on our park hopper tickets online, and through the Disney site. It seems that their special rates on their online purchases vary, so check back often to see current specials. Park hopper tickets allow the ticket holder to “hop” between Disneyland and California Adventure as many times as your feet can handle.

In 2010 we spent one day exploring San Diego, but otherwise spent a full 6 days at Disneyland & California Adventure. In 2011 we were on a tighter schedule – sandwiching our visit between two Saturday basketball games… and still bought the 6-day pass. We spent four full days at the park, and used the other two days on our arrival and departure days – as a great excuse to stretch our legs after and before a long ride in the car.

At the time we purchased our tickets, we discovered that the difference between the 4-day and 6-day park hopper pass was not very much, in fact  $54 total for the entire family of four. For us, simply having the option to spend all 6 days at the park was a wonderful tool to help us take our time and not worry about pushing too hard to make sure we got the most out of our trip. Actually, it really helped us get more out of the trip, because, as I’ll elaborate later in the At the Park articles, having a good attitude went a long way to making a marathon at Disneyland a wonderful and magical adventure. So, head over to the Disney ticket site (or your favorite travel agent) and crunch the numbers… you may find that the option for additional days is worth the investment.

We found it convenient to buy our tickets online. There are lots of resources, but we went directly to the Disneyland website, and printed them out at home. Once at the park, you can go straight to the entrance of your preferred park, and they’ll exchange your printed ticket for the smaller “real” ticket that you keep for the duration of your visit. 

You do NOT need to trade it in at a ticket sales kiosk, simply go straight to the gates - and get ready to have FUN! 

Previous Article: Part 3

Planning Ahead: "What to wear (bear with me)"

Up Next: Part 5 - 

Planning Ahead: “Super Tip!”

Kimberly Teichrow, staff photographer for True North Parenting, lives in Bend, Oregon with her family. They love to take adventures, and Kimberly loves to capture them through her lens.

Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child, now in its 40th year, is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The 2011 Week of the Young Child is April 10-16 and the theme is Early Years are Learning Years.

For a complete list of events visit http://www.deschutescountykids.com/.

Staying Sane?

You have responsibilities at work, schedules to keep on track, relationships to maintain, children to parent, bills to pay, dogs to feed, rooms to clean, teeth to brush, air to breath!! AAHHH! Some days we feel it more than others. Maybe it's the weather, the moon, or the zodiac... whatever the case, the ebb and flow of life can raise us up or smack us down.

How do you do it? What stretches out the good times or pulls you through the crunch times? Do you run an extra mile? Schedule a massage? Maybe catch up with some friends, or hole up with a book? Revel in your children, or send them off to Grandma's!?

Is it enough to be heard, acknowledged, and understood? Share your secret for sanity, somebody could use it!

Earth Day Parade Workshops

The Environmental Center is hosting mask making and drumming workshops in preparation for the upcoming Earth Day Parade on Saturday, April 23rd. Artist Debra Fisher will lead mask making workshops at The Environmental Center on April 6th and 20th from 2:00 – 5:00pm and on April 16th
from 12:00 – 4:00pm. There is a $5-$10 sliding scale fee for materials and instruction. People of all ages are invited to create their own personalized masks to wear with their costume at the Parade.

Drummer Brennan Morrow will lead two drumming workshops at The Environmental Center on April 8th and 18th from 5:00-8:00pm to fine tune this year’s parade beat. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to participate!

The 12th annual Earth Day Parade will once again kick off the Earth Day Fair with children and adults dressed in a costume of their favorite species or representation of the natural world. There are three parade rules: no written words, no motorized vehicles and no live pets.

The parade will be held in downtown Bend with staging at 10:30am on Louisiana Avenue next to McMenamins. The parade will begin at 11:00am, winding through downtown Bend and ending at the Earth Day Fair on Kansas Avenue in front of The Environmental Center in downtown Bend. This is a free event.

For more information call 385-6908 x 15 or visit www.envirocenter.org.

About The Environmental Center

The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life. We translate sustainability into practical action in order to create a healthy future for people and the planet.

Our programs incorporate education and advocacy to advance our vision of a sustainable Central Oregon. They include: zero waste of materials, energy and water; advocating for a regional public transit system; youth education; advocating for and supporting sustainability initiatives by local governments and businesses, and operating a community campus that demonstrates sustainability in action.

Find us on the web at www.envirocenter.org or at our public facility at 16 NW Kansas Avenue in downtown Bend, Oregon.

Week of the Young Child 2011

Celebrating young children, their families, and those who care for and educate them

By Anna Higgins

In our budding anticipation of spring, we will unite as a community in celebration of our young children and families during the Week of the Young Child, April 10-16. This nationally recognized week invites families, organizations, and businesses to join together to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the importance of children’s early years. During the Week of the Young Child, Central Oregon families will be encouraged to play together and learn together because as we do these things, we grow together.

Thank you for joining the Deschutes County Children and Families Commission, Early Childhood Action Team in partnership with Central Oregon agencies, organizations, businesses and professionals in celebrating the 2011 Week of the Young Child. We hope you will take liberal part in the offerings of the week. Be sure to visit www.deschutescountykids.com  for all the week’s happenings.

Photo by Kimberly Teichrow Photography

A Travel Series, By Kimberly Teichrow { part 3 }

Welcome to part 3 of my travel series on Disneyland – I’m hoping that by sharing our family’s experience, you’ll feel a bit less overwhelmed with planning your own family’s vacation – and be able to tailor to your own family’s personality. Check in often and follow our family’s experience, including a selection of our favorite photographs!

Planning Ahead: “What to wear (bear with me)”

Matchy matchy is not typically in my vocabulary. As a photographer, I tend to shy my clients away from uber-matching outfits. I feel the same way about my boys, and particularly when packing for our 2010 trip to Disneyland during the Spring Break season. Then I thought about it: Spring Break crowds. Swarms of people. Keeping tracking of my 2 boys. It would be so much easier to pick them out of a crowd if I could easily recall what they are wearing. I began to view the outfits as more of a security measure, than a fashion statement.

L-R: Red/Blue day, Brown Day and Solid Green/Blue with Subtle-Designs Day!

I don’t claim this idea as my own. Some families go whole-hog with the outfits, custom “Thompson Family Vacation 2010” shirts in a bright, sunshiny yellow, khaki shorts and tennis shoes – all 15 of them. This is certainly a fun and festive way to keep track of your troop, but not necessarily an extreme you need to go to, in order to keep your flock from getting lost in the crowds.

Camo-Day, versions 2010 and 2011!

Since both of our trips took place in March, the timing was such that local stores had spring t-shirts and shorts out, and on sale. One store in particular had a great deal on mix and match shirts, 2 for $10. We needed to stock up for summer anyhow, so I wasn’t too worried about picking out 3 sets of coordinating shirts for the boys. They already had matching shirts from other events (our Aikido dojo, and Seattle Mariner’s t-shirts), which gave us 5 days worth of fresh shirts – and the odds were in our favor that we could repeat an outfit at least twice. At least I was hoping the stains would be kept to a minimum. I wasn’t concerned with coordinating shorts – as that wasn’t typically something I’d look for the first-scan through a crowd. If you plan on adopting this idea, think about outfits that you'll be able to remember, and recognized at a glance.

I love the colors of this photo -
simple, and less cluttered than if they'd
been wearing busy shirts. 

The happy accident that happened by coordinating the boys’ outfits, is that our family photos turned out even better than if they’d been wearing over-cluttered t-shirts with logos or cartoon characters.

Here are a few more ideas on crowd safety for your youngsters:

Business Card – I tucked a business card of mine in each of the boys’ pockets each day. I’d written out my husband’s name and cell number as well on the back, just in case my phone wasn’t working or got lost. We talked to the boys about what to do if they got lost, and made sure they knew where the business cards were.

Dog Tags – literally! I saw another great idea on our 2011 trip. One mother of two younger kids had her contact information engraved on little dog-tags, and had clipped them onto her children’s shoes. You can order these online, or find the kiosks at either a pet store, or even larger grocery stores.

Phone photo – Finally, each day once we were dressed for the day, I snapped a photo of each child with my phone. That way, in the event that one went missing, I had a current photo of what he looked like, as well as what he was wearing. You can certainly accomplish the same thing using a digital camera, or even having a Disney photographer take your picture at the beginning of the day and keeping the Photo Pass handy (more on the photo pass later!).

Thankfully, I didn’t have to use any of these precautions, but I felt better knowing our bases were covered.

Previous Article: 

Part 2 – “Wings or Wheels – how to get there”

Up Next: Part 4 - 

Planning Ahead: “Buying Tickets”

Kimberly Teichrow, staff photographer for True North Parenting, lives in Bend, Oregon with her family. They love to take adventures, and Kimberly loves to capture them through her lens.