DALLAS MOMS

I received an e-mail from family a few weeks ago with a story written by my cousin about his two-week journey to Haiti. My cousin is a doctor, and a hero already to many of his hometown of Easton, MA including his wife and five boys...but now he is a hero to many, many more as he was called on a spiritual journey to help the sick and injured people of Haiti. While he spent time working in Haiti, he also went to find a girl his family has been sponsoring to be sure she and her family were all right. I wanted to share his story with you today because it touched my heart. This world may be full of darkness, but there is gold in the details if you look (closely) and listen (carefully)~magically your world will brighten, and you will see greatness. I am proud to know Geoff and I am inspired by his story.

A smile will almost always make a positive improvement to both the love and work that you have in your life. "Love and work... work and love, that's all there is. " According to Sigmund Freud, only two necessities exist for a worthy life - to love and to work. Who knows this better than working couples with children? I think Freud was right as long as both love and work have lots of smiles! A foot rub from my husband at the end of the day can make me smile inside and out and give me the will to do it all again tomorrow. The relationships we have with our friends and family have a far greater impact on our happiness than our jobs do. They are the instigators of our smiles, the sun shining through!

We all need money to support our basic needs, but our happiness is not significantly affected by how much money we make; it is affected by our level of optimism. The Pollyanna in me is optimistic and smiles because I know my attitude can make my day! Being compassionate in all the things we do every day can give us peace of mind and solve a lot of problems simply by realizing that our problems have valuable lessons. Love is always the best solution. If we choose to give positive energy and smile then I think we can become immune to the ups and downs of life and so can those around us.

Photos: Ashley with her daughter Zooey and son Quincy.

Hansel and Gretel can be a tricky fairy tale for kids -- parents abandoning their children in the woods and a wicked witch that tries to kill them and must be killed in turn. As I said -- rough stuff! Fortunately the Kathy Burks Theatre of Puppetry Arts production at the Dallas Children's Theater tinkers with the Grimm tale. Their Hansel and Gretel is from a loving family. They get lost when they go out to pick berries. And they "soften" the witch's demise by baking her into a giant cookie.

I saw it with a packed crowd of kids at the Saturday 1:30 p.m. show, including my nephew and niece, three-year-old Ross and five-year-old Emma. Every child I talked to was pretty thrilled at seeing the puppets float across the dark stage as if alive. I thought the witch would scare toddlers like Ross. But Ross ran up to the witch puppet at the meet and greet the puppeteers have after each show and told her, "I love you" as he reached out to touch her green face (is this kid going to love Wicked one day, or not?). Read on for what the other kids had to say:

PHOTO: Cousins Jett Lane, 6, of Frisco and Caleb Woodfin, 8, of Murphy with the witch and goose puppets and puppeteers Becky Keenan and her mom Kathy Burks

After my jab last week at the ugly underbelly of motherhood- which by the way, is also what you call that dangling kangaroo pouch you get once post-pregnancy deflation sets in- it is only fair that I balanced things out. After all, as mothers, if we know anything, it's that life is fair, right?

Ha! Of course not. Did you miss that whole kangaroo comparison?

Anyway, throughout this journey I have discovered tiny bits of joy in the oddest places; kind of like that wonderfully warm Skittle you find wedged beneath your underwire right at 3 o'clock when you need it the most. Luckily, motherhood comes with many tiny pick me ups as well, sometimes just enough to get us through to the next day, but often times it's exactly what we need.

Here are a few examples of where I find tiny bits of joy in all the wrong places...

Deb Silverthorn, a Plano mother of three, loves celebrating Purim. She shares what it means to her along with her yummy hamentashen recipe.

Flour on the faces, hands, shirts, and all-over-everywhere is the key to the giggles that bring Purim memories. My children sitting around the kitchen table, with their friends and our dear friend Lola, cutting circles of dough and filling them with chocolate chips (for themselves), raspberry jam (for their Mommy), and poppy seed filling (for their Daddy), are at the heart of the Jewish holiday of Purim, celebrated tonight and tomorrow.

Haman be darned, he tried, like many have to off the Jews - tonight we remember him, and his fortunate failure, as we enjoy the sweet taste of Purim, of survival, of future. On this holiday, we enjoy Hamantaschen cookie-like treats in the shape of a triangle - the shape of the villian's hat. Purim, which is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar, commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in Ancient Persia from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day." (for more, see www.chabad.org)

PHOTO: Deb's Yavneh Purim collage

Right before the holidays this year, my niece, Sydney, suggested I come to her reading class at Williams Middle School in Rockwall for an author visit; I quickly agreed. Sydney's teacher, Terri Bates, a caring and passionate reading teacher contacted me, and we set up a time for my visit.
At the end of my visit, I offered the class a challenge: "Write a mystery for my novel series, and I will include it in my next Abby Diamond book." While becoming an author did not get the applause I anticipated from the students, the mentioning of a thirty dollar gift card did. Several students approached me at the end of the class and began enthusiastically telling me their ideas for the next Adventures of Abby Diamond. Target gift cards will encourage even the toughest of critics.

Is taxing soda a good way to help fight childhood obesity? Yvonne Sanders, a Frisco mom who is very concerned about weight control and healthy eating, is not a fan of soda, but doesn't like the tax idea either. Check out what she says and then tell us what you think!

As a British mom (or mum as we're called in the UK) living in Frisco, I have to weigh in on the soft drink debate.

As you may have heard, several states are considering putting a tax on sugary soft drinks as a way of fighting childhood obesity. For instance, one state lawmaker in California introduced a bill this month that would add a one-cent tax on to each teaspoon of sugar in a soft drink. In other words, because there are over 9 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce can of Coke, each can would cost an extra dime.

PHOTO: Yvonne and her sons Thomas and Drew

I was very moved by the story of Dallas friends Rachel Hersh and William Malouf, both 13, who flew to Uganda to film what became a 15-minute documentary about Spirit of Uganda, a touring music and dance troupe of Ugandan children who raise money to build schools for themselves and children back home. I wrote about Rachel and William in my weekly KidBeat column here.

You can also meet William and Rachel (who came up with the idea as her bar mitzvah project, which she presented at Temple Emanu-El in October) along with the 22 children, ages 9-20, in the Ugandan company Sunday at noon at the House of Blues. The fundraiser includes a lunch buffet, a performance and the movie, Against the Odds. Tickets are available at 214-828-9323 or www.empowerafricanchildren.org.

When you or someone in your family has a pet allergy, choosing to bring a pet into your home can be a very difficult choice. However, bringing an allergy-friendly pet into your home does not have to be difficult, and can be easily accomplished with a bit of research.

Depending on the type of pet that is causing allergic reactions in your home, you may have to choose one of these types of pets. Here are some simple tips to follow to help you in choosing the best pet for your needs.

When the Dallas Morning News Mom Bloggers get together we never lack for a subject to discuss, and definitely inspire each other regarding topics for future blog posts. Such was the case at our second get-together on Friday evening, February 19, 2010. Each of us brought our favorite appetizers, beverages and enthusiasm to welcome moms (unable to meet at our first get-together of the Dallas Mom Bloggers, hosted by Amy Twomey), and to share in conversation and relaxation.

On this Friday night, I offered to host and we met in the "living room" of my counseling office. I am very blessed to have an older home in downtown Garland, which has been converted into offices. Such an atmosphere has created comfort for my patients, as well as for me, my husband, and when one of the pups comes to the office with us, he or she offers comfort to children and adults, alike.

I was very glad to host this event and to give my Blogger colleagues a tour of the offices, children's play therapy room, as well as the deck and gazebo where I hold meetings and workshops from time to time. It was a nice evening - without snow or rain!

While we're still feeling the chill of winter here in North Texas, it is prime time to start making plans for kids' summer programs and activities. Most parents I know struggle with scheduling meaningful, fun activities for their kids when school is out and the temperatures are scorching. However, for parents like me who are raising kids with special needs, this task can be exponentially more challenging. Many of the programs and summer camps offered throughout the area are simply not structured to meet the needs of my son Ethan, who is 7-years-old and lives with Asperger's Syndrome; he often requires additional supports and specially trained staff.

Fortunately fellow readers, two local advocacy groups have teamed up to host a fair to showcase many special needs resources available in our area! The National Autism Association of North Texas (NAA-NT) and the Autism Society of Collin County (ASCC) are hosting a Summer Resource Fair in Plano next week. It will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m., Tuesday March 2nd at the St. Andrew United Methodist Church, in the East Building Festival Hall, located at 1401 Mira Vista in Plano.

Photo courtesy of: Anne Bramlett and Speech & Language Services of North Texas, one of the vendors represented at the NAA-NT/ASCC Summer Resource Fair .

Candace Hickey, a North Dallas mother of triplets Brooks, Reese and Sloane, alternates Thursdays with fellow moms of multiples, Jessica Melker and Amanda Dittlinger. Check out her triplets' latest escapades in the snow:

Surviving a snow storm (and a house without power) with 3 year old triplets!
A record-setting snow storm in Dallas! What are the odds? Just when I thought by living in Texas, the southernmost state of the Union, my children would never get to experience a foot of snow in their own backyard! Once again, I am proven wrong. Never assume anything.

PHOTO: Brooks, Reese & Sloane playing in the snow just hours before the power outage

It's two weeks and counting before I run my first half marathon. I actually paid money to race; those of you who know me know I really won't back out now. With that being said, I have several lessons learned as the clock ticks away to Race Day.

1) Proper Equipment: Proper shoes, clothing and sunscreen are essential, but not necessarily a panacea. My knees start to ache after about the 5 mile mark. I did buy new shoes, but to no avail. New shoes, with more cushion, only reduce the 'oldness' factor by so much. My hat, sunscreen and sunglasses seem to work fine. But I have learned that I will not wear cotton anymore when I run because I perspire so much and the cotton doesn't wick or dry. So I'll be sweating and getting cold all at the same time.

I went to see the last performance of Ragtime The Musical at the Jewish Community Center last weekend, mainly to check out the children I wrote about in KidBeat who were playing children in the show. I didn't go expecting too much -- after all, this J Players production was a community theater show. But I was blown away by the passion, the talent, the singing, the dancing, the flipping, the magic tricks on stage as director Linda Leonard worked with a remarkable cast to unspool this complex story of families and collisions between WASP, Jewish immigrant and African American lives at the turn of the century.

And I was also blown away by a little girl in the front row who stared up at the stage with rapt adoration during the almost three-hour show, and then worked intently on a Super Mario game on a DS during intermission. Seven-year-old Sydney Horowitz had not missed a single show in which her brother, Sam, 10, played the key role of Little Boy -- who narrates some of the tale.

PHOTO: Sydney Horowitz, who didn't miss a single performance of her brother, Sam, in Ragtime the Musical at the Dallas JCC

Many couples I know routinely drop their kiddos off at a family member's home (think Grandparent's, Aunt's or Uncle's) for a laid back sleep over. Following drop off, my friends often treat themselves to a romantic dinner and an R-rated flick at the theater. Without much of a second thought, they get a much needed break from the harried life of parenting and all the while their kids are spoiled and made to feel special. It is a win-win situation for all!

Now, until very recently, my husband and I had never experienced what an energizing blast a break from parenting paired with an actual "date" can deliver. Never in 7 years. While it may seem a little odd to you that Ethan is 7-years-old and just now experiencing a sleep-over for the first time, it was a necessity that we wait until he was fully ready and capable of handling it. Since my son lives with Asperger's Syndrome (AS), daily, weekly and monthly "life" for us has a very different set of challenges than my "typical" friends' parenting experiences. After years of therapy, biomedical treatment and special diets, Ethan finally experienced his first "real" sleep-over with his grandparents with raging success!

The last conversation I ever had with my Abuelita (my paternal grandmother) was over the telephone more than 13 years ago, when she was in the hospital for hip surgery. She had lost her vision as a result of diabetes, and had fallen at her home and broken her hip. She died in the hospital shortly after that surgery. The last time I ever saw my Nana (my maternal grandmother) was almost seven years ago. She was in the hospital for renal failure, just one of several complications from which she suffered because of diabetes.

Diabetes, a chronic disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood, continues to plague our family - my mother has it and my husband's father is borderline diabetic. Do I worry about getting diabetes? No, because healthy eating and exercise are a part of my life, and always will be. Do I worry about my children getting diabetes? Honestly, yes. Children in today's society are constantly bombarded with sugary and highly processed foods and treats. In fact, recent studies show alarming increases in the number of children who are overweight and who have early-onset Type II diabetes and other conditions influenced by poor diets.

I was surprised to see so many kids at the fabulous Phantom of the Opera, presented by Dallas Summer Musicals at the Music Hall at Fair Park. True it was a Sunday matinee, but Phantom and kids? So I asked some of them what they thought.

Matthew, Thomas and Casey of Colleyville admitted they didn't know quite what to expect before the show started. Their parents, Christy and Robert Basco of Colleyville decided that their 11-year-old triplets were ready for a season subscription. They really had their eyes on the upcoming Wicked and Shrek for the kids, but this was part of the season so here they were.

I checked with them at intermission and Matthew said it was "really good...probably a little bit scary for little kids (but not for him, he stressed). Thomas said "The chandelier was creepy" and when I asked him to elaborate he said, "Good creepy and bad creepy." Casey was enthralled from the start: "It was so cool with the music and dancing." But when I talked to them after the show, they were all in sync. "Awesome," said Matthew. "Awesome," said Thomas. "Amazing," said Casey.

PHOTO: Matthew, Thomas and Casey Basco of Colleyville

I have sympathy for those of you who still have pre-schoolers. I have fond memories of when my kids were young. I miss being able to hold them, singing songs over and over with them, listening to their funny way of viewing life, but I do know that pre-schoolers are emotional, enjoy saying "no," and have a unique ability as toddlers to become as straight and un-moveable as a piece of wood when they do not want to get in their car seat. Parenting pre-schoolers is exhausting. I believe that the first step to helping kids learn to behave is believing they can behave. I teach the students at NorthPark Presbyterian Day School social skills. The other day, I asked what it meant to give respect. They had some great things to say.

I am a horrible housekeeper but a fantastic grocery shopper. I really thought I had all the answers to getting the rock bottom prices for food, but I've met my match and her name is Casey. Within the last year, I discovered the art of getting the price match. A certain big box store that everyone loves to hate will match area store sales papers for the week. I don't remember who told me about it, and I had seen the people in line ahead of me (always, the person in line ahead of me!) doing it, but I didn't realize how much can be saved until I tried it.

Okay, so taxes are never fun to prepare for and it is just that time of year where we all have to MAKE TIME to get our taxes and papers organized for our accountants. So this year, I decided to let my eager nine-year-old help me out! It was a brilliant idea I must add (smile). All it takes a child who knows his or her numbers and how to read.