There is Nothing Wrong with You!An exercise in finding what’s right

Off the Beaten PathA year in the life of a homeschooling momma of four

Toy TrendsAward-winning, eco-friendly toys

Plus: Creating an app, finding more quality time, Mommies of Multiples BC, upcycling, events andand so much more!

The free magazine for local moms...and dads too!

Oct/Nov 2011

Our Fall Cover Photo Contest Winner!Check out our finalists on P.20

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Capturing MemoriesWhen I graduated university, I got a rather unconven-

tional present: a baby! My first arrived just 3 days before my convocation and almost 2 months earlier

than her expected arrival. Her eagerness to enter this world affected another gradua-

tion present too: a professional maternity shoot.I was really excited to show off my cute pregnant body but,

as all parents come to appreciate, plans changed and we had to adapt. So instead of photos of my baby belly, I got photos of my baby.

I’d never had a professional photo shoot before and had no idea what to expect. What should we wear? Will she bring a backdrop? Do we need props? What if my baby cries the whole time?

Well, the photographer showed up, said ‘just do our thing’ and casually shot photos of our new family. When she left less than an hour later, my husband and I looked at each other with worry - it seemed like our daughter had either been sleeping or crying the entire time. How could there be any good photos?

A few weeks later, we received our disc. It was pre-Facebook days (can you re-member what that was like?), which meant no sneak peeks. I nervously loaded the photos on my computer and I was truly astonished: they were absolutely stunning.

The photographer captured all the details of our daughter, from her smile to her pout, her ears to her toes; moreover, she captured us: our new family – young, vi-brant, and giddy with possibility.

Knowing we wouldn’t have these photos if my daughter hadn’t been early made the weeks she spent in the Intensive Care Nursery seem a little shorter. We were so grateful to have a healthy baby and photos that we will treasure always.

Since this first run-in with ‘photography fate,’ we’ve made professional photos a priority for our family. We’ll forgo a fancy meal out and a new jacket for a photo shoot of our girls. It’s a gift we give ourselves and our daughters - we’re capturing memories that will be cherished for a lifetime and hopefully even longer.

(And, yes, I made it to my maternity shoot for my second, but I fear that my ‘cute pregant body’ wasn’t exactly the same the second time around!)

Here in Kamloops there are many family photographers and, with a little research, you can find one to meet almost any budget and style. Want to see some of them? Check out our Fall Cover Photo Finalists on page 20.

- Courtney Charlton, editor

To share your ideas and comments, contact us at info@kamloopsmomma.com or find us on Facebook!

Letter from aKamloops

Momma

On the Cover:Nine month old Brynn Anderson is the

winner of our Fall Photo Cover Contest and so is her proud momma, Lauren Mitchell.

Mitchell is the woman behind Brynnstone Photography. She is professionally trained in photo editing and graphic design and offers photography for the entire family and graphic design for small businesses.

Mitchell says, “my love of photography grows with my children, as it enables me to capture those special moments.”

For more info on Brynnstone Photography, check out www.brynnstone.com.

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Kamloops Momma is the fun, reliable publication connecting local fami-lies to each other and to our community. We provide information about regional events, resources and businesses, as well as articles intended to inspire, enlight-en and empower parents and caregivers.As a local resource, we want our community to get involved We encourage and

acceot submissions from any person, business, or organization sharing our goal to strengthen our parenting community.

Kamloops Momma is published every 2 months and avaialble for free at businesses and resource centres throughout our region. Readers can also

download the magazine online and subscribe to have it delivered right to their door.

Kamloops Momma MagazinePublished by Courtney Charlton, editorContact:778.472.0020info@kamloopsmomma.comwww.kamloopsmomma.comfacebook.com/kamloopsmommamagazine

All rights reserved. No written or illustrated part of this magazine may be reproduced, except brief quotations in articles or reviews, without permis-sion from the editor and individual authors.

www.kamloopsmomma.com

5 Off the Beaten PathA year in the life of a homeschooling momma of four

6 Tackle the Elphant FirstSimple strategies to create more quality time in your daily life

8 Drumming to a New BeatA family’s perspective

11 There’s Nothing Wrong with YouAn exercise in finding what’s right

13 Toy TrendsAward-winning, eco-friendly toys

15 CarpetThe good, the bad, and the ugly

20 Fall Cover Photo Contest FinalistsPhoto feature

22 Next StepsA free drop-in group at Kamloops Public Health

23 UpcyclingDiscover an exciting new wardrobe

24 Bringing Kamloops’ Sexy Back...One momma at a time

27 Mommies of Multiples BCA support group

28 No Idea is Ever too SmallCreating an internationally successful app

A Look Inside Kamloops Momma...

Carter,10 months

Rachel-Abigail, 2

14 Birthday Party Directory

18 Notes from a Boho Momma

25 Things We Love

30 Community Events Calendar

16 Community Business Directory

22 Get Connected

26 Dear Aunty

Resources:

Benjamin, 4

River, 5 months

Grayson, 11 months

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I picked up a book on our spring vacation to Canmore. I had a spare afternoon, an opportunity to leave my three girls with my husband and go for an afternoon out, to do nothing. No

unfinished phone calls, no bookkeeping, no housekeeping, no childcare, no cares. This was a free afternoon. And there weren’t many of them as I had three kids under six.

I’d finished my most recently borrowed library books. No extra books sitting on my nightstand. An exciting crossroad—carefree and bookless. I ventured out to the chic bookstore on main street, perusing bookshelves –this was one of the things I was meant to do, if passion counts for anything.

Thumbing my way through the parenting section, I came upon a book titled The Homeschooling Option: How to Decide When It’s Right for Your Family. Hmm, it made me think. So many acquaintances were going that direction. Well, I wasn’t looking for a mission to step outside of the crowd, be different, not be mainstream. I’m a mainstream kinda gal.

I didn’t have kids with behavioural troubles in school, not beyond occasional sassiness and arguing amongst themselves. No one was complaining of bullying. If anything, my oldest was the social butterfly with clever ideas that kept her friends engaged. I’ll just figure out WHY I wouldn’t homeschool…then I’ll finally be able to defend myself well and get on with other things.

Was it the first chapter or the second where I began to identify? Does public education inspire a desire for learning? Do my schooled children generally spend most of their time wrestling with their identity, responding to labels and uncer-tain interactions with peers? Was this my experience?

Hmm, I had to admit that some of the arguments aligned with my experience. But isn’t avoiding the school social issues just a way to attempt creating an unreachable utopia? Don’t all the troubling interactions prepare children to grow up happier, more content with themselves, more aware of who they are and able to deal with conflict?

Wouldn’t co-existing with a parent make me feel suffocated? Wouldn’t the lack of constant companionship with similar aged peers make my children lonely? Does the lack of similar aged peers make me feel lonely? Hmmm, do I even screen my friends based on age?

Nonetheless, who am I to decide their education? Isn’t the government the most capable of deciding what my children should be taught, what they should think about? I certainly don’t know everything.

I read endlessly, have a post-secondary education, but I’m not a trained teacher. I haven’t been taught how to teach. I don’t have the full gamut of knowledge on the tip of my brain. Even though I have taught my girls how to sound letters out, count numbers, explain to them why the sky is blue and why little seeds grow into plants and what happens if colours mixed together make different colours, and why, if you drop that book and it falls on someone over the stairwell at seventeen feet high, it might kill someone.

But above all, could I really LIVE with my children ALL the time? No six hour break to clean the house, organize my

world, or zip off to the gym. If I was around all the time, maybe they’d want a break from me. Maybe that would be good and our family life would have to change to accommodate my solitude and inter-ests. Hmm, maybe I could actually start writing.

As I read on, what enticed me most were the repeated testimonies of increasingly healthy relationships between family members. They kind of sounded like they enjoyed be-ing together. And even that they enjoyed learning. Like they took it for granted that they might actually enjoy spending life together. Maybe they chose a family, because they wanted to learn to live with them, and share life and learning.

Then I had a vision. Me, a white long flowing gown, with three little girls, white long flowing dresses rushing about our little home on the quaint Prince Edward Island…zipping outside to enjoy the summer sunshine, weeding the garden together, reading when we felt like it, having quiet times together on our white sofa. White, the colour of purity. I wanted to enjoy them. I wanted to enjoy them for as long as we had each other.

After one week of reading and re-reading this unexpected selection, I surprised myself. I was sold. We’re going to the other side, step out of mainstream, learn to live and learn about life together.

Four years later, our three little girls own those flowing white dresses. We’ve added a spritely little boy to our family. We moved from sunny Alberta to beautiful British Columbia (PEI is an idyllic vacation though). We started home educating two years ago. Utopia it is not. But the only uncertainty I have about it all is why I bought a white sofa.

Off the Beaten PathA year in the life of a homeschooling momma of four

By Teresa Wiedrick

“We’re going to the other side, step out of mainstream, learn to live and learn about life together.”

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By Kelly Tuohey

As a mom with two young, energetic kids, who has a full time career as well as a growing business, many of my friends and co-workers ask me how I find the time to do

it all. They can’t imagine fitting in another 20 plus hours each week to devote to a business outside their regular job, on top of having a family. Up until just recently, my answer was always, “Oh, it’s no big deal, I just don’t sleep.”

But I have a secret to share with you. I can’t do it all, nor do I want to. That lifestyle is not sustainable, as I have no free time to spend with my family or on myself. So my husband and I sat down, had a big talk, and made some changes to our lives. I’ll

now be cutting back at work to focus more on my expanding business, but we’ve also implemented some simple strategies that really work to create more quality time in our daily lives and this is what I want to share with you.

Tackle the elephant first. Or the frog, or the warthog. Whatever task is on your list that you most do not want to do. That’s what you do first. Then the rest of your day can only get better from that point on. I use this concept at work most often by focusing on how great my day will be once the dreaded task is over. Take, for example, the 8 loads of laundry at the bottom of my stairs, or the client I’ve been avoiding calling for a week. I know I’ll be less stressed once those items are cleared up and be able to focus more efficiently on the rest of my day or my week.

Schedule family first. I was recently introduced to this concept by Sabrina Sinclair, the owner of Fit by Design, and I couldn’t believe I wasn’t doing it already. Maybe this relates more to those of us who work outside the home – your family should always come first. Sure, they’ll always be there for you, but they may not be interested anymore when you finally do find time for them. For me, this means keeping a weekend day open for just family events, or ordering dinner in occasionally (okay, probably twice a week) instead of scrambling to make it every night with the kids parked in front of the TV. For those of us with our own business, our family is our strongest support – we need to show support and love right back at them.

Make time for yourself. Just like you should schedule your family first, you should set appointments with yourself and keep them as if they were as important as a job interview. Recently I took a vacation day at work and kept the kids in daycare. It was a day of complete errand running and tackling my personal to-do list that had become unmanageable. The best part of that day? I picked up my kids and my evening was completely free to spend with them. Of course, we can’t do this every day, but remember that vacation days don’t just have to be about vacation. If you don’t work, just drop the kids off at the sitters or grandparents and take even just a few hours for yourself. I find I’m much more patient with my kids and loving with my husband when I get a break occasionally!

Multi-task. As moms we are already master multi-taskers. What I’m talking about here is efficient multitasking. For exam-ple, try only checking your email and social media twice a day.

Tackle the Elephant First

Simple strategies to create more quality time

in your daily lifePhoto: Kelly Tuohey

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I can spend hours on the internet ac-complishing nothing! Another example is to get audio books (I like self-help or enlightening, books) and listen to them while exercising or in the car commut-ing or running errands. Really, it’s kind of dorky, but it works and it frees up 30 to 60 minutes I would otherwise try to squeeze in at night. And this helps for the next idea...

Get up earlier. No, really. Get up earlier. How hard is it? How badly do you want an extra hour in your day? Think of everything you could do in that hour! If you get to bed at a decent hour (do you really need to watch that last hour of TV?), getting up at 5 or 6 am can add value and time to your day. (For those of you already doing this, help me out here. Sure, it’ll take a few weeks to get used to, but it’s completely worth it.) Even more worth it is to do it on the weekends too. I find this can add a good two to three hours of extra time – time for me, time for my business or time for my house. And it frees up those hours in the day I wouldn’t otherwise have.

Learn to say ‘no’ and set boundaries. Are you a ‘yes’ person? I’m a ‘yes’ person. In fact, I think the only people I ever say no to are my kids (and probably too much). And this is a problem. If we never learn to set boundaries, we never learn to say ‘no,’ then people take advantage of us, stacking on more projects and responsibilities than we can handle. For some of us, it’s learning to say no to overtime at work. For others, it’s about saying no to the PTA, Sparks, Soccer League volunteer-

ing and the 20 children your son wants to invite to his birthday party. People tend to respect you more if you set solid bounda-ries and say no every so often.

Since implementing these simple strategies and being hon-est about them, I do have more quality free time each day. (Of course, by free I mean time to spend with my family and for myself!) Some days are insanely hectic and crazy, but those days occur less frequently. In these days of constant distrac-tions, overwhelming responsibilities and cramming more into less, I found a few ways to be a whole lot happier, with a little more time to spare. I hope you can too.

Kelly Tuohey operates Butterbutter Photography. Her emphasis is on colour and fun with a fresh approach to newborn and family photography. www.bbphotography.ca

“Tackle the elephant first. Or the frog, or the warthog. Whatever task is on your list that you most do not want to do. That’s what you do first. Then the rest of your day can only get better from that point on.”

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Tamara, a mom’s perspectiveMillions of fingers, millions of thumbs, millions of monkeys drumming on drums... dum-ditty-dum-ditty-dum-dum-dum.That’s what it feels like at my house. My 5, 6 & 42 year-old

boys are all taking drum lessons. If you are one of the peo-ple who has been looking at the house for sale beside us and bailed, you know where we live. Our house is alive with sound.

‘Boom-tick-kah-tick’ are the words I hear most often these days. It’s a new language in my home and I don’t speak it. This makes me happy for my husband. Up until recently the boys needed me non-stop for boob, band-aids or bedtime snuggles. But now the three boys clamour around the drums and have an exchange that is reminiscent of bonding teens. They are form-ing their own secret club without even realizing it.

We met the vibrant David Milwain while he was teaching drumming at my son’s preschool. Finn, then four, announced emphatically, “I want to drum.” This was the first interest he had expressed in anything organized so we started lessons.

“You can talk with drums, you know,” says six year-old Adam. I sit up at attention and respond like a psychologist might, “and today were your drums saying ‘I feel happy’ or ‘I feel frustrated?... were you drumming about your new school?” He is quiet. I’m definitely not in the club.

Adam, a 6 year-old’s perspectiveDrums can talk. Just like with K’naan. “When I get older, I will

be stronger, they’ll call me freedom...” Or maybe you need to add the electric guitar to make them talk.

I love my bike and going for hikes, but so far I’m not too inter-ested in team stuff like soccer or hockey. But when friends come over we jam. Not the bread kind. We each sit at some drums or grab the guitar and we play to-gether. It’s cool. And the best part is jamming with my Dad. And brother too, I guess. My dad is getting really good - really good - on them so I know I can too.

I’m strong and extra smart when I’m drumming. And Drum-mer Dave is smart. He even wrote his own drumming book with a green octopus on the cover. I can read it now.

Finn, a 5 year-old’s perspectiveBoom-tick-kah-tick. Boom-boom-kah-tick. Hey dad, can you

hear that beat?I hear the beat everywhere. I can’t help but count when I hear

music. 1.2.3.4.1.2.3.4. I counted the entire way to Pemberton in the car last weekend listening to music.

I like to go nutso butso on the drums but after I like to sit and read or play with Lego. It tires me out. Drummer Dave is fun. Lots of fun - even though we work hard together. He has wooden circles in his ears (side note from mom: ear lobes). He told me how he got them in there so I’ll tell you if you want.

Drummer Dave came to my birthday party and brought all of his drumming stuff like claves, rhythm sticks and boom sticks. My friends loved it. After he showed us some counting and beats, we had a parade on our street. It felt really good for me because I knew what I was doing. But some of the kids were still four.

Drumming to a New Beat:

A family’s perspective

The Vukusic boys, Adam, 6, Finn, 5, and Alan, 42, jam with ‘Drummer Dave.’Photo: Erin BrûléBy the Vukusic Family

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Alan, a dad’s perspectiveI love drumming with my boys. We are starting to jam together after just four months of

lessons. One of us will jump on the drum kit and everyone else will pick up an instrument. Even Tamara hops onto the keyboard. Last week one of the boys said, “Hey, let’s go jam!” They ran downstairs and started ripping it up: A 6 year-old on the drum kit, and the 5 year-old year playing the electric guitar like a stand-up bass. What a jaw-dropper.

Kids by nature want to release energy. Society is pretty good at keeping kids in line. When they get a hold of the drums they have permission to make wild and creative noise.

I am inspired by how adaptable their brains are as I watch them learn so quickly. Train-ing my limbs to do different things at the same time is a great mental exercise. Some like Suduko. Drums are way more fun.

Since I began drumming I am more focused and clear at work. I feel like I am using a larger area of my brain. And at the end of the day, what a way to kick out stress.

I’ve been using this set of drums I bought second hand but I have my eye on a new set. Can you put in a good word for me?

Observations from Drummer DaveFinn & Adam

increased focus times overcoming shyness

jamming together on all instruments

transition from bashing the drums to making a recognizable

steady beat

Alan rapid development of limb-independence and muscle memory

increased confidence in ability leading to creative exploration

new found understanding and respect for music

Seven-month old drummers?

Given the chance, we would have started our boys on the drums even earlier. David Milwain has worked with kids as young as seven months. Here are some of his tips on introducing percussion to your infant:

• As soon as children are born shake rattles and sing for them• Introduce them to different instru-ments - they are able to enjoy the sounds and colours of each percussion instrument and this encourages an interest in creative exploration• Play instruments for them to pro-vide audial and visual stimulation.• Tell them what you are doing and name the instrument - soon they will understand how each instru-ment works, what sounds they make, and eventually their names

*David’s two month-old daugh-ter, Celeste, was surrounded by drums in utero. She is now calmed by good thumping music and is unhappy in the arms of someone bouncing offbeat.

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There’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing. Isn’t that a relief?Yes, I know what thoughts this line triggered:• “She doesn’t know me very well, does she?”• “I can’t complete a single thing I set out to, that’s what’s

wrong with me.”• “I need to lose weight/gain weight, get fit, get a haircut,

and my shoes are ugly.”• “I hate my job.”• “I’m faking my way through life. I’m not nearly as good at

my job/parenting/relationship as I pretend to be. I can’t believe I’ve gotten away with it this long.”

• “I can’t read well/ write well/ dance well/ cook well… that’s what’s wrong with me.”

• “I’m stuck. I’m in a rut.”• “No matter what I do I cannot meet the expectations of

others.”• “I can’t meet my own expectations, let alone others.”

So will this one article convince you that there’s nothing wrong with you? Perhaps not…a lifetime of beating ourselves up isn’t shifted instantly. But we can get you started.

What stops you is not what’s ‘wrong’ with you. The ‘what’s wrong with you’ thoughts are keeping you so busy you’ve hardly ever given a moment’s thought or an ounce of credit to ‘what’s right.’ That, my friends, is what stops you: Not giving credit to what’s right.

Here’s an example:Mary comes for coaching and announces that she’s terrible

at finances.“How so?” Coach asks.“Others I know shop around, finding the best prices on

groceries and I only shop at my favourite store. I could save us money if I collected and used coupons.”

“Would you enjoy doing that?” asks Coach.“I’d hate it! It would take so much time!”

“And what do you do with your time currently?”This question leads Mary to an ‘aha!’ moment: Mary works in

a demanding career that she loves. She also loves her family and is conscientious about creating quality time for them. She ensures the family eats well.

Within this series of acknowledging what is right, Mary realizes that her time is well spent and, in fact, she is far more financially and emotionally ahead by not spending her time collecting coupons and shopping around.

That’s what’s right about Mary.So what’s right about you?Title a page “What’s right about me” and make a list of 50

things right about you. Do not stop when it gets hard. Be silly, get mad at me for asking as one item (or more!) on the list, but keeping going and going and going. A minimum of 50.

Give it a good shot. You do want to get past the part where it’s easy. Your logical left brain that has a pattern of finding

what’s wrong with you will give up and your intuitive right brain will start sharing. Be play-ful. Be silly.

When you are fin-ished, notice especially what emerges in the last 10 or so items. Any surprising messages

there from the right side of the brain?By the way, I hear the other thoughts: “I don’t have time to do

this!!!” “I can never find 50 things!”All you need is a lunch break and a pen and paper, or re-

place 20 minutes of Facebook time with quickly typing up this list, or scratch out the list on napkins you find in the car while you are waiting to pick up your kids.

One list and you will feel, at the very least, much better about you. And then, give yourself permission to notice what’s right about you on a daily basis. Or at least twice a week for starters.

Janet Whitehead is a certified life and creativity coach, inter-national coach trainer, and owner of Musings and Mud Coaching Studio.

“So will this one article convince you that there’s nothing wrong with you? Perhaps not…a lifetime of beating

ourselves up isn’t shifted instantly. But we can get you started.”

By Janet Whitehead

There’s Nothing Wrong with You!But there are at least 50 things that are right

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As the climate heats up, so has the demand for eco-friendly toys. Many consumers are worried about toxic chemicals following a wave of toy recalls over the past

few years. A growing number of people are looking for toys that will not harm the environment or their children. These parents want toys that are made from recycled materials, wood, organic fabrics, soy waxes, vegetable dye and water based paints. Demand is also up for toys that teach children about the environment.

Here are 5 awesome eco-friendly and award winning toys that will fit perfectly under the eco-conscious family’s tree this year.

Stacker by Green ToysThis is a safer, more playful spin on a classic toy. The eight nesting pieces can be stacked in any order, promoting imagination, hand-eye coor-dination, and colour recognition. The pieces are made from 100% recycled plastic milk containers,and contain no BPA, PVC, phtha-

lates, or external coatings. Awards: ASTRA Best Toys For Kids 2010, Creative Child 2010 Toy of the Year, Parents

Magazine Best Toys for 2010, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2010

Ages: 6 months +

Green Dollhouse by Plan ToysThis eco dollhouse helps teach chil-dren about living green and being

environmentally responsible. It features many replicas of alter-

native energy sources, such as a wind turbine, solar panels, an elec-tric inverter, a rain barrel for col-lecting rain, and a biofacade. Other eco-friendly accessories include recycling bins, an adjustable blind

to control sunlight and air circulation, and 5 furnished rooms with furniture made

from wood and organic cotton. Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award and the Frank-lin Goose Seal of Excellence Award.Ages: 3+

Mini Racers by Hape Mini Racers are made

from eco-friendly, highly sustainable bamboo, painted

with water-based paints, and are pack-aged in recycled cardboard materials. Great for motor skills, imagination, and the environment! Awards: The Dr. Toy Best Green Company Award 2011 and ASTRA Best Toys for Kids 2011.Ages: 3+

Dolphin Explorer Boat by Sprig Toys This 8 piece play set is made from Sprig-

wood™, a durable bio-composite of recy-cled plastic and reclaimed wood. It’s paint-free and looks almost like

a plastic toy, but you can actually smell the sawdust. Sprigwood is dishwasher safe on the top shelf, so it’s easy to keep clean. The

rugged boat set is suitable for play in the bath, pool, beach or just on the floor. Awards: Toy Industry Association Toy of the Year 2010Ages: 3+

Gobblet Gobblers by Blue Orange Games This wooden game takes a creative spin on tic tac

toe: the bigger “gobblers” can gobble up the smaller ones. Players must line up three of their pieces in a row to win.

This game tests strategic thinking, memory, and is great fun for the entire family. And eco-conscious

people can sleep easy knowing that Blue Orange Games plants 2 trees for every 1 they use to make their games.Awards: Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Games, Major Fun Thinking Kids Award 2009, Creative Child Seal of Excellence Award, Green Parent’s Check List Check Mark, The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval 2009 and National Parenting Publications Gold Award 2009, Canadian Toy Testing Council Best Bet Award 2010.Ages: 5+

Toy Trends: Award-winning, eco-friendly toysBy Vanessa Gammel

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Birthday Party Directory

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By Erin Brûlé

Carpet:The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Yes, this really is an article about carpets. And, no, it’s not some fun, playful, ‘magical’ carpet kind of story. I’m talk-ing about the real deal - the wall-to-wall berber or plush

or shag or whatever other variety of carpet you have or are thinking about putting in your home. Or thinking about ripping out.

When I bought a house a few years ago with wall to wall car-pet, my first thought, was ‘UGH – this stuff has to go!”

I’m a cat owner (we had 3 at the time), and the thought of hav-ing to vacuum every other day was rather unpleasant (mostly because I knew I wouldn’t do it!). However, as happens when you move in somewhere new, you just get used to whatever is there. And before I knew it, I was really enjoying the soft carpet underfoot...especially in the winter.

(Good point #1: Carpet is soft on your feet...and can add warmth to a room)

Fast forward a couple years. We moved into a place with ab-solutely NO carpet in the house. “Ah...yes,” I think “this will be a much better option with cats.”

Two days later, I’m closing a closet door and a baseball sized cat-hair tumbleweed shoots out across my feet. The next day, as I’m opening the bathroom door, I freeze, positive I just saw a small rodent scurry under the bed only to realize it was yet another cat-hair tumbleweed.

What the heck! My housekeeping hadn’t gotten any worse? What was happening here?

(Good point #2: Carpets act as an air filter, stopping “stuff” from flying up into the air - and into you lungs - each time you walk.)

Of course, like any filter, it only works when it’s clean! The other benefit of carpet I recently have learned since

having a baby, other than it is softer on their little knees (and heads!) is that they really help with soundproofing when the lit-tle plastic toys or wooden blocks hit the floor.

But, when it comes to your family’s health...there’s some not-so-good things about having carpet in your home too!

#1. Lots of new carpet is factory-treated with fire retardants and stain protectors, and the synthetic carpets contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which have been linked to health problems (from allergies to nausea). Old carpet can harbour bacteria and mould.

#2. If not maintained and cleaned regularly, carpet can be full of nasty stuff like, dirt, dust, mites, dead skin, hair, pollen, car-exhaust particulates and, if you have kids, bodily fluids! Blech.

Now let’s talk about the ugly! (and I’m not referring to that neon orange shag in your rec room - I’m about to have a Jerry McGuire moment when that kids talk about the human head...)

Did you know that your carpet can hold 8 times its weight in toxin filled dirt?

Did you know the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated that 80% of human exposure to pesticides happens indoors? (and a dirty carpet will keep these pesticides trapped in your home).

Did you know that every person loses approximately 50 mil-lion skin cells a day? (dust mite buffet!)

Did you know dust mites can produce 20 waste droppings/day? (Double blech).

Feeling motivated to break out the vacuum? Try to find a vacuum with a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, which will help trap the fine particles versus just flinging them about the room!

So, there’s some good things about carpet. And some bad. But, I have to admit, since having a baby, I am seriously contem-plating putting in carpet.

What about YOU? What’s YOUR opinion on carpet? Love it? Hate it? Let us know at KamloopsMommaMagazine.com

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ChildcareLe Jardin d’Olivia RoseFrench/English Daycare in Aberdeen on a beautiful, safe and quiet streetFenced backyard, breakfast, hot lunch, and snacks provided + your child will be learning French! 778.471.5034 buckfam@shaw.ca

Children’s Stores and ServicesLittle PipsqueakModern Swag for your Little Squeakerwww.littlepipsqueak.cainfo@littlepipsqueak.caFind us on Facebook!

Lizzie Bits Baby Co.Go Green! Use Cloth!Cloth diaper specialists. Unique children’s items. High quality children’s consignment. 205-450 Lansdowne 250.374.8706 lizziebaby.ca

Mommy & Me BoutiqueLargest selection of NEW and USED itemsNursing bras, Harley Davidson, Robeez & more! Over 10 000 quality consignment items!3-700 Tranquille 250.376.1914 & Facebook

The Enchanted TeacupA whimsical Enchanted Shop that captures your heart! Princess/fairy/character hostess,Dress-up theme parties, fun retail, tea retail410 Tranquille Road 250.376.8327www.enchantedteacup.com

Tumbleweed Toys Sahali MallSpecializing in the highest quality dolls, costumes, music, art, crafts, gifts, books, educational games, puppets, science kits 250.372.3500 www.TumbleweedToys.ca

Cleaning ServicesDust Bunnies Cleaning Professional Residential and Commercial Cleaning. Free Estimates!778.470.0607 dustbunniescleaning@hotmail.caSatisfaction Guarantee...or your dirt back FREE

Green Space ServicesKamloops’ eco-friendly & DRY carpet cleaning(safe for kids and pets!)Effective deep cleaning, instantly dry, 100% plant-based, saves water and energy250.682.1066 KamloopsCarpetCleaning.ca

Advertise HERE!info@kamloopsmomma.comwww.kamloopsmomma.com

Construction Oswell Construction Ltd.

Complete Interior- Exterior Construction & Renovations. Call for your FREE estimate today! 250.819.1979 www.kamloopsconstruction.com

Health and WellnessAina Massage SpaLet us take you away…Massage therapy and aesthetics using or-ganic and natural products248 Victoria St. 250.319.4111ainaspa@live.ca www.ainaspa.caFit By DesignPrecision Fitness Training...for Body and MindFamily Friendly Boot CampSabrina, www.kamloopsfitbydesign.com Look for us on Facebook!

Let’s Move Studio Yoga - Dance - WellnessClasses, workshops, and eventsletsmove@gmail.com 250.372.9642www.letsmovestudio.com

Musings and Mud Coaching StudioLife Coaching with a creative twist!Workshops, workbooks, personal coaching!Janet L. Whitehead, certified professional coach janet@musingsandmud.com250.376.8402 www.musingsandmud.com

Home-Based Sales and ServicesDelish NaturalsOrganic & natural body care for the whole familyYum Bum Butter, Body Lotion, Raspy Rub, Delish-ous Shampoo, Mango Mama Bump But-ter, Bite Me Not! and more!www.delishnaturals.com

Discovery Toys, Alison GregoryDiscovery Toys Team Leader250.851.2270 aligregory@telus.netdiscoverytoyslink.com/aligregoryTeach. Play. Inspire.

Karla Weiss, Independent Consultant The Pampered ChefHost a show - receive $20 extra FREE products*Become a consultant - receive EXTRA products when starting* Receive $15 FREE products with any referrals! 250.682.4435 anjel@shaw.ca

Moms Helping Moms – work from homePerfect opportunity for moms and otherswww.lookaround.ca choiceofwellness@gmail.com

Community Business Directory

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Home-Based Sales and Services Cont’dRebel Princess DesignsUpcycled designs made from repurposed materials - We do custom orders!250.318.5976 tristasmith1974@gmail.comfacebook/RebelPrincessDesignCo

Three Green BeansSave Money, Protect Your Health & the Envi-ronment with the SmartKleanTM Laundry Ball 250.573.7505 shanko_lynn@hotmail.comwww.smartklean.com

Indoor ActivitiesAcademy of DanceCome enjoy the experience of dance!3 bright studios, many classes to choose from, ages 2 and up, all levels welcome!250.314.9974

River City Gymnastics and Young People Sport AcademyWhere preschool learning and sport training meet! Register now!778.471.5767 www.rivercitygymnastics.ca

MusicKamloops Symphony Music SchoolGroup classes and private instruction for all ages and levels.Station Plaza #3-510 Lorne St.250.372.5000 info@kamloopssymphony.com

Parenting ResourcesKamloops ConnexionsA drop in coffee group for moms looking for a little mommy time. Child care provided for a small fee. Fridays 9:30-11:30, Southwest Community Church, 700 Hugh Allen Drive250.828.1114 coffee-connexions@hotmail.com

KamloopsParents.comThe online resource to all things family-friendly in Kamloops. Sign up for our monthly newsletter! www.kamloopsparents.comelizabeth@kamloopsparents.com

The Loopy Family Coupon BookBecause it’s fun to be frugal!2011 Coupon Book Now Available!250.574.1258info@loopyfamily.ca www.loopyfamily.ca

Welcome Wagon Are you expecting, or do you have a baby under a year old, moving, or getting mar-ried? Welcome Wagon has Programs, and/or basket gifts for you!Call Pamela Lee for more info! 250.573.2823

Prenatal and Postpartum CareMighty Oak Midwifery Personal, professional, woman-centered ma-ternity care. Now accepting new clients!250.377.8611 www.mightyoakmidwifery.ca

Parenthood in the Making Childbirth and Postpartum ServicesSusanne Pytela, B.S.W.DONA trained birth and postpartum doula250.572.6383 susanne.pytela@gmail.comwww.parenthoodinthemaking.com

Tiny Blessings Prenatal Expecting? Let us teach you what to expect. Prenatal education focusing on late pregnan-cy, labor & delivery, breastfeeding, & newborn care. www.tinyblessingsprenatal.com 250-819-0510

Photography and ArtArt We Are Artisan MarketLocal art, comfy couches, unique, delicious and (mostly) healthy food!New Location! 246 Victoria St. 250.828.7998 theartweare@gmail.com

Butterbutter Photography...capturing the way you see them in your heart,a fresh approach to newborn and family photography250.377.5890 www.bbphotography.comFind us on Facebook!

Captured Memories PhotographyWe don’t take photos...We capture memorieswww.captured-memoriesblog.cawww.captured-memories.cahrsayers@gmail.com 250.320.6558

Carmen How PhotographyCapture life’s finer moments...250.371.0155www.carmenhowphotography.comcarmenhowphotography@me.com

C’est La Vie PhotographyNewborn. Maternity. Children. Family. WeddingUse KMOMMA coupon code for 20% OFF your next session!cestlaviephotography.net 250.572.2885

Milk & Honey PhotographyLisa DiGesomilkandhoney@mail.comwww.milkandhoneyphotography.caBook your Christmas Mini Session Now!

Community Business Directory

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Real Estate and InvestmentsChelsea Mann, Realtor Welcome Home!Royal LePage Westwin Realty(P) 250.374.1461 (C) 250.571.6666chelsea@chelseamann.ca www.kamloopshomes.net

Karen Lanoue Canadian Scholarship TrustBoost your post-education savings by $7,200!karen.lanoue@cstresp.com250.573.2299

Ken Featherstone, Realtor Bringing Families HomeRoyal LePage Westwin RealtyPersonal Real Estate Corp.250.374.1461 kenfeathetone@royallepage.ca

Kim Livingston, Mortgage SpecialistYou take care of the kids, let me take care of your mortgage.The Mortgage Group250.571.2480 kamloopsmortgagegroup.com

Nicole Crichton, Mortgage ConsultantFinding a mortgage that works for your familyEvening & weekend appts available250.319.9542 niccrichton@telus.netwww.nicolecrichton.com

Women’s ClothingThe Ruby RoomNew and Recycled FashionBebe, Coach, Guess, Lululemon, True Religion, Lamb, Juicy Couture265 Victoria Street 250.828.RUBY

By Amanda Barker

Happy Autumn Mom-mas!

I’m not sure it’s universal, but in my world it seems as though every-one is planning, having, or has just had a baby! So, for this issue I’ll be shar-ing with you my childbirth philosophies.

The best ‘Doula train-ing’ I could have asked for was my last pregnancy and birth. I’d been attend-ing births up until my 8th month and had not been preparing mentally or emotionally for giving birth myself. Sure, this was my 4th child, but I was carrying around fears from my past experiences and some not so good births that I had attended. I was beginning to panic.

I’m a control freak (there, I admitted it!), and I used worry and anxiety as a form of control over something that I needed to surrender to. The birth hadn’t even happened yet, but there I was, worrying and wasting energy on trying to control the future.

The difference between being REACTIVE and PROACTIVE is that when we are reactive, we feel we have no choice, no hope and we feel trapped, thus leading to fear. Being proac-tive is realizing that we always have a choice and we can do inner work to bring about awareness and understanding of our fears and anxieties.

One day while I was receiving my regular pregnancy chi-ropractic adjustment, my chiropractor referred me to Michael Koehn of Mindstreams Professional Support Services. Michael is a clinical counsellor who uses techniques such as mindful-ness and biofeedback to help give people with pain and/or anxiety issues tools they can use in their daily lives.

It was life changing! I did four sessions with Michael and afterwards felt empowered and grateful that I could welcome my baby’s birth without anxiety or fear.

When we have fear, the pain really hurts, but if we can be in the present moment and have awareness of our breath, our sensations, and our thinking in a curious and non-judgmental way, then we can change our experience.

As for my own birth, it was as intense as birth can be, but now I had tools! When I applied the techniques that I had learned and practiced, I felt that I had gotten the golden ticket to Zen.

“The power and intensity of labour pulls us right into each moment. Each labour is unique. Like life, you never know how things will unfold.”

~ Myla Kabat-ZinnAmanda Barker is a herbalist, doula, CBE, and owner of Ovio

Organico skincare and Boho Birth. She also facilitates ‘Mindful Birth’ classes. abarker54@gmail.com

Notes from a Boho Momma

“The power and intensity of labour pulls us right into each moment. Each labour is unique. Like life, you never know how things will unfold.” - Myla Kabat-Zinn

Advertising Works!

“Just wanted to let you know that I truly believe that your magazine is the best money I spend on market-ing by far. Every month I am so im-pressed by what you manage to put together. Keep up the great work!!”

- Sabrina Sinclair, Fit By Design

Thyme

20

Photo Feature:

Our Fall Cover Photo Contest

Finalists!

Left: Milk and Honey PhotographyTop Left to Bottom: Sarah Johnson Photography, Aria Arts & Photography, Kylie Jordan, and Cherry Bliss Photography

K amloops Momma put out a call for fall-themed photos for our cover. Well, to say we were a little surprised by the re-sults is definitely an understatement. With nearly 100 sub-

missions, we simply couldn’t choose a top 5, so we chose a top ten! We then posted the photos on our Facebook page and let our fans do the rest. The winning photo, featured on our cover, won with a whopping 851 votes!

21

Above: State of Grace PhotographyTop Left to Bottom: Allissa Bjorn Photography, C’est La Vie Photography, and Ken Wou

22

Get Connected:A guide to local parent-child groupsAttachment Parenting2/month - days and locations vary 250-376-4723

Family Tree Drop-in Mon and Wed 9-4 283 West Victoria St.250.377.6890

Healthy Beginnings Tues 9:45-11:45Thurs 10:30-12:30Interior Indian Friendship Society2355 Parkcrest Ave.250.554.3134

Kamloops Connexions Fri 9:30-11:30700 Hugh Allen DriveSouthwest Community Church250.828.1114 coffee-connexions@hotmail.com

Kamloops Wiggles and Giggles Adoption Playgroup Monthly, times and locations varyDeanna Jones, jones_A@telus.net

Mother GooseVarious times and locations250.554.3134interiorcommunityservices.bc.caNext Steps Fri, 1-2:20Kamloops Public Health Unit519 Columbia St.250.851.7300

StrongStart Programs (during school year)Bumblebees Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, 8:30-11:30 Wed, 12-2:30 Arthur Hatton Elem., 315 Chestnut Ave.250.376.7217

Dragon Flies Mon-Fri, 8:30-11:30 Marion Schilling Elem., 2200 Park Dr.250.376.2027

Eagles’ Nest Mon-Fri, 8:45-11:15South Sahali Elem., 1585 Summit Dr. 250.374.2451

YMCA Child Interactive CentreMon-Fri 9-12Southwest Y/CCRRUnit E, 1420 Hugh Allan Dr250-372-7791

After reading all the baby books and parenting magazines, I’m sure you feel like you have this parenting business all figured out, right? If not, you are like most families trying to do the best you can by

weeding through abundant amounts of information on the internet, advice from your family, healthcare providers and even from strangers at the gro-cery store.

Some times it helps to meet with other parents to share tips or even tears about the joys and struggles of raising a child. It can also be very helpful to speak with a Public Health Nurse. Public Health Nurses can provide current information on a variety of health topics including breastfeeding, nutri-tion, safety, growth and development. Even if we don’t know the answer, we always know where to find it or how to connect you with an expert.

If you are interested in meeting with other families for support as you figure out your own parenting style, or just want to weigh your baby to make sure she is growing well, we welcome you to attend the Next Steps Drop In group at Kamloops Public Health. The drop in is free for families with children up to 5 years of age, runs Fridays 1:00-2:30, is staffed by a Public Health Nurse, includes a guest expert twice per month on a variety of topics, and coffee and snacks are provided.

We have mats on the floor for tummy time and books for older children to look at. Any person caring for a child is welcome to at-tend: mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, nanny, foster parents etc.

If you have any questions about upcoming events at Next Steps, please call Kamloops Public Health at 250-851-7300, or pick up your own event calendar for free at 519 Columbia St. in Kamloops.

By Amy French, RN

Next Steps:A free drop-in group at Kamloops Public Health

23

I am embarrassed to admit that my career as an upcycler was born from a pair of Billabong jeans that

ripped up the butt while I bent down to haul a crate of Perrier out of my shopping cart. My post baby weight hung on with a vengeance and my favourite jeans unfortunately took the brunt of my refusal to buy new chubby mummy clothing - thus the Jeans Bum Dress was born.

I merged the top of my Billabong jeans from the waist to just under the pockets with a blue and white Gap skirt to create my very first upcy-cled creation!

Upcycling is easy. From cutting the feet off two pairs of socks and sewing them together to make leg warmers, to deconstructing an entire dress and turning it into a fab new top, anyone can do it.

Upcycling is quickly becoming the new Eco-Couture where you can use previously loved clothing to design one of a kind pieces to wear or sell.

It has become a favourite topic of icons like Martha Stewart and has sparked huge change in the corpo-rate world with companies like Worn Again in the UK.

Worn Again focuses on find-ing simple ways to cut down on waste by reinventing textiles destined for the junkyard. They use old textiles from interesting sources such as a hot air bal-loon company to upcycle into bags for mail carriers!

There are lots of resources for upcycling. NewDressaDay.com is a fabulous site where one woman posts her 365 day upcy-cling challenge. She used a $1 a day budget to turn old ratty pieces into amazing trendy outfits. Her strategy to avoid shopping for new clothing for one year is shown in detail on this great site.

And if you have never surfed over to Etsy, you are missing some of the most amazing hand made creations on the planet! Etsy is a worldwide marketplace filled with upcyclers who will blow your mind with their creativity! Etsy.com will keep you busy shopping for hours.

Just search “upcycled clothes” and you will see exactly what I mean. Why upcycle, you ask?Well, here are the best reasons:• Because you are tight on money

but not on style• Because you love Mother Earth

and understand that millions of tons of textile waste is dumped into landfills world wide per year. When you upcycle you are

helping prevent climate change! Because you are finding a new purpose for your unwanted cloth-ing they are not sitting in a landfill contributing to the production of methane gas which is a huge cause of climate change.

Trista Smith is an avid upcycler and owner of Rebel Princess Design Co.

Upcycling: Discover an exciting new wardrobe just lingering behind your closet doors!

By Trista Smith

Above: Jeans meet a chiffon maternity top...voila! A brand new upcy-cled skirt for the Calgary Stampede.

Left: A vintage 70’s sundress marries a Guess jean jacket.

Left: The Baby Ball Gown made from vintage white toulle and a hand-ful of greenand grey odds ‘n sodds.

24

By Courtney Charlton

I’m a mom. I know, not exactly surprising news since I publish a parenting magazine. But, really, I am a total mom and anyone who looks at me knows it: Clothes: jeans, tank top, cardigan, and repeat - typically garnished

with some food or craft product.Hair: 6 months overdue for a cut resulting in a dishevelled bun daily.Shoes: Flip flops or ballet flats...must be able to get them on and off

while holding a baby.Purse: What purse? I carry a diaper bag!Makeup: Why would I wear makeup when I have glasses?Yes, I have officially become one of those moms: the moms who re-

ally only care whether or not their kids look cute. Last spring, Kamloops Momma found one of those moms and gave

her a life-changing makeover complete with stunning photos by Kath-leen Ferguson Photography.

Kathleen Ferguson made the winning mom look and feel fabulous. Her photos are stunning, of course, but it’s so much more than that. Ferguson’s passion is women (nothing to read into here...she has a husband!).

She speaks about women as if they are all works of art just waiting to be captured in a photo - ALL women. Ferguson sees the beauty in everyone and, more importantly, she will make you see the beauty in yourself.

One day over coffee Ferguson was talking about how so many women don’t feel comfortable in their own skin. She wanted to “bring Kamloops’ sexy back...one woman at time,” and I added, “what about one momma at a time?”

We knew we had something. Disclaimer: ‘Sexy’ doesn’t mean push-up bras, red

lipstick, tight skirts, and high heals (though it doesn’t exclude these either!). Sexy is feeling confident whether you’re in pj’s, yoga pants and a t-shirt, a little black dress, or nothing at all!

Ferguson suggested, well, insisted that I try it. I knew she was right...how could I tell other women

Bringing Kamloops’ Sexy Back...One Momma at a Time(with Kathleen Ferguson Photography and Evie Beauty)

Want to WIN your sexy back? We’re giving a ‘sexy back’ makeover

and photoshoot to a deserving momma.To enter, just go to our Facebook page and post your answer to this question:

{Q: What do you love most about yourself?}

Deadline is October 17 - It’s early, but we need to do the shoot before our next

issue. Already missed the deadline? We’ll feature a new momma each issue, so check early for our featured question!

how great the experience would be if I hadn’t done it myself? So I sheepishly agreed and we set a date.

As the time came closer, I was contacted by Crystal Morris-Munegatto of Evie Beauty to plan the style of out shoot.

She asked what I had in mind. I said, “I don’t know.”She asked what I had to wear. I said, “Nothing.”She said, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out.”So I showed up to her house in my “momma-attire” and let her

work her magic.Morris-Munegatto is just as passionate about make-up as Fergu-

son is about photography.She believes in “the power of all people to have beauty internally,

which is magnified externally.” Well, an hour and one set of diamond studded false eyelashes

later, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the woman looking back at me. Was I a little out of my element? Sure, but was I ready to rock my photo shoot? Heck yes!

I met up with Ferguson and we travelled to a remote farm in Knust-ford. And did I mention that the clear blue sky had turned to blast-

ing rain?So I got dolled up behind my

car door (feather-boa and all), and we huddled under Fergu-son’s big red umbrella to wait out the rain.

“I knew something had to go wrong with your shoot,” said Ferguson, “you need some-thing to write about!”

After some good laughs and more than a few near-tumbles in some ‘15 inch’ heals, the sun broke through and I found my-self leaning up against an old wooden barn doing my best to look ‘sultry,’ and laughing...a lot.

Yet, even though I was com-pletely out of my element, I honestly never felt uncomfort-able.

The way Ferguson looked at me, the way she spoke to me - she truly made me feel gorgeous (hmmm...perhaps she should do workshops for men?). She acted as if every move I made and look I gave was perfect - and, I assure you, they were not!!

So, was it a life-altering experi-ence? I’ll get back to you once I hit ‘send’ and the reality that I just shared these photos with thousands of people sets in!

But, all joking aside, the photo-shoot didn’t change who I am - I still look, dress, act like me - but it did change how I feel about myself. You’ll probably still find me in car-digans and jeans, but you might just notice a new bounce in my step...

Do you want to win a ‘sexy back’ makeover and photoshoot? Check out www.kamloopsmomma.com!

Photo: Kathleen Ferguson PhotographyHair and Make-Up: Evie Beauty

For the Wee Ones:Hammer Away! by Discovery Toys

Why do we love it? This toy does it all: It

helps develop hand-eye coor-dination, cause-

and-effect, colour recognition, and hitting

(the good kind!). It says 19 months to preschool, but we’ve seen it in action and think it’s great from 9 months on, plus it has a lifetime guarantee.$36.50, DiscoveryToys.com

For the Whole Family:SUPER Story Starters

by Spark! Your Imagination

Why do we love it?Yes, they say 3+, but we as-sure you that the entire family will have fun with this set of 24 illustrated scenarios designed to encourage creative think-ing...and laughter! Ever consid-

ered what special powers you could give a paper airplane? And what powers would your kids think of? These cards are the perfect addition to family trips, car rides, dinners, and so much more! $13.99, Tumbleweed Toys

For the Mommas:Customized Massage with Nicola

Why do we love it?Aina Spa is like going to a tropical island. You’re greeted with fresh fruit and chocolate and invited into a dimly lit, peaceful room.

Nicola, trained in Maui, uses a variety of techniques (including Hawaiian Lomi Lomi and hot stones) and fresh organic oils from Hawaii to make you feel like you’ve just spent a week relax-ing on a beach vacation...maybe even better!$65 for 60 min, Aina Massage Spa

Things We Love...We’ve tried it and we love it

and we don’t want to live without it!{ {

26

Hello fellow Kamloops Mommas (and Papas). As I type this, little Kienan is safe at home with his family after an

unimaginable 5 day long abduction by a stranger.

As with every parent I spoke to over those long days and nights, I was sick with worry for that little boy and his family and,

as was the case with several other mothers I spoke to, I also started to worry about my family. My three year old son. My daughter, who is starting full-day Kindergarten. I found myself locking my doors at night for the first time ever, thinking, “if this could happen to such a ‘normal’ family in a ‘normal’ com-munity right down the highway from us, why couldn‘t it happen here, or to my son too?”

Well, of course it could happen here. Thankfully, however, after I posted a particularly panicked Facebook status, a stat-istician friend of mine helped explain that statistically speak-ing, the chances are very, very, VERY unlikely for a child to be abducted by a stranger. As a matter of fact, what happened to little Kienan was quite literally the same as lightening striking (less than a 1 in 1,000,000 chance), and just when was the last time you rang your hands with worry over the next potential lightening strike while your kids were busy in the sandbox on a bright sunny day?

However, as parents, our ‘mama-bear’ instinct seems to take over when we hear of a potential threat to our babies and logic seems to take a back seat. Lenore Skenazy, author of Free Range Kids: Giving our children the freedom we had without go-ing nuts with worry, explains in a recent interview:

“I agree that you should be thinking ahead in terms of the potential dangers that really do exist. I think you really owe it to your kids to teach them very young and very diligently how to cross the street safely. I think you have to teach them how to talk to strangers, but not to go off with strangers. I think you have to teach them about good touch and bad touch.”

On her own blog, Skenazy points that one reason we are “so extremely terrified about child abductions is that whenever we turn on the TV or computer, there’s another one. As if these horrific crimes are happening 24/7, when actually the media is only too happy to fly across the country — or world — to set up camp... But because that story then shows up on our screen at home, it feels like it’s happening right around the corner. All the time.”

So, to put our fears in perspective: “The chance of a child be-ing kidnapped and murdered? 1 in 1.5 million. The chance of a child ending up at some point with some form of depression? 1 in 4.” And yet I can’t remember the last time I saw a story on children and depression on CNN.

“It is extremely depressing, disheartening, lose-your-faith-in-humanity-izing, to keep being presented with the most vile crimes on earth,” says Skenazy, “as if that’s what life is all about.” So what can we do? “Get a little perspective on this strange, scared parenting era we are living in.”

Skenazy suggests that we should not stop having faith in the general ‘goodness’ of people. For example, look how many neighbours and strangers helped with the search for Kienan (as she points out, there is a far greater chance that a stran-ger will be helpful rather than be hurtful). And while direct, 24/7 supervision of our kids to keep them out of harm’s way is unreasonable, there is something we can do. Experts agree that the best way to protect our children is to talk to them; to empower them; to be a resource for their questions, their con-cerns, and for guidance.

Two wonderful programs are in town this October to help us do just that.

The YMCA/YWCA is once again presenting their “Power of Being a Girl” conference for girls ages 12-14 on October 12th, 2011. Tanya Pawliuk, social worker, TRU lecturer, fellow Kamloops momma, and event organizer talked to me about the program.

“It really is a program for girls, designed by girls,” she explains, “We’ll have 125 girls from 8:30-3pm. Attendance is absolutely free, and we’ve got some great workshops lined up.

“We’ll talk about how being a girl is powerful. We’ll talk about the media, about stereotypes, about ways to reduce stress and feel good about yourself.

“We’ve got wonderful speakers, we’ve got Zumba, we’ve got amazing food being catered by TRU and by Goldie’s and by Sanbiki and Blackwell Dairy. We’ve got artists doing henna, we’ve got stylists doing felt dreads. We’ve got swag all de-signed by girls.”

There are still spaces available for this wonderful event and volunteers are needed. The Y is also gladly accepting $25 tax-deductible donations to help sponsor a child to attend. For more info, contact Tanya at pbg@kamloopsy.org or call 372-7725 (childcare is provided as well for moms with little ones).

Also coming to town on October 26th from 6-9pm is the “Ask-able Parent” workshop, also sponsored by the YMCA and being put on by Options for Sexual Health at the Child Care Resource and Referral centre in Aberdeen. This interactive program will take participants through exercises to discover why they might feel uncomfortable talking about sexual health with their children and provide strategies for caregivers on how to overcome these feelings. Participants will also look at how to begin discussions and how to share information with kids in a clear, understandable, and age-appropriate way. The more informed we are as caregivers, the more opportunities we have to communicate with our children. The 3-hour workshop is $20 To register. Contact Adina at np.ccrr@shawlink.ca or Erin Mitchell at cdnnurse1995@yahoo.ca“Aunty” Erin Mitchell is a proud nurse, momma, and owner of

Aunty’s House Registered Family Daycare. She is currently work-ing on a degree in child and adolescent psychology through TRU.

Dear Aunty...Answering questions about you and your child’s health

Do you have a question for ‘Aunty’ Erin? Contact her at cdnnurse1995@yahoo.ca

27

My name is Shantel. I’m 28 years old and I’ve been married now for about 5.5 years. My husband

and I struggled with infertility issues and, after some help from wonderful doctors, we now have the most incredible little people. We have 1 year old twins, who are so amazing and different in every pos-sible way.

Our boy is laid back and loves people, where as our girl likes her snuggles but is VERY stranger aware.

I live in the Kootenays and have found there is some amazing resources for moms but not as much support for moms of multiples, so I created this Facebook page - Mommies of Multiples in BC.

This group provides information, support and entertainment specific to parents of twins, triplets and quads.

We currently have about 40 or so mem-

bers across BC and would love to have more!

There’s posts about breast feeding, co-bedding, potty training tips, and even de-velopmental concerns, as well as many other day to day issues that may arise. (i.e. taking a trip to the park, or going on road trips with multiples).

We have photo albums, a section about the members, and sections about the ad-ministrators on the page. We try to keep it open, and members only have to post what they feel comfortable posting.

I should note, however, that everything posted on this page is private - not just anyone can search and see what is in the group - it’s searchable, yes, but you have to be approved by myself or one of the other administrators to see what’s posted and to see any photos. I think having privacy on here is rather important. If you

need to ask advice about something per-sonal, I don’t think that just anyone should have access to see it - or see your photos for that matter.

Hopefully this mommies group will help more moms, because not every mother is a ‘Mommy of Multiples.’

Mommies of Multiples BCEditor’s Note: A common question that I am asked is if there are any support groups for parents of multiples. My usual answer is, “Not that I know of...Do you want to start one?!” So when I was approached by Shantel Renner, co-administrator of a multiples support group for BC, I was excited to share this excellent resource. Know of a local resource for multiples? Please share at info@kamloopsmomma.com!

Twins Blake and Sophia Renner at cuddling at 5 days old.

Photo: Shantel Renner

By Shantel Renner

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Tamara Vukusic is the creator of Spark Your Imagination Story Starters, a collection of 50 open-ended scenarios that promote imagination, creativity and ‘outside-of-the-box’

thinking. The Story Starters are available as a deck of cards and as an app (application) for smart phones. Vukusic created this internationally downloaded app, but at one time she knew more about sticky notes than computers!

“It wasn’t long ago that a Facebook post requesting a PM put me in a flap. Prime Minister? Post Menstrual? Prickly Mama?” says Vukusic.

“These days I go to my FB to post a PM whenever I come across some PANS. (And if you didn’t know that PANS stands for ‘Pretty Awesome New Stuff,’ check out the up and coming Kamloops Innovation Council info sessions!)”

Q: When did you decide to embrace technology?A: I spent five years in Canada’s Arctic (Iqaluit, Nunavut) promptly followed by six years as an at-home mom. There was nothing high tech on my radar. One day my oldest son walked back from the mailbox and hollered, “hey mom, you got four emails!” In that moment I decided I had to motor or I would get left in the high tech dust. Q: How did Spark Your Imagination Come About? A: It all started around our dinner table. Most parents with young children can attest to how difficult it can be to keep bums in seats and enjoy the idyllic family meal. My husband and I would come up with questions like, “what could you do with a marshmallow other than eat it?” The kids were engaged, we were laughing and gobsmacked by their imaginations (dis-claimer: they still threw rice).

Friends were encouraging us to share our (sometimes ridicu-lous) questions, so we did. We named them Spark Story Start-ers: A collection of 50 scenarios to kick-start the imagination, encourage problem-solving and get kids talking. The game was released as an app for iPhone/iPad/Android and as a set of cards. Q: What was your vision for Spark!?A: My vision was to harness the latest technology (iPhone/iPad) to promote the traditional values of conversation, con-nectedness and creativity. I could hear the old adage “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” ringing in my ears.Q: Is it easy to build an iPhone application?A: I’m not sure. But I do know that you can make it happen with help from the right people. I started to hear about apps at an international writer’s conference I attend each year. An author

No Idea is Ever Too Small:How a local women went from using sticky notes everyday to creating an internationally successful app

By Tami MacKinnon

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who was converting all of her books into apps made a presentation. I took her out for a coffee and picked her brain. She helped me find the right people – a developer and an illustrator – and off I went.Q: Did you find Kamloops a supportive community to start a business?A: Kamloops Innovation Centre (KIC) was an exceptional place for me to start a new tech business as they provided me with much sup-port, guidance and expertise. KIC is a business incubator and entrepreneurship outreach pro-gram focused solely on taking tech ideas, like my app idea, and turning it into a company.

They provide FREE hands on assistance, advice, mentoring and coaching in all the specialized fields that one may need; help with funding and finding investors; and even offer office space and meeting rooms. It’s a great place to learn and develop! Q: What are some exciting things that you have been able to experience now that

you are involved in the ‘tech world’ ?A: It has been eye-opening for our boys to see what sharing through technol-ogy has meant for the Spark questions, some of which they helped to write. They love piling onto my lap to see which countries the app was downloaded in the day before. Then they race over to our world map to find the country. We talk about the country and try to imagine how the Spark questions are being used. In a one-room school house in South Africa? In a tatami room in China? In a Saudi Arabian desert?Q: What are some of the key reasons for creating an app?A: Low-Risk Market Testing. It was a low-risk way to test out interest in Spark ($750 in developer fees). Even a small print run is more costly – both to print and distribute.Downloaded in 40 countries. Export fees, overseas printing, tax laws, etc. make the move to sell a product internationally daunting. On the App Store this is a piece of cake. Grabbed Media Attention. After the Spark! app became a news story on CFJC-TV, CBC Daybreak (radio), Global BC, Global Calgary, CTV News and in the Vancouver Sun, the app became the #2 best-selling educational app for sev-eral days. This past summer Spark was featured in both Parents Canada (media guy column) and Today’s Parent.Q: What’s new with Spark!?A: Lots! Kamloops mom and entrepreneur Erin Brûlé has joined Spark Your Imagination as a partner. We are enthusiastic about continuing to create kids’ games to encourage creativity and connect families.

A new version of Spark! is being launched October 1st. It will be bilingual with the option for English subtitles (for the French translation). Thanks to Er-in’s suggestions (two heads are much better than one), it will be interactive with the ability to ‘create your own question,’ ‘share a question by email’ and ‘submit your question to Spark.’

Spark Your Imagination also released two new products this Fall: SUPER Spark Story Starters with illustrations and photo-graphs for kids aged 3-6; and, Spark Story Starter DRAW, a set of family-sized drawing sheets for people of all ages because creativity loves company.

Spark Your Imagination has more than 40 retailers across Canada and the Spark! app continues to be sold on the world-wide App Store. Q: How can one reach you? A: I will be presenting my app experience for the upcoming Kamloops Innovation Centre - Have an App Idea? seminar. You can also look for upcoming workshops and events at www.kic-start.ca or reach me at Tamara@sparkyourimagination.ca.

Above: Local moms Tamara Vukusic and Erin Brûlé show off the SUPER Spark Story Starters.Photo: State of Grace PhotographyLeft: Tamara and her sons, Finn and Adam, check out the original Spark! app.Photo: Erin Brûlé

Tips for Creating an App 1. Play with other apps Get a good idea of how apps work so that you understand their capabilities (i.e. sound, animation, the ability to interact with social media) and the best device for your app (iPhone, iPad, Android)

2. Has it been done? Search for similar apps on the App Store. If your idea has already been done, read reviews and make sure there is some-thing different about the one you are go-ing to create.

3. Think ‘simple’ If it requires extensive reading to use, buyers will often pass. Make it intuitive & use functions that people are already familiar with

4. Find a good developer Ask for references and look at the apps they have created. Don’t get talked into features you don’t want. You can always add them later.

5. Find a graphic designer who knows AppsFind someone who has created files for apps before. Ideally find a developer/designer team that have worked together before and therefore speak the same language.

6. Pick a good nameChoose a name that isn’t hard to remem-ber and reflects what your app does. Changing a name after you post your app is next to impossible.

7. Get ready to market it With 425,000 apps to compete with you can’t count on App store keywords alone to sell your app.

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Communtiy Events CalendarOct 1: Mummy Madness 1-4, Desert Gardens, family ac-tivities and WAHM businesses (free)

Oct 1(Cont): Chapters Craft and Storytime Saturdays 11-12pm 250.377.8468 (free)

Oct 1-31: Haunted House for All Ages Sahali Centre Mall, 9:30 -5:30pm, 250.374.3033 (free)

Oct 1-Oct 30: Downtown Farmer’s Market

Sat: St. Paul between 2nd+3rd

Wed: Victoria St. between 4th+5th. Market starts at 8am

Oct 1 (Cont): Shambhala Meditation Mon/Thurs 7 pm, Sat 12pm, 433b Lansdowne St. kamloops.shambhala.org, 250.376.4224 (free)

Oct 1 (Cont): Chapters Craft and Storytime Saturdays 11-12pm 250.377.8468 (free)

Oct 1 (con’td): the BIG Little Science Centre fall schedule 985 Holt St., Thurs-Fri, 3-5, Sat 10-4, www.blscs.org

Oct 2 (Cont): Family Drop-In Storytime North Kamloops Library: Fri 10:15 -10:45, Kam-loops Library: Sun 1:00 -1:30

Oct 2: CIBC Run for the Cure Riverside Park, 9am, 250.571.5050

Oct 3 (Cont): Tiny Tunes North Kamloops Library Mon 10:15 - 10:45, Kamloops Library: Mon, Wed 10:15

Oct 8/Nov 12: Home Depot Kids Workshop 10am, ages 4-12 250.371.4300 (free)

Oct 5 (Cont): Family Game Night Wed 5:30-8:30, All A-Board Games, 334 Victoria St., 250.377.0745

Oct 6 – Dec 8: Afterschool Club Drop-In, 8-12 yrs. Thurs 3-4 North Kamloops Library 250.554.1124

Oct 7-Oct 28: North Shore Farmer’s Market Spirit Square, Fri. 4-8 (free)

Oct 7/Nov 25: Friday Fam-ily Fun with Literacy Night KELLI, Fun, Games. 6-7:30pm, Sahali Mall (free)

Oct 8: KamloopsParents.com Family Market 9 – 1 Calvary Community Church 1205 Rog-ers Way kamloopsparents.com

Oct 8/Nov 5: Museum Family Fun Day Kamloops Museum and Archives, 1:30-3, $2 child, 250.828.3576

Oct 10: Thanksgiving and Teddy Bear Picnic at BC Wildlife Park 250-573-3242

Oct 12: The Power of Being a Girl Conference 8:45am –3 pm. Reg starts Sept 1 250.372.7724

Oct 12/23: Cloth Diapers 101 Weds 7-8, Sun 1-2 Lizzie Bits Baby Co., 250.374.8706 (free)Oct 12/Nov 9: Moms Morn-ing Out 9:30-11:30, Mighty Oak Midwifery, 202-322 Victo-ria Street, 250.377.8611 (free)

Oct 14/Nov 18: Friday Family Fun with Literacy Night Fun, Games. 6-7:30pm, North-hills Mall (free)

Oct 14-29: Ghost Train

2141 Steam Locomotive, Fri – Sat, 7:30 pm, Reservations 250.374.2141 Oct 15: Int’l Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day 6:15-6:46, Riverside Park, info@pregnancy-carekamloops.com

Oct 17/Nov 21: Held in the Wings of Angels Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group 7-8:30pm, Pregnancy Care Centre, 250-376-4646

Oct 19/Nov 16: Craft Club Kamloops Library, 3-4 (free)

Oct 21-23 Kamloops Fall Home Show Interior Savings Centre

Oct 28 – 30: Boo at the Zoo BC Wildlife Park, 250.573.3242

Oct 29: WCT Hallowe’en Family Dance Party 10am-12pm, Pavilion Theatre, admis-sion by donation to food bank, holly@theatrefront.com

Nov 6: RIH Craft-A- Fair 10-4pm, Interior Savings Centre

Nov 8: Safari Jeff Sahali Mall, 250.374.7322

Nov 12 – Dec 24: Christmas at the Gallery Kamloops Art Gallery

Oct 28: Hallowe’en Monster Mash 5-8pm, Heffley Creek Hall, all ages

Oct 29: The River CKRV Haunted House A “friendly” haunted house, 3-6pm, 821 Seymour St (free)

Oct 29: Spooky Halloween Swim Canada Games Aquatic Centre, 6-8pm, 250.828.3655

Oct 30: Spooky Halloween Skate Valleyview Arena, 2-4, 250.828.3335

Nov 18-19: Christmas at the Square Art & Craft Show St. Andrews on the Square, 250.377.4232

Nov 24-Dec 6: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat WCT Sagebrush, 250.374.8483

Nov 24: Lights in the Night Christmas Party 4-8pm, Downtown.

Nov 25: B100 Basics for Ba-bies raising funds for Kam-loops Food Bank, 7am -10am, Hotel 540.

Nov 26: Santa Claus Parade 11 am, Victoria Street, 2nd to 6th Ave.

Nov 26: Big and Small 1 pm, 5 pm, Kamloops Convention Centre. Tickets avail. At Lizzie Bits Baby Co. and Aberdeen Mall

Nov 27: SPCA Craft Fair 10-4pm, Kamloops Convention Centre, 1250 Rogers Way

Dec 2-3: Muse A-Fair Creativ-ity without borders, art, nature crafts, storytelling, show & sale, WCT Pavilion Theatre, Fri 12

Have an event? Tell us about it and we’ll put it in our Community Events Calendar for FREE!info@kamloopsmomma.comfind us on Facebook!

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