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MOM OF THE MONTH
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Jean Miller
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Bill and Caroline Rogers, of Manheim Township, sled down a hill off Newport Road in Lititz last month. Photo by Casey Kreider Cover photo: All bundled up on her way to Central Market early Saturday morning is a kool Khloe Klessinger, 6 months, while in her stroller pushed by her parents, Kyle and Kayla Klessinger, of Mount Joy. Photo by Justin David Graybill
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Jean Miller
By Maureen Leader Special Features Writer Jean Millers life is crazy. But because of her humor, neighbors, and an occasional perfect cup of coffee, she wouldnt change a thing. Miller is the mother of six children stepson Rick, 17; Christopher, 5; Annie, 4; Mackenzie, 3 and twin sons, John and Ray, 2, who Miller said were The best surprise of my life. Do the math and see that the youngest Millers arrived within three and a half years. With our five little preschoolers, we have our own playgroup, she said. Miller never aspired to have a large family. She and husband Curtis have been married for eight years. When they met, Miller was working in Human Resources at Willow Valley. Now she says, I still work in Human Resources. The Miller family are all great kids who love each other. Still, it is a very busy household. Very busy. There are days when I seriously want to bang my head against the wall, Miller said. But I know it wont do any good. I try to
keep perspective on how good I have it, even though I have constant demands on me. And Miller knows all too well how good she has it because having all of her children certainly was not easy. She had three pregnancy losses: an ectopic pregnancy, a daughter Hope, was stillborn and then Miller suffered a miscarriage. But, miraculously, within the next three and a half years, Miller gave birth to five healthy children. Miller admits that much of her life during the last few years has been just trying to keep my head above water. She says that her existence was more of a survival mode. But lately Miller is glad to report There has been more thriving than just surviving. In addition to her great husband, Miller credits her neighbors in Brownstown with helping her get to this point. In fact it was one of her neighbors, Sandy Hursh who nominated Miller to be Mom of the Month. She has a very stressful life with so many little ones, Hursh said, but rarely complains and chooses to see the humor
Jean Miller poses with her five children from left: Mackenzie, Christopher, twins John and Ray with Annie at the far right.
and blessing that this stage of life brings. Even though she is incredibly busy raising her kids, she always has time to reach out to others and be an encouragement to everyone
around her. My neighbors have been Gods provision for me, said Miller. Sometimes its by bringing her a cup of coffee at just the right time in the
afternoon or inviting some of her children over to play for a while. She walks regularly in the early mornings with her neighbor
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community on hand to informally a n s w e r parenting questions and concerns. The three registered Family Place Libraries in Lancaster County received grant funds in 2011 from United Way of Lancaster Countys LEARN (Local Education and Resource Network a United Way Success by Six partnership).
Ask an Expert at
Megan Conklin Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist with HARTZ Physical Therapy Fitness, injury prevention and rehabilitation Dr. Maria Meliton M2 Dentistry for Children & Teens, LLC, Pediatric Dental Health
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Question: My 8-month old wakes up about every 2 hours at night and the only way I can Question: What are your thoughts on giving a baby a pacifier? What age should it be get him to go back to sleep is to nurse him. Can he really be that hungry or is is just habit? taken from the child? He had been sleeping though the night until about a month and a half ago. Question: I would like to start saving money for my childs education. What are the My 4 year old son has recently become VERY clingy whenever I (mom) leaves him or benefits of using a 529 plan over just placing the money in a savings account or CD? goes anywhere. He has always preferred to be with me but now his behavior is extreme; Megan Conklin crying, hanging on my leg, chasing me. I have tried explaining when Ill return, offering Question: Hi, I had a baby several months ago and have had nagging pains in my neck special time for good behavior and anything else I can think of. There have been no major changes in his routine or in the household. It is making preschool, volunteering, church, etc. and lower back areas. Are there excercises that you recommend to help releive the pain and impossible. Is this a stage for some children? How long should I expect it to last? strengthen those areas to prevent further discomfort? Thank you, Chrissy
Kirsten Freitag Murray Parenting Development Coordinator with Compass Mark, Inc. Social, relational and/ or behavioral issues
Terry Evearitt, Certified College Planner, College Funding Advisors, Inc. College financial planning, aid, other college financing
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*Be available. If possible, be at home when she is leaving for and returning from school. Eat breakfast and dinner together whenever possible. Offer to drive to sporting and extra-curricular events. This is a great way to get to know his friends and also to hear what is happening in his world. Read the newspaper in the same room while she is doing her homework. Set boundaries on your work and socializing schedule, to allow for ample time for your family to be together. If your teen is home on a Friday night you should be too! Reward them with your time when they make good, but difficult, choices.
The Third Degree: Implying that she caused the problem. Changing the Subject: No need to worry about that! Therapy Session: Even if you are a professional, dont ask, WHY? Judging: That wasnt very smart! Sarcasm: Small children dont understand sarcasm, and it is humiliating to older children. (Based on work by Dr. *Be a great listener. Michael H. Popkin and his active Listen with your full attention parenting research.) and body language, as well as your ears. Identify and name feelings. Rephrase what is shared, to be sure you are getting it right. Try to offer alternatives, as opposed to quick fixes. Ask before you give advice! Be encouraging. Check in to see how things are going with friends, school, etc. Know what makes him tick and what is going on his world. *Develop a language of feelings and ideas. Allow for the verbal expression of feelings and help him name feelings. Share your own feelings, without causing harm. Be a good model of expressing emotions appropriately and honestly. **Avoid saying and doing things that will cause your child to stop sharing with you. Commanding: Telling her what to do. Advice Giving: Solving the problem for him. Smoothing Over: Saying everything will be fine.
You get the idea!!!!! I had all the confidence that my Grandma Pearl loved me for exactly who I am she communicated love to me every chance she got. Our communication is ultimately an expression of love to our children. We need to build a strong relational base and follow healthy principles as we grow in our relationships with our kids. If you are having the conversations and expressing your care for one another, there are many roadblocks that simply wont throw you off course as you parent your child to independence as a loving, caring adult engaged with the world around him. Know your child, love your child and become an expert at communicating and expressing that love for your child. Kirsten Freitag Murray, Parenting Development Coordinator with Compass Mark, Inc., is a contributor to the LancMoms.com Ask an Expert feature.
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By Rochelle A. Shenk Special Features Writer For those who think learning and fun cannot go hand-inhand, a visit to The Lancaster Science Factory is definitely in-order. Lancaster Science Factorys interactive exhibits, work stations and mini-labs foster learning experiences and opportunities for visitors to experiment and create. Were a math and science lab for kids in grades three through eight. Our focus is on the physical sciences, and kids have an opportunity to learn firsthand about concepts that theyve learned about in textbooks at school. But its all done in a way that helps develop curiosity and stimulate thinking, explains executive director Bob Herbert. There are more than 50 interactive exhibits at the Lancaster Science Factory (LSF), which is housed in a former factory building at 451 New Holland Ave. It celebrated its fourth anniversary January 22. Each exhibit demonstrates a principle of math or science such as light and vision; electricity and magnetism; mechanics and
motion; structural engineering; acoustics; fluid dynamics; and puzzles and brain teasers. While our focus is kids, parents and grandparents have fun learning, too. Science is all around us in our daily lives, Herbert says. A Knex exhibit encourages children to build things, and as theyre building they learn basic structural engineering principles. Another building type exhibit is the caternary arch exhibit, where children learn how to build an arch like the St. Louis Gateway Arch. One of the fluid dynamics exhibits dam the creek focuses on learning about altering or stopping the flow of water. Another exhibit explores magnetism as kids use magnetism to create art. Herbert says that the open floor plan encourages visitors to move from exhibit-to-exhibit at their own pace. He suggests allowing two to two-and-a-half hours to explore LSF. In conjunction with other science centers, museums and university research centers nationwide, LSF will participate in NanoDays March 24 through April 1. Coordinated by NISE (Nanoscale Informal
Science Education) Network, activities will help children and adults explore the world of atoms, molecules, and nanoscale forces. The power of nanotechnology can be seen materials that are a composite of fabric and nano-size particles to increase the durability of fabric for example incorporating nano-whiskers into fabric used to make pants produces a lightweight water and stain repellent material. A special exhibit, From Here to There will open in September and run through January 2013. It will feature 11 different technologies that demonstrate how things get from here to there. Children can explore how canal locks transport boats, how a hovercraft operates, as well as how a magnetic train operates. LSF also hosts a weekly class for homeschoolers. The latest class session began the week of Feb. 6 and will run for 14 weeks. Additionally the second Saturday of the month, LSF hosts a program for Cub Scouts to earn an engineering activity pin. Cub Scouts may also earn a commemorative science patch. Other activities at LSF include
birthday parties and various summer camps that run June through mid-August, and a cold storage winter camp over the holidays. LSF is an official SciGirls affiliate; Scigirls is a PBS show with an interactive website; both are intended to get girls 8 to 12 years of age interested in science, technology, engineering and math. Herbert says that sometime later this year LSF will be implementing special programs for Girl Scouts and girls.
Lancaster Science Factory is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is open most holidays. Admission is $6.50 for children ages 3 to 15; $8 for adults; $7 for seniors (60+), and children two and under are admitted free of charge. Children must be accompanies by an adults 18 years or older.
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Above: Lancaster friends, Molly Miller, 19, and Lizzy Hannan, 18, dressed in pajama onesies, carry treats to their table at Carmen & Davids Creamery in downtown Lancaster Feb. 4 as part of International Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Center: Alex Benson, 7, and her sister Katie, 5, from Lancaster, enjoy their ice cream Right: Two-year-old Caden Weire, left, takes a bite of his Coffee and Donuts Ice Cream Sundae (which he shared with his mother, Kristin, from Lancaster) as his brother Caleb, 4, enjoys a Oreo pretzel cone,. Photos by Justin David Graybill/Sunday News Read more about International Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day on page 8.
Cool completely, then place filling in the cavity on top of the bottom section. Place frosting around the top edges of the bottom part and add the top. Ice the top of the cake before decorating. The product box includes pictures of multiple ways of decorating the finished cupcake. Directions also give recipes for combinations of cakes and frostings to make creations such as Boston Cream Pie and Carrot Cake. The manufacturer claims the Giant cupcake is 25 times larger than a traditional cupcake. Cake mixes I used fell a little short of rising to fill the entire mold. The mold itself is 6.5 inches in diameter by 7 inches high. It is certainly large for a cupcake. To be safe, bakers may want to make two mixes and use the extra batter to make some regular cupcakes. On the plus side, results turned out to be a recognizable giant cupcake every time. The noveltyshaped cakes look more impressive than the amount of time it took to make them.
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p.m. to 6 p.m. her Full moon time. And she can often be seen on one of her Sanity Drives with her children. Ill put them all in their car seats and well just drive around counting cows. Its one of the benefits of living in Lancaster County. She also said that her family Kicks me out on Wednesday nights so I can have one of my wild dates at Weis Markets. One day Miller was shopping and she met an elderly woman who happened to also have five children also born close together. She held Millers hand and looked into her eyes and started to speak. Miller was sure the woman was going to tell her how precious the little ones are, how to treasure each and every day, it goes by so fast. Instead, the woman surprised Miller by saying, You wont miss these days. Theyre hard!
Mom
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Rachel. Its the perfect way for Miller to start her busy days. But whatever little acts of kindness her neighbors perform, Miller says, My load is lightened. Often neighbor children will come over and Miller loves that. Whats one or two more? Miller treasures her neighbors and loves to host brunches or game nights for them. I love my neighborhood, Miller said. Its not Mayberry and were not perfect, but its close! Another way Miller copes is by humor and writing about her life on her blog thecoffeecottage. blogspot.com. In her blog she says she keeps it real. She said, I never want to play the comparison game. Thats not healthy for any woman. Miller calls the hours of 4
The Miller family has 18 chickens on their property. The kids love to gather the eggs. Miller also said that the family used to have some ducks. But they were bullying the chickens and they turned into dinner one night. Miller said, You shouldnt bully!
Miller tries to feed her family healthy meals and she tries to keep their food natural. She even bakes her own bread. However, there are those times, as many moms know, A Happy Meal is a happy meal, indeed! Miller also says ChikFil-A is amazing.
Miller once applied for a job at the White Miller loves coffee and that is a daily treat for House as assistant to Laura Bushs Social her. She makes her own special coffee concentrate Secretary. recipe that she adds to milk for a refreshing pick me up: Mix together 2 cups boiling water, add Miller also entered the contest to try to win the cup instant coffee, 1 cup of sugar, a teaspoon of co-host position next to Regis after Kathy Lee vanilla. left. Im still waiting for my call back, she said. Millers blog: thecoffeecottage.blogspot. Miller enjoys watching Downton Abbey, a com, says friend and neighbor, Sandy Hursh is British television show, on PBS. hilarious at times but also an encouragement to those of us raising kids. Miller grew up in Lancaster and lived in Shillington for a while before returning.
before that will surely amp up any family night. PlayStation Network is the online entertainment hub for all PlayStation platforms and is the premier destinations for games, TV and movies, sports and music. No need to leave the house to rent a family film anymore. PlayStation Network delivers instant access to streaming content, including
movies from Netflix, and more Having a great night with the entire family doesnt mean being tethered to the table with board games, and introducing video games and networked services doesnt mean everyone has to be stuck on the couch. With the right technology, family game night can become something that everyone looks forward to.
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LancDad
movie I swore Id watch only once before I had children and I would hope they realize Phil is not Philadelphian. But, on a family trip on Martin Luther King Day to visit my wife who was on business trip at Philadelphia Ritz Carlton Hotel Mike once again articulated the phrase Dumbadelphia. On this occasion, Mikes reference was not connected to groundhogs or the prospect of a longer winter, though it felt like 20 degrees when we boarded a double decker tour bus. Our tour guide, a former parochial high school teacher, gave a masterful presentation of Philadelphia history that truly mesmerized the kids for more than an hour. When we arrived back at the Ritz Carlton, Maggie had discovered the mini-bar and exclaimed that a Snickers costs $9. What do you expect in Dumbadelphia, Mike responded. I looked out the window at Philadelphias spectacular skyline vistas and reversed Michaels question: What dont I expect in Dumbadelphia? There are great deals available for winter trips to Center City Philadelphia my wife and I go often to celebrate our birthdays and anniversary. If you go, with or without children, I highly recommend the Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours heated, 90-minute, double decker bus tour that hits 21 historic sites. Its $60 for two adults and two children.
ACROSS 1. Mosquito or mole, e.g. 5. (K) Layer in a coop 8. (K) Achy 12. Declare bluntly 13. (K) George of the Jungles sidekick 14. (K) Streamer on a kite 15. Change the wallpaper 16. (K) Large 17. (K) Its smaller than a molecule 18. (K) It may be red, yellow or green (2 words) 21. (K) Chow down 22. (K) The night before a holiday 23. Enhance with decorations 26. (K) Like frozen winter roads 27. Hot tub locale 30. (K) Soapy water produces them
31. Write hastily (with down) 32. Type of tide 33. (K) Brick holder 34. (K) Cooks utensil 35. (K) Sing ones own praises 36. Prepare to drag race 37. (K) Defeated everyone 38. Small-time farmer (2 words) 44. (K) Uttered 45. (K) Tell a falsehood 46. Deposit of ore 47. Good fruit with an unattractive name 48. (K) Some players in tag 49. (K) Seriously recommend 50. (K) Sport played while riding horses 51. (K) Thing on a tennis court
52. (K) Plant beginning DOWN 1. (K) Actors role 2. (K) lived happily ___ after 3. (K) Beverage with a burger, often 4. Some special deals 5. (K) Sisters clothes? 6. Sweeping story 7. Allow to deteriorate 8. (K) Place for a play 9. (K) It may be taken with a Bible 10. Prison uprising 11. (K) Popular tree type 19. (K) It blows cool air 20. (K) Poison ___ (itchy plant) 23. (K) Fire remains
24. (K) Group of two singers 25. (K) Uneven 26. It carries a small charge 27. (K) Ocean 28. Faux ___ (blunder) 29. Well-chosen 31. Track object thats thrown 32. Dumbfound 34. ___ capita 35. (K) Word shouted to scare people 36. Hams device 37. Take forcibly 38. Powdery starch 39. (K) Where kids can sled 40. Use as a reference 41. (K) You can sweat through it 42. (K) Sharp side of a knife 43. Bassoon bit 44. Break bread
Can you find the answer to this riddle within the solved puzzle?
Riddle answer:
1-D) Part
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want to say, No Exceptions! and have an alternate night as backup. Go ahead a throw in the statement, This designated night will be for family fun and a movie. Many children are earning an allowance, let them know the $5 bin of movies and games, which are located in the local stores are a great place to visit. You can take things a step further and offer tokens that can be earned through dad or mom.
Tokens: Cardstock or construction paper are an easy solution for making tokens, just cut into small rectangles and write the purchasing power on it. Examples: 1 token, (the amount shown can be used towards a snack and given for noticeably trying in many areas, including school work) 1 movie selection token, (special token given for attitude) 1 game selection token, (special token given for good
sportsmanship) Free snack, (extra chore completed and approved by parent) Chore passed on, (use of bad language; watch out, this goes for all family members) Setting up a snack bar: Try stacking plastic containers on a table to create different levels, and covering them with a tablecloth, this will provide small areas for a candy bar, popcorn bag, or soda to rest. Dont forget to keep the food or drink to an individual size, this makes selecting the items much easier. A small card or sticky note next to each item will provide the amount in tokens which will be needed. Fun tip: You can buy favorite snacks in family packs and have the children make and divide into single serving sizes for the snack table, or let them indulge in a rare sugar rush.
Though the economy is on the mend, many families forced to make sacrifices during the downturn will continue to look for ways to maintain more control of their finances in the event another period of economic struggle surfaces down the road. Its safe to assume no family wants to find itself in the position millions of families did during the downturn, dealing with unemployment, a nonexistent job market and the specter of foreclosure on the family home. While theres no telling what the economic future holds, there are steps families can take to gain greater control of their finances and put themselves in a better position to handle whatever the economy throws at them down the road. * Start saving receipts. Nowadays, more and more people use debit cards for daily purchases, including smaller purchases like cups of coffee.
go to the store, youll not only save money but youre likely to spend far less time at the store as a result. * Re-examine your commute. Men and women might prefer driving themselves to work. Driving to work alone is more convenient, but its almost never more cost-effective. Consider public transportation where its available. Public transportation can remove the stress from traffic jams, as men and women can bury their noses in books or watch a movie on their iPads rather than stare at the vehicle in front of them. If no public transportation is available, propose a carpool to co-workers. Both of these alternatives can save individuals money on gas (the cost of which is once again on the rise) while adding years to their vehicles life expectancy, helping them get more out of their vehicle dollars.
Boundaries: Games and movies should be selected accordingly for each age group. If you have small children a matinee may give mom and dad some well-deserved down time. Older children must have chores completed before playing games and bedtime attire on, along with pillows/blankets for their own comfort during the movie time. Competition is always fun, but maybe you can have a bowl handy with numbered pieces of paper for a possible draw or dispute during a game, the highest number wins. Be prepared to run a double feature if the age and movie range has too much of a gap and in this case, the youngest goes first.
Game and Movie: Movies and games can be picked out ahead of time and displayed until Family Night, or maybe you have a not so agreeable family, choose the game or movie and place it/them in a small or large brown paper bag with a big question mark on it. When the But whatever you do, have family night arrives, surprise! fun and enjoy the family time together!
Getting the family involved: Extra paper lunch bags can be decorated for popcorn; a curtain or tablecloth can be draped over the top and down the side of a TV giving a theater appearance; have someone run the snack bar; dim the lights and have someone be an usher with a flashlight and dont forget the children can make a sign which proclaims the theaters name, such as, Mom and Pops Cinematography Center, ok, ok maybe thats a little much?!
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