Time goes by so slowly ...

Time is a recurring theme throughout our October issue. To give you some perspective on how precious it is, you’ll want to read our very special story written by a local mother/daughter about their journey with childhood cancer. Jennifer Hardy was only 2 when she was diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumor; through treatments and time, the tumor disappeared (she’s now 24), but she and her mother still carry the battle wounds on their hearts.

The family who sweats together stays together! Competitive sports are great, but check out our ideas for engaging your kids in fitness activities that they can enjoy (and crave) long after their glory days fade.

Also in this issue, Lauren Niebes sits down for a rare interview with Tiffany Cuban, the wife of Dallas Mavericks owner and mega-entrepreneur Mark Cuban. And of course, it’s the month of all things orange and chocolate! We’ve culled all the best harvest events and (non-scary) Halloween activities in town.

Read it all in our October issue, on the newstands now.

~ Shelley

Have pump, will travel

Nursing moms, take to the skies! If you’ve been holding back on traveling (or even hesitating to begin plotting out holiday plans) for fear of difficulties getting pumped breast milk through airport security – worry no more. The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) now permits breast milk to be carried in any quantity, as long as you declare it for inspection at airport security checkpoints.

Moms who’ve traveled since the change of policy in August warn that not all security agents have caught up on the relatively new policy. Be prepared! Make visual inspections easier by using clear containers, which may help prevent agents from pouring breast milk into another container in order to inspect it. The milk may also be X-rayed. Print out a copy of the TSA's information on traveling with breast milk, formula or juice and be prepared to show the policy to agents or ask for a supervisor if you run into any difficulties.

Bon voyage!

~ Lisa

No More 3x5s

Last month, we shared with you some websites for building the ultimate digital scrapbook. But, if you’re like me, you probably have some older snapshots (Polaroids…slides, maybe?) from your disposable camera days collecting dust.

Now, I don’t need to display the 47 shots of the Eiffel Tower I took when I was 16 on my Shutterfly. That moment has long since passed. But it would be nice to preserve those memories in a digital way and add them to my personal photo library.

This is where ScanDigital can help. Just sign up on their site, print out a UPS shipping label and send them your pics of Christmas 1998, your first car, etc. They’ll scan your photos and return your originals, along with a CD/DVD, within a week. It also provides an online gallery, should you choose to share these treasures. Prices start at about 50 cents per photo, but as we all know, aren’t they all priceless?

-liz

Dancing With...DallasChild?

I have to say that I’m very excited about the debut of one of the top shows in America tonight…Dancing With the Stars!! This season, Mark Cuban, Dallas’ sole representation this time around, has big shoes to fill since Emmitt won over America (as a dancer), winning the Championship with partner, Cheryl Burk. Beloved and embraced in Dallas for elevating our Mavs from worst to best, the dynamic Cuban is up for the job…so says his wife, Tiffany, when I chatted with her about motherhood, the public eye and of course, Mark on Dancing With the Stars. See what else she has to say about being a mommy of two, philanthropist, and wife to such a high-profile “maverick,” and why he decided to Dance in front of America in October’s issue of DallasChild and FortWorthChild magazines (out on streets today).

Don’t forget to watch our Dallas “maverick” tear up the dancefloor tonight on ABC at 7pm!

Cheers –
Lauren

Swing into consignment season

If your wallet is just beginning to perk up again after the initial onslaught of back-to-school purchases, you'll be thrilled to know that fall consignment season is here! Pass off last winter's outgrown kid duds and pick up some gently used, new-to-you items at bargain prices.

Check out our list of some of the most well-known sales. If you know of others, please leave us a comment and share the scoop!

Divine Consign Grapevine, Sept. 25-26; Arlington, Oct. 5-6

Outgrown Treasures Plano, Sept. 26-28

Rocking Horse Children's Consignment Sale Coppell, Sept. 27-29

Just Between Friends McKinney, Sept. 28-29

Sweet Repeats McKinney, Sept. 29

Lil' Lambs Allen, Oct. 18-20

Carousel Children's Consignment North Dallas/Farmer's Branch, Oct. 18-20

Happy bargain-hunting!

~ Lisa

Pinwheels for Peace

If you're driving down Camp Bowie in Fort Worth this evening on your way to treat your family to dinner after a long, hard week, you may notice a field full of ... is that pinwheels? Science students at the International Newcomer Academy planted approximately 300 pinwheels on the school soccer field earlier today in recognition of World Peace Day and inspired by the Pinwheels for Peace event.

INA staffers say the pinwheel event not only helps student work through various math and science exercises but serves as a pointer toward the importance of all cultures working together to achieve a common goal. The INA is an intensive English language immersion school for new immigrants ages 12 to 19.

To make your own pinwheel this weekend, visit Pinwheels for Peace for a pattern and Quick-Time how-to movie.

Have a peaceful weekend!

~ Lisa

Got milk?

The Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas (one of only 11 U.S. donor banks certified by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America) supplied nearly 75,000 ounces of breast milk to local babies last year. How do they do it? Donations from moms like you!

Got milk? You may be able to donate unused breast milk from your freezer or fresh milk if you're still pumping. When talking to mothers who call to see if they can donate frozen milk, MMBNT volunteer Lysta Haynes adds, "Don't stop pumping! Call the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas!"

MMBNT makes it easy to deliver donated milk to their facility, with nine drop-off locations scattered throughout the Metroplex.

* MMBNT, Fort Worth
* Harris HEB, Bedford
* Dallas Co. Health and Human Services, Dallas
* Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas
* Presbyterian Plano Hospital, Plano
* Richardson Regional Medical Center, Richardson
* Denton Co. Health Department, Denton
* Outreach Health Services, Waxahachie

To be screened as a potential milk donor or to learn more about donor breast milk, visit the Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas or call 817/810-0071.

~ Lisa

It's sniffles season again

If you’re one of the thousands of North Texans who suffers through the misery of fall allergies, hold on to your handkerchief: Allergy researchers at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas say the upcoming ragweed season could be the worst in decades.

“The unusually wet weather this summer means ragweed plants are big and healthy, and that’s bad news for a lot people in the local area,” says allergist Gary Gross, M.D. “Ragweed tends to be one of the worst pollens in North Texas, and I think this fall could be the worst in recent memory.”

Dallas-Fort Worth is annually ranked among the worst cities in the United States for allergies by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

So are your little snifflers suffering from allergies – or could they have a cold or virus? Here are some pointers from Presbyterian Hospital on how to tell the difference:

* Colds usually go away within a week. Allergies can persist for days, weeks, even months.
* Persistent sneezing usually signals allergies, not a cold.
* Allergies symptoms do not include fever initially, which is common with a cold.
* Itchy eyes, nose and even ears are signs of allergies.

Finally, if you’ve narrowed it down to the ragweed sniffles, try these tips:

* Keep kids indoors during the early-morning hours, when pollen counts are highest.
* After they play outside, give your child a bath or shower to wash off pollen that accumulates on her hair and skin.
* Use saline nasal sprays to wash pollen out of your child's nose.
* For mild symptoms, over-the-counter medications can be effective. If your child appears to be having a particularly troublesome reaction, see your physician.

Here's hoping your fall isn't filled with red eyes and noses!


~ Lisa

Putting math skills to the test

Last year, we told you about a new program called "Math Can Take You Places" that’s helping North Texas grade-schoolers target the five most common problem areas in fundamental math concepts. Designed by KERA with support from Travelocity, the program tackles low TAKS scores and arms fourth- through sixth-graders with the math tools they’ll need for middle school and beyond.

This year, KERA is ready to see who was paying attention! "Do the Math" is a new contest that puts both math teachers and students to the test. Formal, professional math teachers and students in grades 3 through 6 are invited to submit math words problems and original activities that illustrate how math is used in the real world. It all adds up to a chance to win cash and prizes!

The deadline for Do the Math entries is Nov. 2, 2007. Submissions will be judged by a jury of educators, and winners will be named by Nov. 30. For complete contest details and downloading entry forms, visit Do the Math.

~ Lisa