Bounce into the record books
Thursday, March 10
and Friday, March 11
To celebrate their fourth birthday, Hero’s will attempt to bounce their way into the Guinness Book of World Records with a World Record Bounce Marathon. For 27 hours the staff at Hero’s will bounce continuously in the bounce rooms to break the record. Come be a part of history and bounce along with the staff. The marathon will be complete with food, games, activities and thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Also, half of each admission goes to benefit Diabetes Youth Services. The event will commence at 5pm on Thursday, March 10 and go until 8pm Friday March 11. $10 per child. Hero’s, 9851 Meridian Ct., Rossford. 419-873-9400. www.HerosToledo.com.
Wrinkles
Fond memories
I was looking in the mirror early one morning and noticed these little groovy lines in my skin jutting out like rays from the outside corner of my eyes.“Crows feet,” some people call them. I recalled my mom telling me about them when I was a boy. The memory brought a smile to my face, and that’s when I noticed what caused these wrinkles. Years of grinning and laughing had worn indelible lines into my face. I knew then that I had a choice to make: I could try to stop smiling forever so I wouldn’t make the wrinkles deeper, or I could simply embrace them and rejoice at why I had them in the first place. Anyone who has seen me since that day can tell you which direction I chose.
A new discovery
I pondered my new discovery all day. Weeks went by, and I still had not forgotten. I finally put the words to paper one day during a poetry unit that I was helping teach to a class of fourth graders. We had been studying the craft of various “mentor” poets (Naomi Shihab Nye, Langston Hughes, and Eloise Greenfield). Part of the process was for students to write some poetry of their own each day. The poetry that these students wrote was amazing. Some were sad, some were beautiful, and some made me laugh out loud. That’s when I thought about those wrinkles again and started writing.
If your children have never written poetry, I highly encourage them to do so. They don’t have to share their poems with anyone. The purpose is to discover what it feels like to see the world through a poet’s eye. So many times, we write like scientists—just the facts. There’s nothing wrong with this, if matter-of-fact documentation is our intent. What poetry does, among many things, is develop a student’s ability to “show” instead of “tell.” In other words, using vivid language to describe a scene can be much more effective in helping a reader visualize what an author is trying to say.
Practicing poetry
Practicing strategies of poetry also builds up a child’s confidence in writing. The point of writing in a journal at home is to start taking risks. Some attempts are good; some attempts might crash and burn. That’s okay. Writing works that way. Your child will learn from practicing, and it’ll also help him/her with writing in other genres.
I’m no Robert Frost, but I can vouch for the effects that poetry can have on expression. A poem doesn’t have to rhyme, it doesn’t have to have meter—it doesn’t even have to make sense to anyone but the author. That may be one of the best characteristics of poetry—there aren’t a lot of rules, if any at all. Heck, you don’t even have to use capitals and punctuation if you don’t want to. How cool is that? As a teacher of writing, I challenge kids to give poetry a try. Read some; write some. Your children may be pleasantly surprised by what they discover in themselves.
Jim Keen is a freelance writer and life-long Ann Arborite. He lives with his wife, Bonnie, and daughters, Gabbi (14) and Molly (11). He is the author of Inside Intermarriage: A Christian Partner’s Perspective on Raising a Jewish Family (URJ Press). He can be reached at [email protected].
New concern on games and the growing mind
In a world where entertainment technology advances by leaps and bounds, and where so much of that technology is marketed to children, it’s easy for parents to get disoriented and anxious. Fears of health risks to vulnerable kids come and go, but new 3D-based games have caused a new wave of concern. Industry heavyweight Nintendo has added fuel to the fire, cautioning parents on its Japanese-language website that its highly anticipated upcoming 3DS system may not be safe for children under six. The company cites the possibility of harm to young children’s developing eyesight.
Before parents panic too much, it should be noted that this almost certainly a case of a corporation being admirably cautious, rather than a serious threat. The concern is that, since 3D movies and games work by essentially fooling the parts of the brain we use to perceive depth, there could possibly be a harmful effect on children who are still in the process of developing those parts of their brains. But as of now, there is now concrete research to back up those claims.
Still, anything that makes parents think hard about their children’s entertainment options is not entirely misguided. You don’t have to be worried about literal damage to your child’s brain to think that it might be best to moderate their exposure to movies and games. Never forget—the great outdoors is always in 3D.
Super mom meals on the go
It’s 5pm—do you know what you’re going to make for dinner? With a few helpful and healthy tips you can turn your worrisome dining experience into a meaningful one.
A few minutes of planning before you go shopping can help save you from a freak-out later. If you can find time on Saturday or Sunday to plan out your meals for the week, I guarantee meal preparations will be smoother. After a day at work there’s nothing worse than making a stop at the store to pick up dinner items.
Secondly, do not be afraid to pull out your secret weapon—
the old reliable crock-pot. By preparing a dish like a roast or stew, the crock-pot can become a fast friend! If you find it easier to prepare meals on the weekend you can always freeze them and pull them out when needed. I also like to make use of lucky leftovers. For example, if you have turkey meatball marinara over pasta one night, the next night have a meatball sub on a wholegrain bun. You can even disguise your leftover roast as barbeque beef sandwiches.
My number one rule as a healthy mom is: do not wait until 5pm to decide what you are having for dinner. Remember when you take a few minutes to plan and prepare, you can pull off a super mom meal any day of the week!
Stars and stripes forever
You don’t have to be the President or First Lady to eat at The Whitehouse Inn; though the owner wouldn’t mind having the opportunity to serve a President one of these days. Located in downtown Whitehouse, The Whitehouse Inn isn’t merely named after the town, it is 100 percent all-American; right down to serving plates decorated with the American flag.
All-American
What began as an outing to try a local eatery in a nearby town turned into an entertainingly patriotic dining experience for my family. When the current owner’s father, Tony Fronk, bought the eatery and renamed it The Whitehouse Inn in 1995, it was a little more bar than restaurant. Over the years, it has evolved into a restaurant with a bar area. The All-American theme includes pictures and memorabilia hanging on every inch of the walls, and the stars and stripes menu, with items such as Pentagon Platters and Oval Office Burgers, all happened rather accidentally, according to Fronk.
Servicemen from the 180th Fighter Wing at the airport would often stop in for a meal and bring photos. Sometimes Secret Service men would bring photos. “Some are autographed. Some are released photos from the Secret Service,” said Fronk. “The ones of Richard Nixon and Lyndon B. Johnson stand out.” Before they knew it, things had snowballed. Mr. Fronk had also purchased items to add to the growing collection and pretty soon the restaurant became ultra-patriotic.
Waiting for a president
Fronk said they’ve tried many times over the years to solicit a President to stop by and grab a bite. “We haven’t served a President yet. We almost got John McCain two years ago,” said Fronk. Though the Presidential motorcade may be a ways off from driving down Waterville St., Fronk said they are fortunate for their phenomenal local support, and expressed gratitude for the many friendships that have been formed over the years. “We are very adamant and fanatics about our food and making it a great dining experience,” said Fronk. You may not be from the White House or even a dignitary, but the longtime, loyal staff of The Whitehouse Inn will treat you just the same.
Presidential portions
Be sure to come with an appetite, because the portions are generous and you won’t go away hungry. Before deciding on the seafood combo (you guessed it-I just couldn’t make up my mind), I found much entertainment perusing the menu. Senator’s salads, The Truman Tower, Lincoln logs, The William Taft, patriot sandwiches, etc. were just some of the catchy names.
The “small” Truman Tower of fresh cut and hand battered crisp onion rings was HUGE and came complete with a flag atop the tower and was served on a flag-themed platter. The presentation was unique, and the rings were tasty. The blackened chicken dinner my husband ordered was very tender and bursting with flavor. For $13.99 his entrée came with dinner rolls, soup or salad, and a side. I tempted my taste buds with their fabulous feta dressing on my salad, and the clam chowder was chock full of clams.
The kids’ menu came on an activity sheet laden with things to keep the kids occupied. For $6, there were eight entrée options (not including junior prime rib for $10.99), and each came with a drink, choice of fries, tater tots or broccoli, and a choice of applesauce, mandarin oranges, or pineapple slices. And if they clean their plate, they receive gummy worms to go. (I am willing to bet even the non-members of the clean plate club get to go home with gummy worms.)
Kids eat for $3 on Mondays and Patrick the Magician entertains with tableside magic from 6-8pm. Prime rib is a house specialty, and on Mondays the 8-10oz. entrée is $10.99. Though the menu is extensive and offers everything from fish, chicken, beef, fish, sandwiches, salads and more, they offer theme nights during the week. Tuesdays are Mexican night, with a $6.99 all you can eat taco and nacho bar. Or all you can eat fish and chips on Wednesday. Maybe Thursday Italian night will wet your whistle. On Sundays, a large brunch buffet is offered for only $8.99. Whether you are a declared Democrat, Republican, or Independent, you’ll feel right at home at The Whitehouse Inn.