Mom.me

Hundreds of people braved triple-digit temperatures to attend a retro anniversary party and fundraiser for one of Sacramento's most unique parks Saturday night.

Fairytale Town's golden anniversary party - the outdoor museum and park opened in 1959 - was an evening of 50s-era merriment complete with all-you-could-eat Crystal ice cream, costume parade, live bands and even an Elvis impersonator.

Children dressed in homemade poodle skirts zoomed between the ice cream stations offering different flavors throughout the park as the Tune-Ups (shown above) entertained the crowd with classic hits like "Route 66" and "Rock Around the Clock."

Amber Lyons has been coming to Fairytale Town for more than 30 years. Now, the Sacramento mom brings her three children to the nonprofit park nestled within William Land Park.

The anniversary party is a fun event the family looks forward to each year.

"It's a wonderful way to support Fairytale Town and keep it going for another 50 years," she said.

Her daughter, Sophia Lyons, 7 (friend Lulu Morris, 7 and Sophia are shown at right) with friend Lulu Morris, 7) enjoys one part of the event best of all.

"The ice cream," she said, dipping her spoon into two scoops of cookies and cream.

Kellie and Galen Hartman and daughters Grace, 4, and Aislynne, 18 months, came from Shingle Springs to attend the party Saturday.

The fundraiser was a first for the Hartmans, who wanted to be part of the celebration and use it as a special way to present Kellie Hartman's sister with her 50th birthday present - a tribute brick that is now part of the Yellow Brick Road leading to Humpty Dumpty gate.

"She's thrilled," Hartman said. "She wants me to take a picture of her and her brick. She's trying to convince her friends to come to Fairytale Town now."

There's still one more chance to celebrate Fairytale Town's 50th anniversary. Entry to the park will be just 50 cents for the first 50 people through the gate today. The promotion was in place every Monday in August.

Do you have a favorite memory of Fairytale Town? Post a comment below and share your story.

It's a bittersweet ending to a gut-wrenching story - Jaycee Lee Dugard, 29, is found alive after being kidnapped near her Meyers home in 1991 when she was just 11 years old.

It's also a story that rocks parents' sense of safety and can make us fearful and guarded against anyone who may look our child's way.

While it's always a good idea to keep careful watch of our children, it's also important to bear in mind the rarity of stranger abductions.

Kidnappings by strangers are among the most highly publicized crimes and tend to deeply shake the national consciousness, but they are among the rarest of crimes against children.

Kidnapping makes up less than 2 percent of all violent crimes against juveniles reported to police, with stranger kidnapping being the most uncommon form of reported kidnappings, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

The department conducted a study in 2002 of non-family abducted children based on national data primarily from 1999.

Researchers found that of the 58,200 children abducted in the legal sense - meaning held against their will for a modest amount of time or moved even a short distance, often in commission of other crimes - an estimated 115 were stereotypical kidnappings. Stereotypical kidnappings were defined as abductions by strangers or slight acquaintances and involving a child transported 50 miles or more, detained overnight, held for ransom or with intent to keep the child permanently, or killed.

Of those children who were stereotypically kidnapped, 57 percent returned alive, 32 percent returned injured, 40 percent were killed and 4 percent never returned, the study reports.

Jaycee Lee Dugard, once thought to have fallen in that tiny percentage of children who never came home, thankfully will be counted among those who return alive.

Her heart-wrenching story, which includes bearing two children with her alleged captor, likely will captivate our attention for days and weeks to come, but hopefully it will also serve as a reminder to put our arms around our children and appreciate their safety.

For information on how to keep your kids safe and talk to them about their safety, check out this tip sheet from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. 25_ways_to_make_kids_safer.pdf

Back to school season is in full swing, and accompanying it is dozens of new products billed as the new must-have school supply.

The Bee's mailboxes have been flooded with gear and goods, but after some serious sifting, there was a pile of cool new items worthy of further scrutiny.

Two items that caught my attention, and speak to a trend perhaps, were memory sticks so cool parents may want to snag one for themselves.

Omnitech's Color Changing USB Flash Drive is lauded by Staples as one of the Top 10 back to school products this year. The drive changes color through heat transfer, so as its plugged into a USB port, the color changes from blue to purple or red to orange. The drive has a 2GB storage capacity and retails for $9.99.

Jazwares also has launched a memory stick that plays on your sweet tooth. Hershey's Miniatures Memory Sticks and Sweet Assortments look like a miniature Hershey Milk Chocolate, Mr. Goodbar or Krackel candy bars.

The design is so realistic that I actually thought the company had sent a little candy bar. It wasn't until I went to open the packaging and turned the "candy bar" over that I realized it was a memory stick and had raid an editor's candy drawer for my chocolate fix.

The memory sticks, which also are available in Twizzlers and Bubble Yum designs and a variety of gigabyte capacities, retail from $14.99 to $29.99.

I enlisted the help of a class of middle schoolers at a summer journalism workshop at California State University, Sacramento to help me review an assortment of other new products.

Click on the link below to read what they had to say about Mead's and Crayola's new offerings for the 2009 back to school season.

A chef on a mission to transform school lunches nationwide will be part of a live online chat via Facebook Friday.

Ann Cooper, also known as "The Renegade Lunch Lady," is spearheading the effort to make childrens' lunches healthier and has launched a free Web site aimed at helping schools replace frozen processed food with fresh, homemade, cost-effective alternatives, according to a news release from Whole Foods, which has teamed with Cooper.

The live video chat will be held through Facebook at 1 p.m. Friday. Click here to get the link to the chat. Anyone can view the chat, but questions can only be submitted by people with Facebook profiles or through Twitter. To submit questions via Twitter, send a direct message to @spinnio or @wholefoods with the hashtag #chefann.

For more information about the school lunch revolution or for healthy lunch recipes, go to Whole Foods' Web site or Cooper's Lunch Box Web site.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. It also may be worth $50 and local fame.

La Petite Maison, a home and garden store in Jamestown, is holding a baby photo contest through late September to help launch its Trumpette "store within a store."

The store has been working with Sacramento-based company Trumpette, maker of the original Maryjane baby socks and other cute children's apparel and items, to design a room in the Victorian to resemble Trumpette's retail location at the Pavilions.

"They have baby photos within their displays, so we are following that same line of decor," said Karen Luckhardt, La Petite Maison's owner.

The baby photo contest was born out of Luckhardt's desire to use local babies to decorate the walls.

Twelve winners will be picked from the entries received. Winning photos will be enlarged to 19-by-19 inches and hung in the Trumpette room quarterly and used in a calendar the store is publishing. Winners also will receive a $25 gift certificate to the store. The grand prize winner will get a $50 gift certificate and that baby's photo will grace the calendar's cover, Luckhardt said.

"I think everyone that has entered so far is darling," she said.

The contest is open to children 3 years old and younger. To enter, send a photo - black and white is preferred - to La Petite Maison, 18190 Main St., Jamestown, CA 95327.

Be sure to include the child's name, parent's name and a phone number where the family can be reached. Deadline for submissions is Sept. 21.

For more information about the store, check out La Petite Maison's Web site.

A sculpture created by a French artist to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children Northern California will be unveiled at a reception tonight in Sacramento.

Jean-Pierre Rives, an acclaimed sculptor and former rugby player, created and named the double-loop sculpture "Jasper's Gift" in honor of his 5-year-old son Jasper Rives, who suffered a serious scald burn as an infant, said Catherine Curran, the hospital's director of community relations.

Jasper was not treated at Shriners, but Rives was touched by the hospital's work in helping children who have suffered burns, she said.

The Stockton Boulevard hospital, which treats hundreds of children each year for acute burns at no cost to families, is the state's busiest pediatric burn center.

The sculpture will later be permanently installed in the community. The person or business that donates the highest amount over $10,000 to the hospital for Jasper's Gift will get to choose the sculpture's final location, she said.

"It's the idea that we are building a caring community," Curran said.

Individuals and businesses contributing $1,000 or more will be permanently honored at the base of the sculpture.

Rives also is a retired rugby union player and is regarded as France's most famous rugby captain.

Rives and his son are planning to attend tonight's reception from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the hospital.

Tickets are still available by calling Alan Anderson at (916) 453-2008 or click here to e-mail him. The suggested donation is $100.

For more information about Shriners, visit the hospital's Web site.

There's a few recipes in my collection that are easy, no-fail and absolutely delicious. Here is my favorite.

These green enchiladas have become somewhat legendary. They also come with a warning: you may want to make double the amount you think you need because people often go looking for second helpings.

These delicious enchiladas get their smooth, creamy texture from warmed milk used to soften the flour tortillas.

Click on the "keep reading" link below to get the recipe.

Many parents know the desire to give their children the best birthday possible.

We are willing to go to great lengths to make sure our little ones get the toy they've been longing for, the special paper plates festooned with a beloved cartoon character, a cake that will excite their tastebuds and imagination.

While gathering the ingredients for the perfect, low-key birthday party for my son, who turned 3 years old Saturday, I stumbled upon a clever birthday accoutrement at The Mixed Bag in midtown that instantly became the hit of the party. Meet Wishosaurus.

Wishosaurus is a plastic purple dinosaur that holds up to 10 candles. He's made of food-safe, play-safe plastic and comes complete with candles and a little pedestal to place on the birthday cake, according to Fred, the Rhode Island-based company that makes the Wishosaurus and other novel gadgets and tchotchkes.

I'm used to my cakes, which are made from scratch and usually the product of weeks of planning (yes, I'm a bit nutty when it comes to baking - ask my colleagues), eliciting "oohs" and "wows." Wishosaurus stole the limelight with his prehistoric party animal prowess. It was awesome. The best part is we can use Wishosaurus each birthday, adding more memories as the years pass.

Wishosaurus is for sale at The Mixed Bag at 2405 K Street or online through Amazon. For more information about Fred products, go the company's Web site.

If you're interested in a good recipe for strawberry buttercream, here's one that I created and used this past weekend. The combination of strawberries and jam lend an amazing flavor and smooth texture to the traditional vanilla buttercream. Enjoy.

Niesha's Strawberry Buttercream

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: None
Serves: Yields enough frosting for a three layer 9-inch birthday cake or 24 cupcakes
Notes: This frosting is best atop a traditional white cake. I used Martha Stewart's recipe, and filled the middle of the cake layers with organic strawberry jam and organic strawberries sliced flat.

Ingredients
8 organic strawberries, leafs removed
2 tablespoons best-quality organic strawberry jam
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions
In a food processor, blend strawberries just until smooth. Add the jam and give a quick blitz to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add four cups of powdered sugar and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes, until it's light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat to incorporate. Add the reserved strawberry mixture (should amount to about 1/2 cup) and beat until combined. Gradually add in the remaining powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. You may not need all the powdered sugar. Once you get the frosting to the consistency you like, beat for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed. The buttercream can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about two days. Refrigerating will make the frosting harden.

Have you ever received an e-mail that gives you goosebumps? I did recently and I thought I'd pass along the good news.

In May, I wrote a story about raising musically gifted children - how to encourage practicing and bolster musical success.

The story also highlighted the musical talent and dedication of several young musicians, including Zach Giberson, a Rio Americano High School student (shown at left in a Bee photo by Randall Benton). Zach spent five weeks this summer at a jazz program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Zach, who plays the guitar and saxophone, also was one of six Rio musicians honored this spring by leading jazz publication Down Beat magazine in its 32nd annual Student Music Awards.

Zach's father, Kirk Giberson, sent me an e-mail Aug. 14 that bore the following news:

"I wanted to let you know that Zach will return today from the five-week program at the Berklee College of Music to which he won a scholarship.  It was an amazing program for someone immersed in music, and he had a wonderful time.  Of note, on Wednesday night of this week, at an end-of-program "Blowout Concert" attended by thousands, Zach was awarded admission and a full tuition scholarship to attend college at Berklee in the Fall of 2010.  About 10 of the 900 participants received this scholarship.  As you might expect, Zach is thrilled, and I am still pretty numb with excitement.  I can't help but think that what he gained from events this Spring - including your story - helped him perform at the program with a confidence and freedom that helped lead to his scholarship."

I should have had Zach autograph the steno pad I used to take notes when I interviewed him - it might have helped fund my childrens' college tuition.

Speaking of encouraging musical talent, if you're interested in exposing your children to music and letting them play with musical instruments, check out the Children's Music Festival Saturday in Folsom.

The Children's Music Festival will be hosted at the Folsom Aquatic Center and will feature live music, crafts, food and an opportunity for children to try out musical instruments.

Singing workshops also will be available for 1st- through 6th-grade children through the Northern California Children's Chorus, an event news release states.

Entertainers include Tim Williams, a Roseville musician known as "The Piano Man" and Gary Bowman, a zookeeper, teacher and musician whose latest album is titled "Song of the Oceans."

Mary Youngblood, a Native American flute player and Grammy Award winner, also may perform at the festival.

The event is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the aquatic center, 1200 Riley St., Folsom.

Cost is $6 per person, which includes a free same-day admission to the swim park beginning at 1 p.m.

The event also is sponsored by American River Montessori, Northridge Music Center and Newtone Design & Printing.

For more information, call the aquatic center at (916) 355-8319.

It's bargain week in Sacramento.

From diamond rings and dental chairs to cribs and clothes, there are two sales to sure to excite savvy shoppers in the region.

In the market for a BlackBerry, Bianchi racing bike or antique piano? Head over Friday or Saturday to 1700 National Drive in Natomas, where the state is holdings its Great California Garage Sale.

Hundreds of deals, including cars, are up for grabs thanks to the closet cleaning. There's also a good amount of odd items for sale that are filling the huge surplus warehouse, said Erin Shaw, assistant secretary for communications for the State and Consumer Services Agency.

Diamond rings, a surfboard, an Xbox, several dental chairs and a fishing boat (shown at left) are among the unconventional property the state has for sale.

"We have a number of odds and ends for sale that you wouldn't think the state would own, but we have reached out to each state department and agency and have uncovered a lot of really interesting items, some of which have been confiscated by the California Highway Patrol," she said.

For information about the state garage sale, which also includes a car auction, go to the Great California Garage Sale's Web site.

Looking for a deal on baby gear, children's toys or maternity clothes?

The Just Between Friends consignment sale begins Friday at the Sacramento Convention Center, with a presale for new parents, consignors, teachers and child care providers Thursday.

The sale offers a vast array of gently used baby and childrens furniture, clothes, toys, books and games at bargain prices.

Consignors get 65 percent of the profit, with volunteers who donate time at the sale earning an extra 5 percent. Items not sold are either donated to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' Mother-Baby Program or given back to the consignor if they volunteer to work the sale.

The sale already has thousands of items logged in the electronic tagging system, but it's not too late to sign up as a consignor, said Shannon Carter, franchise owner for the Just Between Friends Sacramento and Roseville sales.

The first drop-off is Wednesday, but there's another drop-off from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

"We have some moms who just wait until the last minute," Carter said.

To learn more about consigning or shopping at the sale, go to the Just Between Friends Sacramento Web site.

For more information about different ways to consign kids' items, check out my story from earlier this spring.

If you're not willing to brave the masses, the heat, or fork over the roughly $45 it costs to take a family of four to the California State Fair opening weekend, here's an idea - wait until Tuesday.

I don't have any guarantees about the weather (the National Weather Service forecasts a high of 94 degrees Tuesday) or how many thousands of people will show up, but what is certain is that kids get in free.

Every Tuesday is Kids Day and children 12 years old and younger get in free all day. What's more, carnival rides are just $1 for everyone.

For more information about the fair, which opens today, check out this story on sacbee.com or look inside today's Our Region section.

Speaking of the fair, there's an exhibit this year that is sure to please the sweet tooth in the family.

Stage Nine Entertainment Group Inc. is debuting an exhibit dedicated to sweet treats. "It's a Candy Nation" is the fifth exhibit by the Old Sacramento store and pays homage to the history of candymaking, nostalgia of candy and candy trends, said Heather Atherton, a Stage Nine spokeswomen.

The exhibit, which includes a 20-foot rock candy mountain, showcases many Northern California based candy companies, including Jelly Belly and See's Candies.

Artifacts on display include a Jelly Belly custom built Arlen Ness motorcycle with bean-shaped side car. Vintage PEZ display and items from the movie "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

There's also an "I Love Lucy" candy conveyor belt with a Lucille Ball impersonator acting out the classic TV scene, she said.

Jelly Belly also is giving away a packet of "Fair Flavors" to people who visit the Candy Nation exhibit. Flavors include cotton candy, caramel apple, buttered popcorn and watermelon. Free admission for your kids on Tuesday and free candy? Now that's a sweet deal.

The exhibit is located in Expo Center building four. Click here to get a map of the California State Fair.

Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center has been designated a Baby-Friendly birth facility.

The hospital, where about 225 babies are born each month, recently received the designation for its efforts to promote breastfeeding among mothers who deliver there. Sutter Davis Hospital and The Birth Center in Fair Oaks also are Baby-Friendly hospitals.

Kaiser South Sacramento is one of only 83 hospitals in the country to receive the prestigious title, which is part of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, a program of the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

Kaiser South Sacramento had the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate, 70.9 percent, of any hospital in the county in 2007, according to state Department of Public Health data compiled by the WIC Association and UC Davis Human Lactation Center. The data is the most recent available.

Hospitals support moms who want to feed their babies formula, but traditionally, there has been little support for moms who are following the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations to feed babies breastmilk the first year of life, said Barb Hanson, assistant manager of health educationin charge of the hospital's lactation services.

"At South Sac, we put all the policies and procedures in place so mom can be fully supported in her decision to breastfeed," she said.

That includes immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby. (shown at left: Eileen Lee, of Elk Grove, is shown spending skin-to-skin time with her daughter, Eliana Lee, who she delivered at Kaiser South Sacramento in November 2007.)

"That's what babies are really wired to do - breastfeed within that first hour of life," said Hanson, who also is a registered nurse and board certified lactation consultant. "When you're removing a baby and doing a procedure on them or passing them around the room, it really interrupts mom and baby's ability to begin that process."

Mothers who have a caesarean section can have skin-to-skin contact within 30 minutes of their baby's birth.

"For moms who weren't able to have a vaginal birth, it can already feel like a loss for them not to have birthed the way they anticipated," she said. "Breastfeeding is one of the more normalizing things that can happen."

The hospital also encourages mothers to "room in" with their babies - meaning the babies aren't whisked away to nurseries - thereby increasing the opportunities for breastfeeding.

Kaiser South Sacramento also is careful about supplementing breast milk with formula.

"Believing that just breast milk is enough for most healthy babies is also a policy of ours," Hanson said.

The hospital has lactation consultants on staff and a lactation center for moms, which offers a free walk-in clinic six days a week and a breastfeeding support center where moms can purchase breastfeeding equipment.

"It's so reassuring for our moms to have that support," Hanson said.

The Baby Friendly designation means a lot to the hospital's staff, which worked hard to complete a 10-step process including policy changes and staff training. The training was made possible through First 5 Sacramento Commission grant.

"It really sets us apart in the community and demonstrates our commitment to support moms who are choosing to breastfeed," she said.

Hanson also had advice for mothers either thinking about breastfeeding or trying to breastfeed their babies.

"I would encourage them to take a class and spend time with a friend who was successful with breastfeeding," she said. "Woman to woman support is the No. 1 thing moms say helped them be successful."

If more help is needed, look for an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) or contact a local La Leche League.

Fathers can also help mothers succeed with breastfeeding - all it takes is a little encouragement. Provide positive messages about breastfeeding and let the mother know that she is supported.

Taking care of the mother is key to the family's health.

 "Studies have shown that it's important to mother the mother," Hanson said. "When we take care of our moms, they are better mothers."

For more information about Kaiser South Sacramento's maternity services, go the hospital's Web site.

Did you choose to breastfeed your child? Were there enough lactation resources at the hospital where you delivered? Post a comment here.

Looking for a breastfeeding guidebook? I just received a copy of "Great Expectations: The Essential Guide to Breastfeeding" (Sterling, $14.95, 312 pages) by Dr. Marianne Neifert, a.k.a. Dr. Mom. The new book offers tips on pumping, storing and feeding expressed milk, strategies for working moms, guidelines on weaning and other advice. The book is free to a local mom who wants to read it and write a little review, which may be published on this blog. E-mail me if you are interested. First come, first served.

Thinking of taking your child to the salon for a back-to-school haircut but need help figuring out what's cool this season?

Look no further.

Pam Knight, executive director of education at Frederico Beauty Institute in North Natomas,  dished on children's haircut trends.

Turns out the "Faux Hawk" is the all the rage with the elementary school set this year.

"Basically, it's like a traditional boy's haircut on the sides and back but the top is left a little longer," she said.

A little gel in the top layer lends a Mohawk-type appearance, while pushing the top layer over to the side yields a more traditional appearance.

"It's kind of a versatile cut," she said.

Young girls are heading more toward simple trims and bangs, while middle and high school age girls are leaning to layers and swoop bangs to modernize their looks.

High schoolers also are increasingly going for the disconnect look, which involves shorter and longer pieces included in the hair sculpture, Knight said.

Knight also offered tips on how to stretch the family budget when it comes to hair care.

The institute is offering a money-saving deal this back-to-school season: $5 haircuts this month for children up to 12 years old. What's more, children under 5 years old can get a haircut for the same price as their age. The services are performed by students supervised by certified instructors. Haircuts are by appointment, but walk-in services also are available.

For moms who get their hair colored, stretching the length of time between sessions can save serious cash. Getting your hair colored every six weeks at $150 a session can amount to $1,350 a year. Go every eight weeks and the total drops to $1,050 a year, saving you $300. That can buy 15 packs of diapers!

"The best thing they can do is buy the color shampoos to enhance the color they have on their hair," she said. "It will kind of buy you more time."

Another option is demi-permanent hair color.

"It colors, but it gradually fades out and doesn't give you that definite (grow-out) line," Knight said.

A drawback, however, is that it is a deposit-only color and won't highlight hair, she said.

For more information on the back-to-school special or the institute's sale on beauty products, go to Frederico's Web site.

Dinner inspiration comes in many forms.

This weekend, it came from a classic piece of cookware.

I have been pining for a Le Creuset Dutch oven for years, but the high price point of the revered cookware and the fact that I own a perfectly suitable stockpot kept getting in the way.

That changed this weekend. After seeing "Julie & Julia," (the movie is lovely, the book, not so much), I wanted a Dutch oven even more. Then I came up with an idea born from frugality - why not check Craigslist for the enameled cast iron cookware?

A quick check of the site yielded the result I was hoping for - a nice Rio Linda couple moving out of the country were selling their 9-quart Le Creuset for a fraction of what it would cost new. I remember pumping my fists in excitement when I found the posting. What a dork.

I piled my kids in the car and headed off to the northern reaches of the county. The pot rode shotgun on the way home. It was all I could do not to buckle the seatbelt around it.

Driving home, I ran through recipes in my head. Beouf Bourguignon? Nah, too fancy for the folks I was cooking for the next day. Jambalaya? Been there, done that. Some type of chowder? Perfect.

I found the recipe I was looking for in Williams-Sonoma's "Essentials of Slow Cooking", a veritable treasure trove of recipes for slow cookers and Dutch ovens.

The next day, I awoke with the same kind of glee befitting of a 5-year-old on Christmas morning. I shopped for ingredients and then set to preparing the New England halibut stew. The smell of sizzling bacon and vegetables filled the house.

The stew turned out beautifully - the fish and vegetables were remarkably tender, and the flavor of the broth - just clam juice, vegetable broth, white wine and a little heavy cream - was complimented perfectly by the hint of fresh thyme.

It was a hit with our friends and family. There wasn't much talking during the simple meal of stew, fresh bread and cold beer.

"This is awesome," my husband said, scraping the last remnants from the bottom of his bowl.

He looked at me as if he knew what I was about to say.

"You're probably going to tell me that it's because of the pot," he said.

Indeed.

Click on the link below to go to the recipe.

The phrase "gluten-free" and the word "pleasant" don't often mix in my vocabulary.

On second thought, neither does "boxed brownie mix" and "good." Yet surprisingly, those adjectives were appropriate for Betty Crocker's new Gluten Free Brownie Mix.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit of a brownie snob (well, a bit of a from-scratch baking snob really). But I also am fortunate that I don't have to avoid gluten for dietary reasons.

Apparently, the number of people diagnosed with Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can affect absorption of nutrients from food and lead to small intestine damage, is on the rise.

It currently affects one out of every 133 people, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation.

Betty Crocker recently launched a line of gluten free products and sent The Bee a box of its Gluten Free Brownie Mix to sample.

I whipped up the brownies Tuesday morning. It was as simple to make as other boxed mixes: add eggs, butter, dry mix and stir.

The stiffness of the batter left me skeptical, but the result was a chewy, moist batch of brownies.

The texture was a tiny bit grainy, but the fudginess of the brownie compensated for it nicely. The brownies also had a nice buttery finish.

Fellow hungry Bee staffers seemed to enjoy the brownies for the most part. While one person said they could have stood "more chocolate" and another didn't care for the "grittiness" of the rice flour, others had positive praise.

"I'd have been unable to tell that these were gluten-free," Jim Downing, a business reporter, wrote me in an e-mail. "I'd rate them above average (but I tend to like any brownie that's fairly chewy)."

The brownie mix is available in many stores and sells for about $4.49. Also available are gluten free yellow cake mix, Devil's Food cake mix and chocolate chip cookie mix, according to a Betty Crocker news release.

The line is made in a gluten free processing facility.

Speaking of gluten free, I recently received a new cookbook that I'd like to give away to someone who adheres to a gluten-free diet for dietary or other purposes. "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook," (Celestial Arts, $16.99, 136) offers dozens of breakfast, entree and dessert recipes. If you are local and would like to test out some of the recipes and write up a little review for this blog, the cookbook is yours to keep. Please e-mail me with your name, city of residence, number of people in your family and why you have chosen a gluten-free diet.

Have you discovered a great gluten-free product or recipe? Post your comments and share your findings here.

Are you interested in losing weight gained during pregnancy, raising a child with an adventurous palate or child-rearing the natural way? I may have just the book for you.

The books are starting to pile up again dear readers, and I need your help with reviewing them.

I have a sizable stack of parenting, children's and crafting books up for grabs. Please e-mail me if you're local and interested in reviewing them. Be sure to include your name, city of residence and childrens' ages.

Here are the parenting titles:

"Super Fit Mama: Stay Fit During Pregnancy and Get Your Body Back after Baby" (Lifelong Books, $17.95, 321 pages). Workouts for moms looking to get in shape and back to pre-baby weight, expert advice, meal plans and recipes from fitness expert Tracey Mallett.

"My Two-year-old Eats Octopus: Raising Children Who Love to Eat Everything" (Bull Publishing Company, $16.95, 328 pages). Author Nancy Tringali Piho gives nutrition advice through experience and couples it with research from chefs and food and health professionals.

"Happy Baby: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months" (Harper, $16.99, 397 pages). Dr. Robert W. Sears and Amy Marlow offer parents a how-to guidebook on child-rearing that's more ecologically friendly for both the baby and the environment. Includes tips for mom on what to eat while nursing, making nurseries more "green," and helping children develop healthier eating habits.

Books from the crafting front:

"Wrapagami" (St. Martin's Griffin, $19.99, 128 pages). You never have to give a dull-looking gift again. Author Jennifer Playford shows how a piece of fabric can turn a gift into a treasure to behold.

"Crafternoon: A Guide to Getting Artsy and Crafty with Your Friends All Year Long" (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, $16,95, 226 pages). A how-to book on creating and hosting casual gatherings that celebrate the art of crafting.

Children's books available for review:

"First Day of School" (HarperFestival, $6.99). Mercer Mayer writes about Little Critter getting ready for the first day. This book would be great to help someone with a child heading to kindergarten in coming days or weeks.

"Build Your Own Paper Robots" (St. Martin's Griffin, $18.95, 96). This craft book comes complete with a CD so kids can download, color, print and build robots. Note: The robot models look pretty complicated, so this is likely not something for a child under 10 years old.

California Highway Patrol car antennas are bedecked in purple ribbons this month in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving children unattended in hot cars.

August has been designated "Purple Ribbon Month" by 4 R Kids Sake, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing childhood death in and around vehicles.

Sizzling summer days can quickly escalate the temperature inside a vehicle, creating a deadly environment for a child, the CHP reports in a news release.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, hyperthermia - also known as heat stroke - was the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths in children in 2007. The administration also found that about 27 kids in the U.S. die due to hyperthermia or excessive heat while in a car each year, the release states.

Leaving a child alone in a vehicle is illegal in California and an infraction punishable by a fine of $100.

Anyone who sees a child unattended in a car is asked to call 911 immediately, the CHP reports.

For more information about symptoms of heat stroke in children or the state law about leaving kids unattended in cars, click here to check out a recent story on this blog.

Do your children's tantrums leave you begging for mercy?

Have no fear - Supernanny Jo Frost may soon be here to help.

The casting team of ABC's popular parenting show "Supernanny" will be interviewing families from 12 to 5 p.m. Aug. 23 in Roseville.

The casting call is being held at Pump It Up, an indoor inflatable party destination located at 10556 Industrial Ave., Suite 100, Roseville.

Children can jump, slide and bounce for free during the casting call while parents meet with the casting producers, Ann Giammona, Pump It Up's owner, wrote in an e-mail.

The Supernanny team is looking for at least five families to finish up the show's fifth season.

The show is looking for families of all types who need help from Supernanny Frost, who is a "behavioral expert," said Tiffany Dejillo, a Supernanny casting producer.

"Many times, it's not just the children who need the help - it's the parents," she said in a phone interview from her Los Angeles office. "It's the family dynamic in general. We examine the family and address the issues in order to bring them to a more peaceful place."

The shoot dates have not yet been determined, but could be as early as late September. The show is typically shot over 10 to 14 days at the participating family's home, Dejillo said.

That doesn't mean the camera crew and Frost spend the entire time there, however.

The show's format - which includes initial time with the family, working with parents and following up - lends itself well to allowing for private family time, Dejillo said.

"Are they in the kitchen for 24 hours a day? No," she said.

The Johnson family of Yuba City were Wiggles fans before, but that affection grew even more after the preschool rock band's latest CD helped entertain the family of five as they traveled during their summer vacation.

Ryan Johnson nabbed the free Wiggles CD I had offered on this blog recently and tested it out along with his wife and three children, ages 9, 3 and 5 months.

The CD, "The Wiggles Go Bananas" (Koch Records, $11.98) is the newest released by the Australian group. The songs revolve around an animal theme and include the song "Monkey Man," featuring Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue.

Here's Ryan Johnson's review:

When we received the new Wiggles CD in the mail, it was all my 3-year-old son could talk about. When I popped it in the CD player for him to listen to, he was laughing and singing along with the first song, "Monkey Man." Then he lost interest and went to go play in his room.

I thought at first that he didn't enjoy the new CD as much as (the Wiggles) older releases. Boy was I wrong! The next week, my family and I went on vacation. Something every family looks forward to - four hours in the car with a 9-year-old girl, a 3-year-old boy and a 5-month old boy. My wife, at the last minute, grabbed the new Wiggles CD to take in the car. More than eight hours later round trip, we can all sing along to the new Wiggles CD - well, maybe not our 5-month-old.

Once my son was not distracted by his other toys, the CD quickly became his new favorite. He enjoys singing along with it so much we had to buy the DVD with all the music videos. His favorite songs on the CD are "The Chicken Walk," "Cock-a-doodle-doo," and "I'm a Scary Tiger."

I would recommend this CD and the DVD to any family who has a child that likes the Wiggles. The music is what you expect out of the Wiggles and all the characters are on the CD.

Have you found entertaining ways to amuse your family while on long car rides? Share your tips and tricks here.

Put down the energy drinks and pick up a bottle of water, medical experts are urging teens.

Energy drinks - which essentially are water, sugar, caffeine and amino acids - are increasingly being marketed to teenagers, a dangerous thing in the summer considering the drinks are dehydrating, said Elaine Reynolds, community outreach specialist for Mercy Hospital of Folsom.

"Caffeine has a mild diuretic, so the kids are losing more water than they're taking in," she said.

Caffeine intake in children can cause stomach irritation and upset, jitteriness and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

"One of the disheartening things is that they also have a stimulant effect, which over time, the body requires more and more to get the same effect," Reynolds said.

Mercy staff grew increasingly concerned about children using energy drinks after noticing an upswing in the number of teens coming into the emergency room with kidney stones. One of the ways to prevent kidney stones is good amounts of hydrating fluids.

"The theory is that with adequate fluids, we'd see less of this," she said.

The amount of water children need varies depending on their age and size, but typically small children need four to five cups a day, while adolescents require about nine to 12 cups per day.

Power drinks, which typically contain water, sugar and electrolytes, have half the amount of sugar as soda and are OK if a child is exercising for more than an hour. But there's a cheaper, and more nutritious, alternative.

"Water or juicy fruits are really what's recommended to replace water and electrolytes," Reynolds said.

Sometimes magic can happen when the cupboards and fridge yield odds and ends.

Inspiration occurred during breakfast, as I went to pour a bowl of Special K with Red Berries. All that was left was about a cup of the crumbled remnants of flakes, and no strawberries. Not ideal for breakfast, but perfect for dinner.

I used the cereal as a breading for chicken breasts that soaked in low-fat buttermilk for a few hours. The results were crispy, slightly sweet chicken strips that were sinfully delicious. And a great use of the bottom of the cereal box.

Chicken strip surprise

Prep time: 4 hours inactive, 10 minutes active
Cook time: 10 to 12 minutes
Serves: 4
Notes: While this recipe calls for Special K, any kind of flake cereal is fine, including Frosted Flakes or Corn Flakes.

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into strips
1 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups Special K cereal
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil

Instructions
Place chicken and buttermilk in a large zip-top bag and seal. Shake around and refrigerate for about four hours.

Crumble the cereal into small shards either in the cereal bag or in a zip-top bag. Place cereal in a medium bowl. Coat the chicken in the cereal, pressing the cereal into the chicken so it adheres.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, place chicken in skillet and cook for about four to five minutes per side, until the chicken is cooked through and no pink is showing. Let cool slightly and serve alongside honey mustard or ketchup if desired.

Need some summer reading? Looking for a parenting book? I may be able to help.

I need local parents, guardians or grandparents to take some parenting-type books for a spin and let me know what they think.

Here is a list of books currently piled on my desk:

"How Not to Act Old: 185 Ways to Pass for Phat, Sick, Hot, Dope, Awesome, or at Least Not Totally Lame" (Harper, $14.99, 171 pages) - The book, by Pamela Remond Satran, is a humerous guidebook for how not to act ancient.

"You're Teaching My Child What?: A Physician Exposes the Lies of Sex Education and How They Harm Your Child" (Regnery Publishing Inc., $24.95, 246 pages) - Dr. Miriam Grossman writes about the nation's sex ed programs and facts about sex kids aren't taught in schools.

"The Curse of the Good Girl: Raising Authentic Girls with Courage and Confidence" (The Penguin Press, $25.95, 278 pages) - Author Rachel Simmons offers strategies on topics such as sexting, emotional intelligence and criticism.

"A Parent's Guide to the Middle School Years" (Celestial Arts, $14.95, 170 pages) - Author Joe Bruzzese gives parents advice on everything from cyberbullying to depression.

"How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents" (Fireside, $15, 295 pages) - The book is based on nearly 20 years of research at The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and is written by Joseph A. Califano, Jr., the center's founder.

If you're interested in reading one of the books and writing a short review, send me an e-mail with your name, city of residence, children's ages and which book you're interested in reading. First come, first served.

Your review may be included in a post on this blog.

The school year is fast approaching and for some young children, fears may be increasing as well.

First 5 Yolo recently released some tips for parents on how to make the first day of school less daunting for young students.

Here's what their experts recommend:

Get ready - Research shows that kids who eat a healthy breakfast do better in school and tend to be more focused and physically active, the release states. A good night's sleep also is important, so stick to consistent bedtimes.

Ensure that immunizations are up-to-date and that your child has had a dental exam. Tell teachers and administrators about any allergies, chronic medical conditions or special needs.

Get set - Explain what their schedule might include, where they'll be going, school activities and how long they'll be at school each day. Talk about what it's like to ride the bus, if applicable. Ask your child questions to help uncover fears and don't be dismissive of fears they may have. Listen and try to anticipate what they're thinking.

Play school at home and have your child take turns playing student and teacher. Play games that require sharing and speaking in front of a group. Read books about starting school and have them participate in activities such as painting and drawing, which require sitting for short periods of time.

Go - Take your child to the school ahead of time and meet their teacher. Have your child help choose school clothes and supplies. Glue a picture of your family inside their lunch box, or include little notes for them to read. Anxiety over going to school often is a result of fear regarding strangers, the release states.

For more information, go to First 5 Yolo's Web site.

It's that wonderful time of year when the warmth of summer beckons and outdoor family time is a must.

I'm taking a week's vacation starting Aug. 8, spending time first in Lake Tahoe, then on to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco where we'll take our little ones to explore the Steinhart Aquarium and other exhibits.

There will be fewer posts here on the blog this week - just one a day most days - but topics will include things like how to ease a young child's fear of starting school and why teenagers and energy drinks don't mix.

See you August 17.

Looking for a new way to encourage your child to eat fruits and vegetables? Try a story.

Save Mart and Lucky supermarkets are holding story-telling sessions at 10 a.m. every Saturday this month at Northern California and Nevada stores as a way to help kids try fruits and vegetables.

The SuperProduce Story Time sessions, which launched last month, are held in the markets' produce department and include a message about healthy eating and a sample of a healthy snack, such as watermelon, broccoli or baby carrots, a Save Mart news release states.

Save Mart Supermarkets, headquartered in Modesto, operates more than 240 stores in Northern California and Northern Nevada.

For more resources and tips on children's nutrition and healthy eating, go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Web site.

Break out the milk and celebrate.

Pillsbury has launched a new line of cookies, "simply..." that are aimed at moms who want the convenience of refrigerated cookie dough without preservatives, trans fat and high fructose corn syrup.

The cookies, which are available in stores now and retail for $3.49, come in peanut butter and chocolate chip flavors and contain the same ingredients used to make cookies from scratch.

Pillsbury sent The Bee both flavors to try out.

The chocolate chip cookies had a generous amount of chips and the dough was flavored with just the right amount of vanilla. I'm a bit of a cookie puritan, so I wish unsalted butter would have been used instead of shortening. That said, these cookies, by far, beat other refrigerated cookie doughs in both flavor and texture.

I tested the peanut butter cookies out on a willing class of middle schoolers at an academic summer program at Sacramento State last week.

The response was pretty positive - and not just because it was the middle of the afternoon and they were looking for a snack.

Praise included that the cookies were "better than store-bought" and "smoother and softer" than other refrigerated doughs.

Michael Wong, 14, said the cookies were "pretty good but I like my mom's better."

Sierra Savage, 14, loved the cookies.

"These are soft, moist and just delicious," she said.

For more information about the new Pillsbury line, go to the company's Web site.

It's Breastfeeding Awareness Month in California and there are several nursing awareness events planned in the Sacramento region.

Thousands of mother and babies are expected to participate in the Third Annual Breastfeeding Walk statewide Aug. 13, including one at the state Capitol and in Yolo County. (Left: About 100 people participated in the walk in 2007. Photo by The Bee's Ann Chadwick Williams).

The walk at the Capitol will be held from noon to 1 p.m on the south lawn. Four companies will honored with statewide Mother Baby Friendly Workplace Awards and six local employers also will receive awards from the Breastfeeding Coalition of Greater Sacramento.

In Yolo County, mothers, babies and healthcare providers will walk at 10 a.m. Aug. 13 near the county's health department, located on North Cottonwood Street in Woodland.

The walks are meant to highlight the need for breastfeeding mothers to have support at home, in the community and at work, a Yolo County news release states.

California law stipulates that mothers can breastfeed children in any location, public or private, and that every employer, including the state, is required to provide a reasonable amount of break time to accommodate employees needing to express breast milk for their infant.

For more on California law and breastfeeding, go to the California Department of Public Health's Web site.

For more about breastfeeding walk events and breastfeeding resources, go to the California Breastfeeding Coalition's Web site.

Looking for a simple dinner solution that your kids will actually eat? Try this spin on grilled ham and cheese.

This recipe is adapted from one I saw on Emeril Lagasse's cooking show years ago and has been a favorite ever since. It's not much more difficult than assembling a grilled cheese, but tastes incredibly more sophisticated, while still appealing to pint-size palates.

The addition of ham adds a boost of protein, but it's just as delicious without it.

Grilled ham and cheese

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6
Notes: This variation on a classic gets an infusion of flavor from the tangy marriage of mustard and honey spread on the bread before grilling. If you can't find the specified cheeses, just substitute others your family would enjoy.

Ingredients

1 fresh sourdough loaf, cut into 12 slices
12 slices cheddar cheese
6 slices Muenster cheese
6 slices Jarlsberg cheese
12 to 18 slices deli ham
6 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablesoons honey
4 tablespoons butter
Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

Separate the bread into pairs with sides to be filled facing up. Spread about 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard on one piece of bread per pair. Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon of honey over the mustard. Layer one slice each of cheddar, Muenster and Jarlsberg onto the mustard-adorned bread. Follow with two to three slices of ham. Top with one slice of cheddar. Repeat for each bread pair. Once assembled, spread the outward-facing bread with butter.

Spray a grill pan or griddle with nonstick spray and turn heat to medium-high. Place sandwiches in pan and grill for about 4 minutes per side, or until the cheese begins to melt. Because the sandwiches will be a bit tall, you may want to place a heavier skillet  atop the sandwiches as they cook, or just press down with a spatula (you may also have to cook the sandwiches in batches).

Remove from pan, let rest for about a minute and then slice.

For another delicious summer sandwich idea, check out this story by my colleague, Allen Pierleoni, in today's Food & Wine section.

Give denim, get a discount.

Arden Fair is holding a denim drive to benefit WEAVE thrift stores, which help fund the Sacramento nonprofit's programs for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

To participate, bring gently worn or new denim to the mall's guest services desk - in front of JC Penney - through Aug. 13. Donators will receive special offers from mall retailers.

Arden Fair also is holding a women's night out event to benefit WEAVE from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 13.

Entry to the event requires a gently used or new pair of jeans, which also will be donated to WEAVE. The event includes expert advise on jean fit, free mini-facial, makeovers, massages, champagne and VIP gift bags with gifts and offers from retailers.

The event is open to the first 100 people who RSVP. To sign up, To RSVP, call (916) 920-4809 ask for Sunita Singh.

Losing a favorite shirt or dress to stains is never a pleasant experience, but now, with furloughs and wage reductions eliminating the ability to replace wounded clothing, the casualty hurts even more.

It doesn't have to end this way.

Here's a (somewhat) quick fix that can save you serious cash - RIT dye.

I stumbled across this garment-saving wonder in a desperate attempt to revive a beloved taupe trench coat dress that had been ruined by a chemical at a hair salon.

The dress started off in a washing machine bath of RIT Color Remover, took an elongated dip in navy RIT Liquid dye and was reborn a new blue dress. The process took about four hours - lengthened by about 30 minutes because I had to remove buttons and then sew them back on - but the washer did most of the work.

Total cost: about $12.

Pam Andreotti, manager of Woodard-Ficetti Cleaners Inc. in midtown Sacramento, said dye can be a good way to save favorite garments, but only certain fabrics are will tolerate a color change.

"It has to be natural a fiber - silk, wool or cotton," she said, adding that synthetic fabrics - even nylon threads - will not take a dye.

Dying also isn't feasible if a fabric has been bleached, since bleaching burns the fibers, Andreotti said.

For more dying tips and techniques, check out RIT's Web site.

The Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science also recently sent an e-mail to The Bee outlining techniques on how to remove stains that plague parents from the family's clothing.

Here are some of their tips:

• Ink stains - Check an invisible corner of the colored fabric to ensure the treatment won't affect the color of the garment. Stretch the fabric with the stained area over the mouth of a glass. Drip rubbing alcohol over the stain so the ink drops into the glass. If needed, wash the garment with color-safe bleach, the release states.
  

• Crayon stains - Scrape the stain with a spoon or back of a knife to remove excess wax from the fabric. Put the stained area face down on a white paper towel and put another paper towel on top of the fabric. Run a warm iron over the paper towel - the heat will melt the wax and the towel will absorb it, the release states. Change the paper towels and repeat until no more stain transfers. Pre-treat the stain and wash in warmest water possible for the garment.

• Juice stains - Rinse the clothing in cold water to dilute the stain and prevent it from setting. Soak the garment in a mixture of detergent and water for up to 30 minutes and then wash in the warmest water safe for the garment.

*The institute recommends letting garments air dry and checking to ensure the stains are completely removed before putting them in a dryer.

For more stain emergency tips, go to the institute's Web site.

Parents are increasingly ditching disposable training pants in an effort to save money.

The Associated Press' Betsy Vereckey reported recently that foregoing training pants is a trend that's saving parents up to $100 a month and sometimes resulting in quicker toilet training.

Sales of disposable training pants throughout the industry fell to $731.2 million, down 3.2 percent, for the 52 weeks ending June 13, Vereckey reported.

To read her report, click here.

Have you decided to forego disposable training pants in an effort to save money? Are you a disposable training pants devotee and not willing to risk your carpet and couch to messy mistakes? Post your toilet training tips, ideas or woes here or e-mail me. Your suggestions or advice could be featured on my blog in a future post.

Humpty Dumpty sat on wall, while admission prices took a big fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't fathom prices being that low again.

Fairytale Town is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month by offering 50-cent admission to the first 50 people through the gate each Monday of the month.

The merry-making will continue on the park's actual anniversary, Aug. 29, when a birthday party will be thrown for Humpty Dumpty - the iconic egg of yore who adorns the park's entrance - from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. An ice cream bash and fundraiser will also mark the occasion from 5 to 9 p.m.

For more information about the special events and tickets, go to Fairytale Town's Web site.

The 2.5-acre park and outdoor children's museum offers more than 20 hands-on play exhibits based on favorite children's literature, Executive Director Kathy Fleming stated in a news release.

Fairytale Town also has three learning gardens, barnyard animals, performing arts stages and holds a variety of special events and programs, attracting more than 230,000 visitors each year, she said.

Tickets for Fairytale Town can be purchased at the gate, 3901 Land Park Dr., Sacramento. Children ages 2 and younger are free all week. Admission is $4 per person on weekdays and $4.50 per person on weekends.