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Reduce, Reuse, Re-invent: Valentine Eco-Craft

From The Editors — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:39:25 +0000

By Sarah Dexter

Mustaches have hit it big! Here’s a simple and silly mustache-friendly Valentine’s Day craft for you and the kids!

How to make: Funny Valentines

Using a mustache template, trace a mustache onto a piece of construction paper. Credit: Sarah Dexter

You will need:

Colored Paper (various colors)
Glue (stick or craft)
Scissors
Pen/Pencil
Markers/crayons

If you don’t have some of these supplies around the house, try checking out The I.D.E.A Store. They have a large variety of crafting supplies, and every purchase helps support the local K-12 education foundation (the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation).

Using the colored paper cut out a heart, about the size of your palm. You can use a template or cookie cutter, or fold the paper in half and cut in the shape of an ice cream cone. Whatever works for you is great! Try to make your heart long and lean, instead of short and fat.
On the backside (whichever side you choose that to be) write “to” and “from” with a marker or crayon.
Funny valentines! Credit: Sarah Dexter

Using a mustache template, trace a mustache onto a piece of construction paper. Then cut out your mustache for your Funny Valentine. Along with your mustache, feel free to cut out a top hat, an eye patch, beards or other goofy props you and your child might like. (Note: There are several free mustache templates online in addition to the link above. You do not even have to use a template!)
Glue the mustache and other props on the front side of your heart. Then draw on any other facial features you want! I chose eyes, eyebrows – and sometimes – a mouth.

Hope your Funny Valentine provides a few laughs and a fun time for everyone!

Sarah Dexter recently completed a communications internship at the I.D.E.A Store in Champaign.

Life With Jack: Balancing Decisions

From The Editors — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:19:34 +0000

By Kara Downs

While watching the Super Bowl, I fed Jack a piece of tortilla chip. As he tried to swallow, it got caught in his throat, and he began to choke. Jack gags often when he eats, but he is usually able to work it out. This time, however, it was clear that he needed help. Mike and I took him out of his wheelchair, and Mike performed a modified Heimlich maneuver until Jack was once again breathing normally. He smiled at us, eyes still tearing, and we knew he was OK. Ten minutes later, Jack was eating again.

That's the smile mama Kara Downs lives for. Credit: Kara Downs

The reason I tell this story is to illustrate the impossible choices parents of children with special needs have to make. Jack has a g-tube, and we could give him all of his nutrition without him ever eating by mouth. We have been tempted, believe me, especially right after episodes like the one described above. Mike or I will say, “No more chips!” or “Maybe we’ll just give him sauces for awhile.” And then, 10 minutes (or a day, or a week) later, Jack will be happily munching away on crab legs or chili or refried beans. Why? Because our goal is not merely to keep Jack alive; we also want to give Jack a life.

That is why we continue to feed him by mouth, even though it sometimes ends in tears. And this is why we don’t quickly agree when the doctors Jack sees suggest a surgery that will (possibly) make his life better.

When you have a child with a disability, it is very easy to have that disability define who she or he is. Sometimes, the child gets lost. So we balance our decisions: should we take a road trip with the kids, even though it means changing Jack on the floor of the van, or should we stay close to home? Should we go to this restaurant, even though it’s kind of fancy and people might stare at Jack, or should we stay home and play it safe? Should we continue to feed Jack by mouth, even though it’s scary sometimes, or should we take the safe route?

Last night, when Mike was helping Jack, I had a moment where I let the fear overwhelm me. I sat at the table and put my head on my arms. I felt a hand on my arm; when I looked up, Charlie said, “Mommy, open your eyes!” I looked over and saw Jack’s huge grin, and I was once again reminded that Jack is worth all the fears, all the worries, and all the impossible decisions.

And so we will continue to feed him, to wrestle with him, to take him places. We will continue to create a life for him. And all we ask from him? That smile.

Kara Downs is an English teacher at Centennial High School. She lives in Champaign with her husband, Mike, an artist and writer, and her two sons. Jack, was born three months early. His prematurity caused bleeding in his brain, leading to cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. Jack is a bilateral quadriplegic, unable to sit or stand unassisted. He is also nonverbal. Jack had a twin sister, Bridget, who survived for 18 days. He also has a 3-year-old brother, Charlie.

Closet Hacks: Stylewatching in C-U

Erin Nieto — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:36:16 +0000

This spring, the new Chambana-based fashion blog Closet Hacks will launch, authored by Chambanamoms contributor Erin Nieto, also known as the Househunting Mom, and longtime blogger, photographer and townie Sheila Daniels.

For the coming weeks before their launch, the Closet Hacks will team up to provide a series of articles here at Chambanamoms.com that will start the journey. Their mission: Find wonderful shining examples of fashion among the faces and places of Champaign-Urbana and deconstruct the magic for themselves (and you!). Is it possible for two moms in the Midwest? They aim to find out.

In the meantime, they would like to introduce themselves by way of how their “fashion pasts” are informing their current fashion conundrums:

Erin:

Closet Hacks stylewatcher and Chambanamoms contributor Erin Nieto, circa 1986.

For me, I think it was much easier to play with fashion when I was in my teens and 20s (I’m 41 now, so I’m speaking with nostalgia about the ’80s and ’90s here).

And play I did. Clothes provided a spark. I loved the feeling of being excited about clothes, about what they looked like, what they might look like on me (or what they might look like on fire), and how they could shape my identity. Through clothes, I could play at being what I wanted to be and still have the freedom to change my mind and try something different.

I loved observing the interplay between what I wore, how I felt about myself, and what others thought of me. Daring to step just over the line sometimes, into uncharted territory: multicolored hairdo, spiked wristband and Doc Marten boots here, Swept updo with little elegant vintage black cocktail dress there.

And I had the best fashion role model a girl could dream of: A Very Stylish Mama with a degree in fashion design and a similar appetite for the fun in clothes. Above all, she taught me that great fashion can (and does) come from anywhere: from a pattern and the sewing machine, from the thrift store, from the Golden Mile. She has excellent intuition about fashion, and her intuition was to let me play to the fullest with this stuff. What an excellent gift that was.

Erin Nieto today.

So it wasn’t really until my 30s that I began to let the “what others think” observation drive the bus. I was career minded; working at the university and trying to be a role model to the students who populated my classrooms. My preconceived notions of what an instructor should look like governed what I bought and what I wore and how I did (or didn’t do) my hair. That clothing spark was dying a slow and painful death.

And now, today, sitting here as a chronically exhausted mom of two young boys under 5, self-employed and starting to think again after a handful years what kinds of things I should have in my wardrobe for when spring arrives (oh, the joy of finally parting with maternity clothes!), I would love to re-ignite the spark.

But I’m kinda lost.

—–

Sheila:

Closet Hacks stylewatcher Sheila Daniels, circa 1986.

My earliest memories of fashion were of Lucile Ball. I remember watching “Here’s Lucy” and swooning over the pointy-toed pumps worn with a pencil skirt. I loved her bright lipstick paired with pedal pushers and fitted blouse for a casual outfit. This was my vision of femininity as a young girl, and it had a profound influence on what I thought I should be wearing as an adult.

By the time I was a tween (which is before there were ‘tweens) I was poring over the fall “Vogue” magazine, shopping at yard sales and thrift stores in search of understanding. What I really wanted was a path to reconcile the Ideal (capital “I”) with the reality of an awkward and strange kid trying to fit in.

I found my way by breaking the rules. If dresses were popular, I wore pants. If long hair with feathered bangs were “it,” mine was cut short like a boy’s. I knew I couldn’t fit it, so I had no interest in even trying. In that rebellion I found total freedom. Sometimes I was a punk, other times, a hippy. It really depended on my mood. Clothing was a costume that I wore that expressed how I felt to the world. It also defined how the world felt about me and I liked that. I had control.

Sheila Daniels today.

When I became an adult, mom of two, working, wife, and all that social and personal expectation, I was stripped bare of all that had come before. Had I forgotten who I was or was I just not the same person? It doesn’t really matter. I’ve been starting fresh. Different body. New interests. Confidence.

Having fun is just the cherry on top.

——

We hope that you’ll join us in our journey to root out the best of what Chambana has to offer, through its shops and through its fashionable people — looking for the eye catching, the innovative, the exciting, the good fit, the flattering, the classic, the dressy, the casual — all right here in the place where we live. We have cameras, and we’re not afraid to use them. But we’ll need your help.

Can moms in Chambana be fashionable? Like us on Facebook, follow our tweets, and read our coming articles on Chambanamoms. We’d love to hear from you!

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Feast Or Family: The Beef House

From The Editors — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:33:27 +0000

By Megan Gillette

Over the past few years, I’ve found more and more excuses to go across the Indiana border, where the hills just start to roll, to The Beef House. Whether it’s a trip to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis or a need for festive fireworks from Shelton’s (in the big red barn beyond the Covington exit), I feel a subliminal pull to the giant halls with a large, carved, wooden steer head, past the large glass cooler display of fresh beef cuts, and into the carpeted rooms with cushy captain’s chairs on wheels and large windows looking out to woods and pasture. It’s a classic steakhouse my grandparents would have taken me to for a gin and tonic, where the tonic was just an afterthought.

Credit: Flickr, McPig

Most people are familiar with the regionally famous white rolls served with house-made strawberry preserves and soft butter. I absolutely have to limit not only my intake of these but also my kids’. They will eat these until their tummies are round and there is no room for the delicious steamed broccoli with rich cheese sauce and applesauce that they must eat if they think they will ever get another chicken tender/leg/breaded shrimp. The kids’ menu is fantastic and has set a high standard for other kids menus we encounter.

Included with adult entreés are soup and salad. I can’t even tell you what the other soups are because the broccoli cheese is the only one I ever order! It’s not too heavy or salty, just a clean, creamy cheese base with small florets of tender broccoli-superfood. Although I can’t remember having tried another soup, everything I’ve tasted there is prepared at a level which leaves me no room to complain, so if you don’t like a cream base in your soup or share George H.W. Bush’s distaste for the green vegetable, do not hesitate to try another.

The salad bar is one of the best. Not exotic, but full of the best-tasting comfort sides and accoutrements. My favorite are the crunchy, creamy pea and cheese salad; chick peas; fresh fruit in season; pickled beets; raisins; sunflower seeds; and the thick, chunky, homemade blue cheese dressing that is a hallmark of a fine steakhouse.

Now as I’ve written before, I’m not much of a red-meat eater. My husband loves all the beef cuts, but I opt for surf and turf. I’ve always enjoyed the classic shrimp cocktail served with spicy sauce in a martini glass with fresh lemon. The shrimp are huge, not over-cooked, and well chilled. I may follow that with an incredibly tender petit filet and baked potato-toppings on the side. If you decide you need the fried onion rings, you will not be sorry. Recently, I’ve discovered the grilled shrimp, which are large, butterflied and prepared simply with fresh lemon. They are light, perfectly cooked and oh-so savory.

Dessert? I’ve never actually made it to dessert because of everything I’ve just mentioned. I may have another half a roll with strawberry jam, and perhaps an Andes mint sold by the check out. This is the point in the meal where you are thankful your chair is on wheels and it’s been a nice sit, because you’ve certainly settled in.

After we gather ourselves up we stroll across the parking lot to the nearby pasture and visit the horses. They let you pet their soft noses as you reflect on your experience of a time gone by: less hurried, comforting, family-oriented, and satiating on every level.

Hmm, I wonder when we’ll “need” fireworks again …

Verdict: FAMILY!! I would feel I cheated if I didn’t bring the kids. The waitresses are patient and kind, all food is prepared fresh from quality ingredients, kids will be on their best behavior in hopes they might be brought back. Oh, and they will pass out on the way home, which is a pleasant drive into the sunset, past the fields and farms.

The Beef House Restaurant is located at 16501 North State Road 63, Covington, Ind. They are open Monday to Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Remember, these times are Eastern, so you’ll want to add an hour when checking your Central time watch.

Megan Gillette is a mother of two active little boys — FIT kids (Foodies in Training). In her “spare time” she is a senior graphic and web designer at Wolfram, a real-estate broker with TeamKay at Keller Williams, and a real-estate maven for the family holding company. Megan is in constant pursuit of perfect food, exciting dining experiences, and farm-to-fork meals with her husband and personal sous chef, Kurt.

Walking Wounded: Coping With a Loved One’s Life-Threatening Illness

From The Editors — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:23:12 +0000

By Heather Schultz

I love my life. I am happy and fulfilled in so many ways. And yet just below the surface, I am profoundly sad.

My brother’s life is in danger. The chemo was successful, the surgery went beautifully, his scans have been clear for a year, and Eric has recovered like a champion. But now Eric’s blood marker that indicates the presence of cancer in his body has quadrupled in a short span of time. Although there are other potential benign explanations for this increase, the most likely reason is that Eric’s cancer has recurred.

Author Heather Schultz, right, and her brother, Eric, preparing to run their first 5k together since Eric's chemo and surgery. Credit: Heather Schultz

Eric was initially diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer in October 2010. After five months of successful chemo, he had radical abdominal and thoracic surgery in April 2011. They removed two-thirds of his esophagus, one-third of his stomach, and several cancerous lymph nodes throughout his body. The pathology from his surgery showed only a 1mm cancerous tumor remaining at the original site which the surgeon removed with wide margins of healthy tissue. All the lymph nodes were free of living cancer; only dead cancer cells remained. But once cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, it can go anywhere. We don’t know whether there was undetectable and unseen cancer that had spread to other organs (most likely the lungs or liver, or in the lining of the abdomen). Eric had more chemo after surgery last year to kill off any remaining cancer they may have missed. This is our concern now. After surgery, his survival odds were 50/50, which is far better than the 4 percent he started with at diagnosis.

Today Eric will receive results from his most recent PET scan. Worst case, they tell us his cancer is back. A recurrence will most likely end Eric’s life in a short span of time. Best case, no cancer is detected on the scan. This does not mean that no cancer is living in his body; it simply means it is not far enough advanced for us to measure. So more bloodwork and more scans will follow at more frequent intervals. Thus if all goes well, we are here for the long haul.

Surviving advanced cancer means facing a series of tests over the course of several months and years, and with each test comes the understanding that this might be the day my worst fear is realized: My brother is not going to survive. After five years of clean scans, Eric will be considered cured of his illness.

I will hold out hope for Eric’s survival as long as is reasonable. Yesterday I told my mother, who is struggling mightily with Eric’s situation and who herself is in treatment for cancer, that I believe my brother will live a long life and that he will do something only he can do as a result of enduring this magnitude of suffering. Perhaps he will write a book or give speeches to cancer patients or oncologists. Perhaps he will become a strong voice in advocating for those who fall ill to the same fate.

My brother will do great things as a result of this experience that no one else can do because he is brilliant, and because he is a survivor.

Am I a naive little sister, thinking my big brother can do anything? Yes. Am I an optimist, expecting the best possible outcome until told definitively otherwise? Yes. Am I a skeptic, not willing to embrace the odds because thus far Eric has beat them? Yes. By the numbers, my brother should not even be alive today. Am I a believer in the grace and sovereignty of my God, trusting Him to carry us as far as we are willing to go with Him? Yes.

When Eric was first diagnosed I asked my therapist, “Is it OK for me to have hope?” At the time, the doctors told Eric he would be on chemo for the rest of his life, which would not likely be more than a year. My therapist asked me, “What do you risk in hoping?” Disappointment, I answered. “And will you be disappointed if your brother dies?” Devastated, I said. “Then what do you risk in hoping?” Nothing. Nothing could possibly prepare me for the loss of my beloved brother. And so I choose to hope. And I choose to be happy.

Sometimes I feel guilty enjoying my happy little life. It is not without loss and disappointment, but overall I have a very sweet existence. How can I enjoy a ski weekend with my family while my brother is grappling with the likelihood of his own death and the ramifications to his family? How can I enjoy a favorite meal when I know what a struggle it is for Eric to eat enough to keep up his weight and his strength? It feels callous and uncaring. Yet from the first day of his diagnosis, my brother encouraged me to embrace and enjoy my life. In his selfless concern for his sister, he apologized for heaving such a heavy burden on me on my birthday. This is the kind of brother Eric is. I do not want to live in a world without him. And yet I want to live.

We are the walking wounded. We are the people who go about our day just like everyone else, but with a keen awareness of the tenuous nature of life. This bitter pill has made everything else taste much sweeter. We pick ourselves up and we keep moving forward, because we must. What is the alternative? And after all, there is simply too much to love about today.

Heather Schultz grew up in northern Michigan and has lived in the Champaign-Urbana area for 14 years. Her passions include singing, kickboxing, and volunteering in the community. Heather lives in Savoy with her husband Charles and their 7-year-old daughter Annie.

‘Girl Talk’: Advice From Mom, Teen Daughters

From The Editors — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:49:31 +0000

By Nicole O’Dell

It’s great to be back on this awesome blog to share some fun news with you. I’ve recently had the incredible privilege of compiling an advice Q&A book, “Girl Talk,” with my two daughters and blogging partners, Natalie (14) and Emily (11). And we want to invite you out to the Champaign Family Christian Store on Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., where the three of us will be sharing some treats and signing copies of our new book. Come visit!

First, check out some of the issues we cover in our book:

"Girl Talk," written by Nicole O'Dell and her daughters, is a question-and-answer style book for teens. Credit: Nicole O'Dell

Q: My mom is always on me about what I wear. I just don’t see why it should matter to her. I mean, she got to wear the things she wanted to wear when she was young. The styles are different now, though. She won’t let me wear any shirts that show even a fraction of my stomach, and I have to actually bend over in jeans to prove to her that nothing shows in the back, if you know what I mean. She even says there’s stuff in the Bible about the way to dress right. Is that true? What should I do to change her mind?

Q: I have a friend who is pretty skinny, but she thinks she’s fat. … I actually heard her make herself throw up in the school bathroom a couple of times. What should I do about it? Or is it none of my business?

Q: I recently lost a lot of weight and started high school at the same time. I’m getting all sorts of attention from boys, and I just don’t know what to do about it because it’s so new to me. I kind of like it … but I’m nervous. What should I do?

That last one is a question I would have asked if I’d written to “Girl Talk” at the start of my freshman year of high school. But, I didn’t know to ask. I didn’t know I was facing a challenge. I simply reacted to things as I faced them. And I made mistakes. Many of them.

Each of us has a set of experiences and circumstances — some within our control and some not — that shapes the way we look at choices, temptation, peer pressure, and everything that comes up along the way. If we can help prepare girls before they find themselves staring peer pressure in the face, they’ll feel more equipped to stand strong. To say NO to whatever life throws at them.

And bad decisions are one thing, but there’s also the stuff girls deal with that they have no control over: divorce, abuse, loss, grief, illness, financial strain, and more. Those life-altering circumstances make it even more difficult for girls to stand against the pressure when all they want is friendship, acceptance and love.

It takes pro-active, intentional effort to make the necessary preparations to help teens combat peer pressure.

That’s why my daughters and I started the Girl Talk Column on my blog. We wanted to give girls a place they could go with those tough questions about life. The column grew, and the questions built up to the point when we, along with Barbour Publishing, decided to put 180 questions from readers and our answers into a book. But it’s not just any book; the vibrant, trendy format has a scrapbook-y feel as each page is full color with graphics galore.

Nat, Em, and I hope you’ll pass this resource along to the teens in your life. Also, the Girl Talk column is ongoing. You can write to us with your questions anytime!

Remember, it’s all about choices!

And if you’d like to win a copy of Girl Talk, signed by all three of us, leave a comment here. Tweeting about this post will earn you another entry if you let us know you did. I’d also love it if you signed up for my Choices e-Zine/newsletter, too — that will earn you a third entry!

Nicole O’Dell, founder of Choose NOW Ministries and host of Teen Talk Radio, is a mom of six, ranging from 20 all the way down to a set of toddler triplets. She writes fiction for teens including the popular “Scenarios for Girls” interactive fiction series and the “Diamond Estates Series.” Emily is a straight-A fifth grader at Eastlawn School in Paxton, Ill.; Natalie is an honor student in the eighth grade at Paxton-Buckley-Loda Middle School.

Educational Toys: The Beauty of Building Blocks

From The Editors — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:37:10 +0000

By Jeni Weisiger

Building blocks are one of the oldest toys — so simple, but offer endless opportunities for learning and play.

Blocks range from tiny to extra large, which allows both fine motor (small muscle) and gross motor (large muscle) development. Blocks can be given to a young child to mouth on, bang together, bang on things and explore using two hands to manipulate their surroundings. Older children can expand block building to include science, pretend play and direction following.

The possibilities for projects and fun with building blocks are endless! Credit: Flickr, lobo235

I personally love the variety of play which can be observed when children are left on their own to engage in blocks. I have seen children build towers, learning about balance and shape. I have observed young children compare the sizes of blocks in their hands and make a preference toward one or the other.

The possibilities with building blocks are limitless — and sometimes children need our help to channel these possibilities.

Taking some time to explore a set of blocks can open up new language and conversations for you and your young child:

Use descriptive words: small, tiny, medium, big, large, gigantic, tall , wide, biggest, smallest, leaning, crash, explode, again.
Building blocks can offer a venue for pretend play: make buildings, boats, trains, towns, homes, a forest, anything.
Measure household items with your cube blocks: “the couch is 25 blocks long, and I am 12 blocks tall.” Keep a chart or pictures of what you measure!
Try painting with wood, exploring the domino effect, making patterns and more.

And, join us at Class Act for a chance to explore all these dimensions of block play along with peers! Call 217-766-5964 or visit http://www.classactinteractive.com for more information!

Jeni Weisiger is a Developmental Specialist in the Early Intervention Program and teaches infant massage classes to parents and caregivers. She is new to the area and looking for ways to be involved with early childhood in Champaign County.

The FatherLoad: The Deafening Sound of Silence

From The Editors — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:41:55 +0000

Credit: Victor Bezrukov, Flickr

By Kevin Wilson

It has been almost one-and-a-half years since my wife and I experienced a miscarriage, and even though time has passed it is still often very difficult for us. We remember that time like it was yesterday, something not “feeling right” with the pregnancy. The doctors and nurses kept saying to us, “Every pregnancy is different and I’m sure this one just feels a little different.”

But Esther knew something was wrong and asked for an ultrasound to check. They didn’t seem to understand that this was her fourth pregnancy and she knew her body was telling her something was wrong.

And we still remember that deafening sound of silence when they put the gel on her stomach and the instrument on the gel and waited for movement or a sound, or anything. But there was no life. No life. No movement.

“What happened? Would we be able to have a child after this? What did we do wrong? Should we tell our friends and family? (or will they unintentionally just remind us of it over and over). Should we tell our other children someday-do they know that we are deeply sad? Did this baby have a soul? Where was God in this? Should we grieve like we had a baby who died or should we just keep it to ourselves? How could God allow babies to die?”

These were just some of our questions. We are thankful to have participated in a graveside service for our unborn baby with others in the community who also miscarried several months later. Present were mothers and fathers from many backgrounds and walks of life.

One difficult thing for me in the whole journey of pain was that I could not understand or partner with Esther, my wife, in her pain. Her pain seemed to be in a room in her soul that I could not enter with her.

But at the graveside service there was a woman who seemed to be hurting like Esther. She could not even raise her head. And as we were about to leave they hugged each other and it was like their souls touched and they comforted each other in ways that the other father and I could not understand. They wept and held each other for a long time. They wept from a place inside that I’m sure I have never visited with my wife.

Under different circumstances I would have been jealous of the intimacy she and my wife shared, but on that day, I think I witnessed the hand of God comforting both women through each other while I and the other dad stood awestruck.

Today I had lunch with a friend whose wife just experienced a miscarriage and I can honestly say that I’m thankful I could just “be” with my friend in his pain.

Miscarriage is disturbing for so many reasons, but I think especially because it brings us face to face with death, and with the death of a baby, which is even more shocking. And I think it is especially hard for the mother because it is her body, which is being violated by death, which was meant to bring forth beautiful life.

Today I am hopeful that we will see our baby again someday. If you have experienced this I am so sorry for your loss, and I’m hopeful that you will experience comfort and peace in the midst of your pain.

Kevin is the Pastor of Confluence Church in Champaign. He is an active volunteer with C-U One-to-One Mentoring and Motherlands Multicultural Resource Center in Champaign. Kevin is married to Esther, who works in curriculum development in Champaign schools. They live in Champaign with their three children, Kael, Emma, Seth and their yummy Chocolate Lab puppy, Mollie.

Bullying: When Others Make Your Weight An Issue

From The Editors — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 03:29:06 +0000

By Jane Sprandel

There is a lot of information out there about bullying, especially in schools. As a parent, school board president and former bullied child, this is a subject dear to my heart.

I pose the question: Is there bullying in our society toward obese people? I say from experience, yes indeed!

What about bullying during weight loss? You may say, no! I beg to differ. Care to hear my experiences?

I will start out with the easy one: the portion of the population that is obese who feel like they are a victims of bulling. Chubby babies are cute, but once a child becomes school age, it is not as cute. When they hit middle school it can be a “Scarlet Letter.” By the time you hit adulthood it can affect your relationships with the opposite sex.

There are those who will assail your weight-loss journey. Don't let them, says Jane Sprandel. Credit: Flickr, osseous

I feel like I have experienced bulling at every level. I made it through middle school — lots of tears, but I made it. Once I got to high school I did not date; who would be attracted to the “fat girl?” When I got to college, I dated a lot of the wrong guys, but didn’t we all? I found my wonderful husband in my late 20s, a man who sees my real beauty, not just the size of my jeans.

What about in the workplace? I cannot say I feel like I haven’t gotten a job because of my size, but I know others who have not fit into the “image” the company was seeking.

Here is the tougher area of bullying: Are people who are or have lost weight also a target of bullying? I adamantly say yes, in many forms.

I have had many people question how I have lost my weight. I have always been very honest and tell them by having Lap-Band surgery. Sometimes the non-verbal response I get from them is negative. Remember, many feel that weight loss surgery is the easy way to lose weight, and boy are they wrong! It does not matter how I have lost the weight; what matters is that I did it for myself, my family and my future!

Another area that sometimes those who are loosing weight have struggles is with friends. Many times, weight loss or elsewhere, when someone chooses to make a change that will alter the relationship, those “friendships” many times change, too. Sometimes these “friends” will try to sabotage your success or try to set you up for failure because they do not think that they too can succeed.

I do not feel like my weight loss changed any of my friendships — except now I will hopefully be around a lot longer to be friends with them, and I have more energy and a better self esteem due to my weight loss.

I want to share the story of a dear friend of mine named Dan. He decided almost three years ago he was going to run the Chicago Marathon, and he has now done that twice. One day, while running, someone commented on his large chest. As you can imagine once a guy loses 125 pounds plus there is some skin that just does not disappear.

He could have responded in several ways. He took the mature approach and reminded himself he has come so far and the fact that he is out running is such an accomplishment. If the person who was making fun of him truly knew the facts, they would have known he was an awesome dad and husband who decided to do something for himself and his family and what that person thought meant NOTHING to him!

Face it: We live in a nation where there is a high percentage of obesity. I recently read an article that stated that as much as 64 percent of the United States adult population is considered either overweight or obese. We live in a society were the majority are not the norm, but yet we feel like the pressure by our peers to be “Barbie” is still a reality.

Be proud of yourself and your hard work. I am!

Jane Sprandel lives in Thomasboro with her husband Tony and their children Seth, McKenna and Raegyn. One day she decided that she was sick of being morbidly obese and was determined to do something about it. Join in on the journey as a mom regains her life for not only herself but also her family — follow her blog at http://www.bandincu.blogspot.com.

Feast or Family: Luna

From The Editors — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:55:15 +0000

By Megan Gillette

Luna, housed in the old train station in Champaign easily has one of the coolest architectural settings and decors in town. The antique woodwork is painted a steely lavender, juxtaposing classic and the modern. This relates well to the cuisine, contemporary tapas and classic bistro fare. Raquel Aikmen became a certified chef in Switzerland and has brought Luna to the top tier of restaurants locally. One of the only female chefs and propriestesses in town, everything I have experienced in her restaurant has been elegant, graceful and sublime.

The atmosphere at Luna is one of the many things that makes it a wonderful place to dine. Credit: McGown Photography

In the summer months, we love to take the kids and sit out back in the garden by the train tracks. It’s thrilling whenever a motorcycle goes under the viaduct or a train passes overhead. Tables are amidst the raised container gardens that grow produce and herbs served and snipped freshly for Luna’s dishes. It’s important to me for my children to see where food comes from.

I love to taste everything! For me, the tapas are perfect. I can eat bites of the steamed artichoke with creamy mustard sauce, sample the coconut-crusted shrimp with curry aioli, or indulge in the flank steak with blue cheese and fig jam crostini. The mushroom crostini with gruyere and truffle oil is actually the dish that finally taught me to appreciate mushrooms. A newer addition to the menu, the duck ravioli comes highly recommended. Sesame-seared tuna cubes are a clean, omega-3 filled starter. Most tapas are served in a silvered tureen, enhancing the presentation and heightening the anticipation. My husband is a steak-frites guy, and it does not disappoint. You can also get the parmesan fries with truffle oil a la carte and will not regret it. For steak light, we always love the beef tenderloin kabob with gratin potatoes. Oh, and the bell pepper crab cakes are fabulous for the shellfish-inclined.

In the mood for a cocktail? The fully-stocked bar makes a mean Manhattan and, my favorite, a juicy sangria. Although I can leave most places without dessert calling to me, the Napoleon with light, flaky layers of pastry delicately balancing fresh berries amidst cool pastry cream and with a dusting of powdered sugar is the perfect end to any meal.

Inside is a favorite date night place for us, as it’s quiet with romantic surroundings of raspberry, velvet banquettes and sumptuous brocade panels in the molding. Lighting is soft and reflected from high, down-angled, silver-framed mirrors. Servers are always genteel and not over-bearing.

A unique aspect of Luna is their extra room that can comfortably accommodate larger groups and parties. The walls are painted gilded gold and the ceiling is whimsically hung with opulent chandeliers and woodland branches. Raquel is very easy to work with for budgeting, decorating and inspired menu’s. There is an additional bar in the room and the service and timing has invariably been impeccable.

So, Feast or Family? This time of year, feast!. I like a slow dinner to experience the flavors, take in the charming surroundings, and enjoy some adult conversation. Come summer though, I’ll be back outside, racing the kids back up to the train tracks between courses!