National Flu Vaccination Week

The hype surrounding H1N1 has faded a bit, but it is still a threat. With the new year, it might be a good time to go over the idea of resolutions or goals. And, what better goal could we set than to take care of the health of our family? And, it's National Flu Vaccination Week!! (I bet you didn't know that!) :)

National Influenza Vaccination Week was established to highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination, as well as fostering greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season in January and beyond. In support of the national efforts, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a declaration making January 10 - 16, 2010, Influenza Vaccination Week in Utah, urging his fellow Utahns to observe this week by getting the seasonal and Pandemic H1N1 flu vaccines and to encourage friends, fellow employees and relatives to do the same.

Find a clinic near you:

http://www.immunize-utah.org/apps/flu/index.php

ADHD Resources

I know many of you have asked for additional information on Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. This is a condition that many of our children and adult clients struggle with. I have included links to three reputable websites (from National Institute of Mental Health, American Academy of Pediatrics and CHADD) that give more information on ADHD in kids and adults. These links can be found at the right hand side of the website under "Additional Resources." If any of you know of any resources for ADHD, please send me the info and I will post it. Here is a taste of what is in the websites:

What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity).

What are the symptoms of ADHD in children?
Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age.

Children who have symptoms of inattention may:
Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
Have difficulty focusing on one thing
Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable
Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
Not seem to listen when spoken to
Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
Struggle to follow instructions.Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may:
Fidget and squirm in their seats
Talk nonstop
Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time
Be constantly in motion
Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:
Be very impatient
Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games
Often interrupt conversations or others' activities.

ADHD Can Be Mistaken for Other Problems

Parents and teachers can miss the fact that children with symptoms of inattention have the disorder because they are often quiet and less likely to act out. They may sit quietly, seeming to work, but they are often not paying attention to what they are doing. They may get along well with other children, compared with those with the other subtypes, who tend to have social problems. But children with the inattentive kind of ADHD are not the only ones whose disorders can be missed. For example, adults may think that children with the hyperactive and impulsive subtypes just have emotional or disciplinary problems

Performance Evaluations

Several of you have already completed or signed up for Performance Evaluations with me. I need to meet with every active peer parent over the next month or two. I am doing these meetings on Tuesdays. The following peer parents have attended or are signed up for a time already:

Shane/ Jennifer Christensen

Tiffinie Vieira

HollyJane Dixon

Pam Warren

Priscilla/ Steve Hardy

DeAnn Burton

Elizabeth Drew

Kevin/ Kathleen Gordon

Nancy Housekeeper

Ilene Barton

Jennee Allan

If your name is not on this list, you need to contact me to set up an appointment. If your name is on this list and you forgot when your appointment is, let me know also. Thanks so much!!

The Christmas Party was a Hit!!

I am sorry that I am finally getting around to posting about our Christmas party. BUT, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who attended and made it such a success. We really missed those of you that couldn't attend.

I really appreciate all you do and hope you had a wonderful Christmas and have a happy New Year!!

PS- The PP Newsletter for Dec is now available on this site at the right side near the bottom.

CHRISTMAS PARTY TIME CHANGE!!

There has been a little drama with the scheduling of our room in Provo. Because of this,

The Christmas Party will now start at 6:15 pm on Thursday Dec 10 (same day). Please make note of this and adjust your schedules to be there at 6:15 instead of 5:30.

Also, if you haven't RSVPed and you would like to attend, there is still time to let me know! We would love to have you, but you must let me know if you are coming (if you haven't already).

See you there for fun times at 6:15!! Did you get that? 6:15, 6:15, 6:15!!!

Soup Anyone?

What do I want to eat when the weather is lousy? SOUP!! Here are some fun soup recipes to make for yourself and/or share with your clients:

Lasagna Soup

10 Servings
Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 package (7-3/4 ounces) lasagna dinner mix (like Hamburger Helper)
5 cups water
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (7 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 small zucchini, chopped

Directions
In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add contents of the lasagna dinner sauce mix, water, tomatoes, corn and Parmesan cheese; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the lasagna noodles and zucchini. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 175 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 671 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 12 g protein.

Recipe: Tortilla Soup
Source: Eating Well
Makes: 6 servings, 1 1/3 cup each
Active / Total Time: 30 minutes / 45 minutes

Ingredients:
· 8 corn tortillas, halved and thinly sliced
· Canola or olive oil cooking spray
· 1 tablespoon canola oil
· 3 Anaheim or poblano peppers, diced
· 1 medium onion, diced
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (see Tip)
· 4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
· 1, 14 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies
· 2 tablespoons lime juice
· 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
· 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread corn tortilla strips in an even layer on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until browned and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add peppers and onion and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chicken, broth, tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Serve each portion topped with some of the baked tortilla strips, cheddar and cilantro.
Tips:
To trim boneless, skinless chicken thighs, use kitchen shears to snip the fat away from the meat.

Nutrition (per 1 1/3 cup serving): 288 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 56 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrate, 20 g protein, 5 g fiber, 483 mg sodium, 404 mg potassium, Vitamin A 40% DV, Iron 15% DV

Recipe: Pasta and Bean Soup
Source: Eating Well
Makes: 8 servings, 1 cup each
Active/Total Time: 15 minutes / 35 minutes

Ingredients:
· 4, 14 ounce cans reduced sodium chicken broth
· 6 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
· 4, 4 inch sprigs fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried
· 1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
· 1, 15 1/2 ounce or 19 ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, divided
· 1, 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes
· 1 cup medium pasta shells
· 2 cups individually quick frozen spinach (6 ounces) (see Ingredient Note)
· 6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (optional)
· 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Combine broth, garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper in a 4-6 quart Dutch oven or soup pot; bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes to intensify flavor. Meanwhile, mash 1 cup beans in a small bowl.
2. Scoop garlic cloves and rosemary from the broth with a slotted spoon. Add mashed and whole beans to the broth, along with tomatoes; return to a simmer. Stir in pasta, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Stir in spinach, cover and cook just until the spinach has thawed, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a drizzle of oil and sprinkling of Parmesan if desired. Variation: Substitute chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for the cannellini beans; use a food processor to puree them.
Ingredient Notes:
Individually quick-frozen (IQF) spinach is sold in convenient plastic bags. If you have a 10 ounce box of spinach on hand, use just over half of it and cook according to package directions before adding to the soup in Step 3.
Nutrition (per 1 cup serving): 133 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 4 g fiber, 356 mg sodium, 29 mg potassium, Vitamin A 35 percent DV

Christmas Party!!

Have you RSVPed for our First Annual (well, my first annual) Peer Parent Christmas Party?? If you haven't, you can do so by leaving me a comment or sending me an email. We will be having the party catered by BYU Catering with a Holiday Dinner of ham, potatoes, mac and cheese, salad, rolls and BROWNIES! YUM!! I will also be giving out gifts as a sign of my appreciation for all you do as peer parents! We will cover short agenda items, then party party party!!

PS- You get paid for this "training!" Hope to see you all there!