http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/ Rosemary Orozco uncovers family friendly places to visit, things to do and tips in and around Northern California. en Copyright 2009 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:19:42 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss It's fun, educational and yummy! Baking Cakes is a great way to spend time with the kids. Recently Shonna Martin, owner of "The Baker's Daughter," was on the show. She and her two little ones gave a great demo of what she can do for you and your young group. From a very small group to field trips and birthday parties, Shonna has all you need to have your own "baking party." Check out her demonstration by going to fox40live.com It will be under the "Your Family" section. Shonna's website is, thebakersdaughter.org Shonna says classes start at $10 Mention FOX40 and she'll discount $15 off of $150.00 http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/11/baking_with_kids.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/11/baking_with_kids.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:19:42 -0800 Are you trying to lose weight, but find it a struggle to drop just a few pounds. Perhaps it's time to explore a diabetic diet? I know a woman that dropped several dress sizes within a year's time, her mom dropped 75 pounds. It was all because her mom was borderline diabetic. She and her mom both changed their diets and changed their lives. Most of the weight loss came from knowing just how many carbs their bodies needed a day. The woman I know has it broken down to the number of carbs per meal. You can see the segment of fox40live under my Your Family area. I strive to stay a healthy weight. I've followed a low fat diet for years and after hearing the stories of these two women, I plan to track my carbs like no other. Knowledge is power. The following are a few websites to get you started and a book that will break down the calories/fats/carbs by food item and brand... it's fabulous. I used diabetesnet.com Click on Diet/Nutrition Click on Carb Counting My guest (on the show) uses sparkpeople.com The calorie guide/book, which I found extremely helpful because it breaks down a food item by calories/fat/carbohydrates, is called The Calorie King (Calorie, FAT & Carb counter). You can probably find it around town. I know for sure that the Kaiser Pharmacy sells it. I hopes these help, Good luck! http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/09/carb_counting.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/09/carb_counting.html Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:13:19 -0800 www.madscience.org/sacramento YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL SEGMENT ON fox40.com Mad Science Ooblech 1 box corn starch 1 bowl 1 wooden spoon water Fill the bowl 1/3 with water Add the same volume of corn starch Stir until mixed If watery, add corn starch If too stiff and dry, add water Repeat until fully mixed with smooth surface. Play with Ooblech (punch it, drop piano on it, poke it slowly with your finger) Be amazed at this non-Newtonian fluid that can act like both a liquid and solid! Mad Science Silly Putty 1 4oz plastic, disposable cup 1 bottle white glue - can be Elmer's or another brand. 1 small bottle of your favorite paint color 1 tsp Borax powder (grocery store, laundry detergent aisle) 2 oz water 1 popsicle stick or other expendable stirring device Put on your apron, goggles and gas mask (just kidding!) Mix water and Borax, stop adding Borax when it no longer dissolves in solution Pour about 2 oz of glue in the plastic cup Add a few drops of paint (not too much!) Stir the paint and the glue Dribble a small amount (start with about 1/4 tsp) into the glue/paint mixture. Stir until well mixed Repeatedly dribble additional Borax/water and stir until all material has reacted and you have a putty ball. Wipe putty from stick Let putty dry a bit until not too sticky Play with putty (stretch, bounce, etc) Seal putty in cup or ziploc when not in use. Do not eat. Mad Science presents: Sink or Swim 1 ketchup (or relish) pouch 1 Large soda bottle 1 teaspoon of salt Water Step 1: Fill the soda bottle with water Step 2: Fit the unopened ketchup pouch into the bottle. Sep 3: If the pouch doesn’t float, add 1 tablespoon of salt to the bottle. Cap and shake the bottle to dissolve the salt. Repeat until the pouch flats at the top o the bottle. Step 4: Cap the bottle tightly; Squeeze the sides of the bottle. ]]> http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/mad_science.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/mad_science.html Tue, 26 May 2009 09:53:06 -0800 I'm into week 4 of "Latisse." I think I'm beginning to notice longer lashes. My eyelashes seem a bit fuller too. I'm going to take new photos. If there's a noticeable difference, we'll show it next week on FOX40 LIVE. At the end of week 6 or so, we'll have our dermatologist back on for the final results. Stay tuned! http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/luxurious_eyelashes_2.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/luxurious_eyelashes_2.html Fri, 22 May 2009 11:16:40 -0800 Did you know there is a product out there to strengthen and actually lengthen your eyelashes? So even if you weren't born with them, you can now have long luxurious eyelashes. I sound like a commercial! Anyhow I'm trying this new product, called Lattise. You have to obtain it by prescription. It cost $100-$200 dollars. It may irritate your eyes a bit, although I can't tell since my eyes are usually dry and irritated anyways :-) The bummer is that once you stop using the product, your eyelashes are said to return to their previous state. Anyhow I've been using it for two weeks now. Dr. Jaqueline Calkin was in studio earlier this week to show us how it works. You can catch the recorded segment on fox40.com In the segment we also talk about an over the counter product that Natalie uses. She says it works pretty good. I'll be blogging about my experience with Lattise over the next few weeks. We'll have the results in early June. I'll keep you posted! http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/luxurious_eyelashes.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/05/luxurious_eyelashes.html Tue, 05 May 2009 10:51:15 -0800 EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT ONE OUT OF EVERY FIVE KIDS IS SEXUALLY SOLICITED ONLINE... NINE OUT OF TEN EXPOSED TO PORNOGRAHPY. A LOCAL MOM OF FIVE HAS CREATED yoursphere.com, A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE ONLY FOR KIDS. CHECK IT OUT IN MY "YOUR FAMILY" SEGMENT FOR TUESDAY 03/30. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/04/new_internet_network_for_kids.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/04/new_internet_network_for_kids.html Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:45:24 -0800 WHO DOESN'T NEED A DECORATIVE BOW ON OCCASSION? WE'RE TAKING THE ONE ITEM JUST ABOUT EVERY PERSON CAN USE AND SHOWING YOU HOW TO MAKE ONE FOR ABOUT 10 CENTS. IT'll SAVE YOU IN A PINCH, SAVE YOU CASH AND SAVE THE ENVIROMENT, BECAUSE THE PAPER IS RECYCLED MAGAZINE PAGES! SUPPLIES: 1 MAGAZINE PAGE BRASS PAPER FASTENER/BRAD SCISSORS CUT THE PAGE INTO LONG STRIPS, THEN CUT THOSE IN HALF. POKE A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE AND SLIDE THE THE BRAD THROUGH. REPEAT UNTIL YOU'VE GOT ALL THE STIPS LOOPED ON THE BRAD. SPLIT THE PRONGS AND YOU'VE GOT YOUR BOW! WATCH MY "YOUR FAMILY" SEGMENT FOR 03/24. SANDI PALMER FROM THE SACRAMENTO PUBLIC LIBRARY, WALKS YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS. PLUS, SEE A FEW EXAMPLES OF WHAT SANDI IS TEACHING AT THE CARMICHAEL LIBRARY THIS SATURDAY 03/28 FROM 3-4PM. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/03/easy_do_it_yourself_bows.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/03/easy_do_it_yourself_bows.html Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:04:06 -0800 EASTER IS FAST APPROACHING... THIS YEAR THERE IS NO NEED TO BUY THOSE EASTER EGG DYES OR EVEN FOOD COLORING. I FOUND A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR DYING EGGS NATURALY WITH FOOD. A COUPLE THAT I TRIED DIDN'T TURN OUT SO WELL, SO A TRIAL RUN IS NOT A BAD IDEA. OUR FRIENDS AT RALEY'S OFFERED UP A LIST THEY SAY THEY'VE TESTED. HERE ARE A FEW: BRIGHT YELLOW: 2tsp. Turmeric 2tsp. White Vinegar 1C. Warm water MAUVE: 2tsp. White Vinegar 1C. Warm Grape Juice PURPLE/GRAY 2tsp. White Vinegar 1C. Warm Blueberry Juice TEAL: 2tsp. White Vinegar 1C Chopped Red Cabbage . ALSO FOUND SOME ON THE WEBSITE www.plantea.com THE TEAL RECIPE DIDN'T WORK FOR ME. I ACTUALLY ENDED UP WITH A PRETTY GRAY. GOOD LUCK! http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/03/natural_easter_egg_coloring.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/03/natural_easter_egg_coloring.html Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:58:15 -0800 Are you drowning in papers because you're not sure which you might need for taxes and/or for how long? Here's a personal guide... again it's only a "guide." I obtained from the help of the New York Times. Sales Receipts- Receipts not needed for a specific purpose can be tossed. Exceptions could be: tax deduction or write offs and warranty repairs. Utility Bills- Can be thrown away unless you claim home-office deductions on your taxes. Pay Stubs- Save the latest stub, figuring that it contains cumulative totals for the year. Save the last pay stuf of the year since it will contain the year's totals on tax related items like union dues. Tax Records- Keep for three years, perferably six years. That includes documentation for deductions. Tax records relating to home improvements should be kept permanently because they can reduce any capital gains tax. Credit Cards- Discard once you've checked for accuracy. Warranties- keep for the life of the guarantee along with the original receipt. Insurance Documents- Save permanently. Save purchase receipts for major items. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/02/tax_papers_which_to_keep_and_f.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/02/tax_papers_which_to_keep_and_f.html Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:02:35 -0800 There's a really cool "stain fighting" guide coming out in March, called The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Cleaning, by Mary Findley. In this week's "Your Family," on FOX 40 Live, I ran through a few tips from her book. I was impressed at how everyday household, non-toxic items can remove some of the toughest stains. You can check out the actual piece on fox40.com. Below is the script I used to get through the segment. I think my favorite is the "hydrogen Peroxide/Baking Soda combo. to the remove red and purple stains, like ketchup, blueberries, strawberries, cool aid. I'm going to try in on my dining room table seat cushions! Again if you want to know more, refer to the Title and Author in my first sentence. Here are the few I tried: FIRST OFF, SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR STAINS, GRASS, DIRT, MUDD, GREASE EVEN SALAD DRESSING. THE ANSWER? LIQUID DISHWASHING DETERGENT. IT REMOVES GREASE AND OIL BUT IS GENTLE ENOUGH ON CLOTHES. SATURATE THE STAIN, LET IT SIT FOR THREE HOURS. APPLY ANOTHER COAT, RUB GENTLY THEN RINSE. IT WORKED WELL REMOVING THE STAIN. IT ALSO REMOVED THE COLOR FROM MY FABRIC! I WOULD SAY USE THE LIQUID DISHWASHING DETERGENT ONLY ON YOUR WHITES. IF YOU USE IT YOUR COLOR CLOTHES, TEST IT FIRST. ONTO THE RED AND PURPLE STAINS LIKE KETCHUP, KOOL AID, BLUEBERRIES. THESE NEED TO BE BLEACHED OUT. YOUR ANSWER, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, WHICH IS GENTLER THAN BLEACH AND BAKING SODA. SATURATE THE STAIN WITH PEROXIDE, POUR BAKING SODA ON TOP. LET SIT FOR 30 MINUTES. RINSE AND REPEAT. SIDE NOTES... IF YOU DO WANT TO CHECK FOR FOR COLORFASTNESS, DAB A SMALL SPOT AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 MINUTES THEN CHECK. TRY TO USE A PEROXIDE NO OLDER THAN SIX MONTHS. ONTO A FAIRLY COMMON ACCIDENT, PEE OR POOP. IN THIS CASE FINDLEY RECOMMENDS, "NATURE'S MIRACLE." IT'S A NATURAL PET STAIN REMOVER FORMULATED TO EAT AWAY BACTERIA. SATURATE THE ITEM, SOAK FOR THREE HOURS, SATURATE AGAIN, THEN RINSE. THIS IS USUALLY FOUND IN PET STORES. LASTLY, PARENTS KNOW FORMULA AND SPIT UP CAN PUT AN END TO A CUTE OUTFIT. ANSWER... SHAMPOO. BABY OR REGULAR WILL DISSOLVE THE STAIN WITHOUT HARSH CHEMICALS. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS, COVER THE STAIN WITH A LIGHT FILM, THEN TOSS IT IN THE HAMPER. BEFORE YOU PUT IT INTO YOUR WASHING MACHINE DAB A LITTLE MORE SHAMPOO, THENSE RINSE IT. YOU MAY NEED TO REPEAT. CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE STAIN IS GONE BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO CONTACT WITH HOT WATER OR A HOT DRYER. IF NOT, THE HEAT WILL SET THE STAIN. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/01/nontoxic_stain_removers.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/01/nontoxic_stain_removers.html Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:15:15 -0800 I found a great website for the collegebound kid and their parents. I demonstate how it works in my "Your Family" segment 01/06/09. The website is: collegeclicktv.com Other matching websites to check out include: cappex.com mycollegeoptions.com checkmycampus.com ratemyprofessors.com Other search companies: College Board, Petersons, Princeton Review Hope you find it useful. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/01/college_bound.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2009/01/college_bound.html Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:54:38 -0800 IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS WINTER BREAK... HOW ABOUT EATING WITH THEIR FINGERS! CHECK OUT THIS WEEKS "YOUR FAMILY" SEGMENT ON FOX40.COM. ART XAMONTEE SHOWS US HOW TO MAKE ANIMAL SHAPED SUSHI, INCLUDING A SNAKE, LADY BUG, PEACOCK AND MANY OTHERS. GREAT FUN FOR KIDS AND A GREAT WAY TO INTRODUCE THEM TO POPULAR FOOD ITEM. SUSHI DOESN'T HAVE TO BE RAW FISH. FOR YOUR CHILDREN YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE CHICKEN STRIPS, LUNCH MEAT, CHEESE OR VEGETABLES. AS FAR AS COOKING THE RICE, A RICE COOKER MAKES IS IT REALLY EASY. AFTER THE RICE IS DONE TRANSFER IT TO A WIDESPREAD PAN, OR A CASSEROLE DISH AND LET IT COOL. SPRINKLE WITH SUSHI VINEGAR AND USE A SPOON TO GENTLY FOLD THE VINEGAR INTO THE RICE. TRANSFER IT BACK TO THE POT AND COVER SO THAT IS STAYS MOIST AND TEPID. WHEN ROLLING THE SUSHI, TWO ITEMS INSIDE WORK THE BEST. REMEMBER THAT IN ADDITION TO RICE AND YOUR ITEMS FOR INSIDE THE ROLL, YOU NEED NORI SHEETS (PRESSED SHEETS OF GLOSSY BLACK PRODUCT MADE FROM DRIED AND PRESSED BROWN ALGAE) AND A ROLLING MAT. TO CONTACT ART, HE CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.NOODLEART.NET http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/eating_with_our_fingers.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/eating_with_our_fingers.html Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:00:37 -0800 Still in search of a great toy that will teach your child too? G. Willikers in Old Town Sacramento, the place with great toys of yesteryear has released its Top Educational Toys. G. Willikers is at 1113 Front Street, Sacramento, CA 94814 Here's the list: list one .1 Magnum Rubber Band Guns: $10.99-$42.99 .2 Carrera Diginal 132: $62.00-599.00 .3 Story Flip Dolls: $16.99 .4 My First RC: $25.99 .5 Original Sphere: $36.99 Smaller version: $15.99 .6 Mad Libs $3.99 .7 R2-D2 Interactive: $229.00 .8 Pixelblocks: 12.99-33.99 .9 Rody: $48.99 .10 Bullyland Animals: $17.00-$30.00 .11 Thomas Around the Tree .12 Breyer Horse: $4.99-62.00 http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/g_willikers_top_12_educational.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/g_willikers_top_12_educational.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 09:19:05 -0800 INSTEAD OF BUYING YOUR CHILD THAT TOY ON THE SHELF THIS HOLIDAY... WHY NOT BUY THEM A PART OF THE COMPANY. IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO INVEST IN STOCKS. IN TUESDAY'S "YOUR FAMILY" FINANCIAL ADVISOR BARBARA HEALY AND I GO THROUGH HOW EASY IT IS TO PURCHASE YOUR CHILD'S FIRST STOCK. IT'S A GREAT WAY TO PIQUE YOUR CHILD'S INTEREST IN INVESTING AND COULD ACTUALLY EARN THEM A LITTLE CASH. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A PORTFOLIO, IT SHOULD BE EASY ENOUGH TO BUY THE STOCK IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND HAVE THE STOCK CERTIFICATE ISSUED IN CHILD'S NAME? YOU CAN ALSO TRANSFER STOCK INTO YOUR CHILD'S NAME. IF YOU KNOW LITTLE ABOUT BUYING STOCKS, BARBARA HAS FOUND A FANTASTIC WEBSITE THAT OFFERS ONE STOP SHOPPING. oneshare.com YOU CAN BUY AS LITTLE AS ONE SHARE. THEY'LL SEND YOU AN ACTUAL STOCK CERTIFICATE FOR YOU TO FRAME. IF YOU WANT TO PAY EXTRA, THE COMPANY WILL MATTE IT AND FRAME IT FOR YOU. CHECK OUT MY "YOUR FAMILY" SEGMENT ON FOX40.COM FOR EXTRA INFO. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/stocks_make_good_stocking_stuf.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/12/stocks_make_good_stocking_stuf.html Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:58:48 -0800 Following the Big Turkey dinner... comes the question... what to do with all the leftovers?!?! Lunch In A Box creator Deborah Hamilton joined me on the show for some great alternatives. Take a look inside our "Your Family' segment. Below is an option for the leftover potatoes! Turkey Curry Croquettes 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, cold 1/2 cup leftover turkey, diced 2 tsp curry powder, such as Madras curry powder 1/3 cup flour salt & pepper 1 large egg 2 Tb cold water 1 cup dry, coarse bread crumbs, preferably Japanese panko 1/4 cup vegetable oil In a medium bowl, mix together the cold mashed potatoes, turkey, and curry powder. Set up your breading station with three shallow dishes or plates. In one dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another, beat the egg and water together with a fork. Put the bread crumbs in the third. With your hands, form mixture into oblong patties 2 inches wide, 3 inches long, and 3/4 inch thick. (If deep frying instead of pan frying, you may also make 1.5-inch balls or 2-inch long barrel shapes.) Lightly dredge the croquettes in the flour, patting off excess. Coat the floured croquettes in the egg mixture, then the bread crumbs. Set on a cooling rack set over a tray to await frying. (The patties may be made in advance and frozen at this point, and fried later while frozen.) To pan-fry, pour the oil into a large, preferably nonstick skillet, and turn heat to medium high. When the oil is hot, gently add as many breaded patties as will fit very loosely. Fry 1.5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spatula to transfer to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain. When they are all done, serve immediately with a dipping sauce such as stone ground mustard, tonkatsu sauce, cranberry sauce, curry mayonnaise, or ketchup. Note: To deep fry, pour enough vegetable oil into a deep pot to come 3 inches up its sides, and heat until the oil reaches 350 deg. F. When the oil is hot, bubbles will form around a bamboo or wooden chopstick touching the bottom of the pot. Put in as many ball- or barrel-shaped croquettes as will loosely fit without crowding. Fry for 3 minutes or until golden, using a slotted spoon to periodically turn the croquettes in the oil to ensure even browning. Transfer to a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels to drain. http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/11/leftovers.html http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/yourfamily/2008/11/leftovers.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:17:14 -0800