There are sales and then there are price cuts.

Meijer says it is offering more of each this holiday season.

And in doing so, the Midwest retailer plans to hold its own against the country’s biggest retailers, Walmart and Target, in a holiday price war.

On Wednesday, Grand Rapids-based Meijer Inc. announced it has dropped prices up to 30 percent on more than 400 popular toys from Barbie to Star Wars Legos.

NWI Parent Blog—We’ve all gotta eat-might as well have some fun in the kitchen! Check here for recipes, cooking with kids, food finds, and more.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought I’d share a couple of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. One involves food and the other is placed in the kitchen for all to see.

Each year we make a Thanksgiving tree. Nothing Martha Stewart-y mind you. I take a large piece of construction paper, draw a tree on it and hang it on the kitchen wall. Then I cut a variety of leaves out of colored paper and the kids (with a few contributions from mom & dad) write things we are thankful for on the leaves, glue them on the tree and voila! A Thanksgiving decoration and a snapshot of what is in our hearts that year. I think made-up traditions are so important for kids and this one has become one of our favorites.

Continue reading Barb’s latest post here on her “Food with a Dash of Fun” blog.

NWI Parent Blog—Photographer and writer mom of two, Beth always brings a new twist to the suburban mundane.

I am having a difficult time during the day, when the house is quiet, the kids are at school, Brian is at work and it’s just me…all alone.

I know there are many Moms out there that would love this opportunity but it’s just not for me. I MISS my kids and the life of being a stay at home Mom. I have spent a lot of time thinking about getting a temporary job, but I realize that not many people would be interested in hiring a woman who is five months pregnant and also, I know that the best thing I can do during this pregnancy is relax.

Continue reading Beth’s latest post here on her “Laptops to Countertops” blog.

Sledding and ice-skating in Northwest Indiana

As a thin layer of frost makes its way across the glass and the walls creak and groan against the assault of the elements, the temptation grows. Birds do it. Bees do it. So why shouldn’t we all take the forbidding winter weather as a cue to snuggle in and reacquaint ourselves with the warm, cozy joys of the great indoors? It seems clear, after all, that Mother Nature is not terribly interested in playing with us, so perhaps it’s best to simply respect her wishes and check back in March or April when she might be feeling a bit more reasonable.

The pull of hibernation, of course, only seems to grow as we get older. A workweek spent battling the snow and ice in the course of our daily grind only serves to breed a general lack of patience with the season, making the bunker of hearth and home that much more attractive an option by the time Saturday rolls around. But here, as is so often the case, kids tend to provide the necessary sense of perspective that adults seem to lose with the passage of time.

Teachers can ‘progress monitor’ skills on daily basis

Hand-held devices and a connection to a database are allowing East Porter County kindergarten through second-grade teachers to offer students quicker help in reading and mathematics.

The East Porter County School Corp. board heard a report on mCLASS, a diagnostic assessment program developed by the Wireless Generation company, from Morgan Township Elementary School teachers last Monday. The technology allows teachers to “progress monitor” students with quick assessments on the student Palm Pilots, intervention specialist Jeanne Akins told the board. Teachers can see results instantaneously, and the ongoing data can help target instruction and remediation by indicating what has been working and what hasn’t. The data allows quick groupings of students and even suggests interventions, Akins said.

Ten-year-old Zack Rozek has joined his parents’ mission in using today’s technology in order to make a better tomorrow. For the last two years, Rich and Kim Rozek have discussed their experience with Parkinson’s disease by way of their Internet radio show PD Talk Live.

Rich, 49, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s nearly a decade ago. In 2008 the Winfield couple kicked off what Rich calls a “part talk show, part cyber-support group” on Blog Talk Radio. “We thought it was unique, because there were no cyber-support groups out there for this,” Rich says.

Mentoring young girls in the underrepresented areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics

A study from the National Council for Research on Women found that although 45 percent of the work force is comprised of females, careers in science and engineering are still held primarily by men, who make up 88 percent of the work force in those areas.

For years it was a common belief that boys excelled in math and science areas and that females didn’t grasp the concepts as easily. However, a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, shows that girls’ performance on standardized tests now matches that of boys at the high school level. It stated that about 20 years ago, the genders were equal in those areas in elementary school, but that girls lagged behind at the high school level. That change is partly attributed to the larger numbers of girls now taking advanced math and science courses in high school.

Here’s our weekly showcase of the latest and greatest new selections in media for youth.

From books and games to educational toys and DVDs, there’s never a dull moment for active, eager young minds.

This week, animals, including their anatomy, take centerstage while everyday objects such as teeth and waffles also take on lives of their own in a new book of clever yarns.

BOOKS

AGES 5 TO 8

Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers
by Calef Brown (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Press, $6.99)

There are 14 strange and wonderful stories waiting for young readers ready to exercise active imaginations. From Pirates and electric guitars to a beach of white sugar and the ever-vicious “tattlesnake,” this soft-cover 32-page book is a blend of poetry and tall tales, showcased with fun illustrations by author Brown. It’s available in stores now or at hmh.com or 800.225.3362.

Teen cast conveys power and emotion of WWII story

Anne Frank (Mallory Swisher) attempts to comfort Peter Van Daan (Grant Sheridan) after an embarrassing quarrel between his parents in a scene from the Lowell High School production of The Diary of Anne Frank. (Photograph courtesy of Lowell High School.)

The inspiring story of a young Jewish girl in hiding from the Nazis during World War II will come to life on the Lowell High School stage as the school’s Theatre Arts Department presents The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.

Performances are set for 6 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Nov. 20 and 21, and 2 p.m. Nov. 22 in the LHS auditorium, 2051 E. Commercial Ave. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. All tickets are available at the box office 45 minutes prior to the performance.

The play brings to life the well-known and often read diary that Anne Frank wrote while in hiding for two years in Germany.

Profiles of three exceptional Northwest Indiana leaders: Tyler Goodman, Rudy Becerra and Micayla Watroba.

Tyler Goodman, 11

Tyler Goodman is a familiar face at Boys and Girls Clubs of Porter County’s South Haven Unit.

Since becoming a member three years ago, Goodman has become a regular, going to the club each day it is open. When he’s not meeting friends or playing in the game room, he likes helping out the staff. He’ll pitch in to clean up messes, pick up in the lounge or even work the phones at the front desk if asked.

His club dedication has been recognized three times with a Member of the Month award, which recognizes members for outstanding behavior and positive involvement in the club.