Last weekend we went out to a beach on Vashon Island and explored tide pools at low tide. There were crabs under lots of the rocks, barnacles on everything, muscles and sand dollars all over, and we even saw some purple starfish. There were also the clams that squirted us. We have done this sort of thing before at different beaches around The Sound and we always see something new. Rubber boots and maybe a change of pants are all that are required. Why don't we take off our shoes and wade right in? Have a look at the picture. Barnacles are sharp, and the water is freezing. Being from Kansas, my idea of a beach is what I had seen on TV. Warm and sunny. I learned quickly that we don't have those beaches here, but what we do have is still a lot of fun. Various tools for making sand castles or digging around in the sand are helpful, but if you don't have them then the kid can always use a stick. We practice the Cub Scout ethic of "Leave No Trace" which is very difficult for an eight year old, but good practice. Sometimes we even stop by a park on the Sound on the way home after school and work. Even just a quick walk on the beach is a lot of fun.
If you are a parent of a child who attends public school in Washington, and if you have even a vague recollection of the food pyramid , you probably will have noticed that the lunches that are served in school cafeterias are frequently at odds with the rules of good nutrition. The school is not wrong, however. They have just re-defined words and you are not keeping up. Pop quiz: Cheese belongs to what food group? *bzzz* - wrong. You said that cheese was in the diary food group , right? No! Pbth! How boringly accurate of you. Cheese magically transforms into a protein when it is served on pizza or in a bread stick! I know that you may be dubious, but I contacted Wendy Barkley, RD, who is the Acting Supervisor of School Nutrition Programs in the State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and she assured me that it is so. To quote her email to me: " Pizza remains an option for schools for their menus. The cheese on pizza is counted as a protein in t
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