See our calendar for 219 fabulous events!

Muskogee MagicCelebrate the season

in this quaint Oklahoma town

DECEMBER 2015

(info on page 6)

12 Days

WINwith our

Contest

BIG!

Free FunOKC’s best bets for Christmas fun on a budget

YMCA OF GREATER OKLAHOMA CITY

The Y is a positive force in our community. Together, we take

on the challenges that shape our city’s future. From tackling the

achievement gap to teaching healthy habits for a lifetime or giving

people the chance to strengthen our community through volunteering,

everything the Y does is in service of building a better us.

Every day, our community faces new challenges that create

a greater need for the work we do. YMCA donors, volunteers,

members, and partners like you make the difference.

Your gift can help our city and everyone in it shine.

HELP THE Y BUILD A BETTER US.

Contribute online at YMCAOKC.ORG/GIVE

16KINSHIP CARELearn how the foster system is working to keep kids connect-ed through kinship care.

guide...goThe ultimate OKC family fun

50REAL MOM Get to know a mom on stage in Lyric Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol.”

42MUSKOGEE MAGICPlan a family trip to this quaint Oklahoma town to make holiday memories.

A handful of amazing moms are giving hope

to familes dealing with childhood cancer.

10

6 Christmas Traditions

8 Editor’s Picks: Top Free Holiday Fun

22 Mom Humor: Holiday Cheese

24 Calendar of Events

46 Holiday Gift Guide

PLUS... DON’T MISS ALL THIS

HAVE A STORYOR BIG EVENT?We are all about family activities and fun in the OKC metro. If you have a story to share, let us know!

CONTACT THE TEAM AT 405-818-5025 or email sarah@metrofamilymagazine.com.

EDITORIALSarah Taylor–Publisher

Hannah Schmitt–Managing EditorLindsay Cuomo–Calendar Editor

Heather Davis, Jennifer Sharpe, Jennifer Geary and Erin Page–

Contributing Writers Emily Hart and Mark Doescher–

Contributing Photographers

DESIGN & SALESStacy Noakes–Art Director

Callie Collins–Marketing Director Athena Delce, Dana Price &

Jessica Misun–Sales Kathy Alberty–Office/Distribution

Shelly Sanderson–Business Development

Circulation - 35,000 Also available as a digital edition at

www.metrofamilymagazine.com

Articles and advertisements in MetroFamily do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Inprint Publishing, Inc. We do not

assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The

acceptance of advertising by MetroFamily does not constitute an endorsement of the products,

services, or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service which is

fraudulent or misleading in nature.

MetroFamily Magazine is a monthly magazine published by

Inprint Publishing, Inc. New Address: 318 NW 13th St Ste 101

OKC OK 73103

Phone: 405-818-5025 Fax: 405-445-7509

info@metrofamilymagazine.com

©Inprint Publishing, Inc. 2015, All Rights Reserved.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

Volume 18, Number 12

THIS MONTH, WE’RE GIVING AWAY A DOZEN INCREDIBLE PRIZE PACKAGES PLUS GRAND PRIZES!

Have you ever talked to someone who

gave you a brand new perspective on life?

I had the privilege to talk to some local moms for a feature in this issue (on page 10) and their attitudes changed me. The ladies make up a group called 10 Strong and they throw weekly parties for the children on the 10th floor of the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center who are receiving treatment for cancer and can’t leave the hospital. The members of 10 Strong come from all walks of life but the one thing they have in common is that they all have children who had cancer or are currently fighting cancer.

You might think these ladies would be waiting on other people to do things for them, right? After all, they have spent countless nights in a hospital room watching their children suffer through cancer treatment. Many of them have even buried their children within the past couple years.

But instead of waiting for others to serve them or feel sorry for them, they dedicate hours every week to the other kids suffering through treatment and their families. Come Christmas Eve, these

women will give up time with their own families to deliver matching pajama sets to cancer patients and their siblings at the hospital. They’ll shower these families with treats and attention to help them maybe forget for a moment they’re spending Christmas living every parent’s worst nightmare.

I pledge this month to feel less burned out by holiday preparations and not to succumb to society’s idea that this holiday is all about excess and consumption. Instead, I hope to think more about the selflessness of the 10 Strong group members and let gratitude prompt me to make a difference in the lives of others like they are. Will you join me?

Hannah SchmittEditor

WOW!

WelcomeFROM OUR EDITORThis month, we reveal top Christmas events and activities, teach the value of kinship foster care and unveil the best holiday attractions in Muskogee.

Enter our contests to win big!

• 12 Days of Christmas: Flip to the next page to learn about our prizes this year and visit www.metrofamilymagazine.com/contests to enter starting Dec. 1! Each day you enter counts as an entry into our grand prize giveaways: a weekend of fun in OKC and a weekend of fun in Dallas at the Anatole Hotel.

• Family Favorites Voting: You helped determine the finalists for our Family Favorites program and now it's time to pick the winner in each category. Vote up to once a day between now and Dec. 13. Visit www.metrofamilymagazine.com/Family-Favorites-2016/ for more information.

• Selfie with an Elfie: Snap a selfie with the MetroFamily Elfie at six retailers around town to be entered to win the grand prize, which includes $225 worth of gift certificates to the participating stores! Visit www.metrofamilymagazine.com/elfie to learn more.

CELEBRATE

CHRISTMAS

AT A FESTIVE

METRO EVENT

Calendar starts on page 24 PHOTO TAKEN BY EMILY HART WWW.NINAANDBPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

THIS MONTH’S COVER:

Oklahoma City 2-year-old and Cover Kid Search winner Karinah D. appears on our cover this month.

Special thanks to Macy’s Quail Springs for providing Karinah’s clothing.

BY HANNAH SCHMITTMANAGING EDITOR

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 6 DECEMBER 2015

Sounding Off Fun Christmas Traditions from Our Readers

family buzzWe’re buzzing aboutChristmas Fun

We asked our readers on Facebook about their favorite holiday traditions. Turns out you have some great ideas for keeping the Christmas spirit alive all month long! Check out these ideas and maybe try a new one yourself this season.

Carmen F.: Pack some Christmas cookies and hot cocoa and drive to see the Downs Family Christmas display. We do it more than once each season.

Joan S.: Our family (grandparents down to great grandkids) comes together one weekend in December to do our holiday baking. It takes all day, makes a big mess and includes lots of laughs and so much food. At the end of the day when we are cleaning up, you almost don’t want to leave!

Laquita A.: We put up our tree together as a family. Each child puts on the ornaments they made from previous years. We tell stories and compare handprints each year.

Kim B.: We get new jammies, a new movie, popcorn and hot cocoa on Christmas Eve.

Monica D.: Beginning Dec. 1, my husband, myself and the kids do something anonymously for others every day until Dec. 25. We leave cookies on porches, deliver hot cocoa at bus stops, volunteer at shelters, whatever we can do. And that way we feel good on the day we receive because we gave so much all month long. We ignite the spirit of Christmas!

Jordan R.: We always open one big family present on Christmas Eve. That present always contains new pajamas for each person, hot coca, a mug for each person, popcorn, s’mores and a new Christmas movie. Then we gather up all the blankets and pillows from the house and pile them up on the living room floor. We make our snacks, cocoa and put on our pajamas and snuggle up together to watch the movie.

Jennifer D: Ice skating!

Another terrific way to celebrate the season is at a family-friendly Christmas event. Find hundreds of local events starting on page 24.

Our 12 Days of December giveaway features a dozen incredible prize packages just in time for Christmas. We spend all year putting together special prize packages to give local winners an extra special Christmas. Here are a few things we’re giving away:

Our grand prize package includes a two-night stay for a family of four plus breakfast at the Anatole Hotel in Dallas. Another lucky family will win four tickets to the upcoming Celebrity Attractions presentation of "Beauty and the Beast" at Civic Center Music Hall complete with a one-night stay at the Renaissance Hotel and a couples' massage, pedicure and manicure at the hotel's spa.

Elevation Trampoline Park has become a metro staple for family fun. We’ll be giving away two one-hour jump passes every day during our 12 Days of December promotion!

One lucky winner will receive the interactive Ask Amy Doll. This toy laughs, sings, recites

poems and even answers questions! Little ones are sure to be amazed and entertained by this lovable and educational toy.

Enter Dec. 1-12 at www.metrofamilymagazine.com/contests.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 7 DECEMBER 2015

Make these tasty homemade treats

this Christmas!

What better way to make family memories this month than getting in the kitchen? Katherine Morgan, owner of Oklahoma City’s popular hot chocolate and shaved ice food truck Katiebug’s, has fond memories of baking with her family throughout the holiday season. Exclusively for our readers, she shares her family recipe for homemade graham crackers below. These festive cookies can be stamped on the top just before baking, making them ideal gifts for friends or Christmas Eve snacks for Santa.

Katiebug’s Homemade Graham CrackersIngredients1 1/2 c. organic whole wheat flour1 c. organic all purpose flour1 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. salt1 c. organic brown sugar1 Tbsp. organic cane sugar1/2 c. (1 stick) Kerry Gold grass fed butter1/3 c. honey (we use local Andrews honey)1/4 c. organic milk1 Tbsp. organic vanilla extract

InstructionsIn the bowl of a mixer combine flours, brown sugar, cane sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix on low with the paddle attachment to incorporate.

Add cold, cubed butter and mix on low until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough comes together.

Divide in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, about 2 hours in the fridge.

Turn out chilled dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a long rectangle about 1/8” thick.

We use a square scalloped cookie cutter to cut the dough but you could also use a knife or fluted pastry wheel and cut the dough.

Poke holes into the crackers using a fork or toothpick (we put a “K” for Katiebug’s).

Repeat with the second batch of dough.

OPTIONAL: In a small bowl combine 3 Tbsp. of organic sugar and 1 tsp. of Saigon cinnamon. Sprinkle on top before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly browned (shorter time for softer crackers, a little longer for crunchy).

Remove and cool on baking rack for at least 10 minutes.

Catch Katiebug's this month from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every Thursday-Sunday in December at Midtown's Holiday Pop-Up Shops (N.W. 10th St. & Hudson).

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 8 DECEMBER 2015

Editor’s Picks: Best Free Holiday FunOur calendar, which starts on page 24, is bursting at the seams with festive holiday events. With all the expenses that come with Christmas, you don’t need to spend even more to keep the kids entertained. Here are our top picks for free Christmas fun happening all month long. So hold onto that cash and head out to celebrate all Oklahoma City has to offer this month!

Red Earth TreefestRed Earth Art Center 6 Santa Fe PlazaWhy We Love It: All month long, the Red Earth Art Center is putting Native American heritage on display in the most festive way. The Treefest exhibit features seven Christmas trees adorned with handmade ornaments that reveal the diverse Native cultures in the Oklahoma City area. Whether your kids come from Native backgrounds or not, they’ll love this unique combination of culture, Christmas and craftiness. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday all month.

Christmas Traditions Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble Concert SeriesDec. 4 at OKC Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 123, 1624 S. Agnew Ave.Dec. 11 at Church of the Resurrection, 13112 N. Rockwell Ave. Why We Love It: Although your kids have probably encountered lots of live music before, there’s nothing quite like a handbell ensemble. The group of 19 musicians swing and ring an impressive 525 pounds of bronze and aluminum to create exciting holiday tunes. The highly-recognizable songs are presented in a free concert that’s become a Christmas tradition in Oklahoma City. The concerts start at 7 p.m. and are free but donations are accepted.

Merry & Bright: Free Sunday Evenings in the Crystal BridgeMyriad Botanical Gardens 301 W. Reno

Why We Love It: The Crystal Bridge is a popular Oklahoma City destination for its unique collection of plant life from around the world. Every Sunday night in December, enjoy free admission to Myriad’s Crystal Bridge. Step inside the balmy botanical garden to get out of the cold and catch stunning views of Myriad Gardens lit up for Christmas. Be sure to pose in front of the impressive poinsettia Christmas tree for a family photo. Free admission is granted to families from 6 to 9 p.m. every Sunday in December.

Storyland ChristmasCharles J. Johnson Central Park 29th St. in Midwest CityWhy We Love It: Midwest City is delivering an entire month of holiday fun anchored by a breathtaking 30-foot Christmas tree glowing with snowflakes, ornaments and 6,000 brilliant lights. Visit Storyland Christmas with the whole family to listen to holiday stories that accompany special Christmas murals. The event also includes photo opportunities with Santa and classic Christmas movies. Storyland Christmas

opens at 6 p.m. Dec. 3 and stays open through Dec. 20. Breakfast with SantaWhole Foods 6001 N. Western Ave.Why We Love It: There are plenty of opportunities to see Santa this month in Oklahoma City but few are as much fun as the Breakfast with Santa at Whole Foods. The grocery store offers free pancakes to all the guests who come to see Old Saint Nick, so be sure to bring your appetite in addition to your camera to snap a photo with the big guy. The event will be hosted from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 5.

Holiday River Parade on the Oklahoma RiverBoathouse District 725 S. Lincoln Blvd.Why We Love It: Of course climbing up onto Santa’s lap is exciting but what could be more thrilling than seeing Santa float by you on a special river parade float? This annual river parade offers ideal entertainment in the center of Oklahoma City with a holiday ski show, festive floats decorated elaborately for the season and a fireworks show over the water to top it all off. The parade kicks off at 6 p.m. Dec. 20.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MYRIAD BOTANICAL GARDENS

BY HANNAH SCHMITT

Local moms help kids battling cancer

PHOTOS BY MARK DOESCHER

I t’s Wednesday night at the Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. If you’re a mom of one

of the patients on the floor, you might not even realize what day it is if not for the women walking around in paper hats taking ice cream sundae orders.

“I’ve been here before when the days turn into weeks and then the weeks turn into months,” said Beth McDowell, the leader of the group serving the ice cream.

McDowell started the group, called 10 Strong because of their continued presence on the 10th floor of the hospital, to serve families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment. The 10th floor is reserved for patients who cannot leave the hospital because they’re undergoing cancer treatment and mixing with the general public could compromise their immune systems.

“We’ve made Wednesday the best day to fight cancer,” McDowell said between scooping ice cream for patients and their families.

McDowell became aware of the need for a morale boost on this floor of the hospital when her daughter, Mia, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2011. She was just 16 months old. Now a healthy kindergartener, McDowell’s daughter spent 120 days in treatment for her cancer. McDowell had just given birth to Mia’s younger sibling as she finished her first round of treatment.

“It was very isolating,” McDowell admitted. “Every day was kind of like groundhog day.”

She started meeting other parents on the floor and got to know many of the nurses. Like many of the moms in the 10 Strong group scooping

10 Strong

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 11 DECEMBER 2015

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ice cream for families, she refers to the hospital as her second home and comments that many of the parents and nurses have become as close as family to her.

As any mom would, McDowell began to realize as her daughter was finishing up treatment how many memories the patients and their parents and siblings sacrificed during their time at the hospital. So she became determined to give the families on the floor special moments throughout their time there, starting with a Christmas Eve party she organized three years ago.

It was at that holiday party that McDowell got to know Nicole Howard and her family. Howard recalled how her kids were touched by the thought the 10 Strong group members put into the occasion. The group members purchase matching pajamas for all the patients and their siblings, decorate IV poles like Christmas trees, sip hot cocoa and roll out a carpet on the sterile hospital floor to watch classic Christmas movies together.

“It’s really important that we simulate a real Christmas,” McDowell said. “These are years in the lives of kids they would normally be making these kind of memories at home. But

it’s not like they’re going on family vacations or going to the park or having birthday parties. They’re here.”

Last Christmas, Howard was at the hospital with her husband and six kids because one of her youngest twins, Blake, was fighting leukemia.

Blake was diagnosed at 5 months old. The family knew immediately he would need a stem cell transplant, the only known cure. He got the transplant last December and the family did their best to celebrate Christmas in the hospital. After 123 days of treatment, Blake was released only to relapse a month and a half later. He died March 26 and

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 12 DECEMBER 2015

Howard said she hasn’t missed a Wednesday night since.

“I was so isolated,” Howard said of her time at the hospital with Blake. “For months I swapped out every other night at the hospital with my husband and the only people I ever saw were the nurses on the floor. These people really are my family and once you come into this world, it just makes sense to stay part of it.”

Blake spent much of his time in a special wing for stem cell patients, unable to even leave the room. Still, the 10 Strong ladies were there. On waffle night or ice cream night, they bring menus by the stem cell rooms to let patients and their families order something special. For some of them, it’s the only time of the week to eat something other than hospital food. On movie night, the 10 Strong women take flyers to the patients who cannot leave the room and let them pick from the menu of new releases. They then rent the movie and bring back into the room along with snacks.

“Once you’re in this world, you never go back to normal,” McDowell said. “After this

experience, you feel a duty and an obligation to the people up here.”

While all the moms in the group believe strongly that their efforts boost the moods of all the patients on the floor and their families, a big element of their efforts is to simply raise awareness about childhood cancer.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation reports that 43 children per day are diagnosed with cancer. That’s one in every 285 children facing a cancer diagnosis. Yet only four percent of federal government cancer research funding goes to children. The women in 10 Strong are determined to raise awareness and put more funds into curing cancer among children.

“Everyone in here is just waiting for another trial that could possibly save their child,” McDowell said. “When you’ve been on that side of things, you do whatever you have to do to throw money at this cause.”

Even shave your head. Jordan Keith, another 10 Strong mom, met McDowell three years ago when they shaved their heads together to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

The volunteer-powered childhood cancer charity funds promising research to find cures for kids with cancer. At the time they shaved their heads, Keith’s son, Charlie, was in treatment. Like Mia, Charlie was also diagnosed with neuroblastoma. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital reports neuroblastoma is the most common tumor in children younger than one year old with 800 new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S.

The 3-year-old was in treatment 150 days before going into remission. After six blissful months, he relapsed. Charlie died in September from complications of his cancer treatment. Amazingly, Keith never stopped helping other families at the hospital.

“This is my therapy,” she said. “I came back my first week after Charlie died. You can’t leave behind the families that need you. This was my second home for a long time. You don’t just leave.”

Like every mom up on the 10th floor, Keith has a lifetime of friends and family members outside the hospital.

“I call them my B.C. friends—before cancer

Myriad Botanical Gardens

Devon Energy Center and Myriad Botanical Gardens10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visits with Santa are first come, first served.

downtownindecember.com

with

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 14 DECEMBER 2015

friends,” she said. “I still have them but you lose communication when you put your whole life on hold for treatment. I can’t blame them, but that’s why it means even more to be serving these families up here. I feel a lot of responsibility.”

McDowell has noticed among all the moms—those who have lost children to cancer and those with kids who survived—that bringing the Wednesday night celebrations to the hospital is a way of healing, providing hope and honoring the memory of kids who died too soon.

The weekly ice cream night that’s being celebrated on this particular evening was inspired by Charlie, in fact. Keith, with a pin proudly displaying Charlie’s bright smile peeking over her apron strap, said ice cream was her son’s very favorite food. She knows Charlie would be proud that she’s serving up sweet treats to other patients.

“We’re changing lives one Wednesday at a time, one Halloween at a time, one Christmas Eve at a time,” Keith said.

To keep changing lives, the group relies on donations from local individuals and businesses. They recently threw a birthday party for a 2-year-old boy on the floor that was generously catered by Big Truck Tacos with a free cake supplied by Icing Smiles.

At this year’s Christmas Eve party, Katiebug’s Shaved Ice and Hot Chocolate will bring free cocoa up to the 10th floor. As long as there are people willing to donate goods and services, 10 Strong is committed to growing their presence on the 10th floor.

“If someone contacts me, I’ll show them a way to help,” McDowell said. “We had a carpet store donate the carpet for movie nights. A concession stand store donated stuff to make the snacks. Call me and I’ll tell you how to help get a smile on these faces up here.”

Whether the donations come in or not, Keith, McDowell and Howard all agreed there’s no stopping 10 Strong from hosting weekly parties and special events.

“Our mission is to improve the morale for these kids and their families,” McDowell said, “and we’ll do absolutely everything we can do to make that happen.”

[Editor’s Note: To learn more about this group and make a donation, visit www.facebook.com/10strongforacure.]

Make your reservations early online at www.amtrak.com or www.heartlandflyer.comor by calling Amtrak's toll free number: 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Join Santa Claus on board the Heartland Flyer on Saturday, December 12, 2015.

Departure time is 8:25am from Oklahoma City and will be making stops along the way in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, Ardmore, Gainesville and Fort Worth, Texas. Arrival time in Fort Worth is

12:40pm. The duration of the trip is just over 4 hours and we will do the driving! Enjoy the journey!Seating is limited, so book early!

RIDE THE TRAINIt's the time of the year when families look forward to reconnecting and making great memories together. This season, count on Amtrak for a less stressful way to ride during

the frenzy of holiday travel.

Let us greet you and yours with no hidden fees, less boarding hassles and spacious seating for a more comfortable ride. Plus, train travel is the greener option for the season — it's almost 20% more efficient than air and auto travel. With our friendly staff and convenient onboard amenities, Amtrak is ready to help and serve you on your way

to a refreshing travel experience over the holidays.

Keeping Kids Connected: The Value of

Kinship Foster CareBY ERIN PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRITTANY VIKLUND WWW.BRITTANYVIKLUND.COM

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 17 DECEMBER 2015

Our MissionA Christ-centered ministry devoted to providing safe and stable families

for at-risk children and youth.

LILYFIELDChristian Adoption and Foster Care

VisionAt Lily�eld we serve children, youth, birth, adoptive and foster families by sharing God’s love in our community. We are committed to excellence in service and the foundation of our faith in Christ Jesus as we: • Promote safety and stability for

children • Equip, prepare and counsel birth,

adoptive and foster families • Guide children, youth and families on

a path to healing and permanency Our programs include: adoption, services for birthparents, foster care, care connect post placement counseling and independent living (for girls who have aged out of foster care so they can continue their education).

Lily�eld.org501 E. 15th, Ste. 400A, Edmond

405.216.5240

W hen two former neighbors’ daughters were removed from their home by the

Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Brian and Angela (whose names have been changed for privacy and safety) said yes to a weekend of keeping the little girls so they wouldn’t have to be placed in a shelter. They had babysat the girls a few times, but had no parenting experience themselves. Several days later, they were asked if they would keep the girls as kinship foster parents while the parents sorted things out.

“It basically happened overnight,” Angela said. “Saying ‘yes’ to the weekend was easy, like babysitting for an emergency. But when they contacted us about watching them as [kinship] foster parents, in which we were not certified to do, we were scared, nervous, apprehensive. My husband and I had never cared for children before and didn’t know what to expect.”

Angela and Brian were comfortable in their lives without children. But they knew these little girls and were more afraid to say no, wondering what would happen to them otherwise. While there were relatives who may have been able to take them, Angela and Brian were the most stable people in their lives and the biological parents wanted their children to live with the couple.

“We prayed, we said yes and within a matter of hours we had picked the girls up at the shelter to come live with us,” Angela said.

While the priority of kinship placements doesn’t diminish the increasing need for traditional foster parents in our state, OKDHS is intent on trying to place a child with someone he or she knows upon removal from the biological home.

“For a number of years Oklahoma has looked to relatives to take in children, even more than many other states,” said Deb Shropshire, deputy director of child welfare community partnerships. “I think philosophically there is an increasing awareness that keeping kids connected to their families and communities is the right thing to do and in fact that it may yield better long-term outcomes.”

For Tabitha Jones, the decision to take guardianship of her niece and nephew was a simple one: “I know foster care is there for a reason and sometimes that is the only option. But I believe children should be with family because family ties are so important.”

When her brother could no longer cope with having children, Jones’ large family rallied together to ensure Jentry and Jordan would stay with family. While there were several viable placement options for the children, Jones chose to step up because she felt she had the simplest lifestyle to accommodate them.

“All the others had their own children and spouses and it would have been harder for them,” said Jones. “I wanted them to know the family and I didn’t want them being with strangers.”

Making kinship placements a priorityA kinship foster placement is one in which a child is placed with someone he or she already knows. That individual or family could be a relative, or it could be a neighbor, family friend or Sunday School teacher. As of Sept. 30, nearly 42 percent of the 10,872 Oklahoma children in foster care reside in kinship placements. As the number of foster children grows in our state and the goal of traditional foster homes has not been met, kinship placements have become even more critical.

“We know that our children suffer less trauma when they are able to be placed with family or someone with whom they had a prior relationship,” said Lashowann Smith, case worker supervisor in foster care for OKDHS.

“I know foster care is there for a reason, and sometimes that is the

only option. But I believe children should be with family because family ties are so important.”

Tabitha Jones, kinship foster parent

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 18 DECEMBER 2015

Unlike traditional foster parents, who can currently work with a private foster care placement agency or OKDHS, all kinship placements are handled by OKDHS. The agency is making improved efforts immediately upon a child being removed from a home to place that child with someone he or she already knows before a request for a traditional foster family is made.

“Being removed from your home as well as dealing with whatever stressors were in your home to begin with can be very stressful for kids,” Shropshire said. “Moving to the home of someone who is familiar makes that transition feel much smoother and safer for a child.”

Smith said kinship leads to less placement disruptions because family is usually more familiar with and understanding of a child’s behaviors.

“Relatives or family friends may understand family dynamics and be helpful to the case worker and the court in also understanding what supports are needed for the child to return home,” Shropshire said. “They are likely to be very personally invested in the child and more willing to keep the child connected to their school, their culture and heritage.”

Smith said kinship foster parents may be more willing to bridge with biological parents, aiding in reunification of the child with his or her family. She cites the more visits a child has with his or her biological parents, the more likely that child is to return home. If reunification is in the cards, the support of the family or friends who served as a kinship placement is crucial even after the child returns home.

“Engaging the family and supportive friends not just during the crisis but also as the family reunifies is very important,” Shropshire said. “The person who served as the foster home will be the same person who can support the mom and dad who get

their kids back, but who may still struggle with some of the life challenges that caused a safety risk in the first place.”

Jones ensures her niece and nephew are connected with their extended family and supports relationships with their biological parents.

“Jentry and Jordan have been able to stay in contact with all of their other aunts, uncles and cousins who they were close to before coming to live with me,” Jones said. “They have also been able to see healthy relationship within the family and they have been able to have limited but healthier relationships with their parents.”

Shropshire has witnessed time and time again that desire to stay connected to or reconnect with biological families, regardless of circumstances.

“While it may be counterintuitive, most children really do want to know where they came from,” she said, “even if the story hasn’t always been pretty.”

The hardship in becoming parents overnightNot unlike traditional foster parents, kinship foster parents often receive a placement without much notice. The difference, however, is that kinship parents may be totally unprepared for the child to enter the family.

“The parents, law enforcement or DHS appear on their doorstep and the decision

to raise the children is an instant one,” said Andrea Sneed, social services coordinator for Sunbeam Family Services.

Like Brian and Angela, kinship foster parents may have never considered becoming a foster parent, much less completed the training, child-proofed their home or picked up necessary supplies. While traditional foster parents must be fully trained and approved prior to receiving a placement, a kinship placement can occur after a precursory background check and safety walk-through of the home.

“We had nothing for the kids, not even a change of clothes,” Angela said. Members of their church threw them a shower to provide necessities and friends brought meals. OKDHS was instrumental in providing clothing vouchers and getting the girls into counseling.

Just like traditional foster parents, kinship foster parents must complete 27 hours of training before they are eligible to receive monthly payments from the state. However, kinship foster parents are typically trying to complete that training and a detailed home study while simultaneously caring for the foster child or children placed in their home.

In Brian and Angela’s case, their work schedules meant they would have had to take leave to attend the classes and there was no childcare provided. After about six months of fostering the girls, OKDHS began offering an expedited class, which they took advantage of.

“We still had to take off work, but it was doable to get everything knocked out in one weekend,” Angela said. “Even though we had

“You have to suddenly serve as the ‘parent’ when

you may have previously been the ‘grandparent,’ while at the same time

serving as an ‘enforcer’ of the state’s rules and court

orders against your own child or relative.”

Deb Shropshire, OKDHS

“Engaging the family and supportive friends not just during the crisis but also as the family reunifies is

very important.” Deb Shropshire, OKDHS

“We know that our children suffer less

trauma when they are able to be placed with

family or someone with whom they had a prior

relationship.” Lashowann Smith, case worker

supervisor for OKDHS

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 19 DECEMBER 2015

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the kids a long time before we attended the classes, we still learned a lot.”

The sudden shift in roles for kinship foster parents can also prove tumultuous.

“You have to suddenly serve as the ‘parent’ when you may have previously been the ‘grandparent,’ while at the same time serving as an ‘enforcer’ of the state’s rules and court orders against your own child or relative,” Shropshire said.

Kinship foster parents’ preexisting relationships with their foster children’s biological parents often pose difficulties. Unlike many traditional foster care situations, biological parents know where their children are living. As Shropshire puts it, it’s hard to be in the middle of a family mess.

“The bio parent may get angry with you, they know where you live and may come over,” said Shropshire, “If there are already unhealthy dynamics between the bio and the relative, this can exacerbate.”

For grandparents or those already on a limited budget in particular, the financial strain of unexpectedly adding one or more grandchildren to their household can be overwhelming. Judy Lietner, coordinator of Oklahoma Aging Advocacy Leadership Academy through OKDHS, works with individuals age 55 and over. She said while these grandparents may be doing fairly well surviving on social security and retirement, the added expenses of daycare, health

insurance and providing for grandchildren in general can take quite a toll.

“Adding family members increases the stress financially long term,” said Sneed. “The grandparents accept this challenge because they love their grandchildren and don’t want them separated from their family.”

Supporting kinship foster parentsOne of the keys to better kinship placement utilization is improved support for these families, as well as improved communication to ensure kinship families are aware of the resources available to them.

A fundamental segment of kinship placements are grandparents raising grandchildren, the rate of which has increased tremendously over the past five years, according to Sneed. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Oklahoma ranks in the top 10 states that have grandparents or other relatives raising children, with 81,000 grandparents in our state living with their grandchildren and almost 44,000 grandparents holding full responsibility for those grandchildren. Nearly nine percent of children in Oklahoma are being raised by grandparents.

Lietner connects grandparents raising grandchildren to a variety of resources, including legal services for grandparents seeking to adopt or take guardianship of their grandchildren, help securing health insurance for foster children and grants to pay for respite care. A new partnership between OKDHS and the state library system will offer telecasts via 26 libraries across Oklahoma specifically to address concerns and listen to questions of grandparents raising grandchildren.

Lietner works closely with Sneed through Sunbeam Family Services’ Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, which has been serving grandparents for 14 years. Staples of the program include assistance with school supplies and holiday gifts, peer-led support groups and referrals for clothing and groceries.

While the financial and resource support are critical to the grandparents she serves, Sneed says it’s the support groups that are often the most valuable: “The GRG support groups support the grandparents emotionally by providing a safe, confidential group to talk candidly about the struggles that they are facing. The support groups are often the best resource for the GRGs because someone in the group has been where that grandparent is now in their journey.”

“Adding family members increases the stress

financially long-term. The grandparents accept this

challenge because they love their grandchildren

and don’t want them separated from their

family.” Andrea Sneed, Sunbeam

Family Services

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 20 DECEMBER 2015

We strive to make sure that every foster child we serve is provided with: • A safe, comfortable place to live. • Help with their educational needs

and to participate in activities. • Consistent, practical support and

guidance. • To be made a part of our foster

families.

If you choose to become a Foster Family in our network, your family deserves: • Help in becoming certified. • Training to help you deal with any of

your foster child’s challenges. • Support to help you be a successful

foster family.

For more information contact:OK Association of Youth Services

201 N.E. 50th Oklahoma City

www.Oays.org405-528-4120

1-844 692-7837

For more than 40 years, Youth Services Agencies throughout

Oklahoma have provided community based services such as counseling, shelter and other vital programs to

children, youth and families.

We are proud to announce that we are now offering

Foster Care recruitment and support services in the

Oklahoma City Metro area.

Lietner cites generational differences as an added challenge for grandparents raising grandchildren, as well as a very different educational system than the one that existed when grandparents were raising their own children. Lietner says mental health issues often plague these grandchildren long term as they deal with abandonment and the trauma they’ve endured. An added challenge occurs as grandparents age and roles reverse.

“They assume caregiver roles with the grandparent,” Lietner said. “It’s something we are going to have to figure out how to address.”

For grandparents or any type of kinship placement, Smith refers her foster parents to several local organizations for help. Oklahoma Foster Wishes offers baby gear,

beds, clothing, food and car seats to any foster parents. United Methodist Circle of Care operates free thrift stores in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Talehquah for foster parents to choose clothing and other material goods. Citizens Caring for Children’s Resource Center provides outfits, toiletries and books four times per year to any child in foster care.

Jones has made use of OKDHS’s guardianship placement services and has found counseling to be imperative for her niece and nephew. Although experts cite less trauma when a child is moved to the home of someone he or she already knows, that doesn’t mean the road is an easy one.

While Jones was familiar with her niece and nephew’s behaviors before they came to live with her, their initial respective rage and inclination to hide food were clear indicators of the trauma they endured.

“I have seen marked improvements,” said Jones of her niece and nephew’s response to counseling and a stable environment.

When Brian and Angela and Jones said “yes” to being an integral part of four different children’s lives, their own lives changed in the blink of an eye. Jones has assumed guardianship of her niece and nephew. Brian and Angela had their foster children for almost two years before helping them transition to their permanent, adoptive home.

“After it was clear they wouldn’t be able to live with their biological parents ever again, we started to prepare them,” Angela said. “We would tell them that God had a special mommy and daddy out there that were praying to get two beautiful little girls just like them.”

The girls’ transition to their forever home was a positive one and Brian and Angela still see them from time to time. The couple is grateful to the girls’ adoptive parents for

“Humans have a deep-seated biological and emotional need to be with ‘their people.’ I

encourage traditional foster families, as well as others in

the community, to appreciate the value

of relatives and family friends who step into sudden fostering and find ways to partner

and support those families that allow

the child the best of both worlds.”

Deb Shropshire, OKDHS

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 21 DECEMBER 2015

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letting them remain a part of their lives, and they are appreciative of the special bond they share with their former foster children.

“We made an abrupt decision and changed the lives of two kids forever,” Angela said. “We had no parenting experience and were not prepared for children. But we did it. We said yes. Our lives were forever changed for the better.”

Traditional vs. kinship foster placementsAlthough traditional foster parents enter into fostering with an understanding and acceptance of trying to help a foster child reunite with biological family, the dynamics between traditional and kinship foster parents can be a source of friction, particularly when a child is moved from a traditional foster home in favor of a kinship placement.

“The solution to that is better family-finding and family engagement up front, so that kids can go to a relative very quickly, and this is something we are definitely working to improve,” said Shropshire.

It’s emotional for a traditional foster family to deal with the removal of a child they have grown to love, even if it’s what’s deemed in the best interest of that child.

“The foster family bonds with the child and sees them thrive and hates to see them move at all,” said Shropshire.

In such a case, the traditional foster family may view itself better equipped to meet the child’s needs, in terms of fostering healthy relationships, opportunity and education.

“On the surface, they may be right,” said Shropshire. “However, humans have a deep-seated biological and emotional need to be with ‘their people.’ I encourage traditional foster families, as well as others in the community, to appreciate the value of relatives and family friends who step into sudden fostering and find ways to partner and support those families that allow the child the best of both worlds.”

[Editor’s Note: to learn more about becoming a foster parent, find resources and contact information for agencies at www.metrofamilymagazine.com/Foster-Care-Guide/.]

“We made an abrupt decision and changed the lives of two kids forever.

We had no parenting experience and were not prepared for children. But

we did it. We said yes. Our lives were forever

changed for the better.” Brian and Angela

mom gets the last laugh

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 22 DECEMBER 2015

Ahhh … the annual Christmas card race, um, I mean exchange. It’s a favorite holiday tradition. Beginning in October (or April), I start planning the

outfits that my children will wear. I book the photographer. I scour the websites for the best design and I update my card list.

The week before Thanksgiving, I’ll address the envelopes, maybe I’ll use my fancy-schmancy doodle book pens that I bought on clearance last January. Or maybe I’ll spend three hours looking for the book and finally just address them with a blue Bic.

On Thanksgiving Day, on our way home from my husband’s folks’ home, we’ll drop the cards in the first postal drop box that we find. I’ll

raise my hands in triumph, smashing them against the SUV’s roof and declare myself the winner of the annual Christmas card race, um, I mean exchange. Ya know … if there were a winner.

(But if there were, it’d be me! Cue “We Are The Champions.”)

My family makes fun of me because I devote so much time and energy into the postal exchanging of holiday greetings. But, when the cards start rolling in (at least two weeks after I’ve sent mine out, like a boss), they all enjoy looking at the cards and catching up with friends old and new (and sometimes unknown). I see the Christmas card as a universal symbol of connection—and what better time to connect with others than the holidays?

This year was no different. I booked the photographer and planned on the outfits. This year we’d go with blacks, whites and reds. Then, I began searching for the perfect cards.

ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY BALL, WWW.EMILYMGBALL.COM

Holiday Cheese

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 23 DECEMBER 2015

I chose three different designs: One whimsical with lots of color, one more serious in case I really liked a black-and-white print and one just because it was bigger and better than any we received last year. (Oh wait. Did I just say that aloud?)

Then, the big day came: The day I’d been preparing for since February. The day of pictures. My girls spent hours doing their hair. Now that they are teens, they take great pride in making sure their hair is just perfect and then proclaiming it to be stupid and dumb and lamenting the fact that they can’t do anything with it.

I made sure we were all wearing the right clothes, we had brushed teeth (in case this is the year that scratch and sniff Christmas cards make their appearance) and that our accessories were appropriate. Case in point: self-made beaded earrings in orange and black have no place on the front of my cards.

And then my husband announced that he had a meeting. He had a meeting. He had a meeting at the exact same time that we were scheduled to have our Christmas card pictures taken.

If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought he’d done it on purpose. Scratch that. I do know better. I’d put good money on the fact that he planned it on purpose.

No worries, though. The girls and I would go. The past couple of years, we’d ended up using pictures of only them on the cards anyway, so it would all work out.

We met at one of our gorgeous local parks. Our photographer made the traditional jokes about the girls not growing at all, even though our oldest daughter is a full inch taller than I am, at least. He’d snap a few candid shots of the girls straightening their hair, their necklaces, their outfits, then we’d get down to business.

An hour and approximately 4,000 shots later, we paid the photog, thanked him for making us feel like celebrities and we parted ways.

From what I thought the pictures looked like according to my mind’s eye, I finalized my card design and waited ever so (im)patiently for the pictures to be ready.

Finally, I got the call and retrieved our disc of copyright-free pictures and quickly breezed

through 112 of the most gorgeous shots I’ve ever seen in my life.

There was the shot of my older daughter looking thoughtfully away from the camera, running her fingers through her hair, unaware that the camera is focused on her and even more unaware of what a beautiful young lady she’s becoming.

There was the shot of my younger daughter, mugging for the camera—I’m sure she had just cracked a joke at the photographer’s expense, her gorgeous, laughing face matching the gorgeous, laughing soul.

Not one of those pictures had a single flaw.

But … There was a tiny problem: There was not one shot of the girls together.

So, I paid extra to have the card company use a stock photograph of a lovely family of five. I’ve always wanted to have a boy.

Heather Davis is a momma, a writer and has a slight Christmas card fetish. Her latest ebook, “What The Elf Saw” is available on Amazon. She and her family of four (two girls, no boys) live in Oklahoma.

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calendar

OUR CALENDAR MAKES IT EASY TO FIND FAMILY FUN IN OKC.FIND IT AT WWW.METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM/CALENDAR

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 24 DECEMBER 2015

FINE ARTS INSTITUTE JR. HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR—DEC. 3-6

The Edmond Fine Arts Institute (27 E Edwards, Edmond) debuts their first ever "Holiday Spectacular" starring the FAI Jr. Theatre

Company, comprised of 26 1st through 7th graders from the Edmond area. The whole family will enjoy a festive, upbeat

musical revue with singing, dancing and nostalgic characters. The show features songs from classics like “Frosty” and “Rudolph” as well as new favorites like “Elf” and “Frozen.” Tickets are $6 and

there are five performances to choose from: 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday & Saturday at and 3 p.m. Saturday & Sunday. Seating is

limited, so be sure to call ahead. MORE INFORMATION: WWW.EDMONDFINEARTS.COM

SNOW TUBING WINTER FESTIVAL— DEC. 5-JAN. 3

Snow tubing at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (2 Mickey Mantle Dr) has become an Oklahoma City winter tradition. Kids

of all ages can’t help but cheer as they zip down one of the two snowy slopes. One of the gigantic slopes starts in the upper deck

and sends thrill-seekers speeding down to second base. There is a smaller slope for children and those looking for a more

moderate thrill. The festivities now include Santa’s Workshop, a children’s train all season long and a visit from Santa every

Sunday. Stroll along a Candy Cane Lane and other fun decorations throughout the ballpark. In addition to all that excitement, your family can kick back with a cup of hot chocolate and a snack and enjoy all the new sparkling holiday lights and décor at the Snow

Tubing Winter Festival. Each session is 90 minutes long and a single-session rider ticket is $14. A non-rider ticket is $3. Session times vary

throughout the season.MORE INFORMATION: WWW.OKCDODGERS.COM

Photo courtesy of Downtown in December

calendar

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 25 DECEMBER 2015

HOLIDAY RIVER PARADE ON THE OKLAHOMA RIVER—DEC. 20 On the Sunday before Christmas, the Oklahoma River will be buzzing with holiday cheer. Some uniquely-skilled elves take a break from toy-making to show off their water skiing skills in an exciting pre-parade show. They zip and flip their way around the river on a variety of water vehicles including a water-propelled rocket pack! Next, lighted, decorated floats will parade past spectators preparing the way for Santa’s arrival on the river. Then, the fun takes to the sky with a fireworks show. The festivities begin at 6 p.m. and fireworks start at 7:30 p.m.MORE INFORMATION: WWW.OKCPARADE.COM

Photo courtesy of Holiday River Parade

WINTER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION— DEC. 20 & 21

Make the most of the shortest day of the year and celebrate winter’s arrival at the Winter Solstice Celebration at the Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulphur). Immerse yourself in the Chickasaw culture with stomp dance performances, cultural demonstrations, crafts, traditional games and storytelling. Tours of the traditional village will also be available. The village offers a fascinating recreation of the Chickasaw historical way of life. The celebration is free to attend but admission to the Chikasha Poya Exhibit Center applies. In addition to the celebration, “Avengers: Age of Ultron” will be showing in the Anoli’ Theater at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 21. Movie tickets are $3 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. Celebration hours at noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. MORE INFORMATION: WWW.CHICKASAWCULTURALCENTER.COM

Photo courtesy of Chickasaw Cultural Center

“BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”—DEC. 26 & 27 The smash hit Broadway musical, Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast" returns to the Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker) this December. Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this classic musical love story captures all the magic of the film with unforgettable characters, lavish sets, costumes and dazzling production numbers. Belle, the Beast and more will perform fan favorites like “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast” as they work to break the enchantress’ spell. Tickets for this all ages show range from $25 to $75. Show times are Saturday, 10 a.m., 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.MORE INFORMATION: WWW.CELEBRITYATTRACTIONS.COM

Photo courtesy of Celebrity Attractions

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 26 DECEMBER 2015

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THROUGH DEC 18Junie B in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells at Oklahoma Children’s Theatre (2501 N Blackwelder) tells a holiday story with the popular children’s character Junie B. $10 for adults, $8 for children. See website for showtimes. 951-0011, www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org

THROUGH DEC 20A Territorial Christmas Carol at Pollard Theatre (120 W Harrison Ave, Guthrie) mixes the classic tale of redemption and brotherly love in Charles Dickens’ novel with the Oklahoma Land Run. Best suited for ages 5 and up. $15-$30. See website for show times. 282-2800, www.thepollard.org

DEC 1 & 3Oklahoma City Blue vs Idaho Stampede at the Cox Convention Center (1 Myriad Gardens). $10 & up. 7pm. Also held: 12/5 vs Westchester; 12/12 vs Santa Cruz; 12/15 vs Reno; 12/20 vs Austin. 602-8500, oklahomacity.dleague.nba.com/schedule

DECEMBER 2 • WEDNESDAYOklahoma State University Men’s Basketball vs University of Tulsa at Gallagher-Iba Arena (1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater). Ticket prices vary. 7pm. Also held: 12/5 vs Missiouri State; 12/15 vs Longwood; 12/29 vs UMKC; 1/2 vs TCU. 744-5745, www.okstate.com

University of Oklahoma Women’s Basketball vs University of Arkansas at Little Rock at Lloyd Noble Center (2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman). Prices vary. 7pm. Also held: 12/13 vs UTSA; 12/30 vs Kansas. 325-2424, www.soonersports.com

DECEMBER 3 • THURSDAYFREE Holiday Happening at Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2401 Chautauqua Ave, Norman) features family-friendly activities and festive entertainment as well as Pioneer Library Storybook Time and discounts at the museum store. 5-8pm. 325-4712, www.snomnh.ou.edu

FREE Christmas on the Western Frontier in Downtown El Reno (Main St, El Reno) features an old-fashioned Christmas parade with more than 50 floats, along with evening festivities that include trolley rides, storytelling, Santa’s workshop, strolling carolers, children’s craft projects and the lighting of the city Christmas tree. 6-9pm. 262-8888, www.elrenomainstreet.com

FREE Chickasha Main Street Christmas Parade in Downtown Chickasha (100 Chickasha Ave, Chickasha) is an old-fashioned holiday parade featuring marching bands, floats, antique cars, horses and more. 7-9pm, 224-0386

FREE Christmas Parade of Lights in Downtown Stillwater (various locations) runs through downtown spreading Christmas cheer. 7-9pm. 747-4817, www.downtownstw.com/events

FREE Cocoa & Carols at Oklahoma Christian Hardemann Auditorium (2501 E Memorial Rd, Edmond) features a night of yuletide spirit complete with Christmas songs and hot drinks. 7 p.m. 425-5530, www.oc.edu

FREE Shawnee Christmas Parade (Main St, Shawnee). Watch as Santa leads his team of eight reindeer down Main Street, ushered in by lively dancers simply known as Santa’s Helpers. 7pm. www.seffshawnee.org

2015 Christmas Tour at Crossing Community Church (14600 N Portland Ave) features Shane & Shane, Phil Wickham and special guest, Micah Taylor, singing their original music and favorite Christmas carols. $15. 7pm. 302-1258, www.crossingsokc.org/shane

Territoral Christmas at Harn Homestead (1721 N Linoln Blvd.) features hay rides, holiday crafts, Harn House tours and a visit from Santa. $5; under 3, free. 6-8pm. 235-4058, www.harnhomestead.com

University of Oklahoma Men’s Basketball vs University of Central Arkansas at Lloyd Noble Center (2900 S Jenkins Ave, Norman). Prices vary. 7pm. Also held: 12/12 vs Oral Roberts; 12/19 vs Creighton; 1/2 vs Iowa State. 325-2424, www.soonersports.com

DEC 3-5OKC Philharmonic Christmas Show at Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker) features fresh interpretations of holiday favorites, celebrated through music, song and dance. $19 & up. Thursday, 7:30pm; Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 2 & 8pm. 842-5387, www.okcphilharmonic.org

DEC 3-6Fine Arts Institute Jr. Holiday Spectacular at Edmond Fine Arts Institute (27 E Edwards, Edmond) features an upbeat musical revue celebrating the season through song, dance and acting. Performers are kids in 1st-7th grades. $6. Thursday & Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 3 & 7pm; Sunday, 3pm 340-4481, www.edmondfinearts.com

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 27 DECEMBER 2015

DEC 3-12UCO Musical Theatre Christmas Show at the UCO Jazz Lab (100 E Fifth St, Edmond) features a festivity-filled evening of holiday favorite tunes sung by some of Central’s finest musical theater vocalists. $22. 7:30pm 974-3375, www.ucojazzlab.com

DEC 3-20Alcoholidays at Civic Center Music Hall (201 S Walker) follows Meg and Jacob as they make their way through the usual list of obligatory holiday parties. Show is intended for mature audiences only. $10-$20. Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 8 pm. Sundays, 2pm. 297-2264, www.okctheatrecompany.org

DECEMBER 4 • FRIDAYFREE Cowboy Christmas Celebration at Stockyard City (1305 S Agnew Ave) features a visit from Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, period actors, the Guthrie Gunfighters and more. 10am-3pm. 235-7267, www.stockyardscity.org

FREE Holiday Celebration & Tree Lighting Ceremony at Andrews Park (528 N Park Ave, Norman) features a festive evening celebration for the whole family including free hot chocolate & cookies, moon bounces, musical performances and a visit from Santa. 5:30-7pm. 366-5470, www.normanok.gov

FREE Sensory Story Time at SOKC Library (2201 SW 134th St) is a special story time designed for children, ages 2-6, who may have trouble with big crowds, are on the autism spectrum or are prone to sensory overload. Participants and their caregivers sing songs, read stories and play with bubbles. Preregister. 10am & 2pm. 979-2200, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org/sokc

FREE Holiday Gala at Moore Library (225 S Howard Ave, Moore) features music, crafts and activities for the whole family. No registration required, all ages welcome. 5:30-7:30pm. 793-4347, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE Dog Holiday Party at Midtown Mutts Dog Park (1171 N Hudson Ave) features a pet-friendly party with photos with Santa and treats for pups and their owners. Refreshments available for purchase, proceeds benefit Midtown Vets & Dr. Baez’s program to help homeless pets. 6-8 pm. www.downtownindecember.com

FREE Holiday Open House at Norman Central Library (225 N Webster Ave, Norman) features music, crafts, refreshments and the annual holiday sing-along with The Norman Singers. 6-8pm. 701-2602, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

UCO WinterGlow 2015 at Nigh University Center (100 N University, Dr, Edmond) features the Ceremonial Lighting of the Old North as well as a winter carnival with a Winter Wonderland craft area, train rides, photos with Buddy the Elf, face painting, games and s’mores. 6-9pm. 974-2363, www.uco.edu/winterglow

FREE First Friday Gallery Walk in the Paseo Arts District (NW 30th & 27th Streets, Walker & Hudson Ave) features guest artists, art exhibits, refreshments, live music and food trucks on the first Friday of each month. 6-10pm. 525-2688, www.thepaseo.com

FREE Christmas Traditions Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble Concert at OKC Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 123 (1624 S Agnew). Audiences will be taken on a journey over the river, through the woods to Whoville and back home as nineteen amazing musicians ring and swing more than 525 lbs. of bronze and aluminum. Also held: 12/11 at Church of the Resurrection. Donations accepted. 7:30pm. 757-4643, www.okcbells.com

DEC 4 & 5Holiday Home Tour in Norman (various locations) features five stunning homes open to the public. These homes will feature breathtaking holiday decorations from traditional to trendy. Benefits the Assistance League of Norman’s programs. $25. 10am-4pm. 321-9400, www.assistanceleaguenorman.org/holiday-home-tour/

DEC 4-6FREE Drive-Thru Christmas Pageant at Boys Ranch Town (5100 SE 33rd St, Edmond) features a living nativity presented by residents, staff children and live animals from the ranch depicting the life of Jesus Christ including his birth, death and resurrection. 7-9pm. 341-3606, www.obhc.org/BoysRanchTown

DEC 4-12The Man Who Came to Dinner at OCU Burg Theatre (2501 N Blackwelder Ave) shares the comedic story of Sheridan Whiteside and the Stanleys. $12 for adults, $8 for children. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8pm.; Sunday, 2 pm. 208-5227, www.okcu.edu/ticketoffice

DEC 4-13The Nutcracker Ballet at OU Weitzenhoffer Theatre (500 W Boyd St) enchants audiences with a beloved classic featuring a magical dream of swirling snowflakes, waltzing flowers and a handsome prince all led by the Sugar Plum Fairy. $20 & up. See website for show times. 325-4101, www.ou.edu/finearts/universitytheatre.html

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 28 DECEMBER 2015

DECEMBER 5 • SATURDAYLittle Willie’s Triple Dog Dare at Leadership Square (211 N Robinson) is a stair-climbing event open to all ages. Race up 138 floors individually or in relay team. Also includes a Firefighter Division. $50. 8am. www.littlewilliestripledogdare.com

Breakfast with Santa at the MAC at Mitch Park (2733 Marilyn Williams, Edmond). Dine on fruit, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits and get photo opportunities with Santa. For kids ages 2-12 and their families. $10 per plate. 9-11am. 359-4630, www.facebook.com/edmondparksandrec

FREE What Does God Want for Christmas at Peppers Ranch (3200 S Western Ave, Guthrie) is a Christmas play presented by the children of Peppers Ranch. After the performance, attendees are invited to stay for a chili dinner provided by the OKC Optimist Club and for the lighting of the Ranch's outdoor tree. Preregister online. 5-8pm. 919-9888, www.peppersranch.com

Reindeer Run at Northcare (4436 NW 50th St) features a 10k and 5k race benefiting Northcare programs. $30-$35. 9am. 858-2700, www.northcare.com

Oklahoma State University Women’s Basketball vs University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley at Gallagher-Iba Arena (1046 W Hall of Fame Ave, Stillwater). Ticket prices vary. Noon. Also held: 12/14 vs North Carolina; 12/27 vs Savannah State; 12/30 vs Baylor. 744-5745, www.okstate.com

Holiday Hustle 5K at Oklahoma Christian University (2501 E Memorial Rd, Edmond) features a 5K and a kids’ run followed by a delicious pancake breakfast. $10 & up. 425-1854, ed.oc.edu/holidayhustle/

FREE Breakfast with Santa at Whole Foods (6001 N Western Ave). Enjoy free pancakes with Santa. Photo opportunities available so bring your camera. 9-11am. 879-3500, www.wholefoodsmarket.com

FREE Christmas at the Lodge (406 E. State Hwy 152, Mustang) features handcrafted, vintage and repurposed treasures. Shoppers are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for a child in need. Saturday, 9am-3pm. www.facebook.com/ChristmasAtTheLodge

FREE Holidays on the Paseo in the Paseo Arts District (N Paseo Dr). Find unique holiday gifts or make your own in the many shops and galleries

of the Paseo. Enjoy live entertainment, food trucks, art demos and children's activities. Santa himself might even make a surprise appearance. Noon-7pm. 525-2688, www.thepaseo.org

FREE OKC Hot Wheels Association Show at The Crown Center (13300 S Western Ave) features 40-plus tables of collectibles for sale or trade, raffles and pizza. 9am-3pm. www.greaterokchotwheels.com

FREE Yukon Mayor’s Christmas Party for Kids at Dale Robertson Center (1200 Lakeshore Dr, Yukon) invites all kids to enjoy donuts, crafts, games and visits from Jingle, Rudolph, Frosty and Santa. 9:30am-noon. 350-8937, www.cityofyukonok.gov

FREE Storybook Hour at Cuppies & Joe (727 NW 23rd St). Children listen to a story while parents enjoy coffee and conversation. 10-11am. Also held: 12/19. 582-2122, www.cuppiesandjoe.com

Gingerbread House Workshop at Myriad Botanical Gardens (301 W Reno). Create your own fragrant masterpiece. All supplies provided including gingerbread structure, frosting, candies for decorating and a little help if needed. All ages welcome. Kids under 8 need a guardian. Preregister. Members, $25; non-members, $30. 10am-noon. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

Wolf Cub Scout “Digging into the Past” Workshop at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2401 Chautauqua Ave, Norman). Uncover amazing dinosaurs from Oklahoma’s past and what scientists learn about them from fossils. Preregister. Fee includes museum admission. $10. 10am-noon. 325-1008, www.snomnh.ou.edu

Webelos Scouts “Into the Woods” Workshop at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2401 Chautauqua Ave, Norman). Explore Oklahoma trees and how they are beneficial to the ecosystems. Preregister. Fee includes museum admission. $10. 1-4pm. 325-1008, www.snomnh.ou.edu

FREE Christmas Saturday for Kids at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (1700 NE 63rd St) features an old-fashioned craft time making pine cone bird feeders and other projects, a hunt for treasures in a select exhibit scavenger hunt, historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Sacagawea and Annie Oakley as well as face painting and the chance to meet Santa. Reservations requested by noon on Dec. 4. 10am-5pm. 478-2250, www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 30 DECEMBER 2015

Holiday happiness:Winter Break Camps

Ages 5-12 | 12/16 - 12/18

Learn more: 405 951 0000or oklahomacontemporary.org

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Also online: Saturday youth classes, free family activities

FREE The Heart of Christmas Craft Show & Vendor Fair at Paradise Event Center (450 E Main St, Yukon) features more than 25 vendors offering unique crafts, clothing, home decor and face painting for the kids. First 100 people receive a free swag bag. 10am-4pm. 924-9315.

Indie Trunk Show at State Fair Park (3001 General Pershing) is all about the local crafters, artists, makers and businesses of Oklahoma featuring handmade goods, vintage style décor and repurposed furniture. $3 10am-5pm. 640-3964, www.indietrunkshowokc.com

WinterFest Games at Martin Park (5000 W Memorial Rd) features a Fruitcake Fling, Sleigh Relay, Festive Lights Obstacle Course or Winter Dress Relay as well as a popcorn & cranberry garland craft. Preregister. All ages welcome. $5. 2-4pm. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

Living Wreath Class at Myriad Botanical Gardens (301 W Reno). Create a succulent or traditional wreath. Instruction and materials provided. Preregister. Prices vary. 2-4pm. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

Edmond Ugly Holiday Lights Run at Mitch Park (1501 W Covell Rd, Edmond) features a Christmas sweater themed 5K and one mile fun run benefiting the holiday light display in Mitch Park. Runners can also participate in a sweater contest for the most creative, prettiest or ugliest sweater. $15 & up. 2pm. 359-4630, www.edmondok.com/parks/rec

FREE DIY: Holiday Nails at the Norman West Library (300 Norman Center Ct, Norman) features a special holiday nail painting party. Supplies and instruction provided. Preregister. For ages 12 & up. 4:30-5:30pm. 701-2644, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE Edmond Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights in Downtown Edmond (various locations) features the Mayor’s essay contest presentation, tree lighting and a holiday parade. The parade starts at the UCO campus and continues through downtown. Tree Lighting, Shannon Miller Park, 6pm; parade, 6:45pm. 216-7729, www.edmondelectric.com

DEC 5 & 6Oklahoma City Train Show at State Fair Park Cox Pavilion (3212 Wichita Walk) is one of the largest model train shows in the region with operating model train displays, workshops and clinics, vendors, exhibitors and manufacturers from more than a dozen states. Adults, $10; kids, free. Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-4pm. 842-4846, www.okctrainshow.com

DECEMBER 6 • SUNDAYFREE Red Earth Holiday Open House at Red Earth Art Center (6 Santa Fe Plaza) features entertainment, food, beverages and shopping. 1-4pm. 427-5228, www.redearth.org

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Sacromento Kings at Chesapeake Energy Arena (100 W Reno). Prices vary. 6pm. Also held: 12/10 vs Alanta; 12/ 13 vs Utah; 12/16 vs Portland; 12/19 vs Los Angeles; 12/25 vs Chicago; 12/27 vs Denver; 12/29 vs Milwaukee; 12/31 vs Phoenix. 605-4306, www.nba.com/thunder

Downtown OKC Historic Church Tour & Holiday Concert (1201 N Robinson Ave) features a self-guided tour through iconic landmarks includes the First Presbyterian Church, City Presbyterian Church, St. Joseph Old Cathedral, First Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Frontline Church, First Lutheran Church and

For a list of places to see Santa this month, visit

www.metrofamilymagazine.com/santaokc

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 31 DECEMBER 2015

First Baptist Church as well as a concert by pianist Matt Schinske. Proceeds from the event go to fund operations and services at Good Shepherd Ministries. $25; $20 for groups of 10 or more. Tours, 6-7pm; concert, 6pm. 232-8631, www.goodshepherdokc.org

Canterbury Christmas at Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker Ave) features a holiday carol sing-a-long with special guest Kyle Dillingham. $15-$55. 7pm. 232-7464, www.canterburyokc.com

DECEMBER 7 • MONDAYLearn to Skate at Devon Ice Rink (301 W Reno). Professional staff from Artic Edge Arena & Blazers Ice Centre will offer 25 minute small group skate lessons. Preregister, space is limited. Also held 12/14 & 12/21. Members, $40; non-members, $45. 7 & 7:30pm. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

FREE First Mondays for Kids at Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (2401 Chatauqua Ave, Norman) offers complimentary admission for kids 17 & under on the first Monday of the month. Admission applies for visitors over 18. Adults, $8; seniors, $6. 10am-5pm. Also held: 1/4. 325-4712, www.snomnh.ou.edu

DECEMBER 8 • TUESDAYStory Time Science at Science Museum Oklahoma (2100 NE 52nd St) features a themed story time on the second Tuesday of each month. Free with admission. 10-10:30am. 602-6664, www.sciencemuseumok.org

A Melinda Doolittle Christmas at OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater (7777 S May Ave) features season six American Idol contestant Melinda Doolittle in concert. $17-$31. 7:30-10pm. 682-7579, www.occc.edu/pas/

DEC 9-13Home for the Holidays at Sooner Theatre (101 E Main St, Norman) features a sing-a-long celebration of traditional holiday favorites performed by some of the theater’s favorite performers. All ages welcome. $25-$30; kids (12 & under), $20. Wednesday-Saturday 7:30pm; Saturday & Sunday, 2pm. 321-9600, www.soonertheatre.org

DECEMBER 10 • THURSDAYFREE Oklahoma Christian School Open House (4680 E 2nd St). Prospective students in grades PreK-12 and their parents are invited to explore the campus and key leaders. 9-10:30am. 341-2265, www.ocssaints.org

DEC 10-13Home for the Holiday at Oklahoma City University’s Kirkpatrick Auditorium (2501 N Blackwelder Ave) is an annual Broadway-style dance extravaganza highlighting the spirit of the season with rocking swing numbers, colorful

costumes and a Nativity of Christ’s birth. $29.20, Thursday & Friday, 7pm; Saturday, 2 & 8pm; Sunday, 2pm. 208-5227, www.okcu.edu/ticketoffice

DECEMBER 11 • FRIDAYFREE Star Wars Celebration: A Holly Jolly Jedi Day at the Norman Central Library (225 N Webster Ave, Norman) features come & go crafts, trivia and snacks in celebration of the release of the newest Star Wars movie. Costumes encouraged. 6-8pm. 701-2620, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE 2nd Friday Norman Art Walk in the Norman Arts District (downtown Norman) features a monthly celebration of the arts in Norman. 6-9pm. www.2ndfridaynorman.com

FREE LIVE on the Plaza in the Plaza District (1700 block of NW 16th) features artists, live music, special events, local shopping and more on the second Friday each month, rain or shine. 7-11pm. www.plazadistrict.org/live

FREE Christmas Traditions Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble Concert at the Church of Resurrection (13112 N Rockwell Ave). Audiences will be taken on a journey over the river, through the woods to Whoville and back home as nineteen amazing musicians ring and swing 525 lbs. of bronze and aluminum. Donations accepted. 7:30pm. 757-4643, www.okcbells.com

DEC 11-13Destination Christmas Dinner Theatre at First Southern Baptist Church (6400 S Sooner Rd) features a dinner theater and special activities for kids, birth to 5th grade. Doors open at 6pm. $7.50. 7-8:30 p.m. 732-1300, www.firstsouthern.tv/christmas2015

Hip Hop Nutcracker at Bishop McGuinness High School (801 NW 50th St) features a twist on the holiday classic tale with high-energy music and some unique twists and turns. $18 in advance, $23 at the door. Show times are Dec 11 & 12 at 8pm & Dec 13 at 2pm. www.racedance.com

FREE The Journey Christmas Production at Edmond’s First Baptist Church (1300 E 33rd St, Edmond) follows the lives of a mother and son as they read and remember the true Christmas story. Friday, 6:30pm; Saturday, 2:30pm; Sunday, 6:30pm. 341-0253, www.fbcedmond.org/christmas

DEC 11-19Jane Austen’s Christmas Cracker at Civic Center Music Hall, Joel Levine Hall (201 S Walker) is a interactive, family-friendly holiday show told through the eyes of Jane Austen’s most popular romantic characters featuring Regency era music, dance, food and fun. Regency costumes encouraged. $30. Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 8pm.; Sunday, 2pm. 297-2264, www.reduxiontheatre.com

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 32 DECEMBER 2015

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DECEMBER 12 • SATURDAYSandRidge Santa Run at Leadership Square (211 N Robinson) features a 5K race, a one-mile fun run and a free Santa Claus Kids’ Dash for kids 8 and under. Registered participants can compete in a costume contest for cash prizes. 5K, $35; fun run, $20; kids’ dash, free. 8:45am. www.downtownindecember.com

FREE Hippo Sing-a-long with singer Gayla Peevey at the Oklahoma City Zoo Education Auditorium (2101 NE 50th St). Enjoy a I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas sing-a-long with Gayla Peevey herself via Skype. Gayla will also share memories of growing up in Oklahoma and singing this famous holiday song. No registration required. Noon. 425-0262, www.okczoo.com

Santa’s Little Helper at Minnis Lakeview Center (12520 NW 36th St). Kids can spend the afternoon crafting on holiday projects while the grownups in the house take time out without the kids. $10. Noon-4pm. 297-1432, www.okc.gov/parks

FREE Norman Christmas Parade in Downtown Norman (Main St, Pickard Ave to Crawford Ave, Norman) is themed A Charlie Brown Christmas features bands, floats, Christmas characters and Santa. 10am. 366-5406, www.normanchristmasparade.wordpress.com

Cookies for Santa Pottery Class at the MAC at Mitch Park (2733 Marilyn Williams Dr, Edmond). Paint a plate, bowl and mug set to leave for Santa’s Christmas Eve treat. Two visits required: one to glaze and one to pick up. $20, 10am- noon. 359-4630, www.edmondparks.com

FREE Polar Express Holiday Party at Belle Isle Library (5501 N Villa Ave). Jump on board the Polar Express, mix up a cup of hot chocolate, make a holiday card, create a Polar Express craft and support the Infant Crisis Center by bringing in children’s books. Pajamas are highly encouraged. 10am-noon. 843-9601, www.metrolibrary.org

Santa’s Art Workshop at the Edmond Fine Arts Institute (27 E Edwards, Edmond) features rotating holiday activities including art projects, snacks, storytelling with Mrs. Claus and the chance to meet Santa. Preregister. $15. Ticket admits one child and two adults. 10am-2pm. 340-4481, www.edmondfinearts.com

FREE Christmas Celebration & Fine Arts Market at the Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulphur). Enjoy holiday shopping, Christmas films, pictures

with Santa, activities in the traditional village and Native American Christmas ornament workshops. 10am-5pm. 580-622-7130, www.chickasawculturalcenter.com

FREE Chasing James Performance at Green Bambino (5120 N Shartel Ave) offers a musical lineup featuring a live guitar and violin. Best suited for ages birth to 5. 11-11:30am. 848-2330, www.green-bambino.com

FREE Concert with Martha Stallings at Ralph Ellison Library (2000 NE 23rd St) features a performance by noted singer/pianist Martha Stallings and a holiday party to follow from 1-3pm. 11:30am-12:30pm. 424-1437, www.metrolibrary.org

FREE Make + Take at Oklahoma Contemporary (3000 General Pershing Blvd) features a gingerbread house art-making project using pipe cleaners, felt, pom poms and other festive supplies. Projects are designed to be accessible and fun for visitors of all ages and all levels of art-making experience. All children must be accompanied by an adult. 1-4pm. 951-0000, www.oklahomacontemporary.org

FREE Star Wars: The Force Awakens Day at the Moore Public Library (225 S Howard Ave, Moore) features crafts and activities as well as an appearance by the Dark Side. All ages welcome, costumes encouraged. 1-4pm. 793-5100, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE St. Stephen’s Bell Choirs Concert at the Norman West Library (300 Norman Center Ct, Norman) features a performance by the children’s and adult bell choir. 2-3:30pm. 701-2644, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE Holiday Party at the SOKC Library (2201 SW 134th St). Enjoy Christmas-themed crafts, activities, a photo booth and face painting. All ages. No registration required. 2-3:30pm. 979-2200, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE Meteorology Talk at Martin Park Nature Center (5000 W Memorial Rd). Learn about Oklahoma’s wicked weather and how to stay safe in a storm. All ages welcome. Preregister. 3-4pm. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

Greater Oklahoma Bluegrass Music Society Concert at the Oklahoma Country-Western Museum & Hall of Fame (3925 SE 29th St, Del City) features three professional bluegrass bands in concert, each playing 45-minute sets. Adults, $8; members, $5; kids (12 & under), free. 6:30-9:15pm. 677-7515, www.gobms.org

Help determine the WINNERS of Family Favorites 2016!You've given us the finalists, now tell us the WINNERSof the best family-friendly local places to go, businesses

and services in the OKC area.

Vote for your "faves" until Dec. 13 and you'll be eligible to win a family weekend trip to Dallas at the Anatole Hotel, valued at $698!

Food • Places & Events • Camps • Birthday Parties • Shopping• Medical • Holiday & Community Celebrations • After School

Activities • Education • Child Care • Community Support

www.metrofamilymagazine.com/family-favorites-contest

We want your opinions!

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 34 DECEMBER 2015A PL A CE FOR A L L SEA S ONS

Dress warmly and bring your binoculars. Begin at the

Arcadia Lake Park Office to receive information about

where the eagles can be spotted. The Park Office has a

raptor wingspan display.

Arcadia Lake Park Office9000 E 2nd Street

(approximately 3 1/2 mileseast of I-35 on Rt. 66.)

$3 per vehicle(Half-Price Park Entry)

For more info call 216-7471.

Arcadia Lakeannual eagle watch

January 8, 9 and 10th8am - 4pm

Dinner & Movie at the Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulphur) features a five-course meal followed by a showing of the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. Reservations are required. Adults, $25; kids, $10. 5pm. 580-622-7130, www.chickasawculturalcenter.com

Glitter Ball at Dunlap Codding (609 W Sheridan Ave) features a variety of live performances, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a premium bar, art for auction and several signature surprises. Proceeds benefit deadCENTER Film Festival, OKC Girls Art School & Sunbeam Family Services. Must be 21 & up. $100-$200. 7pm. www.kindtevents.com/glitterball

Santa on the Heartland Flyer departs from the Oklahoma City Train Depot (100 EK Gaylord.). Find Santa Claus on board the train from Oklahoma City making stops in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, Ardmore, Gainesville and ending in Fort Worth, Texas. Duration of the trip is just over four hours. $37-$51. Train departs at 8:25am. 1-800-USA-RAIL. www.heartlandflyer.com

DEC 12-22The Nutcracker at Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker) features the story of Clara, her Nutcracker prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy in 10 enchanting performances by the Oklahoma City Ballet as well as special activities before and after the show. $25-$60. See website for show times. 848-8637, www.okcballet.com

DECEMBER 13 • SUNDAYFREE Sensitive Santa at Uptown Kids (5840 N Classen Blvd, Ste 3) features a special time to meet Santa, reserved just for children with austim. 1-2:30pm. 418-8881, www.uptownkidsstyle.com

FREE Christmas Guns Celebration at Fort Reno (7107 W Cheyenne, El Reno) features a timeless celebration from German and American folklore with cannons and guns blasting, snacks, story-telling and the chance to meet Santa. 2-4pm. 262-3987, www.fortreno.org

The Ultimate We Pageant at Aloft OKC Hotel (209 N Walnut Ave) features a pageant for moms and their daughters and sons. Cash prizes will be awarded. $100. 888-779-1588, www.theultimatewepageant.com

FREE The Glory of Christmas at Metropolitan Baptist Church (7201 W Britton Rd) features a Christmas concert and a holiday celebration for all ages. 3pm with a repeat performance at 7pm. 722-2550, www.mbcokc.com

DEC 13 & 14Ragtime at OCCC Visual & Performing Arts Center (7777 S May Ave) is an all ages family friendly show of the hit musical. $33.50-$65.50. 7:30pm. 682-7579, www.occc.edu/pas/

DECEMBER 15 • TUESDAYSanta Delivers at the Oklahoma City Zoo (2101 NE 50th St). Santa will stop by the Children’s Zoo. Enjoy free hot chocolate and doughnuts while supplies last. Free with admission. 10:30-11:30am. 425-0262, www.okczoo.com

DECEMBER 16 • WEDNESDAYFREE Touch, Learn, Create: Candy Canes at the SOKC Library (2201 SW 134th St). Explore and play at numerous sensory themed activity stations. For children ages 2-6. 10-11:30am. 979-2200, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

DEC 16-18Winter Break Camps at Oklahoma Contemporary (3000 General Pershing Blvd) features creative sessions for kids ages 5-12 during winter break. Call for pricing. 951-0000, www.oklahomacontemporary.org

DECEMBER 17 • THURSDAYThird Thursdays at Gaylord-Pickens Museum (1400 Classen Dr) features $3 admission and a story & craft time. Kids under 5 are free. 10am. 235-4458, www.oklahomahof.com

FREE Kids’ Holiday Shoppe at the Southern Oaks Library (6900 S Walker Ave). Kids can pick out their own gifts for family members and have it gift wrapped. Children can choose two small gifts. Space is limited, you must preregister in person or over the phone. Children of all ages welcome. 2:30-4:30pm. 631-4468, www.metrolibrary.org

KLOVE Christmas at First Baptist Church Moore (301 NE 27th, Moore) features the lineup of Christian artists 10th Avenue North, Natalie Grant, Sidewalk Prophets and special guest Danny Gokey. 7-10pm. $24-$50. www.klovechristmastour.com

Sounds of the Season at the Yukon Fine Arts Auditorium (600 Yukon Ave, Yukon) will showcase the Oklahoma City Philharmonic as they perform holiday favorites, with special guests. $10. 7:30-9:30pm. 350-8937. www.cityofyukonok.gov

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 35 DECEMBER 2015

Experience this unique holiday event at Charles J. Johnson

Central Park in Town Center Plaza!

December 3 - 20• 30' lighted adorned

Christmas tree • 35 bigger-than-life painted murals

of traditional Christmas stories• Photos with Santa

• Movies inside a Euro-tent • Live entertainment

Dazzle your senses with more than 100 animated light displays

and Illumination Celebration, the dancing forest of lights on a 1.5 mile long drive! To see the lights

at Joe B. Barnes Regional Park, please enter at Century Blvd. from SE 15th Street.November 20 - December 30

Sunday - Thursday 6 - 10 p.m. Friday - Saturday 6 - 11 p.m.

Free admission, donations greatly appreciated!

For more information call 405.739.1293 or visit MidwestCityOK.org

DECEMBER 18 • FRIDAYFREE 3rd Friday Block pARTy in Downtown Shawnee (Main St, Shawnee). Roam between quaint shops and stores to find unique art pieces, listen to live music and enjoy local food at this monthly event celebrating the most unique pieces of life in Shawnee. 5-8pm. 432-4131, www.seffshawnee.org

FREE Oklahoma City Zoo: Bear Snores On Presentation at the Norman West Library (300 Norman Center Ct, Norman). Discover why some animals hibernate and some don’t. Preregister. 6-7pm. 701-2644, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas Ball at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (1700 NE 63rd) offers an evening of entertainment for the whole family including music, dancing, buffet and a visit from Santa. Preregister. $60 for members, $75 for nonmembers, $25 for children under 12. Friday, 7pm. 478-2250 ext. 219. www.nationalcowboymuseum.org

DECEMBER 19 • SATURDAYFREE Storybook Hour at Cuppies & Joe (727 NW 23rd St). Children listen to a story while parents enjoy coffee and conversation. 10-11am. 582-2122, www.cuppiesandjoe.com

Holiday Ornaments & Cards Craft Time at the MAC at Mitch Park (2733 Marilyn Williams, Edmond). Make a variety of felt ornaments and handmade holiday cards, using felt, ribbon, yarn, beads, sequins and buttons. For ages 2 and up. $11. 10am-noon. 359-4630, www.edmondparks.com

OKC Dodger Dash at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (2 S Mickey Mantle Dr) features a 5k, fun run, food trucks and a special snow tubing session benefiting the OKC Dodgers Baseball Foundation. Run, $25-$35; tubing session, $10. 8am. 218-1000, www.okcdodgers.com

Parents Day Out at Grace United Methodist Church (6313 N Tulsa Ave). The Single Parent Support Network offers parents a break on the third Saturday each month during their Parents Day Out. Children receive breakfast, lunch, snack and activities. Space is limited. Preregister. Members, $10/child, $20/family; non-members, $10/child, $30/family. 10am-3pm. 917-1817, www.supportforsingleparents.org

FREE Meet Santa at the Edmond Police Department (100 E First St, Edmond). Santa is coming to the Edmond Police Department. Kids will have the chance to meet Santa and get a free photo with Santa and Edmond police officers. No appointment needed. 11am-4pm.

Cookies & Cocoa Story Time with Santa at Orr Family Farm (14400 S Western). Enjoy cookies, cocoa and a story with Santa. Photo opportunites will be available. Bring your own camera. Preregister. $8. 2-3:30pm. 799-3276, www.orrfamilyfarm.com

FREE Luau & Pizza Party at the Warr Acres Library (5901 NW 63rd St) features food, games and fun. Wear your favorite Hawaiian Shirt and bring a friend. For ages 12-18. Preregister. 2-3:30pm. 721-2616, www.metrolibrary.org

FREE Observing Animal Signs at Martin Park (5000 W Memorial Rd). Explore Martin Park woods in search of clues animals leave behind like animal tracks and scat. The group will then analyze observations to find out what the animals are telling us. Preregister. Best suited for ages 6 & up. 3-4pm. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

Animal Signs Plaster Casts at Martin Park Nature Center (5000 W Memorial Rd). Make plaster casts of animal signs found in the park. Preregister. Best suited for ages 6& up. $4. 4-5pm. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

Pizza PJ Party with Santa at Orr Family Farm (14400 S Western) features pizza, photo opportunities with Santa and more. Bring your own camera. Preregister. $15. 5-6:30pm. 799-3276, www.orrfamilyfarm.com

DEC 19 & 20 Christmas Train at the Oklahoma Railway Museum (3400 NE Grand Blvd) is a holiday train ride with hot cocoa, carols, the reading of The Polar Express and the chance to meet Santa. Ride is 35 minutes. Purchase tickets in advance to guarantee a seat. Trains depart at 9 and 10:30am, noon, 1:30 and 3pm on Saturday & noon, 1:30 and 3pm on Sunday. $15, children under 3 are free. 424-8222, www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org

FREE Holiday River Parade on the Oklahoma River in the Boathouse District (725 S Lincoln Blvd) features an exciting holiday ski show, festive floating holiday displays and a fireworks show. 6pm. www.okcparade.com

DECEMBER 20 • SUNDAYFREE Eagle Watch at Lake Thunderbird State Park (1201 Clear Bay Ave, Norman). Tour the park to catch a glimpse of magnificent eagles in their winter home. Reservations required. 1-4pm. Also held: 12/27. 321-4633

DEC 20 & 21Winter Solstice Celebration at the Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulpur). Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of cultural demonstrations and crafts, traditional games, storytelling, stomp dancing and more. Admission to the exhibit center applies. Sunday, noon- 5pm; Monday, 10am-5pm. 580-622-7130, www.chickasawculturalcenter.com

DEC 21-24Winter Break Day Skate at Skate Galaxy (5800 NW 36th) features special daytime hours during winter break. Also held: 12/28-12/31. $6. 1-4pm. 605-2758, www.skategalaxyokc.com

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 36 DECEMBER 2015

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DEC 22 & 23Winter Break All Night Skate at Skate Galaxy (5800 NW 36th St). Spend the night at Skate Galaxy! $15. 8pm-8am. 605-2758, www.skategalaxyokc.com

DECEMBER 23 • WEDNESDAYTrans-Siberian Orchestra at Chesapeake Energy Arena (100 W Reno Ave) makes a stop in Oklahoma City on their 2015 winter tour based on the group’s cherished Yuletide story, The Ghost of Christmas Eve. $34 & up. 4 & 8pm. www.chesapeakearena.com

FREE Live Nativity & Christmas Service at Edmond First United Methodist Church (305 E Hurd, Edmond) features all the traditional figures as well as live stable animals. Children can walk though the scene and enjoy petting the animals while seeing the Christmas Story come to life. Free refreshments are provided. A family friendly Christmas Service will follow. 6-8pm. 341-0107, www.fumcedmond.org

DEC 23 & 24Shen Yun 2016 at Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker) features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending east and west and dazzling animated backdrops, together creating one spectacular performance. $60-$120. Wednesday, 7pm; Thursday, noon. 297-2264, www.okcciviccenter.com

FREE Christmas at Crossings (14600 N Portland Ave) features special candlelight services in the sanctuary and Lessons & Carols in the chapel. Child care for newborn to 3 years available for all services except 11pm chapel service. Candlelight: Wednesday at 6:30pm; Thursday at 2, 3, 5 and 6:30pm. Lessons & Carols: Thursday at noon, 7:30 and 11pm. 755-2227, www.crossingsokc.org

DECEMBER 24 • THURSDAYFREE Christmas Eve Service at Westminster Presbyterian Church (4400 N Shartel Ave) features a family friendly church service based on the book The Birds of Bethlehem. 5pm. 524-2204, www.wpcokc.com

FREE Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at New Covenant United Methodist Church (2700 S Boulevard, Edmond) is a special service to celebrate Christ's birth. Child care available. 3pm, 5pm and 7pm. 562-3200, www.newcov.tv

DECEMBER 26 • SATURDAYBirdfeeder Bagels at Martin Park Nature Center (5000 W Memorial Rd). Stop by the Visitor’s Center at Martin Park to make a tasty and creative treat that is for the birds. All ages welcome. $2. 1-4pm. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

DEC 26 & 27Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at Civic Center Music Hall (201 N Walker) presented by Celebrity Attractions captures all the magic of the film with unforgettable characters, lavish sets, costumes and dazzling production numbers. $25 to $75. Saturday, 10am, 2pm & 8pm and Sunday, 2 & 7pm. 800-869-1451, www.celebrityattractions.com

DECEMBER 27 • SUNDAYFREE Eagle Watch at Lake Thunderbird State Park (1201 Clear Bay Ave, Norman). Tour the park to catch a glimpse of magnificent eagles in their winter home. Reservations required. 1-4pm. 321-4633.

DECEMBER 29 • TUESDAYRobert Earl Keen’s Merry Christmas From The Fam-O-Lee at Rose State College Hudiburg Chevrolet Center (6420 SE 15th St) features a festive humorous concert by Robert Earl Keen, The Xmas Men and special guests, Nashville Sweethearts, Doyle & Debbie. 8pm. $25-$35. 297-2264, www.okcciviccenter.com

DECEMBER 31 • THURSDAYFREE DJ Jam Session: Rockin’ Noon Year’s Eve 2016 at the Moore Library (225 S Howard Ave, Moore). Spend time with the Library’s new Akai MPK Mini MKII boards, learn how to manipulate your musical imagination with the MPC Essentials software and even write your own songs using the Reaper DAW. Preregister. 9-11am. 793-4349, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

FREE Rockin' Noon Year's Eve 2016 Party at the Moore Library (225 S Howard, Moore) features games, crafts, music and fun as you rock in the last noon of 2015. All ages welcome. 11am-noon. 793-4347, www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org

Opening Night Finale 5K at Bicentennial Park (500 Couch Dr) features a course through downtown as well as live music from Opening Night past & present performers. Participants are encouraged to dress festive, prizes awarded. $30. 4pm. 270-4848, www.artscouncilokc.com

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PEPSI and Pepsi Globe are registered trademarks of PepsiCo, Inc. The Elf on the Shelf ® and © 2015 CCA and B, LLC. All rights reserved. PEEPS ® trademark Just Born, Inc. © 2015. All rights reserved. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and all related elements © & ™ under license to Character Arts, LLC. All rights reserved.

PRESENTED BY ICE! PRESENTED BY

Now - January 3, 2016

events thisdecember

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 38 DECEMBER 2015

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Opening Night 2016 at Bicentennial Park (500 Couch Dr) is a family-oriented New Year’s Eve celebration at featuring an evening of music, comedy, magic and fireworks at midnight to ring in the New Year. $8, in advance; $10, at the event; kids (under 5), free. 7pm-midnight. 270-4848, www.artscouncilokc.com

Bricktown NYE 2016 at the Chevy Bricktown Events Center (429 E California Ave) features Super Diamond, a Neil Diamond tribute band in concert plus OKC’s DJ Saad and Blake O, a video countdown at midnight and Oklahoma’s largest balloon drop. 9pm-1am. Must be 21 and up to attend, proper dress required. $50 and up. 236-4143, www.bricktownnye.com

New Years Bash at Skate Galaxy (5800 NW 36th St) welcomes all ages to ring in the New Year. $15. 7pm-2am. 605-2758, www.skategalaxyokc.com

JANURY 1 • FRIDAYFREE First Friday Gallery Walk in the Paseo Arts District (NW 30th & 27th Streets, Walker & Hudson Ave) features guest artists, art exhibits, refreshments, live music and food trucks on the

first Friday of each month. 6-10pm. 525-2688, www.thepaseo.com

FREE First Day Hike at Lake Thunderbird State Park (13101 Alameda Dr, Norman) features an easy hike to learn how to take better nature photographs. 10-11:30am.

OKC Land Run Antique Show at Oklahoma State Fair Park (3100 General Pershing Blvd) features more than 50,000 square feet of shopping. Find antiques, collectibles, art, jewelry, books and records. Adults, $6; children 9-12 years old; $3; kids under 8 are free. Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 10am-5pm. www.heritageeventcompany.com/event/okcantiqueshow/

JAN 8-10Eagle Watch at Arcadia Lake (9000 E 2nd St, Edmond). See majestic eagles in their natural habitat. Begin at the Arcadia Lake Park office for information about where the eagles can be spotted and check out the raptor wingspan display. Dress warmly and bring binoculars. $3 per vehicle. 8am-4pm. 216-7471, www.arcadialakeok.com

Search hundreds of family-friendly events by date and

category at www.metrofamilymagazine.

com/calendar

events thisdecemberONGOING LIGHT DISPLAYS

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 39 DECEMBER 2015

For a full list of event details, visit DowntownInDecember.com

January 4

November 14thru

DEVON ICE RINK

DEVON’S SATURDAYS WITH SANTA

BRICKTOWN TREE LIGHTING FESTIVAL

FREE HOLIDAY WATER TAXI RIDES

SONIC SEGWAY SANTA

MORE THAN 28 HOLIDAY EVENTS IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY!

SANDRIDGE SANTA RUN

SNOW TUBING WINTER FESTIVAL

DUNLAP CODDING PRESENTS GLITTER BALL

WINTER SHOPPES AT MYRIAD GARDENS

LITTLE WILLIE’S TRIPLE DOG DARE

AUTOMOBILE ALLEY LIGHTS ON BROADWAY

RIVERSPORT ADVENTURES

LYRIC’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A DOG DAY IN DECEMBER AT MIDTOWN MUTTS

AND MANY MORE!

THROUGH DEC 30FREE Midwest City Holiday Lights Spectacular at Joe B Barnes Regional Park (8700 E Reno Ave) features more than one million holiday lights and a 118-foot Christmas tree lit with 9,000 bulbs. Sunday-Thursday, 6-10pm; Friday & Saturday, 6-11pm. 739-1293, www.midwestcityok.org

THROUGH DEC 31FREE Christmas in the Park at Chisholm Trail Park (500 W Vandament, Yukon) offers over 100 acres of Christmas cheer featuring over 125 displays and four million lights as well as refreshments, live music, pictures with Santa and train rides. 6-11pm. 350-8937, www.cityofyukonok.gov

FREE Chickasha Festival of Light at Shannon Springs Park (2400 N 9t St, Chickasha) is known as one of the best light festivals in the country and features carriage rides, live nativity, camel rides, live animals, photos with Santa, gift shop and snack stand. Monday-Thursday, 6-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 6-11 p.m. 224-9627

FREE Celebration of Lights at The Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulphur) invites the family to drive through a beautiful holiday light display. 6-9 p.m. nightly. 580-622-7130, www.chickasawculturalcenter.com

FREE Lights on Markwell Avenue (Council & NW 23rd) features an entire block holiday light show set to music on 102.3 FM. Bring a canned good for food drive. Weekdays, 6-10 p.m.; weekends, 6-11 p.m.

FREE Edmond Holiday Light Displays in Downtown Edmond (various locations). Enjoy holiday light displays throughout the city in Downtown Edmond, Spring Creek Plaza, Spring Creek Village, First Baptist Church, UCO and OC campuses. www.visitedmondok.com

THROUGH JAN 1FREE Automobile Alley Lights on Broadway (NW 4th to 10th) features more than 180,000 colorful LED lights draped along the buildings on North Broadway. Open daily, dusk until dawn. www.downtownindecember.com

THROUGH JAN 3FREE Downs Family Christmas Lights (2900 72nd Ave SE) is a light display set to music that features more than 18 miles of light strands. Bring a canned good or monetary donation to benefit the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. www.downsfamilychristmas.com

events thisdecemberWEEKLY EVENTS

FREE Evening Family Playtime at the Downtown Library (300 Park Ave) features an hour of family play time meant to help children build social skills, promote learning and discover that the library is a destination for fun. Mondays, 6:30-7:30pm. 231-8650, www.metrolibrary.org

FREE Art Adventures at Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art (555 Elm, Norman), for ages 3-5. Young artists are invited to experience art through books. Visit site for full list of dates, books and activities. Tuesdays, 10:30am. 325-3272, www.ou.edu/fjjma

Tuesday Night Holiday Movies at Harkins Cinemas (150 E Reno Ave). Relive your favorite holiday films on the big screen. $5. 7pm every Tuesday in December. www.harkinstheatres.com/TNC

Two for One Tuesdays at the Oklahoma City Zoo (2101 NE 50th St) features buy one get one free admission on Tuesdays in December, January and February. Adults, $8; kids (3-11), $5; seniors (65 & up), $5; kids (2 & under), free. 9am-5pm. 424-3344, www.okczoo.com

Nature Play Group at Martin Park (5000 W Memorial Rd) introduces children ages 2-6 to nature in an encouraging environment using nature-centered play activities like hands-on games and crafts. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver. $2. Wednesdays, (excluding 12/23 and 12/30). 10:30am. 297-1429, www.okc.gov/active

FREE December Drop-ins at Myriad Gardens (301 W Reno) features a holiday craft time with music and hot chocolate. Best suited for ages 2-5. $2 suggested donation. Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30am. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

Toddler Story & Craft Time at Unpluggits Playstudio (575 Enterprise, Edmond) features a different story each week & a related craft time. Free with paid admission. Wednesdays, 11-11:30am. 340-7584, www.unpluggits.com

Pop-Up Shops in Midtown (10th & Hudson) features dozens of independent shops and an urban Christmas tree lot managed by Bishop John Carroll School. Shops rotate weekly through a set of geodesic domes & the tree lot is available until trees sell out. Thursday-Saturday, 10am-9pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. Closes 12/20. www.okcpopups.com

Winter Shoppes at Myriad Botanical Gardens (301 W Reno) features a rotating selection of boutique-style vendors in a festive holiday setting. Open Thursday-Sunday, 11am-6pm. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

FREE Holiday Water Taxi Rides at Bricktown Water Taxi (111 S Mickey Mantle Dr) features a fun-filled float down the beautifully-adorned Bricktown canal free of charge, courtesy of the Downtown Business Improvement District. All ages welcome. Thursday-Sunday, 6-9:30pm. 234-8294, www.downtownindecember.com

FREE Children’s Story Time at Full Circle Books (1900 NW Expressway). Saturdays, 10:15am. 842-2900, www.fullcirclebooks.com

FREE Children’s Story Time at Edmond’s Best of Books (1313 E Danforth, Edmond). Saturdays, 11-11:30am. 340-9202.

FREE Roller Skating Lesson at Skate Galaxy (5800 NW 36th St) offered each Saturday. Noon-12:45pm. $2 skate rental. 605-2758, www.skategalaxyokc.com

All Star Bowling for Differently-Abled Individuals at AMF Windsor Lanes (4600 NW 23rd) invites differently-abled individuals and their friends and families to bowl on Saturdays. $8. Noon-1pm. 942-5545.

Drop in Art at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (415 Couch Dr) features hands-on art activities for all ages. Free with paid admission. Saturdays, 1-4pm. 236-3100, www.okcmoa.com

Saturday Night Movies at the Chickasaw Cultural Center (867 Cooper Memorial Dr, Sulphur) features a favorite holiday classic on the giant screen in the Anoli’ Theatre. 6:30pm every Saturday. Adults, $3; kids, $2. 580-622-7130, www.chickasawculturalcenter.com

Breakfast with Santa at Orr Family Farm (14400 S Western). Enjoy a pancake breakfast, story time, a Christmas craft and carols with Santa. Photo opportunities available. Bring your own camera. Includes a train and carousel ride. $15. Preregister. Saturdays leading up to Christmas, 10am. 799-3276, www.orrfamilyfarm.com

FREE Devon’s Saturdays with Santa at Devon Tower (333 W Sheridan Ave) features crafts, an opportunity to meet Santa and a variety of holiday themed activities every Saturday leading up to Christmas. 10am-4pm. www.saturdayswithsanta.com

Merry & Bright: FREE Sunday Evenings in the Crystal Bridge at Myriad Botanical Gardens (301 W Reno). Enjoy free admission to see the charming Christmas light displays and beautiful plant exhibits every Sunday in December. 6-9pm. 445-7080, www.myriadgardens.org

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 40 DECEMBER 2015

REGISTRATIONOPENS 12/7!

WINTER/SPRING CLASSES

Classes for all ages.Scholarships available.Visit okcmoa.com/learn or call (450) 278-8213.

events thisdecemberONGOING EVENTS

THROUGH DEC 19A Territorial Christmas Celebration in Downtown Guthrie (212 W Oklahoma) features historic home tours, theater performances and decorated store windows complete with re-enactors depicting Victorian-era Guthrie. See website for schedule. 282-1947, www.guthriesterritorialchristmas.com

THROUGH DEC 20FREE Storyland Christmas at Charles J Johnson Central Park (29th St, Midwest City) features 35 hand-painted murals and a 30-foot Christmas tree covered in 6,000 lights. Additional activities include showings of Christmas movies and photos with Santa. 455-1818, www.midwestcityok.org/storyland-christmas

THROUGH DEC 23FREE PAMBE Ghana Global Market (6516 N Olie) offers unique, fair trade products from around the world to support La’Angum Learning Center. Parents can shop while kids enjoy a section just for children. Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon-6pm. 249-2314, www.pambeghana.org/global-market/

THROUGH DEC 24Pictures with Santa at Quail Springs Mall (2501 W Memorial Rd). Kids can meet Santa to share their wishes and take a photo. Santa’s house is located in the Macy’s Court. Photo prices vary. See website for times and reservations. 755-6530, www.quailspringsmall.com

Pictures with Santa at Sooner Mall (JCPenney Court, 3301 W Main St, Norman). Kids can meet Santa to share their wishes and take a photo. Photo prices vary. See website for times and reservations. 360-0360, www.soonermall.com

FREE Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops (200 Bass Pro Dr) features giveaways, crafts, activities and free photos with Santa. Additional photos available for purchase. Open weekdays, 5-8pm.; Saturday, 10am-8pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. 218-5200, www.basspro.com

North Pole Adventures at Crossroads Mall (7000 Crossroads Blvd) features a life-sized replica of the North Pole including Santa’s post office and a reindeer barn. Adults, $6; kids, $14. One adult free with each child paid admission. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-8:30pm; Friday, 5:30-9pm; Saturday, 9am-9pm; Sunday, noon-9pm. www.northpoleadventure.org

THROUGH DEC 27A Christmas Carol at Lyric Theatre (1727 NW 16th St) is a classic Christmas tale portrayed by local actors. $30 & up. Performances at various times, Wednesdays through Sundays. 524-9312, www.lyrictheatreokc.com

THROUGH DEC 30FREE Red Earth Treefest at Red Earth Art Center (6 Santa Fe Plaza) features seven Christmas trees adorned with handmade ornaments showcasing Native cultures. Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm. 427-5228, www.redearth.org

THROUGH JAN 3Snow Tubing Winter Festival at the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark (2 Mickey Mantle Dr.) features two gigantic snow tubing slopes and Santa’s workshop with a children’s train. Sessions are 90 minutes long and riders must be 48” tall. Riders, $14; non-riders, $3. See website for hours. www.downtownindecember.com

Santa’s Adventures on the Oklahoma River at RIVERSPORT Adventures (725 S Lincoln Blvd) features Boathouse District activities with a holiday spin, including the SandRidge Santa Zip, North Pole Climb, Candy Cane Rock Wall and Rudolph’s Launch. Saturday and Sunday, noon-6pm. Open noon-4pm on Christmas Eve. $12-20. 552-4040, www.boathousedistrict.org

THROUGH JAN 10Edmond Outdoor Ice Rink at Mitch Park (1501 W Covell Rd) offers ice skating, holiday music and food concessions. $10 for two-hour skate session and skate rental; $7 if you bring your own skates. $5 for ages 5 and under. See website for schedule. 274-1638, www.edmondoutdooricerink.com

THROUGH JAN 31Devon Ice Rink at Myriad Botanical Gardens (113 S Robinson) offers ice skating through Downtown in December. Every Friday features Rock ‘n’ Skate, 6-9pm & Saturday, Cartoon Skate, 11am-1pm. $12 per person, includes skate rental. $8 for guests who bring their own skates. $8 per person for groups of 10 or more. See website for hours of operation. 445-7080, www.downtownindecember.com

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 41 DECEMBER 2015

exploring oklahoma with children

Top holiday attractions in a beloved Oklahoma town

Muskogee Magic

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CASTLE OF MUSKOGEE

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 43 DECEMBER 2015

About two hours east of Oklahoma City sits a quaint town with top-notch family

attractions that beckon visitors for Christmas fun. Muskogee is the ideal day trip from the Oklahoma City metro and December is the perfect time for a visit.

Travel to this Oklahoma destination at night and you’ll likely see the town glowing with holiday lights before you even arrive! A top Christmas destination in Muskogee is Castle Christmas, a holiday celebration complete with lights, entertainers, visits with Santa and many other family-friendly activities. From Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s Eve, The Castle of Muskogee (3400 W. Fern Mountain Rd., Muskogee) is transformed into a winter wonderland. The Castle is open from 6 to 10 p.m. for visitors to drive through Castleton Village, which is full of lights and holiday displays.

Additional activities taking place Dec. 4-7 and 11-31 include carriage rides, hayrides, camel and pony rides and Santa’s Workshop, where visitors can make an ornament. The light display is free (donations accepted) but there is a small cost for some of the holiday activities, so check the website for prices when planning a trip.

Another brilliant light display sits just minutes away at Honor Heights Park (W.

Shawnee St. & N. 40th St., Muskogee). From Thanksgiving Day to New Year’s Day, there are more than a million shimmering Christmas lights strung throughout the park. Scenic ponds and waterfalls beautifully reflect the twinkling lights in the impressive drive-through light show. Gates open each evening at 5:30 p.m. and admission is free.

Muskogee visitors are in for much more than just some holiday lights, though. The town is home to Muskogee War Memorial Park (3500 Batfish Rd., Muskogee), which houses the USS Batfish. Launched in May 1943, this 311-foot submarine was responsible for sinking 14 enemy vessels during World War II, including three submarines. Visitors can take a step back in time as they enter the submarine and see where the men ate, slept and worked to win the war—all in extremely close quarters. Even for those not intimately acquainted with the history of the naval war, the glimpse into life on a submarine makes the historical facts seem much more personal as you think about what it would have been like for the men aboard.

Another unique and very special artifact at the park is the mast from the USS Oklahoma, which was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The park is also home to several other pieces of equipment such as torpedoes and cannons ranging from World War I to Vietnam. The museum on the grounds chronicles American military history and has several documentary clips for visitors to watch.

BY JENNIFER GEARY

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CASTLE OF MUSKOGEE

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 44 DECEMBER 2015

Coming in January!MetroFamily’s

Education Guide

Be in the knowand look for it in

January's edition.

Advertisers:It's not too late to submit an ad!

Deadline: Dec. 14Contact us TODAY at 601-2081 or sarah@metrofamilymagazine.com!

Public, private, online:

What are the best educational options

for your family?

See our calendar for 146 fun winter events!

DECEMBER 2015

EDUCATION INNOVATION

5 progressive things

happening in OKC classrooms

ROBBERS CAVE ROAD TRIP

Exploring Wilburton with kids

BACK TO CLASSHistoric schoolhouses worth a visit

on page 48

EducationGuide

Find 39in our annual

Great Ideas

You don’t have to know much if any military history to enjoy your trip to the War Memorial Park, but there are some practical tips that will make your visit more enjoyable. First, know that you will be in some very small, tight spaces If you’re claustrophobic, you may want to enjoy the park but skip the interior tour. Also, wear good shoes and appropriate clothing. You’ll be climbing up and down some very steep steps and through tall doorways, so make sure you’re not going to get tangled or tripped. If you have little ones who can’t walk, you may want to have a way to wear or carry them safely so that your hands are free to hold onto railings. Finally, if you like to shop for souvenirs, bring a little extra cash because there are some fun goodies in the gift shop.

If your family enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, be sure to include some time at Greenleaf State Park (located just off OK-10 southeast of Muskogee) in your itinerary. Known as Oklahoma’s Family Fun Park, Greenleaf offers a wide variety of activities including boating, fishing, hiking and even paddle boating. The park also is home to a nature center and a park naturalist who

offers programs on astronomy, nature hikes and storytelling.

Cabins, RV sites and tent sites are available for guests who wish to stay overnight. The park even has discounted rates during the week in the winter season. Even after Christmas, the park has plenty of family-friendly winter fun. On Jan. 1, enjoy a 1.5-mile New Year’s Day hike led by a naturalist. The hike encourages guests to start the year off with a healthy habit. Hikers will meet at 10 a.m. at the Kids’ Fishing Pond.

On Jan. 9, the park will host a special Winter Waterfowl and Eagle Watch. Pack the binoculars and head out on tours at 8 a.m. or 1 p.m. These special events are free, but visitors should call 918-487-5196 in advance to make reservations. Even if the weather is mild, bring jackets as it can be pretty chilly near the water!

Muskogee is an easy drive from the Oklahoma City area; just head east on I-40 and then north on US-69 and you’ll be there in just about two hours. There's something to please everyone in Muskogee this season!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CASTLE OF MUSKOGEE

*Subaru will donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased from November 19, 2015, through January 2, 2016, to four national charities designated by the purchaser or lessee, up to $15,000,000 in total. Pre-approved Hometown Charities may be selected for donation depending on retailer participation. Certain participating retailers will make an additional donation to the Hometown Charities selected. Purchasers/lessees must make their charity designations by January 31, 2016. The four national charities will receive a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 each. See your local Subaru retailer for details or visit subaru.com/share. All donations made by Subaru of America, Inc.

It’s not just the miles in life, it’s the good things you do with them.

$250 Charitable Donation for Every New Subaru Vehicle

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 45 DECEMBER 2015

Community Sponsor of Exploring Oklahoma:

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MUSKOGEE WAR MEMORIAL PARK

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 46 DECEMBER 2015

Holiday Gift GuideTHE HOLIDAY GIFT BUYING SEASON IS HERE!

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

gift guide

Oklahoma City Museum of ArtEncourage your kids to create their very own monster with these fun, playful blocks from Uncle Goose. These unique blocks are ideal for both boys and girls. Pick them up at the Museum Store at 415 Couch Dr. in Oklahoma City. 236-3100, www.okcmoa.com.

Elevation Trampoline ParkGive your tween or teen something they’ll really love this Christmas when you give them the gift of JUMP! Choose from three different card options: a traditional reloadable card (starting at $10), 1-Hour Open Jump Pass ($11) and the new Frequent Jumper Card ($77) which is loaded with 10 hours of jump for the price of seven. Purchase in Edmond and Moore locations or at www.elevationtp.com.

Shop GoodThese soft cotton shirts and cozy knit hats are the perfect way to add some warmth and comfort under the tree. Available in a variety of styles and sizes 3 months-6T. Plus each purchase gives back to a good cause. Find this and other gifts at 3 N.W. 9th St. in Oklahoma City. 702-0517, www.shopgoodokc.com.

Gaylord-Pickens MuseumGive friends and family the gift of wit with hand-painted signs featuring sayings from notable Oklahomans like Will Rogers and James Garner. Custom-made signs available on request. Pick up these and other Oklahoma-themed gifts at 1400 Classen Dr. in Oklahoma City. 235-4458, www.oklahomaheritage.com.

Backbeat GarageGive the gift of music this season. Backbeat Garage is now offering six-week music courses for beginners to 6th grade. Classes are interactive and give kids an opportunity to learn a new instrument in a relaxed setting. Call Debbie for details at 388-7930.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 47 DECEMBER 2015

PAIDADVERTISEMENT

gift guide

Lynda’s BirkenstockFind a wide variety of comfort brands for women, men and children, including a selection of UGG® Boots in all sizes and styles. Gift certificates offered as well. Pick up your gifts at 2311 N.W. 36th St. in Oklahoma City. 943-3919, www.lyndasbirkenstock.com.

Sam Noble MuseumInquisitive young astronomers and adults alike will enjoy investigating the universe with the Jr. Science Explorer Telescope. Find this and other great science-themed gifts at 2401 Chautauqua Ave. in Norman. 325-4712, www.samnoblemuseum.ou.edu.

Oklahoma History CenterThe No. 1 bestselling author and Food Network personality at last answers that age-old question—“What’s for Dinner?”—bringing together more than 125 simple, scrumptious, step-by-step recipes for delicious dinners the whole family will love. Pick up this book and other great gifts at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. 521-2491, www.okhistory.org.

The Vintage PearlThe Vintage Pearl's Dainty Drop necklace ($45) is made with handstamped sterling silver and swarovski crystals and makes the perfect gift this Christmas. Pick up this and other beautiful gifts at their store at 15th and Bryant in Edmond or contact them to learn more at 330-0100 or www.thevintagepearl.com.

Cappy’s DollhousesCappy's Dollhouses is a small personalized shop with attention to detail and service. Choose from custom built homes or new finishes. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday or call for an appointment. Visit www.cappys-dollhouses.com to learn more.

Green BambinoThis Earth-friendly shape-sorter toy has shape sorter holes on the sides, a puzzle on the top, real rolling wheels and eight chunky wooden play pieces! Made with wood from sustainable forests, recycled materials and eco-friendly inks. $34.99 Ages: 18 months and up. Find these and other gifts at 5120 N. Shartel Ave. in Oklahoma City. 848-2330, www.green-bambino.com.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 48 DECEMBER 2015

Holiday Gift GuideTHE HOLIDAY GIFT BUYING SEASON IS HERE!

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

gift guide

Museum of OsteologyThis 8” scorpion puzzle would make a great gift. The sculpted, hand-painted 4D scorpion model includes 29 detachable organs and body parts. Find this and other gifts at 10301 S. Sunnylane Rd. in Oklahoma City. 814-0006, www.museumofosteology.com.

Once Upon a ChildThis second-hand shop carries the latest in new and gently used brand name clothes, toys, books, equipment and furniture. Visit them at 13801 N. Pennsylvania, Ste. G. in Oklahoma City. 286-3114, www.onceuponachildokcnorth.com.

OKC RIVERSPORTJoin the excitement and be one of the first on the water in Oklahoma City’s new RIVERSPORT Rapids whitewater rafting and kayaking center. Get your 2016 season pass and you’ll receive unlimited access to RIVERSPORT Rapids whitewater rafting, kayaking, tubing, concerts and festivals. Plus, with a season pass, you can enjoy all the adventures in the Boathouse District and at Lake Overholser. Buy your pass online. 552-4040, www.riversportokc.org.

Unpluggits PlaystudioPaint a piece of pottery for anyone on your holiday list and they’ll treasure it forever because it was created by you. Visit 575 Enterprise Dr. in Edmond to create your gift. 340-7584, www.unpluggits.com.

Cinnamon BearsThe Babyshusher is the ideal gift for the parents on your list. Just as the name implies, this handy tool helps sooth fussy babies and includes a strap for attaching it to the car seat or stroller. Purchase this and other gifts for parents and children at 102 S. Broadway in Edmond. 330-2327.

Skate GalaxyBuy a pair of skates and get a free Skate Pass good for multiple visits. Skates begin at $99. Child and adult sizes available. Pick up this fun gift at 5800 N.W. 36th St. in Oklahoma City. 605-2758, www.skategalaxyokc.com.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 49 DECEMBER 2015

PAIDADVERTISEMENT

gift guide

learning treeGet one of the hottest toys of the season at learning tree. Uncle Goose blocks are durable, nostalgic building blocks to be treasured for years. They're hand-crafted in America! Pick them up at 7638 N. Western Ave. in Oklahoma City. 848-1415, www.learningtreeokc.com.

Harn HomesteadFind stocking stuffers, Bedre Chocolates, locally-made bath salts and other spa-like products at the Harn Homestead Gift Shop. Buying gifts here also helps fund the museum and its outreach. Visit the shop at 1721 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City. 235-4058, www.harnhomestead.com.

OKC DodgersGive the gift of baseball this season. The OKC Dodgers 7-Game Holiday Package includes a ticket to seven weekend games in 2016, plus free gifts like a limited edition holiday ornament. Packages start as low as $64. Call 218-2121 or visit www.okcdodgers.com to learn more and purchase.

University of Oklahoma Women’s BasketballEnjoy a fun family outing at the Oklahoma Women’s Basketball game on Wednesday, Dec. 30. The Sooners open Big 12 play with Kansas at 7 p.m. in the Lloyd Noble Center. For $5 tickets, visit soonersports.com/promocode and enter FAMILY.

Paint ’N StationPaint a one-of-a-kind specialty piece–a truly unique gift. Pick a project to fit anyone on your list, including cute coffee mugs. Pottery items start at $3 and up. Visit them at 7906 N. May Ave. to paint your gift. 842-7770, www.paintnstation.com.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage MuseumPendleton Woolen Mills Crib Blankets are made in in the USA and the perfect gift for the little cowpoke in your life. The Museum Store is proud to carry Pendleton blankets, accessories and apparel. Pick them up at 1700 N.E. 63rd St. in Oklahoma City. 478-2250, www.nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Cadence EquestrianGive your child the gift of a new skill this season with horseback riding lessons. Eight lessons for the special price of $295. Located at 14150 S. Pine St., Edmond. 348-7469, www.cadenceequestrian.com.

Real Mom of the Metro

PHOTOS BY MARK DOESCHERBY JENNIFER SHARPE

Jennifer Teel

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 51 DECEMBER 2015

THE NEED

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YOUR GIFT SAYS IT ALL.It says you stand behind lives in crisis across Central Oklahoma. Behind all 61 United Way partner agencies and behind our drive to mobilize kindness, one gift at a time. At StandUnitedOKC.com

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KINDNESS

I f you happen to make it to Lyric Theatre this month to see “A Christmas Carol,” you’ll definitely notice the

bright smile and angelic voice of the Ghost of Christmas Past as she floats high above the audience suspended from the ceiling.

That ghost is local actress, business owner and mom of two Jennifer Teel.

“My dream, from the time when I was very little, was to perform professionally and I never thought that I could actually do that here in Oklahoma,” Jennifer said. “But I quickly learned that the arts community here is very strong and very active.”

Jennifer and her husband of more than 16 years, Craig have two children: 16-year-old Nathan and 13-year-old Sarah. Jennifer was born in North Dakota, but has lived in Oklahoma since age 2 and considers Mustang home.

After being involved in theater growing up, Jennifer took time off from the stage when she had children.

“I always knew that I wanted to perform and be on stage,” Jennifer said, “I always wanted to be a mom, too.”

But when her passion for acting took a backseat to motherhood, she felt like she wasn’t totally herself. So shortly after Sarah was born, Jennifer auditioned for a show at the Poteet Theatre and won the lead. When her kids were young, she would limit herself to just one or two shows a year. As the kids got older, Jennifer started auditioning for more shows.

Jennifer has played the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past at Lyric’s “A Christmas Carol” for three years. The performance schedule is intense, with shows nightly every day except Monday and two shows on Saturday throughout the month of December.

“I love being part of a holiday tradition,” she said. “The show is so family-oriented in so many ways. The cast, the audience and also the story of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ which is about focusing in on what is important—your friends and your family—and appreciating that and not letting the stress and all the worries of life bog you down. That’s really what Scrooge’s struggle is about. He has forgotten all of the things that make up a full life. I love how my character really is the one who helps Scrooge refocus and find those moments of the things in life that he used to have.”

Jennifer also has been a director and

assistant director for several productions. She began directing children’s theater at Poteet, and was the assistant director for the Lyric Theatre’s recent production of “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.” When asked her thoughts on acting versus directing, Jennifer admitted both are a blast.

“I really do love doing both,” she said. “As an actor, your goal is to find your character and also portray exactly what the director sees. But I also love being able to go through and piece together the entire big picture, and also being able to change things up here and there.”

Jennifer also is working for her fifth year with the Lyric’s arts outreach program, Musical Interactive, which is a free education program for Oklahoma schools. Designed to bring the theater to students, Jennifer travels all over Oklahoma with a group of three other actors, a music director and a stage director as often as five days a week during busy times, many days performing two or three shows per day. The engaging program integrates history in with musical performance, and this year’s show is “The Sound of Music.” The program runs when school is in session, and autumn is typically busier than the spring.

As if she wasn’t busy enough acting, directing and teaching, Jennifer owns Forever After Parties, a company that specializes in character visits for birthday parties and events. The concept started as a favor for a friend in 2009 when she agreed to dress up as Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” for a child’s party. Increasing requests for appearances led to requests for different characters, which prompted the official company launch in March 2011. The company started with 12 employees and has now grown to approximately 75 employees.

“It just took off,” Jennifer said.

Not only did Forever After Parties see its popularity soar for appearances, Jennifer also started receiving many calls from prospective actors. She now holds auditions at least once a year and has taken on a partner. A typical weekend might include eight parties, which skyrocketed to as many as sixteen parties a weekend during what Jennifer calls the “Frozen Craze.”

“It really is one of the best jobs ever, because we get to dress up and go inspire kids,” she said. “There’s just a joy you feel after you have gone to a party and done that. It’s exhausting; after a two-hour party you have essentially just done a one-person show, but it’s totally worth it. It’s a blast.”

Jennifer advises anyone interested in the performing arts to chase their dreams, and recommends the Oklahoma Theater Guild

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 52 DECEMBER 2015

on Facebook as a starting point to finding auditions. Although Jennifer is living proof that formal education in theater is not necessary, she feels that education helps, especially for children interested in learning more about theater. The Lyric Theatre, Poteet Theatre and Sooner Theatre all offer excellent programs for kids.

“There are huge benefits with going into theater because it teaches you a lot of discipline,” she said. “You need to be prepared and be responsible for yourself. You have to have good communication skills and know how to work alongside all different types of people. Even if kids don’t go into theater in the long run, it’s a huge building block that can help with any type of career.“

You can catch Jennifer in “A Christmas Carol” Dec. 2-27 at Lyric Theatre (1727 N.W. 16th St.). Tickets range from $30 to $50. Learn more at www.lyrictheatreokc.com.

How has motherhood changed you?The moment I became a mom, it reshaped how I saw the world and who I wanted to be. My focus was no longer on what I wanted in life, but what I wanted for my kids.

What is your favorite quote/advice about parenting/motherhood?Be true to yourself. It is important for our children to know who their mother is as an individual. You are more than just a birth giver or a parent. Keep connected and share who you are with your children.

What is your guilty pleasure?No-bake cookies. I literally can eat an entire batch of 40 cookies in two days. They are dangerous in my house.

Describe yourself in five words.Motivated, learning (everyday), giving (sometimes too much), positive, hopeful.

How do you find balance?I’m not the best balancer, at least not on a daily basis. It’s hard being an actor; my schedule changes week to week. Some weeks, I may be gone every single day from 6 a.m. until after 11 p.m., with only a couple of hours to pop in at home in between. Then there are weeks where I have no performances/rehearsals, and I’ll be home practically all day. I guess more than balance in my house, we all have to be adaptable.

Of what are you most proud?Personally? That would have to be not giving up on my dream since I was a child and still

raising my kids. I knew at a very young age I wanted to perform. My dream was to move to New York and perform on stage for a living. However, I had my son before I was able to attend college. After that, I disregarded my dream of performance, thinking it would be impossible. Plus he was far more important than any dream. Years passed and I had my second child. Right around that time, I found myself losing the connection to who I was as a person. I didn’t want my kids growing up not knowing who their mom was. I truly believe everyone has a gift and that finding and using that gift completes us as a person. I needed to be using my gift. So I started back at performing. It was a slow start, and I only did about one to two shows a year, but I reconnected to who I was, and in effect was a better mother. Even with being a stay-at-home mom up until both of my kids were in school full time, I was able to stay true to myself. Now I do what I thought was impossible. I get to have my beautiful family and be a professional actor, while living in Oklahoma! Who would have thought that would work?

What is your favorite indulgence? Sleeping in and a hot caramel macchiato first thing in the morning.

How would you describe your parenting style?Honest. I don’t like hiding things from my kids. The world sure as heck isn’t going to hide anything from them, especially in the technological age we are raising them in. If I pretend or don’t acknowledge that certain

things don’t exist, that isn’t going to do any good. No matter the subject (sex, drugs, what that four letter word means…), if my kids have a question, I will answer it with complete honesty. Sometimes that can be awkward and there have been times they have brought up subjects I may not want to talk about, but I know that being open with my kids lets them know they can always trust me. And their trust is one of the most important things in the world.

What is on your wish list? A clean house. Period.

How do you banish stress?Music. I sit alone and put on an album that speaks the truth to me. Helps to put things into perspective.

What motivates you?Art. It may sound silly or cliché, but it’s true. Art transcends. It can make you connect to the part of you that is the most real, and at times, the parts that are most hidden. It brings life, passion, motivation, revelation, revolution, healing and connection… to name a few. To quote one of my all time favorite shows, “Passing Strange,” “Art heals man. When we are in the presence of art, we are taking the cure. And that’s revolutionary! I don’t know what we would do without it.”

What would your friends or family say everyone else doesn’t know about you?I am NOT a confident person. Those who don’t know me well would never know. I second guess myself often and am very critical of myself.

METROFAMILY MAGAZINE 53 DECEMBER 2015

Here are two more moms involved in the upcoming show at Lyric Theatre:

Ashley Wells works as the associate artistic director at Lyric Theatre and is mom to two boys: 13-year-old Caden and 11-year-old Ethan. Ashley has been on staff with the Lyric Theatre for 12 years and is the choreographer for Lyric’s “A Christmas Carol.”

“My parenting philosophy is changing, just as much as my children change,” Ashley said. “The one constant I continually strive to do is to be a follow-through parent. If I say I’m going to do something, then I do it. I don’t give idle threats. I give my boys freedom to try new things but at the same time if they commit to something then they need to see it through.”

She’s found balancing motherhood and a career to be challenging, but she does her best to take on work that will enable her to spend time with her kids.

“I will try to get as much work done as I can, so that the moment I am home, I don’t have to worry about anything that is going on at the theatre,” she said. “Sometimes that is not always possible, but on those weekends that I have to work then I’m lucky that I can bring the kids. They have spent many an evening and weekend in the theatre. I think it is good for my boys to see me work and to enjoy what I do. Do they like it when I’m gone? No, but they understand it and support me. I was lucky that, when my children were little, I read an article that had some great points that put things into perspective for me. They have helped me not constantly feel guilty.”

They were:• Be true to yourself• Be honest: You’re not superhuman• Understand that your priorities and interests

will change• Realize that flexibility is a two-way street• Face it: Some jobs aren’t right for you

It was the last one that really gave her something to think about, she said. Early in her career, she got a job offer that would have been wonderful and much better pay.

“I thought long and hard about it, because I knew it wouldn’t give me the flexibility that I would need with two kids in school,” she said. “You never know when the school is going to call, and you have to go get them. I knew that even though the hours can be odd, working in the theatre would give me that flexibility that I would need with young children.”

She admitted being a mother is the hardest job she knows. Being a working mom can be even trickier, she said.

“Finding that right balance is hard, and I think I am always working to find it,” she said. “Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I get it wrong, but I feel it is good for my boys to see me successful, but also see that I can make mistakes too and then see how I handle those mistakes.”

Blythe Ward is mom to three children: 11-year-old Banton, 8-year-old Beatrice and 3-year-old Benjamin. Banton and Beatrice both act in “A Christmas Carol” at Lyric Theatre. Banton plays the role of Fan and Beatrice is Tiny Tim.

Blythe said she’s anxiously awaiting the launch of this year’s “A Christmas Carol” at Lyric not just because of the chance to see her daughters perform, but because the show has become a family tradition.

“In its first run in 2011, we attended the show as a family, and following the performance, our oldest, Banton, declared that she would be in that show next year,” Blythe said. “She auditioned the following May and was given the role of Want, and how fitting it was.”

When her children started gravitating toward the arts and even further away from sports, Blythe said she wasn’t surprised. In fact, she said although her 3-year-old son has the build of a football player, she wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up on stage with his sisters.

“He is already showing signs of interest, as the way the Ward Children play at home is typically some sort of scripted event involving dress up clothes and rehearsals and choreographed scenes from shows,” she said. “It is not an uncommon sight to have Banton, our oldest, out in the backyard with all the neighbor kids assigning roles, using camping chairs for the audience, all the while the bluetooth speaker is blasting songs from the Broadway soundtracks of ‘Matilda’ or ‘Shrek.’”

Blythe has seen over time how her children have gained confidence through theatre and she loves the mentorship and support provided by their time at the Thelma Gaylord Academy at Lyric Theatre.

“I know my children are building a solid foundation just by being in the presence of these adults who are present only because they love what they do,” she said. “They are mentored and guided in a way that is so unique to the world of theater, a world of mixed ages, and backgrounds and all walks of life. A world where it’s okay to be yourself and even be a little different; in fact, different and quirky is really a bonus, I think.”

BLYTHE WARD AND FAMILY

ASHLEY WELLS

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Party Guide, pages 54-56Andy Alligator'sBouncin' CrazeBuilding MindsBrickopolisGerald Wayne Interactive ZooGymboree Play & Music of OKC and NormanJump!ZoneMad Science of Central OklahomaMobile Laser ForcesPaint Your Art OutSam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural HistorySkate GalaxyUpstage TheatreWater-Zoo Indoor Water ParkChild Care, page 56North Penn Creative Kids Learning CenterSpontaneity Kid CareSpecial Needs, page 57Sensational KidsTotal POSSabilitiesPrivate School, page 57Westminster SchoolAfter-School Activities, pages 57-58Back Beat GarageCadence EquestrianFine Arts InstituteKumon of EdmondOCU Performing Arts Academy

Soccer CityThe Dance DepartmentVelocity Dance CenterRetail/Restaurants, page 59Cappy's DollhousesCinnamon BearsJimmy's Egglearning tree toys, books & gamesOnce Upon a ChildFoster Care, page 60Angels Foster Family NetworkBair FoundationCircle of CareSunbeam Family ServicesFamily Fun, page 61-62Arts Council of Oklahoma CityDodge City Paintball & Outdoor Laser Tag of OKCEdmond Outdoor Ice RinkPaint 'N StationRedpin Bowling LoungeSanta SmithSooner TheatreSorghum Mill Christmas Tree FarmUnpluggits PlaystudioWestminster Presbyterian ChurchFamily Services, Page 63Arnold Njikam, Realtor, Keller WilliamsBrain Balance Center of OKCOklahoma Institute of Allergy & Asthma

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Dec. 1-12MetroFamily's gift to you is our 12 Days of December contest! We're giving away themed packages, one each day fromDec. 1-12, to add to the holiday fun.

The Ultimateholiday giveawayfor our readers

Toys, books, games, gifts for mom and dad...enter daily to be eligibleto win that day's holiday package worth hundreds of dollars!

Check out www.metrofamilymagazine.com/contests starting Dec. 1.

Merry Christmas from

Plan the bestholiday season ever!

Visitwww.metrofamilymagazine.

com/holidayto find dozens of memory-making

activities!