Halloween How-To...Halloween is a time of ghoulish delight, and Clive residents do not let the season pass by without amazing decorations, treats, homemade costumes and all-around

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/clive Clive Living OCTOBER | 2012

LivingCliveoctober 2012

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PUMPKIN CAKERECIPE

MEET ANDREA PETERSEDUCATION

BEYOND FOUR WALLSFAITH

RESIDENTS GET INTO THE ‘SPIRIT’ OF HALLOWEEN

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Halloween How-To

OCTOBER | 2012 Clive Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/clive

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/clive OCTOBER | 2012 Clive Living 3

LivingLivingIowaIowam a g a z i n e sm a g a z i n e s

Darren TromblayEditor515-953-4822 ext. [email protected]

Michelle HauptsAdvertising

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5d

welcome By Shane Goodman, [email protected]

M y childhood home was decorated with all kinds of ghosts and goblins this time of year. Mom liked to decorate for Halloween. Truth be told, Mom liked to decorate for any holiday. But

Halloween was special. We used those same decorations every year, you know, the cheap, plastic ones that were readily available at dime stores back then. The items tossed out after a year or two by most people would be used by my mother for years on end. She would carefully fold and stow away the plastic ghost sheet on the front door, the black cat on the stick from the front yard and the witch’s face from the kitchen wall, among the dozens of other items she collected. I never knew where she stored these things, but they would reappear like magic each year. Mom said she decorated for us kids, but those items continued to appear in her home for years after we all left home. When asked about it, she would explain that they were now for the grandkids. Meanwhile, with children and grandchildren no longer at the trick-or-treating age, my 75-year-old mother decorates her entire apartment complex with all kinds of Halloween items — including that black cat on the stick. Happy Halloween, and thanks for reading.

Shane GoodmanPublisher

Now where’s that plastic ghost sheet?

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By Kenzie Stroud

feature Submit story ideas to [email protected]

G hosts, goblins, clowns and cupcakes will soon be headed to your door to trick or treat.

Halloween is a time of ghoulish delight, and Clive residents do not let the season pass by without amazing decorations, treats, homemade costumes and all-around Halloween fun. Whether you are throwing a party or just trick or treating with the kids, here are some great ideas to make the most of out of this October.

Thrill and excitementKathy and Terry Janssen of Clive love the costumes, jokes, decorations, candy and the thrill and excite-ment that Halloween brings each year. With the help of their four children — Zach, Jenny, Johnathan and Katelynn — the Janssen home

Above: Jenny Janssen and Katelynn Janssen dressed up as gruesome witches during a recent Halloween. Left: The Janssen Family tent of terrors.

4 Clive Living OCTOBER | 2012 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/clive

RESIDENTS GET INTO THE ‘SPIRIT’ OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween

How-To

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has been party central for their friends and families. Not only have their parties been large, this bunch makes Halloween decorating look like an extreme sport. “We have an array of blow-ups, things hanging in the trees, a yard display (sometimes with a theme), talking pumpkin heads that have motion sensors, to name a few,” Terry says. The Janssens began throw-ing Halloween parties because they wanted a way for their kids’ friends to get together. “We started because of our kids. They invited their friends, and we invited our family and friends,” Kathy says. “The first year we had about 30 people, the second year we had about 150, and the third year we had over 200. “We have had story tellers, a magician, a bounce house, hayrack rides (with and without a singer on board), pony rides, a photogra-

phy studio taking complimentary photos as guests enter the party and printing them on site,” she says. The party is held outside, and their lawn is a site to behold. Terry is said to be the master of spooky decoration. “We have about 12 huge inflatables for Halloween, and I have to admit we have even more for Christmas,” Terry says. Spooking the party goers is part of the fun. One year the family hired a friend to dress in a gorilla costume and jump out of trees and scare the people on the hayrack ride. “Probably my fondest mem-ory is hearing the laughter and screams from the hayrack ride and seeing everyone have fun,” Kathy recalls. The Janssen kids are growing up and leaving home, so Kathy confesses that the parties are winding down. “We aren’t throwing a bash

The Janssen family — Katelynn, Jenny, Kathy and Terry, standing, and Zach and Johnathan, seated — love the costumes, jokes, decorations, candy and the thrill and excitement

that Halloween brings each year.



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this year, but we will still deco-rate. My kids loved this tradition we created. They still talk about being a magician’s assistant, riding on the hayrack rides and getting scared by the gorilla. Having fun with their friends is probably what will stick with them the longest,” she says. The Janssens’ tips for throw-ing a good party include having activities to keep kids of all ages busy. Offer good food and invite good people and the party is sure to be a success. “For food I try to get anything that kids can eat with their finger,” Kathy says. “I don’t like things in wrappers because I don’t want to pick them up all over the neigh-borhood. We have had parties where everyone’s ticket to get in was a snack to share. We serve tea, hot cocoa and lemonade. We have big, five-gallon jugs for the tea and lemonade and a big coffee pot for the cocoa.” Growing up, Kathy remem-

bers her own parent’s Halloween get togethers. “My parents used to have garage parties. We would have fun doing some good old bobbing for apples and pin the nose on the ghost. I am thankful that we could continue the tradition for our kids,” she says.

Spooky, fun ideasHalloween is the perfect time to throw a party for kids, teens and adults. Some neighborhoods in Clive have been known to throw Halloween block parties where all guests dress in costume, have a candy potluck and provide bever-ages for kids and adults. Some blocks even go so far as creating a haunted house for the occasion. Residents from around Clive report that the key to a large scale Halloween party is that everyone contributes. Some neighbors are charged with providing spooky decorations, while with create the haunted house, games or activities.

A fun idea is to have each fam-ily come with a carved or paint-ed pumpkin that will be judged. Each family should provide a dish to share, as well as drinks. This Halloween party idea is a great way to get to know neighbors and give them an excuse to have fun and be silly. A fun idea if you are invited to a party and need to bring a dish to share is to bake up mummy dogs. All you need is a package of crescent roll dough cut into thin strips. Use the strips to wrap hot-dogs like a mummy. Leave a little gap for mustard eyes and then wrap the top of the head. You can use whole hotdogs, half hotdogs or cocktail wieners. Bake accord-ing to the crescent rolls direc-tions. Once baked, dot ketchup or mustard on the bare part of the wiener for eyes and share the spooky, mum-i-rific treat. A place in her heartKatie and Chris Avise are prepar-


Spooky ghost-themed treats were created for all who attended the baby shower for

Katie Avise, who has always been a big fan of Halloween.

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ing for Halloween, as well as the arrival on their first child. “Well, I am pretty bummed that my due date this year is a couple weeks after Halloween, but I am secretly hoping he decides to make a little early arrival,” Katie says with a laugh. “But seriously, I know this baby has a lion or mon-key costume in his future.” The family’s love of Halloween is so great that Katie’s baby shower is going to have a spooky theme. “Do my friends know me or what?” she says. “This year, Halloween is going to be kind of different with the baby on the way. Four of my girlfriends are planning me a Halloween-themed baby shower. It’s going to be a very black and orange affair.” Halloween holds a very impor-tant place in Katie’s heart. “For me, Halloween is special because it reminds me of my dad,” she says. “It’s just a feeling I get every year as Halloween items start showing up in stores. I grew up as an only child, so my fondest memories were carving pumpkins with my dad. He passed away my senior year of high school, and so I think that’s why my love of the holiday has gotten so much stron-ger since. We always watched ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ and scary movies.” Katie isn’t sure if it was her

dad’s love of carving pumpkins or her mom’s obsession with horror movies, but every year Halloween was something her family looked forward to. “Pumpkins have always been a big thing for me and my family,” she says. “I’ve used stencils before and also like to draw my own. My favorite greatest pumpkin creation was a David Letterman pumpkin I made a few years ago. I love to make tombstones, cobwebs, spi-ders — you name it, I like to carve it.” Each season, Katie creates spooky cupcakes to take to par-ties and always has plenty of candy to pass out on Halloween. “Seeing trick-or-treaters and making caramel apples are two things that we adore each year,” she says. “As a kid, my dad used to wear a scary mask and answer the door in it. He scared a lot of poor little kids away, but it was always a good laugh.” The couple has spent a lot of time and effort over the years on their costumes. “Halloween parties are the most fun if all people participate,” Chris says. “I strongly believe that the best costumes do not come from stores but are thought up and created at home. It’s the cos-tumes that make a party fun and of course the people that you are

feature Submit story ideas to [email protected] health Q&A

Information provided by Des Moines Dental Group, 708 First Ave S., 967-6611.

A: Our first president was plagued with dental difficulties, losing most of his teeth to periodontal (gum) disease while still in his 20s. Contrary to popular belief, though, Washington never had wooden dentures. They were made from gold, elephant ivory, hippopotamus tusk and human teeth. A set is on display at Mount Vernon, his Virginia home. Modern dentures are commonly made with acrylic and porcelain.

One of Washington’s dentists was a fellow named John Greenwood. In 1790, Greenwood adapted his mother’s foot-operated spinning wheel to create the first-known dental drilling machine. Washington lost his teeth long before 1913, the year the phrase “dental hygiene” was coined in Bridgeport, Conn., where Dr. Alfred Civilion Fones started a school of hygiene. The school remains in operation today as part of the University of Bridgeport.

The earliest known reference of a dentist, by the way, dates to 2600 B.C. An inscription on the tomb of an Egyptian scribe named Hesy-Re calls him “the greatest of those who deal with teeth.” The practice of dentistry has come a long way.

Q: Did George Washington really have wooden false teeth?

Handmade pumpkin-colored blankets for the soon-to-be-born baby of Katie Avise. Front row, from left: Amber Johnson, Katie Avise and Angie Garrett. Back row: Shannon Oakley

and Kristi O’Brien

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education Submit story ideas to [email protected] recipe Submit ideas to [email protected]

Beth McDonald is a wife and mother and works full time in Des Moines.

T here is a hint of fall in the air, which has me planning for the holiday season.

I know it is early to be thinking of the holidays, but if I don’t start planning now I won’t get every-thing done. All of the magazines are showing Thanksgiving turkeys and holiday cookies. This is truly my favorite time of year because baking takes center stage. Just thinking about all the pies, cakes and cookies I can get started on puts me in a good mood. I really enjoy reviewing the recipes I made last year for the holidays, deciding what will be on the list again this year and looking for new recipes to fill the void for those that didn’t make the cut. Some things I am considering this year include caramel brownies, pumpkin pie with a streusel top and a cranberry cake. Last year I made a pumpkin cake, so I dusted off the recipe, made a couple of tweaks to it and made cupcakes instead. To change this recipe, I reviewed several different pumpkin pie recipes for the right combination of allspice and cloves and debated about adding nutmeg and cinnamon. I ended up using allspice and cloves in the cake and made a cinnamon butter cream frosting. Enjoy!

Pumpkin cakeBy Beth McDonald

Pumpkin cake

Cake recipe2 ¾ flour¼ cup brown sugar1 tablespoon of baking powder½ teaspoon of salt1 ½ teaspoons cloves¼ teaspoon allspice 1 15-oz. can of pumpkin5 tablespoons of milk1 tablespoon of Amaretto1 tablespoon of honey1 tablespoon of vanilla1 ½ cups of butter2 ½ cups of sugar2 eggs and 4 egg yolks

DirectionsIn a bowl combine the dry ingredi-ents. Cream the butter and sugar

with your mixer, then add eggs one at a time until well blended. Start alternating the dry and remaining wet ingredients until all combined. Bake at 350. For nine-inch cake pans you will bake it for 50 - 55 minutes. The cupcakes baked for about 25 - 30 minutes.

Cinnamon butter cream frosting1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon1 stick of room temperature butter½ cup of Crisco 4 cups of powdered sugarVanilla to taste1 - 2 tablespoons of milk Beat the butter and Crisco once combined add the powdered sugar in 2 parts, then the vanilla and milk.

Baking takes center stage during fall season

What do you like best about Mrs. Peters?

Megan Weis: “She doesn’t get mad at us if you have a late assignment. She’s nice.”

Olivia Roush: “If we need help, she’ll help us, and she’s very nice.”

Sam Hall:“If you ask her questions, she always answers them. She’s nice.”

Jackson Trimble: “She’s really nice and makes learning fun.”

A ndrea Peters is one of the lucky ones. While some teachers bounce around

from grade to grade, she found her niche as a fifth grade teach-er at Jordan Creek Elementary School 13 years ago and remains grateful and enthusiastic for the opportunity to this day. “My first full-time job was teaching fifth grade students here; I love working with kids that age. They still have a love of school and a great sense of humor, and we have a lot of fun togeth-er,” she says. “I’m truly lucky to work in such a wonderful school with excellent administrators and teachers and parents who sup-port us to provide a good learning experience for kids.” One of Peters’ goals is to instill a love of learning in each student, whether she is leading them in exercises in reading or U.S. history. “We work on building a read-ing community and developing their skills while introducing students to different types of literature,” says Peters. “We want them to have good reading habits throughout their life, so we do things that fos-ter a love of reading.” Peters, a self-described “his-

tory geek,” also enjoys instilling a passion for U.S. history in her students. Currently, she is teach-ing them about early explorers. By the end the of the year, she will have taught them about the Civil War. “We aren’t focusing on a lot of facts but the story of the U.S. as a whole so that they develop a historical empathy. To help do that, we do a lot of simulations so that the kids get a deeper under-standing of history,” she says. Seeing students dig a little deeper is one of the rewards of the job, Peters says. “We help them expand their skills, and they begin to realize that it is cool to know more,” she says. “We also have a lot of fun along the way.”

Meet Andrea Peters

Andrea Peters teaches fifth grade at Jordan Creek Elementary.

Jordan Creek teacher instills love of learning in students

By Michael Swanger Phot

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insurance advice By Ben Buenzow

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Seek out group dis-counts. Sites such as Groupon.com, Living Social and others offer deals and deeply discounted cou-pons that help you stretch your dollar. Always read the fine print on these offers, taking note of expiration dates and other restric-tions to make sure they fit into your gift-giving plans. Don’t pay for shipping if you don’t have to. Plenty of online retailers will forgo shipping charges during the holiday season. They may also ship free to your local store and let you pick up your item there. Wine is often sold at a discount when you buy a case. Go in with a friend or two and you’ll all knock a few dollars off the per-bottle price. Or split the cost — and the quantity — of a great entrée for your holi-

day meal at a warehouse club. -son. If you can’t afford new hardcover books for every reader on your list, save a few dollars by giving someone a subscription to a publication that he or she will enjoy throughout the year. for-one offers. Buying perfume for a friend? If you get a free gift with your purchase, earmark it for the preteen on your list. cards. Shopping clubs and online sites such as Plastic Jungle and Card Pool offer gift cards for less than the full retail price. Give the cards as presents — or use them yourself to make your money go farther. -phone. Rely on shoppers’ apps to help you make good purchase decisions. There are numer-ous apps that help you compare prices, identify sales and review products — potentially saving you money before you buy. These tips from State Farm® can help you with budgeting at any time of year. You can also sign up for a free account at State Farm Nation Rewards to find exclusive special offers just for you.

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Do You Koko?BY KATE M. JACKSON

N ew technologies continually make our

daily lives easier. Need a recommendation for a

great Italian restaurant? Go to Yelp. Afraid of

getting lost? Turn on your GPS. Like that song?

Download it on your iPhone.

Technology makes us more efficient, keeps us

on track, and removes life’s daily obstacles that

get in our way.

Technology though has had little

impact on our lives when it comes to

getting in shape. For many of us, it’s still a boring,

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utes or less.

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With locations nationwide in nearly

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C Koko FitCoaches help members get started on their customized Koko Smartraining strength training plans.personal training” studio.


We have jobs and families, and don’t have the

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we could really benefit from the right level of

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Another part of the Koko experience that people

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“I was hooked immediately,” said member

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Technology is the future for many things in our

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‘‘FINALLY! I don’t have to remember what weight level I used the last time I worked out, or how many reps I did, or which body parts I exercised. Koko does it all for you! Takes all the guessw ss.” —SHARON HAWKINS

Koko Cardio interval training provides the s of a 30 minute workout in just 15 minutes.


By Dave Mable

White adds ‘mountain stream’ to his yard

Vacation at home

Contact Darren at 953-4822 ext. 304 or [email protected] to recom-mend someone for an upcoming issue of “What’s In Your Garage?”

C live resident Marty White was a man with a landscap-ing mission — and the tool

to achieve it. “I wanted to give my wife, Darcy, a vacation every time she steps out onto our patio,” says White. Using a shovel he’s had for more than 25 years, he began to dig a bed for a backyard stream last spring. His shovel, a No. 2, round point, D-handle, is the same type found strapped to the side of Army Jeeps in WWII. Next to his rifle, it is said, the shovel was the most common item that a soldier used. Strapped to the Jeep, a shovel stood ready to dig the vehicle out of trouble, ready a foxhole or set-tle into camp by digging a latrine. The No. 2 D-Handle was so prevalent after the Great War that it became a mainstay in the tool shed or garage. White’s, a chromed D-handle with lacquered wood shaft and pointed spade, found its way into his garage after its use as a tool of his trade as an excavator. “I enjoy landscaping,” says White. “It’s like my hobby. Other people like to ride bikes or what-ever; I like spending time working in the yard.” The Whites had the idea of the stream when the schedules of

their two high-school-aged boys wouldn’t allow for a vacation this past summer. “We wanted to go on vacation when we couldn’t go on vacation,” says Darcy. “We just love coming out on the patio to the sounds of a mountain stream.” The 14-foot babbling brook made with river rock and granite stones found on White’s job sites, transports visitors to the moun-tains, if only in the imagination. “The last cabin we stayed in was right next to a stream,” says Darcy, “Our little stream sounds just like that one, it’s so relaxing.” It took White about 12 hours to build the stream, but a summer to find and repair the small leaks. “For a while, we were adding water every day,” he says. “But now we only have to top it off every week or so.” Buried under the end of the stream, beneath an arrangement of flagstones, is a 55-gallon plastic drum which houses a 1.5-horse-power pump. The electric pump recirculates the water, sending enough water down the stream bed to sound like more than a trickle. For now, the No. 2 D-handle shovel hangs in the White garage, awaiting the arrival of its owners, who are on vacation, 15 feet away, on the back porch.

Marty and Darcy White alongside the stream he built with his No. 2 D-handle shovel.

what’s in your garage?

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Y ou don’t even have to read the caption on the photo to see the Living

Faith Lutheran Church’s pastor, Luke Timm, is giving his Sunday sermon on the roof of the church, but that’s just how they do things around Living Faith. “We have a very young church with a lot of growing families, and we really like to be creative and do things as different as possible; we have a lot of fun,” Pastor Timm says. Although the unique environ-ment is what draws new people to the congregation, the serious side is what keeps people coming back. “Our main ministry is to gath-er together as a group and grow our faith. One of the ways we do this is to feature a book series and HomeGroups to compliment what my sermon is about on Sundays,” Timm explains. HomeGroups provide the experience for group members to meet in their leaders’ homes and discuss the featured book for the six- to eight-week study. Although the current session is coming to a close, another one featuring the book, “Love Paradox” by Karl Galik begins in January. “HomeGroups were designed to build community and fellow-

ship, but also invest in each other and the word of God to grow spiritually,” says Timm. “We pray with each other, study scriptures and usually share a meal together. That’s how we build those close-knit relationships.” The groups are mixed up each time a new session starts, forming not only a tight-knit HomeGroup, but a close congregation as well.

“We get to know each other very well outside of Sunday morn-ing,” Timm says. When the books have been closed and the session ends, the groups continue to meet peri-odically to continue the fellow-ship and complete service projects throughout the community. For more information about HomeGroups, the children’s min-istry at Living Faith or other hap-penings at the church, visit the website at www.clivechurch.com, or stop in at 2180 N.W. 142nd St. (Look for folks congregating on the roof.)

Beyond four wallsBy Rebecca Bowen

faith Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Unique environment at Living Faith Lutheran

Pastor Luke Timm takes a snapshot of his congregation from the roof of Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2180 N.W. 142nd St.

Spread the WordHave an upcoming event or church news you would like to announce? Send information to [email protected].


finance By Steve Forrest and Pete Deacon

T he Federal Reserve recently launched another round of quan-titative easing.

The intent of the Fed is to support the housing market by reducing the rate on mortgages. Federal funds rates are expected to remain near zero until at least mid-2015. Even with low inflation, real interest rates are negative resulting in financial repression for savers. Your fixed income portfolio of CDs and government bonds is safe, but may not produce the income you need in retirement. To earn higher yields, you may have to consider something new or unfamiliar. Some may include greater risk to increase yield. Here are a few ideas to help main-tain your income. Bank loans. Bank loans provide some protection from rising inter-est rates because of their floating-rate coupon and from credit deterioration

because of their senior, secured position. PowerShare Senior Loan Port (BKLN) offers a distribution yield of about 5 per-cent. Corporate Bonds. IShares Investment Grade Corporate Bond (LQD) tracks high quality corporate bonds that have a maturity of between three and 25 years. This longer duration exposes the fund to interest-rate risk. The distribution yield is about 3.8 per-cent. Municipal bonds. Municipal bonds often yield more than taxable bonds including tax breaks. Power Shares Insured National Muni Bond (PZA) offers exposure to insured municipal debt with a yield of about 3.4 percent. High-yield bonds. Bonds that don’t qualify as investment grade come with more risk but you can pick up yield. SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield Bond

(JNK) yields more than 7.0 percent. Preferred stocks. Preferred stock has characteristics of both bonds and stocks. IShares S&P Preferred Stock Index (PFF) is the biggest and most popular and yields nearly 6 percent. Dividend-paying stocks. The last time the S&P 500 index had a higher yield than 10-year Treasuries was 1958. Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (VIG) holds stocks that have increased their dividends in each of the last 10 years. Master Limited Partnerships. MLPs are publicly traded limited partner-ships. They don’t pay corporate taxes and pass much of their profits on to their investors. ALPS Alerian MLP Index ETF (AMLP) gives access to 25 of the largest infrastructure MLPs. REITs. Real-estate investment trusts (REITs) are securities that trade like stocks but are required to pay out

90 percent of their taxable income to shareholders as dividends. Vanguard REIT (VNQ) will give you a diversified basket of REITs and a yield of 3.25 percent. If you haven’t looked at these kinds of investments before, now is an excellent time to start. Be sure to balance the risks with the income you require from your portfolio. Those with the highest risk may comprise only a small portion of your portfolio. But even at those levels they can add income and help diversify your holdings. Contact a CPA or CFP® to help with your analysis.

Information provided by Steve Forrest, MBA, CPA/PFS, CFP® and Pete Deacon MBA, CPA, CFP®, Forrest Financial Services, L.L.C., Windsor Heights, www.forrestfinancialservices.com, 277-3495.

Searching for incomeBy Steve Forrest, MBA, CPA/PFS, CFP® and Pete Deacon, MBA, CPA, CFP®

FORREST FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC515.277.3495

Steve Forrest, MBA, CPA/PFS, CFP®

Pete Deacon, MBA, CPA, CFP®


calendar Submit event information to [email protected]

Friday, Oct. 12 Toddler Time, age 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m. Toddler Music Class, up to 3

years, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m. Storytime, Clive Public Library,

11 a.m. First Notes at Faith Music Class,

free music class for children, Faith Lutheran Church, 10395 University Ave, Melinda Littler 225-8334, 10- 10:30 a.m.

WHS 9/V Football at Council Bluffs Abraham, 4/7:30 p.m.

DHS 9/V Football at Hoover, 4:45/7:30 p.m.

VHS V Football vs. Thomas Jefferson, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 13 Tales with Tails, ages 6-12 years old,

Clive Public Library, 9:30- 11:30 a.m. VHS V Volleyball at Johnston,

8:30 a.m. WHS V Volleyball at Johnston,

8:30 a.m. VHS 9 Volleyball at DSM Lincoln,

8 a.m. DHS 9 Volleyball at DSM Lincoln,

8 a.m. DHS JV/V Volleyball at Johnston,

8:30 a.m. DHS V Girls Swimming at

Marshalltown, 10 a.m. VHS V Girls Swimming at

Marshalltown, 10 a.m. WHS V Girls Swimming at

Marshalltown, 10 a.m.

Sunday, Oct. 14 Teen Read Week, stop by the

library and pick up a book, Oct.14-20, Clive Public Library

Monday, Oct. 15 No School- Valley Teen Read Week, stop by the


Toddler Time, Clive Public Library, 9:30/10/10:30 am. and 1 p.m.

Baby Lap Time, 0-18 months, 11 a.m.

Storytime, Clive Public Library, 1:30 p.m.

WHS JV/V Girls Swimming Invitational, 3 p.m.

VHS JV Girls Swimming at Johnston, 4 p.m.

DHS JV Girls Swimming at Johnston, 4 p.m.

DHS 9 Football vs. Waukee, 4:45 p.m.

VHS 9 Football at SEP, 6 p.m. Library Board Meeting, Clive

Public Library, 6 p.m. WHS JV Football vs. Norwalk, 7

p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 16 Teen Read Week, stop by the


Toddler Time, Clive Public Library, 9:30/10/10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Baby Lap Time, ages 0-18 months, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m.

Story Time, Clive Public Library, 1:30 p.m.

Bookin’ With Judy, Ages 6-10, Clive Public Library, 4:30 p.m.

VHS 9/VVolleyball at Urbandale, 4:45/ 7:30 p.m.

DHS 9/V Volleyball at Johnston, 4:45/ 7:30 p.m.

WHS 9/10/JV Volleyball vs. Ankeny, 4:45 p.m.

DHS 10/JV Volleyball at Johnston, 6 p.m.

VHS 10/JV Volleyball at Urbandale, 6 p.m.

VHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

DHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

WHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

WHS V Volleyball vs. Ankeny, 6:30 p.m.

Author Leigh Michaels at the Library, “Romance: When You Care Enough to Read the Very Best” pro-gram, clive Public Library, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 17 Toddler Music Class, up to 3

years, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m. Teen Read Week, stop by the


Toddler Time, Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m.

Storytime, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m.

Thursday, Oct. 18 VHS Girls Cross Country Regionals VHS Boys Cross Country Districts WHS Boys Cross Country Districts WHS Girls Cross Country

Regionals DHS Cross Country Districts Teen Read Week, stop by the


Toddler Time, Clive Public Library, 10/10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Storytime, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

VHS 9 Football at Mason City, 6 p.m.

VHS 10 Football vs. Mason City, 6 p.m.

WHS 9 Football vs. Urbandale, 6 p.m.

WHS 10 Football at Urbandale, 6 p.m.

VHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

DHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

WHS V Girls Swimming at Fort Dodge, 5 p.m.

Pumpkin Decorating, Clive Public Library, 6 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 19 Toddler Time, age 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m. Storytime, Clive Public Library,

11 a.m. Teen Read Week, stop by the


DHS 9 Football vs. Marshalltown, 4:30 p.m.

DHS 10/V Football at Marshalltown, 5/7 p.m.

VHS V Football vs. Sioux City East, 7 p.m.

WHS V Football vs. Sioux City West, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20 Teen Read Week, stop by the


Hoop Dance, Ages 6 and older, 10:30 a.m.

Willy Wonka Murder Mystery, ages 10-15, registration required, 2 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 22 VHS Volleyball Regionals

Tuesday, Oct. 23 Clive Book Club, “Stiff: The

Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” by Mary Roach, Clive Public Library, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 24 VHS State Football Tournament

Thursday, Oct. 25 VHS Girls Swimming Regionals VHS Volleyball Regionals Hot Dog Dinner Theatre, join the

library staff for a fun evening of hot dogs, chips, and dessert, limit 100, all ages, Clive Public Library, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 26 Valley Southwoods Fall Play Toddler Time, age 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m.First Notes at Faith Music Class,


Saturday, Oct. 27Valley Southwoods Fall Play

VHS V Cross Country State Tournament, Fort Dodge, 11 a.m.

WHS State Cross Country DHS Girls State Cross Country Hazardous Waste Drop Off,

Clive Aquatic Center, 8 a.m.- 12 p.m. VHS Girls Swimming Regionals

Sunday, Oct. 28Valley Southwoods Fall Play

Monday, Oct. 29 VHS State Football Tournament

Tuesday, Oct. 30VHS State Football Tournament

Clive Beggar’s Night, 6 - 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 31Halloween

Trick or Treat at the Library, all day, Clive Public Library

VHS Volleyball Regionals

Thursday, Nov. 1 Size it Up!, come for an evening

of hands-on fun with measurement activities, ages 3 and older, Clive Public Library, 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 2 Toddler Time, age 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m. VHS State Football Tournament VHS Girls Swimming State

Tournament

Saturday, Nov. 3 VHS Dance Team Solo

Competition VHS Girls State Swimming

VHS Cheerleading Championships Comic Book Craze, ages 10-15,

register by October 29th, limit 50, Clive Public Library, 2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 4 Daylight-saving time ends

Monday, Nov. 5 VHS Boys Swimming, TBA VHS Boys/Girls Bowling, TBA Toddler Time, ages 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 9:30/10/10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Baby Lap Time, ages 0-18 months, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m.


Tuesday, Nov. 6 Baby Lap Time, ages 0-18 months,

Clive Public Library, 11 a.m. Toddler Time, ages 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 9:30/10/10:30 a.m. and 1/6 p.m.


Wednesday, Nov. 7 Story Time, Clive Public Library,

11 a.m. Toddler Time, ages 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10/10:30 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 8 VHS State Volleyball Tournament Story Time, Clive Public Library,

11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Toddler Time, ages 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10/10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Movie Night, Clive Public Library

Friday, Nov. 9 Toddler Time, age 3 and under,

Clive Public Library, 10 and 10:30 a.m. First Notes at Faith Music Class,


Story Time, Clive Public Library, 11 a.m.


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R omance novelist Leigh Michaels will be at the Clive Public Library on Oct. 16

at 6:30 p.m. to present a program entitled “Romance: When You Care Enough to Read the Very Best.” She begins with talking about romance novels and the history of the genre, then segues into how she got started and her publishing experience, followed by audience questions about everything from agents and publishers, to self pub-lishing, eBooks, non-fiction, and so on. She is the author of nearly 100 books, including 80 contemporary novels, three historical romance novels and more than a dozen non-fiction books. Her work has been translated in 25 languages and published in more than 125 countries around the world, sell-ing more than 35 million copies. Leigh Michaels is the pseud-onym used by LeAnn Lemberger. She was born in 1954 in Iowa and received a bachelor of arts in journalism from Drake University after just three years of study. She is currently an adjunct professor in the School of Communications at the University of Iowa and lives in Ottumwa with her husband, Michael Lemberger, an artist-photographer. Beaverdale Books will sell cop-ies of her books at this event.

Pumpkin decoratingThursday, Oct. 18, 6 - 6:45 p.m.Come join us for an evening of pumpkin decorating and stories. Everyone will get his or her own miniature pumpkin to decorate and take home. Community Room. Limit 25. Register online at www.cityofclive.com/departments/library or in person at the library.

Winter I registration Monday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m.Registration for Winter I programs at the Clive Public Library will start for Clive residents at 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 22. Registration for non-residents of Clive will start at 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 29. Registration will be available on-line at www.cityofclive.com/departments/library and in person at the Library.

Clive Book ClubTuesday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m. In October, the Clive Book Club will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m., instead of Oct. 30, due to Beggar’s Night being on Oct. 30. The Book Club invites adults to join this ireading discussion group. Informative discussions are held on the chosen novel with impressions and opinions being shared by all. Anyone interest-ed may attend any or all of the monthly discussions. There is no cost to participate and some cop-ies of most selections are available for checkout at the library. On Oct. 23 the book club will discuss “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” by Mary Roach.

Trick Or Treat @ Your Library Wednesday, Oct. 31, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.Trick or treaters are invited to visit the library in their Halloween cos-tume and receive a treat from the library staff.

Leigh Michaels to visit Clive LibraryBy Clive Public Library

Romance novelist to speak on Oct. 16

library news By Clive Public Library

Clive Public Library1900 N.W. 114th St.453-2221Hours:Mon. - Thur. 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.Friday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.Sunday 1 - 5 p.m.

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wellness

Q: Why do I get scared by things that aren’t real?Halloween is approaching. All kinds of ghosts and ghoulies will be hit-ting the streets to scare the pants off of each other. But have you ever wondered why it is that we can be spooked by things that we are mostly certain aren’t real? After watching Freddie Kruger, I couldn’t sleep in the middle of my bed for months. Sometimes just the idea of a creature returning from the dead to terrorize a neighborhood seems real enough to scare me out of my wits. It’s easy to see how we can fear real-life events like ill-ness and car accidents, but what about things that either are not real or situations that would likely never happen? Sometimes, we are just as scared by the imagined as we are by a real-life event. It’s an ability unique to us humans. It is our mind’s ability to respond to images and thoughts, even images or thoughts that could never happen or are not real. I think we can learn from this observa-tion about ghosts and ghoulies, too. Thoughts have a power to push us around and create fears whether they are real or unreal. And yet we are also given an ability to see thoughts as thoughts, nothing more and nothing less. This ability can give us a way to cope with a scary world and do what we need to do to live effectively.

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A common real estate mis-conception is that winter is a terrible time to try to

sell a home. The myth goes some-thing like this: There are virtually no buyers once the first snow hits the ground. After all, who wants to move in the cold, during the school year or during the holi-days? Makes no sense, right? The reality is actually more complex. First, there are always buyers looking for a quality home, regard-less of the time of year. Granted, fewer buyers are out looking dur-ing the winter for many of the rea-sons stated above. Nonetheless, job changes still occur requiring people to move, the school year isn’t a deciding factor for all buy-ers (not everyone has school-aged children), and simply put — “life happens” to push people out into the market who either want or need to buy a home. Second, and equally important, the amount of listing competition is greatly reduced during the win-ter months, meaning buyers have far fewer options. As a result, a quality, well-priced home in mar-ket ready condition can easily stand out. In years past, the Des Moines market has typically averaged around 5000 listings at any point in time. During the winter months this average often declines to around 4m000, which equates to a roughly 20 to 25 percent reduc-tion in competition. And many of those homes have already been on the market for a long period of time due to overpricing, poor condition, or both. Additionally, the pace of sales

(the percent of homes that sell) does not reduce drastically during the winter. In the month of December, for example, the sales pace for the last three years has been 12 percent, 10 percent and 9 percent. This compares quite favorably to the overall years’ sales pace of 11 per-cent, 11 percent and 12 percent. So again, while the absolute num-ber of sales is down in December, the percentage of homes that sell is not significantly reduced. The 2012 home inventory has been down compared to past years as we’ve hovered around the 3,500 to 4,000 mark. If we remain consistent with previous years, I would anticipate somewhere in the range of about 3,000 total listings this winter; meaning the amount of homes to choose from in any single location and in a spe-cific price range should be limited compared to past years. The savvy seller can leverage this opportunity to outshine the competition, capture interested buyers, and sell at a fair market price — even during the challeng-ing winter months.


finance By Ted Weaver

By Ted Weaver

Listing your home during the winterContrary to myths, homes will sell in the cold

Information provided by Ted Weaver, ReMax Real Estate Group, 271-8281, [email protected].

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Documents

Halloween How-To...Halloween is a time of ghoulish delight, and Clive residents do not let the season pass by without amazing decorations, treats, homemade costumes and all-around