Ideas for a great summer in Wisconsin!

We would love to start some activities to better get to know Milwaukee and the surrounding area. There are wonderful museums; conservatories & more: (email us if you have any places you'd like to add to the list)

Milwaukee Public Museum (free Mondays for Milwaukee residents; has a great butterfly room!): http://www.mpm.edu/

Milwaukee Art Museum (cheap student membership/free to everyone on the first Thursday of month): http://www.mam.org/

The Harley-Davidson Museum (worth every penny): http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/Museum.jsp?locale=en_US

Discovery World (student/family memberships): http://www.discoveryworld.org/

Betty Brinn Children's Museum (discounted/free for low income): http://www.bbcmkids.org/

The Domes (free Monday mornings for Milwaukee residents): http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm

Piano Teacher

The following is from Teresa Gessel:

For any of you with children or who know of children interested in taking piano lessons, I am taking new
students (ages 4+) starting this October. I love music and the piano and enjoy teaching.

My focus as a teacher is:

1. To help the student gain a love for music and confidence in their musical abilities, along with the self-
esteem that comes from hard work and effort.

2. To develop a strong, well-rounded foundation that includes correct technique, practice skills, theory,
musical ear and creativity, rhythm, and dynamics.

The cost is $10 per 1/2 hours lesson with the understanding that I will typically have my own 2 children
present but any interruptions will be compensated for in time.

Teresa Gessel, tgessel2@gmail.com or (801) 368-6326

Our Favorite Deals

• Woodman's Food Market is a grocery store with great selection and good prices (most everything is cheaper than Pick 'N Save anyway).  There is one just off of Highway 45 at the WI-145 exit.  They accept EBT, checks & debit but not credit cards.
• Aldi's has really good prices but limited selection.  Also no credit cards.  You need a quarter for the shopping cart.
• Your child can read OR listen to books to participate in the Summer Reading Program at the library to receive a packet of prizes, that includes a pass to the Milwaukee County Zoo and a free ticket to a Milwaukee Brewer's game.  
• If you have a .edu email address you are eligible for 6 free months of Amazon Prime through Amazon Student.
• American Express Delta card is a good card for earning free miles (and 1 free checked bag per person traveling with you--up to 9).
• Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay is a fun little amusement park with no admission charge and parking is free.  Buy tickets for $0.25 each.  Rides cost 1 to 2 tickets.
• Groupon--if you've never tried it, check it out. 
• Grow live herbs:  fresher, cheaper and last a lot longer.  (I can never use all of a bunch of cilantro before it goes bad.) 
• Check out babysteals.com, kidsteals.com or scrapbooksteals.com for great deals.
• The Splash Pads and Wading Pools in the Milwaukee County Parks system are all free.  Great summer activity for the kids!  Check out the locations & hours for wading pools here and splash pads here.
• Goodwill--what needs to be said?  It's super convenient to shop at Target and the adjacent Goodwill in the same trip.
• There are many free "concerts in the park" in the summer.  Here is a schedule for the one at Hart Park.  Here's a schedule for Summer Arts in the Park at Wisconsin Lutheran college.
• Tip:  create a filter in your email to collect all your deal emails into one folder.  It's a great way to keep all the deals in one place and to de-clutter your inbox.
• "like" companies on Facebook for coupons
• Free Digital Scrapbook--ShabbyPrincess.com has the best free kits I've found.  Other sites will email you the freebies. 

Useful Information about Hand-Foot-Mouth

Definition

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease — a mild, contagious viral infection common in young children — is characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most commonly caused by a coxsackievirus.

There's no specific treatment for hand-foot-and-mouth disease. You can reduce your risk of infection from hand-foot-and-mouth disease by practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands often and thoroughly.

Symptoms

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease may cause some or all of the following signs and symptoms:

·                                 Fever

·                                 Sore throat

·                                 Feeling of being unwell (malaise)

·                                 Painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks

·                                 A red rash, without itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and sometimes the buttocks

·                                 Irritability in infants and toddlers

·                                 Loss of appetite

The usual period from initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms (incubation period) is three to seven days. A fever is often the first sign of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, followed by a sore throat and sometimes a poor appetite and malaise. One or two days after the fever begins, painful sores may develop in the mouth or throat. A rash on the hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can follow within one or two days.

When to see a doctor 
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is usually a minor illness causing only a few days of fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms. Contact your doctor, however, if mouth sores or a sore throat keep your child from drinking fluids. Contact your doctor also if after a few days, your child's signs and symptoms worsen.

Causes

The most common cause of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is infection with the coxsackievirus A16. The coxsackievirus belongs to a group of viruses called nonpolio enteroviruses. Other enteroviruses sometimes cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

Oral ingestion is the main source of coxsackievirus infection and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. The illness spreads by person-to-person contact with an infected person's:

·                                 Nasal secretions or throat discharge

·                                 Saliva

·                                 Fluid from blisters

·                                 Stool

·                                 Respiratory droplets sprayed into the air after a cough or sneeze

Common in child care setting 
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most common in children in child care settings because of frequent diaper changes and potty training, and because little children often put their hands in their mouths.

Although your child is most contagious with hand-foot-and-mouth disease during the first week of the illness, the virus can remain in his or her body for weeks after the signs and symptoms are gone. That means your child still can infect others.

Some people, particularly adults, can pass the virus without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease.

Outbreaks of the disease are more common in summer and autumn in the United States and other temperate climates. In tropical climates, outbreaks occur year-round.

Different from foot-and-mouth disease 
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease isn't related to foot-and-mouth disease (sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease), which is an infectious viral disease found in farm animals. You can't contract hand-foot-and-mouth disease from pets or other animals, and you can't transmit it to them.

Risk factors

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease primarily affects children younger than age 10. Children in child care centers are especially susceptible to outbreaks of hand-foot-and-mouth disease because the infection spreads by person-to-person contact, and young children are the most susceptible.

Children usually develop immunity to hand-foot-and-mouth disease as they get older by building antibodies after exposure to the virus that causes the disease. However, it's possible for adolescents and adults to get the disease.

Complications

The most common complication of hand-foot-and-mouth disease is dehydration. The illness can cause sores in the mouth and throat, making swallowing painful and difficult. Watch closely to make sure your child frequently sips fluid during the course of the illness. If dehydration is severe, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is usually a minor illness causing only a few days of fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms. However, a rare and sometimes serious form of the coxsackievirus can involve the brain and cause other complications:

·                                 Viral meningitis. This is an infection and inflammation of the membranes (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Viral meningitis is usually mild and often clears on its own.

·                                 Encephalitis. This severe and potentially life-threatening disease involves brain inflammation caused by a virus. Encephalitis is rare.

To help lessen discomfort, doctors often recommend:

·                                 Getting rest

·                                 Drinking fluids — milk-based fluids may be easier to tolerate than acidic liquids, such as juice or soda

·                                 Taking over-the-counter pain relievers other than aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), if needed, but they're not necessary for low-grade fevers

·                                 Using mouthwash or oral spray to numb pain

Treatments and drugs

There's no specific treatment for hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Signs and symptoms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease usually clear up in seven to 10 days.

A topical oral anesthetic may help relieve the pain of mouth sores. Over-the-counter pain medications other than aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), may help relieve general discomfort.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Certain foods and beverages may irritate blisters on the tongue or in the mouth or throat. Try these tips to help make blister soreness less bothersome and eating and drinking more tolerable:

·                                 Suck on ice pops or ice chips

·                                 Eat ice cream or sherbet

·                                 Drink cold beverages, such as milk or ice water

·                                 Avoid acidic foods and beverages, such as citrus fruits, fruit drinks and soda

·                                 Avoid salty or spicy foods

·                                 Eat soft foods that don't require much chewing

·                                 Rinse your mouth with warm water after meals

If your child is able to rinse without swallowing, swishing the inside of his or her mouth with warm salt water may be soothing. Mix 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of salt with 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water. Have your child rinse with this solution several times a day, or as often as needed to help reduce the pain and inflammation of mouth and throat sores caused by hand-foot-and-mouth disease.

Prevention

Certain precautions can help to reduce the risk of infection with hand-foot-and-mouth disease:

·                                 Wash hands carefully. Be sure to wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, especially after using the toilet or changing a diaper, and before preparing food and eating. When soap and water aren't available, use hand wipes or gels treated with germ-killing alcohol.

·                                 Disinfect common areas. Get in the habit of cleaning high-traffic areas and surfaces first with soap and water, then with a diluted solution of chlorine bleach, approximately 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) of bleach to 1 gallon (3.79 liters) of water. Child care centers should follow a strict schedule of cleaning and disinfecting all common areas, including shared items such as toys, as the virus can live on these objects for days. Clean your baby's pacifiers often.

·                                 Teach good hygiene. Show your children how to practice good hygiene and how to keep themselves clean. Explain to them why it's best not to put their fingers, hands or any other objects in their mouths.

·                                 Isolate contagious people. Because hand-foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious, people with the illness should limit their exposure to others while they have active signs and symptoms. Keep children with hand-foot-and-mouth disease out of child care, church or school until fever is gone and mouth sores have healed. If you have the illness, stay home from work and church.

Nursing Jobs?

My little sister just graduated from nursing school and will be moving out here to live with us at the beginning of June.  She will be looking for a job as soon as she gets here.  She would love to work in pediatrics, but I think she will take pretty much any good job she can get.  If you know of any openings will you let me know?

-Linda Chaplin

lindamchaplin@gmail.com

Job Opening at MCW Bookstore

For those who might be interested...

Know a great person looking for work?

Do they have the following attributes?

-Reliable in schedule and tasks, flexible as needed

-Self-motivated

-Individual and team worker under leadership

-Desire to continuously learn and improve skills

-Produce accurate, timely work

-Energetic, happy attitude with customers and coworkers

-Excitement to generate and share thoughts for store improvement

-Quickly calculate basic mathematics

Have them apply at Matthews MCW Bookstore today!

mcw@matthewsstores.com or 414-955-8566

Part-time sales associate

Starting May 1/asap

Potential to become full-time

Relief Society Meetings 2012 at a glance

May 12^th:  My Sister’s Closet at 10 am in the cultural hall

June 14^th:  My Favorite Deals at Cannon Park, 303 N. 95^th St, at 6:30 pm

July 26^th:  Personal Family History at 6:30 pm, location TBA

August 11^th:  Temple Trip

September 29^th:  General RS Broadcast & Dinner at 5 pm at the church

October 18^th:  Strengthening Family Night at 6:30 pm, location TBA

November:  Community Service, details to come

December:  No Activity.  Enjoy your holidays!