Julie's Blog

WINTER WEATHER

jchin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:47:00 GMT

We've been spending a lot of time with the Boy Scouts this year. They're helping us Regreen Green Country by planting trees in areas that were devastated by last year's Ice Storm. Can you believe it's almost been a year since we suffered through that historic storm? Several waves of freezing rain came through on December 9th and 10th coating Green Country with a thick layer of ice.

We have dodged snow and ice so far this Fall, but with Winter right around the corner, I think of our partners the Boy Scouts of America, and their motto of "Be Prepared."

Governor Henry is onboard with this. So much so, that he has declared today, November 13th, 2008, "Winter Weather Preparedness Day". He's urging us all to get ready now in advance of snow and ice.

So what are some steps you can take today?

BE AWARE

Know what Winter Watches and Warnings mean.

Here's a quick review:

A Winter Storm Watch is a heads up that conditions are favorable to a winter storm.
A Winter Storm Warning means that a winter storm is happening.

PLAN NOW FOR LATER

Have a plan in place if a Winter Storm hits and the family is not together.
Make sure your pets have adequate shelter to protect them from Wind Chill and wintry conditions.
Winterize your home and car.
Also, prepare a Winter Storm Disaster Kit for both.

Consider including the following:

A cell phone with an extra battery.
Windshield scraper
Blankets and sleeping bags
An extra set of warm clothing, gloves, socks and a cap
Snacks (Non perishable, high Protein items are best)
Water ( Several bottles)
Rock Salt or Kitty Litter to be used for traction if your car gets stuck
Jumper Cables
First aid kit
Flashlights and extra batteries
A brightly colored cloth to tie to your antenna so you can be spotted if you are stranded.

Winter officially arrives on December 21st, but often times Mother Nature does not match the calendar. Last year our first snow came on November 23rd, and of course when the Ice Storm hit, technically it wasn't even "Winter" yet.

It is perhaps a little ironic, that today will be the warmest day of the workweek, and it is also the day you're asked to start preparing for the worst of Winter, but think of it like this... the weather will be perfect for running around town to prepare now. It's so much better, easier ( and oftentimes cheaper) to get ready before Old Man Winter rolls into town, rather than while he's knocking on our door.

No snow is in the forecast yet, but Dan will have a look at the Winter Outlook Monday on 2NEWS at 10pm. He'll give you an early heads up on what our weather patterns indicate for the upcoming season.

If you get ready early, you know Dan, George, George and I will take care of the rest.

Scouts Honor.

Fall 2008-- It's BANANAS!

jchin — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:11:00 GMT

I'm going to clue you in on a on-going conversation that we have behind the scenes on 2NEWS Today.

It's about bananas.

Justin came up with the concept and Erin and I agree.

Here it is:

If you buy a bunch a bananas on Sunday (when we do our normal grocery shopping)--- the "Wednesday Banana" tends to be the best of the bunch.

The Monday banana is a little green.

Tuesday is still a touch tough.

But by Wednesday-- it's perfection.

(After Wednesday, the banana seems to go downhill quickly turning mushy and speckled.)

So sometimes you have to wait for the best banana of the week, but when that day gets here, it's worth it.

It dawned on me that our bananas have a close correlation to fall color.

In fact, you might be surprised to learn that the green you see in unripe Bananas is chlorophyll, the same stuff in our leaves. As the chlorophyll breaks down and disappears the yellow in our banana is revealed. It's been there all along, we just haven't been able to see it. The same is the case with the yellows, oranges and reds of our autumn leaves. Their colors are also revealed as the chlorophyll breaks down. Of course there are other changes on going too, but you get the general idea, yes?

And just like we wait for the "Wednesday Banana"... we've been waiting for this year's explosion of Fall color. It tends to happen the first week of November, but early indications made us wonder if it would be a lackluster Fall.

Well, wonder no more! The time change was Sunday and it seems that extra hour of beauty sleep did Mother Nature some good.

Is it just me, or did you also notice how our fall color exploded overnight and was on vivid display by Sunday morning?

If you haven't noticed, then take some time to stop and look around. Even better, snap a picture of your yard and and send it to weather@kjrh.com. We'll try to get your pictures on TV.

I think you'll agree, Tulsa is now awash in glorious Fall color with golds and crimsons lighting up our skies.

It was worth the wait.

It's lovely. Or perhaps one could say... it's bananas.

YES, IT RAINED ON MY WEDDING DAY :) PICTURES ARE IN!

jchin — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:29:00 GMT

Okay, so I owe you guys an apology, and an explanation.

Many of you have asked why it has taken me so long to blog again, basically since the December Ice Storm. The reason is simple... I've been busy getting married.

You see, in January, more ice came my way, but a different type.. ice as in a Diamond. I got engaged to my long time boyfriend. So, besides working and doing my weekly community stuff, I have spent every living minute planning the biggest and best day of my life.

Russ and I got married on September 13th.. the same day that Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Coast, and spread rain into Green Country. It was actually a very full circle day. You see, the first time Russ ever saw me, I was on TV covering a hurricane, so I guess it makes sense that a hurricane would affect our wedding day.

I won't bore you with the details, instead, I will just give you the amazing highlights.

We got married surrounded by our closest friends and family. My entire Italian, Chinese family from New York headed into Tulsa. One person described it best as the Sopranos take on the Jenks Trojans :). My wonderful parents were beaming, the New York accents were flying, and of course "New York, New York"was played ( and, yes, there was a kick line at our reception).

We got married in a beautiful church near the TU campus. It was the same church my husband's parents got married in nearly 60 years ago. ( We're softies for tradition.)

You'll notice a man standing with my bridesmaids, and he may look familiar. That is Jason Grubbs, night side reporter on 2NEWS. He was my "Man of Honor". A couple more familiar faces are also in that photo-- there's my college room mate, Allison White, then my Matron of Honor, Rebecca Bennett (morning personality from Spirit 102.3-- who used to be known ( before she was married) as Rebecca Seebirt when she was a reporter here at Channel 2), there's also my Maid of Honor, Samantha Knowlton, Creative Services Director here at 2, and also Lori Prichard ( who now works as an anchor in Salt Lake City, but she used to be an Anchor here at 2, and yes, she is also proudly sporting a baby bump, she is expecting her second child).

We had our reception at a local Country Club in Tulsa and it was amazing. You're looking at pictures from our first dance. It is used often, but for us it was appropriate. Russ and I danced to Etta James's "At Last". We had both waited a long time for each other, and yes, AT LAST, we were husband and wife.

I cannot tell you about our wedding without touching on the tiny miracle that also coincided with that same day. Our photographer, Ace Cuervo and his wife, were blessed by the birth of their first son. Little Alex, was not supposed to arrive until Monday, but he had different plans. Michael Alejandro Cuervo arrived at 4:35pm that day. Our wedding was at 5pm, and amazingly, Ace, and his whole crew found a way to cover both blessed events. We were surrounded by miracles on the best day of our lives.

I told you earlier that it rained on our wedding day, and if I had it to do again, I wouldn't change a thing, even the rain. There were tears of joy, and we were showered with love, so it just makes sense, that Mother Nature would get in on the action.

Enjoy the pictures, Russ and I both thank you for your kind notes and cards and blessings that you have sent to us over the last several months. In case you are wondering, my Russ is a private kind of guy. He prefers to be out of the spotlight. I have taken his name in my personal life, and of course, taken him as my husband. To you, I am still the same old Julie Chin... only now, one with a fairy tale wedding and my own happily ever after :)

Soap Box Derby-- In Car Video with Julie Chin Behind the Wheel!!!!

jchin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:44:00 GMT

You know the old saying, "If you build it... they will come".

Build it they did, and boy did folks ever show up.

Saturday, October 11th was the first annual Soap Box Derby in Sand Springs.

The idea? Build a car. Take it to the top of the hill, and see if gravity pulls yours down the fastest.

Now, the man who has the LEAST time in our entire station somehow made time to make the car.

I'm talking about our Chief Meteorologist Dan Threlkeld, of course. Somehow, in between shows, runs, weather talks, and life in general, he and his son Brian spent about a month building the soap box car for me to drive. A lot of care was put into it to. This car is amazing, brakes, steering, even a mini anemometer. ( Since Dan knows the ins and out of the car, I will not even pretend here to go into the details, but I am hopeful he will blog about it soon.)

Our Art Department then put the pedal to the metal to create the exterior. They glued on components and wrapping to make it look exactly like our Storm Chasing vehicle, Storm Chaser 2... only smaller... hence the name Storm Chaser 2.2.

When it was done... VIOLA!

A "mini-me" Storm Chaser 2 to be driven... by (gulp)... MINI ME!

( By the way, my size was the reason I was elected as the driver. I am the shortest in the weather department, and truthfully the only one who could fit inside.)

I'm not going to tell you I wasn't scared. I WAS. In fact, terrified might be the best way to describe it. However, once behind the wheel, decked out in my Captain America crash helmet and zipping down the hill, terrified somehow turned into electrified. It was amazing. I told you I was the smallest in the weather department, I will now also tell you, I also now feel like the luckiest. Proudly driving our 2NEWS soapbox was one of the coolest experiences of my life.

Somehow, I got all the glory, but it's everyone who really deserves it.

Thanks to Dan, his son, Brian, our Engineers, Our Art Department, and my 2NEWS Cheerleaders (the Georges, Melanie Lewis, Jason Grubbs), the city of Sand Springs and all of you who turned out and cheered me on.

I'm not sure who was the actual event winner, but I can tell you, it wasn't me.

However...

I did not crash.

I did cross the finish line in both heats.

I did break the 20 miles per hour mark (which I might brag was among some of the fastest).

And I did not hit the brakes until after I crossed the finish line.

( All of these feats-- a victory as far as I'm concerned.)

Since a picture ( or in this case , video) is worth a thousand words... here is the in-car video for you to see. We need to thank George Flickinger for this rare perspective. He duct taped his camera on to the soapbox, which may have been crazier, than me driving the car in the first place.

You'll be glad to know, his camera and I both came out without a scratch.

Buckle in and enjoy-- you're about to go on one wild ride...

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO!!!

Let's Do Dinner!!! Tuesday JULY 1st!

jchin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:51:00 GMT

If you watch the weather on Channel 2, than chances are we eat at least one meal a day together, right?

You eat, what mom says is "the most important meal of the day"-- BREAKFAST-- with me. We also sometimes have lunch together.

Dan's on when dinner's cooking, and you're probably sitting down to eat by the time he's done.

When you re-join Dan at 10pm-- it's time for dessert, and that glass of water before bed.

And come on-- who hasn't gotten up for a midnight snack (or fourth meal) to find one of us tracking storms late night?

On Tuesday, July 1st, I'd like to invite you to dinner, in person.

Here's the deal:

I'm a board member for the Adoption Center of Northeast Oklahoma. It's a local non-profit that helps find homes for kids in foster care. We specialize in what are called "special needs adoptions". These types of adoptions often involve kids with special circumstances. For instance, some have been passed from foster home to foster home, some are older, have a disability, or are brother and sisters who we're working desperately to keep together.

So here's where you come in, we are having the easiest fundraising dinner ever. All you have to do is go out for dinner to El Chico's at 9705 East 71st (71st and Mingo) on Tuesday, July 1st sometime after 5pm.

That's it, no tickets to buy, no sponsorships to fund, no need to get dressed up... just treat your friends and family, or just yourself to dinner there. When you arrive, please tell them you're there to support the Adoption Center and 10% of what you spend will go to help find kids forever homes.

You gotta eat, right? So, let's all do it together and help out kids in need.

Hope to see you there!

Julie Chin Raw Video of Falling Tree-- What You Didn't See..

jchin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:14:00 GMT

If you're reading this, then chances are you've seen the video of me with the HUGE falling tree behind.

If you haven't seen it, CLICK HERE to watch the video.

I know, I know… it was a very dangerous situation.

I'm very lucky... and... what was I thinking putting my hand over my head?!? Basic instinct, I guess, but we all know that wouldn't have done much.

You need to know we were out there to get the word out about how bad the ice storm was. We also were keeping a close eye to the sky, and throughout the morning had dodged numerous falling branches. We had discussed that tree with others, and were pretty confident that due to the weight of the ice and the way the tree was leaning that it was not going to fall our way. You also need to know that I have learned my lesson, and next time I surely won't get quite that close.

Even though pictures ( or in this case--video) are worth a thousand words, it's what you didn't see on tape that has kept me going the past few days. Like you, I am also without a home, heat and hot water, and yes, it's even taking a toll on me.

When I came across that North Tulsa neighborhood Monday, the destruction was unreal. Clearly, this was the worst damage we had seen, and we had been all around the area. Mother Nature had devoured hundred-year-old hardwoods snapping them like used toothpicks. Electric boxes were literally ripped off homes. SUVs and cars were crushed; as bushes bogged down by ice, bowed down to Mother Nature. Our footsteps were punctuated by the snap, crackle and pop of the next branch falling from the sky… sirens screamed in the distance.

The tree that you saw fall, was the last of a group of three that hadn't laid down yet. The first two toppled earlier that morning and rested in the roadway. They were so big, no cars would be able to enter or exit this neighborhood, and hefty machinery would be needed to remove them. When we arrived on the scene, the family that lived in that house next to those trees was outside. They were all okay, but their power was out, so they were packing things up-- heading out for a warm place to stay.

My photographer, John and I were there for hours, talking to neighbors, pushing cars out of lawns, and keeping an eye on that last standing tree. We also noticed the family periodically come and go: once to get blankets… another time to take their dogs to a safe place. Each time-- they, like us-- were staring down the last standing tree-- willing it to just stay put.

As we know by now, that did not happen.

It fell shortly after the family took the dogs away. And as you saw, I was standing on the other side when it lost its fight against the freezing rain.

We knew no one was inside the home (that you can barely see from the video), and there was nothing we could do at that moment, that's why we kept taping. We also knew it was only a matter of time before the family came home to discover it.

They arrived a few minutes later… and silently looked on as the tree rested like a sleeping giant across their front yard and onto their house. Despite the chaos, they were surprisingly calm, cool and collected, and after checking things out--- thought perhaps someday the house would be okay.

We spoke for a while off camera… and they amazed me.

Here's why..

The homeowner told me: "Before I went to bed last night, I just prayed that those trees wouldn't hit any of our cars, or our house while our family was in it. We moved the cars before the first trees fell, and we were out of the house for the third. So, you know what? The way I see it, we're lucky. Our prayers were answered."

As we count the days we are cold, uncomfortable, hungry and without hot water.. Perhaps we should count our blessings too.

I sure am. It sounds cliché, but even I'm living proof-- things could've been a lot worse.

Stay Safe.

Julie

I'll be there... and You're Invited!!!!

jchin — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:20:00 GMT

By now, if you've read any of my blogs, you know they tend to revolve around 2 things:

The weather…and children.

This one is no different, except...

It's about children without moms and dads.

Consider the facts:

Right now there are 500,000 children living in Foster Care.

More than 126,000 do not legally have parents and are waiting for a new forever home.

It takes $1500 to get them started in the adoption process, and they need your help doing this.

You can help, and I have the perfect way of doing so.

The Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma is throwing a big family friendly Carnival and Concert Saturday, and you're invited to attend.

It's called Spirit Splash, and it is a fundraiser where 100% ( yes-- 100%) of the proceeds go to the Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma. The Center is a licensed, non-profit agency dedicated to finding safe, permanent, forever homes for America's waiting children.

I am a board member of this agency, and am awestruck by the work they do. They specialize in something called "special needs adoptions". These types of adoptions are often for siblings that do not want to be split up, children with special challenges, older kids, and even kids who have been passed from foster home to foster home. What's really special about the staffers at the Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma is they don’t just search for families, they search for the right family fit, and then provide support to help the family succeed. They do this cost free, with some state funding and the rest from fundraising and private tax deductible donations.

Here's your official invite:

You’re invited to join us for …

Spirit Splash 2007 Carnival & Concert

100% of proceeds benefit

The Adoption Center of Northeastern Oklahoma

We’ll have a Jupiter Jump, a fire engine and

all kinds of games and prizes for the kids!

Then the highlight of the evening…

Mark Harris, with special guest Andy Chrisman,

(both of 4Him) will perform in concert!

Saturday Sept 22^nd

Southern Hills Baptist Church @ 56th & Lewis

Carnival is from 5pm until 7pm

The Concert begins at 7pm!

Concert, including carnival, Advance tickets $11 each

Available @ both Mardel locations in Tulsa or on-line at ^{www.itickets.com/events/177737.html}

Tickets $12.50 at the door

Kids 5 and under are free for the concert

Carnival Only… $5 each or $15 for entire family

Oh-- and what's a "Julie blog" without a forecast?

Saturday is looking sunny and hot.. With highs in the low 90s.

I'm also forecasting a great event--- and with your help, a brighter future for our waiting children.

I'll be there, hope to see you!

Julie

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!! ( Singing required)

jchin — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:03:00 GMT

"There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,

The corn is as high as an elephant's eye

An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky…."

(Chorus…ALL SING OUT LOUD….come on you know the song!)

"OOOOOhhhhh…….. what a beautiful morning!"

Mother Nature is serving up some "chilled air" for breakfast... and I like it.

I like it so much, I think I scared some of the folks at my local QT this morning. When I bounced into the store around 2:00am ( early, huh?), to get my daily dose of Diet Coke, I greeted everyone inside and went on and on and on about how "nice" it was outside. Looking back, I know it was a little jarring for all 5 people in the store. But I couldn't help it… I was so excited.

I guess you could say after days of torrential flooding rains, clouds, and sticky, muggy air before that, this morning's weather is a breath of fresh air.

Makes sense, too, because it is, literally.

We dipped to 60 in Tulsa, Wagoner and Tahlequah this morning.

54 in Bartlesville.

53 in Vinita.

52 in Copan.

51 in Pawhuska.

47 in Slapout.

39 in Beaver.

This is our first late summer shot of Canadian air. The leading edge surged in around dinner time last night. We're getting a nibble this morning, and we'll have an even better taste tomorrow morning (translation: it'll be cooler tomorrow morning) with mainly clear skies overnight. ( Might it be time to trade the iced coffee for the hot stuff?)

Sunshine is in the forecast today. Our afternoons will start to warm a little the next few days, then cool back down this weekend.

Fall officially arrives the morning of Sunday, September 23rd. I do believe we'll see 90s before then, so if you're holding onto summer still, not to worry it's not gone just yet. If you're looking ahead to fall, enjoy today's taste test.

And that brings me back to our chorus (will you sing with me now?) from our State's musical... .

"Oh what a beautiful morning!

Oh what a beautiful day!

I've got a wonderful feeeeeeelllllllliiiiinnnnnng…. Everything's going my way".

Hope it does.

Have a great day!

Jules

Final Kids Summer Reading Book

jchin — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:59:00 GMT

Someone once told me, the way people feel about the weather is kind of how they feel about their hair.

No one is ever happy with what they're given.

If someone has straight hair, they wish it were curly.
Curly haired folks want it straight.
Brunettes want it blonder.
Some look forward to turning Gray, others want it gone.

It's just like the weather.

When we get sunshine, we want rain.
When we get rain, we want sunshine.
We want it to snow... then we want it to stop.

If I had a dime for every time someone asked for a different kind of weather, I'd be a rich gal. Since the dimes aren't coming my way, I thought I'd offer my 2 cents on this-- with the help of one of the most famous Doctors of all time, who also happens to be the author of this summer's final children's weather book.

"Batholomew and the Oobleck" by, Dr. Seuss

We're traveling to the Kingdom of Didd in this one. It's the "Year-the-King-got-Angry-with the-Sky. His beef? He's tired of the four things that come from the sky. Sick of snow, fog, sunshine and rain. So, he calls upon his Royal Magicians to mess with Mother Nature. Their mission? To create a new kind of precip that no one has ever seen before. What will they create? And will it create chaos? You've got to check this one out to find out.

This Dr. Seuss book is a little more obscure than some of our old favorites, and probably best suited for kids over 7. Of course there are so many weather lessons to take from this one. The water cycle for certain, and why rain and snow and sunshine are so important. However, the lesson I like best is the one Mom tells me even up to this day..."be careful what you wish for".

I hope you enjoy this book. I know it probably won't change your wishes sometimes for different weather. That's ok, because honestly, that's what keeps me in business.

I've enjoyed our time together this summer.

Happy Reading… and best of luck in school, Kiddoes!

Jules

Book Blog For Kids #6

jchin — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:57:00 GMT

No doubt when it comes to the weather where we live, it's either feast of famine.

Consider this statistic that Dan passed along to me for Tulsa for the past two months:

The first 16 days of July we picked up 5.76" of rain.

The first 16 days of August… a whopping ZERO.

So far this month we haven't see any rain showers…

HOWEVER… we have been privy to a pretty cool Meteor Shower.

Last week we were blessed with several days of shooting stars (and I am not talking about the PGA Championship!).

The Annual Perseid Meteor shower peaked last weekend, and it didn't disappoint. We had hundreds of meteors zipping through our skies for days. Dan, George, George ( yes, we now have 2 Georges!) and I mentioned it tons on the news, and I hope you had an opportunity to get out and witness it.

I sure did. While watching the meteors flying through our skies, I was standing near a father and his sweet 5 year old daughter. I couldn't help but listen and smile to her "oohing and ahhing" while watching what she called "the magical flashes of light".

Mother Nature is indeed magical… and the magic of that night (even though, yes, there is a science behind a Meteor Shower) made me think of this week's book.

It's….

"The Rainbabies" by Laura Krauss Melmed

( Also the author of the best selling book "I Love You As Much".)

The Rainbabies is a sweet folk tale that tells the story of a childless couple who, in the magic of a moonshower find a dozen tiny babies in the grass. The little babies take the couple on some big adventures, and despite their tough times, their unconditional love is rewarded in the end. This would be a great story to read with your child. It's beautifully illustrated, and worth the time.

Since I chose this book because of its astronomy influence, this might be a good week to talk with your little ones about Space and Beyond.

I have two great ways to do this:

First NASA has a great kids website: www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/home/index.html. It's super kid friendly, and when it comes to the skies, who better to turn to than NASA?

My second thought is to take a field trip to Tulsa's Air and Space Museum. It's inside a huge hangar across from the Tulsa Zoo and is rich with examples of our area's aviation history. Right next door sits and a planetarium. Been there, done that, and it's so much fun. For more info on that one, go to www.tulsaairandspacemuseum.com/.

It might be a good weekend to pick this book up... the clouds are creeping in, and it appears rain may be on the way!

Happy Reading!

Julie

Summer Reading Book Blog #5

jchin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:58:00 GMT

Oh-- the things that you remember about your childhood…

Isn't it funny how memories come back like little snapshots? It always makes me chuckle to think of the random things I remember about my early childhood, and this week's book compels me to tell you this story.

I remember one long, hot August day when my mom packed me up in the car to tackle a number of errands. Not fun errands either ( like going to the toy store or for Ice Cream!). Nope, this was stuff like going to get an oil change, getting my teeth cleaned at the Periodontist , and the one we hated most as kids-- going to the Supermarket. My poor mom had me in tow all day long. Yes, that's right, my poor mom. This is why-- as a child ( and it still holds true as an adult) I was (am) a talker. Mom was bombarded by my non-stop questions. She answered them humorously, but by the end of the day-- she was probably ready for some peace and quiet.

Here's why I think that:

I remember sitting in the front of the packed grocery cart, with my legs dangling down and Barbie in hand, when a loud clap of thunder roared outside, and rain started pouring down in buckets.

Of course, I had to ask the obvious...

"Mom, where does the rain go after it stops?"

Silence.

"Mom. Hey, Mom.. Where does the rain go after it stops?"

Still nothing.

I thought I'd give it a go one more time…

"MOM, MOM! WHERE DOES THE RAIN GO AFTER IT STOPS?"

I'll never forget the look on her face… she looked at me with a tired smile, and said...

"Honey, I just don't know."

(HUH? But moms know EVERYTHING!)

Looking back on this, I am convinced my mom did know, but I had already exceeded my question quota for the day. She needed a break, and she was about to tackle the task of packing up dozens of groceries, and a 5 year-old in a car, after a long day of errands in the pouring rain.

I never asked her about it again, however Mom (and moms and dads of the world) in case you don't know… this week's book provides a perfect answer to the question every kid asks…

"Where does the rain go after it stops?"

So, head to the library or local bookstore, and check this one out.

Down Comes the Rain by, Franklin Branley.

( For Ages 3-10)

This is a great book to brighten any rainy day. Down Comes the Rain talks about the water cycle. You know, stuff like, why it rains, what makes rain, and where all that water goes. It also tackles snow, clouds and even hailstones ( there's even a shout out to our friends in Coffeyville, Kansas -- home to the heaviest hailstone on record). What I love too, about this book, is that it uses everyday things like a boiling pot, or the shower curtain to explain the way things happen in our skies. Cool little experiments that we can all do in the comfort of our homes.

Of course, moms and dad, be advised…. this book will probably lead your kids to the next obvious question. You know, the one everyone asks sooner or later….

"Why is the sky blue?"

You might want to have your answer ready when that one comes. If you need help on that one feel free to write to me… or you could even shoot my mother a note. I am proud to say, I also remember the day when my Mom answered the blue sky question… and she nailed it.

Happy Reading ( Love you, Mom!)

Julie

Summer Reading Blog-- Book 4

jchin — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:40:00 GMT

Excuse me for stating the obvious.

But…. Green Country is really, really, really GREEN right now. I guess it's the one bright spot in the first half of this Summer's flooding rains. I couldn't help but notice how lush everything is on a bike ride I took Sunday. The rain has really made our trees beautiful, and our grass thick. It's a far cry from the hot and parched conditions we had last summer. All that vegetation too, is helping to keep our temperatures in check, and for that I am super grateful.

Inspired by the "green-ness" ( okay I am sure that's not really a word, but you know where I am going with this) I thought we'd focus on "Going Green" this week. The book I've chosen teaching kids the importance of protecting our environment.

Our Midday producer Andrea Johnson (a hip 20-something) brought this one to me. Andrea loved it so much that she pulled it from her very special collection ( she has dozens of this family of books) for me to read. I guess it's fate too, because just a day after she brought me the book, I was at the library and saw a little girl sitting an reading another from the popular collection.

So, without further ado… our book club book this week is…

The Berenstain Bears Don't Pollute Anymore

by, Stan & Jan Berenstain.

In Don't Pollute Anymore, the popular bear family talks about our environment. The front cover sums it up best, "When Bear Country's cubs learn pollution is a fact, they help grownups learn to clean up their act." This book addresses species endangerment, ecology, conservationism and recycling. It explains the terms simply and even inspires activism (which I love!!!). When we talk weather, we also have to talk about keeping what we have in the best shape possible; and by tackling that message as early as possible, I think we ensure a better place for our kids to grow up in.

Hope you enjoy this one. We're ready for more in the way of blue skies, but in the meantime, why not think Green too.

Happy reading!

Julie

P.S. Because the Berenstain family is so lovable, you might want to check out, The Berenstain Bears: Too Much Vacation. This is another great one that tackles what happens when a vacation doesn't go exactly as planned. The front cover of the book poses the question, "Can a bear's vacation with more rain than sun end up being the one that's most fun?" Go over the river and through the woods with this fantastic family to find out.

Summer Reading Blog Book 3

jchin — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 17:34:00 GMT

Okay, so this has not been a "typical" summer for us so far… but one of the things I love most about a "typical" summer is all the time you can spend outside.

As a child, I remember slapping on the sunscreen and spending hours outside. We'd literally be out there from sun-up to bedtime. We'd play all day, splash around in the community pool, read books in the shade, take naps in a hammock under a tree, barbecue for dinner and catch fireflies at night. It is amazing how many games you can come up with outside with the help of mother nature and your imagination.

One of my favorite games was (and still is) "what does that cloud look like to you"? Come on, you know what I'm talking about. The game where you look up in the sky at all the beautiful puffy cumulous clouds that perhaps resemble a UFO, or a dolphin, or a chef's hat, or Grandma? We used to spend hours on that one as kids. Talk about free, safe fun for the whole family it doesn't get better than that.

Well, this week's book, takes this game to a whole new level- a place called..."Sector 7".

So, book #3 is…..

Sector 7, by David Wiesner, it also happens to be a Caldecott Honor Book.

This book is unlike any I've read in years. Here's why… IT'S A PICTURE BOOK! But it's appropriate for any age. Really, any age, even adults!

The Tulsa City-County Public Library suggested this one. So, I checked it out, and read it with my little sister, Keke. The pictures steer the story, but we went ahead using our own words to actually tell it. Each of us took a page and became the narrator. Laughing and ping-ponging our way back and forth, we told quite a tale. It was a fun way to "read" a book together, and work on storytelling too.

Here's the basic story, a little boy takes a field trip with his classmates to the Empire State Building in New York City. While on the Observation Deck, a mischievous cloud befriends him, and takes him on a trip high in the sky to a big cloud making (train station looking) factory called ( you guessed it) SECTOR 7.

This is a great book to talk to kids about clouds.

For instance:

What are Clouds?

A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals. The droplets are so small and light they can float in the air.

How are Clouds formed?

All air contains water, but near the ground it is usually in the form of an invisible gas we can't see called water vapor. When warm air rises, it expands and cools. Cool air can't hold as much water vapor as warm air, so some of the vapor condenses onto tiny particles of dust that are floating in the air and forms a tiny droplet around each dust particle. When billions of these droplets come together, they form clouds.

Why are clouds white?

Clouds are white because they reflect the light of the sun. Light is made up of colors of the rainbow and when you add them all together you get white.

What makes a cloud turn gray?

If the cloud gets thick enough or high enough all the light above the cloud does not make it through, hence they look gray or dark. Also if they are surrounded by other clouds, their shadow can add to the gray appearance.

Of course, you can always talk about cloud types, classifications, folklore, etc. Frankly, with this one, the sky's the limit ( pun certainly intended).

Speaking of the skies.. come on, play the game with me.

What does this cloud look like to you? I think a muffin top. Any one else?

Thanks to Jeff Chandler who sent this one to us from Jenks on July 12.

Happy Reading! Hope you love this one as much as I do.

Julie

Summer Reading for Kids-- Book 2

jchin — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:17:00 GMT

As a young child, I loved a good Thunderboomer, although the reason why might surprise you.

Oftentimes a thunderstorm meant the power would go out, and that was a GOOD thing. Here's why: for us kids, there was nothing more magical than spending the rest of the evening watching the lightning strikes illuminate the sky in the distance. We'd play hide and seek indoors with flashlights, and dine by candlelight; and the best part was dinner. With the power out, Mom couldn't cook so that meant we had to order in for PIZZA!!! Don't get me wrong, my Mom is a great cook-- but Pizza then ( and now) was a treat. Oftentimes too, it was shortly after the pizza arrived that-- buzz-- the lights would go back on… our bellies would be full and the storm would be miles and miles away.

While Thunderstorms = Pizza for me as a kid, in this week's selected book, Thunderstorms=Thunder Cake.

Never heard of it? Neither had I until I read this calm, cool and comfort food filled tale.

So our week #2 choice:

( Drum roll, please)

"Thunder Cake" by, Patricia Polacco. (Ages 4-8)

What it's about:

This is a story based on true life. As a young girl, Patricia was scared of storms, so her Grandmother cooked up a way to help her get over that fear... literally. They make Thunder Cake!! What's also fun about this book, is that it actually has a recipe for the cake in the back, so you could make it with your kids. Be advised through, it has tomatoes in it. I have never heard of cake with tomatoes, and even though I have had this book for years, never have tried my hand at it. ( I did recently have a 'Thunder Cake' with some kids from Eliot Elementary- but between us… it came from Merritt's Bakery and it was chocolate :)

This is a great story to get kids talking about their fear of weather. Also, it talks about lightning. Be advised though it's not quite accurate when it comes to figuring out how far a storm is away. You could talk about that with this book, and even work on some math skills.

Here’s the lightning formula for real:

Count the seconds between the Flash (of Lightning) to the Bang (of Thunder).

Divide that number by 5 to calculate the distance in miles ( you can divide by 3 for kilometers).

So if it was 15 seconds from flash to bang /5 = 3 miles away (or 5 kilometers).

The delay between when you see the lightning and hear the thunder occurs because sound travels much, much slower than light.

By the way, if you can see the lightning or hear the thunder, it is close enough to strike, so that's when you should get inside.

Good luck with Thunder Cake. Hope you enjoy. Let me know, too, if you actually make the cake. If not, perhaps read the book with pizza.. And have some for me!!

Julie

Summer Reading Blog for Kids!!!

jchin — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:49:00 GMT

Ahh-- the official start of Summer is almost here-- but for most kids-- School is out--and that means Summer is already underway. One of my most favorite Summer pastimes is reading. It's a hobby I started as a young girl through our local library reading program. It was a treat! The day school ended Mom would swing by the local library and I'd sign up and check out book after book for those lazy, hazy days of summer.

The Tulsa City-County Library has such a program. It's free and open to kids from now through August 11th. Child readers earn coupons for free admission to places like the Tulsa Zoo, and the Oklahoma Aquarium for the books they read. Super readers can even earn medals. It's easy to enroll. Just visit your local library ( you were going there anyway, right?) and be sure to pick up a summer reading log. Your local librarian will fill you in on the rest. Oh-- and while you're there, be sure to pick up a Channel 2 coloring book (it's free, and you never have to return it).

The library features lots of selections, but each week, I will be blogging right here about my favorite children's book of the week. You probably shouldn't be surprised to hear that most will have to do with the WEATHER!!! I’d like to invite the kiddoes who read these books to blog along with mom and dad and let me know what you think of these silly stories, and ask weather questions. I'm always looking for more suggestions too!

So, without further ado…

( Drum roll, please)….

My First Book is….

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by, Judi Barrett ( ages 4-8)

(This is my favorite to take to classrooms around the area!!!)

What it's about:

WHAT IF… It didn’t rain rain… or snow snow… but instead, when the skies opened up, it rained things like hamburgers and hot dogs, and mashed potatoes? This delicious tale takes you to the far away land of Chewandswallow, and will leave you hungry for more.

It's also a great book to talk about rain, what rain is, and why those rainy days are so important to us.

Read it, snap a picture, send it to me, and let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!!!!

Julie