Those cursed with allergies are being reminded that Spring is here! The weather is finally warming up and a few plants have started blooming. It's a great time to enjoy fun, outdoor family acitivites together.

Involving children in gardening can be a great bonding activity as well as an educational experience. Growing vegetables can encourage children to eat their vegetables (at least in theory).

Even if you do not have a lawn, many plants can grow in window boxes or planters, or on a balcony.

Here are a few garden activities for your Katy Family:

• Grass Hair- Help your child scoop dirt into a Styrofoam or plastic cup, and bury grass seeds in the dirt. Have your child draw a face on the cup. Place the cup on a windowsill and water daily. Once the grass grows, your child will have a face with a crazy hairdo! Children can trim the grass to make different looks.
• Eat Dirt- Not real dirt, but crushed up oreos mixed with cool whip. Put it in a new plastic flower pot, add a few gummy worms, and "plant" an artificial flower. Eat and enjoy.
• Veggie Garden- Devote a small area in your yard. Then, help your child pick some vegetable seeds to plant. Carrots, green beans, eggplants and tomatoes are easy "beginner" vegetables to grow.
• Nilla Wafer inch worm- Stack 8 mini Nilla Wafers with vanilla frosting between them. Divide round shaped fruit snacks in half and use each half to attach legs for frosting. Miniature M&Ms make great eyes for your worm.
• Flowerpots- Purchase a clay pot and use acrylic paints to decorate it. Once dry, fill the pot with dirt and help your child plant flowers inside.
• Herb Garden- Choose herbs together as a family. Smell each and talk about foods each of the herbs might be in. Plant the herbs indoors so that your children can not only help you water and tend to them, but can also help you use them to cook.

I'm probably the last person you would expect to hear this from, but there are times that not losing weight or even gaining a minimal amount of weight can be a good thing.

When your goal is weight loss, you would think that if you aren't progressing towards your goal, you are failing. But let's step back for a moment and look at some important factors.

There is a time for results and a time for maintenance.  Have realistic expectations.  Don't get too disappointed when things don't turn out like you want them to. 

Give yourself a break, face the reality of the situation, and get back on track when you have the opportunity.  You'll be much better in the long run.

-Jason Hodge, Medical Exercise Specialist, Katy, TX

Make a new first every day! The Children's Museum of Houston (CMH) is celebrating its new building’s first birthday with a week full of record-setting fun during  Spring Break March 13 – 21st.

Join us as we attempt to set Guinness World Records® with your help. We will honor each new exhibit with themed activities and live performances. Party with us each day as we burst confetti cannons, dance to DJ Zin and sing Happy Birthday at 1 p.m.

Since the Grand Opening of our $35 million new building on March 14, 2009, CMH has had a phenomenal year. Twelve months after the expansion — 800,000 visitors strong and 90,000 square feet larger — we are now Nickelodeon’s Parents Pick “Best Museum in Houston”. These seven new permanent exhibits: Cyberchase-The Chase Is On!, FlowWorks, Invention Convention, Kidtropolis, USA, Matter Factory, PowerPlay and Tot*Spot are the most visible results of our growth, but the renovation also provided classrooms and lab spaces for our Institute for Family Learning, doubled the size of our Houston Public Library branch, modified five previously existing exhibits and expanded our bilingual community-based outreach programs. What a year!

To celebrate our new building’s first birthday, we are inviting everyone to be a part of a new “first” every day as we attempt to set world records. We’ve invited the Guinness World Records® to come along during the week to verify the feats and make them official. It’ll be one for the books!