You’ll need stealth with this strategy game

At first, “Ninja Versus Ninja” appears to be just a quick, fun game for two. Yet the more my family played, the more we realized there’s more here than meets the eye, which is fitting for a game that stars Japan’s mysterious warriors.

Sure, my rough-and-tumble boys were instantly hooked by the ninja playing pieces and the game’s battle concept.

But as the parent, I was drawn to the clever strategy play. Your goal is to score points by penetrating into your opponent’s dojo as far as you dare, then sneaking back out before time’s up — or before your opponent eliminates all your ninjas, and it’s sayonara.

Ages 8 and up. Out of the Box, $25

—By Kathleen M....

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The poop on being a green parent

Many people — including (most important of all) my wife — consider it a sign of progress that I’ve hand-washed my new daughter’s poopy diapers over the past seven months.

Some of the other parental “advancements” in our house:

— Wooden toys, just like the ones my parents played with when they were kids, back in the dark ages.

— Natural brands of baby-bath soap, laundry detergent and other things that are supposed to get sudsy but don’t.

— Disposable diapers — only for when we absolutely must use them, of course — that look like they’re made of recycled grocery-shopping bags.

— A crib, changing table and rocking chair all...

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Pick your recession birthday gift: a quarter-, third-, or mid-life crisis

Wondering what kind of birthday gift you’ll get in a recession? You may just unwrap a mid-life crisis.

Or in my case, a little-more-than-a-third-life crisis.

I’ve never dreaded birthdays. In fact, I’ve always enjoyed the fuss and the life experience I could claim from the year gone by. But today, turning 35 — not so much. I find myself taking stock of where my life is and where it is headed. And, I hear this nagging voice in my head on repeat: “Halfway to 70! Halfway to 70!”

“A lot of people in their 30s, 40s and 50s are thinking they are having a mid-life crisis,” said Elaine Wethington, professor of human development and sociology at Cornell University.

`How to Photograph Your Baby’ could be gift or tool

If you’ve got a new baby or are looking for a gift for parents of a newborn, check out the newly revised “How to Photograph Your Baby: Getting Closer with Your Camera and Your Heart,” by Nick Kelsh (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50).

The book includes nine basic lessons and is packed with tips.

The main ideas? Get closer to the baby, use the right kind of light (Hint: It won’t be from your flash) and keep on shooting and shooting and shooting.

This inspirational and practical guide also has lots of examples of unexpected angles that work well and suggestions on how to get creative with displaying photos, such as a big multiframe mosaic or holiday tree ornaments.

By...

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Feeling stressed? Six tips for managing

McClatchy-Tribune

If not managed, a mom’s stress can affect her health and happiness. Psychiatrist Judith Orloff offers six tips for combating the stress, worry, fear and anxiety that come from being a supermom and caretaker.

— Set limits with emotional vampires. Emotional vampires are people who sap your energy and leave you feeling fatigued, agitated or craving comfort food. Emotional vampires come in all forms, from needy children and critical spouses, to unpleasant coworkers and nagging parents. When you’re around people who drain your energy, practice saying no, politely excusing yourself, or communicating your limits clearly and calmly.

At least her heart is in the right place

Gotta tell you, sometimes my little girl totally blows me away.

After we finished with her homework the other night (which is lessening — ah, the end of school is soooo near!), I let her flip on the TV to watch Hannah Montana, one of her favorite shows.

Things were all well and good until she burst out sobbing.

Wait a minute — sobbing and Hannah Montana? Not exactly what I envisioned when I gave the OK to turn it on.

The problem? Apparently, Miley (Cyrus — Billy Ray’s daughter who maintains an alter ego, Hannah, to keep her life, well, her life, for those not in the know.) overheard one of the “popular” girls rudely reject nice-but-nerdy Aaron’s invitation to the prom. So Miley went up to him, and she ended up as his...

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A great way to celebrate a great Dad

There’s no better way to spend Father’s Day weekend than an afternoon in the park with dear old Dad…so join in the fun at the Celebration of Fatherhood on Saturday, June 20, 2009, from noon to 5 p.m. at Lakeview Park in Lorain (part of the Lorain County Metro Parks on West Erie Avenue near Route 58).  Sponsored by the Healthy Fathering Collaborative of Lorain County (HFCoLC), it is a free event opened to all Lorain County dads and their children.  There is no registration required.

The Celebration of Fatherhood event provides a safe, supportive environment to help fathers engage with their children and connect with other dads, especially those who may be divorced, separated or never married.

The afternoon will feature a host of activities including face painting,...

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9 to 5 to 9: Discovering life beyond Happy Meals

There was a brief window about five years ago when restaurants were safe.

Big Guy was starting to explore solid food, and the waitresses at our favorite Mexican place would coo as his chubby little fists dipped Ritz crackers into salsa.

Within months, though, the coos turned to eye rolls as Big Guy discovered gravity and its effect on rice falling from a fist. Then That Baby Who Ruined His Life showed up and Big Guy discovered acting out.

The average meal carried a 25 percent surcharge in the form of a “we’re sorry our kid’s a pig” over-tip. It was consumed in 3.6 minutes in hopes of finishing before storm clouds gathered. We wound up carrying hefty portions home in Styrofoam — bad for the...

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Many women packing on (too many) pounds during pregnancy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eating for two? New guidelines are setting how much weight women should gain during pregnancy — not too much if women already are overweight or obese when they conceive.

The Institute of Medicine issued guidelines Thursday that aren’t too different from what obstetricians already recommend, but more than half of pregnant women don’t follow them. Adding to that concern, women who become pregnant today tend to be heavier, older and have more conditions such as diabetes than just a decade ago — issues that make extra pounds riskier.

The recommendations: A normal-weight woman, as measured by the BMI or body mass index, should gain between 25 and 35 pounds. An overweight woman should...

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After 50-pound weight loss, mom shares her strategy for family fitness

Lisa Keys-Blair set out to lose weight to help herself.

Fifty pounds later, the 42-year-old Frisco, Texas, mother of two, whose diet and fitness regimen is being featured in the May issue of Fitness magazine, has helped her whole family.

“What’s great is my kids see me exercise and they exercise,” Keys-Blair says. “I get my exercise DVD out and they get their weights out and do push-ups and jumping jacks. My son likes to do boxing and running, too.”

Pam O’Brien, executive editor of Fitness, explains why Lisa is an inspiration: “Thanks to a few simple changes, she lives an active lifestyle and feels better than ever. There is no better success story than that.”