Happy Tuesday, everyone.  I hope all of you are having a terrific Tuesday.

We’re now counting down to our launch to HDTV.  The transition takes place on Saturday.  We won’t have any newscasts on Saturday evening.  Sunday’s newscasts will be our first shows in high definition.  Hope you can tune in!

I’ve had other reporters ask me if I’m ready for the transition.  I don’t really have a plan, so to speak.  I have heard that less is better when it comes to makeup, so I’ll have to ease up a bit with the makeup brush.  You may have noticed that Paul is experimenting a bit with his hair.  I like it.  It’s a fresh, “hip” look.  I’m sure with HD every hair that’s out of place will look like a long, black wire sticking out of my head.  While I’m going lighter on the makeup, I may need some extra help from the hair gel.  I’ll just play it by ear.  If something is really wrong, I know my faithful audience will give me an earful.

I’ll never forget the one day I decided to experiment with a different face powder.  I looked at the preview monitor and noticed that the shade really wasn’t working for me.  I just shrugged it off and decided I’d go back to my previous shade the next day.  I didn’t think anyone would say anything.  Low and behold I had a voice mail message waiting for me right after the show.  A viewer went on and on about how she has watched me for years and my makeup shade was all wrong.  I wanted to call her back and assure her that I was going back to my previous shade, but she didn’t leave her number.

Hopefully viewers won’t leave us once they see us in HD.  Our weather and traffic graphics will really be something to see, especially if you have a high definition television.  Stay tuned!

Now that your kids are getting back into the swing of school schedules and routines, it is important to pay attention to how they are maintaining good health. Kids need plenty of sleep, healthy breakfasts, balanced nutrition, and activity to make sure their health is staying on the right track. But when your kids head off to school and out-of-sight … it can be hard knowing if they are getting all these essentials.

Being proactive about the health of your kids is one way to make sure your kids are staying healthy. Just like you teach them the importance of cleaning their rooms, it is a good idea to teach them about the importance of eating healthy and being physically active. Check out some of these resources if you need help introducing nutrition, fitness, and overall wellness to your children.

Food Guide Pyramid

This is one of my favorite resources. The Food Guide Pyramid has been updated, and this site helps people actually create customized plans for their specific lifestyles.
www.mypyramid.gov

Here are some more nutrition resources that you can try out and introduce to your family:

www.mealsmatter.org
www.kidshealth.org
www.familyfun.com
www.feedourkidswell.com
www.nutritionexplorations.org

“Breakfast helps improve memory and positively affects the tasks that require the retention of
new information. Conversely, a hungry child can be apathetic, disinterested, and irritable when
confronted with difficult tasks. Breakfast is the key.”

From Breakfast and Learning in Children study done by the USDA in 1999.

A good breakfast is essential for better concentration and productivity in school. Here are some fun, non-cereal breakfast ideas you might want to try!

• banana dog (peanut butter, a banana, and raisins in a long whole-grain bun)
• breakfast taco (shredded cheese on a tortilla, folded in half and microwaved; top with salsa)
• country cottage cheese (apple butter mixed with cottage cheese)
• fruit and cream cheese sandwich (use strawberries or other fresh fruit)
• sandwich - grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, or another favorite
• leftovers (they’re not just for dinner anymore!)

Physical activity is becoming less accessible to children while in school, so here are some resources that will help your kids learn about activity and get excited about exercise!

www.marathonkids.org
www.kidfitnesstv.com
www.kidsfitnesscentral.com

If you are interested in getting more involved in helping your kids grow with a healthier generation, here are some resources that can get you started.

www.healthiergeneration.org
www.pe4life.org
www.aahperd.org
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth
www.actionforhealthykids.org