Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Just to bust the Thanksgiving myth and maybe help some of you with your next trivia game, no the tryptophan in turkey does not make you sleepy. Purified tryptophan is a mild sleep-inducing agent, but it does not function well as part of a meal. Eating foods containing it may cause blood levels of the amino acid to rise, but not enough will get to the brain to make you sleepy. Tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach and without any other amino acids or protein to make you sleepy. The fact is that soybeans even have a higher concentration of tryptophan than turkey does. Plain old overeating alone can make you sleepy. It takes lots of energy to digest a large meal. When your stomach is full, blood is directed away from your other organs, including your nervous system, to your digestive system. This will make you feel tired, especially if the meal was high in fats and carbohydrates. There are other reasons you will get tired after a Thanksgiving meal, but I will leave you to research that yourself.
I hope you all enjoy your meals. When your laying down to take your nap or snoozing at half-time, take a moment to think about what you are thankful for, even if it is just that you have a full stomach. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Movie Update

The outdoor movie was great! It started to rain and we thought we would have to cancel, but at the last minute it quit. About 80 people showed up and enjoyed the popcorn, drinks, and movie. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. If you attended it, I would love to hear your input.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF)

This is a really great website. Check out the RIF Reading Planet. Right now they are featuring the Reading Planet Powwow. There is a "Story Tent", "Food and Games Table", and "Dance Circle". November is National American Indian Heritage Month so check it out at http://www.rif.org . One section is for ages 0-5. The other is for ages 6-15. There are also a lot of interesting items for parents and educators.

The site is FREE and includes:

Reading Activity Calendars
Read Along Stories for Kids
Spanish-Language Resources
Literacy Games
Printable Parent Guides
Booklists
e-Cards
Web Resources
Activities
Lesson Plans
Seasonal Ideas

Family Fun Time - Outdoor Movie

The Auburndale Library will be hosting another FAMILY FUN TIME event. November 15th, we will be showing a movie outside!! Come enjoy free popcorn and drinks while you watch Beethoven's 4th outside. Bring your chairs and/or blankets. THE EVENT IS FREE SO BRING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY AND INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!! This movie is rated G so it is good for all ages. Let me know what you think of this event.

November Closures

We will be closed Nov. 12, 2007 in observance of Veteran's Day. We will also be closed Nov. 22nd and Nov. 23rd to celebrate Thanksgiving. I hope you all are able to enjoy the holidays!