On Halloween night, after our daughter spent nearly two hours trick-or-treating, we all recalled what a difference it was from last year--when she was felled by the flu. Although we had always gotten flu shots in the past, last year my daughter contracted H1N1 flu before any doses of that vaccine became available in our area. And missing out on Halloween fun was just one consequence; she was absent from school for a week, and I missed a lot of work caring for her. Thankfully, she recovered without developing pneumonia or any other serious complications. (Every year, the flu kills 24,000 to 36,000 people. Sobering, isn't it?)

This year, we all got vaccinated about two weeks ago and we're hoping for a flu-free season. I also had the opportunity, last week, to meet several of the scientists and engineers who help develop and manufacture vaccines for GSK, which left me more convinced than ever of the importance of immunization--for children and adults.

Along with several other science, health, and fitness bloggers, I was invited to tour a vaccine packaging facility in Marietta, Pennsylvania, as GSK's guest (the company paid for my travel and accommodations, plus a lunch from the plant's cafeteria). At this facility, vials or syringes of vaccine arrive from another plant. They've been created in a sterile environment, with as many as 500 (five hundred!) quality checks along the way. But just because they've already been checked, rechecked, and sealed in an airtight container, they are not yet ready for prime time. Read more...

This hot and heavily hyped Xbox add-on incorporates a camera, allowing users to interact with the game using movements and voice commands but no controller. Kinect goes on sale today, along with a slate of new games designed to be used with it. A sporty, exploring game called Kinect Adventures comes bundled with the Kinect.

See more suggestions for active toys for the whole family (plenty of non-video game, non-electronic options included!). And look for more holiday season picks every week in November and December.

_{Photo: Microsoft}

The American Council on Exercise released its predictions for 2011 fitness trends last week, based on a survey of its network of personal trainers, group fitness experts, health and fitness specialists, and lifestyle and weight management consultants. Here's what's on the horizon:

• Added wellness services: Gyms and fitness centers will offer related services, such as nutrition counseling, to their members.
• Stress reduction programs will incorporate fitness along with other strategies.
• Online motivational support through Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks will be popular.
• Youth fitness will get plenty of attention, "thanks to the national attention and focus on childhood obesity."

"We will see a continued trend toward working out with a buddy or within small groups for motivation, as well as continued interest in boot camp-style workouts, unique activity options like Zumba, TRX Suspension, and interval training," said ACE's chief science officer, Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D.

What are your fitness goals and plans for 2011? Or do you have any predictions about what the fitness future holds?

I am blessed with children who aren't particularly picky eaters, but I am still always trying to add more of the two V's (vegetables and variety) to their diet. Joining a CSA this year--and taking the kids to visit the farm we supported--helped a lot; they were more willing to try a new food if it came from "our" farm.

I also believe in the tried-and-true advice about getting kids involved in meal planning, shopping, and cooking. My daughter, for example, has appointed herself Frozen Pea Master Chef. She loves to make them (well, heat them up) and she'll only eat them if she makes them herself.

So we've tried a few kids' cookbooks along the way: Bean Appetit and the Fix-It and Forget-It Kids' Cookbook. If you have a favorite kids' cookbook, especially one that includes healthy recipes, I'd love to hear about it.

This post is my entry in the About Parenting blog carnival. This month's theme is kids in the kitchen!