November 2011 Ellis County Living Magazine

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A unique environment making a difference by providing beauty & well-being through education and personalized customer service.

A full-service spa and mini boutique specializing in hair, nails, skin, and bridal parties.

Call for Holiday Open House date and receive 20% off all merchandise and hair products during our Open House!

202 N Interstate 35 Service Rd. #B, Red Oak, Tx | 972-617-6300 Open Tues. through Sat., 8:00 a.m.

Gift Certificates Available For The Holidays!

TABLE OF CONTENTS 22

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS— THEY’LL BE HERE SOON!

2011 38

16

CHECK OUT THE LATEST IN LOCAL FASHION

Fashion: Worth the Wait 16 FASHION Winter Going Neutral: Peace on Earth 18

NOVEMBER DECEMBER HOME & GARDEN Giving Christmas Memories 46

November-December Plants 50

Holiday Glamour Gift Guide 18 Fall in Love with the Latest Hair Trend 20

HOLIDAY

PROFESSIONAL Pushing the Right Domino 52

Do it Yourself Christmas 22 Holiday Home Cooking 26 Lending a Helping Hand this Holiday Season 28 A Christmas Collection 30 Precious Christmas Treasures 32

LIFE & STYLE Marketplace 34

Holiday Memory Making and Stress Relieving Strategies 36 Austin City Limits 2011 38 Our Picks 40 Open Season 42 Give. Advocate. Volunteer. Live United. 44

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LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS 2011

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

Estate Planning Basics: Is a Revocable Trust Right for You? 54 A Distinguished Honor 58

MEDICAL Log On, Get Healthy 60

Get Your “Feel Good” Neurotransmitters Going 62 Diabetes Awareness 64 The Truth about TB 68 Healthy Holidays Ahead 70

Living

ELLIS COUNTY

MAGAZINE Volume 7 Issue 6

Cindy Camp PUBLISHER

Jennifer Kemp ART DIRECTOR

DEAR READERS, This is my favorite time of the year! Fall and winter are always filled with football, shopping and food, and I love it. We are in a cheery mood after bringing this issue to our readers. Kate has had a lot of fun making DIY projects and asking our readers to share with others their family traditions. In this issue you’ll also find recipes, reviews about the books we’re reading now and the requested column—Precious Christmas Memories—it’s a favorite with everyone.

Our staff wishes you the best Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. Here’s to 2012!

-Cindy Camp, publisher

Kate McClendon EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Pamela McCrory Patti Youngblood ADVERTISING

Susan Kosoris CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Meagan Camp ONLINE EDITOR

Tyler-Marie Evans INTERNS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Diane Johnson Collard Melinda Kocian Jacob A. Hale Mark Singleton Dr. Katherine Donaldson, Psy. D. Cindy Burch

Ellis County Living Magazine is published bi-monthly

by Ellis County Living Publications, Inc. using only environmentally friendly ink.

Copyright 2011, Ellis County Living Publications All rights reserved.

For advertising information, please contact Ellis County Living Magazine at 972.935.0938 or info@living-magazine.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! www.facebook.com/EllisCountyLiving twitter.com/ECLiving

Jennifer is the art director for Ellis County Living Magazine.

She has a perfectionist work ethic and works around the clock to make sure the magazine maintains its high design standard. While ad design and page design are two very different worlds, her charming and positive nature keeps the two sides of magazine production working well together. You can send questions or comments to Jennifer@living-magazine.com.

Kate is the editor of Ellis County Living Magazine. She grew up in Waxahachie and graduated from Baylor University as a journalism major and studio art minor. Kate loves all aspects of the writing and editing process and has writing experience for multiple mediums. If you have any ideas, questions or comments, send her an e-mail at Kate@living-magazine.com.

Pamela is a new resident of Waxahachie from the Corsicana area. She has an extensive background in sales and advertising and will be focusing on accounts in Waxahachie.

Pamela also runs a promotional advertising business, taking special care of each and every detail, and enjoys times spent with the ones she loves. Contact her at pamela@eclmedia.com.

Patti is our newest advertising representative and will be covering customers in and around Ennis. She grew up in Waxahachie and graduated from West Texas State University. Patti is a retired high school English teacher and loves to spend time with her family and friends. Contact her at patti@livingmagazine.com.

Susan is a University of Texas business school graduate with 25 years experience in business management, marketing and accounting. She has recently joined the staff of Living Magazine as the chief financial officer. Susan has three sons and enjoys volunteering, cooking, reading and traveling.

Contact her at accounting@eclmedia.com.

We are proud members of the Waxahachie, Ennis, Midlothian and Red Oak Chambers of Commerce.

No portion of Ellis County Living Magazine shall be reprinted in any other publication without permission.

The views expressed herein should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician.

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Guarantee you’ll receive Ellis County Living Magazine by subscribing today!

Go to www.living-magazine.com and click on “subscriptions.”

Staff photos by Marie Q Photography

AROUND TOWN EDITOR’S NOTE Fall is here (and so is the cooler weather!), winter is around the corner and the holidays will be here before you know it. We know it seems like it’s a bit early to start thinking about the holidays, but at least now we have a head start on our Christmas lists!

This season is always so busy with parties, events, ceremonies, childrens’ activities and so on. You may not have time to go out and pick Christmas cards or fancy wrapping paper for all your presents. We have the solution in our two pages of do-it-yourself cards and wrapping techniques that you can make using things you may have around your house.

There are also so many events going on in the area that we had to expand this page! You can find everything you need to know about holiday events in the next two pages, and be sure to check out some of the local stores listed on page 13 and support our downtown merchants.

Speaking of downtown merchants, this year we want to encourage everyone to try to shop for your Christmas gifts at local stores. Many have unique things you can’t get anywhere else, plus you get the benefit of helping your community. In this tough ecoonomy, every little bit helps.

Have a wonderful winter and holiday season and a bright start to the Newnew year!

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

WAXAHACHIE

www.waxahachiechamber.com

LORD’S ACRE SALE Everyone is invited to the Lord’s Acre Sale at the First United Methodist Church on Saturday, Nov. 5. The event begins at 9 a.m. with a silent auction, live music, kids’ activities, homemade treats and a craft sale.

A barbecue lunch will be served at noon, followed by a live auction with many unique items at 1 p.m. The church is located at 505 West Marvin.

HEART OF TEXAS ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW Get a head start on your holiday shopping at the Heart of Texas Arts & Crafts Show on Friday, Nov. 4 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center.

VETERANS’ WEEKEND From Friday, Nov. 11 through Saturday, Nov. 12, come to downtown Waxahachie to experience something of what life may have been like for a small town during WWII. The celebration begins on Friday night at College Street Pub for “Oktoberfest.” On Saturday there will be a veteran’s ceremony at the Civic Center at 10 a.m., a “chow line” downtown at noon, a “black market” vendor area along Rogers Street, a reenactment battle at 3 p.m. at the Train Deopt and Bridge and a USO variety show at the Texas Theater on Saturday night.

PRE-CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR Continue your early holiday shopping at Waxahachie Sunshine Committee’s fourth annual Pre-Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Waxahachie High School. All proceeds will benefit the high school’s Student in Need Fund.

TRADE DAYS OF WAXAHACHIE Come out Saturday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 13, from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. to shop for handmade arts and crafts, commerical items, gourmet food and much more. There will also be a special “Honor-

ing our Veterans and Active Duty Armed Services mMembers” event with a wall of honor picture display, support group and donation drive. Classic cars, trucks and cycles will also be on display that Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trade Days of Waxahachie is located at the Ellis County Expo Center and is free.

Please visit www.tradedaysofwaxahachie.com.

CANDLELIGHT HOME TOUR The 2011 Candlelight Home Tour begins the weekend of Nov. 25-27 and continues for the two following weekends. Come out to see beautiful new and historic homes decorated for the holidays. Tickets are $12 per weekend if purchased before Nov. 11, and $15 afterward.

COMMUNITY TREE LIGHTING Grab the family and stay out late Friday night, Nov. 25 for the Community Tree Lighting and extended downtown shopping hours. The ice skating rink will be open that day from noon to 10 p.m. and there will be train rides, a petting zoo and pony rides from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Santa will arrive at 7 p.m.

BETHLEHEM REVISITED This annual trip back in time will take place during the weekends of Dec. 2-4 and Dec. 9-11 from 6 to 9 p.m. behind the Central Presbyterian Church on College Street. Performances are repeated every 30 minutes and admission is free. Also, be sure to take a look at “The Supper Quilt” by Dr. Donald E. Locke, DDS, on display at the Central Presbyterian Church.

CHRISTMAS PARADE This year’s Christmas Parade will take place Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. The theme this year is, “Silver Bells... it’s Christmas Time in the City.”

CHRISTMAS MARKET AND GIFT SHOW The Waxahachie Junior Service League will be hosting their annual Christmas Market and Gift Show on CHRISTMAS MARKET AND GIFT SHOW The Waxahachie Junior Service League will be hosting their annual Christmas Market and Gift Show on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center. The market will feature more than 100 vendors selling unique gifts, clothes, jewelry, baby gifts, gourmet food, home décor and Christmas decorations. Admission is $5 for adults; children 10 and under are free.

MIDLOTHIAN

www.midlothianchamber.org

COOK OFF ON THE CREEK The second annual Cook Off on the Creek will take place Sunday, Nov. 6 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Aristide Event Center in Mansfield. Proceeds from the $10 donation at the gate will go to benefitting the construction of the Mansfield Cares/HIM Food Bank. The event will include live music, cook-offs, tastings, a washer tournament, kids games and more. Please bring canned foods or unwrapped toys to benefit the Mansfield Cares/ HIM Food Bank and the Mansfield Fire Department Toy Drive. For more information, visit www.aristideevents. com.

HOLIDAY LIGHT-UP PARADE On Monday, Dec. 5, the “Santa’s Workshop” Downtown Midlothian Christmas Holiday Light-Up Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Each float in the parade is required to have lights, so it should be a beautiful sight. Registration deadline for a float is Nov. 30. Visit the Midlothian Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

ENNIS

www.ennis-chamber.com

PARADE AND FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS Come out on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. to see the Parade of Lights, sponsored by the Ennis Chamber of Commerce. During the month of December, stroll brick streets for Holiday shopping the old-fashioned way—one store at a time. Storefronts will be decorated and lit up for the holiday season. You’re sure to find the perfect gift!

RED OAK

www.redoakareachamber.org

CHRISTMAS EVENT AND PARADE The Red Oak Parks & Recreation will be hosting the Annual Christmas Event and Parade on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Red Oak Municipal Center. Check the Chamber website for more information.

For all local events and updates on what is happening in our area, visit www.living-magazine.com and click on BLOG. Do you have an event that you want everyone to know about?

Send an e-mail to: EVENTS@LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM

FEATURED

MEMBERS OF THE WAXAHACHIE DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION:

GINGERBREAD ANTIQUE MALL

If you’re looking for antiques, you’ve come to the right place. Gingerbread Antique Mall is one of the oldest antique shops in downtown Waxahachie.

They offer quality Victorian antique furniture, fine glass, collectibles, candles, dishes, plates and art from local artists, as well as clothing and accessories, plus vintage jewelry. New and vintage collectible Feista dinnerware is available. This is a true antique store!

310 S. College Street

COLLEGE STREET PUB

I vote that the Pub has the “Best Outdoor Patio.” Enjoy the cooler weather and listen to local bands who usually take over the stage. On this occasion I had grilled salmon steak with a chili-inspired sweet sauce over a bed of white rice. Chef Carrie is using fresh ingredients and seasonal produce to enhance the standard fare. If you want a place to meet or need to host a catered affair, contact the fine folks at the Pub! 210 N. College Street 972.938.2062 collegestreetpub.com

CHECK IT OUT

Love decorating? Then this is the place to be. Check it Out offers a vast selection of the latest fabrics, trims, home accessories, blinds, shutters and custom window treatments. For the do-it-yourself person or those who can’t thread a needle, this team will be there to assist you.

212 S. Rogers Street 972.938.2403 checkitoutfabrics.net

DOVES NEST

Plan for plenty of time in your day to stroll through this beautiful shop. You’ll find everything from toys, children’s books, boys’ and girls’ clothing and nightgowns, to puzzles, sock monkeys, stuffed animals, blankets and bedding.

300 W. Jefferson Street 972.938.3683 dovesnestrestaurant.com

Boyce Feed & Grain Buffalo Creek Cowgirls Check It Out Fabrics Citizens National Bank College Street Printing College Street Pub Common Threads Quilt Shop Corner’s Art Gallery & Framing Crafty Scrapper Creative Laser Tattoo Removal Clinic Dan’s Maintenance Service Ellis County Art Association Ellis County Living Magazine Ellis County Museum Gifts, Etc. Gingerbread Antique Mall Glenn’s Warehouse Carpet Gran’s Antiques H&H Grocery & Deli KBEC 1390 Radio AM Klassy Klutter Martha Nell’s Clothes Tree Maxwell Jewelry Mosaic Madness NAPA Auto Parts/Marina Pool Supplies Old Town Village Antiques & Uniques Patrick Home Partnership Pearman Oil & LP Gas Pete & Re-Pete Plato Loco Restaurant Salon Friends The Gilded Lily Pad The Texas Theater The Dove’s Nest Antiques & Restaurant Tina Bohlman Gallery Tire Town TLC Event Rentals Waxahachie Daily Light Waxahachie NOW Whitley’s Philly Grille

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HOUNDSTOOTH COAT, Briarpatch, $149 JEANS, Briarpatch, $80 RED BRACELET, Turquoise Haven, $6 GRAY FLATS, Target, $24.99

VEST, Briarpatch, $49.95 RED SHIRT, Briarpatch, $34.95 NECKLACE, Buffalo Creek Cowgirls, $39.99 BRACELETS, Briarpatch, $42 each

FLORAL COAT, Briarpatch, $90 STUDDED BRACELET, Buffalo Creek Cowgirls, $26.99 SLEEVELESS DRESS, Buffalo Creek Cowgirls, $26.95 FLOWER EARRINGS, Maurice’s, $10

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LACE COAT, Briarpatch, $96 GREEN DRESS, Briarpatch, $32.95 RED CLUTCH, Belk, $21 BRACELETS, Briarpatch

BROWN JACKET, Briarpatch, $128.95 POLKA-DOT DRESS, Chic Boutique, $34.95 NECKLACE, Buffalo Creek Cowgirls, $14.95 BOOTS, Buffalo Creek Cowgirls, $236

GREEN SWEATER, Chic Boutique, $69.95 SILVER BEAD NECKLACE, Turquoise Haven, $22 BLACK JEGGINGS, Briarpatch, $49

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FASHION

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Earth tones are everywhere this winter. For a pop of color, pair your pieces up with bright, fun jewelry and accessories.

$35

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BUFFALO CREEK COWGIRLS

$34.95

BRIARPATCH

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$24

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BUFFALO CREEK COWGIRLS

BUFFALO CREEK COWGIRLS

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CHIC BOUTIQUE

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BRIARPATCH

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FASHION

BEAUTY

Holiday

GLAMOUR & GIFT GUIDE

BY AMBER THOMPSON

It’s the holiday season and that means there will be parties to attend and gifts to give. I want to help you look your best in no time, and give you tips for gift-giving in style.

DON’T SKIP MANICURES AND FACIALS. If anything, ramp up your routine and get those more frequently. It will make you make time for yourself to relax during the busy season. Biweekly appointments will ensure your skin and nails stay hydrated in the winter months, and you’ll always be ready for the party.

GET NO-FUSS GLAMOUR. On the runways, we are seeing hair pulled straight back in a low ponytail to show off glowing skin. This simple makeup routine should take less than 10 minutes: brush on foundation for a flawless complexion, and use crème blush for fresh, dewy cheeks. Choose an eye shadow one shade lighter than your skin tone and sweep from lid to brow. Add bronze, plum or shimmery black

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liquid eyeliner along the top lashes to make eyes pop. Most important are the brows—comb them and fill in with powder one shade lighter than your hair color. For example, if your hair is dark brown, use a light brown powder. Blondes should use taupe.

Lastly, finish the look with a matte rose or plum lipstick for a pout that will last all night.

GIVE THE GIFT OF SPA. The best gift for that person who has “everything” is the gift of relaxation and the wonderful part is it doesn’t clutter. Who really wants another collectible cookie jar anyway? A gift certificate for an aromatherapy massage or a purifying facial is sure to make any mother, wife or even husband feel special. You can even have a spa getaway with your daughter or significant other to make memories while spending quality time together.

BEAUTY-FULL STOCKING. Stuff stockings with at-home spa products and cosmetics, and the receiver will continue to feel

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shop loca l! pampered all year long. I like things such as ornate makeup mirrors, exfoliating gloves or luxury lotions.

Makeup items such as mascara or lip gloss are perfect additions. You can also include essential beauty tools like cotton puffs, wedge sponges and makeup brushes.

Gift certificates and stocking stuffers can easily be found at local shops in Ellis County. Remember to shop boutiques, spas and other small businesses this holiday season for personal service and unique treasures.

AMBER is an esthetician with more than 10 years experience in the beauty industry, including top Estee Lauder companies and Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas. She now manages and provides esthetic services at the Spa at Equinox, Preston Hollow. Amber also operates BLUSH Makeup Artistry, servicing brides and others in need of flawless makeup application. For an appointment, reach her at amber.thompson@equinox.com.

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FASHION

FALL IN LOVE WITH THE LATEST )?GP 5PCLB As early as the 1960s women were moving into the workplace and needed to adopt a more achievable style for a daytime look.

Many favored short back-combed hair styles that could be quickly styled and put in place with hairspray, softened with a long, feminine fringe. Younger women who left their hair long tended to wear it loose or a simple ponytail. Both hair and make-up were kept simple, the emphasis being on natural, healthy looks. Blonde was often the color to be and darker hair was often given highlights and the sun-kissed look by soaking strands of hair in lemon juice and sitting in the sun.

As the ‘70s rolled around the hairstyles gradually changed from free-falling curls, soft partings and long fringes. The “Charlie’s Angels” depicted everything the ‘70s should be. Even men became softer “feather” cuts and highlights with soft layers. Towards the end of the era through, hair statements changed from bronzed skin, glossy lips and tailored clothing, aiming for the soft feminine and romantic look to the shocking looks of the “punk” spiked hair, vivid hair colors, mohawks and tattoos.

The “age of the excess,” known as the ‘80s, saw less constraints and more freedom of choice in styles and trends. Women were no longer prepared to conform to a set image.

The long-bob was highly favored—precisely cut and evenly curled under, a good hairdresser was an essential part of a woman’s

life. The hairstyle highly reflected ‘control’, a busy work life, a hectic social life.

The ‘90s. The first thing that comes to my mind is “Friends” star “Jennifer Aniston” and the “Rachel cut.” Her hair was long and extremely sleek, with longer-length layers, “grown-out” fringe and framed highlights around her face. As the sleek look came in, the next looks right behind it were short, messy and blonde. What about Meg Ryan?

Messy hair was popular, whether it was very short or long, but the whole world had definitely gone blonde!

The 2000s, the “mash-up decade,” where the trends saw the fusion of previous styles.

This decade did not have one particular style but recycled the ‘60s-’80s, which was the common style for of the ‘90s. As the ‘90s turned into the early ‘00s, the polished look quickly faded. Going into the mid- and late-’00s were side-swept bangs like Justin Bieber and Rihanna, and No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani’s unique style, “Harajuku,” is what has inspired many to be their own.

And now, the newest 2011-2012 hair trend!

Flamboyage is an innovative color service that enhances reflection by spontaneously blending bright, saturated tones with a natural base, offering unpredicted creative freedom to the stylist. Flamboyage Meche was created by Angelo Seminara for Davines; Angelo is also the new Art director for Davines. Flamboyage Meche is exclu-

2011-2012 hair trend *(

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MISTY TEMPLETON STYLIST/OWNER, URBAN TRENDS SALON sive for Davines salons. Unlike other color accessories on the market (aluminum foil, etc), with the help of this new color tool, I can easily achieve chromic results that are unattainable when working free-handed along the length of the hair. Flamboyage also minimizes the re-growth effect.

As the local educator for Davines, I was able to work with a couple of Davines’ Artistic team members in Dallas, launching this newest collection from Davines. The inspiration behind the Flamboyance collection symbolizes elegant and feminine beauty, as well as a strong and bold personality. Davines wants to encourage people to take care of themselves, of the environment in which they live and work, and the things they love.

No matter what era we came from, style and fashion have been a varying standard of beauty and has changed over time; people’s perception of beauty has changed, too!

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all,” has also changed. Anything that we see as beautiful remains just that—beautiful.

MIsty Templeton is a native of Waxahachie who studied cosmetology at the Ogle School of Hair Design and apprenticed at an Aveda salon in the metroplex. In 2010 she opened Urban Trends Salon and her passion for great hair and for sharing her knowledge keeps her doing what she loves.

You can reach Misty at 972.923.9222.

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DIY

FASHION

DO IT YOURSELF THIS CHRISTMAS

Get creative and save money this holiday season by using your crafty ideas and skills to create homemade cards and wrappings that are sure to impress. If you have some basic supplies around your house and the time to spend, these projects will be fun and easy. Plus, you can also recruit your children to help with a few of these projects, making it a memorable time for all. Here are some simple and cute ideas for holiday cards and holiday presesnt wrapping.

Begin by choosing your color scheme. I used red, green, tan and

WREATH CARD

dark brown for a pretty traditional card. Pick out cardstock in your chosen colors.

Cut circles of various sizes out of the different colors of cardstock.

Outline a general area of where your wreath will go—make sure it’s close to symmetrical and not lopsided. Write lightly in pencil.

Pick circles at random, apply adhesive to the back and stick on the front of the card while following your pencil outline.

Keep adding circles until you get a full wreath with a ratio of colors and sizes of circles that you like.

Using a pencil, mark where you’d like the holes for your ribbon to thread through to go. I placed mine at the very top of the wreath, by you could put it toward the middle, at the bottom, on the side— whatever you’d like!

ADD TO IT: Grab a few sheets of metallic paper to mix in the circles; use a monochromatic color scheme; experiment with different ribbons.

Choose your color scheme. or theme. I made two different styles of cards—one with patterned Christmas-themed paper for a more scrapbook or cutesy look and one with different shades of green for a more simple and sophisticated look. Be sure to grab light brown carstock for the trunk and yellow cardstock for the star.

TREE CARD

Measure your trunk based on how much width you’d like it to cover and how long you’d like it to stretch.

Measure how wide you want the bottom row of your tree to be, then measure the height from the bottom of your last row up to the top. Divide that by how many separate lines you’re going to have, being sure to leave a little space in between each row.

Cut out all of your rows and line them up in the order you’d like them, all back to back.

Measure and mark the midpoint of the top row. Measure out the same amount of space on either side of the midpoint and mark those spots (so you’ll have a flat top).

Keeping all your rows lined up with their bottoms and tops up against each other, place your ruler from the very bottom right corner to your top right mark. Draw a diagonal line. Repeat with the left side.

Cut the rows along the diagonals at each end. Cut out your trunk as well.

Glue the trunk down in the center of the card. Beginning with the top row, glue each

row down, leaving a little space in between. (I didn’t measure the space between each one to make sure they were all the same. Sometimes things look better when they’re imperfect!)

Draw a small imperfect star on yellow cardstock, cut it out and glue it to the top of the tree, making sure to cover up the sharp corners of the trunk at th e top.

ADD TO IT: If you’re using solid colors, experiment with adding “ornaments” on your tree.

These can be rhinestones, sequins, dots cut out of colored paper...anything you want!

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SUPPLIES: Blank cards, various colors or patterns of cardstock, depending on your chosen color scheme, circle cutter (I use the EK Success circle scissor, but circle stencils in different sizes can work just as well if you have the patience to cut each circle out individually), glue stick or adhesive squares, single hole punch, ribbon of your choice.

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HOLIDAY

DIY CHRISTMAS

WRAPPIING

DIY YARN WRAPPIING

Choose the color scheme and pattern you want to appear on your present. Get yarn in those colors.

Wrap your box in butcher paper. Turn your package over and tape

on end of your yarn off to one side (one-quarter or one-third away from the end.)

After the end of the yarn is securely taped, turn the package over oand over as your yarn pulls from its skein.

For my gift, I chose to go with stripes of different widths done sym-

metrically. (I did 15 wraps with the outside greens, 10 with the reds and five with the innermost green.) If you’re switching colors, simply cut the yarn where you’d like to stop at the back and tape it down on the box. Then tape down the end of the next color and begin wrapping.

Keep eyeing your progress until you see that your yarn looks like it’s an equal distance from each side of the box.

During your final loop around wih the yarn, thread the end of your

yarn through the hole in a gift tag. (If you forget to do this until after you’ve taped your end of the yarn, just add one more loop of yarn with the gift tag on it.)

Tape down the end of your yarn.

ADD TO IT: Grab a few sheets of metallic paper to mix in the circles; use a monochromatic color scheme; experiment with different ribbons.

DIY CIRCLE WRAPPIING Choose the color scheme and pattern you want to appear on your present. Get yarn in those colors.

Wrap your box in butcher paper. Turn your package over and tape

on end of your yarn off to one side (one-quarter or one-third away from the end.)

After the end of the yarn is securely taped, turn the package over oand over as your yarn pulls from its skein.

For my gift, I chose to go with stripes of different widths done symmet-

rically. (I did 15 wraps with the outside greens, 10 with the reds and five with the innermost green.) If you’re switching colors, simply cut the yarn where you’d like to stop at the back and tape it down on the box. Then tape down the end of the next color and begin wrapping.

Keep eyeing your progress until you see that your yarn looks like it’s an equal distance from each side of the box.

During your final loop around wih the yarn, thread the end of your

yarn through the hole in a gift tag. (If you forget to do this until after you’ve taped your end of the yarn, just add one more loop of yarn with the gift tag on it.)

Tape down the end of your yarn.

ADD TO IT: Grab a few sheets of metallic paper to mix in the circles; use a monochromatic color scheme; experiment with different ribbons. *,

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SUPPLIES: The present you want to wrap in a box; butcher paper (light brown or white); yarn in the color scheme you’d like; scissors; tape.

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HOLIDAY

Holiday Home Cooking ’Tis the season for eating! The main food-driven holidays fall in the months of November and December. But, by now, you may be tired of fixing or eating the same old thing. Here’s a collection of some of our favorite recipes for the various events surrounding the holidays.

Wondering what to do with all that leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving? Here’s an easy way to make a delicious second meal out of the Thanksgiving staple.

STUFFED PORK CHOPS 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 4 center-cut pork chops 1 cup (approximately) chicken broth 1 onions, diced 1 cup apple cider 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon flour 1 tablespoon butter leftover Thanksgiving stuffing Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a medium-sized sauté pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss leftover stuffing with a tablespoon of chicken broth or water until the stuffing is softened. Use a paring knife to cut a pocket about 2 inches deep into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Season the inside and outside of the pork with salt and pepper. Stuff pork chop with stuffing and spear with toothpicks to secure the stuffing. When the oil is hot, almost smoking, add the pork. Brown on both sides, about 4 minutes each. Pull from

pan and set aside. Warm the other tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, let soften, and a pinch of salt.

Add the thyme and flour and let cook, about a minute. Add the apple cider and apple cider vinegar to the pan and bring to a boil. Place pork chops back into the pan and place pan on the center rack of the oven and let cook for about 12 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Remove the pork chops and let rest for 5 minutes. Bring the remaining liquid in the pan to a boil, then let reduce to create the sauce.

Add butter to finish.

-Recipe courtesy of Meagan Camp Smith

BEWELED ASPARAGUS 1/2 cup butter 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup sliced celery Juice of one lemon 1 2-ounce jar pimentos, drained 1 9-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and sliced 2 pounds fresh asparagus, cooked Melt butter in large skillet; add green bell pepper, celery and lemon juice. Saute until vegetables are tender. Stir in pimento and water chestnuts; remove from heat. Serve over hot asparagus. My oldest daughter insists we have this on Christmas Eve when we have prime rib and other tasty dishes.

-Recipe courtesy of Patti Youngblood

APPLE CIDER CRANBERRY SAUCE 2 cups apple cider 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 (12 ounce) bags fresh or frozen cranberries (I always use fresh)

In a saucepan, stir together the apple cider, white sugar, brown sugar, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and cranberries. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until most of the cranberries have popped. Continue cooking until the consistency is thick. My family loves for me to make extra as they like to use it as jam on on biscuits or hot yeast rolls even after the holidays are over!

-Recipe courtesy of Patti Youngblood

ICED PUMPKIN COOKIES 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture; and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

-Recipes courtesy of allrecipes.com

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HOLIDAY

LENDING A HELPING HAND THIS

HOLIDAY SEASON

BY TYLER-MARIE EVANS

Just thinking of Christmas (the beautifully wrapped presents, hot cocoa, Christmas music, etc.) brings joy to my heart. Yet, Christmas is not just the season of getting, but is also the season of giving. Santa Clause certainly doesn't have his elves making gifts just for him!

In keeping with the season of giving, here are some ideas to aid you in helping others this holiday season.

HELPING CHILDREN WITH SERIOUS ILLNESSES As a child, did you ever have that certain stuffed animal that brightened up your day? Maybe you regularly cuddled with a teddy bear that acted more like a companion than a toy. Well, this holiday season, the Starlight Foundation ("dedicated to improving the quality of life for children…with chronic and life threatening illnesses…by providing entertainment, education and family activities that help cope with the pain, fear and isolation of prolonged disease") is giving you an opportunity to brighten up an ill child's life. If you donate $25, Starlight will give that special gift of a stuffed animal (a Brighten-up Bear) to a diseased or ill child. Giving a child a teddy bear means much more than making a donation; it means giving a child a friend, to help him or her cope with life. For more ways to donate to the Starlight foundation, go to www.starlight.org/texas.

HELPING ANIMAL SHELTER PETS We should always be grateful to our animal shelters for taking in lonely or hungry animals. However, the animal shelter can't take care of these animals all by themselves; they are in need of some aid, especially with the frosty winter weather. A way to help your local animal shelter is to bring in extra blankets—a shivering kitty will be most appreciative—or maybe you can afford some spare pet food or treats to give to the precious animals. If this may not seem possible, then just stopping by to play with or pet one of the animals is still helpful. Adopting one of the pets is another way to help the animal shelter, but make sure that you are ready for the responsibility of adoption. So, as you find a way to lend a helping hand this holiday season, do not forget about the little critters. If you would like to learn of some more ways to help, you can reach the Ellis County SPCA at 972.935.0756.

HELPING THE ELDERLY Abraham Heschel said, “A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old…the affection and care for the he old... are the true gold mines of a culture.” The elderly of America have laid the foundation for our present ent generation, and the least we can do is make their holiday season full of joy. Picture yourself as one of the elderly. rly.

How would you like to be treated? Perhaps you would need some groceries, since you are on a fixed income. me.

Or maybe a gift basket full of bath supplies or Christmas treats is more your style. Do you like to talk? Maybe ybe a friendly talk with someone is all it takes to brighten up your day. If all these ideas sound delightful to you, how much more delightful will they be for a senior? You could probably think of many more ways to give too an elderly person during this holiday season and I encourage you to do so!

HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED OF FINANCIAL AID With America's economic condition, many families have members out of work, hindering the Christmas present process for their children. With this in mind, maybe you were thinking of simply give a family the gift of Christmas presents. So, why not partner with the radio station 94.9 KLTY to make this possible? Every day during the Christmas season, KLTY makes a Christmas wish come true, beginning the day after Thanksgiving to the end of December. Whether you want to give a family the gift of Christmas presents or are one of the families struggling, KLTY has made it possible to accept donations to provide for families. For more information concerning the KLTY Christmas Wish, go to www.klty.com/christmaswish.php.

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A Christmas Collection

HHOLIDAY

BY KATE MCCLENDON

One of the most whimsical items associated with the Christmas holiday is the nutcracker. The traditional styles you see now were orignally created in Germany in the late 18th and early 19th century, but have since spread in popularity around the world.

Their timelessness and popularity could have something to do with the nutcrackers background. According to German folklore, the nutcracker was a gift given to families to bring good luck and to protect the home. Their soldier dress represented power and strength while their bared teeth served to scare away evil spirits.

Original nutcrackers were created by artisans who were often very poor and struggled to provide for their family.

One speculation as to why they decided to create the figurines in the likenesses of kings and knights stemmed from the artisans’ resentment toward authority and its unwillingness to help those in poverty. Legend has it that artisans painted the nutcrackers to look like those in power as a way to buck their authority—the king would then be cracking nuts foor the poor instead of the poor continuing to serve the rich.

Nutcrackers became popular in America when soldiers stationed in Germany during World War II brought home handcrafted nutcrackers as gifts. After that, popularity in the nutcracker grew each Christmas when productions of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” ballet were performed.

As popularity expanded, styles of the nutcracker became more varied and weren’t solely kings, knights or soldiers. Nutcracker manufacturers began to include more novelty characters in their designs. Many people started collecting nutcrackers or giving them as gifts during the holidays. Susan Kosoris, a Waxahachie native, began collecting nutcrackers in the mid-1980s after taking two of her children to see the “Nutcracker Suite.” It then became a tradition for her three sons to receive a nutcracker each Christmas.

“I had a friend who collected something for her sons each year and I thought that was a good idea,” Susan said. She said she gave her sons the nutcrackers, even as they grew up and began to roll their eyes at the expected Christmas gift. Now it’s fun for them to go back and remember the years as they look at each of the nutcrackers. Susan displays her large collection in the center of her dining room table during Christmas meals or on a buffet at holiday parties.

So this year when you’re out looking for the perfect present, think about the nutcracker and its ability to bring good luck and protection and provide a whimsical holiday display.

Nutcrackers shown here are from the collection of Susan Kosoris.

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HOLIDAY

3UHFLRXV &KULVWPDV 7UHDVXUHV Many of us find a flood of memories coming back every time we get out the Christmas decorations each holiday season. We asked a few women in Ellis County what their most precious Christmas item in their home is. Here’s what they said...

LIZ GETZENDANER CUNLIFFE

My cousin, Vivian, had this Nativity scene made for me one Christmas. She hat the same one in her house and I always said how much I liked it. It’s made by an artist in Tyler named Shayne Freeman, who is a friend of my cousin. I set it out on the piano and when I look at it I think of Vivian.

CINDY KEMP This Santa was on the mantle of my home for my entire life. It was purchased at Neiman Marcus in the early ‘50s, I think. After my mother passed away, the Santa was passed down to me. It is still in the original box with my mother’s handwriting on the outside. The first year I had him, I put a little make up on his face to cover some flaws! When I looked at the box that first year and opened it up it, was like my mother was there beside me.

This Santa is so special to me because it is like a part of my mother is with us each Christmas season. Every year when I get him out of the box he gets a kiss—and a hug and kiss going back in!

PATTI YOUNGBLOOD These angel napkin rings are a Christmas item that stays out all year because they were made by a dear friend. Also, my dad always read “The Night before Christmas” from an ancient old book when I was a child, and my husband bought a pop-up version of The Night Before Christmas for our girls, and he always read to them from this book.

KATE MCCLENDON During the year I was born, my parents researched and found a line of ornaments that began that Christmas, made

by Christofle. They did this for my brother and sister as well so each of us would have an entire collection from the very beginning. After our collections reach 25 ornaments, it’s up to us to continue buying the ornaments if we want. I can’t imagine a Christmas without seeing what each year’s ornament looks like, so I’m still continuing to add to my collection.

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SUSAN KOSORIS I started collecting nutcrackers in the mid-’80s and gave one to each of my sons every Christmas. I love them as decorations during the holiday, but I also thought it would be neat for my sons so when they were grown they’d have collections for their families. I stopped collecting because I had so many, but they’re good en masse or lined up down the center of the dining room table—they make a pretty nice display.

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Marketplace PROMOTION

LIFE & STYLE

BLOOMS & MORE Offering a gorgeous selection of holiday rrangements and gifts.

301 N. Elm Street Waxahachie 972.937.3111 www.bloomsandmore.net

THE STUDIO Boulder turquoise and hand-made Native American sterling silver. Jewelry always 25% off everyday!

Hwy. 77 & Tracy Lane Waxahachie 972.617.7740

CHIC BOUTIQUE & GIFT EMPORIUM Gifts, accessories and clothes for sizes infant to women’s 4x.

1603 W. Ennis Ave. Ennis 972.875.6250

APPLE ANNIE’S GARDEN GATE FLORAL

DR. NANCY’S DAY SPA Offering Microdermabrasion & Facials

Gift Certificates Available.

A perfect gift for this HOLIDAY SEASON.

Dr. Nancy MacDonald, DC ESTHETICIAN 1014 Ferris Ave. #2155, WAXAHACHIE 972.415.4740 www.drnancysdayspa.com

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Custom floral arrangements in fresh or silk, gifts and much more! We offer Jim Shore figurines, GUND stuffed animals, Foundation’s Angels, custom crosses, WoodWick candles and Leanin’ Tree cards.

112 W. Knox St Ennis 972.878.6616

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HOLIDAY

HOLIDAY MEMORY MAKING

& Stress-Relieving Strategies

BY MELINDA HINES

The pressure to make every occasion picture perfect, especially Christmas, can be overwhelming. There are numerous ways to ease that stress, including trading the activities that you want to participate in for the ones you would rather skip and finding easier or cheaper ways to check everything off your to-do list. Plus, nothing gets you in the holiday spirit more than giving to others. As you and yours try something out of the box this year, don’t forget to honor the past and keep the focus on the true meaning of the season.

TIMELY TRADITION TACTICS • Let go of at least one holiday tradition that you and your family members no longer enjoy. Not only will you save time and possibly money, you will reduce your stress level.

• Visit a tree farm and pick out your tree as a family. They often have hot apple cider, hot chocolate and hayrides you can enjoy together, as well.

• Turn down one of the many party invitations you receive and spend the evening at home listening to Christmas music, watching a Christmas movie or snuggling in front of the fire.

GIVE THE GIFT OF TIME TOGETHER • Play your own family version of “The Amazing Race” and leave clues for

activities to participate in all over town or have a treasure hunt to find a special present.

• Travel with the family to see a beautiful display of lights, such as The Festival of Lights in Natchitoches, Louisiana, or put the kids in their PJs, grab some hot chocolate and drive around town.

• Enjoy the magic of ice skating downtown at the corner of South Rogers and Madison, across from City Hall, in Waxahachie.

The rink will be open weekends through December 28. The fee is $6 per person, which includes skate rental, and $1-off coupons are available at The Waxahachie Daily Light.

CELEBRATE THE TRUE MEANING OF THE HOLIDAYS • Move the Magi closer to the manger scene throughout the month and wait until Christmas morning to put baby Jesus in the manger, after you read the Christmas story in Luke 2 together. You can also have the kids put on a Christmas pageant for the grownups.

• Keep the focus on Christ by attending a Christmas Eve candlelight service or Christmas morning service as a family. Or have a birthday party for Jesus with your children and their friends. Have cake, let the children make the decorations and bring a toy or book to give to a needy child.

• Put a new, age-appropriate version of the Christmas story in your child’s stocking every year and read it together before you open gifts. For example, a board book is perfect for your newborn.

MAKE IT EASY (OR AT LEAST EASIER) • Turn up the Christmas music and do the gift wrapping, baking and decorating as

a family. The old theory that h t more hands make light work is true.

• Instead of signing individual greeting cards, write a letter and copy it on seasonal paper or have an amazing family photo turned into a Holiday greeting card.

• Trade babysitting with a friend to get all your holiday shopping done. It’s so much easier to get it all done without dragging the kids along and listening to them whine about all the things they want.

• Take the kids to grandma’s house or get a sitter and spend the day alone with your spouse. Tackle all the shopping at once and enjoy a nice meal in quiet without having to cut someone else’s food or referee a disagreement.

THINK ABOUT OTHERS • Adopt an Angel Tree child to represent each of your own children or a needy family and buy gifts for them. Pick them out at as a family and shop together, it will help all of you to realize how blessed you are.

• Wrap homemade cookies, candies or fruit in festive tissue paper, seasonal kitchen towels, gift bags or place on dollar-store plates or in tins. Deliver the goodies to homebound neighbors, nursing homes or those without friends or family in the area. If you are feeling really festive, sing Christmas carols, too!

• Don’t forget about the troops. Get a postage-paid box from the post office and fill it with goodies like beef jerky, hard candy, individual drink pouches to add to water, sunflower seeds, playing cards, DVDs and calling cards. Or you can go online at www.aafes.com and purchase a gift card that can be used in commissaries around the world. Send it to a loved one or your friend or co-worker’s son or daughter serving during this holiday season.

Melinda Hines is a wife, mom, author, speaker, teacher and proud Waxahachie resident. Her book, “Operation Mom: Winning the Mommy Wars,” is available on her website, www.melindahines.net, and at Hastings and Amazon.com. To get Melinda’s daily devotional, send her an e-mail at melindaahines@yahoo.com.

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////////////////////////// LIFE & STYLE

THIS YEAR MARKED THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL IN AUSTIN. WHEN THE FESTIVAL BEGAN IN 2002, IT WAS MAINLY A LOCAL-MUSIC FESTIVAL AND TWO-DAY TICKETS WERE SOLD FOR $40. THIS YEAR, THERE WERE 130 BANDS FROM AROUND THE WORLD PLAYING ON EIGHT STAGES SPREAD ACROSS ZILKER PARK. ABOUT 75,000 PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR EACH SOLD-OUT DAY, MANY OF THEM PAYING ABOUT $200 FOR A THREE-DAY PASS. AS YOU CAN TELL, THINGS HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED. Each year the festival runs smoother than the last, and this year was no different. Three-day pass holders exchanged their tickets for a fabric wristband that snapped together firmly and held up well through sweating, sleeping and showering—much better than the paper wristbands of the past. There were also wristband pickup locations stationed at various places around the city during the days before the festival, instead of only at the festival grounds.

Places around the park seemed to have virtually nonexistent wait lines, which was a nice surprise. At the entrances, scanners were installed to read your wristband as you waved your hand while you walked into the park, making things much faster. Food lines moved fast because food was prepared and packaged beforehand.

Bar lines were quick because of the amount of servers. Even the ATM lines, which always seemed to stretch very far, weren’t even an issue. This could be from the new addition of credit card machines at some of the bars around the grounds, something I think we all welcomed.

There was something else there we didn’t expect to see—Christian Bale.

Apparently he was at the festival filming a new movie directed by Terrence Malick. They wandered through the crowds with Bale occasionally stop-

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ping and looking depressed while Malick circled him, filming. During a few of the bands’ sets, you could see Bale and an actress standing backstage, sometimes dancing. I also heard rumors that he joined in and played bongos onstage with Fleet Foxes. It seems that no one really knows what they’re working on, but I’ll be curious to find out.

Organizers moved the festival up a few weeks to a mid-September weekend from an early-October date. Unfortunately, it was still early enough in the season for the Texas heat to make an impact, but there were brief bouts of rain periodically, which drew cheers from the crowd. During the weeks before the event, wildfires damaged hundreds of acres just a few miles away in Bastrop. But the staff was well prepared and precautions were taken to ensure that no incidents happened at the festival. Donations were taken from attendees and with a match from the festival, $35,000 was raised for victims of the wildfires.

Let’s get to the music. This year’s lineup was solid, as always. The main headliners were Kanye West and Coldplay on Friday night, Stevie Wonder and My Morning Jacket on Saturday night and Arcade Fire on Sunday night. We managed to catch a little bit of all the headliners’ sets and they didn’t disap-

point. Some of our favorites throughout the days included Cold War Kids, Bright Eyes, Santigold, Iron and Wine, Fitz and the Tantrums, TV on the Radio, Broken Social Scene, Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses, Elbow and Empire of the Sun. I think the band that blew us away the most was Empire of the Sun—an Australian group who puts on an over-the-top show, complete with dancers and costume changes, to complement their upbeat, danceable and easy-to-sing-along-to songs. With Arcade Fire going on immediately afterward, it was definitely a good way to close out the last day of the festival.

One piece of advice if you’re planning to attend next year—many bands play “aftershows” at clubs around the city each night. If there’s a band playing the festival, make sure you check the ACL website to see if they’re also playing another show for a more intimate crowd. This was the first year I didn’t check to see who was playing and I’m still regretting it.

As the event organizers continue to fine-tune the festival and book the acts that a range of people are interested in seeing, I think it will only keep getting better. If you want to get away for a weekend and see many of your favorite bands in one location, I suggest you buy your ticket now!

LIFE & STYLE

{OUR PICKS {

THE HUNGER GAMES Suzanne Collins Scholastic Press “The Hunger Games” is a young adult fantasy/science fiction novel featuring a female heroine, so it will automatically draw comparisons to “Twilight.”

However, Katniss, the main character, is a strong, independent teen who would never lie down in the woods and want to die because her boyfriend broke up with her. She’d probably bring her arrows and hunt for food for her mother and sister. This book drew me in immediately and keeps the intensity through all three books. The movie version of the first book comes out in March and I can’t wait!

-Kate McClendon

Paris” by an author who never disappoints, David McCullough.

McCullough follows a series of Americans who spend time in Paris in the mid-19th century, pursuing their dreams in the fields of art, medicine, writing and architecture. Their own endeavors are chronicled, as well as actual historical events simultaneously taking place. This book is different from similar stories because of the people featured: rather than more wellknown Americans who were in Paris, such as Thomas Jefferson and Gertrude Stein, lesserknown but still recognizable Americans in Paris are the stars. About two-thirds through, I have found the book interesting, provocative and insightful.

-Susan Kosoris

These are the books currently keeping our staff entertained. If you haven’t read these books yet, be sure to add them to your reading list!

novels. The other book was given to me by a dear friend to read as I explore my faith. It’s a great read for everyday living and the choices we make.

-Cindy Camp

THE HELP Kathryn Stockett Penguin Books I am re-reading “The Help.” I read it over a year ago while recuperating from knee surgery and after seeing the movie this summer, I had questions about characters, etc. So I’ve chosen to re-read this time (minus pain medicine for a new knee), and I am really focusing on character development, something a book always does better than a movie!

-Patti Youngblood

LIFE Keith Richards Back Bay Books

THE GREATER JOURNEY: AMERICANS IN PARIS David McCullough Simon & Schuster I am currently reading “The Greater Journey: Americans in

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I’m reading two books right now—”Life” by Keith Richards and “The Romance of Orthodoxy” by Homer F. Rogers. I’m not sure why I’m still reading “Life.” It’s a peek into the rock-and-roll life of the Rolling Stones. It was sitting on the side of my guest bed one night while I was visiting a friend so I started reading it. I like this book and I’m still reading it, again not sure why. I normally enjoy historical

novel, which was released in October. Daniel and his wife, Nicole, are dear friends and Waxahachie residents and to watch a dream become a reality for the both of them is truly exciting. “Forget Me Not” is an action-packed Christian fiction novel showcasing the battle between angels and demons and how it influences one man’s destiny. It will definitely be a must read, especially since Daniel is currently writing the sequel.

-Pamela McCrory

FORGET ME NOT: A WAYWARD INCLINATION Daniel Mansell Lighthouse Publications I am very excited to read Daniel Mansell’s first published

CLEOPATRA’S DAUGHTER Michelle Moran Broadway To scratch my historical fiction itch, I picked up the book “Cleopatra’s Daughter”. Moran is known for her ability to reconstruct the past with great detail and well constructed characters. This story is brought to life by Cleopatra’s Daughter, Selene, and her life after the fall of her kingdom, her new life in the Roman court, and all juicy stuff in between.

With the fascinating world of Ancient Rome, blended with a strong female character as the underdog, how could I pass it up? I am just about halfway through the book, but so far it is just what I hoped.

-Jennifer Kemp

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LIFE & STYLE

OPEN SEASON TRY A SIP Temperatures are cooling, holidays are coming and summer-style cocktails and crisp white wines have become a little out of season. It’s time to grab the corkscrew and open up some full-flavor and fullbodied red wines. Here are a few affordable wines we’ve received from across the country that we’ll be enjoying this winter.

Biltmore

Cupcake

Franciscan Estate

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

MALBEC $10.99

MERLOT $21

$14.99

TRAVEL & TASTE If you’re looking to do a little traveling this season, drive the short trip southwest to Fredericksburg and try some of the best wines Texas has to offer. Fredericksburg is home to nine wineries on the 290 highway that welcome visitors to tour their operations and taste their varietals. Many local companies offer tours of different lengths that visit many of the wineries on the outskirts of town. You can relax in a chauffered limo or limousine coach while you sip on a glass of wine you just purchased. If you book a trip, you must be sure to check out Pedernales Cellars and try the Tempranillo, Grape Creek Vineyards and taste the Merlot and Chisholm Trail Winery and try the Ghost Rider.

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LIFE & STYLE

BY KATE MCCLENDON We live in a beautiful county, filled with a diverse population and a rich history.

But there are a lot of people in our community that need help. There are also a lot of people working to provide that help. And there’s one organization striving to help everyone.

WHO THEY ARE

United Way of West Ellis County originally got its start in the 1950s as the Community Chest. Many community leaders decided to form one agency, consolidate fundraising efforts and support several local organizations in need. Eventually the Community Chest evolved into a United Way organization, part of United Way Worldwide. Though they belong to a much larger group, Casey Ballard, executive director, said United Way of West Ellis County is completely focused on the local community.

“Less than one penny of every dollar we raise goes to the United Way Worldwide organization,” Casey said.

“The rest of that money is spent here in

the community on agencies or our operational expenses. So when you see the big ads on Sunday when you’re watching football, they’re important for brand recognition but people should know that their money, when they’re giving it to us, is not paying for that.

It’s local. It’s going right back into their community.”

The main thing United Way of West Ellis County focuses on is improving the lives of people in need in our community. “The three key building blocks we use to do that are health, financial stability and education,” Casey said. “All of the agencies we partner with are working in one or more of those areas to improve the community in which we live.”

In 2011, United Way of West Ellis County partnered with 28 local agencies, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, CASA, Daniel’s Den Ministries, Ellis County Foster Parents Association, Hope Clinic, Manna House, Meals on Wheels, REACH Council for Prevention, Boys & Girls Club of Waxahachie, Waxahachie C.A.R.E. and others. They were able to award more than $325,000 to their partner agencies this year.

That money could not have been raised and given without the help of employers and their employees throughout the county.

“What we do is go out and talk to our area’s employers, mostly our largest employers, and talk to their employees about being a part of the campaign.

That generally takes place through payroll deductions. Employees gen-

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erally pledge either a dollar amount of each paycheck or a percentage amount of each paycheck to go toward the United Way,” Casey said.

“So, for the most part, people don’t miss it a lot. It’s a decision they make.

Our average gift is about $5 per paycheck, so people are maybe giving up that Starbucks or whatever it is to be able to participate.”

HOW THEY’VE HELPED

Through their generous giving, they’ve been able to help numerous people in need throughout the community. One such situation Casey remembers well involves the Daniel’s Den Ministry, a transitional housing shelter that allows people to live for six months to a year, pays their bills, helps them with childcare and transportation, and ensures they find a job and permanent housing. “They’re taught how to get their lives back together,” Casey said. “And so it’s things like that that are creating real, sustainable change in people’s lives. I think that’s important.”

A woman arrived at the shelter that was pregnant and had three other children. While she was there, they took care of her childcare, helped her find a job and provided transportation for her. When she left the shelter, she was able to pay the first five month’s rent in her new home up front because she’d been able to save that money during her time at Daniel’s Den. “And then about seven months later, she called and said she had a donation check she wanted to give back to that organization,” Casey said. “So she turned her life around for herself and for her children and then was able to come so far that she was actually paying it forward

to the community.”

To become a partner agency, organizations must be classified as a 501(c)(3), apply for funding and go through an interview process. Then the board of the United Way of West Ellis County spends several long hours deliberating over those organizations.

“We look very closely at how the money’s being spent,” Casey said. “We try to be very good stewards of the money we raise, we feel like we have a responsibility to the community and the people who are supporting us to make sure their money is being used in the most effective way possible.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you’d like to help the United Way of West Ellis County, Casey asks that you consider one of three options: give, volunteer and advocate. “If your organization where you work does not have a campaign, call me and we’ll see how we can get one started. If you can’t give but want to be a part of something, call me and we’ll find a volunteer opportunity for you. If you don’t have the ability to do either of those things, we ask that you just advocate on our behalf.”

By advocating on behalf of the United Way, you help them make the community aware of what exactly it is they are doing to take care of our local population.

“We’re partnering with organizations to make sure no one goes hungry, everyone has an opportunity to have shelter over their heads, our children have safe, productive places to go after school or during the summer, and our seniors are not being forgotten, they’re being taken care of through our Meals on Wheels program or through our Senior Citizens Center,” Casey said. “We’re just really working hard to take care of one another in our community.”

To get involved, visit WWW.WESTELLISCOUNTYUW.ORG or call 972.723.9280.

Sudoku is a logic-based number placement puzzle where the objective is to fill the 9x9 grid. Do you have to use arithmetic? No! Nothing has to add up to anything else. Instead, you solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Each column, each row and each of the nine 3x3 boxes should contain the digits from 1 to 9, only one time each (that is, exclusively).

Find the answers at www.living-magazine.com and click on the Sudoku link.

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HOME & GARDEN

GIVING CHRISTMAS MEMORIES The best part of Christmas for me is observing the memories.

With each ornament that hangs on the family tree, there is a memory. I love the handmade trinkets and ornaments that were made through the years by both my children and grandchildren.

Then there are those special ornaments that were given to me by long time friends. If trees could talk, mine would have so much to tell.

Ah yes. It makes my heart warm to remember circumstances that surrounded me when I acquired some of my oldest ornaments.

My very first Christmas tree was filled with ornaments given to me by a coworker who was replacing hers. I was 18 and in my first apartment. Those ornaments have weathered and cracked through the years, but I just have to have them on the tree. No matter how they look, they hold beautiful memories for me.

Shortly after giving birth to my first daughter, I took a part-time job working for Montgomery Ward through the holidays. After Christmas I started buying up clearance ornaments for $.10 each. Each week I bought a few more until they were all sold out.

I have enjoyed those ornaments every year since. They are rather rag-tag these days, but they

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remind me of a time when every dime was important and I was a struggling new mother and wife with big dreams.

In 1983 we moved to Texas. My daughters and I lived in a little rent house while my husband stayed in Illinois to sell our house.

We had very little furniture and less money. Christmas that year was like none we had ever experienced before. Everything was still in Illinois, so we had no decorations and no tree. Our tree that year was three-feet tall, without lights and the only ornaments we had were two dozen gray Christmas mice I found on a sale table and red ribbons. Those mice make me smile every year. It was a Christmas to remember. Our first in Texas.

Each year I receive Christmas cards from friends and family with photos. I have most of those photos in an album that is great fun to stroll through each year during the holidays. When I gather up all the cards after the holiday to either put them in a storage box or discard them, I place the new photos in the album. It is great fun to travel through the years of photos noting all of the changes and thinking of each person fondly.

Often it is good to share these

memories with our loved ones in the form of gifts. It is so hard to find gifts that are meaningful.

I have always wanted my gifts to have substance. Not in value, but in meaning. When my girls were younger I started buying limited-edition prints of an artist that we all loved. I wanted my daughters to have something that could potentially have value at some point, but most of all I wanted them to have something meaningful that would last a lifetime. We have all enjoyed those framed prints for many years. Hopefully, my greatgranddaughters will enjoy them as much as we have.

As I get older I realize there are things in boxes in my drawers and on shelves that have no value to anyone but me, mostly because no one else knows what they are. If I were to die today, most of it would be thrown away as useless trash. That is why I have started thinking of ways to gift some of those things to my children so they know why they have meaning.

DIANE JOHNSON COLLARD Diane has been decorating Ellis County for more than 20 years. Contact Diane Johnson Interiors at 972.935.8899 or djohnsoninteriors@ hotmail.com.

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HOME & GARDEN

When I was a little girl we always went back to Georgia for our summer vacation to see our grandparents.

Once we arrived and settled in after that long 20-hour drive through the mountains, my grandfather would ask if we had all passed our classes in school that year. Knowing what was coming next, we, with great excitement, would all proudly say yes. With that, we were each presented with a silver dollar. That was huge for us. Of course, we could never spend them, but they were ours.

Mother saved those silver dollars for us each year. No matter how poor we were or how much she needed that money, it was not going to be spent.

When I was a teenager, Mother gave me five of my silver dollars. Some of them had disappeared from her hiding place, so she wanted to make sure I received my share.

I carried those silver dollars from house to house, town to town, state to state for my entire life in a little white box.

In cleaning out a drawer, I ran across them last year. As I was remembering my grandfather and the joy he gave to us, I realized that my children would have no idea what they were or why they had any value. I decided right then to make sure those silver dollars would not go unnoticed. I went to the jewelry store and had them made into pendants.

I have three daughters so I decided to give one to each of them and to my two older grandchildren. When we held our family gift exchange I was

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anxious to see if my gift was a hit or a miss. When they opened the boxes they looked a little puzzled, but then I shared the story with each of them.

All of a sudden, those gifts had great meaning. They loved them. I was thrilled, because my grandfather’s gift to me was passed on to my grandchildren and my children. Those silver dollars may or may not have any monetary value after all these years, but they are priceless to me.

With technology being what it is today, it is becoming harder and harder to save memories and find meaningful gifts to share. Photos are all on a disc or in a computer. You can’t touch them.

You can’t hold them. You can’t run your hand across someone’s face who has been long dead.

Christmas cards are going by the wayside, too. Now cards are sent via e-mail or on Facebook. Part of the Christmas joy in years past was to get the daily mail and look at all the cards sent by loved ones in other states or even down the road. All of those cards would be displayed with great pride in a prominent place. Today, we get a few cards from out-of-town family, but times have changed. Now they, too, are part of our Christmas memories.

Those old cards can make interesting gifts for family members. Cards your children made for you when they were little or cards sent to them by their grandparents when they were young are wonderful, meaningful gifts. Whether you frame the card or present it in a special box, give someone a special memory this year.

There is no price tag on precious memories. Share yours with those who love you. Don’t struggle with buying something that will be thrown into a drawer or tossed aside. Give them something that touches their hearts.

Give them a memory from their past or yours. They will remember it forever and pass it on.

Merry Christmas and may God Bless you richly in the year to come.

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HOME & GARDEN

DECEMBER PLANTING

Freezing Fresh Fruit By Melinda Kocian 6-8 cups fresh fruit 1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon Fruit-Fresh per 4 cups fruit Wash, peel and slice, chop or grate fresh fruit (depending on what you are going to make), into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and

Fruit-Fresh (keeps fruit from turning brown); mix well. More sugar may be necessary for your specific recipe.

Put fruit in a resealable freezer bag.

For easier storing, lay sealed bag flat on a cookie sheet, place in freezer.

This works especially well if you are freezing a lot of fruit; several bags will fit on one cookie sheet. Once frozen, the bags will stack well.

NOVEMBER PLANTING

• This is the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. They will use less water to establish.

• Consider the size of the plant—especially trees—at maturity. Allow plenty of distance from property lines and structures.

• Dig a hole two to four times the diameter and one-inch shallower than the root ball.

It is not necessary to amend the soil in the planting hole.

Back fill with the existing soil only.

• Plant the spring-flowering bulbs that you ordered soon after they arrive. Wait until December to plant tulips and hyacinths—they need six to eight weeks of chilling time.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING

• Feed vegetables that you are growing now.

• Feed winter annuals growing in the ground with a regular lawn fertilizer. Use a watersoluble plant food for containers each time you water.

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GARDEN WATCH

• Caterpillars like to feast on some cool-season annuals.

If they are a problem, pick them off by hand and move them to another location.

A spray containing Bt (Bacillis thuringiensis) can be used; however, it kills all caterpillars including butterfly caterpillars.

• Check potted plants growing outside for insects and spray, if needed, before bringing them indoors.

• Look out for scale on cast iron plants and others. Use a horticultural oil to control.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Use a mower with an attached bag to collect leaves from the lawn; then, empty the bagged leaves into the compost pile.

• Order seeds you intend to plant later to obtain the varieties you want.

• Sharpen pruning shears and any other tools as needed.

• Remove the tops of herbaceous perennials after they have died back.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2011

• Decide what trees and shrubs need to be moved to another part of the landscape. They may need more afternoon shade, more sun, or they may have grown too large for the area where they were planted. Wait until January to transplant.

• Plant pre-chilled tulip and hyacinth bulbs promptly after removing them from the refrigerator. Other springflowering bulbs can also be planted.

• Plant berry-producing trees and shrubs to attract birds to your landscape and for winter color. Some good choices are: possumhaw holly, yaupon holly, Carolina buckthorn, rusty blackhaw viburnum, American beautyberry, coralberry, mahonias and junipers.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING • Do not top crape myrtles or the central leader of any shade tree.

• Apply a root stimulator such as liquid seaweed or a highphosphate fertilizer to newly planted trees and shrubs.

• Be careful not to over water

winter annuals.

GARDEN WATCH • Protect tender vegetation from the cold with a lightweight freeze cloth which is available at most nurseries and garden centers.

• Continue to water lawns and newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials if rainfall is insufficient.

• Remove hoses from faucets to avert freeze damage inside your house.

ODDS AND ENDS • The dormant season is a good time to plan what plants to include or eliminate in your garden and what landscape changes you want to make for the coming year.

• Create a wildlife-friendly landscape that attracts birds, bees and butterflies, as well as other creatures, by planting a diversity of Texas native and adapted trees, shrubs and perennials.

• Choose among an array of draught-tolerant, sustainable plants and those with EarthKind and Texas Superstar designations.

Pecan Pie By Judy Durham 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup dark or light corn syrup 3 eggs 1/2 cup butter or oleo 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 cup coarsely chopped pecans 1 unbaked pie shell In saucepan combine sugar, salt and corn syrup; simmer

until sugar dissolves. Meanwhile, beat eggs until foamy. Stir butter, vanilla and pecans into syrup; slowly add eggs. Turn into an unbaked pie shell. Bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees. I sometimes put 1 cup of chocolate chips on the top of the unbaked pie shell before adding filling.

Note: Recipe from LBJ Ranch in Johnson City, Texas.

Residential Service Providers

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PROFESSIONAL

PUSHING

THE RIGHT

DOMINO Sometime in most of our youths we lined up dominoes, pushed the first one and watched as the next one and the next one toppled over into the other one. Bored with only one row of dominoes (or bones as the adults used to call them), we would line up offshooting limbs like a tree to see if the force could topple all the dominoes even if they were in multiple rows.

Each of the dominoes had dots, and as I pushed that first domino and watched others fall in succession, I would see if the dots lined up as they fell. Little did I know that later in life I would see some relevance in the game I had played. Now I use terms in businesses such as connecting-the-dots, or a program of interrelated parts having bones, or even the name of my game: The Domino Effect.

As an example of how my childhood game has relevance today, picture that in any city, each row of dominoes is an essential element making up the bones of the community: business, religion, schooling, household income, ethnicity, lifestyle, etc. How those dots connect often makes the difference in a winning combination of elements that drives a community to successful growth.

The goal to our vision in creating an effective economic development model is to push one domino that begins a chain reaction of meeting goals in each of the other elements.

That action drives our cities’ positive growth.

So in the rows or bones of the communities making up Ellis County, which of the tiles is the correct one to push so all the rest drop into place? I believe, without question, it is education. Every row, every dot, every bone is linked directly to education.

How does concentrating on education positively affect all of the other platforms that make up the city in which we live? Let’s take common drivers in a market place, those distinctive characteristics which collectively form the threads to make up the tapestry of a community. Start with housing.

In 2010, the median value of an owner household in Waxahachie was $142,777, and in Midlothian it was $191,576. It could be easily argued that homeowners with children want to live in a city that has the highest rankings from TAKS scores.

Students passing TAKS in Midlothian: 87 percent. In Waxahachie: 79 percent.

percent are without jobs who only have a high school diploma, and 7.8 percent are looking for employment who have some college under their belt. Those with at least a bachelor’s degree have an unemployment rate of 4.3 percent. Only 17.1 percent of Ellis County residents have a college degree.

The median 2010 household income in Red Oak was $63,273 compared to the city it borders, Lancaster, at $56,138. Students passing TAKS in Red Oak: 76 percent. In Lancaster: 52 percent.

Everything improves if the first domino to be pushed is related to learning. A bettereducated populace attracts higher-paying companies, which stimulates the local economy, which directly affects everything from more dollars in church collection baskets to better retail stores. Education is the ultimate cause and effect.

When economic development leaders talk with prospective companies considering a move to the prospecting group’s respective community, one of the first set of questions is focused on education. What is the quality of your pre-K – 12 school system? How many students who graduate go on to higher education? Does your community have a junior college or four-year institution?

What sort of educated population can be tapped by the prospective new company?

Education is a major factor in corporate relocation decisions.

Hospitals need doctors and trained professionals in the health services field.

The complexities of today’s financial markets need well educated people who are involved in banking, finance and supporting fields. Government management now requires advanced degrees. It’s a whole new world out there connected by instant communications. There is no place to hide.

Education should not be just a primary goal; it should be THE HIGHEST priority. Our unstable economic environment with a 9.1 percent (August 2011) unemployment rate is a perfect example. On the surface it is misleading; underneath it is frightening.

The total unemployment rate of 9.1 percent is a cumulative number. In actuality, it represents a 13.9 percent unemployment rate among high school drop outs; 9.5

I am so convinced that education is the lead dot from which all the other points in a community should connect that I put money where my mouth is. In the past year, CNB of Texas contributed more than $300,000 to education-related programs.

Since 1952, we have awarded more than $4 million in college scholarships. Our employees collectively volunteer more than 15,000 hours each year, primarily in benefiting education, and recently we were honored as the best independent bank in Texas for community service.

Your contribution can be as simple as volunteering a couple of hours each week to education. You can be active in the PTO, mentor students, sponsor educational programs through your company or do pro bono work with libraries. There are so many ways in which you can touch young people’s lives and impact their potential through education.

Our future is similar to a line of dominoes.

If that first domino in the row is a sound education, then, when you set it in motion, all the rest of the dots fall into place. And if you love your community and want the best for our children and future, you will always push for better education.

BY MARK SINGLETON / PRESIDENT & CEO / CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK OF TEXAS

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PROFESSIONAL

ESTATE PLANNING BASICS: Is a Revocable Trust Right for You?

BY JACOB A. HALE / THE HALE LAW FIRM

“Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all, all shall die.” Sadly, Shakespeare provides no guidance on how to plan for this certainty.

A well-planned estate is one that accumulates and secures the greatest benefit to the taxpayer and to his beneficiaries. Your estate plan answers the timeless questions of “who gets my baseball cards” and “is it really wise to give Maxine the means to buy cigarettes for life?” But your estate plan dictates much more than who gets what. It can also determine when your property is distributed, how it may be used and who has the authority to manage the property on your behalf. Your estate plan can solve tax problems, anticipate disabilities and even focus on the ambitions of your grandchildren.

The two most common estate planning instruments are the last will and testament and the revocable living trust. Barring exorbitant wealth or complicated property issues, most estates will require nothing more sophisticated than the simple will or trust. But which is right for you?

A will is a document by which a person directs his estate to be distributed upon his death. A trust, on the other hand, is an agreement under which assets are held and managed by one person for the benefit of another. Trusts can be further divided into revocable and irrevocable varieties.

The revocable trust has unparalleled flexibility for passing down property. The purposes for which these trusts can be created are as unlimited as the imaginations

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of those who create them. A well-drafted trust not only spells out which beneficiaries will share in the estate, but upon what conditions these funds are doled out.

Prudently chosen trustees can be given extraordinarily wide or strictly defined discretion to make distributions of trust property after the grantor’s death. This “dead hand” control of trust property can be very appealing to an individual with unwise or inexperienced beneficiaries. Dispositions under a will, though, do not go into effect until the will is probated and can be defeated by the family’s failure or refusal to probate the will.

Privacy is another popular feature of the revocable trust. A probated will is filed with the county clerk and is a matter of public record, while trust distributions can be handled confidentially. However, Texas courts now have the authority to waive the requirement to file an inventory of probate assets under certain circumstances.

A funded revocable living trust can also avoid the necessity for guardianship should the grantor later become incapacitated. The grantor can incorporate specific instructions to the trustee detailing how trust property should be invested and distributed when the grantor can no longer make those decisions himself. However, even with a trust in place, it is important to appoint a power of attorney to act as an agent on your behalf.

While the revocable trust is an extraordinary legal concept when used for the right reasons, its benefits are often over-stated.

Revocable trusts are subject to essentially the same tax consequences as traditional wills. The creation and funding of a revocable trust is not a taxable event because of the retained power of revocation. The Internal Revenue Code treats the grantor as the owner of the trust property for as long as he lives, and the assets are included in his gross estate for transfer tax purposes upon his death. Consequently,

tax considerations are generally not good reasons to implement revocable trust planning.

Similarly, because the grantor has the authority to withdraw property from a revocable trust at any time, most of the assets transferred into the trust remain within the reach of creditors.

Over the past twenty years, revocable trusts have been promoted with the primary purpose of avoiding probate. The theory is that fully funding a revocable trust would obviate the need for probate inventories, annual accountings, court appointed appraisals and other fees and inconveniences associated with dependent probate administration.

However, Texas law has made avoiding probate an afterthought. The Texas Probate Code gives us the option of independent administration, which allows the executor of a will to distribute estate property in much the same way a trustee administers a trust. Moreover, if there are no debts other than those secured by real property, the will can be probated as a muniment of title, thereby avoiding administration altogether. Accordingly, the question becomes whether the projected reduction in future probate expense is offset by the immediate costs of creating, funding and administering the trust.

A visit to an estate planning attorney can help you consider the value of your estate, the character of your property, the needs and experience of your beneficiaries and ultimately whether a will or revocable trust is right for you.

Jacob A. Hale is an elder law and estate planning attorney at The Hale Law Firm, P.C. in Waxahachie. To learn more about this topic, please visit www.TheHaleLawFirm. com or send an e-mail to the author at Jacob@TheHaleLawFirm.com.

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PROFESSIONAL

A DISTINGUISHED HONOR

BY KATE MCCLENDON On Oct. 14, Harold Adams, a Palmer native and graduate of Texas A&M University, was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award at a black-tie event in College Station.

The award is the highest honor given to a former student of the university and has only been awarded to 204 individuals who made significant contributions to their professions, the university and their communities.

While growing up in Palmer, Adams, the son of the town’s barber at the time, loved working on artistic projects.

HAROLD L.

ADAMS

“I always liked to build things as a little boy and draw,” Adams said. “I started telling people at 9 or 10 that I was going to be an architect.”

Adams made that decision after reading a series in “Readers’ Digest” about various careers. The dean of architecture at MIT, whom Adams later met in person, wrote an article about architecture and what it’s like to be an architect that peaked Adams’ interest.

As a student at Palmer High School, a small school with only seven graduates in Adams’ class, students were required to take all the courses the school offered and participate in all extracurricular activities, including debate and drama. All of this involvement in a variety of areas led Adams to continue excelling in school at Texas A&M University.

Adams graduated in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural design. While at A&M, he received the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for Outstanding Service to the School of Architecture and was active with the Student Conference on National Affairs.

Right after graduating from A&M, Adams moved to Washington D.C. and worked

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with John Carl Warnecke and Associates.

Warnecke was a favorite architect of the Kennedys and Adams was his main man in Washington. Adams met Mrs. Kennedy three months after graduating.

“I had been active on the A&M campus during the election. It was my first time to vote and I was excited to vote and vote for someone who won,” Adams said.” It was a dream come true to meet them and work on projects right there for them. I was a bit overwhelmed.”

About two years into the job, the president asked Adams’ firm to do a quick study of possible sites for his future presidential library in Boston. They only had five days to research five or six different sites, photograph the sites and do sketches.

President Kennedy told them that the government was at their service and could provide them whatever they needed.

Adams’ team worked day and night and Adams called on one department that had printing capabilities and a photo lab. Adams kept the staff of that office up and working for two nights on the library project.

On the morning of the presentation, President Kennedy walked around the room, talking to everyone. He came up to greet Warnecke, who asked if the president remembered Adams. Adams recalled that President Kennedy said, “Oh, I know all about Mr. Adams. He was the first person since Dean Acheson to get government employees to work all night.”

“He had a personal touch,” Adams said about President Kennedy. “He made you feel very comfortable.”

Adams later worked closely with Mrs. Kennedy, but this time as project director

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PROFESSIONAL HAROLD ADAMS’ former boss, JOHN CARL WARNECKE, shows JACQUELINE KENNEDY a model of a project his firm was planning.

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS • One of the first Americans to hold a “first class Kenchikushi” (architecture) license, awarded by Japan’s Ministry of Construction • Licensed architect in the United Kingdom • Served as chancellor of the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows from 1997 to 1998; founded and chaired the AIA’s Large Firm Round Table for 17 years; received its Kemper Medal in 1997 • Member of the Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students Century Club, the Dean’s Advisory Council of the College of Architecture and the Professional Advisory Board of the Department of Architecture • Chairman of the A&M College of Architecture’s One Spirit One Vision capital campaign • Selected as Outstanding Alumnus of the College of Architecture in 1998 • Chairman of the Board of Regents of the American Architectural Foundation; chairman and trustee of the National Building Museum; chairman of the Governor’s International Advisory Council • Previously served as chairman of the board of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, chairman of the Design-Build Institute of America, and commissioner of the Maryland Economic Development Commission • Founded and has served for 20 years as chairman of the board of the World Trade Center Institute

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for the Kennedy eternal flame gravesite memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1967, Adams joined RTKL Associates in Baltimore. He became president in 1969, CEO in 1971 and chairman of the board in 1987. When Adams began working at RTKL, the firm had a staff of 45. When he retired in 1994, the firm had 1,500 employees, 12 offices globally and was the fifth largest architecture firm in the world.

His most recent project, the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, is a 580,000-square foot underground facility completed about two years ago. It was the largest addition to the U.S. Capitol in more than 100 years and is almost as large as the Capitol itself.

flight heading to Grand Cayman, where he would meet up with his family for vacation.

The airport was crowded and he dodged through a crowd of people with clipboards who appeared to be giving surveys to people at the airport.

One of the men giving the survey recognized him and caught up with him. As Adams was hurrying to his gate, the man led him around a corner and into a group of eight people, including a man with a video camera, one with a still camera and a member of the Ross Volunteers, the honor guard at A&M. The Ross Volunteer read a proclamation on behalf of the president saying that Adams had been selected to receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Since retirement, Adams hasn’t stopped to take a break. Currently, Adams serves on the boards of four companies located across the country. He also serves as the chairman of the not-for-profit World Trade Center Institute, a State of Maryland organization that helps smaller companies learn to work globally. He also gives lectures at A&M for a week twice a year, has established three professorships and a scholarship for students who major in architecture.

“I was very near tears, and I normally don’t tear up, but I was about to cry,” Adams said.

“I was very overwhelmed. I kept thinking that I wished my mother and father could be there.”

This involvement, paired with his impact and success in the field of architecture, led Adams to receive one of Texas A&M’s highest honors. But A&M doesn’t recognize their distinguished alumni quietly.

Though Adams currently lives in Baltimore, he returns to his hometown of Palmer as often as possible. He recently attended his high school reunion at Jenny’s Café, and caught up with the three other living alumni.

This past spring, Adams was rushing through the Houston airport to catch a

When Adams arrived in Grand Cayman, his wife, Janice, four children and 11 grandchildren were there to greet him. His grandchildren held up signs with individual letters that spelled out “#1 Aggie” as the rest of the family cheered.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Harold Adams, a very distinguished Ellis County native.

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LOG GET

ON

HEALTHY Since becoming one of the world’s most popular and powerful tools in the mid90s, various pundits have hailed the Internet as a force for good, while others have dubbed it as a clearinghouse for disinformation. When it comes to finding accurate health information online, according to family practice physician Katie Vick, MD, it’s more like—as the saying goes—a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re going to get. Dr. Vick is a member of the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie.

“Many people don’t know how to find good health information online,” explains Dr. Vick. “They think they can just use a search engine and type in their symptoms and find accurate advice. The problem is that doing that could take them to a blog or a page that’s not written by a physician or anyone with credentials.”

In spite of all the misleading information out there, the Internet can be a boon to both physicians and patients. Many physicians pressed for time are unable to fully educate patients on the ins and outs of their condition. Referring patients to a reputable site not only can save time, but may actually have more comprehensive information than a physician’s office. Additionally, it can be a source a patient can turn to if they are unable to reach their physician–for example, after hours or on

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weekends.

“I tell my patients to go to sites supported by professional organizations for information, like the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology,” says Dr. Vick. “Those sites are typically trustworthy and may have external links to other sites that they have vetted.”

She also points patients to the sites of reputable health care providers and government sites like the Centers for Disease Control.

The most important thing to keep in mind when surfing for medical resources, according to Dr. Vick, is that online advice is not a substitute for a physician.

“If you’re considering starting a new treatment or medication based on something you’ve read on the web, you shouldn’t without first consulting your doctor. Even natural remedies that many people think are harmless can have serious side effects or drug interactions.”

Health Care System is helping patients and the public harness advanced online capabilities through its newly redesigned www.BaylorHealth.com website.

“We’ve made some significant changes to the site. We’ve updated our health encyclopedia and added several health quizzes that we haven’t had in the past,” says Patty Reupke, director of consumer relationship marketing for Baylor. In fact, she says the site now offers nearly 250 health quizzes and is in the process of adding 13 health risk assessments and 29 interactive calculators.

However, it’s not just that there’s more risk assessments. There is additional functionality as well. For example, depending on user results of a particular assessment, a list of recommended physicians will appear upon completion. So a user who takes the heart and vascular risk assessment will be able to view a list of cardiovascular specialists based on their answers.

TOOLS TO KEEP YOU IN TIPTOP SHAPE

“We also have a more extensive wellness library, which includes information on herbs, vitamins and supplements, as well as nutrition facts, recipes and prevention guidelines,” says Reupke.

The world wide web is becoming increasingly interactive, which in turn, has made it an even more prolific way for people to manage their health. Baylor

Overall, the site is more wellness oriented. New content centers have been added that provide a detailed focus on

various health issues, such as back and neck care, fitness and asthma.

“It’s a much more user-friendly site than what we rolled out even three years ago— the last time we refreshed the site,” says Reupke.

SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS KEEP YOU CONNECTED WITH BAYLOR Like other major health care systems, Baylor now has a Facebook page where followers may regularly check in and comment on Baylor events and news stories.

To friend Baylor Health Care System, just click on the Facebook icon at www.BaylorHealth.com. Right alongside that icon, you’ll find Twitter and YouTube links where you can also keep track of Baylor’s many events.

If you want to follow a health care blog, try at http://sammonssays.baylorhealth.com, Baylor’s cancer blog. Here you may follow blog posts about recent studies with comments by physicians along with some personal stories about how cancer has affected peoples’ lives. A recent post discussed how to talk to your kids about cancer.

For the news junkies, Baylor’s newsroom serves as another resource for informational videos called, “Ask the Expert,” recent news stories featuring physicians on the medical staff at Baylor, news releases, and even visual maps of the hospital campuses. To reach the newsroom, go to www.

BaylorHealth.com and click on “About Us.” As Dr. Vick commented, online health information can be a bit like a box of chocolates with unexpected treats and some real surprises. The newly updated Baylor Health Care System website is a resource we hope you will try and enjoy.

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie or Baylor Health Care System.

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Get Your

“Feel Good ” Neurotransmitters Going

I drove up to the trailhead to meet my daughter for our usual Saturday-morning walk when I noticed she was getting a drink of water for what appeared to be a stray dog. This dog appeared to be fairly young, not a pup, but a young adult.

Her ribs were showing and her coat was full of stickers, as if she had spent a couple of nights sleeping in a field. Kristen had been told by someone else on the trail that the dog was there yesterday as well. After the dog was finished drinking, Kristen and I started down the trail, only to be followed by Trail Dog. During the first mile we discussed why someone would abandon their dog during the middle of a drought, with no end in sight to numerous 100-plus degree days of heat. By the end of mile two, Trail Dog was still following close behind. “Stay,” we firmly instructed, but she wouldn’t listen, she just wagged her tail. Becooming worried she may be dehydrated, we turned back. When other walkers approached, Trail Dog walked up to greet them, as if checking to see if her owner had returned.

Mile three. Trail dog was still keeping up.

A biker whizzed by and Trail Dog, frightened, moved off the trail. We discussed our options for Trail Dog. It was out of the question for Kristen to take in another stray. She had recently taken in a neighborhood dog whose owners had moved away and left him behind. He walked on three legs, the fourth, Kristen was later told by the vet, had been shot. Kristen has a soft heart.

By mile four, Trail Dog was still with us.

We couldn’t leave her there. What could we do? The words many parents have

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uttered, “Just until we find him a good home.” rang in my ears.

About 15 years earlier, Kristen had rescued a kitten from some boys who were torturing it.

We had dogs in our home and Kristen, knowing I wouldn’t let her keep the kitten, had hid it in her bedroom closet. I finally discovered it when our dog, Lucy, was scratching at the closet door. “You can only keep her until we find her a good home,” I told her. As it turns out, the cat, Ethyl. found a good home. Ours. Ethyl turned out to be a wonderful cat, a fluffy gray cat who loved lots of attention. I missed Ethyl years later when Kristen got married and Ethyl moved in with her.

Another episode involved a snapping turtle that Kristen had discovered. She was distraught about the prospect of releasing it into the wild and disappointed when the turtle “ran away” when I “took it for a walk.” At least she still has 10 fingers.

Trail Dog has a happy ending. I saw her at a recent family birthday party. She was sitting at the bottom of the water slide watching the children come down. You see my son-in-law, Brad, thought my grandson, Trenton, needed a dog. They named her Sandy (after Orphan Annie’s dog or my mom, I am not sure which).

Trail Dog, I mean Sandy, is living happily ever after.

So what does this have to do with psychology? Well recent studies show that

if you do a good deed, your “feel good” neurotransmitters increase. Surprisingly, if you are the recipient of a kindness, your “feel good” neurotransmitters increase.

Amazingly, if you even just witness an act of kindness, you guessed it, your “feel good” neurotransmitters increase.

When I am doing therapy with people, I often encourage them to volunteer. Not only do they help someone else, but they feel better in the process.

So if we want to feel better, we would do well to be a little more like Kristen. Be kind to our friends, whether they are two legged or four.

DR. DONALDSON is a clinical

psychologist practicing in Waxahachie.

She can be contacted at donaldsonpsyd@aol.com or by visiting donaldsonwellnesscenter.com.

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DIABETES AWARENESS

BY TYLER-MARIE EVANS

Picture crimson, copper and amber leaves falling to the ground.

Imagine your dining room table set with turkey, pumpkin pie and eggnog. Remember the little kids dressing up as pilgrims and Indians, pulling out the coats, Black Friday and even more!

Can you see where I’m heading?

That’s it, November! November automatically causes our mind to think of certain pictures, memories, smells and even tastes.

Yet, when we think of November, there is something that most likely isn’t the first to pop into our head— diabetes.

November is Diabetes Awareness month. As Americans, we cannot avoid hearing about diabetes, since it is so prominent in our country. Still, many people may not have a clear understanding of diabetes. My goal is that by the time you have read this, you will have gained a deeper respect for all the diabetics out there, and will have learned much more about diabetes itself.

According to the Mayo Clinic,

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diabetes is, “a disease where your body either can’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use insulin properly.” Insulin works to make sure that a person’s glucose (blood sugar, which is energy for the body) is moved to the inside of a cell. If someone doesn’t get his or her glucose, then he or she is in need of energy. The very reason diabetics have to use insulin pumps is to receive their insulin and gain energy.

Bryan Adams, a Canadian musician and diabetic, said that, “Trying to manage diabetes is hard because if you don’t, there are consequences that you’ll have to deal with later in life.” That’s why diabetics have to check their blood sugar, watch their intake of foods and exercise regularly—it is crucial to their physical well-being.

The two major forms of diabetes are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. A type 1 diabetic doesn’t have any insulin being made in their body; most type 1 diabetics have had diabetes since

childhood. They have to inject themselves with insulin daily so that they have energy in their body. Thankfully, doctors have improved a diabetic’s means of inserting insulin into the body. In the past, diabetics would have to stick their stomach with a needle to place the insulin into their body. Now (for most, but not all) insulin pumps put the insulin inside their body; the process still involves some pain, but not as much.

Type 2 diabetes works a little differently. People that are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are usually middle aged. In a type 2 diabetic, obesity or lack of exercise is usually the cause, though that is not always the case.

The reason that obesity plays a major role in type 2 diabetes is because a person’s fat makes it difficult for the insulin to work the way it’s supposed to. So, even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight is always helpful in trying to avoid a diagnosis.

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Type 2 diabetes can be better understood as insulin resistance.

A type 2 diabetic’s body resists the insulin, unlike the type 1 diabetic, whose body simply does not make any more insulin.

People with type 2 diabetes can keep their diabetes under control by changing their diet, exercising, taking medicine or, if required, injecting insulin. This is why type 2 diabetes is thought of as being more manageable.

Whether you’re a type 1 diabetic or a type 2 diabetic, both forms require maintenance. If a diabetic’s body is left unchecked, then they could end up in a diabetic coma, which can lead to death. According to the American Diabetes Association, a diabetic’s symptoms include frequent urination, unusual thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss and extreme fatigue and irritability. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor.

I had the privilege of interviewing a type 1 diabetic, Dannette Surguine. She began the interview by telling me that she was 9 years old when she was diagnosed with diabetes, and has had it for 37 years. In her life, she has been able to see a great improvement of diabetic instruments. The insulin pump, in and of itself, has been a major breakthrough. “It keeps

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you more even and in control,” Dannette said. She added that even the finger pricking method to test for blood sugar has made life easier.

She told me that besides all the technical gear needed in diabetes, there is another layer of discernment that a diabetic needs to have: “you have to be constantly taking care of yourself.” Dannette mentioned that a diabetic has to be additionally aware of the foods he or she eats or how one handles his or her body—even a small scrape or blister could mean a big thing! She said that was probably the hardest part of being a diabetic, having to create a balance between foods, exercise and everything else, or, “making sure it all works together!”

A crucial thing she expressed to me was to never be shy about having diabetes. “Your friends and family should know about your condition; you need a good support system,” Dannette said. A piece of advice that she would like to give is to find a good doctor. In her previous experience, she said that some doctors had been uninformative and negative. Find one that you feel comfortable around and can talk to. Having an excellent and helpful doctor makes having diabetes much easier.

Something Dannette would like to share with all the diabetics out there is that it helps to be positive. “Don’t let the diabetes rule you, you rule it!” she said.

“You can manage it! Always test [your blood pressure, insulin, etc.], don’t guess. And, remember your exercise and rest.”

“DON’T LET THE DIABETES RULE YOU, YOU RULE IT!” What about those of you who are reading this and are not a diabetic? How can you do your part? Well, Dannette also mentioned that one of the most helpful things for her has been the understanding people who have surrounded her. If you know someone who is a diabetic, then remain conscious of what he or she is going through and always try to be helpful and understanding. With all things considered, I hope that this November month will remind you of one of the major diseases affecting our society: diabetes.

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MEDICAL ASK YOUR DENTAL PROFESSIONAL...

THE

TRUTH ABOUT ABOUT TB

BY KATE MCCLENDON

After the recent tuberculosis scare in Ennis, TB seems to be on everyone’s minds. However, there are a lot of rumors and there is a lot of misinformation being spread, causing some unnecessary panic and worry. Here are some of the facts you need to know about tuberculosis.

WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS? Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that is most often found in the lungs, but can spread through the lymph nodes and bloodstream to another organ in the body. The disease is transmitted through the air when a person with the active disease exhales, coughs, sneezes, laughs or sings. Most people will not catch TB unless they remain exposed to a person with an active form of the infection for a prolonged period of time. A single contact in a social setting with an active person will most likely not lead to transmission of the disease.

LATENT FORM Only about 10 percent of people infected with TB will have the ac-

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tive disease; the remaining 90 percent of people infected will have a latent form of the disease1. Those with the latent infection will show no signs of TB and will not be able to spread it to others.

People with a healthy immune system are usually able to fight off the infection because the body can wall off the bacteria into capsules called tubercles. The bacteria remains alive, which is why a person may test positive, but the bacteria is inactive and does not spread to tissues. A person with latent TB will be prescribed one drug, isoniazid (INH), to be taken for nine months, which will kill the bacteria and prevent the disease from developing in the future.

ACTIVE FORM A person exposed to TB most likely will not show any symptoms unless you have active TB. Active TB can cause an overall feeling of sickness, cough with mucus or possibly blood, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight

loss, fever, night sweats or pain in the chest, back or kidneys.

If someone tests positive during a skin test, they will then be given an X-ray and possibly a blood test or sputum culture to determine if the disease is active. A person diagnosed with an active form of the disease will be given a combination of antibiotics to be taken for six to 12 months.

Skipping a dose of antibiotics could cause a relapse and possibly cause antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria to develop.

In general, if a person with active TB takes the prescribed antibiotics for two weeks, the disease cannot be spread to other people.

Visit your doctor for testing if you experience the symptoms of TB or if you have been exposed to a person with a known active TB infection. TB is a curable disease if detected and treated with antibiotics as directed by a physician.

According to WebMD.com.

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[ HEALTH & WELLNESS ]

BY MATT MUNCHRATH

It’s hard to believe that those dog days of summer are really over. The months of September and October ushered in a very welcome change in climate. It seems as though the better weather serves as kind of a “recharge” for our tired old bodies.

The “recharging” of the last few months is critical if our bodies are to handle what’s to come in the next two months, for November and December are arguably the most stressful and demanding.

Our mental, physical and nutritional norms are buried beneath the responsibilities of the coming season.

Starting with the most incredible “sugar” holiday of all (Halloween) and ending with the new year, these next two months can make or break your health.

First, let’s look at the mental challenges that we all face. Thanksgiving and Christmas both require exhaustive planning and timing details, not to mention the chronic secondguessing that creeps into every decision. Do I serve meatloaf or honey ham? Does Bob like red shirts or blue? To help recharge our minds, it is during these months that we need to consider brain-boosting foods, such as gingko, DMAE, phosphatydll choline and serine, tyrosine and others. Mood-boosting foods could include kava kava, threonine, GABA,

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St. John’s wort, passionflower and others. These non-narcotic options are sure to keep our minds focused and fresh for the challenges that await.

Second, we’ll look at the physical challenges of the coming season.

With shorter days comes less outside time. With less outside time, comes less activity. With less activity and a 20 to 30 percent increase in calorie consumption comes weight gain along with digestive and eliminative issues. Anyone wonder why 90 percent of our annual weight gain comes in these two months? The answer seems obvious. To prevent this common phenomenon from happening, we must add 30 to 35 grams of fiber, digestive enzymes and probiotics to the food chain.

The fiber needs to include both soluble and insoluble fibers and can be taken in liquid, powder or pill form. Your digestive enzyme should be “full spectrum” to ensure the breakdown of fats, protein, carbohydrates, sugars, etc. Enzymes can be 100-percent plant-based or include some animal derivatives.

The best probiotics will include strains that cover both the upper and lower GI tract. Probiotics protect against consumed illnesses, help in immune system balance, aid in

digestive and assimilative health and help in pH balancing. It is one of the most important nutrients of the season.

To prevent the unwanted five to 10 pounds of weight gain, a good blood sugar-balancing, appetitecontrolling, metabolism booster could be useful. There are formulas to fit every appetite and medical situation.

In closing, I think it is easy to see why we should all be proactive with our nutrition over the next few months.

If we want to start the new year off right, it is imperative not to get too far behind the unhealthy holiday eight-ball. Mother Nature’s Pantry should have the following: mood foods, brain boosters, fiber formulas, digestive enzymes, probiotics and a good appetite suppressant. These things, along with a little self-love and self-discipline should provide you with the good health you deserve.

Matt Munchrath is the owner of Ann’s Health Food Center and Market. Ann’s Health Food Center and Market is located at 2305 North Highway 77 in Waxahachie. You can reach Matt by calling 972.923.1400. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure.

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