November 2014 Ellis County Living Magazine

FASHION RECIPES HOME TRAVEL HEALTH MEDICAL

The Holiday Issue

Happy Holidays from your friends at Gateway Mortgage!

www.TheSchmidtGrp.com

When you are looking for hometown service backed by expert, local professionals, turn to The Schmidt Group at Gateway Mortgage. Their Waxahachie office has over 90 years’ experience in the mortgage industry and best of all, they live and work right here in ELLIS COUNTY. Whether you are purchasing a new home, considering refinancing or even seeking access to your home’s equity, they have the right solution to meet nearly any mortgage need.

The Schmidt Group promises you: • A community - first approach • Local underwriting and reliable closings • Service for a lifetime

Your Award-Winning Team JEFF SCHMIDT - 817.681.7897 Regional Manager, RMLO 91368 Jeff.Schmidt@gatewayloan.com

TOM KER - 972.365.7022 Senior Loan Officer, RMLO 356892 Tom.Ker@gatewayloan.com

NICK HESTER - 469.855.9262 Senior Loan Officer, RMLO 338108 Nick.Hester@gatewayloan.com

TERRY WOOTEN - 214.949.9285 Senior Loan Officer, RMLO 224831 Terry.Wooten@gatewayloan.com

Office: 972.937.2200 | 1332 W. Hwy 287 Bypass, Suite-1 | Waxahachie, TX 75165

Gateway Mortgage Group, LLC NMLS 7233

GIVE THE GIFT OF A SMILE! CALL NOW FOR YOUR

COMPLIMENTARY DENTAL IMPLANT EVALUATION,

OUR GIFT TO YOU DURING THE HOLIDAYS. *For Patients Without Implant Covered Insurance Benefits

ask your dentist whether implants are an option for you.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Howard F. Cooke, D.M.D., M.S. BOARD CERTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY.

www.drhcooke.com

Dr. Cooke has specialized in dental implants for over 16 years. He is recognized in the community for his outstanding results and accomplishments in this area and in his practice as a full scope Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon.

Two convenient locations to serve you: 1626 W. Business 287 Suite 208 Waxahachie, TX 972.923.2900

7988 W. Virginia Dr. Suite 200 Dallas, TX 972.296.1992

Find Dr. Cooke on The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons website. like us on facebook: facebook.com/maxillofacial.oral.surgeon

The Waxahachie Junior Service League PRESENTS THEIR ANNUAL

CHRISTMAS MARKET SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6TH 10 A.M.-5 P.M. | WAXAHACHIE CIVIC CENTER FEATURING OVER 100 UNIQUE VENDORS, PICTURES WITH SANTA, DOOR PRIZES AND RAFFLE

TICKETS $5 | CHILDREN UNDER 10 FREE

Preview Shopping Party & TASTE OF ELLIS COUNTY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH 6 P.M.-9 P.M. | WAXAHACHIE CIVIC CENTER INCLUDES AN EXCLUSIVE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE, A RAFFLE TICKET, ENTERTAINMENT AND FOOD FROM: CATFISH PLANTATION, RISING SUN, MY SISTER’S AFFAIR, CAKE MY DAY, MAISON DE MADELINE, FIVE STAR CAKES, FUZZY’S TACO SHOP, AMAYA’S

TICKETS $15 AVAILABLE AT VINTAGE BANK WAXAHACHIE AND PARKER & MOORE ORTHODONTICS

Sponsored By: DIAMOND

Living

ELLIS COUNTY

MAGAZINE

®

PLATINUM

GOLD

DR. TODD &

SCHELLIE AYARS

WWW.WAXAHACHIEJSL.ORG

Millennium

Laser & Medical Aesthetics

BOTOX® An Affordable Alternative

When it comes to selecting a physician-administered aesthetic treatment, chances are you’ll want proof, not just claims. The proof for BOTOX® Cosmetic is in the numbers.

treatment of moderate to severe frown lines between the brows in people ages 18 to 65, and almost 3.3 million procedures were performed in 2005 alone.

In clinical trials, nearly 90% of men and women surveyed rated the improvement in the appearance of frown lines between their brows as moderate to better 1 month after treatment. Results can last for up to 4 months, and may vary.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery ranked BOTOX® Cosmetic as the most popular physicianadministered aesthetic procedure in the United States for the fourth year in a row (surgical and nonsurgical combined).

BOTOX® Cosmetic was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for the temporary

So why not ask Dr. Kare if BOTOX® Cosmetic is right for you?

FOTOFACIAL RF Rosacea Broken Capillaries Sun Damage Red and Brown Spots Fine Wrinkles Acne Scars Loose Skin POLARIS Wrinkle Reduction Pore Reduction Skin Tightening ELOS LASER HAIR REMOVAL All Hair Colors All Skin Colors MEDICAL MICRODERMABRASION BOTOX COSMETIC Physicians’ Network Member Wrinkle Reduction Brow Lift Crow’s Feet Frown Lines Mouth Lines JUVÉDERM Physicians’ Network Member Wrinkle Filler Lip Enhancement MD FORTE Chemical Peels MOTIVES COSMETICS SKIN CARE PRODUCTS Lumiere De Vie® Timeless Prescriptions® Skintelligence®

120 South Grand Suite 3 Waxahachie

www.DrKare.com

Millennium Laser & Medical Aesthetics

972.938.8200

Kare Family Clinic

972.938.0100

Call For A Free Consultation and Gift Certificates FINANCING AVAILABLE

Dr. Ron Bryce Family Practice

Dr. Ransome Etindi

Internal Medicine

Dr. Laura Biles Family Chiropractic

300 W. 1st Street, Waxahachie 972.923.3032 tenclinic.com

Counselor

Checks

* TOP GRAIN Leather * Sofas * Sectionals * Recliners * Bedrooms * Dining Rooms * * Mattress super center: memory foam & gel * adjustable beds * home theater seating *

3705 N. Hwy 77, Bldg 3 Waxahachie 972.576.3200

2090 fm 157, suite 100 mansfield 817.453.5400

texASLIFESTYLEFURNITURE.COM

It’s A Briarpatch Christmas

Largest Brighton Selection in Ellis County

Briarpatch

The Briarpatch #1

BOUTIQUE

404 W. Main St., Waxahachie

972-937-7717

The Briarpatch #2

HOME DECOR

405 Water St., Waxahachie

972-937-1441

The Briarpatch #3

HALLMARK

507 N. Hwy 77, Ste 406, Waxahachie

972-923-1884 July-August 2011

living-magazine.com

13

ELLIS COUNTY

MAGAZINE VOLUME 10 ISSUE 6 PUBLISHER CINDY CAMP EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR JENNIFER KEMP CREATIVE DIRECTOR LINDSEY KEENEY EDITOR IZAMAR LOREDO ADVERTISING PAMELA MCCRORY CHRIS BENNETT CFO SUSAN KOSORIS INTERN TRISTA MCCORMICK A special thanks to all of our contributing writers.

Ellis County Living Magazine is published bi-monthly

by ECL Media, Inc.© using only environmentally-friendly ink.

Copyright 2014, ECL Media, Inc.© All rights reserved.

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

Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter! facebook.com/EllisCountyLiving pinterest.com/eclivingmag twitter.com/ECLiving

Happy Holidays From Living Magazine!

What do you hope to find under your Christmas Tree this year?

I want a new Apple MacBook Pro 15.5” with the latest Creative Suite!

CINDY CAMP, PUBLISHER

Since I have been very good this year, I am hoping Santa will bring me tickets to see Britney Spears in Vegas, a fun purse and/or some yummy chocolate.

JENNIFER KEMP, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

I would love to find health and happiness for everyone! That’s not too much to ask for right?

LINDSEY KEENEY, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

For Christmas I’d love for all homeless animals to have a home to call their own. As for myself, I am (unrealistically) wishing for a pair of Stuart Weitzman 5050 boots. A little more realistically, I’d love a fun trip somewhere new!

IZAMAR LOREDO, EDITOR

What do I want under my tree this Christmas… Oh I know! To see all of my pretty wrapped gifts on my new hardwood floor! Meaning I want new hardwood floors!

PAMELA MCCRORY, ADVERTISING REP

Before making my way to Living Magazine, I never thought I would own a laptop... much less WANT one.

I don’t like computers, so I shouldn’t care what type I get, right? WRONG! I want a MacBook Air! CHRIS BENNETT, ADVERTISING REP

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

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

10

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

Under my tree for my global wish, I would pray for a cure for Ebola. For myself, I would love a copy of the new Neiman Marcus Cookbook! Start shopping, cats!

SUSAN KOSORIS, CFO

TABLE OF CONTENTS 23 GREAT HOLIDAY RECIPES TO TRY OUT

2014

38 16

FASHION AND GIFTS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

FUN HOLIDAY DIY PROJECTS

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER

FASHION LOCAL FASHION 16 BEAUTY DUPES 24

LIFE & STYLE

SEASON’S SPIRITS 26 ‘TWAS THE DINNER BEFORE CHRISTMAS 28 A MOTHER’S TALE: ON BEING CONTENT 30 GUY TALK: EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS 32 SURVIVING FOOTBALL: A WOMAN’S GUIDE 34 CHRISTMAS IN PORTUGAL 36 COZY CLEBURNE 38 AUSTIN CITY LIMITS 2014 40 CINEMATIC CHEER 42 NONPROFIT: TEXAS BAPTIST HOME 44

HOME & GARDEN

HISTORY: STRAIGHT FROM THE NORTH POLE 48 DIY: MERRY AND BRIGHT 50 DIY: GAME TABLE 52 O’ CHRISTMAS TREE 54 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER PLANTS 58

MEDICAL

DEALING WITH ANXIETY 62 THE BASICS ON EPILEPSY 64 THE SOONER THE BETTER: LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSIS 66

> CINDY BURCH:

OLD SOUTH WEEKEND 68

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

11

A LOT IS HAPPENING IN ELLIS COUNTY...

AROUND TOWN EDITOR’S NOTE The Holiday Season started in September here at Living Magazine, and I’ve been totally okay with that! We’ve been listening to Christmas music and watching cheesy Christmas movies nonstop while working on this issue to get our creative juices flowing. We are so proud of the results!

This Holiday issue is filled with great gift ideas from our wonderful local businesses, lots of recipes to try out on your family and some fun DIY décor projects to experiment with, among many other awesome articles to get your Holiday season rolling. Now, if only the weather would cooperate and get cooler, we could really start it perfectly!

Up next is the Home of the Year issue, coming out January 1! We’ve already found a fabulous house to feature, and we also have some exciting articles coming that are sure to help you start off the New Year just right. Until then, enjoy the Holiday season and all the craziness that comes with it. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

As always, be sure to email me with any comments, questions or ideas you may have at

MIDLOTHIAN:

SOUTHERN STAR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

HOPE CLINIC’S SEEDS OF HOPE ANNUAL FUNDRAISER

NOVEMBER 6, 2014 Midlothian Conference Center To reserve a seat or to host a table, contact Barbara Clark at 469.517.2523 or bclark@ call4hope.org.

JAZZ IN THE PLAZA BY THE MISD JAZZ BAND

DECEMBER 6, 1 P.M. Heritage Park Visit www.southernstarchristmas.org for info on activities, vendor, pictures with Santa, parade and tree lighting ceremony.

ELLIS COUNTY GRYPHON TOY RUN MOTORCYCLE PARADE

NOVEMBER 8, 2 P.M. Back Alley Plaza, 152 Plaza Dr, Midlothian, TX 76065 Outdoor Concert. The MHS Jazz Band will perform along with a special guest artist.

DECEMBER 14, 8 A.M - 11 A.M. For more information call 214-676-8757.

MIDLOTHIAN’S VETERANS TRIBUTE DINNER

DECEMBER 8, 6 P.M. Start and stop from Midlothian Multi-Purpose Stadium.

Visit www.midlothian-isd.net for more information.

NOVEMBER 11, 6:30 P.M. – 9 P.M. Midlothian Conference Center Free dinner held annually on Veteran’s Day at the Midlothian Conference Center to honor all veterans and active military in the Midlothian area. Register online at www.midlothian.tx.us.

MOVEMENT TOWARD A FUTURE 5K RUN

NOVEMBER 15, 9 A.M. Midlothian Multi Purpose Stadium Proceeds will go towards an effort to help “at risk” students achieve academic success. Visit www. movementtowardafuture.org to register.

CITY OF MIDLOTHIAN ANIMAL CONTROL PET ADOPTION EVENT

NOVEMBER 15, 9 A.M. - 11 A.M., DECEMBER 20, 9 A.M. - 11 A.M. Walmart Garden Center Midlothian Animal Control offers free adoptions to keep its shelter open for more strays. For more visit www.midlothian.tx.us/animalcontrol.

MISD REINDEER DASH 5K RUN

ENNIS INTERIOR IDEAS OPEN HOUSE

NOVEMBER 6, 10 A.M. - 7 P.M. Interior Ideas, 211 W. Knox St. Call 972.878.6868 for more details.

RACINGJUNK.COM FAST FRIDAY AT THE TEXAS MOTORPLEX NOVEMBER 7 Texas Motorplex For more information visit www.texasmotorplex.com

GREATEST GENERATION AIRCRAFT GUN SHOW NOVEMBER 8-9 Sokol Hall for more information visit www.sokolennis.com

FUN FORD WEEKEND AT THE TEXAS MOTORPLEX NOVEMBER 8 For more information visit www.texasmotorplex.com.

3RD ANNUAL HOLIDAY BAZAAR

NOVEMBER 8, 9 A.M. – 3 P.M. Knights of Columbus Hall, Interstate 45 Frontage Road, Ennis, TX For more information contact Stephanie at 972-989-1785.

IMPORT FACE OFF AT THE TEXAS MOTORPLEX NOVEMBER 9 For more information visit www.texasmotorplex.com

GGA’S ENNIS HOLIDAY SHOWCASE NOVEMBER 15-16 Sokol Hall Arts, gifts, handcrafted items and more.

19TH ANNUAL PRE-THANKSGIVING BASH

NOVEMBER 26, 7 P.M. KJT Hall Drew Z Productions presents Jamie Richards with special guests Casper McWade and The Honkey Tonk Rebels and The Ennis Flashbacks. Doors open at 7P.M., cash bar, admission $12 for 21 and up; $15 for under 21; ages 13 and under free.

CHRISTMAS PARADE OF LIGHTS AND CHRISTMAS BLOCK PARTY DECEMBER 4, 7 P.M. Downtown Ennis For more information call 972-878-2625.

ENNIS PUBLIC THEATRE K.I.D.S. PRESENTS RUDOLPH BY MARGO PRICE BRANDT

DECEMBER 5-14 Ennis Public Theatre K.I.D.S. You’ve heard the song, now see the back story of how Rudolph saved Christmas. For more information and reservations call 972-878-7529 or visit www.ennispublictheatre.com.

WHERE’S SANTA BY BILL RHOTEN DECEMBER 5-21 Theatre Rocks!

For more information www.theatrerocks.com.

editor@living-magazine.com.

For updates and chances to win free stuff, be sure to “like” us on Facebook and visit our blog at www.living-magazine.com.

Do you have an event you want everyone to know about?

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

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LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

WAXAHACHIE’S OLD FASHIONED SINGING

NOVEMBER 7-8 Chautauqua Auditorium in Getzendaner Park For show times and ticket information visit www.WaxaOFS.com.

WAXAHACHIE WWII WEEKEND AND REENACTMENT NOVEMBER 7-8 Historic Downtown Waxahachie

ELLIS COUNTY MUSIC 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY NOVEMBER 8, 10 A.M - 6 P.M. Giveaways, live music, radio, car show and more.

ELLIS COUNTY VETERANS APPRECIATION DAY NOVEMBER 8, 10 A.M. Waxahachie Civic Center Mark your calendar, bring a friend and bring a veteran.

2ND THURSDAY LADIES’ NIGHT OUT

NOVEMBER 13, 5 P.M. - 8 P.M. Every Month in Downtown Waxahachie with Participating Merchants.

NOVEMBER 21, 5 - 9 P.M .

NOVEMBER 22, 10 A.M. - 3 P.M. Waxahachie Bible Church, 621 N. Grand Avenue Benefitting Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County. For more information email elliscountyhfh@gmail.com or call 972.937.2797.

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW

DECEMBER 5 (7 P.M.) & DECEMBER 6-7 (3 P.M.) Hagee Communication Center Black Box Theater at SAGU For more information: 1-888-YESSAGU or www.SAGU.edu

CHRISTMAS MARKET & GIFT SHOW

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5: PREVIEW PARTY FROM 6 P.M.- 9 P.M. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6: 10 A.M- 5 P.M. Waxahachie Civic Center, 2000 Civic Center Lane Sponsored by the Waxahachie Junior Service League. For more information: www.waxahachiejsl.org.

FOREVER PLAID PRESENTS PLAID TIDINGS

DECEMBER 12-14 Chautauqua Auditorium For show times and tickets visit www. waxahachiecommunitytheatre.com.

WAXAHACHIE GUN & KNIFE SHOW

DECEMBER 27-28 Waxahachie Civic Center Assortment of guns and knives.

2014 Candlelight Home Tour

December 6 & 7 • December 13 & 14 • 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Brighten your holiday spirits by strolling the glimmering streets of Waxahachie - one of the most charming, historic cities in Texas!

Six unique homes, spanning from the Victorian era to the 21st Century, will don their holiday finery for two weekends. Each dazzling weekend will showcase three bedecked properties. Plan early for a heartwarming weekend filled with wonderful touring, dining and shopping. Stay the night in our Bed & Breakfast Inn or one of our other great accommodations.

TICKET LOCATIONS:

Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce, 102 YMCA Dr. 972.938.9617 Ellis County Museum, 201 S. College St. 972.937.0681 Select Downtown Merchants

TICKETS ARE $15 PER WEEKEND; PRE-SALE $12 PER WEEKEND UNTIL NOVEMBER 21. CHILDREN UNDER 12 FREE.

Sponsored and Supported by: Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association, Waxahachie Main Street Program, Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce & Waxahachie Convention and Visitors Bureau

PRE-SORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WAXAHACHIE, TX PERMIT No. 91

NOVEMBER 1 Ellis County Expo Center Fun for the whole family with farm/ranch show, shopping, tractor pulls and food. For more information call 214.236.0407.

2ND ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES: A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Candlelight Home Tour Bethlehem Revisited Christmas in Waxahachie

A

1ST ANNUAL ELLIS COUNTY YOUTH COMMERCIAL HEIFER SHOW & SALE

Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce 102 YMCA Drive Waxahachie, Texas 75165

m

WAXAHACHIE

2014

Come Home to Waxahachie for the Holidays! www.waxahachiecvb.com

Bethlehem Revisited DECEMBER 5-7 & DECEMBER 12-14 6 P.M. - 9 P.M. Step back in time, over 2000 years ago, and walk the streets of ancient Bethlehem as Mary and Joseph did on the night of Christ’s birth. On your journey to the site of the Nativity, you will meet innkeepers, merchants, craftsmen, tradesmen, clergy, and many other citizens as they portray daily life in the city of Bethlehem, complete with sheep, camels and donkeys.

You can also visit Herod’s Court and watch the nightly parade of the three kings bringing their treasures to Bethlehem’s newest citizen.

402 N. College Street (behind Central Presbyterian Church)

972.937.2924

WWW.CPCWAX.ORG N

287 BUS

287

To Dallas

287

35E

Exit 401B

77 BUS

287

“Bethlehem Revisited” behind Central 35E Presbyterian Church

14

To Ennis & Houston

77

N. College

To Fort Worth

Free Admission, Donations Welcome Bethlehem Revisited is funded by donations.

Your generous support makes this production possible each year.

Oldham

Ellis County Courthouse Square

To Waco & Austin

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

SUPPORTED BY: KBEC, Monolithic Constructors, Inc., Scarborough Faire, Waxahachie Arts Council, Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce, Waxahachie Convention and Visitors Bureau, City of Waxahachie, Waxahachie Daily Light, Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association, and Waxahachie Foundation, Inc.

WAXAHACHIE

SINCE 1850

OLD TOWN VILLAGE ANTIQUES & UNIQUES

The place to be for your Holiday Shopping! Old, new & artistically created, you will find something beautiful in every aisle at Old Town Village. Come discover vintage holiday, antiques, collectibles, shabby chic decor, vintage finds, books, jewelry, repurposed treasures and so much more!

307 S. Rogers St., Waxahachie

CHECK IT OUT

Prepare your home for the holidays new drapes and updated upholstery furniture. Come check out our large supply of in-stock fabric or order from fabric samples.

212 S Rogers Street, Waxahachie 972.938.2403 CHECKITOUTFABRICS.NET

972-938-9515 OLDTOWNVILLAGEANTIQUES.COM

FREE

Parking Garage

at the corner of Jackson and Jefferson

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ALL OF THE FUN THINGS GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN WAXAHACHIE, VISIT...

WWW.DOWNTOWNWAXAHACHIE.COM

BLING IT ON BLINGIN’ GYPSY BOYCE FEED & GRAIN CORP. BRENT HUGHES PHOTOGRAPHY CAROL’S DESIGNS CATFISH PLANTATION CHECK IT OUT CHERICS ANTIQUES CHIC BOUTIQUE CITIZENS NATIONAL BANK OF TEXAS COLLEGE ST. PRINTING COLLEGE ST. RESTAURANT PUB COMMON THREADS QUILTING CRAFTY SCRAPPER CROOKED CREEK FARMS ANTIQUES DOVES NEST RESTAURANT EL MEXICANO ELLIS COUNTY ABSTRACT AND TITLE ELLIS COUNTY ART ASSOCIATION ELLIS COUNTY LIVING MAGAZINE ELLIS COUNTY MUSEUM EUBANK FLORIST AND GIFTS FRANK’S URBAN COLLECTION FRESH AT VILLA FLORA GG’S VINTAGE HOME GINGERBREAD ANTIQUE MALL GRAN’S ANTIQUES GROW MY BIZ HODGE•PODGE JUNCTION 22 KBEC RADIO KLASSY KLUTTER MAIN ST. DENTAL MAXWELL JEWELRY MULTITUDES MOSAIC MADNESS MY FATHER’S HOUSE NAPA AUTO PARTS/POOL SUPPLIES NOW MAGAZINE OLD TOWN VILLAGE ANTIQUES PEARMAN OIL LP GAS INC. PLAIN JANE & CO. PARIS FLEA MARKET RED BARN SALON FRIENDS SOCO DEPOT T. BERESFORD TERESA MCNIEL - COLDWELL BANKER TEXAS PEARLS & CO. THE BRIARPATCH THE SHABBY SHEEP THE SHOP TOSHIO’S TASTE OF JAPAN & KLOPFER HAUS TOWN SQUARE TITLE WAXAHACHIE DAILY LIGHT WELL INKED CUSTOM INVITATIONS WRAY, WILLETT & STOFFER



Downtown SHOPPING

Members of the Waxahachie Downtown Merchants Association:

FASHION

Haute Holiday

Get Wrapped Up in this Season’s Hottest Trends

JACKET, Plain Jane $88.99 DRESS, Multitudes $46 SCARF, Doves Nest $20 PURSE, Multitudes $62 BRIGHTON BRACELET, Briarpatch $78 EARRINGS, Stella & Dot $39 SHOES, Chic Boutique $38.95

16

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

TUNIC, Plain Jane $52.99 MISS ME JEANS, Briarpatch $89 VEST, Multitudes $56 SCARF, Multitudes $22 PURSE, Doves Nest $39.95 EARRINGS, T. Beresford $12.99 BOOTS, Plain Jane $148.99

HAT, Multitudes $38 TOP, Chic Boutique $39.95 VEST, Chic Boutique $49.95 SKIRT, Briarpatch $35.95 NECKLACE, Briarpatch $29.95 RING, Doves Nest $14.95 SHOES, Chic Boutique $42.95 LIPSTICK, Merle Norman $18

*Items labeled Stella & Dot contributed by Living Magazine contributing writer Lindsay Markert. Find more at www.stelladot.com/lindsayjmarkert

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

17

CHIC BOUTIQUE $6.50 EACH

FASHION { SHOPPING }

BRIGHTON NECKLACE, BRIARPATCH $56

ALL THAT

GLITTERS...

Sparkle as bright as your baubles this season with gold, silver, sequins and rhinestones!

PLAIN JANE $8.99

STELLA & DOT $59

CHIC BOUTIQUE $12.95

BRIARPATCH $23.95

BRIARPATCH $13.95

MULTITUDES $32

CHIC BOUTIQUE $29.95 STELLA & DOT $228

MULTITUDES $46

DOVES NEST $16.95 CHIC BOUTIQUE $50.95

18

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

YOSI SAMRA FLATS, MULTITUDES $72

*Items labeled Stella & Dot contributed by Living Magazine contributing writer Lindsay Markert. Find more at www.stelladot.com/lindsayjmarkert

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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SOCO DEPOT, $29.99

FASHION { SHOPPING }

THE NICE LIST...

GIFTS FOR

KEN ONION KNIFE, SOCO DEPOT $170

HIM

FILSON GUN CASE, T. BERESFORD $300

CHIC BOUTIQUE, $19.95

INTERIOR IDEAS, PRICES VARY

T. BERESFORD, $85

FILSON WALLET, T. BERESFORD $105

SOCO DEPOT, $52 SOCO DEPOT, $34

ARK COUNTRY STORE, LARGE $299.95, SIDEKICK $34.99

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

21

FASHION MULTITUDES $119

{ SHOPPING }

THE NICE LIST...

GIFTS FOR

DOVES NEST $17.95

HER

DOVES NEST $16.95

VERA BRADLEY, BRIARPATCH $88

DOVES NEST $32 SOCO DEPOT $10 BIG BUDDHA, CHIC BOUTIQUE $38.95

THE BLINGIN’ GYPSY $34.95 WOODWICK CANDLE, BRIARPATCH $24.99

LANE BOOTS, PLAIN JANE $398.99

BRIARPATCH $18.95

VERA BRADLEY, BRIARPATCH $49

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

23

FASHION

URBAN DECAY

“NAKED PALETTE”

{ BEAUTY }

STEAL VS. SPLURGE

There is no better feeling than getting all dolled up, but why spend every penny to do so? Look like a million bucks minus the empty pockets this Christmas with our Steal vs. Splurge makeup dupes. Even better? These dupes make perfect stocking stuffers for the makeup lovers on your list. BY TRISTA MCCORMICK

MUA “UNDRESS ME TOO”, $6.50

✓

NARS

✓

HIGHLIGHTER IN “ALBATROSS”, $29

BARE MINERALS MATTE MINERAL FOUNDATION, $28

E.L.F.

HIGHLIGHTER IN “GOTTA GLOW”, $3

URBAN DECAY

“NAKED PALETTE”, $50

BENEFIT

BLUSH IN “DANDELION”, $28

TOO FACED

“PRIMED AND PORELESS” PRIMER, $30

✓

✓ ✓

NYX

L’OREAL

LIPSTICK IN “ELECTRA”, $4

TRUE MATCH BLUSH IN “BABY BLOSSOM”, $8

MAYBELLINE

MATTE MINERAL POWER FOUNDATION, $12

NYX

“PORE FILLER” PRIMER, $13

✓

MAC

DIOR DIORSHOW MASCARA, $25

LIPSTICK IN “RUSSIAN RED”, $16

REVLON

PHOTOREADY FOUNDATION, $11

✓

E.L.F. NARS

CONTOURING DUO IN “ORGASM/ LAGUNA”, $42

✓

CONTOURING DUO IN “ST. LUCIA”, $3

MAKE UP FOR EVER

HD FOUNDATION, $42

MAYBELLINE

✓ ✓

24

REVLON

GROW LUSCIOUS MASCARA, $9

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

CLINIQUE

AIRBRUSH CONCEALER, $20

DREAM LUMITOUCH HIGHLIGHTING CONCEALER, $9

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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LIFE & STYLE { DrinKs }

SEaSoN’S

SPIrItS

The weather outside might be frightful, but you can still stay delightfully warm inside with one of these delicious Holiday inspired drinks (only if you have no place to go, of course). Sit back, enjoy and let it snow.

BY izamaR loReDo

tHE EaSIESt EggNog:

BESt HolIDaY MIXED DrINK:

BESt HolIDaY BEEr:

CandY Cane marTini

BoCK SHiner HoLidaY

ingredienTS

» 1 1/4 ounces white crème de cacao » 1 ounce peppermint schnapps » 1 1/4 ounces vanilla vodka » garnish: peppermint candy or candy cane

CHeer

This one is made right here in Texas. The peach undertones are noticeable and give it a slightly more breezy taste than what is expected from a winter brew. interestingly enough, the taste of this beer seems to reflect Texas winter: it’s not a summer lager, but it isn’t as dark as a porter either. enjoy it during one of those mild winter afternoons.

BreCKenridge vaniLLa PorTer

although not exactly a seasonal beer, this beer’s vanilla undertones and coffee-like taste will make you feel as though you’re drinking hot coffee by the fireplace. This one will keep you warm during the extra chilly days.

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PreParaTion

Fill a shaker with ice. combine the crème de cacao, peppermint schnapps, and vanilla vodka and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and either crush up the peppermint candy and use it on the rim or place a candy cane inside.

BESt HolIDaY WINE:

rioJa Bordon

RIOJA RESERVE 2008, $15

This Spanish wine is full-bodied and soft on the palate. its flavors of raspberry, plum and vanilla make it a perfect winter wine. Pair it with pasta with meat, steak, or a game dish to finish off your meal.

RECIPE BY RENOWNED BARTENDER JEFFREY MORGENTHALER YIELDS 2 SERVINGS, MULTIPLY FOR MORE

ingredienTS

» 2 large eggs » 3 ounces (by volume) granulated sugar » 1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg » 2 ounces brandy » 2 ounces spiced rum (i use Sailor Jerry’s) » 6 ounces whole milk » 4 ounces heavy cream PreParaTion

Beat eggs in blender for one minute on medium speed.

Slowly add sugar and blend for one additional minute. With blender still running, add nutmeg, brandy, rum, milk and cream until combined. chill thoroughly to allow flavors to combine and serve in chilled wine glasses or champagne coupes, grating additional nutmeg on top immediately before serving.

living-magazine.com // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

27

LIFE & STYLE { RECIPES }

T’was the Dinner Before

Christmas Christmas Eve is a time when many of us begin to gather with our family, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas Day. Although recipes are almost always shared for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Christmas Eve is often overlooked. Here at Living Magazine we’ve compiled the recipes we enjoy with our families as we count down the hours for Christmas. From our family to yours, we hope you will enjoy them as much as we do.

Chris’ Christmas Peanut Butter Bon Bons ConTriBUTed BY CHriS BenneTT

Ingredients: » 2 sticks butter » 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla » 16 ounces powdered sugar » 1 cup crunchy peanut butter » 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (You can purchase a box of graham cracker crumbs, or you can buy honey cinnamon graham crackers and crush them on a cutting board with a rolling pin.) » 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips » Paraffin in a mixing bowl, stir peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, graham cracker crumbs and vanilla together until well blended. grab a large cookie sheet and line with wax paper. Roll peanut butter bon bon filling using the palm of your hands into balls about the size of a quarter. Place them onto the wax lined cookie sheet and store in refrigerator for a minimum of one hour.

Wait until the filling is completely set up before melting the chocolate. The

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preferred method for melting chocolate chips is to use a double boiler pot. Pour water into lower pot and bring to a boil.

Turn temperature to low and insert upper pot. Fill upper pot 2/3 with semisweet chocolate chips. Scrape paraffin into tiny slithers over the chips and stir in as the chocolate melts. Take three or four balls and roll inside melted chocolate until covered. Spoon out and place back onto wax paper lined cookie sheet. once all the Bon Bons are covered, place them back into the refrigerator for at least another hour. Bon Bons are now ready to serve.

Beef and Sausage Chili Con Carne

ConTriBUTed BY SUSan KoSoriS

This is my family’s favorite chili recipe and we always have it on christmas eve, either alone or over tamales. it is in gingerbread and all the Trimmings, the Waxahachie Junior Service league’s “pink” cookbook.

Ingredients: » 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef » 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage » 2 cups chopped onion » 2 cloves garlic, minced » 2 (16-ounce) cans tomatoes, undrained and chopped » 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste » 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, undrained » 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley » 2 tablespoons chili powder » 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar » 1 tablespoon of vinegar » 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds » i teaspoon of salt » 1 teaspoon of pepper » 3 whole cloves » 1 bay leaf » 1 (16-ounce) can kidney or pinto beans, undrained combine beef, sausage, onion, and garlic in Dutch oven. cook over medium heat until brown. Drain off drippings.

Stir in next 10 ingredients. Tie cloves and bay leaf in cheese cloth- add to mixture. cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes.

Remove spice bag to serve.

Candied Yams

ConTriBUTed BY meagan CamP

Ingredients: » 2 large cans of canned yams » 1/2 cup of pecans

» 2 tablespoons brown sugar » 3 tablespoons butter

Take the 2 large cans of yams, drain. Stir in 1/2 cup of pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter. Stir. Heat in an oven that is heated to 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with large marshmallows, return to the oven and toast under the broiler. Watch carefully so it will not burn. Serve immediately. omit pecans or add crushed pineapple if preferred.

Brett’s Cheese Dip ConTriBUTed BY PameLa mCCrorY

i make such a big christmas Dinner, so on christmas eve we try to keep it simple with finger type foods so we can play games, have a few cocktails and open gifts!

Ingredients: » 1 pound hamburger meat » 1 pound of breakfast sausage (i use regular, not hot) » 1 onion » 2 pounds velveeta cheese (i like the 2%) – cubed or cut into smaller pieces for melting

» 2 large cans of cream of mushroom soup » milk (one to two cups) » Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste » optional: 1/2 cup to 1 cup salsa of your choice

Brown hamburger, sausage, and onion in deep skillet.

Drain when done and return to pan. add in cream of mushroom soups, cheese, salt , pepper and garlic salt. cream together and simmer until cheese is melted – stir in milk to get to the right consistency (i personally don’t like it too thick. You want it to be a hearty dip, however keep in mind the cheese cools quickly so you don’t want to have to keep warming it up.) i keep mine on low or off in a crockpot for serving. Serve with either Regular Scoop Tostitos or Hint of lime Doritos.

Authentic Mexican Tamales ConTriBUTed BY iZamar Loredo

Tamales are a really traditional food in mexican culture and my mom has been making them on christmas eve for as long as i can remember! They truly are an art form, and her unique recipe is something i cherish. MAKES 30 Ingredients: » 5 pounds of masa para tamales (can be found at any mexican Supermarket) » 1/2 pound of cascabel chili » 1/4 pound chile de arbol » 6 cloves of garlic

» » » » » »

1 teaspoon cumin 3 pounds of pork shoulder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 bag corn husks 1 pound of pork lard Salt to taste

Instructions Take the pork shoulder and chop it up into small pieces.

Place the pieces in a pan at medium heat and add a tablespoon of lard, half teaspoon of cumin and one whole garlic. Salt to taste. leave for 30 minutes or until cooked.

Turn to low heat and leave on stove.

Meat preparation: Tear up both the cascabel chili and chile de arbol into little pieces with your hands. Place them in boiling water, cover and turn down the heat for 3 minutes. Take off heat, strain to get rid of water, and place in the blender. add 2 whole garlics, half a teaspoon of cumin, 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Blend into a liquid and strain again to get rid of seeds. add to meat. Boil at medium heat for 5 minutes and remove.

Masa preparation: in a pan, melt all the lard. let cool. Place masa in a large mixing bowl. add the melted lard into the masa, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and salt to taste. For additional taste, add two tablespoons of the salsa in the meat. Knead the masa with hands until everything is mixed together and consistency is soft.

Take the corn husk and spread one tablespoon of masa on half the husk and add a spoonful of the meat. Wrap up by folding like a burrito and under to cover one of the ends.

Take a steamer pot and add hot water to the colander. Fill up the pot with tamales, and cover the top with leftover corn husks. cover that with aluminum, and place the lid on top. Boil on high heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until fully cooked. living-magazine.com // novemBeR-DecemBeR 2014

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LIFE & STYLE

a moTHeR’S Tale

ON BEING CONTENT BY linDSaY maRKeRT

To be content is to be in a state of peaceful happiness, to feel satisfied and pleased with your situation or surroundings. content is a positive place to be, not a negative lack of desire to better yourself. content is accepting, appreciating, and loving where you are when you’re there.

“iT iSn’T WHaT YoU Have oR WHo YoU aRe oR WHeRe YoU aRe oR WHaT YoU aRe THaT maKeS YoU HaPPY oR UnHaPPY. iT iS WHaT YoU THinK aBoUT iT.” --Dale caRnegie Raising grateful children is something that i strive towards constantly. it is the center of many conversations throughout the course of a day, the answer to the numerous “i want” and “can we get that” requests i hear. i am learning more and more that the attitude of being grateful and content starts with me.

Would i like a brand new car? Duh, who doesn’t love that new car smell? But my car is more than suitable; it meets our needs and then some. Would i like a bigger house?

Well, yes, i do covet a laundry room big enough to camp in that has storage to make martha Stewart jealous, but our house is wonderful. it provides safety, shelter, warmth, a place to be creative and to grow, and there is lots of love and laughter within our walls. i want my children to see that gratefulness in me…i want them to see me modeling contentment. it is a hard battle sometimes, fighting that seed of discontent that can sprout up.

The classic “Keeping Up With The Joneses”

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mentality is real! We are human and we want things when we want them. Social media drives those feelings for sure, and it is very hard not to compare your life to others. i am trying to move on past the mentality of bigger-better-RigHT noW that is so prevalent in our society. Being content, living and appreciating where we are while we’re there is a true gift and i am realizing that more each day. These moments are fleeting, and i don’t want to wish them away in the chase of some proverbially bigger, better tomorrow. now is good. now should be cherished, even if now sometimes doesn’t look like what we thought it would. i’ve spent way too much time in the past being unhappy with something when what was right in front of me was perfectly fine. Better, even, than what i truly wanted. my hope is that my kids will also pick up on this behavior, and see that happiness is not in how much we have, and that our moods should not be governed by the things we don’t have.

Sometimes as a parent, i really have no clue what i am doing. it seems like we are often in unchartered waters with no lifeboat in sight. none of us were given an instruction manual on how to turn our tiny newborns into good, productive members of society. i wish i had the answers, but sometimes the learning— and the failing and trying again—can make parenting beautiful, because in the mistakes i make as a parent, i can learn something about myself as well as teach my children. i am certain to have missteps along my journey to being constantly content. There will most definitely be times that i eschew my mentality and just buy the shoes or whatever is striking

my fancy and feeding my discontent. and that’s where grace for myself comes in— grace for trying to be better, for trying to be a good role model for my children.

The need versus want topic comes up often in conversation with our oldest two, and it definitely ties in with being content. They are still learning that an infinity character or the newest ninja Turtle are most certainly not needs. i want them to have a solid understanding of needs and wants and learn to be content with the things they have, but we also encourage them to make plans. They save their chore money if they want something, and it is a good lesson for them that every desire is not instantly gratified. Soon we will tie the message of giving from their own money into these lessons. i definitely have to pull upon my stores of grace for these conversations because my instinct is to just expect them to go along with it and immediately understand. anyone with young children knows that is a pipe dream—our children need grace to grow just as much as we do. as any parent, i just want to raise happy, healthy, well-adjusted children. i want to see them strive to excel and grow, to learn and succeed. i want them to be grateful and giving. There are so, so many lessons to teach to get them to that point, so many that it is overwhelming. However, i know that cultivating these four grateful, happy hearts is something that will pay off throughout their lives and mine.

Here’s to grateful and content hearts that are full of grace this holiday season!

living-magazine.com // novemBeR-DecemBeR 2014

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LIFE & STYLE

{ guY talK }

EVErY DaY IS

CHrIStMaS

BY JUDD mccUTcHen

The spirit of Christmas: What does it mean to you? is it real?

all year round. But who wants to listen to a christmas radio station in July? no one. it would drive us crazy. let’s scratch music and move on.

i think so. at least i can definitely say this time of year makes me feel a little different. You could use superlatives like happy, friendly and giving. i see these attributes in other people as well, some of which don’t display the same attitudes during the course of the year. it may be in the form of a card, helping out at a soup kitchen, or a simple text message christmas morning wishing me a merry christmas. it’s there, and it’s tangible. So here is my question:

Spending time with family.

Why? Why do people possess this spirit during the Christmas season?

This thought crossed my mind, and it seems like a very simplistic question. The more i pondered it, however, the more complex it got. i came to the conclusion that before i could answer the “why”, i needed to first answer the “what”. What is different about this time of year that would increase the spirits of the masses? a lot is the easy answer, but let’s dive into some specifics.

We’ll start with the music.

There is no other holiday that has so much music devoted to it. There must be something there right? This has got to be a factor in improving people’s spirits. if it were, then a logical assumption would be to listen to it

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That’s something special, but does it really get us in a particular spirit? not really.

These are the same people that drive us nuts half the time. if they were responsible for my christmas spirit then i would have it 365 days a year, not just in December.

Take family off the list.

oh wait! i got it: decorations.

They definitely get people’s spirits up. it could be a christmas tree, garland, or the best house lights around. But why do we make fun of the neighbor that turns on their christmas lights well into January, or that guy that never takes them down? if they were really spirit lifters we would all want to do that. So i guess they don’t help either. i’m stumped…

Let’s start from the beginning. according to Wikipedia, christmas Spirit is described as “a general feeling of emotional beneficence”. if you break down the origin of beneficence a little more, you get beneficent, which means, “doing or performing good, especially performing acts of kindness and charity”. Hmm, we might be onto something here. During the holiday season people are definitely a

little more likely to act kindly. let’s keep moving forward.

The same source defines christmas as “an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus christ”. Here’s where we can start putting these pieces together. You have people of all creeds coming together this time of year, with a heart for their fellow man. giving back. volunteering. These actions are the very ones the man in whom the holiday was created for wants to see from us all the time, “for it is more blessed to give than receive” (acts 20:35).

Back to the original question: Why do people possess a spirit about them during the christmas season? First of all, the spirit of christmas has nothing to do with the time of year. it has everything to do with our actions as a society during this time of year. There are more people helping people, more concern for others. We are more in tune with the will of the one that the holiday is celebrating. i’m sure you have sensed it with a total stranger before. There was something in them, and it was good. it’s not about the lights, the tree, or the songs. The christmas spirit is a year-round thing, and it only comes from one place. all this other stuff is just icing on the cake.

“CHRISTMAS IS NOT A TIME NOR A SEASON, BUT A STATE OF MIND. TO CHERISH PEACE AND GOODWILL, TO BE PLENTEOUS IN MERCY, IS TO HAVE THE REAL SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS.” -CALVIN COOLIDGE

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LIFE & STYLE

SUrviving

FooTBaLL: a WoMaN’S guIDE

BY PaTRicK Keane

iT’S FooTBaLL Time in TeXaS onCe again, and WiTH iT ComeS a varieTY

oF HigHS and LoWS. one LoW in ParTiCULar iS WHen THiS BeLoved SPorT CaUSeS FriCTion in a PerSon’S reLaTionSHiP WiTH THeir SigniFiCanT oTHer. PeoPLe (men eSPeCiaLLY) BeCome So inveSTed in FooTBaLL aT THe ProFeSSionaL, CoLLegiaTe and FanTaSY LeveL THaT iT Can CaUSe Women To SToP, SCraTCH THeir HeadS, and aSK THemSeLveS, “iS THiS THe PerSon i reaLLY am married To/engaged To/daTing?”

Well, I think it is high time we help resolve some of those issues before they ever even come up and inform the “better halves” of a few tips and tricks on surviving football season and their significant other’s fanaticism.

Allow for Some Man Time

FYI: 20% of all Fantasy Football players are

WoMEN

34

in today’s society, modern man is called to be and do a lot of things that were not necessarily the norm 20 or 30 years ago. a good man will watch The Bachelorette, cook dinner for you and go “thrifting” with you. Don’t get me wrong; a lot of us enjoy all of those things. every once in awhile though, we do feel the primal need to watch other men bash into each other at high speeds while drinking a cool frothy beverage with our friends. if there is a big game coming up, maybe suggest to your significant other that they go to a friend’s house, a bar or even invite some male companionship over to watch the game. You can set up time to grab brunch with your friends, go shopping, or even snag an hour at the gym. This is your time! Do with

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it what you want, and know that he is appreciating your ability to see that sometimes a man just needs to watch other men battle it out on the gridiron.

Dealing With Fantasy Football

Fantasy football is a vastly popular extension of professional football, and if your man likes to engage in one of the most unpredictable pastimes of all time then listen up. every year, people gather into leagues, set up drafts and pick professional football players to be on their “team.” every week, the creator of each team has to set a line up of players to compete against another person in their league. Their point totals are based on performance, and games are won by having more points than the opposing team manager.

This sounds very simple right?

Unfortunately, it can become quite frustrating if things don’t go as planned. if your significant other is getting upset about some random players underperforming, just lend a kind ear for a few minutes and let them vent. They hopefully will run

out of steam soon and then you can move onto other topics.

Handling Loss

last but most definitely not least, there needs to be a tip about handling loss. it can ruin a guy’s weekend if he loses at fantasy, his college team loses, and his professional team tanks as well. This is not the moment to rub it in. even if you were raised to cheer for a rival team or went to a rival college, just let it go. men can be very proud creatures, and it can be taken very personally if teased about their teams doing horribly. i would say that it is only fair to make fun of one of your significant other’s teams if they won at least one other of the three games they may have been invested in. if they go zero for three though, then just have mercy and let them wallow in their gloom for a bit.

In Closing...

it’s not every day that a woman can get a direct line into a man’s brain on a topic, so take this advice if it applies to you. These few simple tips can help turn your season of frustration over your man’s perceived childishness into one of new understanding and bliss.

Patrick is a football fanatic/ faithful fiancé to editor Izamar Loredo (the uninterested significant other).

living-magazine.com // novemBeR-DecemBeR 2014

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{ TRAVEL }

Christmas in

Portugal

BY SUSAN KOSORIS

The holiday season is a great time to travel to Portugal, especially because it makes for a very memorable gift for you and accompanying family members. The temperatures are mild and the added bonus of festive decorations throughout Old World streets, twinkling lights in shop windows, outdoor caroling and delicious holiday foods make it a magical time indeed. Last Christmas I went to northern Portugal with my frequent traveling companion, my son Justin, and we experienced all of the above and more.

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Getting an air ticket with a good price takes some planning, but it can still be done. This is a good time to use those miles and points you’ve been saving, but going a week before the holiday and returning before New Year’s will often prove to be budget-friendly. There are no nonstop flights from Dallas to Portugal – my advice is to fly directly to Madrid and then take a hopper on Iberia or TAP Portugal Air to your destination.

In our case, this was the beautiful city of Porto, the capital of the northern region, the second largest city in Portugal, and a World Heritage Site registered

by UNESCO internationally famous for producing and exporting port wine.

Situated on the Douro River estuary, the region is also a major producer of cork.

When traveling in Portugal, it is fun to take advantage of staying in a pousada or pestana, properties managed by the country located in converted monuments, palaces, convents and monasteries. Many have dining facilities, but all include a delicious breakfast, a historical atmosphere and unique accommodations that are truly special. We chose the Pestana Porto for our visit, in a 16th and 17th century building (a UNESCO site

itself) facing the Douro river.

From our window, we could see the Gustave Eiffel designed Maria Pia railroad bridge spanning the river to the Vila Nova De Gaia, the city across the river marked by terracotta-topped warehouses where two dozen “lodges” (port-wine bottlers) offer tours and tastings. Our favorite lodge had a large lobby with wide plank floors, a huge brick hearth with a roaring fire, and tables crafted from oak barrels.

We had a Portuguese cheese plate featuring mostly sheep and goat cheeses made in the region along with our five wine flight tasting.

Wandering around Porto on foot is an interesting experience. The cobblestone and hilly streets often become stone stairways and medieval alleyways. Trekking along them, however, leads you to worthwhile sights; for example, the Se’ do Porto, the 12th century Romanesque cathedral which began construction under Bishop Hugo and features a narrow nave with a rose window covered by barrel vaulting. The stone roof of the central aisle is supported by flying buttresses, one of the first buildings in Portugal to have them.

Other worthwhile

sights and daytrips: Livraria Lello Listed as the world’s most beautiful bookstore and cited as one of the top ten bookstores in the world by CNN.com and Business Insider, Livraria Lello dates to 1869 and has a magnificent stained glass skylight and a sweeping red staircase.

Se’ de Braga

The food in Portugal is varied and delicious. Seafood, of course, is a highlight of many menus, and often includes bacalhau (salted cod), sea bass, octopus and sardines. Soups featuring seasonal vegetables, fish and meat are served at most meals, and some of the most popular of these are bread soups, where vegetables and shellfish are added to thick slices of bread and broth. Pork is the most common meat, and is often prepared marinated in wine, roasted on a spit or prepared in a meat and bean stew.

We had great meals in cozy restaurants as well as street stalls, and were always treated as if we were long lost relatives.

(I admit people were always excited when we said we hailed from Texas!)

Shopping is a limited activity when I am with Justin, but we still enjoyed the many small galleries and shops filled with items

crafted by local artists.

The next few days we spent driving through the beautiful Douro River Valley, visiting wonderful castles, cathedrals and other sights along the way. There are vineyards growing next to the river, and forests of cork trees as well. December is also a great birding month, as many northern European birds travel to Portugal and northern Africa to winter. We were lucky enough to spot several white storks in the nests they had constructed on utility towers.

We drove on to Madrid, and flew back from there. Alternately, you could fly to Madrid out of Porto or Lisbon, in the southeast region of the country. Portugal is a “don’t miss” destination and one you will thoroughly enjoy!

This cathedral, dating back to the 11th century, is the oldest-surviving church in Portugal and contains Portuguese glazed blue tiles, a 15th century sculpted figure of the Virgin Mary and several other important art works, and the tombs of important rulers.

Conimbriga The most important Roman site in Portugal, it contains excavations from the Roman town dating from the last year BC until 4 AD and is a national monument. The well-preserved settlement contains gorgeous mosaic floors, city walls, a forum and a museum with archeological finds.

living-magazine.com // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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LIFE & STYLE

Fort Worth

20

Cleburne

Waxahachie

35

Hyatt Lost Pines resort

{ travel }

Cozy Cleburne

PHOTO BY CHRIS GILL

BY TonY BenneTT

Tucked away in a sleepy little corner of Texas just 45 minutes from Waxahachie is the greatest small theater experience you will ever have. if that sounds like a hyperbole, i submit to you the Plaza Theatre Company in cleburne, Texas. located in downtown cleburne, The Plaza Theatre is a tiny hole-in-the-wall that seats 152 around a central stage. The seats are comfortable (after a recent remodel) with plenty of leg room. Refreshments consist of canned soda, candy bars, and popcorn.

The rooms are very spacious and include such amenities as a refrigerator, jewelry safe and oh-so-fluffy terry cloth bathrobes. The four stories are accessed via a central elevator from the main lobby (and what a lobby it is). Beautiful turn of the (previous) century charm and artistry are merged with everything you would expect from a modern hotel. Be aware that the rates are very reasonable, so the place tends to fill up rather quickly. learn from my mistake and make your reservations early.

The real treats, however, are the plays.

The actors and actresses (all locals) are amazing and the staging is phenomenal. my wife and i go regularly, and believe me when i say we have laughed, cried, cheered, booed and applauded until our hands were numb.

So you’ve got tickets to a great show and a wonderful place to lay your weary head. next is figuring out what’s for dinner, and cleburne has you covered there too.

There are lots of choices, including all of the usual fare: fast food burgers, tacos, and pizza, among others. But cleburne also boasts a lot of nice dine-in choices, and we’ve never had a bad meal there.

However, since you have gone with me this far, can i ask you to trust me one more time? Before the show starts (generally at 7:30), we eat dinner at the Caddo Street grille. The restaurant is immediately adjacent to the liberty Hotel and is, in fact, owned by the same group. The bill-of-fare features all of the usual choices of comfort food one would expect from a small town restaurant, with simple and well-prepared dishes at reasonable prices. What distinguishes the caddo grille from other restaurants is the friendly wait staff and its convenient park-the-car-andleave-it location.

The plays are as varied as the actors, ranging from the highest drama to the corniest comedies, with a wide variety of musicals thrown in for good measure. all of the performers, directors, technicians, and crew are unpaid volunteers. They do it for the love of entertaining and it shows. my wife and i love these little weekend getaways. after the play, we always spend the night at The Liberty Hotel.

Just a block from the theatre, The liberty Hotel is a beautiful contrast between old charm and modern comfort. Built in 1924, the old hotel has undergone a full and complete restoration.

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That said, the real draw is the Sunday morning breakfast buffet. There is a wide variety of pre-prepared sides and the bonus of watching a chef prepare eggs and waffles to your specifications. Fried over easy? no problem. omelet with olives and jalapenos? You bet. Whatever and however you want it, they will fix it while you supervise. of course, there are lots of other attractions in cleburne. While not plentiful, there are enough antique and curio shops to occupy a pleasant afternoon. cleburne is also host to quite a few weekend music festivals. Booming rock and thumping country can often be heard reverberating throughout the little city’s streets. Perhaps the most unusual attraction is the famed gone with the Wind museum just a few blocks off of the downtown area. The bottom line is this: cleburne offers a fun weekend getaway guaranteed to fit into almost any budget.

Sudoku is a logic-based number placement puzzle where the objective is to ďŹ ll 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.

living-magazine.com // novemBeR-DecemBeR 2014

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LIFE & STYLE

By izamaR loReDo

each year living magazine has the honor of being invited to cover austin city limits music Festival in austin, Texas. as a recent ex-austinite and UT grad, i couldn’t miss a chance to go visit my old college stomping grounds. With my fiancé and acl newbie in tow, i headed down to what would be my second visit to the famous festival. The first time i visited, in 2010, i slept outside in an H.e.B. parking lot for student priced tickets (anything for coldplay!)… needless to say, i was excited to have a spot reserved for me this time around, no camping out required. austin is not exactly known for its lack of traffic, so we had to make sure we knew how to use public transportation. my first instinct was to park on UT campus, as it was probably cheaper, and take the bus downtown, where free shuttles at Republic Square Park take you all the way to zilker Park. as it turns out, this way was too roundabout and on Saturday we opted to brave driving downtown and parking there instead. Surprisingly, it was a much better alternative. lesson learned: save a headache and park near the bus stop. The price difference is negligible and it saves a ton of time.

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once at the festival, the music coming from all the different stages reverberated through the massive park. zilker Park during acl is always a sight to see. if people watching is something you enjoy, acl will give you your fill of it. although the weekend was full of extraordinary artists, we knew we had to see eminem, childish gambino, and in my case Juanes, a Spanish rock singer i grew up listening to. as a pioneer in the hip hop community, Donald glover, also known as childish gambino, enthralled the audience with an exciting live show that featured amazing visual effects and his deft lyricism. eminem performed like the legend that he is, and Juanes sang all of his classics, creating an interactive audience that could sing along to every song. music isn’t the only thing to enjoy at acl.

The art market, a small section of the festival dedicated to local art, gave concertgoers a fun thing to do while waiting for their next act. austin eats, the unique food court consisting of some of austin’s best cuisine, gives you a quick access to all the must-eats in austin in one location. among my favorites were The Saltlick’s

brisket nachos and a delicious ice cream sandwich from Skull and cakebones, a vegan restaurant. When it came to drinks, acl offered a beer garden, where a good variety of craft beers are offered. my favorite part of acl was probably their Rock and Recycle program. What better way to spend the time waiting for your next act than by helping the environment? if you visited one of the Rock and Recycle booths conveniently located at different points throughout the park, you received a large bag to pick up recyclables dropped by some of the messier concertgoers. once your bag was full, you took it back to a booth and deposited it there. in exchange, you received an awesome acl themed t-shirt as well as an entry to win tickets to next year’s festival! it went a long way towards keeping the park nice and clean for the entire weekend. all in all, acl was a wonderful way to spend a weekend. With awesome lineups every year, acl is sure to entertain regardless of what year you go. check it out in october next year, and don’t forget to tell me how it went!

living-magazine.com // novemBeR-DecemBeR 2014

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LIFE & STYLE

{ entertainMent }

Cinematic Cheer BY moRgan mccRoRY

Ah, Christmas. The magical time of year when fluffy white snow covers the ground and a sense of happiness fills the air. Well, at least one of those things is true here in Texas, so we’ll take random bouts of ice covering the ground instead. It’s not the weather that makes Christmas so magical anyway; it’s seeing your family shrug off stress for a few hours to gather around a tree and spending hours finding the perfect gift.

And yes, it’s even the belief that a jolly bearded guy can climb down a chimney to deliver excitement wrapped in a box and topped with a bow. That’s what makes these movies so perfect for Christmas. They can make you believe in Santa even when you’re old enough to be his look-a-like. You’ll find that appreciation once again for the family that may or may not drive you crazy half the time, and maybe, just maybe, if you’re one of those who think this whole Christmas thing is a little too hyped, your heart will grow three sizes after watching the true meaning of Christmas play out on screen.

MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) There’s a reason people still talk about this movie 67 years after its making. it won several prestigious awards, but it’s not gold statues that make it a winner. The beauty in the movie comes from its ability to make us believe in people, in doing good, and in the power of belief itself.

HOME ALONE (1990) macaulay culkin picked up a golden globe nomination for his turn as the kid with the mastermind brain, Kevin mccallister.

Kevin defeats two bumbling bad guys and convinces an old man to reconcile with his son, but at the end of the day, he still needed a hug from his mom to make christmas a special day.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1951) if you’re looking for charles Dickens’ classic tale of an old miser who finds redemption thanks to three certain ghosts, this is the film for you. most call alastair Sim the perfect actor to portray the greedy Scrooge who rediscovers the heart he thought was lost.

Editor’s Pick ELF (2003)

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS (1965) a film from charlie Brown makes every holiday better and christmas is no exception. charlie Brown is on a mission to find the true meaning of christmas, puny tree and all.

Thanks to his friends and a very wise linus, he finds just that.

NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (1989) We all want to make christmas perfect for the ones we love, but as clark griswold shows, that’s easier said than done.

When it comes down to it though, everything can literally blow up in the sky and christmas can still be a success when you’re with family… no matter how crazy they may be.

THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004) This film is probably the best animated christmas tale to come out in the past decade. it’s beautifully shot and features one of the most beloved men in Hollywood, Tom Hanks. if you’ve lost faith in the holiday and the spiritualism that comes with it, this may just bring it back.

It’s impossible not to be in the holiday spirit after watching Will Ferrell prance around as the infectiously happy, six-foot tall elf, Buddy. Plus, you have Zooey Deschanel leading an acappella version of “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town” to bring back the Christmas spirit so Santa can fly his sleigh.

That’s the very definition of holiday magic.

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (1964) We all know the song of Rudolph and his unusual glowing nose, but what the classic tune doesn’t reveal is the reindeer’s storied past. He meets up with misfit toys, an elf who’d rather be a dentist, and saves his family from the abominable Snow monster. This made-for-Tv flick shows Rudolph was a hero way before he guided Santa’s sleigh.

THE SANTA CLAUSE (1994) Scott calvin (Tim allen) may have accidently knocked Santa clause from his elite title, but by becoming the big guy himself, Scott teaches his son, family and friends that “seeing isn’t believing; believing is seeing.”

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (2000) everyone fell in love with the christmas-hating grinch with a secretly big heart thanks to the animated movie from 1966, but Jim carrey brings a humor to the green creature that makes you love the grinch even more.

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LIFE & STYLE

{ nonProFit }

A HOME FOR THE

Holidays BY izamaR loReDo

TeXaS BaPTiST Home For CHiLdren There’s something especially magical about the holidays. For most children, the air is filled with endless expectation and the whimsical thought that anything is possible. For other children, the holidays can be a tough reminder of what they don’t have. in Texas alone, over 6,000 kids need a forever adoptive home. most of these children are a larger sibling group of three or more, older children over nine and children with primary medical needs.

This holiday season, Texas Baptist Home seeks to give these kids the reassurance that hope, love and magic still exist.

When the Baptist missionary association of Texas saw a way to alleviate the plight of orphaned children in Texas, it jumped at the chance. after some deliberation and a very generous donation of $1,500 (back then almost $39,000 by today’s standards) from Waxahachie, ellis

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county became the home of the Texas Baptist Home for children in 1910. it was an orphanage until the 1970s, when it changed to a home to further accommodate dependent and neglected children. Since then, they continue to offer foster care and adoption services among many other programs.

Today, Texas Baptist Home assists more than 130 kids in the DFW community through their foster care programs. most of the children in the program are in foster homes located around the DFW area, but a few, usually larger groups of siblings, are housed in larger foster homes on campus at the Waxahachie location.

“our goal at Texas Baptist Home is to protect children, promote family and meet needs,” said Jennifer Walker, marketing and Development Supervisor at Texas Baptist Home. “We have been able to meet the needs of many different children and families and we always evaluate our programs and make sure that we are doing these core practices. We want to glorify god and help people heal by giving them support and encouragement throughout their journey of foster care and adoption.”

Texas Baptist Home doesn’t just assist with fostering. They also have a straight adoption program to help families adopt children that are ready to be adopted, as well as a private infant program. “in our infant program, expectant mothers can live in abba’s Heart Home, which is our new expectant mother home, while they work with the private infant case manager to make a plan for their child’s adoption. These ladies have the option of an open adoption so that they, along with

the adoptive family, can help this child grow and know how much they are loved,” Walker said.

Families wanting to adopt can find all the qualifications on the Texas Baptist Home website. The main qualifications are for a family to be financially, emotionally and physically stable enough to parent these children who have been abused and neglected.

“Adoptions through CPS are children who are removed from very hard situations, so we want to place them with the best home possible for their needs. Future foster and adoptive parents go through 30+ hours of training, paperwork submission and a home study to determine if they are able to be a foster or adoptive parent,” Walker explained.

Although TBH is not the physical home for many of the children in its program, it still needs help to keep assisting these kids, their foster parents, and future children in need. Donations are welcome year-round, but especially during the summer, for back to school, and Christmas. Ellis County has stepped up to the plate, faithfully helping Texas Baptist Home with their mission for the past 100 years.

“Ellis County and specifically Waxahachie has truly been a source of encouragement and support. They have been there to support our kids through donations and volunteers. The foster parents who live in town feel encouraged by the school systems, churches, and the community,” Walker said.

Many might fear that fostering a child temporarily will be too much of an emotional strain, but the benefit these children will be receiving from having a stable home to go to at the end of the day is much more important than that.

During the holidays, when the presence of family seems to be a reigning theme of the season, is when these kids need to be reminded of the love and warmth of a home the most.

“One testimony that has stood out recently was from one of our foster parents,” Walker said. “She was interviewed for our newsletter and I asked her what she would tell people about fostering. She said, “When people find out I’m a foster parent, they tell me, “I couldn’t do what you do”.

Their focus is on how difficult it is to love a child and then let them go home. I wish they understood what a blessing it can be to help a child through a difficult time in their life. God calls us to care for the orphans; He never said it would be easy.”

*

For more information visit

www.tbhc.org.

The Christmas Shoppe Texas Baptist Home is hosting The Christmas Shoppe this year, a special way you can donate to foster children this Christmas. The foster parents will have the chance to pick toys from your donations that were on the children’s wish list and some that they know the children will enjoy.

How Can You Help? >> Donate items off the children’s wish list. Call Cari Humphrey at 972-937-1321 or email chumphrey@ tbhc.org to request suggested wish list items from the children wish lists. All gifts should be turned in unwrapped for Shoppe purposes.

- Specify how many gifts you would like to purchase.

- Depending on your request, we will send you the child’s age, gender, and suggested wish list item(s)… just like an angel off of an angel tree! >> Have a toy drive at your church, work place, or community group for new toys, especially brand name toys and electronics for ages 0-17. >> Gift cards for the teenagers are also always needed and appreciated. >> Donate gift wrapping! We will have a station for gift-wrapping available at the Shoppe. The gift wrapping supplies that are always needed are: all size gift sacks, gift card wrapping, tissue paper, tape, scissors, and wrapping paper. >> Volunteer! To volunteer at either our Bedford or Waxahachie Christmas Shoppe, email Kristen Lindsey at klindsey@tbhc.org (Waxahachie) or Jennie Schmitz at jschmitz@tbhc.org (Bedford). >> Monetary donations are also accepted and help provide Christmas gifts for children who come to TBH right before Christmas.

For upcoming events and special donation times, contact the TBH office or check out their website, www.tbhc.org.

MARKETPLACE JUSTUFF CREATIONS

You’ve wanted to stop and haven’t.

Come explore unique home decor, custom home furnishings, and eclectic gift items. You will find something to satisfy your curiosity!

Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-6pm 106 S. Hwy 342, Suite E | Red Oak

BRIARPATCH BOUTIQUE

JUSTUFF CREATIONS

469.323.0844 www.justuffcreations.com

BRIARPATCH BOUTIQUE

With the largest Brighton selection in Ellis County, Briarpatch has everything you need to show your loved ones how much you care.

404 W. Main St. | Waxahachie

972.937.7717

OLD TOWN VILLAGE

WELL INKED CUSTOM INVITATIONS AND STATIONERY Send your holiday greetings in style. We have a large array of customizable cards for the season and all event invitations too.

Let us create the perfect design for you and your family or business. We even offer hand addressing and mailing services.

214 S. Rogers St. Downtown Waxahachie

WELL INKED

469.733.0114 OLD TOWN VILLAGE ANTIQUES & UNIQUES

The place to be for your holiday shopping! Old, new and artistically created, you will find something beautiful in every aisle at Old Town Village. Come discover vintage holiday, antiques, collectibles, shabby chic decor, vintage finds, books, jewelry, repurposed treasures and so much more!

307 S. Rogers St., | Waxahachie

972.938.9515 OldTownVillageAntiques.com

MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS & BOUTIQUE

We have a variety of fun, girly gifts! Visit us today to see our selection and pick up the perfect Christmas gift.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ MerleNormanWaxahachie 401 N. Hwy 77, Ste 8 | Waxahachie

HOUSE OF TEES

972.937.9696 ARK COUNTRY STORE

MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS & BOUTIQUE

Our selection of gifts for the family is sure to please. Swing by and see what Santa has to offer at Ark Country Store!

209 S. Hwy 77 | Waxahachie

972.937.8860 www.arkcountrystore.com

HOUSE OF TEES

Order a special loved one a one-of-akind shirt just in time for Christmas.

It’s all about family!

509 George Hopper #B | Midlothian

972.723.9820 HouseofTeesOnline.com

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ARK COUNTRY STORE

Local Shopping THE STUDIO

T. BERESFORD

This Native American bracelet is one of a kind. Made with genuine inlaid stones, sterling silver and signed by the artist, this bracelet is sure to impress.

Call or pop in for details.

3671 N. Hwy. 77 | Waxahachie

THE STUDIO

972.617.7740 T. BERESFORD

The eclectic selections make this your one stop shopping location for all your gift-giving needs! From the standard to the creative, you will find unique and quality items at the shop that exclusively supports Made in America products.

207 S. College St. | Waxahachie

972.937.2700

Facebook.com/ TBeresfordWaxahachie

L & J MANUFACTURING

DALLAS TORTILLA & TAMALE FACTORY

Now serving restaurant-style Mexican food plates! Bringing you authentic Mexican food since 1950.

213 SH 342, Suite 405 | Red Oak

972.576.1171 L & J MANUFACTURING

Restyle, renew and repair outdated pieces into fresh, new styles. Come in and create your own ring with your style! Men & Women’s jewelry store.

130 N. Hwy 77, Suite D Waxahachie

DALLAS TORTILLA & TAMALE FACTORY

972.938.0504 BLINGIN’ GYPSY

Vintage chic and made in the USA! We carry sizes S - 3XL. We have it all: apparel, headbands, jewelry and gift items. Come see us!

205 S. College St. | Waxahachie

972.923.0090 INTERIOR IDEAS

INTERIOR IDEAS

Need a new lunch spot? This is the perfect place to have lunch with your girlfriends and do a little shopping too! Be sure to attend our open house November 6th (10am - 7pm) to get in the Christmas spirit!

211 W. Knox St. | Ennis

972.878.6868 MOSAIC MADNESS

MOSAIC MADNESS

BLINGIN’ GYPSY

A masterpiece created by you will make the perfect gift this holiday season. Flower pots, stepping stones, birdbaths, vases, frames, and so much more.

Fun for all ages!

211 S. College St. | Waxahachie

972.937.5797 www.mosaicmadness.net info@mosaicmadness.net Find us on Facebook!

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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{ HISTORY }

STRAIGHT FROM THE NORTH POLE:

A RUN-DOWN OF SANTA’S

MOST POPULAR DELIVERIES While you start compiling this year’s Christmas list, take a trip down memory lane and check out the most popular Christmas toys of the last 50 years.

1964:

G.I. JOE Considered the world’s first action figure, the G.I. Joe was $4 dollars a piece when it debuted Christmas of 1964.

1989:

THE ORIGINAL GAME BOY The original Game Boy weighed around 1.5 pounds.

1985: MY LITTLE PONY 1986: LAZER TAG

1988: GHOSTBUSTERS

1984: TRANSFORMERS

1983:

1990: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 1991: SUPER NINTENDO

1987: KOOSH BALL

CABBAGE PATCH KIDS The demand for Cabbage Patch Kids during the Christmas of 1983 was so high that “Cabbage Patch Riots” broke out all throughout the country.

These riots are often referred to as “the original Black Friday”.

1995: BEANIE BABIES

1994: POGS

1993: 1992:

MIGHTY MORPHIN’ POWER RANGERS

BARNEY The Barney & Friends show was created and filmed in Dallas, Texas.

1996:

TICKLE ME ELMO

2013:

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RAINBOW LOOM The Rainbow Loom was invented by a dad trying to make rubber band bracelets with his daughters. His hands were too big to weave the small rubber bands together, so he constructed a makeshift loom to make it easier.

1997:

TAMAGOTCHI/ NINTENDO 64

2012: KINDLE FIRE HD

1974:

TONKA TOY TRUCK

1968:

HOT WHEELS There were 16 original Hot Wheels models.

1967:

LITE BRITE

1965: OPERATION

1966: TWISTER

1973: WALKIE TALKIES

1972: UNO 1969: FLATSY DOLL 1970: NERF 1971: MASTERMIND BALLS

1978: SIMON

1977: STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES

1980:

RUBIK’S CUBE

1982: BMX BIKE

1981: LEGO TRAIN SET

1979: ATARI

1976: PONG, THE FIRST COMPUTER GAME

1998: FURBY In 1999, Furbies

were banned from the U.S. National Security Agency and the Pentagon due to worries that they might be used as spies or to record or repeat classified information.

1999: POKEMON

2000: RAZOR SCOOTERS

1975:

2002: FURREAL CAT

2001: BRATZ DOLLS

2003: BEYBLADE

2005: XBOX 360

PET ROCK The Pet Rocks were actually just common beach stones found on Rosarito Beach in Baja, Mexico.

At the peak of their popularity, the pets sold for $3.95 each.

2006:

2004:

ROBOSAPIEN The Robosapien was capable of 67 actions, including one that kept him dancing for up to 24 hours.

NINTENDO WII

2008: ELMO LIVE

2010: IPAD 2011: LET’S ROCK ELMO

2009:

ZHUZHU PETS These electronic hamster-like creatures acted just like a live hamster and cost $10 each, although high demand drove prices into the thousands online.

2007:

IPOD TOUCH LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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HOME & GARDEN

{ DIY }

Merry and

BRIGHT

It seems like Christmas lights have become all the rage in the past few years, and not just during the holiday season. Why not indulge our lights obsession even more this Christmas? These handy and easy Christmas light DIYs are sure to add extra dazzle to your holidays. BY IZAMAR LOREDO

NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Lights in a Jar 

Wall Christmas Trees 

No space for a Christmas tree? Use Christmas lights to create a beautiful wall tree. The best part?

It can be as big as you want it to be! Adorn it with ornaments and garland as you would a regular tree for an extra touch.

Bring Christmas light wherever you go by putting a string of Christmas lights in a jar, wine bottle, lantern or jug. A simple project with a big effect, it’s sure to brighten up any room.

Christmas Lights with a Twist 

Want to switch up a boring old string of lights? Try tying different colored pieces of cloth or tulle along the string for a completely new look.



INSPIRATIONS FROM THE BLOG HAYSEED HOMEMAKIN’ BY MALLORY KUNZ

Balls of Light

With some work gloves on, grab some chicken wire, form it into a ball and wrap it with Christmas lights for a beautiful outdoor decoration.

PHOTO BY THOMAS HOPKINS

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LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

Your GATEWAY to HOMETOWN service and expertise

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www.TheSchmidtGrp.com

Building or Renovating a Home Just Got Easier Gateway Mortgage Group offers smart solutions that can meet a variety of home construction needs. Best of all, since we are one of the country’s largest privately held mortgage bankers, you can rest easy knowing you will be dealing with Gateway from application throughout the life of your loan.

Single-Close Construction Loans

• Financing for the lot and construction • Lower costs with one loan closing • Loans up to $417,000 and flexible terms Ready to learn more? Give us a call at The Schmidt Group. We are right here in your backyard.

Office: 972.937.2200 | 1332 W. Hwy 287 Bypass, Suite-1 | Waxahachie, TX 75165

All loans are subject to program guidelines and final underwriting approval. See local branch for details.

LIVING-MAGAZINE. COM7233. // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014 Gateway Mortgage Group is a registered service mark of Gateway Mortgage Group, LLC NMLS

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HOME & GARDEN { DIY }

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS

INSPIRATIONS FROM KRISTEN HOBBS, AUTHOR OF THE BLOG INSPIRED WHIMS (INSPIREDWHIMS.COM).

( WITH AN EASY DIY GIFT )

On a budget and looking for a cheap (and useful) Christmas gift for the little ones this year? Try your hand at this simple

game table project and let the entertainment begin! It’s so useful, no one will ever guess how simple it was.

I found this guy on the side of the road. He was looking a little sad, lonely, and roughed-up so I thought we’d bring him home and show him a good time.

I love tables with collapsible sides because they’re great for tight spaces and for serving multiple purposes. This one is the perfect “kid height” so I knew we could use it for something. It took me a day or two to figure out what I’d do with it. I knew that at a minimum I had to refinish the table surface because the finish was really beat up.

Gather your materials.

FOR THIS PROJECT, WE ARE USING THE FOLLOWING:

»» AN OLD TABLE WITH COLLAPISBLE SIDES »» SANDPAPER OR SANDER »» CHALKBOARD PAINT

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} Step

1:

} Step

2:

I sanded just the table surface down because I wasn’t convinced I wanted another entirely painted piece of furniture, especially with all the color I have going on in our house.

I wandered over to my paint stash and surprise, surprise... the chalkboard paint, in all its glory, called my name once more. I painted the sanded table surface and here’s what we got!

Is the rest of the table’s finish in perfect condition? Nope, but the matte black and stained wood contrast is looking pretty good to me, so I think we’ll keep it this way for a while.

Now it serves as the perfect little game/craft table in our living room book nook. Of course, you can also use chalk to write on it. How’s that for multipurpose action?

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

Once crazy woke up from her nap she made it more her own.

For $0 it’s not too shabby, huh? Here’s to the shameless roadside pickers like myself.

One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure... if you add a little chalkboard paint.

living-magazine.com // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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HOME & GARDEN

{ INTERIOR DESIGN }

O’ CHRISTMAS

TREE...

Legend has it that the Christmas tree was originally a small triangular treetop from a Fir tree that was hung upside down from the ceiling. This triangle represented the trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It was a symbol of Christianity. Because of this practice, the Fir tree was revered as God’s Tree.

The First Tree



it wasn’t until 1510 that the first decorated tree came about, in germany. candles were hung on the trees to represent the twinkling of stars through the darkness. By 1600 christmas fairs were held in german villages selling gingerbread, wafer cookies, twisted hard candy and paper flowers of red and white color. These were all used to hang from the christmas trees. Sound familiar?

Tree in the 1900s, Germany

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During this time, each member of the family had a small tabletop tree to decorate. all of their gifts would be placed under their tree. These tabletop trees were actually cut from the very top of large Fir trees. after years of cutting off the treetops the Fir trees actually became endangered. it was determined that a statute would be set into place to allow only one tree per family. Thus, the large tree emerged. This same statute was also responsible for the first artificial tree to ever be created. it was a goose feather tree, and although delicate, it was used until the late 1900s.

christmas trees came to england in the 1600s when german royalty arrived in the country. many germans lived in england and brought their traditions with them, but it was not until 1846, when Queen victoria made a family portrait around her christmas tree, that it became fashionable for the english to have a tree. most decorations in england were homemade. Young women would work for days making paper snowflakes, stars and paper flowers. Popcorn was strung and little pouches filled with candied almonds were hand sewn and hung on the tree.

The First Ornaments

Silver tinsel was invented in germany in 1610. it was made from real silver. Several options were tried using mixed metals, but none worked. Thus, real silver was used to make tinsel until the mid 20th century. germany was mostly responsible for manufacturing the first christmas ornaments. By 1850, their christmas decorations were being shipped across the atlantic. german-made glass balls, beads, miniature toys and tinsel became the ornaments of choice if you had the means to purchase them.

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HOME & GARDEN

PHoTo BY leS TaYloR

Christmas Trees in America

although pockets of immigrants brought christmas traditions to america in the 1700s, the traditions didn’t really hit countrywide until the mid 19th century. British cattle Barons are actually responsible for bringing the christmas tree to us here in Texas! By 1870, most american homes had a holiday christmas tree. although many ornaments were still handmade, the affluent showed their status by adorning their trees with as many german decorations as they could get on their tree.

Believe it or not, electric lights were patented in 1882. i was amazed at that! metal hooks were invented in 1892. This allowed the ornaments to stay securely on the tree. Prior to that, ribbons were used to tie decorations on the tree. Breakage of the precious ornaments often happened when the ribbons ripped or came untied.

artificial trees were first made in germany, but america was responsible for the brush tree. The addis Brush company used the same machines to manufacture toilet brushes as they did to make tree branches. These trees became very popular because the branches were strong enough to hold all the desired decorations.

The flashy victorian era was restored in the 1970’s. Decorations were more ornate than ever before. With no needles to clean up, no more dead trees by christmas eve and no fire hazards, artificial trees were all the rage. These enormous trees touched the ceiling, filled a room, and even better, looked very real.

Christmas Tree Fashion

Themed trees were revived in the 1990s, when numerous trees began to be used in conjunction with the large family tree. Similar to what was done in 17th century germany, each room would have a tree of some size with a theme all its own.

The 1890’s brought the height of the victorian era. With that came more flare and bangles than any tree had ever seen. anything that would hang was put on the tree. color themes became fashionable on christmas trees during this time, also.

The first actual themed trees came into play in 1903 as the victorian era was fading. Trees were decorated with themed ornaments and done in themed colors. alternately, it was also during this time that the christmas tree became much more simple. after that, it wasn’t until the mid 1930s, when the nostalgia and glamour of the 1800’s became fashionable again, that christmas trees in their full glory returned.

The 1950’s brought a lot of change in the world. it was a new era. The silver aluminum tree was patented. This tree was designed to hold all of the traditional ornaments, but there were no lights. This tree would rotate while a revolving light would glow on the tree, changing the color as it turned.

Queen Victoria Tree

as the evolution of artificial trees has given us trees that look so real you have to touch them to be sure, we have no idea what the future will bring. The family tree might change from year to year instead of always being the same, but it is a fact that no matter what year it is, we will have

christmas trees forever more.

Have a wonderful holiday and enjoy God’s many blessings!

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.



living-magazine.com // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

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HOME & GARDEN

»»Gardening

BY MELINDA KOCIAN, ELLIS COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS

2014

November PLANTING »» This is the ideal time to plant trees and shrubs; this will help them to get established before summer weather arrives.

Consider the mature size of the plant, especially trees, when deciding on variety and placement. »» Dig a hole 2 to 4 times the diameter and one-inch shallower than the root ball.

Make sure the root ball and the hole are thoroughly wet before planting. Back fill with the existing soil only and water well.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING »» Keep a spray can of pruning paint in your garage to immediately paint any wound on your oak trees. We no longer say there are windows of safety because of cold weather or hot weather. Central Texas weather is too unpredictable and changeable—paint every wound all year long »» Feed and water vegetables that you are growing now. »» Feed winter annuals growing in the ground and containers with a water-soluble plant food. »» Remove the tops of herbaceous perennials after they have died.

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 but it kills all caterpillars. »» Check potted plants growing outside for insects and spray if you plan to bring indoors over winter. »» Look for scales on cast-iron and other plants. Use horticultural oil to control.

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5

Artemisia

Artemisia x ‘Powis Castle’ is a Mediterranean perennial that has adapted well to Texas living. This finely textured silver-leafed foliage plant is best known for its aroma when touched. Artemisia grows 3 feet tall and about the same in width. It likes full sun and any well-drained, amended soil.

Water this plant every week during the growing season for optimum results. Wet and compacted soils may result in root rot. ‘Knock Out’ roses make an excellent backdrop for ‘Powis Castle’ Artemisia.

The contrast of the red roses against the silvery foliage is beautiful.

TIPS AND LITTLE KNOWN FACTS Artemisia originated in the Mediterranean. Its native distribution includes much of North America, from Canada to south to Mexico. Some of its other names are Mugwort wormwood, Tarragon, Silver wormwood, southernwood, White sage, Prairie sage, Silver sage and Gray sagewort. During the days of the early settlers, Artemisia was grown for its aroma and used to scent linens, repel insects and for medicinal purposes. Absinthum, known as “Common Wormwood,” was formerly well known as the source of the liquor absinthe.

LIVING-MAGAZINE.COM // NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2014

December PLANTING

»» Plant pre-chilled tulip and hyacinth bulbs promptly after removing them from the refrigerator. 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 and American beautyberry. Select plants from the nursery with the berries on them to know what you are buying. »» Plant fruit and pecan trees.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING »» Do not top crape myrtles or remove the central leader of any shade tree. »» Apply a root stimulator such as liquid seaweed or a mild solution of water-soluble fertilizer to newly planted trees and shrubs. »» Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around perennial flowers and newly planted trees, shrubs and vines. It protects against winter freeze damage, conserves moisture and moderates soil temperatures.

GARDEN WATCH

»» Protect tender vegetation from the cold with a lightweight freeze cloth, available at most nurseries and garden centers. »» Continue to water lawns and newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials if rainfall is insufficient.

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Eve’s Necklace

Eve’s Necklace (Sophora affinis) is a small deciduous tree from the legume family that grows to about 15-25 feet tall in any unimproved soil. It can grow in full sun but prefers a light shade.

Once established, Eve’s Necklace can live on rainwater alone except in extreme conditions.

The delicate flowers produced by this tree are light pink and resemble wisteria blooms. The green compound leaves turn yellow for fall color.

Decorative seed pods are also present fall and winter.

These pods contain a poisonous substance and therefore should not be handled. Pruning is only required to shape the tree or remove low growing limbs.

TIPS AND LITTLE KNOWN FACTS Eve’s Necklace originated from Arkansas and Texas. The plant gets its name from pods, which are pressed so tightly together that they resemble beads on a necklace. Growth habit is medium fast growing and usually found in the wild as an understory tree.

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VAULT

Tomorrow’s Cures Begin Today

To most, the mention of Ellis County brings to mind beautiful country scenery and a quiet way of life. Leave it up to ClinPoint Trials, though, and Ellis County will soon be synonymous with knowledge, opportunity and hope.

Through the simple mission of providing the best care to their patients while advancing medicine, ClinPoint Trials plans to put Ellis County on the map when it comes to medical breakthroughs.

Sherry Johnson, ClinPoint Trials’ Site Director and a registered nurse, said the idea for ClinPoint Trials came to her after spending the past 12 years in clinical research. As a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) working with many pharmaceutical and medical device companies, she has traveled all over, auditing research centers similar to ClinPoint. She made it her purpose to protect the rights, safety and welfare of study patients by ensuring that these centers conducted clinical trials according to ethical and regulatory standards. Working closely with research centers across

the country, she saw the benefit the centers provided to their communities. This is where the vision for ClinPoint began.

WHY ELLIS COUNTY? ClinPoint Trials opened its doors June 2014 in Waxahachie, and to Sherry, there was no better location to open the innovative clinical research center. With the rapid growth of Ellis County, and the anticipated opening of the new Baylor Scott & White hospital in Waxahachie, the location was perfect for ClinPoint’s mission.

“Bringing the trials here allows our community to participate in research without having to drive to North Dallas,” Sherry said. “This can provide our patients access to new – sometimes breakthrough - medications and treatments before they are

generally available.”

One of ClinPoint’s first accomplishments was to ally with two of the best physicians in Ellis County, Dr. Thomas Ledbetter and Dr. Peggy Linguist, to make certain that every study patient receives the best care possible. In addition to advancing medicine, together they hope to improve the

“

Clinical research is a core value of the healthcare system. We must continue to better understand the basic science of diseases while looking for safer, more effective treatment for these illnesses.

ClinPoint Trials now provides another community resource to expand the scope of healthcare in our community.

“

- Dr. Thomas Ledbetter, Medical Director and Principal Investigator

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

quality of life for patients in the community by providing the opportunity to receive free, study related care. Those who take part in a research trial are compensated financially for their time, but most importantly, they receive free study related physical exams, tests, procedures, and treatments.

“Dr. Ledbetter and Dr. Linguist are both very excited to be a part of ClinPoint. They joined our team because they see the value of research and wanted to be able to provide this option to their patients and to the community. They are not moving away from their current practice locations, they just want to be able to offer something more to their patients,” Sherry said, adding that both doctors will only see patients at the ClinPoint office if they are in a study.

FIGHTING MISCONCEPTIONS A common perception is that all clinical trials are risky and that study participants are used as “guinea pigs” to test new drugs.

Clearing up this myth and educating the public about clinical trials and their importance is one of ClinPoint’s primary goals.

“First and foremost, we want the public to know many safeguards are in place to ensure that the rights and welfare of our research subjects are protected. Our research patients are fully informed of the study process throughout the trial and always have the right to withdraw from the study at any point,” Sherry said.

It’s also crucial to note that clinical research and ClinPoint Trials are highly regulated by various governmental entities, both national and international. Clinpoint has to abide by stringent laws set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory authorities. Additionally, all studies must have oversight by an Independent Review Board (IRB), whose purpose is to ensure the protection of the rights, safety,

and welfare of patients. Clinical trials go through very strict ethical and regulatory checks before patients can be enrolled.

Another important clarification is that not all research studies involve taking a new, untested medicine.

“It is true that many research trials involve taking a new medicine, usually in trials that are gathering data by comparing the new drug to a current treatment. But that is only one type of study. We also have trials that involve using existing medications, maybe in a new way, different dose, or in a new combination, to see if they can be more effective,” Sherry explained. “It is my hope patients will put preconceptions aside and contact us to discuss any questions they may have regarding participating in a clinical trial. “

WHAT’S IN THE FUTURE FOR CLINPOINT TRIALS? As an internal medicine physician, Dr. Ledbetter treats many chronic illnesses.

His interest in working with ClinPoint stems from his desire to see improved treatments, or possibly even cures for the many diseases he treats everyday. ClinPoint will be conducting trials for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and even Alzheimer’s- the kind of diseases that concern everybody. However, none of this can happen without the help of the community.

“If we don’t have people that are willing to volunteer, we can’t get new treatments out there,” Sherry explained. “We would not have something like Advil® available to treat our aches and pains if it were not for clinical trials. Thanks to the patients who are willing to be in trials, we can learn more about how to care for a whole range of medical conditions, which could make a difference in the lives of not only the people in our own community, but globally. I think

CLINPOINT IS CURRENTLY SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR TWO PEDIATRIC STUDIES INVOLVING DRUG PRODUCTS THAT ARE ALREADY FDA APPROVED AND ON THE MARKET.

“

Advancement of medicine through safe, responsible, and controlled clinical trials is beneficial for all of us, especially our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. ClinPoint is committed to working together for the advancement of medicine. To me, “together” means our community investing in its future. The questions that are answered today through quality clinical trials will be the foundation that informs our future physicians and providers, so that they can, in turn, take the best care of our future generations.

“

-Dr. Peggy Linguist, Pediatric Clinical Investigator it’s great to be able to say that Ellis County is on the cutting edge of medicine. We are at the forefront right now. Our patients matter, and they are making an impact.

Together, we will be making a difference in the future of medicine right here in Ellis County- and I think that’s pretty amazing!”

100 Professional Place Waxahachie

972.961.3949 WWW.CPTRIALS.COM

MEDICAL

DEALING WITH

ANXIETY DEAR DR. DONALDSON, I STARTED A NEW JOB AND I WORRY AND HAVE A LOT OF ANXIETY. I WANT TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR DEALING WITH ANXIETY?

You are not alone. most everyone experiences anxiety at one time or another. The good news is anxiety is treatable.

There are many things you can do on your own to reduce anxiety.

1. Breathing techniques can

quickly calm anxiety. Simply breathing in and out while focusing on breathing can help quiet tension. if you find your mind wandering to something stressful, gently bring your attention back to your breath. a couple of minutes of this and you will feel better.

2. get moving to decrease

anxiety. Take a walk on your lunch break. Find a fun way to move, whether it is dancing, sports, or hiking.

Yoga or Pilates are great ways to de-stress and you get added physical benefits.

3. Keep a worry journal. al-

low yourself 15 minutes of “worry time” a day and write down your worries. Do not do this before bedtime or it will be hard to shut the worry off. if you find yourself worrying outside of those 15 minutes remind yourself that your concern is written down in your journal and give yourself permission not to think about it.

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Redirect your mind to something more productive or enjoyable. if there is something on your worry list you can solve by taking action, do so.

4. Have fun. enjoying a

hobby or leisure activity distracts you from your worry.

5. connect with friends, but

don’t let your time together turn negative. allow yourself a little time to vent and then move on to something more enjoyable.

6. avoid energy vampires

that drain your energy or bring you down. Spend time with positive, upbeat people and you will feel better too. energy is contagious.

7. Take a news fast. news

usually focuses on the negative and causes many people additional worry, especially people with anxiety.

8. Pay attention to the beauti-

BY DR. KaTHeRine DonalDSon a few minutes envisioning the next day going exactly as you would like. imagining things in a positive way allows our unconscious to go to work on those expectations. What you think about you bring about, so keep those thoughts on what you want, not on what you don’t want.

11. essential oils. a drop of

lavender oil on a pulse point can help you relax. a drop on the bottom of each foot at bedtime can help you sleep.

Ylang ylang is another oil that promotes relaxation. You can also rub a drop over the heart.

if you continue to experience anxiety after using some of these techniques, you may want to visit with a therapist who is trained in addressing anxiety issues. a therapist can help you identify and modify self-defeating behaviors, address the underlying issues surrounding your anxiety, and provide you with tools for coping. congratulations on your new job. it should become more enjoyable with some of these techniques.

ful and wonderful things all around you.

9. avoid negative self-talk.

What you say to yourself influences your mood.

10.Use visualization. Before

drifting off to sleep, spend

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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MEDICAL

aDaPTeD FRom THe naTional inSTiTUTe oF neURological DiSoRDeRS anD STRoKe

The Basics on Epilepsy November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month epilepsy is a commonly known yet frequently misunderstood and vastly complicated disorder. Seizures, which are often a main symptom of epilepsy, are equally as complex. With many types of epilepsy in existence, each with a different set of symptoms, it may be difficult to be fully informed about the disorder. The information below is just a brief summary of the complicated nature of epilepsy. For more detailed information, please consult your doctor.

Someone suffering a severe seizure may fall to the ground unconscious, twitch, drool, cry out, or even lose bladder control. Within minutes, the attack is gone and the person is conscious but exhausted. However, this type of seizure -- a generalized tonic-clonic seizure -- is only one of many kinds of epilepsy.

What is Epilepsy?

according to the national institute of neurological Disorders and Stroke, epilepsy is a brain disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally. neurons normally generate electrochemical impulses that act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings, and actions. in epilepsy, the nor-

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mal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behavior, or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. During a seizure, neurons may fire as many as 500 times a second, much faster than normal. in some people, this happens only occasionally; for others, it may happen up to hundreds of times a day. more than 2 million people in the United States -- about 1 in 100 -- have experienced an unprovoked seizure or been diagnosed with epilepsy. For about 80 percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques. However, about 25 to 30 percent of people with epilepsy will continue to experience seizures even with the best available treatment. Doctors call this situation intractable epilepsy. Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. it is important to note that only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy.

What Causes Epilepsy?

epilepsy is a disorder with many possible causes. anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity -- from illness to

brain damage to abnormal brain development -- can lead to seizures. epilepsy may develop because of abnormalities in brain wiring, an imbalance of neurotransmitters (nerve signaling chemicals), or a combination of both. in some cases, epilepsy may result from changes in nonneuronal brain cells called glia. These cells regulate concentrations of chemicals in the brain that can affect neuronal signaling. genetics may also be an important factor contributing to epilepsy. Some types of epilepsy have been traced to an abnormality in a specific gene. many other types of epilepsy tend to run in families, which suggests that genes influence epilepsy.

How is Epilepsy Treated?

epilepsy cannot be cured, but it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. Some drugs are more effective for some types of seizures than others. an individual with seizures, particularly those that are not easily controlled, may want to see a neurologist specifically trained to treat epilepsy. in some children, special diets may help to control seizures when medications are either not effective or cause serious side effects.

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MEDICAL

The Sooner the Better:

Keeping Lung Cancer diagnosis delays at bay

BY JUlie maRTin oF BaYloR ScoTT & WHiTe HoSPiTal

Besides Halloween decorations, the other bit of paraphernalia north Texas saw plenty of in october were pink ribbons in honor of Breast cancer awareness month. While breast cancer certainly is a serious problem, there is another form of cancer that claims far more american lives annually: lung cancer. according to the american cancer Society, lung cancer accounts for more deaths in the United States each year than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. “lung cancer has a very bad prognosis,” says amir Khan, mD, a board-certified pulmonologist on the Baylor medical center at Waxahachie medical staff. “and the main reason is because it’s not being diagnosed early enough. By the time it’s diagnosed, it’s often too late.”

However, a tool called endobronchial ultrasound, commonly referred to as eBUS, is helping patients and physicians get past that hurdle. most people associate an ultrasound with viewing a bundle of joy in utero. But the technology can also be used to detect a bundle of trouble in the lungs when coupled with a bronchoscope, which is a thin tube that can be threaded down the windpipe into certain areas of the lung. eBUS makes it possible to detect tiny lesions in areas of the lungs and lymph nodes inaccessible through a traditional bronchoscopy. “an endobronchial ultrasound allows physicians to see beyond the airways and identify spots as small as half a centimeter,” explains Dr. Khan, who trained with

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the Japanese physician who invented the procedure.

With lung cancer, symptoms typically aren’t apparent until stage iii or iv of the disease process, making treatment and long-term survival much more challenging. eBUS can not only detect tumors before patients start coughing up blood, but also allows physicians to biopsy suspect lung and lymph node tissue without traditional surgery.

Prior to the advent of eBUS, lung biopsies were typically performed through mediastinoscopy, a procedure that involves making a chest incision and then locating and collecting a tissue sample from the lung or lymph node. While effective, mediastinoscopy has several drawbacks, including being invasive (patients must undergo general anesthesia), having a longer recovery period, and having greater risk of infection or complication.

“after the procedure,” continues Dr. Khan, “we’re able to give a preliminary diagnosis which we share with the patient before he or she goes home, so the patient doesn’t have to wait for the final pathology report.” candidates for eBUS generally include older adults who are lifelong smokers, or anyone who has smoked on average a pack of cigarettes a day for 25 years or more. The procedure also may be appropriate for individuals who work in occupations tied to a heightened risk of lung cancer.

Diagnosing, staging and determining the extent of a tumor’s spread is the first step in developing an effective treatment plan, and are all things at which eBUS excels. more specifically, Dr. Khan says eBUS often holds the answers to very critical treatment questions. “What we want to know is ‘is this tumor able to be surgically removed?’ and if surgery is not an option, ‘do we need to start chemotherapy?’”

Unlike mediastinoscopy, eBUS can be performed under conscious sedation with a local anesthetic. “Patients usually come in the morning, have the procedure and are ready to go home by noon,” says Dr. Khan.

equally important, eBUS can be used to rule out cancer, in favor of another lung condition such as sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease. either way, the accuracy and early detection eBUS provides allows more breathing room when it comes to treatment options.

During the procedure, the patient’s airways are first inspected with a bronchoscope using a camera. Then the eBUS is introduced to inspect the airways again, as well as the lymph nodes. if a biopsy is needed, it is done with a needle. no incision is necessary.

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor medical center at Waxahachie or Baylor Scott & White Health.

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LA FIN

PHoToS BY THe BilTmoRe comPanY

Old South Weekend This year has been very different for me since losing my mother in January. as an only child it really hits home when both of your parents have passed away. one of my best friends also lost her mom this year. our families have been friends for 45 years and our moms were the same age and shared September birthdays just one day apart. i recently flew to charlotte where my friend, Susan, now lives. i have been begging her to move back home, never understanding why she has stayed in north carolina, until now. named for charlotte Sophia, the wife of england’s King george iii, charlotte’s rise as a financial center began when a 17-pound gold nugget was discovered in the northern woods, starting the nation’s first gold rush.

Today, banking powerhouses tower in the heart of what the city calls its Uptown, an easily walkable and bike friendly district full of young Fortune 500 executives. The “Queen city” reminds me of a small atlanta. it is an awesome place to soak up the new old South. i loved it immediately.

Straight from the airport we stopped at Price’s Chicken Coop, a landmark favorite with no tables and no frills. We ordered a few pieces of their perfectly fried Southern delicacy and sweet tea and headed to Susan’s home in Myers Park, one of charlotte’s most beautiful neighborhoods. most of the homes on her magnificent tree -lined street were built between 1913 and 1925. if you are a Homeland fan, several of

the houses in her neighborhood served as some of the character’s residences in past seasons, including the Duke mansion, a boutique hotel that was the vice president’s home in season two. on Saturday morning we got an early start and drove two hours to Asheville, a beautiful drive with the dense Blue Ridge Mountains looming high in the distance.

For a relatively small town, asheville has a vibrant cultural and culinary scene. Full of charming art Deco and gothic architecture, the city consistently receives accolades for its quality of life. in the past ten years alone, it has been named the “Happiest city in america” by Self magazine. The streets in downtown asheville are lined with boutiques, bars and art galleries set inside historic buildings much like our own downtown Waxahachie. after eating brunch at the popular Chestnut Café we strolled through the River Arts District, a collection of artist studios in converted turn-ofthe-century warehouses along the French Broad River. Some 165 artists work here, turning out everything from blown glass and clay pottery to watercolor paintings and hand-woven fabrics.

architect’s Tour, giving us a closer look at the design and construction of the châteauesque-styled mansion, including stunning views from the rooftop of the immaculately manicured grounds and gardens. it was christmas eve of 1895 when george W. vanderbilt officially welcomed his family and friends to Biltmore. Unfortunately we were a few weeks too early to see it transformed for the holidays. i’m sure it is even more magical after they decorate with dozens of christmas trees and miles of festive lights and garlands. Before driving back to charlotte we topped off our day with dinner at Curate, one of the hardest tables to get in town. Their tapas are as good as i have had anywhere in Spain. my sweet friend and i spent the weekend talking, eating and laughing until our sides hurt. our almost half century of friendship has seen us through marriage, child birth, good times and bad. i know our moms are proud of their two daughters and are watching over us now in Heaven. as much as i would love to see my friend more often, i now know why she has stayed in north carolina. You can’t make old friends, and old friends in the old South are even better.

of course you don’t visit asheville without heading to the famous Biltmore Estate, america’s largest private home with over 175,000 square feet on 8,000 self-sufficient acres. it is truly a sight to behold. We were the last group of the day to take the

cindy Burch and her husband, andrew, own and operate The Doves nest in historic downtown Waxahachie. cindy is also a freelance writer, caterer and consultant. Her award-winning cookbook, “The Doves nest Restaurant: new american Recipes From a Historic Texas Town,” is in its fifth printing.

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cindy Burch

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