SPARK UP YOUR LIFE WITH DR. FLINT SPARKS
LOCAL SERVICES
ADOPT! DON’T SHOP - INSIGHTS FROM A LOCAL FOSTER PET MOM
AUG 30: OAKLAND (TN)
SEP 6: GUNTER
SEP 13: BYE WEEK
SEP 20: LOVEJOY
SEP 27: MELISSA
OCT 4: FRISCO INDEPENDENCE
OCT 11: FRISCO EMERSON
OCT 18: PROSPER WALNUT GROVE
OCT 25: DENISON
NOV 1: FRISCO MEMORIAL
NOV 8: FRISCO LIBERTY
Welcome to our August issue! This issue covers a topic that never fails to fill our hearts with immense joy and laughter: kids and pets!
Kids hold a special place in our hearts as their innocence and curiosity reminds us of life’s true wonders. They are our best hope for the future, tiny bundles of pure happiness, and turn our days into sunshine filled with adventure. I have two children that hold a huge piece of my heart and make me so proud to be their mom.
Pets hold a special place in our hearts as well. They provide us with the most precious gift of all -unconditional love. They are the best listeners, work partners, teach us loyalty, kindness, and responsibility, and are always happy to see us when we walk in the door. I have two grand dogs that make me smile – Angel and Titan.
In this issue, we will also recognize a local limelight for his vision to empower struggling families and sensory kiddos to become more connected to themselves and their communities through consistent chiropractic care. Dr. Flint Sparks is the only pediatric and family certified chiropractor in Anna.
Summer break is ending, and the back-to-school rush is nearing. I hope that by opening the pages to remarkable kids and animals it lightens your mood and warms your heart before the fall rush begins.
Sincerely,
ANGIE TERRY, PUBLISHER @ANNACITYLIFESTYLE
August 2024
PUBLISHER
Angie Terry | angie.terry@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Shannon Roberts | shannon.roberts@citylifestyle.com
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe
LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley
Made in the U.S.A! Steel that is 32 times thicker than standard, certified EMP resistant electric and biological locks, two to three times fire protection of other safes, and over 11 Patents and features! Let Browning find your perfect safe!
Scan to read more
Anna pride and hometown banking, a winning combination! It’s about having conversations and learning about your frustrations. It’s about solving problems and working together to help you reach your goals.
With families and businesses flocking to the suburbs around Dallas, skilled builders are needed more than ever to meet the community’s explosive growth. Our Texas division, with offices in Prosper and Fort Worth, is leading the way in North Texas, specializing in industrial, K12, and municipal facilities. While our team stays busy pouring energy into every project, they’re known for giving every client a personalized and helpful building experience.
ARTICLE BY ANGIE TERRY | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF DR. FLINT SPARKS
CHIROPRACTIC CARE THAT EDUCATES YOU ON ALL THINGS PEDIATRIC, PRENATAL, PERINATAL, POSTPARTUM AND OVERALL WELLNESS
Dr. Spark’s mission is to bring awareness and confidence to the city of Anna and surrounding communities about their bodies God-given healing potential. The stressors surrounding everyday life have increased significantly in our society which forces adults and children to either adapt or struggle. We want to make sure that the leaders and future leaders of our communities have every advantage to thrive.
“Chiropractic care for children focuses on gentle adjustments to support their developing nervous system and overall health. It’s a natural approach that can help enhance their well-being and potentially address common childhood issues that usually occur from birth trauma.”
How young should children be for a first visit?
Children can benefit from chiropractic care at any age. Some parents bring their newborns for gentle adjustments shortly after birth to address potential issues from the birthing process and prevent any dysfunction from setting up shop in their nervous system. We always say the earlier the better so we can get ahead of any dysfunction before symptoms occur.
Adjusting a child involves very gentle, specific techniques tailored to their size and developmental stage. It often resembles light pressure or gentle movements on the spine or joints, like the amount of pressure you’d use to check an avocado for ripeness or the pressure you’d put on your eyeballs.
What are some benefits that have been reported for children under chiropractic care?
Parents have reported improvements in their children’s sleep, behavior, immune function, and overall well-being. Chiropractic care aims to support the body’s natural ability to heal and function optimally, and when any stress occurs in the baby (usually from birth trauma), we see these symptoms show up early and often in our little ones, which is why we aim to get to the source of these symptoms early, instead of “letting them grow out of it.” or “waiting it out”.
What about my child with sensory/ processing challenges?
Our office understands the needs of their pediatric patients, especially with NeuroDevelopmental and Sensory Processing Disorders. In these cases, we will provide a specific sensory-based assessment for your child. Please let us know before your first visit how we can best accommodate you and your child’s needs such as setting up a phone consultation, splitting appointment times, or blocked off hours for an in-office examination.
TAKE A PAGE FROM CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR CLASSIC BIRTHDAY PARTY THEMES
Whether seeking philosophical guidance or deciding what’s for dinner, recipes for life can be found in literature. We learn from great minds that came before us, and that’s true when planning a birthday party. Take a page from classical children’s books to find themes that combine playfulness, colorful illustration and words to inspire food, décor and games that will tickle the fancy of youthful guests, with a central activity of reading aloud. Published in 1963, “Where the Wild Things Are” is one of the most recognizable children’s picture books of all time. Writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak created a universal story about mastering fears. Dressed in his wolf costume, and sent to his room for creating havoc at home, young Max travels to an island of Wild Things where he becomes king. It’s a story about childhood resilience and mastery of fears, but simply observed, the fantastical book provides a colorful segue to an afternoon birthday romp in the park. When it comes to wild things, enjoy inspiration from our own party, plus we’ve compiled some ideas for ways to help the rumpus begin based on other beloved titles:
“Regardless of the theme, be sure to leave time to read a favorite passage from the central book of choice.”
“WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE” BY MAURICE SENDAK
As a costume party, have guests dress as their favorite wild thing. A crown-making activity allows everyone to be King (or Queen) for a day.
GAME: Wild Rumpus Dance Party. A twist on the Freeze Dance, guests dance and prance freely until the music stops. An extra step means that player is out. A winner is the last “beast” to stand still after multiple rounds of play.
“CURIOUS GEORGE” BY MARGRET AND H. A. REY
Gather a barrel of monkeys, plus your favorite Man in the Yellow Hat, for a party where guests can go bananas. George always seems to wander, so try a scavenger hunt that meanders from clue to clue. Banana cupcakes, banana bread, and a tower of bananas add a healthy touch to the dessert table.
GAME: Monkey in the Middle. Create a circle with one guest in the middle. Toss a ball, or soft monkey toy, across the circle without the monkey in the middle catching it.
“DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS!” BY MO WILLEMS
Though an unlikely party host, pigeon—with his wide-eyed enthusiasm—sets a party tone. Eat “bird seed” trail mix and hot dogs (inspired by another Willems title, “The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!”). Printable images of Pigeon lend themselves to thematic and whimsical decorations.
GAME: Red Light, Green Light. With guests as “bus drivers,” they make their way to the station/finish line with a twist on this classic party game.
Regardless of the theme, be sure to leave time to read a favorite passage from the central book of choice. Give books as party favors or add a layer of philanthropy by having guests bring their favorite book to donate to a local nonprofit.
Sponsored by T Wilson
August brings the end of summer and cues the start of fall programming. It is the perfect time to meet your neighbors and get involved in our community. First, don’t miss our upcoming National Night Out in October. This annual event fosters relationships with our police while promoting neighborhood camaraderie and safety. We’re looking for households willing to host block parties in their subdivisions. Would you sign up? For those looking to bring neighbors together, we offer free rental options to HOAs, including our Block Party Trailer and Big Screen Rental program. These resources make it easy to host fun, easy events whether it’s a block party, movie night, video game tournament, or trivia night.
If you’re curious about city operations and want to make a difference, consider joining Anna’s Neighbor Academy. Applications for the fall cohort close on August 9. This 10-session program offers a comprehensive look at city programs and initiatives, providing valuable insights and leadership opportunities.
There is no bigger undertaking for service than running for City Council. Pete Cain was elected as our new Mayor, and we have two new council members: Jody Bills for Place 2 and Kelly Patterson-Herndon for Place 4. We celebrate the re-election of Kevin Toten for Place 1. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing Mayor Nate Pike and former Council member Randy Atchley for their dedicated service.
Let’s come together to create a stronger, more connected Anna. I look forward to seeing you in the community.
ARTICLE BY SHANNON ROBERTS
Adopt, Don’t Shop for Your Next Pet! is the general mantra of animal rescue organizations. With the expanding homeless pet population, the need for volunteers and donations is tremendous in our area.
In planning our August issue that focuses on Kids & Pets, it was a perfect time for me to reach out to someone I have great admiration and respect for to learn more about her work as a Pet Foster Mom.
Kassie Stieben, a local pet foster mom for Dallas Dog –Rescue.Rehab.Reform resides in this area. A lifelong animal lover, Kassie began her journey approximately eight years ago when she initially brought home kittens that needed to be bottle-fed, and a 5-week-old pittie puppy soon followed. She found her passion and hasn’t looked back!
As a foster mom or dad with a rescue, you provide care in your home until a forever home can be found for the animal. Organizations will require that you fill out an application and have a virtual home check to become a foster.
In Kassie’s partnership with Dallas Dog – Rescue.Rehab. Reform, the organization provides for all of the necessities including medical care, beds, toys, food, and training, as a foster mom/dad you just make sure they are housed, loved, fed, and watered while waiting for their forever family. Not all rescues are able to provide so much, so if you are considering being a foster, be sure to understand the expectations of your role in your partnership as a foster family.
Kassie’s advice to all new foster moms and dads is “have patience”. It can take a new pet three months to become acclimated to a new environment and schedule. Have patience and use the resources the rescue provides for you! When asked what her greatest challenges and rewards of being a foster mom are, Kassie responded, “My biggest challenges with fostering are making sure my own household stays balanced when bringing in a new pup. The first few days and sometimes weeks are really the moments where my sanity is tested. As far as rewards, my favorite types of dogs to foster are the ones with mild behavioral needs. Watching a dog overcome their fears and challenges and transform into a whole new dog is my absolute favorite! If my schedule allowed for it, those would be the only dogs we’d take in!”
I had to ask her about “foster failure”. Which if you aren’t familiar with the term, “foster failure” is the lighthearted affectionate term used to describe when a foster pet parent permanently adopts the dog or cat. Kassie explained, “I’m a huge goal setter... so when I convinced my husband to start fostering officially, I told myself, and him, I had to foster 10 dogs before we could decide to keep one.” Kassie has in fact experienced a foster failure. She did adopt the kittens she bottle-fed and adopted her 12th foster puppy, Raven. She has fostered 26 pets and has not “failed” again, but never say never!
As you may already have guessed, rescue organizations face many challenges, however, the greatest need is for DONATIONS. Rescues are really struggling with cash donations for medical needs. Many rescue pets present with immediate and serious medical issues due to suffering abuse or abandonment. Many rescues have had to close their doors due to lack of funds. Foster homes are also a HUGE necessity in the rescue world. Rescues simply cannot save animals without a place to put them, and most rescues are foster home-based.
“I’ve been rescuing random animals my entire life. As the homeless animal population got more out of control, I knew I had to help in any way I could.”
“The most surprising gift I have received is this rescue community. I can’t speak for every rescue’s culture but, Dallas DogRRR’s community is so amazing! Everyone is there to help. Always.”
Photo by Shannon Roberts
If you are unable to foster or adopt and would like to help support these important organizations, donate, share, or volunteer. If you can’t donate money, volunteer. Rescues have endless needs for volunteers to help transport animals to and from vet appointments, adoption events, etc. Are you great at social media or graphic design? Volunteer your time to help develop content. Good at spreadsheets? Offer your time to help organize files. Can’t foster, but want to help find foster homes? Volunteer to help reach out to approved fosters. Help enrich a rescue dog’s exposure by taking a dog out for the day that is being boarded. There are so many opportunities for you to volunteer.
Find more information on Dallas DogRRR at Dallas DogRRRRescue.Rehab.Reform ( squarespace.com ) or Dallas Dog - Rescue. Rehab.Reform | Allen TX | Facebook
Whether your pup has the obedience of a dog show finalist, or social behavior that makes you want to play dead around others, you can develop more owner confidence with help from this expert trainer.
“Socializing your dog is beneficial for both dogs and their owners,” says Taryn Tyler, a certified dog trainer. “It creates confidence for both dogs and owners and displaces the anxiety we feel when our dogs aren’t behaving like we want them to.”
Taryn says that boundaries can be learned by dogs of any age.
“There’s a nasty perception along the ‘can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ line of thinking,” she says. “While you can’t take a dog with serious behavioral issues and completely turn them around 180 degrees, you can make improvements in how you understand your dog and how they understand you. Dog training isn’t just for struggling pups either. Creating a relationship between you and your canine based on confidence, reliability and reward can turn a good dog into a great dog.”
ARTICLE
BY LISA MOYER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE
JONES
STYLED BY ANGELA
BROOCKERD
“Creating a relationship between you and your canine based on confidence, reliability and reward can turn a good dog into a great dog.”
CONTINUED >
Taryn stresses that teaching a dog to sit or stay is less about tricks and more about the relationship that builds between animal and owner. “That, in turn, fosters an environment where the next time a family hosts Thanksgiving or has friends over, the owner and their dogs fall into the habit of obeying commands because of the confidence built through all the work put in beforehand.”
Even dogs with a troubled history can achieve improvement.
“We all love our dogs, but they can be stressful when they can’t seem to click in our home environments.
• Socializing is more than taking your dog in public. A guy can dump a bunch of mulch in your driveway and spread it , but he’s not a landscaper until he’s following a plan. When the doorbell rings or a visitor comes into the house, what’s our expectation for the dog? When we’re in public and the dog’s attention is diverted, what’s our plan to refocus them? Socialization is 99 percent working on small steps as part of a larger plan.
• Socializing isn’t about our dogs being the center of attention in public. Everyone loves seeing a dog, but our best outcome for the dog is to go unnoticed. Sitting by our side, ignoring external stimuli, remaining calm—those are things we strive for when socializing a dog.
• When socializing dogs with other dogs, start small. Take a walk with another dog to get them to just exist in the same vicinity. Once they’re able to not be excited by the other dog, work on limited playing in controlled environments.
• If someone comes into your home, let them know what boundaries you’re working on with your dog. You can even suggest asking them to carry a few treats and work on some of the behaviors your dog is already comfortable with.
Once your dog is able to socialize with other pets, playdates are a great way to encourage good play behavior. One way to celebrate your pup’s birthday is to celebrate with their favorite furry friends. Here are a few helpful tips for making your gathering a success.
• Set up play areas for your furry guests to enjoy. This can include a doggy pool or splash pad, chew toys, frisbees, and don’t forget the pet-friendly bubbles.
• Offer party guests birthday attire such as a birthday hat, bandana or party outfit. Set up a photo wall for pet owners to get photos with their furry friends in their birthday outfits. Better yet, make it a costume competition, and invite guests to come dressed up ready to show off their pup’s attire.
• Create a treat display with a pet-friendly birthday cake and various chewy snacks for guests to give their pups.
• Party favors are a must to end your festivities with a bang. Fill party bags with bouncy balls, treats, and pet-friendly bubbles to send your guests off with a smile.
Attention all parents and parents-to-be! Elevate your family’s health with our specialized Prenatal and Pediatric Chiropractic Care, centered on optimizing the nervous system! Harnessing state-of-the-art scanning technology, we pinpoint the root cause of health challenges, providing targeted solutions for long-lasting wellness. Don’t settle for temporary fixes – ignite true vitality with Spark Life Chiropractic! Experience the transformative benefits for yourself and your little ones.
ARTICLE BY ANGIE TERRY
No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle! Caspian eQuest is a premier horse boarding facility that offers full and partial horse training programs for all horses of all levels. Additional services they provide are horse riding lessons for as young as 6 years old, birthday parties, and summer camps.
Need quality feed for your pet in need? Paw of the Family is your one stop shop for quality pet food, farm feed, and supplies right in your backyard. Additional services they provide include pet grooming, dog boarding and a self-service wash that provides you with everything you need!
Buckle up for 2 full hours of fun! Anna Acres continues to bring joy to kids and adults alike with wonderful family farm experiences. Your party package includes pony and horse rides, pony cart rides, barrel train rides, wagon rides, face painting and balloon twists and so much more.
Allow your child the chance to make new friends, learn skills and interact with nature! At Collin County Adventure Camp, campers will have the opportunity to experience all traditional activities like fishing and canoeing, archery and BBs, climbing wall and zipline. They offer both day camp and overnight camp.
Bring top of the line grooming services right to your door! The Best Pet Spa Mobile Grooming brings their fully loaded Wag’n Tails vans right to your front door. The vans are equipped with tables, tubs, A/C heating, 50-gallon water tank with heaters, force dryer and much more to groom your pet to perfection.
Let your dog have a local staycation with new friends! At Lone Star Dog Ranch, their main principles for your dog include leadership, exercise and freedom. They offer a full array of services such as boarding and daycare. Your dog can have a get-away while feeling as close to home as possible.
It is with great pleasure to announce the Outstanding Student Athlete of the Month as selected by Anna Independent School District Athletic Coaching Team. This month’s selection is Marley Curry.
Marley Curry will be a senior at Anna High School. She participates in track and field by throwing the shot put. The shot-put event involves standing in a circle and throwing a heavy spherical ball—the shot—as far as possible. She has participated in this event for the last three years of high school and was a regional qualifier her sophomore year. Marley also enjoys playing basketball and weight- lifting.
Marley also has interests outside of athletics. In school, her favorite subject is Animal Science, she describes her favorite color as dark green and her favorite sports team is the Dallas Cowboys. She loves to walk her dog and looks forward to taking veterinary classes during her senior year. Her two main goals for her senior year are to qualify for state in shot put and break the Anna High School record.
Congratulations to Marley and her selection as August Outstanding Athlete of the Month! She does not plan to play organized sports during college but intends to maintain a healthy lifestyle by participating in sports and activities for fun. We cannot wait to see her future accomplishments!
The days are long, but the years go fast. So they say with raising children. I have to agree with that sentiment. Each year as summer ends I find myself looking at my kids and reminding myself to “Watch them grow!” Both as a reminder to not miss the growth (with all the distractions and responsibilities that adult life brings) but also as reflection on how far they’ve come since the last time we turned the calendar page to August. Whether there are children in your life or not, I’m sure we can all agree that childhood is fleeting. Instead of stopping to smell the roses, I need to remind myself to “stop and watch them grow”—you can’t see it if you stare, but you’ll surely miss it if you blink! It helps me to set aside intentional time to be present with these fast little growers.
For us that looks like setting a special table to spend time sharing (or drawing) how we’ve seen them grow over the summer before jumping back into school routines. Making DIY game boards together and then having a family game night. Making snow cones for an after-dinner treat or, for a bigger wow factor, for breakfast! They will never forget that one, I promise. (Psst! my snow cones are made with fruit juice so it’s Mommy approved too!)
As August rolls in and the calendar tells us that it’s time for back-to-school shopping, the weather does not usually agree that the times are changing. I find that it’s such
a weird dance between what looks like the change of seasons when I open my calendar but not when I walk out my back door (heat wave!). On one hand, we’re still in full throttle of blazing temperatures in the Midwest and with no end in sight. At the same time, being thrown into back-to-school shopping, Meet-the-Teacher nights, resuming the regiment of packing school lunches, and if you’re a homeschool parent, all the to-do lists and lesson plans in order to launch into another school year. As we find ourselves
with one foot in summer and the other in a classroom, how do we embrace and (dare I say) celebrate this month? Instead of feeling ungrounded in the juxtaposition of August, I am inviting myself, and anyone who would join me, to embrace the opportunity to celebrate the in-between seasons that this month brings. My hope is that these ideas help spark your imagination on how to keep you cool in the heat, launch your kiddos into a new school year, and to set aside time to watch them grow.
Welcome more play into your life with this little DIY project. At our house we like to keep outdoor game boards around for short moments together as well as full blown game nights. These game boards are meant to be kept outside but could also be brought indoors as well.
Materials
• Pebbles for Checkers, 24 similar sized
• Small stones for Tic-Tac-Toe, 8 similar sized
• Acrylic paints (black, red, yellow and white)
• Paint brush
• Raw wooden boards + black paint marker
• Reclaimed wood + black acrylic paint
• Polycrylic spray
Instructions
1. Game Pieces: Paint your rocks with acrylic paint. For Tic-TacToe you’ll need a total of 8 rocks, 4 of each type (here I’ve painted 4 lady bugs and 4 bumble bees). For Checkers you’ll need a total of 24 rocks, 12 of each color (here I’ve used black stones, painting half of them red).
2. Game Board: For raw wood (such as our Tic-Tac-Toe board), use a ruler and black paint marker to create board lines. For reclaimed or treated wood, use paint. Let game pieces and game boards fully dry. Seal with a polycrylic spray for protection from heat and moisture.
We adore snow cones at our house! If you’ve been to our house then we’ve probably served them to you. A shaved ice machine makes it oh-so-easy! You can purchase premade snow cone syrup flavors or make your own healthier version by using fruit juice concentrates. Simply thaw the frozen fruit juice concentrate and put the liquid into squeezy bottles for an easy way to pour over shaved ice.
Assemble
• Ice, lots of ice!
• Snow Cone Machine
• Snow Cone Cups
• Snow Cone Straws
• Snow Cone Syrups (or frozen juice concentrates, thawed)
Use a snow cone machine to shave ice into snow cone cups. Top with your favorite flavor—either store bought snow cone syrups, homemade syrups, or our favorite—fruit concentrates. Stay cool and celebrate the last days of summer heat!
AUGUST 2ND
BarnHill Vineyards Presents - Empiires
11917 County Road 509, Anna, TX 75409 | 8:00 PM
Friday, August 2nd - Join us for LIVE MUSIC by The Empiires covering the best of rock from the 80’s to 2000’s.
BarnHill is a different kind of live music venue with a rustic barn, horses & donkeys, Texas wine, frozen Wineritas, and big Texas sky. We’re a laid-back family-owned business in our beautiful Anna, TX country setting.
AUGUST 6TH
425 W Rosamond Parkway Anna, TX 75409 | 10:00 AM
Visit different crafting stations at this artistic, fantastic, fun, creative and colorful activity. Fee: $3.00. Call for details: 972-924-3325
AUGUST 7TH
Senior Book Club
Sherley Heritage Park, 101 S. Sherley Ave Anna, TX 75409 | 10:00 AM
Join as we discuss a monthly book and various themes throughout it. We would love to hear your thoughts as you read each work. Titles are listed in the online registration portal. Cost: Free. Registration and information: https://annatexas.gov/calendar
AUGUST 10TH
Yoga @ the Park
Pavilion at Slayter Creek Park, 425 W Rosamond Parkway Anna, TX 75409 | 9:00 AM
A beginner to intermediate vinyasa style yoga class. This class will provide a mix of appropriately challenging postures and gentle stretching to increase strength, flexibility, and wellness. Cost: Free
AUGUST 17TH
Nature Walk
Natures Springs Park, 1201 W. White Street Anna, TX 75409 | 9:00 AM
Experience the beauty of our City of Anna parks while learning about our natural surroundings. Led by a Texas Master Naturalist. All children 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: Free. Register: https://annatexas.gov/calendar
AUGUST 28TH
Nature Education Series - Preparing your Lawn for Fall
120 W. 7th Street, 75409-3633, 409 S Sherley Ave, Anna, TX 75409 | 12:00 PM
Learn how to prepare your lawn for fall with Texas A&M Agri-Life. Light snacks and drinks will be provided.
Registration: https://www.annatexas.gov/FormCenter/Community-Enhancement-15/Texas-AM-AgriLife-Education-Series-Prepa-196
CHANGE UP YOUR PB&J GAME BY DISCOVERING NEW WAYS TO ENJOY THE OL’ STANDBY
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATIE CURRID
Summertime is busy time, and that often means eating on the go. Whether you’re at constant baseball games or meeting up for a regular play date, you’re probably bringing food along with you to feed your crew. And there’s no meal that’s as on-the-go friendly as the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And don’t get me wrong — I love a PB&J. But months of eating anything can get a little old, and this summer, I started to wonder if there was a way to zhuzh up the ol’ standby.
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO CHANGE UP YOUR PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH:
Change up your bread: One easy way to liven up your sandwich is to use different bread. That sourdough you may have learned to make during the pandemic is a perfect bread to use, or you could opt for milk bread, a Japanese option that is fluffier and sweeter than white bread.
Get nutty: While most toddlers would balk at crunchy peanut butter, you’re an adult! You can try new things! If you don’t have the crunchy type on hand, you can also just add peanuts between your layers of peanut butter and jelly to get that crunchy fix.
Chip in: Probably the wackier idea you’ll see here, and one a toddler would either love or abhor, but chips on sandwiches are a great way to add crunchiness and saltiness to any sandwich — especially the PB&J. Apparently, Channing Tatum loves to eat Cheetos on his PB&J, though I’ve had others tell me they love to add Doritos — both the Nacho and Cool Ranch variety — to theirs, too.
Fresh fruit: This is probably the simplest way to up your PB&J game, since technically, you’ve already got fruit on your sandwich in the form of jelly. Try adding some smashed raspberries or cut strawberries to yours next time you make one!
We’re proud to help strengthen our communities and build trusted partnerships along the way.
At Crossland, we don’t just build structures, we build relationships. Building So Much More is more than a motto—it’s our mission. Our commitment to personalized service goes beyond construction. We are proud to build the communities where we live, thrive, and volunteer.
From complete educational campuses and vibrant community facilities to expansive industrial parks and state-of-the-art retail centers, our portfolio is as diverse as Texas itself.
If you have a building project on the horizon, we’d love to chat!
