Kids & Pets Issue
“Our dog is like a child to us, except...
...he doesn't ask for money or look at his phone during dinner." - Anonymous
The Kids and Pets issue!
Growing up, my family always had a house full of pets. I’ll never forget one Christmas morning when my dad asked us to open a wrapped present that was shaking and whimpering. Honestly, I was a little scared until a gorgeous golden retriever puppy jumped out and licked my face. We named her Cookie, and she was the best dog I ever had. Looking back, I am deeply grateful to my parents for giving us the irreplaceable experience of growing up alongside animals.
Today, my home is run by two cats: a mother named Chocolate and her son Jack Jack (named after the baby in The Incredibles). Jack Jack likes to think he’s a mighty panther, but between you and me, he’s a total softie.
Dogs and cats can help your immune system. They can help train your mind to be more compassionate and resilient. And, they actually know when you are sick. They may follow you around, snuggle up close, or even bring you toys to comfort you and make you feel better.
In this issue, we explore how pets teach our children valuable life lessons and keep them healthy. We also spotlight Operation Pets Alive, an incredible organization finding loving homes for thousands of pets each year right here in Montgomery County.
We also tell inspiring community stories. In When Penguins Fly, you’ll learn about a fantastic free program turning special-needs kids into theater stars. We encourage you to check out the Montgomery Home Show at Lone Star Convention Center August 29th & 30th to support our local young entrepreneurs (and contractors.) Did you know that thanks to the Lemonade Stand Law, kids can now sell lemonade and other home made goods license-free in all 50 states? If you have a young entrepreneur you might pick up my son's workbook mentioned in the cover description in the table of contents. It's quite good but I am biased.
So, curl up on the couch with your favorite cat, dog, or kid. Grab a iced tea, and enjoy a leisurely stroll through our latest issue featuring kids and pets. Remember: if you have a good story your neighbors might want to hear, reach out to me. You can always find me and my free online magazine at www.citylifestyle.com/conroe.
KEVIN BRATTON, PUBLISHER
August 2026 Visit our Instagram
PUBLISHER
Kevin Bratton | kevin.bratton@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Chris Staples | chris.staples@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Shannon Matlock | goarrowheadphoto@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Angelica Monet | andie.monet@citylifestyle.com
Margie Taylor | margie@taylorizedpr.com
Angelica Monet, Margie Taylor
Corporate Team
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President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
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city scene
1: Austin Bank’s Morning Mingle 6/11 attendees: Kim Nadasky-Brand Advantage, Jamie Edwards-Mindful Health and Kenna ChometskyLicasa 2: Conroe Lifestyle Radio Show records pilot episode with Chris Staples CEO of Luxury Cougar 3: Willis Business Mixers and Speed Networking events help local businesses. See the Willis Facebook page.
business monthly
Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen under new management
Russo's New York Pizzeria & Italian Kitchen - Conroe in the HEB shopping center at 3915 W Davis St #180 Conroe TX 77304 was recently purchased by Bob Saemian. They are celebrating with $6 pitchers of beer and kids eat free on Sunday. Their flatbread cooked in a stone oven is legendary. Stay tuned for deep dive into the history of Flatbread in our October food issue. Meanwhile check it out. You won't be disappointed.
Photography by staff
Lifelong Applause Paws,
Claws, and
THE LASTING BENEFITS OF GROWING UP WITH PETS
ARTICLE BY KEVIN BRATTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY STAFF & ARROWHEAD PHOTO
PETS HELP KIDS
For a child, a family pet is rarely just an animal; they are a confidant, a playmate, and a living masterclass in emotional growth. While parents often hesitate at the thought of extra chores, medical and psychological research confirms that welcoming a pet into the home yields developmental dividends that deserve lifelong applause. From building robust immune systems to fostering deep empathy, the bond between a child and an animal shapes who they become as adults.
THE BIOLOGICAL SHIELD
Historically, parents feared that animal dander would trigger allergies in young children. However, modern pediatric medicine reveals the exact opposite. A landmark study published in Pediatric Research by Dr. Hayley Christian demonstrated that children raised with dogs have significantly higher rates of physical activity and healthier developmental scores. Furthermore, early
“EARLY EXPOSURE TO PETS HELPS “TRAIN” THE CHILD’S IMMUNE SYSTEM SO IT KNOWS WHAT TO FIGHT AND WHAT TO IGNORE.”
exposure to the diverse microbes brought in by cats and dogs actually "trains" a child’s immune system, drastically reducing the risk of developing asthma and common respiratory allergies later in life. According to Dr. Mitch Schulman "Early exposure to pets helps "train" the child's immune system so it knows what to fight and what to ignore."
EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE AND COPING
Beyond the physical perks, pets act as crucial emotional anchors. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), positive relationships with family pets directly boost a child's self-esteem and self-confidence.
Animals offer a rare asset in a child's world: entirely nonjudgmental companionship. When a child experiences a rough day at school or struggles with social anxiety, a pet provides a safe recipient for secrets and private thoughts.
Dr. Sue Doescher, a child psychologist who has studied human-animal interaction, notes that caring for an animal forces children to step outside themselves. By learning to
interpret a dog's whine or a cat's flattened ears, children develop advanced "role-taking skills"—the literal foundation of human empathy and emotional intelligence.
LESSONS FOR A LIFETIME
Finally, pets introduce children to the concept of accountability. When a toddler helps pour kibble or a teenager commits to a daily walking schedule, they are practicing executive function and learning the direct relationship between cause and effect.
The AACAP emphasizes that a child who learns to care for an animal with kindness and patience receives invaluable training on how to treat fellow human beings with that same respect. The daily routines, the shared play, and even the eventual, bittersweet lessons of loss and bereavement all work together to build character. Long after the muddy paw prints have faded, the emotional and psychological strengths gained from childhood pets continue to guide them—a true foundation for lifelong applause. The bottom line; pets make us healthier and more compassionate people.
Moses and Luke (dog brothers) always bring the frisbee back together.
Do people look like their pets?
The Lone Star Convention & Expo Center, 9055 Airport Rd, Conroe
THE TEXAS SNAKE HUNTER
FAITH AND FIELDWORK: ORRY MARTIN TEACHES RESPECT FOR MISUNDERSTOOD CREATURES
When Orry Martin hears someone say they are afraid of snakes, he does not start with a warning. He starts with an invitation.
“I can get you over that if you’re willing,” he says.
ARTICLE BY TEXAS GOODNESS
For Martin, a biology teacher at The Woodlands Christian Academy and longtime reptile educator known as the Texas Snake Hunter, the goal is to move people from fear to curiosity, sometimes by showing them that snakes can be unexpectedly cute. Around the wooded edges of Montgomery County, children grow up close to yards, trails, creeks, and lakefront places where wildlife is part of the neighborhood.
Molly Martin holds a Gray banded Kingsnake named Ruby with the ease of someone raised around reptiles, carrying forward her dad’s love for misunderstood creatures.
Martin’s education began outside. He grew up in rural Louisiana, in a place he describes as woods, water, and few neighbors. His mother loved animals and did wildlife rehabilitation, so possums, raccoons, squirrels, turtles, frogs, salamanders, and snakes were ordinary. Bath time, he says, sometimes meant sharing the tub with ribbon snakes, king snakes, or whatever he and his twin brother had found.
At 14, after moving to Texas, Martin caught his first Southern Copperhead. A friend handed him Alan Tennant’s A Field Guide to Texas Snakes, and something clicked. He memorized the book, then set out to find, film, and understand Texas snakes one species at a time.
That field knowledge now follows him into the classroom. Martin teaches students to ask better questions, especially when fear takes over. He says most snake fear comes from family habits, a bad encounter, cultural stories, or the mistaken idea that killing a snake proves toughness.
His counterpoint is practical. Snakes are not looking for people. They have no arms, no legs, and few ways to defend themselves. When they musk, flatten, rattle, flee, or bite, they are responding as if a much larger animal intends to eat them.
“Most snakes are not looking for trouble,” Martin says. “They are looking for a way out.”
That message matters for families. Calm observation is safer than panic. Children should learn to stop, step back, and get an adult, not chase, touch, or harm a snake. Martin does not teach casual handling, especially with venomous species. He teaches respect.
Faith is central to his work. Martin says his job title is biology teacher, but his deeper calling is helping students know God and see creation with humility. Nature, to him, is not disposable. It is entrusted. That conviction shapes his conservation message. He wants students to understand stewardship, not just science. Development, habitat loss, and unnecessary killing have changed what can be found nearby. He worries that species he knew as a young outdoorsman may become rare for the next generation.
Fatherhood has sharpened that concern. Martin talks about his daughter, Molly, and his students as “my kids.” He wants them to inherit curiosity instead of reflexive fear.
His hope for readers is simple: see reptiles as a beautiful part of creation. For Conroe families, that starts by learning what lives nearby. Keep a field guide handy. Teach children to pause before they react. In that pause, Martin believes, there is room to see more clearly, respond more gently, and recognize the Creator’s hand in even the most misunderstood things.
Orry Martin, biology teacher at The Woodlands Christian Academy, an Eastern Hognose Snake. “I was asked to relocate near our Timothy Building here at The Woodlands Christian Academy.” Orry says. “I, of course, brought it back to class to show to students. They loved it.”
Molly Martin, left, shares a wildlife moment with an American Alligator and her dad, Orry Martin, whose love for reptiles has become a family language.
Molly Martin happily holds two Couch’s Spadefoot Toads during a family outing with her dad, Orry Martin.
EXPERIENCE THE CHILDREN’S ENTREPRENEUR MARKET
ARTICLE BY MARGIE TAYLOR | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
8th Annual Fall Montgomery County Home and Outdoor Living Show August 29th and 30th
Rarely do you get a chance to support young entrepreneurs and visit with a big room full of home services experts. Now you can do both at the Lone Star Convention Center. Experience the Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the 8th Annual Fall Montgomery County Home and Outdoor Living Show at Lone Star Convention Center Saturday, Aug. 29th and 30th. Admission is FREE! This is a unique opportunity to participate in a special market that allows children to try their hand at business through exercising entrepreneurial challenges and successes. See the next generation of entrepreneurs in action! Launched in 2017, the Children’s Entrepreneur Market organized their first event in Utah after the country’s first “Lemonade Stand Law” allowing kids to operate small businesses without a permit or license. After successfully operating for 9 years, the market is now in all 50 states, empowering 93,000 young entrepreneurs earning an average of over $150 at each event cumulating over $250,000 in sales!
Kids are excited to try their hands in earning their own money while learning the skills to run a business! Children develop valuable life skills in this family centered project as they practice the fundamentals of running a small business, all while
Young lady selling her artwork
Fruits and veggie grown and sold by kids
having fun! The booths are set up outdoors like a Farmer’s Market creating excitement of what the kids have to offer to the community. Each product is handmade by the youth, sold by them, and creates a sense of confidence. Kids experience speaking with the public and developing camaraderie with the other participants. Booths have various products depending on age of the youth and their talents. Products sold include interactive educational games to occupy time on long drives, collectable dried flowers for home décor, wall accents, food items (especially sweets), artwork, handmade jewelry, and clothing. The program is currently operating in 685 cities in 1,883 metro areas serving millions of children each year.
Learn more at www.ChildrensEntrepreneurMarket. com. Come to the show and advocate for the kids at the Children’s Entrepreneur Market at the Montgomery County Home and Outdoor Living Show. Then step inside and visit one-on-one with home improvement experts sharing the latest products and services all under one roof. Local home improvement specialists will represent many categories,including kitchen, bath, spas, landscaping, patios, trees, outdoor kitchens, flooring, windows, doors, mosquito systems, home-painting, patio furniture, pools, roofing, remodeling contractors, builders, generators, storage solutions, mattresses, blinds and shutters, water systems, air conditioning and heating, garage organization, concrete resurfacing and so much more during the event.
The Fall Montgomery County Home and Outdoor Living Show is sponsored by Texas First Bank, KStar Radio, Hello Woodlands, "The Lake" radio of Lake Conroe, Home Concepts, The Home Mag, and I Love Conroe. All your home improvement exhibitors in one place! Talk to your next contractor in person and negotiate your home improvement project. Admission is FREE! Show hours: Saturday, Aug 29 (10:00am-6:00pm) and Sunday, Aug.30 (10:00am-4:00pm) at the Lone Star Convention Center, 9055 Airport Road, Conroe, 77303. Visit www.TexwoodShows.com for more information about exhibitors. Free parking is available.
Help the kids grow their businesses
Homemade crafts
WHEN PENGUINS FLY IN CONROE
Dr. Andrew Morgan founder of The Penguin Project
When Spirits Soar on Stage: The Penguin Project Brings Inclusive Magic to The Players Theatre Company
ARTICLE BY KEVIN BRATTON WITH HELP FROM THE PENGUIN PROJECT | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
“Our Penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring.” This simple, beautiful sentiment captures the entire heart of The Penguin Project, a groundbreaking national initiative that recently made its emotional and triumphant debut in Conroe, Texas, through The Players Theatre Company.
For over half a century, The Players Theatre Company has filled downtown Conroe’s Owen Theatre with laughter, drama, and spectacular music. Yet, their recent production of Annie Jr. represented something entirely historic: they became the inaugural replica chapter of The Penguin Project in the greater Houston area. Designed specifically for young actors with special needs, the program pairs each artist with a peer mentor who provides one-on-one support from the very first rehearsal to the emotional final curtain.
“This program is very close to my heart for many reasons. It truly reflects who we are as a community theatre - a place where everyone, regardless of ability, is welcome to experience the magic of creating and performing. The special challenges of a disability don't limit a child's ability to dream, imagine, or shine. Through The Penguin Project, we not only give these young artists the
spotlight, but we also create an inclusive environment where friendships grow, confidence builds, and both artists and mentors experience the joy of belonging and working together as one theatre family.”
— Cindy Siple,
Managing & Program Director
The therapeutic and social impact of the performing arts cannot be overstated. By stepping onto a fully staged set, complete with beautiful costumes, choreography, and standard-setting musical numbers, children with disabilities explore their creative talents in an environment built entirely on patience, encouragement, and kindness. For families navigating the teenage years—which can be a profoundly isolated time for a child with a disability—the program has provided a life-changing social network and an invaluable sense of shared purpose.
“This project is all about inclusion, joy, and empowerment through the arts. It's a chance to celebrate every individual's abilities and create something truly magical together.”
— Cindy Siple
The magic of the production lies heavily in its structure. Peer mentors remain subtly on stage, blended seamlessly into the scenes in character, serving as a quiet safety net rather than taking the spotlight away from the stars. This collaborative environment works a quiet miracle on everyone involved; neurodiverse artists discover untapped reservoirs of self-confidence and responsibility, while neurotypical mentors learn profound lessons about patience, empathy, and genuine connection.
Cindy Siple Managing Director of The Player Theatre Company
Crew with Dr. Morgan- founder (grey beard on left), Kim Nadasky sponsor on right.
VOICES FROM THE FAMILY
The beautiful impact of the program is best echoed through the words of those whose lives were transformed by the experience:
• LaSondra (Parent): “After the first rehearsal my son said ‘mom, I think I found my passion.’ No matter the disability everyone had a part and was able to be part of this amazing experience. It left our hearts full after seeing these young performers shine.”
• Olivea (Peer Mentor): “Being a mentor I expected to help teach instead of learn, but Lauren has taught me so much. How to be a good friend and support system, how to be patient and focused, and how to love even more.”
• Jean (Board President): “Penguin Project is everything we aspire to as a community theatre: a place where anyone and everyone is welcomed, embraced and celebrated... Young people who might not have thought to believe or dream or maybe even try, now know they can.”
Offered completely free of cost to participating families through the generous backing of local sponsors including: HEB, Montgomery County Community Foundation, Brand Advantage LLC and Mike's Pest Services, The Penguin Project has fundamentally shifted how a community views capability. When the stage lights go down and the standing ovations begin, it becomes entirely clear that theatre isn't just about entertainment—it's an empowering home where every single child is given the opportunity to step forward, break boundaries, and truly be a star.
The Penguin Project
The Penguin Project is an inclusive theatre program with Chapter sites throughout the United States, it gives young artists with special needs the opportunity to perform in a fully staged musical. It builds confidence, and develops social and creative skills. It is no cost to the participants through donor support.
Actors learn about how to perform
Kimberly Nadasky - Brand Advantage LLC Sponsor
TWO LITTLE Kids AND THE Donkey NAMED Loving
How two little goats, Theo and Percy, became best friends with Phil
the Donkey
ARTICLE BY PHIL THE DONKEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY BAASANDBUZZES
For our Kids and Pets Issue, we present this children's story from Baasandbuzzes...
I am Philemon. My name means loving, or one who shows affection. Before I came to Ravenoak Farm, my last owners did not think my name fit. “That’s his name,” they said, “but that is not him.”
I do not blame them. As you know, donkeys are misunderstood. Two little goats named Theo and Percy knew something about that. They were rejected at birth, so a boy named Jaxon and his family raised them as bottle babies. They learned the sound of human footsteps, the smell of warm milk, and the comfort of being loved when the world made no room for them.
Theo was gentle and thoughtful. Percy was brave and curious.
One day, Theo and Percy had to go back to the herd. But the herd would not befriend them. So Jaxon and his father camped with those little goats at Ravenoak, because all they knew to do was stay close. That night, Theo and Percy slept beneath the hammocks, nuzzling against the backs of Jaxon and his father.
A few days later, Jaxon and his family came to get me from far away in the land of Dallas. I was 14 years old. They brought me to Ravenoak in a trailer.
When I stepped down, Percy walked up first. Theo came close behind him. Nobody rushed. Nobody made a sound. I lowered my head. We touched noses.
Baasandbuzzes illustration: Phil the Donkey stands watch over Theo and Percy, the bottle babies who became his herd and his best friends.
Baasandbuzzes illustration: Jaxon watches as Phil meets Theo and Percy, the moment three gentle hearts became one little herd.
In that moment, I knew. These were my goats.
From that day on, we were three. I watched over them. They watched over me.
Jaxon had been looking for an answer for his little goats, and somehow it walked right off a trailer.
Philemon means loving. Theo and Percy knew I was.
Our boy Jaxon and his family brought us together. Some call Ravenoak a farm. Now, we call it home.
Discover more about Theo, Percy, and Phil the Donkey at www.baasandbuzzes.com.
Phil, Theo, and Percy walk together at Ravenoak Farm, a little herd made from trust, patience, and love.
Phil shares a quiet meal with Theo and Percy, the two little goats who found a protector and friend in him.
Jaxon with Theo and Percy, the two bottle babies his family raised with love when they needed a place to belong.
Catch
a Live
Performance at the Historic Crighton Theatre in Downtown Conroe
TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
ON MARRIAGE, KIDS, AND THE COMEDY OF REAL LIFE
Trey Kennedy makes a living finding comedy in regular life. Marriage. Toddlers. Yoga pants. The Thursday-night scramble between school dropoffs, soccer practice, and whatever has to be done by morning. Twelve years in, it shows: millions of followers across every platform, three stand-up specials, a sold-out Relatable Tour, and a style of humor fans send each other captioned, “Are you watching me?” He delivers the kind of comedy that travels because everyone’s living some version of it.
Katie, his wife of six years, is a former biomedical engineer who also built a modeling career. She’s now raising their kids and co-hosting Correct Opinions alongside Trey — the show where the two of them swap takes on marriage, parenting, and whatever came up that week.
Trey has been at this longer than people realize. An Edmond, Oklahoma kid who grew up playing basketball described himself as a “shy kid who never thought he’d be an entertainer.” He started making videos while attending Oklahoma State University. After building millions of followers on Vine before the platform shut down, he gave himself six months on Instagram and Facebook to see whether he could rebuild from zero. He did. Stand-up soon followed. His first special, Are You For Real?, streams on YouTube; the second, Grow Up, on Amazon Prime; the third, built around the Relatable Tour, wrapped earlier this year. “I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now,” he says. A slow climb, made one bit at a time.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
“I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now.”
Most of what Trey writes lately starts in his own kitchen. Thomas is three and a half, and he is, in his father’s words, “a movie.” He narrates his own life from the moment his eyes open and mispronounces words in ways his parents now repeat to each other because no one else would believe them. His younger sister, Eva, is what Katie calls “the calm one.” With a third now in the mix, the Kennedys are officially outnumbered.
After six years of marriage, Trey and Katie have learned that the partnership runs best when it gets its own time on the calendar. So once a week, they leave the kids with a sitter and go out for coffee. “You need a system,” Katie says. “It’s about taking time to look each other in the eye. Not the kids. Not the cameras. Just each other.”
The same instinct shapes the work. Most of Trey’s trial and error happens onstage or on Instagram, but the first read is always Katie’s. “There’s only been one time ever I’ve had to be like, ‘you’re not doing that,’” she says. The rest of the time, she just laughs first.
FEATURING TREY & KATIE KENNEDY
Trey and Katie talk about marriage, parenting, and the moments that don’t make the Instagram feed.
Watch or listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.
HAIR & MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
Pets Alive Project
The Volunteers Who Help Change Our Community
Operation Pets Alive: The Volunteers Who Helped Change a Community
In 2010, Montgomery County's animal shelter faced a heartbreaking reality—overcrowded kennels, limited resources, and far too many healthy animals running out of time. Rather than accept the situation, a small group of determined volunteers led by Marcia Piotter founded Operation Pets Alive (OPA) with one ambitious goal: make Montgomery County a no-kill community. With so many stray cats and dogs in Montgomery County this was a tremendous undertaking. Their love for animals inspired them to save as many as they could and find them loving homes to take care of them.
They rescued animals from local shelters, recruited foster families, organized adoptions, sought donations, secured grants, partnered with veterinarians for affordable medical care, and championed low-cost spay and neuter programs. Their relentless dedication transformed animal welfare throughout the region.
Today, Montgomery County has achieved no-kill status, and OPA remains an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting homeless animals through foster and adoption services, low-cost spay/neuter programs, transport to partner rescues in states with greater adoption demand, and TrapNeuter-Return (TNR) programs that humanely reduce community cat populations.
ARTICLE BY ANDIE MONET
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
The need, however, has not disappeared. So far in 2026, OPA has taken in 796 animals, completed 869 sterilizations, placed 338 animals through local adoptions and transport, and continues providing lifesaving medical care along the way.
The organization's greatest need is foster families. Every temporary home creates space to save another life. Whether you foster, adopt, volunteer, donate, or simply spay and neuter your own pets, every action makes a lasting difference.
Learn more, become a foster, adopt, or donate by visiting Operation Pets Alive: https://www.operationpetsalive.org. And if you're attending the 8th Annual Montgomery County Home Show on August 29–30, 2026, stop by the OPA booth to meet the volunteers— and perhaps your newest four-legged family member.
One happy customer
