


There are too many accolades to list for the value ladies bring into the lives of others every day.
Motherhood and the countless selfless acts that station in life includes can scarcely be given the tribute deserved in words. From the moment a mother begins to care for herself more committedly because a new life is growing within her, she also begins to change the world.
Women are insightful, inspired and inspiring by nature. It has been said that a man who values his wife’s input will improve his output through wise counsel.
Children, co-workers, neighbors and friends all find a listening ear and heart that can empathize and a quick smile that lightens the daily burdens of work, school, social pressures and ethical dilemmas.
The positive influence of ladies in our lives is unfathomable.
The listening ear of a best friend, the wordless embrace of compassion in a moment of sorrow, the radiance of a smile when celebrating the triumph of someone else’s victory, a dopamine flood of “feel-good” from shared laughter……
The list could go on endlessly, of the benefits, comforts and joys great women add to everyday interactions.
Whether you haven’t said it recently to your own mom, need to show gratitude to a sister, friend or co-worker or just feel like making someone smile, why not thank the ladies in your life this month for the many ways they enhance your daily walk through life.
SCOTT FAIRBANKS, PUBLISHER @GRANDJUNCTIONLIFESTYLECITYLIFESTYLE.COM/GRANDJUNCTION
PUBLISHER
Scott Fairbanks | scott.fairbanks@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tifinie Storm, GJ Lifestyle Staff
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Lisa “Moose” KralDancing In My Head Photography
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein
AD DESIGNER Andrew Sapad
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsey Ragain
Learn how to start your own publication at citylifestyle.com/franchise.
Miyuki Mann, Chevron facilities engineer and CBS Girls and Science mentor, is an example of the importance of exposing girls to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at a young age. "Career paths are not just a straight line. Any passion you learn teaches you many skills, and those skills get intertwined with everything we do," said Miyuki. "We should not be scared to try something new!" Watch her video at cbsnews.com
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Rotary Club of Grand Junction recently held a benefit event titled Cards for a Cause.
The event raised enough to donate $10,000 toward Marillac Clinics’ two in-school health centers. Existing at Central High School and under construction in the all-new Grand Junction High School.
We have such amazing, innovative business leaders in our community who are proud to serve you, our residents, with class and quality. We’ve compiled some of our top company picks for the services that might be on your mind this month in an effort to make your lives a little easier.
Rooted Valley Hair Company rootedvalleyhairco.com | 970.248.3554
Urban Girls Salon www.urbangirlssalon.com | 970.241.1422
Anji Does Hair www.anjidoeshair.com | 970.852.5359
Estillos II - A Salon on Main www.estillos2.com | 970.241.7100
Allure Beauty Bar www.beautybarallure.com | 970.241.5385
Thomas Hunn Jewelers www.thomashunnjewelers.com | 970.241.3399
Main Paige www.mainpaige.com | 970.241.6655
Pinque Boutique thepinque.com | 970.241.2805
Want to suggest a monthly pick?
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Klik Clothing klikclothing.com | 970.424.5494
Zephyr Www.zephyrgj.com | 970.242.3890
“My mom and dad were so influential in my life. I was raised with parents who taught me the value of having a positive outlook on life.”
Here on the Western slope, we are lucky to have incredible people dedicated to the community. People who go above and beyond. They sacrifice their time and talents to make the community a better place with the work they do, not just in the work environment, but in their home as well. People who have given their blood, sweat and tears to a community they love and believe in.
One such person is Lori Randall. She is someone, who quite literally, has dedicated her life to the betterment of Mesa County. Lori moved here from Craig with her parents, Ken and Sally Henderson, and siblings in 1975 when her parents bought the Mesa Lakes Lodge. It was then known as Mesa Lakes Resort. Lori’s “keep fighting the good fight” motto is something that was instilled in her as a youth. “My mom and dad were so influential in my life. I was raised with parents who taught me the value of having a positive outlook on life. They taught us to keep going no matter what the circumstances. They also taught us to contribute to making the world a better place.”
Lori attended Plateau Valley High School and graduated in 1979. She then, in 1980, went to Utah and attended Brigham Young University for 2 years and then transferred to the University of Portland from which she graduated with a bachelor's degree in nursing. With degree in hand, she moved across the country from one Washington to the other, settling in Washington D.C for 9 years. It is there where she started a family while working full-time as a traveling nurse. Her first 2 children, Rachel and Emily, were born while they were in D.C. In 1995 she, and her family, returned to Collbran. It’s here where she completed her family with 2 more children, Spencer and Amanda.
In 1996 she became a temp nurse on the night shift at Family Health West. She was put on a waitlist for a year and became a full-time employee in 1997 as a staff nurse. Working at FHW has been an adventure. She has done just about everything there is to do there. From running Quality Infection Control to FHW Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Nursing Officer which is currently her title. She became the Director of Nursing in 1998 followed by the Nursing Home Administrator in 2004. In 2005 she became the Chief Nursing Officer and has carried that title ever since. In 2012 she became the Chief Operating Officer and in 2014 became the Executive Vice President.
For 27 years, Lori has dedicated her life to the needs of the people in the community through her work at FHW. For the first 16 years, she had the honor of working with two “men of integrity” as she called them. Dennis Fickland who was CEO/CFO of FHW and Errol Snider who was COO. She knew that she was in the right place for the right reason when working with them. When asked who was someone she looked up to she said, “Errol Snider. He is now the Chaplain at FHW. He is my mentor and confidante. He is a bright light and an amazing person.
He can make anyone feel like they are his best friend. I try to be like Errol.”
Lori is passionate about her work and is an example to all those around her. She is a strong leader, who is kind and compassionate, yet gets the job done. Linda Southam, an RN in Pre-op and PACU at FHW had this to say about Lori. “I find Lori to be honest and fair. She has a compassionate heart and she truly strives to make the patient experience the best it can be. She has a passion for making FHW the best hospital in the valley. She is a good friend and doesn’t know a stranger in the hallways. I feel honored to have worked with her for the last 14 years.” Holly Krouse, FHW Director of Nutrition Services said this about Lori. “Lori is an amazing mentor and leader. She is strong, independent, intelligent, and an advocate for many. She is also kind, humble, and has a steadfast moral compass. She is dedicated to her family, her faith, Family Health West and the Fruita Community.”
Work is not the only thing Lori is dedicated to. Her family is, and always has been, her top priority. Living hasn’t always been easy and at times truly hard. Working full-time as a single mother was a difficult thing. But she never let anything get in the way of raising her 4 children as strong, independent, loving people. She has made sure they have been given every opportunity possible to them. She has instilled strong morals and values in them, and they have grown to be outstanding adults. Lori now has the joy of being a grandmother to 6 (almost 7) beautiful grandchildren and enjoys every second of being with them. Lori met and married the love of her life in 2015. She and her husband Mick love to get out and go camping. One of their favorite places is Ridgeway, but they go wherever they can to spend time outdoors. They are avid rockhounds and spend hours hunting for them whenever they are able.
Lori and Mick spend lots of time volunteering in the community. FHW is one of those places. However, they also help with the Food Bank of the Rockies and help serve at the Grand Valley Catholic Outreach Soup Kitchen.
Lori’s faith and activity in her church has always been a priority as well. She loves God and Jesus Christ and is devoted to them. Which is reflected in everything that she does. She is always willing to serve in whatever capacity she is asked, and does so with a willing, loving heart.
When asked what her favorite thing about the community was, she said, “This community is strong because of the people. CMU is a wonderful college. My church is strong here. It’s just a great place to live and raise a family.”
Making homemade bread is coming back, and while the convenience of buying a pre-made loaf is readily available, there is nothing like the taste of a warm, homemade loaf right out of the oven. These easy-to-follow recipes are exploding with flavor and are simple to make.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
LEMON GLAZE ICING:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest and lightly mix. Stir in flour mixture and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix oil, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes and then carefully remove from the pan. Next, make the lemon glaze by combining all of the icing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Drizzle glaze all over the loaf and sprinkle with almond slices. Enjoy!
For an added health benefit, try this probiotic-rich sourdough bread known for being easy to digest and a healthier gut-friendly option. To make sourdough bread, you will need a starter which can take anywhere from 7-14 days. To make your own, mix flour and water together in a jar and feed the starter each day until ready. There are many sourdough starter recipes online.
SOURDOUGH STARTER INGREDIENTS:
• 2 teaspoons sourdough starter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons water
DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
• ¼ cup active sourdough starter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups flour
INSTRUCTIONS:
Twelve hours before you plan to mix the dough, add the ingredients to make ¼ cup of active sourdough starter. Stir and cover and let the starter rise. The starter is ready when it has doubled in size and there are bubbles on the surface and sides.
To make the dough, add ¼ cup sourdough starter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Next, add 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt. Use a spatula to work the ingredients together until there are no more dry ingredients in the bowl. Wet your hand with a little water to prevent sticking, and pick up the dough on one side of the bowl and stretch it up and over itself. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this step until you have turned the bowl a full circle. Cover the bowl and let the dough sit for 30 minutes. Repeat the folding process one more time. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise on your counter for 8-10 hours.
Next, on a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a ball by pulling the dough into the middle of itself. Turn the ball over so the seam is down. Use your hands to gently pull and cup the dough until it forms a tight skin. Place the dough on parchment paper and transfer the paper and dough to a medium sized bowl. Cover the bowl and let it rise for 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Score the top of dough with a sharp knife. Use the parchment paper to lift the dough up and transfer to a dutch oven. Place the lid on and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown.
This recipe is quick and easy to make with just a few simple steps. It tastes great on its own, but dipping it in olive oil infused with fresh herbs adds an extra level of flavor.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 ¾ cups warm water
• 2 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional:
• Fresh rosemary
• Coarse sea salt
• Fresh pressed garlic
INSTRUCTIONS:
Use a stand mixer with a fitted dough hook, and stir together the water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir again. Set mixture aside for 5 minutes. Mixture should be foamy. Next, add the flour and salt and mix on low until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed and mix for an additional 4-5 minutes. Brush a large bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Set aside for about 1 to 1 ½ hours until the dough has doubled in size.
Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons of oil. Uncover the dough and rub hands with olive oil. Slide your hands under the dough and fold it onto itself. Continue to work your way around the edge of the bowl, folding the dough onto itself until there is a ball that you can lift from the bowl. Place the dough in the prepared pan and press the dough to the edges. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise for about 45 minutes until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the dough. Rub your hands with olive oil and use your fingers to make indentions on the surface of the dough. Sprinkle it with salt and rosemary and any desired toppings. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
BRING THE BRIGHTNESS AND FRESHNESS OF SPRING INDOORS BY CREATING YOUR OWN FLORAL BOWL ARRANGEMENT.
Spring, come quickly! And if not, bring spring indoors anyway. Flowers brighten any room, any day of the year. No need to wait for a special occasion or holiday – give yourself permission to brighten everyday life with a bowl full of flowers. Place florals in an entryway, kitchen, living room space or even bathroom. Florals make any room come alive with pops of color and the smells of spring that’s just about ready to burst outside.
Consider this your personal invitation to play with flowers by creating your very own Floral Bowl Arrangement. Use any cereal bowl in the kitchen and a bundle of store bought flowers. For extra texture and depth, look for small spring branches and ornamental grasses found in your yard to pop into the arrangement, like I did here. Then, place your floral bowl in a place where you need that burst of joy most. Enjoy!
• 1 bundle of flowers (about 24 stems) + floral food packet
• spring branches & ornamental grasses found in your yard (optional)
• 6” bowl (cereal bowl size)
• floral shears (or garden clippers, kitchen shears, even craft scissors in a pinch)
• 12” square cut chicken wire
• wire cutters
• garden gloves to protect your hands when forming chicken wire
• clear floral tape (scotch tape will also do)
• lazy susan to easily move your arrangement and work from all sides (optional)
• First prepare the mechanics. The mechanics are the non-floral elements used to assemble a floral arrangement. These materials will act as a grid in which the flowers are built into to hold each stem in its place.
• Wearing garden gloves, cut chicken wire roughly into a 12” square. Loosely form the chicken wire into a ball and place inside the bowl.
• Use clear floral tape to make an X shape over the top of the bowl to hold the chicken wire securely into place. This will also give extra support when adding the floral elements later.
• Fill the bowl with water and mix in a flower food packet, if your flowers came with one.
• Begin to arrange floral elements into the bowl. As a general rule, you will want to start with the strongest, thickest stems and end with the most delicate stems. Here, I began with branches, then the largest base flowers followed by taller focal flowers, and finally delicate stems, grasses and wispy greens.
Stuck with broken, leftover blooms from creating your floral bowl arrangements? Don’t discard those flowers just yet! Simply arrange leftover blooms and a few ornamental grasses onto a cake to elevate any tablescape. Even though the blooms are arranged out of water, they will look fresh for hours (especially when using roses and carnations). Enjoy!
As consumers, we are constantly being enticed to buy. Whether it’s the jewelry we can’t live without, concert tickets to a show we don’t want to miss, or that favorite pair of shoes calling our name, we buy what we love, and art should be no different.
If you are new to acquiring original art, you may find it daunting, but it shouldn’t be. It is a special purchase that forces you to dig deep and discover a bit more about yourself. At first, many people shy away from buying original art because of the commitment. It’s a big decision after all, and how do you really know when it’s the “perfect” piece? Because art is subjective, part of the process is learning what style of art is the best fit for you. Is it colorful and energetic abstracts, or soothing landscapes that catch your eye? Maybe you are drawn to local photography, or even figurative works. There is no wrong answer, and maybe it’s a mix of several styles that creates your unique collection. The best way to find out your “art personality” is to get out and visit your local galleries. Consider making it a tradition to visit galleries while traveling or buy a piece of art as a gift on special occasions. In the gallery setting you can explore various art styles, mediums, and even learn more about the talented artists who create those works.
With the purchase of original art comes other considerations. Often, we have clients who need direction figuring out what size of art they need and its placement in the design of their space. If you find a piece of art you love, you will always find a spot for it. Ask the gallery if they offer in-home art consultation services to see the piece in your setting. Great custom framing is key, and well-designed framing is the jewelry to a great piece of art. Quality archival framing protects your art from UV rays that can damage a piece over time. Original art should last generations.
I’m often asked, should I buy art for investment? There is a place for investment art, but I don’t believe in buying art with the pretense that it will go up in value. There is no guarantee it will and to me, good investment art brings different riches to your life. Art that brings you joy, adds personality to your space, and makes your home original is an investment in you. The best art investment should be the feeling you experience gazing into an oil painting that perfectly captures a warm sunset over the prairie, or the texture created by a palette knife on the abstract that seems to pop off the canvas. That is what makes investing in original art priceless.
Art that brings you joy, adds personality to your space, and makes your home original is an investment in you.
Visit Smokin’ Oak Pizza in Grand Junction & Clifton!
We hand chop our vegetables throughout the day, roast our meats in the wood-fired oven, make our own sauces in-house and, of course, make our own dough.
We’re so fresh, we don’t even have freezers in our restaurants.
Scan the QR code for the location nearest you to sign up for the Smokin’ Oak Text Club and receive exclusive weekly offers!
Attention to detail like no other.
We’re dedicated to helping families design a personal, memorable final tribute that celebrates a special life.
MORTUARY & CREMATORY
Junction
• 2 half-circle stamping blanks
• 2 large gold bars
• 2 medium gold bars
• 2 ear wires
• Jump rings, assorted sizes
• Embroidery thread
• Metal punch
• Bent nose forceps
• Needle nose pliers
1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
Use both your bent nose forceps and needle nose pliers to secure each end of the jump ring. Gently twist the jump ring to open the gap, and place the jump ring through the holes in the pieces you are connecting. When securely through both pieces, gently twist the jump ring in the opposite direction to close the gap and secure the pieces.
Make sure to have all of your materials gathered before starting the project for easy assembly.
Take your half-circle stamping blanks, large gold bars and medium gold bars and arrange them in the order you want your earrings to flow. You can see how we arranged ours, but consider switching up the placement of each item for varying earring styles.
Mark where each of the holes line up on the individual pieces. These spots are where you’ll be creating holes with the metal punch to connect each item with jump rings.
Once you have your spots marked, carefully and precisely punch holes in your individual pieces. Once all of your holes are punched, connect each piece with the desired size of jump ring.
For an added touch, punch extra holes in the bottom piece and finish off with knotted embroidery thread for a bohemian tassel effect.
• A Boutique All Memory Care community
• All Private Studio Apartments with individual bathrooms
• The Innovative Vigil Monitoring System
• Specialized Dementia Care: Our entire staff is trained in and dedicated to the care of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other-related dementias.
• Moments Program: A complete-person approach to care and engagement