Seguin Today: January, 2022

JANUARY 2022, Vol 1 l Iss. 12

GIVING BACK Local woman shares her journey of volunteering in the Seguin community.

Ready to

Race!

NEW YEARS! 10 Apps to help you kick off 2022 the right way!

CHASING DREAMS

as a teenaged jockey

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THIS ISSUE

7 JANUARY 2022, Volume 1 l Issue 12

Step inside the Christian Cupboard with Regina Lee as she shares how community volunteerism changed her life.

Chasing horseracing dreams with AJB student, Eduardo Hernandez

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Kick off your new year right with these 10 apps that will help you learn, budget, & create!

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Volume 1, Issue 12....what a year it has been.

It’s hard to believe that this is the final issue of our first year publishing Seguin Today magazine. We believe the stories we’ve shared highlight this diverse community and show a side of Seguin you may not read about, or see, elsewhere.

All of this is possible because of you, our readers, and we cannot thank you enough. As we head into Volume 2, we plan to dig deep, finding stories that continue to capture this amazing community for all that it is.

A new year is a time for hope and that’s what we hope you find in our feature stories this month. From finding community through volunteering to chasing dreams with a community at your back, we have stories to inspire your own personal journeys as you start the year.

Welcome to 2022, Seguin. We made it!

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COVERSHOT Eduardo Hernandez spends his days after school training with his horse as he chases his dreams of being a jockey. Countless hours are spent in the saddle to make sure that when he hits the tracks on race day, he and his horse are prepared.

Photo by Lizz Daniels

In Case You Missed It!

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Explore the Nativity with Bob and Candee Paredes as they celebrate a family tradition.

STAFF GENERAL MANAGER Darren Dunn CREATIVE EDITOR Lizz Daniels WRITERS Cindy Aguirre-Herrera, Mike McBride, Lizz Daniels, Tess Coody-Anders PHOTOGRAPHER Jarred Kindles

SALES MANAGER Nick Spence ADVERTISING Laurie Cheatham, Linda Duncan, Mary Jane Windle OFFICE MANAGER Priscilda Rodriguez

Seguin Today is published by KWED, Seguin Daily News www.seguintoday.com

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Community Volunteerism at its

Best

Local woman shares journey in making Seguin her own Story by Cindy Aguirre-Herrera Photos by Lizz Daniels

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he core of any community is its volunteers. It’s the people who devote oneself unselfishly to a task – expending their time and energy to something that in the end makes life better, if not easier for you and me.

Wrangling up examples here in Seguin is quite easy but often, there’s that one individual who you just need to know a little more about. It’s that person who over the years, you’ve become more and more curious about. This January, that road to curiosity has led us right to Regina Lee. Most known for her role as the executive director of Seguin’s food pantry, The Christian Cupboard, there appears to be more to learn about this woman, who from the day she arrived in this community in the 1980s has given back more time than any of us could ever imagine.

It was 1988 when Lee made her move from Los Angeles, California to the Lone Star State. However, some may say that her life has always been destined to play out here in Seguin.

Not only was her mother from Seguin but years after living in Los Angeles, Lee says she remembers Seguin ending up being the topic of discussion during one of those casual “first meeting” conversations with Kenneth, the man who would later become her husband. Lee says Kenneth talked about his dream of moving to Texas. When she asked where, Kenneth stated that it was a small town, and that Lee probably has never heard of it. After replying, try me, Lee was surprised to learn that she knew exactly the town he was talking about.

Born in San Antonio, Lee says Kenneth often traveled during the weekend through Seguin on his way to the Peach Creek Community near Gonzales.

“I was like what, Seguin?” Now, although she had visited a few times as a child, she didn’t really have too much to say about her mother’s hometown – a town that was incredibly different than L.A. But nonetheless, a town that she loves today.

Although her mother didn’t think she would take that leap of faith and move to Seguin, Lee quickly found herself in this community. Raising four children, Lee says much of the earlier days was spent at St. James Catholic Church. Lee says in the 1980s, assimilating in the local church was a bit difficult especially when her family was often the only family of color

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during those Sunday morning masses.

Nonetheless, Lee threw herself into the church volunteering basically in every role there was to volunteer in.

Her dedication and foundation of faith, however, did not allow her to go unnoticed.

In fact, Lee was one of the first recipients of the Lumen Gentium Award. The prestigious and coveted award was presented to Lee by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller of the San Antonio Archdiocese.

The Lumen Gentium Award is “bestowed upon Catholic laypeople from each parish who have demonstrated participation in the Catholic Church’s mission to bring Christ’s light to all.” According to the Archdiocese, “the individuals are practicing Catholics who manifest an understanding of the teachings of the church and have been graced with a

life formed in the Catholic spiritual tradition.

These individuals have used their talents to deepen the life of the church in the parish or have served in an extraordinary way the ministry of the parish.”

Perhaps that spirit of Christ is what led her to her current role as the executive director of the Christian Cupboard. As mentioned earlier, Lee’s role in the community will forever tie her to the non-profit cupboard located on North Camp Street, her home away from home for the last several years.

When she looks back at how it all began, Lee says it was just her looking for something to keep occupied with. Extending that initial invitation to volunteer at the food pantry was local resident Estelle Hill. Lee says Estelle, who was always in attendance at daily mass, easily asked Lee, “what are you doing Thurs-

day?”

“They needed help and then I met someone there who was my age and so we clicked very well,” said Lee. ”She was a stay-at-home mom and just the social part of it – being home all the time and I needed something else, an outreach in the community.”

Lee adds “if someone had not invited me, I doubt I would have ever been involved with the Cupboard.”

Lee says it wasn’t very long after accepting that invitation to volunteer, that she found herself in a leadership position.

“The board is a three-year rotation. Three years, now mind you. Keep that three-year rotation in mind and so on that Thursday, a lady said you need to put yourself down for the board and I said okay, – whatever that meant.

I didn’t even know what it meant. So, we put

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our names down and I ended up being vice-president,” said Lee. “What I didn’t know at the time was once you are vice-president; you step into the role of president three years later. But before the end of the three years, the president was unable to complete her assigned duties and so I have been the president for year. I tell you; it’s been since maybe 2002.”

Now, years later, Lee has worked to grow the pantry and has even expanded the number of days that it is available to the public. Most importantly, she has managed to maintain the food pantry’s continued operation -- no matter the challenges. Whether it was during a global pandemic or area flooding, Lee says her group of solid volunteers has just continued to push forward.

“One thing I’ve seen is regardless of what you’ve done in life, you still eat. Regardless how far you’ve come today, you can go down tomorrow because one instance can change your ability to have food – have a fire, have a flood, get sick. What really made me change my mind and made me look at people different is that I don’t care how much money you’ve got in the bank, if the stores are closed and your refrigerator isn’t working and every computer is down, what are you going to do? It is just as basic as that,” said Lee. “I think during the ’98 flood and even the 2002 flood, there were people who worked at the cupboard who had to use the facilities at the cupboard because HEB shelves were empty. They needed food. There was no other place to get it. They were trying to deal with moving things out of their house -- just basic, basic stuff but they still needed to eat.”

Honored to have served over the years, Lee says she is grateful for the opportunity and will continue to oversee the non-profit organization until it’s time to do something else. She understands the need for change and will always be appreciative to have been given the baton so many years ago.

Lee says when it comes to this role, there’s really no other one like it. She says after all, food is what connects us all.

“Without the test there is no testimony and that makes a lot of difference,” said Lee. “I’ve had a couple of people that I knew personally that they were so embarrassed about going but it’s not about the embarrassment. It humbles you. A TLU graduate, college educated and had a good job but got to the point where he needed us. It was devasting for him, but it humbles you. It makes you realize all the years you said ‘well, they could have, or they should have or why did they not do this and it humbles you and God will slap you and humble you all the time,” said Lee. While Lee wrapped up the month of December with this year’s Christian Cupboard food drive, her innate desire to volunteer presses forward this January as a member of the MLK Day Planning Committee. The group which works to observe the life and legacy of the slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is set to continue the observances found in this community’s long history. Although the traditional four-day observance will be modified this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee says she is grateful to be a part of this wonderful committee.

“So, I was on that committee and then Mr. Earl Mosely, was president at the time. He really did a wonderful job and they have been together forever like 35 years or something -- dedication, dedication, dedication! They had laid a great foundation. I was asked (to serve) and with everything in prayer with me,” said Lee. “We are going slow and easy this year, so we are going to put ourselves back out there. We are going to the school Friday night for the choir festival. Saturday, MLK is not going to do anything per se, and I’m saying that to lead into the Baptist Ministers Union who has always done something, and they used

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to do something on that Monday night but this year, they are going to do something on that Saturday at New St. James Baptist Church and because they are going to do something that Saturday, we are not going to do anything (on Saturday). That Sunday, we are not going to go to TLU. But what we are going to do is we are going to do the March that Monday and we are going to do as we did in 2019. We are going start at TLU.” While she promised to rollout even more details about the January event, most can see Lee’s dedication to the MLK Day Planning Committee as she already had most of the specifics during her interview with Seguin Today in early December. This just better illustrates Lee’s commitment and dedication to anything she signs up for.

In between being there for her community, the rest of Lee’s time is still spent caring for others. Lee says she has spent years working as a caregiver and sitting with those who need her the most. But perhaps, what might be even more interesting is the Regina Lee, before coming to Texas.

Lee couldn’t help but chuckle at a few of those variety side jobs – jobs that she was always proud of.

“To me, the most interesting thing about me is I worked in the garment industry in California. Someone offered me this and that was that I used to foot model and what I did was I went to one of the manufacturers and I just tried on the shoe and made sure that it fit. At the time, I was a perfect size 7.5 and unbeknownst to people, shoe models aren’t a size 4. The shoe is 7.5 because that’s more of an in between and the most normal size shoe is a 9. But I used to foot model. That was something that I did on the side you know during my lunch hour. In fact, I was even a fit model for clothes,” said Lee.

It’s perhaps Lee’s solid faith that has helped her put others first. She says when God is priority, everything else just falls into place.

“It’s funny I say all the time, it’s funny when you look for something to pray or a specific direction and it comes to fruition, and you go ‘wow!

And I think gosh, people should be more faithful. We are faithful and then we are surprised that he’s faithful to us. Isn’t that something?” said Lee. “We all have free will. We all don’t always use it the way we should, but I see that we pray for things, and we are so surprised that it happens. If I’m not supposed to have it, then I sit back. Of course, I’ve been praying for the Lotto, and I don’t have that. I guess, it’s not my time,” laughs Lee. Sincerely doing it for others is what Lee believes has helped her get the satisfaction in all that she does.

“I think when you’ve invested your time, talent and treasure and I never really found my true talent but what I am, I try to be very honest about things and sometimes, it hurts, and you just have to be honest.

Don’t promise a demand. Don’t do it for looks because you are not going to get anything,” said Lee. “I’m big at not thanking people for things because that’s what you are supposed to do. You are blocking my blessing when you start to put that out in the community. I’m not looking for glory or a parade or anything else. I do it because I want to do it. I can do it.

Nobody is looking for anything. That’s me.”

Nonetheless, Lee is forever grateful to have made it to Texas. She says it’s one journey that has been totally worth it.

“I’m blessed, totally blessed. It’s called life. It’s versatile. It wasn’t just one sided. I didn’t work at one place for 50 years and I have an attention span of a gnat, so it worked perfectly for me,” said Lee. “It doesn’t work for everybody. People like to know when their next check is coming, and they want to be ready. I take it as it comes because nothing is promised.” •

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Race Ready to

Chasing Dreams as a Teenaged Jockey Story and Photos by Lizz Daniels

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iddle School is where adolescents first begin their coming-ofage story. There is a magic about this period of life where first dances happen, and stress rears its head for the first time that can allow teenagers to blossom beyond their years and discover passions that carry them on through high school and into the real world. This very thing is happening in Seguin’s AJB where Eduardo Hernandez attends school.

At first glance, Eddy appears just like a typical quiet kid going about his school day, struggling with all the difficulties of school

life, but when the last bell rings each day –– his world changes.

“I like to hang out with the horses, ride them, run them, feel the breeze,” said Hernandez. “I started riding with Shetland ponies, the first one I rode was like two years ago. I feel like I have anxiety, and then chilling with them calms me down.”

Nowadays, Eddy isn’t just riding but is full-on racing quarter horses in one versus one match races where mounts can reach speeds up to 37 miles per hour. It’s an intense sport that requires mental and physical discipline along with countless hours in the saddle preparing.

When Eddy leaves school, he goes right to the barn where he and his horse train each day. Then, he travels across the state and even to Mexico to race on the weekends. And when he races –– he’s a professional athlete, often rubbing elbows with other more experienced jockeys who’ve raced on tracks like Retama.

“I get nervous with alot of people looking,” said Hernandez. “I like people watching me ride, but I get nervous a lot too. I feel like when I come to school after, I try to act like I’m still just a student.

I try not to act how I do at the races.”

Behind the scenes supporting him is his family, particularly his mother Steyla Loyola.

“He does really good for his age,” Loyola said. “I’m his number one even if I’m not there all the time. I have a baby and he’s on a vent 24/7, so if I don’t have a nurse I can’t go –– even if I want to.

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But Eddy’s grandparents and his uncle and aunt, they’re always there. When the baby is in the hospital, I take advantage and will go on Sundays to see him.”

Performing at the level that Eddy does isn’t easy, and just like any teenager, he can get hyper-focused on his goals and forget about other important things....like school. Fortunately, AJB principal James Diaz caught wind of Eddy’s racing life and did what any good educator would –– he stepped in to see how he could help.

“So for us, Eddy is somebody who has missed in the past, like a lot of our kids,” said Diaz. “Having a relationship with Eddy’s parents and talking them through the process, we uncovered one of the big reasons he wasn’t here was because he was racing in Mexico and other places. He’s very much chasing this dream of being a jockey. He doesn’t make a big deal out of it because he’s not a loud person. So it’s taken a while to figure out how he ticks, what moves him, and what excites him.”

It didn’t take Diaz long to figure out what motivates Eddy is the thrill of the race. But, fortunately, he also saw the potential in Eddy’s skill and saw it as a career opportunity, unlike anything most students typically get to pursue.

“So when we talk about the pandemic, we talk about all the negative things that have happened, but it forced people to do different things,” said Diaz. “We have a student here who wasn’t in traditional American sports, who continued to race and spend time doing these things during the pandemic. It’s funny because now school is getting in the way of his dream. So how do we work with him on that? As we’ve taken more of an interest in his burgeoning career, we’ve got him to be more interested in school.

It’s interesting because like many students, when he knows that we care about what’s happening in his life, he cares about what’s happening here.

That’s really what it’s been.”

Eddy manages countless obligations while also pursuing his career as a jockey that requires him to walk a fine line between the adult world of racing and the teen world of school. With his horse El Agapito, he can chase his dreams while making important memories because horses and racing are what he loves.

“I want to do this until my last breath,” said Hernandez.

Eddy may only be a teenager, but he knows what he wants at the end of the day –– he wants to race, wants to win, and he wants to be the best. With the support of those around him, he continues to chase his dreams while making his friends, family, and educators proud. •

I want to do this until my last breath.

-Eduardo Hernandez

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JANUARY

Events and special promotions happening locally this month!

To promote your event on this page contact advertising at 830-379-2234 or email communitycalendar@kwed1580.com

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NAMI Family-to-Family Program The NAMI Guadalupe County will offer a NAMI Family-to-Family program in Schertz, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 25. This is a free, 8-week educational course for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Learn more at www.NAMIGuadalupeCounty.org.

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23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 HOLIDAYS 1st - New Years Day 17th - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

FeaturedEvents Events Featured

Seguin Elks Lodge Wednesday Night Dinner

The Seguin Elks Lodge will serve its dinner menu for dine in or take out at 5 p.m. Wednesdays at 1331 C H Mathies Jr. in Seguin. For more information call 830-303-5844.

First Friday Feast The Geronimo Lions will have its First Friday Feast Fish or Steak Dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Big Red Barn on Friday, Jan. 7. Meals are $17 (a child’s hotdog plate is $5) and will be available in person and to go. Tickets can be purchased at the door. This month’s beneficiary is the Geronimo Fire Department Building Fund and entertainment will be provided by Wyatt Arp and Charlie Bragg.

Jan. 9

Jan. 13

Jan. 15

Geronimo VFW Dance

Totally 80’s Showcase

Field of Honor BBQ Sale

Jan. 21

Jan. 27

Feb. 5

The Geronimo VFW Post 8456 will have a dance featuring Randy Harrison & The Posse from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9 in Geronimo. Admission is $10 and the hall is smoke free and family friendly. The kitchen will open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Cold beer and set ups available. For more information, call or text 830-305-8829.

The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce will have its Totally 80’s Showcase from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13 at the Seguin Coliseum, located at the Seguin Events Complex. Tickets are $25 and are available at the Chamber office, located at 116 N. Camp St. For more information call 830379-6382.

Storytelling, Performance & Chamber After Hours Mixer The Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce Poetry The Teatro de Artes De Juan Seguin and the National Endowment for the Humanities presents A Unique and Special Evening of Storytelling, Performance, & Poetry, with Author and 2015 Texas State Poet Laureate, Dr. Carmen Tafolla, at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 at the Student Activity Center at Jackson Park on the campus of Texas Lutheran University, located at 1000 W. Court St. in Seguin.

will have its After Hours Mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 27 at Prosperity Bank, located at 1414 E. Court St. in Seguin. For more information, call 830379-6382.

The Guadalupe County Field of Honor® will have a BBQ Chicken Plate and Bake Sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15 at the American Legion Post 245, located at 618 E Kingsbury St. in Seguin. Plates are $10 each and there will be drive-thru or dine in available.

Proceeds benefit the America Legion Post 245.

Tickets available at the Post or contact Connie at 830-243-2872 for tickets or donations.

Men’s City Wide Prayer Breakfast

The One Body Men’s Fellowship Men’s City Wide Prayer Breakfast will be held from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 at St. James Catholic Church. For more information, call 210-563-1842, 830-639-4784, 830-5562634, or 210-273-9582.

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DIY: Recipe to Try

Stew to

Warm your winter

Chills!

Golden Harvest Pork Stew Makes 4 servings

1

pound boneless pork cutlets, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided 1

tablespoon vegetable oil

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1

large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1

cup chopped carrots

1

ear corn, broken into 4 pieces, or 1⁄2 cup corn

1/2 cup chicken broth 1

jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1

clove garlic, minced

1

teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

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Chopped parsley

Directions: 1. Toss pork pieces with 1 tablespoon flour; set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to Crock•Pot® slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except parsley and 1 tablespoon flour. Cover; cook on low 5 to 6 hours.

3. Stir 1⁄4 cup cooking liquid into remaining 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl. Stir flour mixture into stew. Turn Crock•Pot slow cooker to high. Cook 10 minutes or until thickened. Adjust seasonings, if desired. To serve, sprinkle with parsley.

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In Case You Missed It

Oh NOT so Little Town of

BETHLEHEM Local couple celebrates the reason for the season with nativity tradition Story and Photos by Lizz Daniels

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ativity scenes are a time-honored tradition when it comes to the Christmas season. Memories of setting up tiny figurines to honor the birth of Jesus are a shared memory for many Christians, but for Bob and Candee Paredes, it’s about more than memories.

It’s about family heritage.

Growing up in Mexico, Bob and his siblings didn’t have much, but they did have an aunt who found a way to make Christmas memorable despite their hardships.

“She was really good at making the nativity scene because she used paper,” said Bob. “I remember the waterfall and the angel hair and stuff.

So what she’d say is ‘we’re going to go to the market and you guys can pick one figure and we’ll use it.’ I remember doing it two years, I was seven or eight years old. And it got to be a thing that we looked forward to. Every year, we would wait to see how she would make the nativity scene. When my son was born, I thought it might be a good idea if he learned that tradition because we never knew about Santa Claus. Everything was nativity.

Santa Claus didn’t bring presents to us, baby Jesus did. So when I told her (Candee) about it, she said okay, we’ll start collecting.”

Candee’s enthusiasm quickly grew into an an-

nual celebration of Christ’s birth that now dominates their family living room during the holidays in a sprawling display of the city of Bethlehem, complete with lighting, rivers, animals, and angels atop every building.

“It’s my fault is what he’s saying, I guess,” said Candee. “I got the little nativity scene that everybody gets that’s the little manger that has the Holy Family and some shepherds, maybe some wise men and some critters. And then, he decided that we needed to kind of think about doing the nativity in the manner that he was raised with doing because he’s from Mexico.

Where he grew up, his aunt would do a nativity scene and they didn’t have a lot of money, so his mom who was working in the United States would send money back and the aunt would give each of the kids –– there were four of them –– a little bit of money, and they’d go down to the market and buy some piece that she would add into the nativity and each year it increased in size because that’s what they did. And not just me, other people decided that this is what he needed to have, so I even had to make a list that we kept on the computer that I could print off for people, so that they wouldn’t duplicate. So it got out of hand.”

Many adults experience burnout or seasonal depression at the onset of the holiday season, making it easy to forget the magic of it all (the magic) that existed in childhood. Building the nativity and the entirety of Bethlehem around it became a way for Bob to reconnect with treasured memories of joy while bringing new light into his home as an adult.

“It was a happy time when I was a kid,” said Bob. “It was something like she said, we didn’t have a lot of money. Our presents were not toys. They were practical things –– shoes, pants –– things that we needed that we weren’t going to play with, but it was fun to see my aunt make the scene, and then, we’d enjoy it during Christmas. So I said, you know what –– I’m going to try it and see if it’s still fun.

And every year that I would make it, it kept growing, and I thought eventually it’s going to stop. We have so many figurines and buildings and stuff, but she kept buying them.”

Most of the figures are crafted by Fontanini, which releases and retires pieces just like many artisans, meaning some are quite rare, making it a special treat for those who get to view it in person.

It’s been 37 years since Bob and Candee first started the project at their home in California, where they would host friends while enjoying homemade tamales, guacamole, and salsa while enjoying the Christmas spirit. Nativity figures also became an easy gift idea for friends and family over the years.

“Every Christmas, people would get me figures that I didn’t have,” said Bob. “And then she (Candee) would buy the buildings, and every Christmas, or right before Thanksgiving, I’d set it up. I’m retired law enforcement, and we would have tamale day in California. Everybody I worked with would come. It was from the morning to the evening, and everyone would come and see the nativity.

Well, every year it would grow and people would come and see how much it grew.”

Despite the importance of the nativity, which is central to the Christmas celebration, there has certainly been fun and silliness along the way. With over 150 figures in the display, surprises are hidden throughout.

Bob tells the story of a Captain (Corporal) he worked with who decided to play a little Christmas prank on him.

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“He called me up one day after coming for tamales, and seeing the nativity, he goes ‘hey, I put Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch in your nativity. I bet you can’t find him.’

Well, then the Captain showed up for tamales, and they go ‘what are you looking for?’ Well, I told them Lindsay put Stitch in here somewhere and I can’t find him and I want him out. I don’t want that thing in my nativity. So the Captain and the under sheriff were looking for Stitch. So Lindsay called me back, and says ‘have you found him?’ I said no, but the Captain and the under sheriff are looking for him. ‘No, man no! I was only kidding! I didn’t put anything in there!’ So, it got to be a joke.”

Despite the hijinks, honoring the birth of Jesus is the intent, which is why baby Jesus isn’t in the manger before Christmas day. It all plays into the experience of the Epiphany, which is the true start of the Christmas season and the season that is currently underway.

“When you go and look at it, baby Jesus is not in the nativity scene,” said Candee. “He will not show up until Christmas Day. And the only characters that move during all of this are the wise men, because

they are in route to the baby Jesus and they will arrive on the sixth.”

The nativity will stay up in their home until the start of the new year, and then it will be time to pack up all the boxes and start hauling them back up to the attic to be stored away for next Christmas. It’s physically intensive and takes a few days to get everything packed and put away.

“It’s once a year, and like I said, this year, I started the week before Thanksgiving. Other times I start the first of November, but this year I decided to wait a little bit. By Thanksgiving it was up and ready to go and it’s just one of those things. It’s fun. To me it’s enjoyable and I don’t like taking it down because I’ve got to put it up and put it away. Everything has to go in the box, but it’s a labor of love, I guess.”

As the three wise men begin their journey to Bethlehem to honor the Christ child, Bob is already planning his nativity scene for next year. And with so many friends and family contributing to the ever-growing collection, there is no telling what creative ways Bob will find to celebrate the Christmas season in the future. •

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Exploring Technology

10Apps to try in

2022

Duolingo With this free mobile app and a few minutes a day, anyone can learn a new language. Duolingo offers over 30 languages to choose from with engaging lessons that promote conversational skills via bite-sized lessons. Users are able to learn using “trees,” which target their specific language needs offering feedback on vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.

Strides: Goal & Habit Tracker With Strides you can literally track all your habits, from the good to the bad with SMART goals and reminders to keep you accountable. With four primary trackers including habits, target, average and projects, you are able to get reports on your actions all in one neatly organized place. Charts and daily goals help keep you on target throughout the year.

Headspace Be kind to your mind by practicing mindfulness and meditation with Headspace. Though this app is not free, it offers two different monthly prices to get started. Meditation has been shown to help people focus more, and stress less, which can lead to better sleep and performance during the day.

Lightroom Tired of editing your photos in the same basic editor your phone came with? Then try out Lightroom by Adobe Creative Cloud. With advanced editing and RAW support for photographers, this app is a great fit for anyone wanting to edit images from their mobile device.

Intuit Mint Mint brands itself as a way to “experience a fresh way to manage money,” which may be helpful to you in your new year. Mint aids in budgeting with goals, personal insights, spend tracking and subscription monitoring. And the best part of all of it is –– it’s totally FREE allowing you to get your budget under control without spending even more.

Express VPN Protect your online privacy using a VPN! VPNS work to hide your IP address while encrypting internet data to keep your information safe online. Not only that, but they can move restrictions for apps such as Netflix and Hulu allowing you to view content not typically available in your geographical region. Plans start at $6.67/month.

Udemy Academy If your New Years resolution involves learning a new skills, this may be the app for you. Per their website Udemy helps organizations prepare for the path ahead with a curated collection of business and technical courses to help you go further. This can be a great fit for private businesses or non-profits seeking to expand their skillset by accessing real-world skills.

Couch to 5K Want to start running, but feel overwhelmed with getting started? Then this 5K trainer is the one for you! This mobile app contains training plans that gradually progress to a 5 kilometer run over the course of nine weeks. This allows for incremental progress, which will keep you going toward your fitness goal. Plus, it is one of the highest rated health and fitness apps available!

Skillshare Skillshare offers access to thousands of classes for users taught by industry leaders & working professionals on topics that include illustration, design, photography and even more. With a 1 month free trial, you can even test it out without making a longterm committment. This app is a great fit for creatives and for entrepreneurs hoping to expand their skills.

Teladoc This mobile app provides a quick and convenient option for accessing healthcare professionals. Whether you’re stuck at home, work, or even out of town, you can access doctors 24/7 by phone, video, or app. General Medical visits can be as low as $0 per visit with insurance, but average about $75 per visit without health insurance.

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