PRICELE$$ December 2011
Inspiring Parents, Motivating Kids, Celebrating Life
You Better Watch Out! Dave Says
Seasons Greetings
Fun & Games
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CHOICES Pregnancy Resource Center • Free Pregnancy Tests & Limited Ultrasounds • Post-Abortion Education & Support • Resources for Babies • Community Referrals • Peer Counseling
Braylin Dean, daughter of Sara Borchardt.
A babe in the house is a well-spring of pleasure, a messenger of peace and love, a resting place for innocence on earth, a link between angels and men.
Martin Fraquhar Tupper
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Madison Barnett celebrating her 7th birthday.
Raleigh Peters, daughter of Joni and Josh Peters of Bridgeport (15 months). Photo by Heather Thetford (Barbed Wire and Halo pHoTos)
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The Family Album
Dylan McLaughlin at Lonesome Dove Ranch
Harrison and Henry Oberg (with Santa) wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas for 2011
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Decatur Women’s Health Center Who do you TRUST
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M
erry Christmas! May all of you be blessed with the happiest of holidays. The holiday season is a time of celebration, however, some people are out to spoil it for the rest of us. For some reason, the holidays are an excuse for some to break the law and act inappropriately. Recent events during Black Friday were an example. People stampeded and acted crazy just to buy a TV on sale or get that George Foreman grill half off. I get it, who can live without a Foreman grill, but seriously people are you willing to assault someone to get it? Certain crimes are committed with greater regularity during the holidays. Domestic violence and theft are generally the most common. What can you do about it? Domestic violence unfortunately occurs yearround but now is the time to get involved if you know of a victim. Keep an eye out for physical or mental signs and don’t look the other way. I have talked with the friends and family of victims and almost all of them say they saw signs of abuse. All of them wished they would have done more. Do something. The national hotline for domestic violence is 1-800799-SAFE (7233). Theft is always a problem, but with people on vacation and away from their homes, the thieves
show up in droves. You can’t look after everyone’s home but you can look after yours and those around you. Besides leaving lights on a timer and activating security systems, your eyes are often the best remedy. If you are in town, open your eyes and look more closely at your neighbors and surrounding houses. If you see something out of the ordinary and suspicious, report it. Let your neighbors know what you are doing and encourage them to do the same. Many times local law enforcement catches thieves in the act as a result of a phone call that initially seems like nothing. Motor vehicle burglary can also be limited by keeping items out of sight and locking your car. I go by the rule: “If they can’t see it, they can’t steal it” I am looking forward to another year with Wise Family Today. What a wonderful source of information and inspiration. Thank you so much for reading my articles. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.■
Laying Down the Law
You better watch out!
James Stainton
Wise County Attorney
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On The Cover: December, 2011 In our 7th year of ‘Making A Difference’ P.O. Box 521 • Boyd, Texas 76023
Slayde and his daddy Tony Shields playing superman. Two Chicks That Click Photography Studios
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Founder: Kim Tinkham 1957 - 2010
Publisher & Parent Company . . . . . . . . . . . TinkInkPublications.com Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott@tinkinkpublications.com Graphic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Sparrowgrove Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sara@tinkinkpublications.com Sales Guy & Future Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taylor Ponder Distribution Guys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott and Don Tinkham Office Dogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Max and Buddy Our Reason For Doing This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YOU! Advertising Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ads@wisefamilymagazine.com To submit: Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@wisefamilymagazine.com Photographs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pics@wisefamilymagazine.com Wise Family Magazine is published monthly by Tink Ink LLC and distributed free of charge through local merchants. Wise Family Magazine reserves the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. Opinions expressed by the contributors are not necessarily the opinions of the publication. Tink Ink LLC assumes no liability or responsibility for any claims made by advertisers in the magazine. Reproduction in whole or part without express written consent of the Publisher is prohibited.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS: Wise County Sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 940 627 5971 Severe Weather Updates . . . . . . . . . www.weather.com Emergency Preparedness Info . . . . . www.redcross.org www.MissingKids.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-843-5678 National Child Abuse Hotline . . . . . . . . 1-800-422-4453 National Poison Control Center . . . . . . . 1-800-222-1222 National Substance Abuse Hotline . . . 1-800-662-4357 National Runaway Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-786-2929
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In This Issue: Laying Down the Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dear Readers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Dave Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Women’s Occupational Workshop . . . . . . 10 Christmas on a Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Life Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Get Caught Crafting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Fun & Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Wise Merchants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
BE A PART OF OUR NEXT ISSUE! Proud of your child, team or association? Want to share a picture with the rest of the county? Send your high resolution color picture with caption to
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“Do Right and Fear No Man” Wise Family Magazine believes that texting and non-hands free cell use are dangerous to everyone involved. Use your head not your hands!
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The Snow... by Scott Tinkham
Seasons Greetings Wise County,
“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!“ ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836 Its 7:45am December 5th in Wise County Texas as I write this and it’s snowing. I love snow and as in the quote above it brings me back to the wonderful delusions of my childhood. I was born and raised where it started snowing in October and we didn’t see the grass again until mid-April. So memories of Christmas, family, friends, and love I associate with snow. That would be love found and love lost. Dec 7th 2010 was love lost. I want to thank our readers and our advertisers for allowing me to keep Kim’s labor of love, Wise Family Magazine going. In her December 2009 issue Kim wrote: “This is my gift to you Wise County; a magazine that focuses on all the goodness of our rural family lifestyle” Last year, for the first time in my life, I didn’t celebrate Christmas. Now almost 12 months later the memories of the 22 Christmases with Kim are flooding my heart and my head and it feels really good. Take this advice. This Christmas day if
you are fortunate to have friends and family around you. Stop, step back into a corner of the room and take the scene in, look out over your kids, your parents, your spouse and your friends and just take it in. Burn it into your memory. I believe this is what Heaven on earth looks and feels like. I miss you Kimmie…it stopped snowing.
“This Christmas let’s add to our memories of past Christmases. Be sure to take in all the sights and sounds of Christmas but more importantly let’s all try our best to give the most precious gift to those we love. Let’s give the gift of our time, attention, smiles, hugs, kisses and laughter. Those are the gifts that cannot be bought and will not be forgotten. Merry Christmas.” Kim PonderTinkham, Wise Words December 2008 Wise Family Magazine.
From our Wise Family to yours, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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Dave Says
Bargain master!
Dear Dave, Can you share some tips on bargaining, whether for a used car or even a washer and dryer in the classifieds? - Ray Dear Ray, Bargaining is one of my favorite things to do, but it’s a little harder for me to get away with it these days. There are three points to remember when it comes to getting a bargain. The first is that whoever has the most information wins. This means you need to shop around, do some online research, and become an expert on the value of the item you want to buy. Number two, don’t be afraid to flash the cash. Money, especially cash money in your hand, is an emotional thing. Lots of times it will motivate someone to accept your offer—even if it’s a little less than what they want for the item in question. The third thing is patience. Don’t get all hot and bothered about a certain item at a certain place. Calm down and be willing to wait for a deal. You lose your ability to negotiate a great deal—not to mention your walk-away power—if you get all worked up and married to something before you know what else is out there! - Dave
What is unsecured debt? Dear Dave, What is unsecured debt? - Anonymous
Dear Anonymous, This is a great question! You’d be surprised how many people don’t know the difference between “secured” debt and “unsecured” debt. Unsecured debt means that someone loaned you money, but they don’t have a lien on anything. Credit cards and student loans are good examples of unsecured debt, because there’s nothing they can directly repossess if the borrower doesn’t pay. Now, if you don’t pay, they can sue you and get a lien against something after they sue you. Lots of times this is done against your income by garnishing your wages. Examples of secured debt would be a car loan or even a home mortgage. A home mortgage is secured by the home, meaning they take a lien against the home. If you don’t pay, they can foreclose and take the house. It works the same way with a car loan. If you don’t make your payments, they can come get the car. Remember this, too. Unsecured debt typically will be the last debt you pay if you’re in financial trouble. In other words, you’d make your car payment before paying on your student loan, and you’d make your house payment before paying on a credit card. In a worst case scenario, like bankruptcy, unsecured debt is wiped off. The creditor gets nothing. But a car 8
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loan or house payment either gets made, or you give up your car or home. It’s easy to see how a lender making a secured loan is in a much better position than one making an unsecured loan, isn’t it? - Dave
Will paying early help?
Dear Dave, Will it improve my credit score, and help my ability to buy home later, if I pay my rent 30 days early for the next two or three years? - Tanner Dear Tanner, No. Your landlord probably isn’t going to report early payments to the credit bureaus. Just make sure you pay it on time. It is smart to pay a few days early, though maybe seven to 10 days ahead of time, but for a different reason. That way if something goes wrong at the bank, you’ve still got time to fix the problem. Chances are your credit score won’t be impacted by your rental payments unless you’re late, and especially if you have several late payments. That could sure become a black mark against you later! I’m not a big fan of the FICO score, because it doesn’t measure things like assets, income or net worth. It’s really just an indicator of your interaction with debt. This is one of the reasons why it’s really dumb for companies to base lending decisions solely on a FICO score. Fortunately, you can still find lenders that provide mortgage loans based on manual underwriting procedures. But they’re getting harder and harder to find! - Dave
Do car titles go to teenagers?
Dear Dave, Our 15-year-old has saved his money, and he’ll buy a car next year. When he buys it, should the title be put in our names or his? - Laura Dear Laura, When my kids hit that age, I put the titles in my name. The insurance will be much less expensive if you do this. Plus, you don’t want a 16-year-old under the illusion that they’re in control of their lives. As their parents, you should love them more than that, because they’re just not ready to be in full control. You want them to be in control of some parts of their lives, so that when they leave they have a clue about life and don’t boomerang on you. But at that age, you should be guiding them, and you don’t need an ownership document to a car confusing them about who’s in charge. I turned the ownership over to my kids when they turned 18. In each case, I knew
What I am about is changing my family tree. With money we can create and leave behind the training and resources to make a huge positive difference in the world. I want good people to have big piles of money in order to do good things. This is true of my own family, too. I don’t want to leave my kids in a situation where they have lots of money and no sense of responsibility. I want to train them to be responsible and generous so they can really bust loose with that big pile of cash they’ll inherit one day. I want them to be able to have an impact three generations down the line in our own family and to impact the world around them in a fabulous way! - Dave ■
Enough for retirement?
Dear Dave, I’ve heard you tell people that having $90,000 to $100,000 saved up for retirement isn’t enough. That’s what I’ve got set aside right now, and I’m pretty sure it’s all I’ll ever need. Why do you think everyone should have a million or two saved up? - Tom Dear Tom, The amount you’re talking about isn’t enough to retire on with any kind of dignity. If you make 10 percent off your money over time it means you’re living on just $10,000 a year. That’s below the poverty level. Don’t misunderstand my message. I’m not about being greedy, and money is not the key to happiness. Money is good for three things – personal security, helping others, and it’s good for fun. You need to do some of all three.
Dave Ramsey For more financial help, please visit daveramsey.com
Est. 1995
Lovette Pediatrics, P.A. Amanda Lovette, M.D.
Dave Says
I could trust them, and they were ready for that level of control. So, once they’re ready—and you know they’re ready—if it’s going to be their car, all the accompanying responsibility should be theirs, too! - Dave
Now is the best time to renovate your home! Contact us for all of your home renovation needs.
August Pediatrics, P.A. Anissa August, M.D.
We wish you a happy and healthy holiday!
Residential and Commercial, TRCC #24213 Mobile: 682-429-3011 www.langtoconstruction.com
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Women’s Occupational Workshop
Discovery - The Passage to Self “And of all illumination which human reason can give, none is comparable to the discovery of what we are, our nature, our obligations, what happiness we are capable of, and what are the means of attaining it.” - Adam Weishaupt
A
s we approach the end of the calendar year, it is a good and fitting season to pause and spend some time in pensive reflection concerning who we are, what we desire, where we envision ourselves going in the future and what we are willing to offer to meet those new horizons. With the rush of the holidays, we often tend to fail to consider moments spent quietly as important and truly necessary to our development as human beings and business leaders. Remember, time spent in selfdevelopment is never wasted. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, the best place to invest your time and money is in your self. Make yourself more valuable. To be true to our purpose, we must take time to discover who we are. Do our activities match our potential or goals? Are we simply busy about the business of being busy? Have we lost our true self in the rush of daily demands? Stop. Breathe in. Breathe out. Consider what has brought you to this place. The uniqueness of who you are defines your position in your family and business. You are important and vital to the success of all ventures that surround you. Learn to prioritize your opportunities. Do not let work get the best of you and your family the rest of you. Balance leads to joy. Be you, completely. Do you know what you desire? Most people I observe do not know an answer to that question. They are simply working hard at working hard. Because they do not have a clear definition of what they seek, they are restless and forever yearning for the intangible, the elusive. Even to the sake of their health, their loved ones, and their peace of mind. You must clearly define your desires. Then, they can direct your future, your steps to success. This leads you to successful step-by-step planning that enables you to reach well thought out goals and plans. Achievement is a process of small successes; built one
Keitha Story-Stephenson, Ph.D. Keitha Story-Stephenson, Ph.D. owner of BlueSky Wellness Center, provides private consultation for individuals and corporations in Nutritional Wellness, Weight Management, ADD/ADHD Nutritional Management, and other Alternative Health Care. Services are available by appointment in Decatur at 506 West Walnut. Call 817-239-9525 or visit us at www.BlueSkyWellnessCenter.com for more information. Follow us on our Blog, www. DrKeitha.com or www.MerchantsCircle.com . Also, tune in to Christian Radio, KDKR 91.3fm, on Saturdays at 1:30pm, for “Feeding the FamilyMind, Body and Spirit” or go to KDKR.org for live streaming of our broadcast.
upon another toward an expected result. Plan to succeed. Prepare to win. Keep your goals in mind. Effective planning takes the pressure off. It provides a blueprint upon which success can be built. Well thought out planning also acts as an effective time management tool for daily living. Having direction, preplanned, can make your daily tasks more efficient and productive. You will have more control of time and be better able to take advantage of it. A word to the wise, there is always a price to pay. What are you truly willing to give up to make your plans come true? After consideration of that question, I offer a list of costly offerings that should be considered off limits. Do not risk your quiet time with your Creator, your health, your joy, your time with family, your sense of humor, your rest, your play, your time with friends… getting the message? Weigh the value of all things in your life and rank them as to importance. Remember, at the close of life, we rarely cry out for one more moment at work. This truly is the season of discovery. Take a careful look at you. Like what you see and feel? If so, I applaud you. If not, thank God you are a human – you can start over tomorrow and be all you see before you. ■
To-Go and Call-Ahead Waiting
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Riggin Fields
Berkley Jones at the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth Two Chicks That Click Photography Studios
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C
an Cold Water Clean Dishes? This is for all the germ conscious folks that worry about using cold water to clean. John went to visit his 90 year old grandfather in a very secluded, rural area of Saskatchewan. After spending a great evening chatting the night away, the next morning John’s grandfather prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film like substance on his plate, and questioned his grandfather asking, “Are these plates clean?” His grandfather replied, “They’re as clean as cold water can get em. Just you go ahead and finish your meal, Sonny!” For lunch the old man made hamburgers. Again, John was concerned about the plates, as his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, “Are you sure these plates are clean?” Without looking up the old man said, “I told you before, Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don’t you fret, I don’t want to hear another word about it!” Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather’s dog started to growl, and wouldn’t let him pass. John yelled and said, “Grandfather, your dog won’t let me get to my car!” Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted, “Coldwater, go lay down now, yah hear me!” Meet Coldwater...
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The Family Album
The Semmelmann Family Two Chicks That Click Photography Studios
Ryan Barnett on a Pirate adventure in South Padre Island.
829 Towne Ct. Saginaw, TX 76179
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Wall of Hope
T
he JOY Christian Academy Drama Group of Decatur, worked and raised $18,000 for the May 22 Joplin Tornado Victims; specifically the Stained Glass Theatre that was completely destroyed and lost 3 lives. The drama group performed 2 benefit shows here in Texas and than traveled to Joplin, MO where they performed and also volunteered towards the disaster recovery efforts throughout the city. Photo at right was taken in front of the “Wall of Hope” a wall covered in graffiti and signed by disaster volunteers. To learn more or to donate please visit stainedglassrelief.blogspot.com.
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Back Row Left to Right: Jameson Taylor, Lauren Smith, Morgan Hoover, Wilson Garrett, Wesley Vaughan, Zack Anderson, Wesley Popkess, Sarah Vaughan, Zeke Vaughan. Front Row: Robert Hagen, Julie Hagen, Jo Vaughan, Anna Smith, Madison Hoover, and Rebecca Roberts.
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Family Album
Hannah and Alia Smith Two Chicks That Click Photography Studios
Brilee - daughter of Jason Evans & Teela Mills.
DECATUR TIRE STORE & SERVICE CENTER B.W. Stone, owner
A GOOD DEAL ON A GREAT TIRE ®
Convenient Store Hours Mon.-Fri. 7:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat. 7:30 am - noon 940.627.3657
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It’s the growing season… and planted
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Woodhaven National Bank 800 Hwy 287, Suite A Rhome • 817.638.5111 Woodhaven National Bank inside every Woodhaven 6750 Bridge Street branch are people who make Fort Worth • 817.496.6700 your banking experience a Mansfield Community Bank pleasure, whether you’re 1700 E. Broad Street growing a business or a family. Mansfield • 817.473.5979 Ridglea Bank We’ve never had to work 3325 Fairfield Ave at Camp Bowie very hard at treating you like Fort Worth • 817.731.3361 an individual — it just comes Woodhaven Bank Northeast naturally. Visit one of our 4607 Colleyville Blvd. branches today. Colleyville • 817.656.7755 Mercantile Bank 2229 A Park Row Arlington • 817.277.2225 Woodhaven Bank 6301 N. Beach Street www.woodhavenbank.com Fort Worth • 817.489.6500
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Christmas on a Budget 16
12 Tips for a Great Christmas on a Small Budget by Jonathon Rivers
C
hristmas often comes at a high price. Between gifts, wrapping paper, travel and parties, making Christmas happen can spell financial ruin unless you go into it with a plan. But this year can be different. With some intelligent cost-cutting and creative thinking, Christmas need not drain your wallet this year – or be any less satisfying than in years past. Read on and apply these 12 tips for enjoying a great Christmas on a small budget! Chop Down Your Christmas Tree Christmas tree farms offer a tremendous holiday savings opportunity to anyone willing (and able) to put in work. For a low fee – often as little as $25 – a family can chop down its own tree from a Christmas tree farm, strap it to their car or truck and take it home. A ready-cut tree, on the other hand, can cost anywhere from $75-$100 according to ChristmasTreesNow.com. Aside from the savings, there are few bonding experiences quite like a father and son cutting down the family Christmas tree together on a brisk winter afternoon. The tree you take home will create memories that outlast any of the gifts underneath. Buy Gifts For Fewer People Resist the urge to dismiss this tip as unkind as it is anything but. The reason to buy gifts for fewer people is not Scrooge-like stinginess, but sheer practicality. Face it – most of us, looking back on everyone we’ve bought gifts for in the last five years, can probably name several people that could have been harmlessly skipped over. For example, is it really necessary to buy a tacky, $15 “at least I got him something” gift for a distant uncle you never see? Would Christmas self-destruct if you only gave to those you truly felt compelled to? No, not at all. But the extra cash you save from not buying pointless gifts could make a real difference come the New Year. As you decide whether to buy for various people, always keep in mind that gift giving is voluntary. There is no need to buy for anyone you don’t want to. Develop a Gift Budget For Those You Do Give To The biggest reason people implode financially during Christmas is failure to plan. In contrast, someone who decides what they can spend in advance and spends only that is never caught off-guard when the bills come. This, then, is arguably the most important tip of all. No, it’s not sexy. You can’t brag about disciplined spending the way you brag about deferring payments for a year or finding an exclusive sale. But simple adherence to a realistic giftgiving budget will virtually guarantee that you spend less and minimize stress throughout the holidays. Come up with a number and stick to it – it’s that simple. Go Shopping Solo Some of us will need every motivational trick in the book to stick to the budgets we create. For these people,
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shopping solo is the smartest approach. Something about shopping with a companion inspires us to spend more, whether it’s to out-do them or merely because having them along takes your “eye off the ball” that is your Christmas gift-giving budget. Instead, do your Christmas shopping alone for the same reason you go grocery shopping alone: because it gets you in and out without any “surprise” purchases. Buy Online When Possible Buying Christmas gifts online makes sense for innumerable reasons unrelated to price – convenience and comparison shopping foremost among them. However, online shopping is also generally the most cost-effective way to buy your gifts. Online retailers like Amazon offer prices you wont find in any store, and many of them offer holiday coupons, rebates, and discount codes for the shopping season. And provided you don’t wait, you don’t even need to pay extra for speedy shipping. Instead, use this handy Postal Service tool to find the “extra 4 digits” of your ZIP code that route mail to you faster. Once the tool spits out your complete ZIP code (say, 06614-5026), use that when ordering online to get your order up to 2 days faster than before. (Most people don’t know about or use this at all!) Take Advantage of Free Gift Wrapping From Retailers For gifts you can only or would rather buy in person (like clothing or candles you want to smell first), inquire about free gift wrapping at the store. Most retailers provide this service from the beginning of December all the way through Christmas Eve, and it’s one less thing you need to buy. Plus, let’s face it – wrapping gifts is a real pain in the neck. Foolish is he who passes up the chance to save money and avoid this cumbersome chore all in one shot! Aggressively Seek Out Sales & Coupons One of the simplest ways to save money during Christmas is aggressively searching for sales, discounts, and coupons. Many of us talk a big game about “shopping smart this year” only to go into stores and shop in the same haphazard, indiscriminate fashion we do every other year. If you want to save money, you have to behave differently than people who waste money. First and foremost, this means clipping coupons (when they actually represent true savings), utilizing coupon codes, and taking advantage of known sales even when it means disciplining yourself to wake up early for them. Whatever pains you incur now will be worth it when Christmas is over and tens or hundreds of dollars remain available for other things. For more tips and tricks please visit www.billshrink.com.
The Family Album
1st Grade Jacob Haynes.
Bristol Goines hanging out on a fall afternoon.
Wise Pediatrics
940-626-4400 A Specialist for your children as they grow!
Leslie Hollis, MD
Board Certified in Pediatrics since 1999 Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics
Accepting Most Insurances Call if you have any questions
609 Medical Center Dr., #2300 Decatur, Texas 76234 Attached to Wise Regional Hospital www.WisePediatrics.com 940.210.1769 • WISE
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Life Skills Holiday Entertaining – Part 2
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ntertaining is not exclusive to the holidays, but the holidays do invite more opportunities to entertain. For some, entertaining is as easy as breathing. For others, the thought of inviting guests into their home for a meal is breath-taking! All the cleaning, shopping, cooking, and then cleaning again become overwhelming and stressful. It is simply easier to go to a restaurant and let someone else handle the details. As lovely as a meal out can be, however, it can never replace the warmth and intimacy of a meal shared around a family table. To entertain with style does not require the best linens, perfectly set table, finest cuisine, or grand home. What it does require is a host and guests who are kind and thoughtful, and understand that true hospitality is a gift given from a generous heart. The Gracious Guest A happy host loves a gracious guest, someone who understands that being invited into a home is an act of generosity and hospitality and would never treat such an invitation lightly. She is quick to let the host know if she is able to attend – RSVP – and, once she has accepted the kind invitation, would not think of being late, not showing up, or bringing an uninvited tagalong. A gracious guest never arrives empty handed. If she was not asked to bring a part of the meal, she brings a small gift that the host will enjoy as a way to express her gratitude. She comes prepared to participate in the conversation and any activities the host has planned. She looks for ways that she can assist her host, such as, making other guests feel comfortable, or giving a helpful hand in the kitchen. She is positive, kind and thoughtful to all. Let’s make a positive impact on our children’s future by saving our environment. Please recycle this magazine when you are finished reading it. Thank you!
VENTURE SCOUTS Open for teenagers 14-18. camp, fish, climb and hike. Monthly overnight campouts. Join us at the Decatur Lions Club 1st and 3rd Tuesday evenings at 7 pm or call Jennifer Prentice 817891-5063 for more information. 18
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She never overstays her welcome, and never forgets to send her host a handwritten note expressing her gratitude. Successful entertaining requires both a happy host and gracious guests. Life today is overscheduled, overspent, and filled with stress – especially during the holidays. Being invited into someone’s home to enjoy a meal and pleasant conversation may be one of the best gifts you receive. This holiday season, schedule time to open your home and your heart to those you love. It is a priceless gift. ■ “It requires as much skill and genius to entertain friends as to defeat an army.” - Paulus Aemilius, Roman General Deborah King, AICI CIP Deborah King is President of Final Touch Finishing School, Inc. which she founded in 1989 in Seattle. As a certified image professional, with over 30 years of experience, she presents her programs nationally and internationally for youth and corporate clients. She is co-author of “Image Power” and “Executive Etiquette Power” and developer of several education tools. www.finaltouchschool.com.
Get Caught Creating
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5 Clever Crafty Books With Projects to Create With Kids
ow that my sons are teens, except for gingerbread houses around the holidays, it’s not easy to get them crafting. But young kids adore creating anything, and the developmental benefits of art and crafting are endless (fine motor skills, imagination, math, abstract thinking). There are some great new books on the market that at first glance may not have you thinking the kids and I could DO this! But if you leaf through them and let their magic soak in, you will be convinced there are projects here that kids will adore. Whimsical Fashion The author of a new book of clever clothes and accessories says her projects are “for kids who explore and giggle and run wild,” which basically has our names written all over it (although “jog wild” may be a tad more accurate considering the knees today). Chock full of personality and whimsy Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorable Décor Items for Kids by Tina Givens includes the author’s signature go-with-theflow method. Inside are flying pigs, soft books, puffy necklaces, and swing-y dresses made for twirling. Givens’ imagination combined with Lynne Harty’s dreamy photography will have you and your children swooning. Creative UPcycling Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Reecorate by Sandy Stone will steal your family’s heart with its sewing and upholstery projects. Ever spied moneybag pillows? What a genius project for older kids! And doesn’t every parent DESERVE a shopping cart hamper with vintage laundry bag? Stone teaches us how to turn vintage fabric, recycled clothing, and old furniture into stylish projects (some of us are more skilled at dragging the stuff home than repurposing it). Another favorite project from the book: vintage scarf pillows which make such a unique statement with such little effort. Holiday Gifts Unless you’re the bionic crafter you’ll need time to complete those handmade goodies so perfect for holiday gifts and decking the halls. Some awesome new books are perfect for gearing us up. Vintage tablecloths or tea towels become sensational new items in Craft Challenge: Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Tea Towel by Nathalie Mornu. Mini skirt? Check. Japanese baby doll? Totally! Doggie backpack? Yes,
please. The projects inside this volume of innovative deliciousness will inspire you to create projects using all those sweet linens you snag for pennies at yard sales and the flea market. Even if you and the kids are shy about sewing, you are destined to fall in love with this ecofriendly guide for repurposing old textiles. Felt Fabulousness Another nifty book to get ready for the holidays is Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! by Jeannette Lim. If you have never worked with felt, you’re in for a surprise. These super sweet projects in Lim’s book won’t break the bank and kids will adore them. I am partial to the girly girl felt purse project complete with cherries appliqué and squishy felt lipstick, and you may sigh upon glimpsing the fruit topped cake—YUM! In all you’ll find 12 “felt sets” containing easy projects to make for your squeezing enjoyment. Bonus: the patterns are mostly full-sized so no enlarging required. Fa La La La Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations by Amanda Carestio is for those of us who aren’t expert seamstresses but love the idea of crafting festive felt projects. From gift tags to wreaths to thrifted holiday trees, your brood will have a blast making the season jollier with handmade goodness. If you choose only to make one project from Fa La La La Felt consider Gingerman and Sugar Friend on page 68. You will feel as though you’ve hit the holiday jackpot with this clever felty guide, and your friends and family will have you begging for their own Sugar Friends. Beyond adorable and guaranteed to bring ear to ear smiles, be sure to check out the projects in these irresistible new books! ■
Michele Ranard, M.Ed. The writer? A lover of felt and vintage fabulousness, a freelance writer, and blogger at hellolovelychild.blogspot. com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.
Resources: Carestio, Amanda. Fa La La La Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations. 2010. Lark Books. Givens, Tina. Sew Tina: 30 Cute Projects and Adorablel Décor Items for Kids. 2010. Lark Books. Lim, Jeannette. Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! 2011. Lark Books. Mornu, Nathalie. Craft Challenge: Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Tea Towel. 2010. Lark Books. Stone, Sandy. Fabric Remix: Repurpose and Redecorate. 2010. Lark Books.
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The Family Album
Decatur 6th Grade Blue Superbowl Champs!
Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.
Ruth Ann Schabacker
Sienna Kostelecky enjoying tap and dance at the HIgher Purpose Dance Studio
Brayden Del Rio (cow), Stetson Davis (rodeo clown) Fall Fest Bridgeport 2011 20
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Happy 1st Birthday Julian!!
Love, Mom, Dad, Jorge, Devanhi & Joseph
Fun & Games Across 1. Holiday pie 6. Santa’s load 10. With ‘the’, syndrome causing missed putts 14. Key or corner 15. “Holiday In Harlem” singer 16. Young land? 17. Paper money 18. It may be found in 25 down 19. Blue-collar name? 20. Creche figures 23. Longest division of geological time (var.) 24. No ice 25. Dot’s follower, often 28. Homeless ones 30. Panorama 34. West Point, i.e. (abbr.) 36. Big __ (Cal.) 37. Lots 38. Holiday decoration 41. Holdups 42. Rangers’ org. 43. Dam’s opposite 44. Wipe out 45. Time before life 47. Indian bread 48. Organic compound 50. Anthem opener 52. Holiday song, “Oh, little...” 59. Go over a manuscript 60. Big name in detergent 61. Mountain ridge 62. Penny __ 63. Tech. grad. 64. Girders 65. One who ogles 66. Negatives 67. Fills Down 1. Attention getter 2. Engrave 3. Heart 4. With 53 down, singer from
puzzles.about.com
Chicago 5. Sibling’s son 6. Element found in photocells 7. Succulent plant 8. Performers with a lot of makeup 9. “Dawson Creek” actor, Holmes 10. Holiday seasons 11. Detail 12. Coat 13. Tibia locale 21. Good natured teasing sessions 22. Enjoy 25. Place for 18 across 26. Earthy color 27. West Side Story gal 29. __ Kafka 31. Killed
32. Aquarium fish 33. Very pale 35. Objector 37. Wise-looking (like Harry Potter, perhaps) 39. Office worker 40. Quick drinks 45. White elephant, for instance 46. Chunnel town 49. Many times 51. __ Buena (evergreen plant) 52. Distant prefix 53. See 4 down 54. Kir ingredient 55. Slight advantage 56. Miami hoopsters 57. French 101 verb 58. GI’s chow
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Name
Wise Merchants Association Membership Benefits The Wise Merchants Association was founded in June 2009 by Kim Tinkham to help local businesses weather the recession. The goal of this Association is to allow merchants to share ideas, problems and solutions with other merchants. Our Association meetings are structured to provide information, education, and motivation for business owners, as well as networking opportunities. We believe in having local merchants support each other and in keeping shopping dollars local. Our Association does not compete with the local Chambers, and actually partners with them on occasion for special events. We are a unique Association with the only goal of providing business owners information they need to grow their business! Membership Benefits: • Motivational speakers • Training • Informal meetings • Networking opportunities • Excellent sponsors • Supportive members • Business owner focused
Additional Business Benefits: • Highly recognized by the Wise County Clerk and Wise County Attorney • Recommended by many local organizations • Discounted advertising in Wise Family Today Magazine • Discounts on member’s products or services
Our meetings have included training for business owners in marketing, networking, social media, business goal setting, sales training, and business etiquette. We also have informal, after-hours Mixers that are a great opportunity to bring guests. Thank you to our members and we encourage you to take advantage of all of your membership benefits. If you are not a member, we invite you to join us at www.wisemerchants.org! 22
Company
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Gold and Silver Perfection . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.numisnetwork.com/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . goldandsilverperfection Karen St. John . . . . . . . . . Hampton Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hampton.com Dave Jackson . . . . . . . . . . Jackson Excavation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.jacksonexcavation.com Jack Bullion . . . . . . . . . . . Juice Plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.jackjuiceplus.com Bonnie Kohnert . . . . . . . . K-Double-K Promotional Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kdoublek.com Lynn Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karl Klement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.klementdecator.com Deborah L. Mann . . . . . . Mann Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.mannair.com Laura M Shaffer . . . . . . . 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