November 2016

Tracey Ridpath does a lot of thinking on daily walks near her Colonial Heights home. She thinks about her first-grade students at Tussing Elementary School. She thinks about her husband, Rick, and their teenage daughters, Casey and Camryn. She thinks about yoga, and new crafty projects for her creative mind…

It is the dream of many immigrants to bring their children back to see their country of origin one day. My great- grandmother came to the United States from Ireland when she was a teen. Her daughter and granddaughter (my mother) never got to make that trip. So my grandmother…

It seems the holiday season is getting longer and longer every year. The season used to officially begin after Thanksgiving, but these days, the Christmas decorations are out before Halloween in many stores.  Whether or not you approve, the good news is, with a longer season, there is more time to spend with your…

Our 13-year-old son has a career plan: Zack’s going to open a pie restaurant, where both the main dish of pizzas and the desserts that follow will arrive on diners’ tables in that classic round shape. While he’s not getting any breaks on his regular school subjects, I’m always looking…

As a cadet at VMI, fall made me anxious. While others were tidying up the frat house or skipping that first-period seminar, I was sprinting back to barracks and diving into a window. I had to beat the clock and the bugle. Everything was a race. Get there or get…

It’s hard to believe that 2016 is almost over, and yet, here we are, last month’s pumpkins rotting on the porch, and plans for the holidays shaping up nicely (or at least getting added to the to-do list). We have much to be thankful for around here – a loyal…

Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Herb Stuffing Bring 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups wild blend rice (such as Lundberg), and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until tender, adding additional broth if necessary. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan…

As the holiday season gets underway, everyone in the family is excited! The reality, however, is that many of us are left feeling overwhelmed, under-accomplished, stressed out, and downright tired by the first of the year. These five steps might help you achieve a more soul-filling and uplifting season. 1.…

With the establishment of Jamestown, a long and complicated relationship between Native Americans – the first Virginians – and English colonists began. As John Smith explored the surrounding territory in 1607, he traded with one tribe that lived in villages along the river that shares their name. This tribe was…

Homeowners today want to stand out from their neighbors. Of course, designers are fans of using unique colors and textures on the walls, but creativity doesn’t need to stop there. Both the floors and the ceilings are fair game to help accomplish that wow factor. In the design and contracting…

No matter how old we are, most of us have wished we could read someone’s mind! To complete our magical Kids Can-Do, and make it appear as if we have the gift of mind-reading, start with a few crayons. Then, follow some simple steps, and perform a classic trick of…

When couples separate or divorce, a common question for parents is: How does child support work? Child support matters can be arranged by agreement, or if the parties are unable to agree, it can be established by the courts.  In trying to make an agreement, it is helpful if the…

My fifth-grade daughter is in with a new group of girls at her school. A few of these families have two homes. One of the mothers has asked me if my child can go with them on an expensive ski trip this winter – something we can’t afford and would…

To volunteer to help next week in preparation for the 2020 Thanksgiving feast, visit the Giving Heart now.   Joy Elliott was talking with some volunteers at The Giving Heart’s annual Community Thanksgiving Feast several years ago when she saw a young man with his head in his hands across…

My wife, like many of us, recently celebrated a 40-something birthday and realized that her near-vision is becoming blurry, causing problems with reading, texting, and other up-close tasks.  I’ve known this day was coming. Presbyopia, the inability to focus up-close, is a common vision disorder that happens to nearly everyone…