DFWChild July 2020

J U LY 2020

39

MOMS SHARE LOCAL FAVORITES

MEET MOM DR. JESSICA SHEPHERD

WE LOVE DFW

MEMBERSHIP IS H E R W I N D OW to the WO R L D

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Encounter the wonders of the world with a membership to the Fort Worth Zoo. A Zoo membership offers exclusive savings and benefits that will expand your family’s view of nature. Learn about the world’s most awe-inspiring animals, be transported to extraordinary places and witness moments in nature that are as beautiful as they are unforgettable. Immersive experiences. Unbeatable value.

Open a window to the world with a Zoo membership.

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The doctor will

see you now.

Cook Children’s Virtual Care Get the assurance and care you need from the comfort of your home.

Through our Virtual Care platform, you can talk to our pediatricians from anywhere in Texas.* Whether it’s after hours or you can’t see your primary care doctor, we’re here for your child. Available seven days a week, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

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pages / J U L Y

2020

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NEIGHBORHOODS COLLIN COUNTY 9 Collin County: By the Numbers

10 McKinney / Carey Farmer 12 East Plano / Yasmeen Tadia 12 West Plano / Janel Chu 14 Frisco / Tyne Berlanga 15 Allen / Alicia Makaye 16 Lucas / Lori Eason

16 Prosper / Jennifer Redman 18 Celina / Ebonie Mbeteni DALLAS COUNTY

21 Dallas County: By the Numbers 22 East Dallas / Jessica Shepherd 25 Lake Highlands / Meghan Riney 25 Lakewood / Diana Nelson 26 Richardson / Lori Jones

27 Farmers Branch / Molly Dorsey 28 Preston Hollow / Natasha Desai 28 Park Cities / Andrea King

29 Las Colinas / Kristy DeRosa

30 Coppell / Erika Slater 31 Grand Prairie / Paulina Flores 32 Oak Cliff / Cindy Dodds 32 DeSoto / Tiffany K. Daniels 34 South Dallas / Jessica Murrugarra

ABOVE // Jessica Murrugarra and husband John love raising their children in South Dallas.

DEPARTMENTS ON THE COVER SCHOOL LISTINGS 59 Private Schools 66 Public Schools MAIN ATTRACTIONS

69 DFW Destinations Worth Visiting

COLUMNS

7 Cover Family: Jessica Shepherd & family, East Dallas Photography: Carter Rose 4

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

Hello / Time for Change

Listening to DFW’s diverse voices words Heather Vance Devers

82 Confessions / Mom Truths

LOL parenting moments these mamas won’t forget

TARRANT COUNTY 47 Tarrant County: By the Numbers 48 Tanglewood / Sam Stewart

51 Central Fort Worth / Ashley Paz 51 Southwest Fort Worth / Arden Jenkins

52 Bedford / Jenny Brown 53 Arlington / Lani Taylor 54 Keller / Eden Bullock 54 Colleyville / Tina Dieber 55 Southlake / Alison Viktorin 56 Mansfield / Toni Collins 57 Parker County Bonus: Aledo / Whitney Unterwagner For more moms and neighborhood picks, visit dfwchild.com.

MURRUGARRA FAMILY: SHOOTT; SCHOOL KIDS: NOTRE DAME OF DALLAS

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DENTON COUNTY

37 Denton County: By the Numbers 38 Denton / Cassie Kang 40 Carrollton / Sherien Joyner 40 Lewisville / Alysia Rosas 41 Flower Mound / Natalie O’Donnell 41 The Colony / Meredith Shanks 42 Lantana / Sabrina Ray 43 Highland Village / Jessica French

44 Little Elm / Alissa McBurney

PUBLISHER/ E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F Joylyn Niebes

Exceptional dental care,

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C R E AT I V E + C O N T E N T D I R E C TO R Heather Vance Devers

E D I TO R I A L

Executive Editor

Carrie Steingruber Managing Editor

Alexis Patterson Digital Editor

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ART

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C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R AT L A R G E Lauren Niebes

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4275 Kellway Circle, Suite 146, Addison, Texas 75001 800/638-4461 or 972/447-9188 972/447-0633 or 972/447-0425 dfwchild.com

DFWChild is published monthly by Lauren Publications, Inc. DFWChild is distributed free of charge, one copy per reader. Only authorized distributors may deliver or pick up the magazines. Additional or back copies are available for $2 per copy at the offices of Lauren Publications, Inc. We reserve the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed.

We cannot be responsible for the return of any unsolicited material. DFWChild is ©2020 by Lauren Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission prohibited.

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There’s nothing Better than winning over moms and dads. With dedicated teams across Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, Antepartum and our Level 3 NICU, we focus on empowering families in their birth experience and preparing them for the unexpected. Most of all, we’re proud to help deliver so many unforgettable moments for Dallas families every day.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

/

hello

time for change

ABOVE // Heather Vance Devers in her home with her daughter, Betty, and son, Jude.

Facebook

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HEATHER VANCE DEVERS AND CHILDREN: KORENA SINNETT

Let us know what’s on your mind. editorial@dfwchild.com

W

E ARE IN A TRANSFORMATIVE TIME in our nation’s history.

The death of George Floyd and the conversations about race and discrimination that followed have ignited a fire in the fight for equality.

This is not a Black or white issue; it is an us issue. We must do better. We must learn and listen, and no longer ignore the systemic racism that has bubbled under the surface of our society since its inception.

Over the last few weeks, I have been trying to explain racism to my 6-year-old daughter Betty. After listening for a bit, she asked me, “Why would someone not like someone else because of the color of their skin? How is that different than the color of their hair?” I wasn’t sure how to respond in the moment, but I eventually told her that sometimes people get scared of things they don’t know or understand—that sometimes it’s easier to be afraid and shut down instead of being vulnerable and admitting your ignorance.

My view of racism is incredibly skewed since I have never experienced it myself.

Because of this, I am doing my best to listen to stories that are sad and horrifying. They make me want to turn away, but I realize that it is a privilege to be able to turn away. I am incredibly lucky to have the option to shy away from these harsh realities, because they are not my reality. Yet shying away is not an option that my friends and neighbors of color can afford for me to take.

At DFWChild, we strive to depict families of various cultures and ethnicities, but we can do better. This month, our yearly neighborhoods issue, we asked 39 moms from across the area to share their favorite restaurants, parks and places for self-care. We want our product to be a magazine that resonates with everyone parenting a child. It is our duty to serve the community in a more inclusive way, and we hope you see those changes in our upcoming issues.

Be well,

Heather Vance Devers

dfwchild.com / july 2020

7

Start Early. Start Right.

Come tour a campus and see for yourself!

Open now for summer camps! Flexible, weekly programs.

Legacy (PS–K) Now Open!

(469) 573-0077 6700 Communications Parkway, Plano Independence (PS–K) Coming Soon 10145 Independence Parkway, Plano An independent private school offering preschool through eighth grade © 2020, Challenger Schools Challenger School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

collin county.

VETERANS: WATTERS CREEK; CELEBRATION PARK: CITY OF ALLEN. STATS: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; COLLIN COUNTY; TOWN OF PROSPER; FRISCO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU; CITY OF PRINCETON; PLANO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; ALLEN CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

WITH ITS DEEPLY ROOTED TEXAS HISTORY, it’s no wonder people are still flocking to Collin County at record speed.

We compiled some facts and figures that help explain what makes Texas’ second fastestgrowing county unique.

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gCollin County and McKinney are named after Collin McKinney, a land surveyor, merchant, politician and lay preacher who helped draft the Texas Declaration of Independence. gJ.C. Slaughter suggested the name “Prosper” because crops that year had been very prosperous. gFrisco was originally named Emerson. But the U.S. Postal Service rejected the name for being too close to another town in Texas. In 1904, the residents named the town “Frisco City” in honor of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. gIn the 1880s, the city of Princeton was named for Prince Dowlin, a landowner and promoter of the town.

“Princeton” was actually the second choice. The area was commonly called “Wilson’s Switch,” but “Wilson” was already taken when residents applied for a post office branch.

SOM E TH I N G TO CE LE B R ATE

B I G LE AG U E

PLANO IS THE 9TH LARGEST CITY IN TEXAS AND 4TH LARGEST IN DFW.

4

5

HIGHER ED

UP, UP AND AWAY

POPULATION 1,034,730. THAT'S UP 253,311 RESIDENTS SINCE 2010.

3

N A M E D RO PPI N G

At 1 acre, Allen’s kidMania at Celebration Park is one of the largest all-abilities playgrounds in Texas.

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51.7% (AGE 25+) HAVE A FOURYEAR DEGREE OR HIGHER.

CO LLI N CO U NT Y D E MO G R A PH I C S 55.9% WHITE (NON-HISPANIC) 15.9% ASIAN 15.4% HISPANIC OR LATINO 10.5% BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN 2.7% TWO OR MORE RACES 0.7% AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE 0.1% NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER dfwchild.com / july 2020

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RÉSUMÉ AGE 38 LIVES IN Stonebridge Ranch's

Wellington Point village in McKinney HAILS FROM Friendswood, Texas OCCUPATION Senior vice president, BBVA Global Wealth Management SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband Malcolm, president and general manager of the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate OFFSPRING Anthony, 14, Gabriella, 12, Reagan, 2 ALMA MATER Texas State University, where she studied communications and business

the best of mckinney /

CAREY FARMER mom of three and financial professional

WORDS

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HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

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HEN COVID-19 HIT, MCKINNEY MOM and financial professional Carey Farmer knew she could assist local businesses. Many were struggling to navigate the government’s Payroll Protection Program (PPP). At that point, Farmer was transitioning between banks. “During the time off, I really wanted to ensure that I did something good in the world.

So for about three weeks, all I did was focus on mom-owned businesses and smaller businesses, helping them get funding with PPP.” Farmer loves that sense of community and willingness to help out. “I’ve always said my favorite part about Collin County is that it is an extremely connected place to live. You can pick up the phone, call pretty much anyone and just ask them.”

What makes McKinney a great place to raise a family? When I first toured McKinney in 2009, I remember driving into the city over a hill and seeing the most glorious crepe

LIGHTBULB: NOUN PROJECT; CAREY FARMER: PINK DOOR STUDIO

Collin County offers a variety of ways for Carey Farmer and her family to give back, relax and enjoy the outdoors.

FARMER FAMILY: ARIANA PHOTOGRAPHY

collin county myrtle trees, and I knew it was home. I knew it was a place where I wanted to raise my kids.

There are so many things to appreciate here.

McKinney’s downtown square—our favorite place to take out-of-town family—has locally owned, unique shops and restaurants. We are so blessed to have incredible schools with the best teachers, who love our children like their own. I genuinely love our community’s large trees, amazing green spaces and the fact that there is a park on almost every corner. This is a place designed for families, and that is very important to us.

Also, we are close to every major Collin County freeway and don’t have to spend a lot of time in traffic. So we have more time to do what matters, whether that is working, family time or charity work. We feel like we are in a small town, where you see your neighbor at the grocery store or run into your child’s teacher while walking the neighborhood, but we have all the amenities of a large city and can access other parts of the Metroplex fairly quickly.

You mentioned all the parks—which one is your favorite? We are so fortunate to live in a community where we have several small ponds right in our Wellington Point neighborhood. We enjoy fishing every few weeks right across the street from our house, but on most days, we can be found directly behind our home at Eubanks Park.

The city just installed a three-story playground for the entire family to enjoy!

What is your favorite family outing? We are a true sports family! In between dance competitions and baseball tournaments, we spend 24 nights a year cheering on the Texas Legends—the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate—in Frisco.

My husband Malcolm is the Texas Legends’ president and general manager. While Malcolm works (he would never call it that), we attend every game. The kiddos enjoy the bounce houses and kids zone, and they bring their friends to take part in the autograph session for all fans at the end of the game. I get to sit back and relax and watch some great basketball. It’s honestly such an easy family outing, and watching Reagan, our 2-year-old, give high-fives out with Daddy at the end of the game is the best!

Tell us about your go-to spot for a night out.

A typical date night or girls night usually means heading over to Legacy West or downtown McKinney for great food and drinks! I am not sure that our community realizes how incredibly blessed we are to have so many options for going out on adult adventures that are close to home.

Many cities we have visited and lived in don’t have access to the options we have in this area. A great patio is always calling my name.

And a perfect night usually always ends with a stop at Bruster’s Ice Cream here in McKinney.

Even after the Mavs Ball this year, Malcolm and I stopped by in our formal wear—ballgown and tux—and grabbed our favorite ice cream sundae from their walk-up counter. We sat outside just enjoying each other’s company. Now that is a great date night in our eyes.

What about self-care? How do you recharge?

I am a big fan of pampering yourself. Honestly, I learned years ago that if I don’t take care of myself, then I will burn out very quickly being a working mom. I love a great massage or even a simple pedicure with a glass of wine. When I was pregnant with my youngest, I found an incredible yoga program that was formatted for pregnant women. Bami Yoga’s Mimi Mears was the first person who has ever taught me how to relax, and it became my saving grace during my pregnancy. Taking that time for myself and focusing on the bond between the baby and me was one of the best things. It helped me even after Reagan was born. I still use all the skills Mimi taught me in class when I need to relax and meditate during a busy week!

What’s your favorite way to get active? I like to get outside and walk with my girlfriends or family. McKinney has over 56 miles of walking and biking trails, so we love exploring new paths and seeing where it leads us. Over the past few months, it has been a great way to be active and also get in quality time with my family or friends.

Where do you cool off in the summer? Almost every day in the summer, we can be found cooling off in our backyard pool while Malcolm grills up dinner. When we moved two years ago, a large backyard was particularly important to us so we could enjoy entertaining and family nights at home. McKinney is one of the very few areas that has some exceptionally large homesites. We were able to find several options for larger backyards, and it is one of the biggest reasons we looked for homes only in McKinney. We were fortunate to find a home on half an acre only 10 minutes north of 121, close to the Dallas North Tollway and 15 minutes from Highway 75.

How does your family give back? Philanthropy is a passion of mine that extends to our family. I do not believe in “work-life balance.” I like to call it “work-life integration,” and that includes our

charity work in the community. We try to ensure we fluidly move between work, life and giving back. Malcolm’s Texas Legends’ team also hosts a charity jersey night for every home game; they highlight a local nonprofit that is supported by a corporate partner. It is an incredible way to spotlight the great organizations in our community. So we have partnered with some amazing organizations.

One of my biggest yearly commitments is serving on the executive leadership team for the American Heart Association’s Collin County Heart Ball. This will be my fourth year on the board, and I was just selected as this year’s leadership team chair. I am very honored to help lead our team in raising funds and awareness that will directly benefit Collin County. After almost losing my dad to a massive heart attack when I was a teenager, I wanted to do more to help heart survivors. This is one way I am fulfilling that. Collin County has hundreds of impactful nonprofits, so we found that there is something for each of us to connect with and make a difference.

Carey’s Picks

Historic Downtown McKinney // 111 N. Tennessee St., McKinney; mckinneytexas.org A. Hardy Eubanks Jr. Park // 7801 Round Hill Road, McKinney; mckinneytexas. org Texas Legends // Comerica Center, 2601 Avenue of the Stars, Frisco; texas.gleague.nba.com Legacy West // 7700 Windrose Ave., Plano; legacywest.com Bruster’s Real Ice Cream // 7650 Stacy Road, Suite 210, McKinney (additional DFW location); brusters.com Bami Yoga // bamiyoga.com American Heart Association // 1100 E. Campbell Road, Suite 100, Richardson; heart.org

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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collin county E A S T PL A N O

YASMEEN TADIA

E

YOUR LIFE SWEETER’S “YOU’RE MY HERO” GIFTS // fluffpop.

com/hero

MAKE YOUR LIFE

SWEETER’S BLACK LIVES MAT-

ABOVE // Yasmeen Tadia and her son stay busy with events and travel—so when they're back in Plano, they really enjoy time at home.

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july 2020 / dfwchild.com

TER COLLECTION // fluffpop. com/blm Why East Plano is great for families I’ve lived in East Plano since 2006, and we moved to Timberbrook Estates, our neighborhood, because of its secluded place alongside Oak Point Nature Preserve. We are steps away from countless hiking trails, and I love my neighbors.

Plus, after a busy day of entertaining clients at events and attending important business meetings, everything I need is minutes away from our home.

ABOVE // Janel Chu and her family had their photo snapped at Plano's Windhaven Park, which offers a playground and access to nature.

WE S T PL A N O

JANEL CHU

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ANEL CHU AND HER HUSBAND Edwin are Texas natives who moved around for school and work. When it came time to settle down, the Lone Star State was their choice—and Plano was the perfect combination of job opportunities and a familyfriendly environment. Chu (now a stay-at-home mom) and Edwin (a physician) are loving life on the city’s west side with their 3½-year-old son Nathaniel and his 10-month-old brother Jameson.

Best park Windhaven Park. We love throwing the kids in a jogging stroller and going for a run to this park. The playground is so big, has the nice cushy foam ground and will have a splash pad in the future! The trails are also great for exploring nature. Our family picture was taken here! WINDHAVEN PARK // 3300 Clark Parkway, Plano; plano.gov Self-care spot Self-care as a mom of small kids is tough! But probably a pedicure at Lavender Nail Bar, because they’re great and open late—so you can escape after the kids are in bed! LAVENDER NAIL BAR // 8240 Preston Road, Suite 140; Plano; lavendernailbarplanotx.com Go-to for getting active Fit4Mom West Plano. Pre-pandemic, it was the best way for me to get out of the house for a workout and be able to bring my kids. FIT4MOM WEST PLANO & CARROLLTON // Classes across Plano and Carrollton; westplano.fit4mom.com For cooling off We love hitting up JuiceLand for some yummy drinks and their little kids area. And when it’s time for some water fun, we love the splash pad and toddler areas at Muehlenbeck Rec Center. JUICELAND // 2401 Preston Road, Suite D, Plano (more DFW locations); juiceland. com TOM MUEHLENBECK RECREATION CENTER // 5801 W. Parker Road, Plano; plano.gov How she found her mom squad I have loved meeting moms from the Texas Health Presby Plano Mommy Mixer and Fit4Mom West Plano! The moms I met at Presby Plano Mommy Mixer, when my 3½-year-old was an infant, were my first mom friends! We still meet up now, three years later. And I have loved being a part of the Fit4Mom village. All the moms are there to stay active and build relationships and support each other. TEXAS HEALTH PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL PLANO // 6200 W. Parker Road, Plano; search “Mommy Mixers” on texashealth.org Why West Plano is great for families We love our area of Plano because there is just so much for us to do! So many restaurants, attractions and shopping within 10 minutes of our house. And everything here is very kid friendly.

TADIA AND CHILD: MAKE YOUR LIFE SWEETER; CHU FAMILY: DANI PRUETT PHOTOGRAPHY

AST PLANO LOCAL Yasmeen Tadia is a single mom to son Zain, 10, and the CEO and founder of Make Your Life Sweeter— her gourmet confection brand that features organic cotton candy creations, handcrafted popcorn and more delectable goodies. From relaxing evenings in to exploring her community, Tadia finds life in Plano a real treat.

Best green space Oak Point Nature Preserve is our favorite park! We love the open space and the ability to experience the true Texas landscape and nature. OAK POINT PARK & NATURE PRESERVE // 5901 Los Rios Blvd., Plano; plano.gov Favorite family outing With our intense life of events and travel, we love being home in Plano! We have friends over for a chill evening of games and a home-cooked meal. For a night out, we go to Legacy West or Cinemark theater. LEGACY WEST SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS // 7700 Windrose Ave., Plano; legacywest.com CINEMARK LEGACY AND XD // 7201 N. Central Expressway, Plano; cinemark.com Self-care spot I love Sweet Home Bath & Body in East Plano! They offer a variety of crafting classes that definitely help me wind down. The Four Seasons Resort and Club is my favorite location for a relaxing spa retreat. It’s nestled in Irving and truly feels like a vacation outside of Dallas.

SWEET HOME BATH & BODY // 1035 E. 15th St., Plano; sweethomebath.com FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND CLUB DALLAS AT LAS COLINAS // 4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving; fourseasons.com/dallas For cooling off We love going to the Jack Carter Pool! It has a tube slide, lazy river, deep-water pool, surf simulator, kids area and much more. Overall, Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark is probably our favorite place to cool down. It really is enjoyable for the entire family. JACK CARTER POOL // 2601 Pleasant Valley Drive, Plano; plano.gov EPIC WATERS INDOOR WATERPARK // 2970 Epic Place, Grand Prairie; epicwatersgp.com How they give back Zain and I are giving back through Make Your Life Sweeter’s hero program, where we honor heroes keeping our country afloat during the pandemic. Anyone can nominate a hero, and we will send them a sweet treat! Or you can sponsor a hero, and we will split the cost with you. We are also launching a Black Lives Matter collection, with all the proceeds donated to Black-led and Black-founded nonprofits. MAKE YOUR LIFE SWEETER – NOMINATE A HERO // makeyourlifesweeter.com/contact MAKE

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dfwchild.com / july 2020

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collin county

TYNE BERLANGA

T

AUTISM TREATMENT CENTER ABA | SPEECH THERAPY | OT

YNE BERLANGA and husband Hector have lived in Frisco since 2006. “I remember when 121 was a two-lane road, and the area next to our first house was a cow pasture that quickly turned into a grocery store. It’s been amazing to see it grow,” says Berlanga, a brand ambassador coordinator for Western Son Vodka and mom to Joy, 14, and Cruz, 10. There’s now plenty to keep the family busy—even right on their street. “We found a gem of a neighborhood where we have fun parties, and everyone looks out for each other.”

Favorite family restaurant We love The Grind. They have a great menu, a full bar for the parents and games for the kids to play on the patio. After dinner we can walk to Bruster’s and get ice cream. THE GRIND // 7500 W. Stacy Road, Suite 150, McKinney (additional DFW location); grindburgerbar. com BRUSTER’S REAL ICE CREAM // 7650 Stacy Road, Suite 210, McKinney (additional DFW location); brusters.com Best park There is a great park and open area behind Independence High School called Yucca Ridge Park. It has a big playground, basketball courts and fields. My kids love riding their bikes there and meeting up with friends. YUCCA RIDGE PARK // 13813 Graham Ave., Frisco; friscotexas.gov Favorite family outing We love taking our kids to the skate park—Frisco has opened an awesome facility on our side of town.

The kids take their scooters and skateboard,

and we can hang out all day. There is also a pond and walking trails; it’s really nice. SKATE PARK AT NORTHEAST COMMUNITY PARK // 2895 Honey Grove Drive, Frisco; friscotexas.gov For a night out Eight11 is our go-to for a night out. You can’t beat its prosciutto pizza and sitting outside by the fire pit with a glass of wine and a s’mores board—yes, please! EIGHT11 PLACE // 7080 Main St., Frisco; eight11place.com Self-care spot The spa at Craig Ranch is great. They offer all the services and even have child care. CRAIG RANCH FITNESS & SPA // 7910 Collin McKinney Parkway, McKinney; craigranchfitness.com Go-to for getting active Our area is great for walking; we have lots of paths that wind through our neighborhoods. We have a group of friends who meet up to walk, and we have a loop we call “3-mile therapy.” It’s perfect.

For cooling off Apex Centre has a great pool with a lazy river and water slides. My kids love swimming there, and they even have snow cones. APEX CENTRE // 3003 Alma Road, McKinney; mckinneytexas.org How she gives back I have always been involved at my children’s schools. From PTA to booster clubs, I feel like that is the easiest way to make an impact and an excellent way to support those awesome teachers.

How she found her mom squad I have been lucky to find my mom squad through the kids’ school and sports as well as our neighborhood.

The best thing you can do to meet people is get involved. It may be a little intimidating at first, but you have to put yourself out there. You will find your people; just give it time. And once your kid is in elementary school, get up there and volunteer. You won’t regret it.

Why Frisco is great for families We love living in East Frisco. We have been in the area for almost 14 years and have seen it grow. We love the diversity, small schools and community our neighborhood provides. We are thrilled we get raise our kids in this area.

INSURANCE ACCEPTED CENTER-BASED & IN HOME

844-422-2669

THERAPYANDBEYOND.COM 14

Join us at one of our upcoming FREE events for july 2020 / dfwchild.com

ABOVE // After an annual trip to the beach, the Berlanga family is always happy to return home to Frisco— which mom Tyne and dad Hector have seen grow tremendously over the years.

BERLANGA FAMILY: COURTESY OF TYNE BERLANGA

F R I SCO

ABOVE // When the Makaye family needs to cool down during the hot months, they head to the local Braum's.

A LLE N

ALICIA MAKAYE

MAKAYE FAMILY: DREYLIN HARVEY

A

LICIA MAKAYE and her husband George are raising their kids— Zack, 12, and Sania, 5—in the StarCreek neighborhood of Allen.

It’s a booming area, with the city’s population topping 107,000. The dynamic community is a great place for the Makaye kids as well as Dad and Mom (president and vice president, respectively, of IT support company GXA) to be plugged in.

Favorite family restaurant Our favorite family restaurant is Cowboy Chicken because of their fire-roasted chicken. Our next favorite is Bonefish Grill. You can get a family meal with healthy options and then top it off with cookies to go. COWBOY CHICKEN // 190 E. Stacy Road, Suite 1300, Allen (more DFW locations); cowboychicken.com BONEFISH GRILL // 190 E. Stacy Road, Suite 100, Allen (additional DFW location); bonefishgrill.com Best park Celebration Park in Allen. They have a basketball court, huge playground, sprayground and an open field. You can also rent space for activities. CELEBRATION PARK // 701 Angel Parkway, Allen; cityofallen.org Favorite family outing My family loves our community pool and spray pad in StarCreek.

We also enjoy visiting the State Fair of Texas in Dallas during the fall. STARCREEK NEIGHBORHOOD // Stacy Road & Starcreek Parkway, Allen; starcreekhoa.com STATE FAIR OF TEXAS // 3921 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas; bigtex.com For a night out Our favorite date night location is the dine-in IPIC theater in Fairview. IPIC

// 321 Town Place, Fairview; ipic.com Self-care spot Craig Ranch Fitness and Spa in McKinney is the best hideaway for moms. They have a sleep room and offer child care. My favorite gym is 24 Hour Fitness in Fairview because they have amazing classes. For a last-minute massage, try Sole Hao Reflexology in Allen. They welcome walk-ins, and I can put my kids in the bed and go get a late-night massage. My favorite church, in Plano, helps to keep my entire life in perspective. It’s One Community Church, where no one walks alone. CRAIG RANCH FITNESS & SPA // 7910 Collin McKinney Parkway, McKinney; craigranchfitness.com 24 HOUR FITNESS // 361 Southwind Lane, Fairview (more DFW locations); 24hourfitness. com SOLE HAO REFLEXOLOGY // 945 W. Stacy Road, Suite 160, Allen; solehaoreflexology. com ONE COMMUNITY CHURCH // 2400 State Highway 121, Plano (more DFW campuses); visitoronecc.com Go-to for getting active Our favorite way to get active is to hit the Cottonwood Creek Loop via walk, bike or skate. It’s a 7-mile trail segment and a great part of our community amenities. COTTONWOOD CREEK LOOP // 1120 N. Cedar Drive, Allen; cityofallen.org How they give back Every year, our family looks for organizations to partner with to allow us to give back. We have volunteered through Our Helping Hearts, Feeding Children Everywhere and Minnie’s Food Pantry.

Last year, we took our children to Kenya to volunteer in an orphanage called Joy Divine. OUR HELPING HEARTS // ourhelpinghearts.org FEEDING CHILDREN EVERYWHERE // feedingchildreneverywhere.com MINNIE’S FOOD PANTRY // 661 18th St., Plano; minniesfoodpantry.org JOY DIVINE // joydivinechildren.org How she found her mom squad I found many local mom friends in my StarCreek neighborhood. I also belong to Jack and Jill of America’s North Suburban Dallas Chapter. This is an organization of mothers with children ages 2–19, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving and civic duty. STARCREEK NEIGHBORHOOD // Stacy Road & Starcreek Parkway, Allen; starcreekhoa.com JACK AND JILL OF AMERICA, NORTH SUBURBAN DALLAS CHAPTER // northsuburbanddallasjackandjill.org Why Allen is great for families Allen is a very diverse and kid-friendly community. There are plenty of activities—such as bowling or jazz music on Friday nights in Watters Creek—along with shopping for the whole family and restaurants. Allen is a unique community. Swim lessons, hockey lessons, the dog park and concerts with major artists can all be found in a less-than10-mile radius.

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dfwchild.com / july 2020

©

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collin county

LORI EASON

T

HE SMALL CITY of Lucas isn’t as small as it used to be. The population of this Collin County community increased nearly 60% over the past decade, reaching 8,553 last year. Lori Eason and her sons contributed to that growth. The family—including Cael, 15, and Thadd, 13—has lived in Lucas for the past five years. Thadd has autism, and Eason has connected with other local moms who have children on the spectrum. She works as a styling team leader for Stitch Fix. Favorite family restaurant It’s a three-way tie, with one selection for each meal of the day: Country Club Cafe for breakfast, Kelly Family Farms Burger Stand for lunch and Jhonny’s Mexican for dinner! COUNTRY CLUB CAFE // 2260 FM 1378, St. Paul; thecountryclubcafe.com KELLY FAMILY FARMS BURGER STAND // 1989 W. Lucas Road, Parker; kellyfamilyfarms.com/burger-stand JHONNY’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT // 3999 Parker Road,

PROS PE R

JENNIFER REDMAN

P

ROSPER RESIDENT Jennifer Redman and daughter Georgia, 8, love getting outside in their neighborhood, whether they are enjoying a nearby trail, walking, riding bikes or just relaxing in lawn chairs.

The single mom and realtor gives a rave review of her community, which has been experiencing tremendous growth while retaining its charm.

Favorite family restaurant Our favorite is Ernesto’s off Preston in Prosper. It is locally operated, and we love the food and staff.

Georgia has a dairy allergy, and they’re always mindful of that. Additionally, we see friends and neighbors there every time we go, which keeps Prosper’s small-town feel authentic.

ERNESTO’S FINE MEXICAN FOOD // 120 N. Preston Road, Prosper (more DFW locations); ernestosfinemexicanfood.com Favorite family outing Our favorite outing

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Wylie; search “Jhonny’s Mexican Restaurant” on Facebook Best park Lake Lavon—there are parks around the lake. And my neighborhood has a private beach, just steps from my home! LAKE LAVON // near Wylie; search for Lavon under Lake Finder on tpwd.texas.gov.

For a night out IPIC theater or Landon Winery are great options. IPIC // 321 Town Place, Fairview; ipic.com LANDON WINERY // 103 N. Ballard St., Wylie (more DFW locations); landonwinery.com Self-care spot A favorite spot for me to recharge is to grab a book or do some cloudwatching at the hammock park within my development.

Go-to for getting active We love the stocked fishing ponds within the development and our easy access to the Trinity Trail for a hike. Just up the road is the Heard Natural Science Museum with hiking trails, too. TRINITY TRAIL AROUND LAKE LAVON // trinitytrailriders.org HEARD NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY // 1 Nature Place, McKinney; heardmuseum.org For cooling off I’m grateful to have a pool in my backyard, but if I didn’t, we are steps from the shores of Lake Lavon and we have an awesome lazy river here in the development. Our favorite spot for sweet treats is OMG Creamery in historic

downtown Wylie. OMG CREAMERY // 100 N. Ballard St., Wylie; omgcreamery.com Why Lucas is great for families I love that the Lucas–St. Paul area has a very rural feel and is a tight-knit community. People do for one another without giving it a second thought and out of genuine kindness. It’s a great example to set for our kids.

happens in our neighborhood! Our Star Trail community is our family; we have COVIDfriendly sidewalk and cul-de-sac gatherings with children on wheels and parents in chairs. This has helped us with the blues and kept us connected. We’ve gone back to enjoying time with our neighbors; this is how I grew up and I’m thrilled to share it with my daughter. STAR TRAIL COMMUNITY // Off Dallas Parkway north of U.S. Highway 380, Prosper; startrailprosper.com Self-care spot Venezia Nail Spa is my favorite recharge. I can always get in with a short wait and know the massage, nails and service (and wine!) are consistently stellar. VENEZIA NAIL SPA // 861 S. Preston Road, Prosper; facebook.com/ venezianail Go-to for getting active Georgia and I take wheels—whether it’s her bike or roller skates—to the neighborhood streets almost daily. I’ll take yoga classes at a couple different studios; Prosper has a few. But our favorite ways to stay active are walking the trails at Light Farms and enjoying the playground space at Windsong Ranch.

LIGHT FARMS COMMUNITY // 1234 Homestead Court, Celina; lightfarmstx.com WINDSONG RANCH COMMUNITY // 1001 Windsong Parkway S., Prosper; windsongranchliving.com

For cooling off Shave ice! That was easy!

Hokulia is a local shave ice spot with outdoor picnic tables in downtown Prosper; we just sat there yesterday under the trees. I had the kids rainbow flavor, and Georgia had pink bubble gum and blue Hawaiian. HOKULIA SHAVE ICE // 105 N. Coleman St., Prosper; hokuliashaveice.com How they give back My family gives back through volunteering at school, Lovepacs (which provides food for kids who need it) in Prosper and helping a friend who leads Cornerstone North Central Texas. It is a great organization helping those in need locally. LOVEPACS // lovepacs.org CORNERSTONE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS // cornerstonenct.org How she found her mom squad My local mom friends first come from my workplace, The Christie Cannon Team at Keller Williams. Thank goodness for Zoom girls nights. I’m also lucky enough to have made lasting friendships with the moms in Star Trail and my daughter’s friends’ moms. As a working mom, the stay-at-home moms and PTO (parent-teacher organization) moms are my village! I couldn’t do it without these phenomenal women in my life.

Why Prosper is great for families Prosper is a community where a family can begin, grow and stay. Prosper schools are outpacing many neighboring cities’ and have implemented programs to keep kids engaged and connected. The teachers and staff are dedicated beyond measure. Prosper neighbors will always gather together and care for each other.

ABOVE // Lori Eason and her sons enjoy grabbing a beach towel and watching the sunset at the lake.

EASON AND CHILDREN: COURTESY OF LORI EASON; REDMAN AND CHILD: MADDIE VICKERS PHOTOGRAPHY

LU C A S

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Plano | Frisco | Boulder dfwchild.com / july 2020

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collin county CE LI N A

EBONIE MBETENI

F

OR EBONIE MBETENI, the centrality of Celina was the major draw in choosing where to put down roots. “I have access to everything I need without living right in the middle of the chaos,” says the wife of Fortunatus and mom of Henry, 12, Corrina, 9, and Camille, 7. An international family—splitting time between Texas and East Africa—the Mbetenis love adventure, activities and travel.

Favorite family restaurant Our family spot is Perry’s because, quite frankly, the kids love the dessert display they do at the table with fire and sweets. Their favorite is the Mont Blanc. We also love to frequent lots of mom and pop restaurants, like Tender Smokehouse in Celina. PERRY’S STEAKHOUSE & GRILLE // 2440 Parkwood Blvd., Frisco (more DFW locations); perryssteakhouse.com TENDER SMOKEHOUSE // 224 W. Pecan St., Celina; tendersmokehousebbq.com Best park We love Frisco Commons for all the different things they have for kids to do—including the water park! FRISCO COMMONS // 8000 McKinney Road, Frisco; friscotexas.gov For a night out We love the atmosphere and food of Fleming’s for date night. We also love The Shops at Legacy. As foodies, we think the variety of the food there is amazing. For a girls night, my friends and I swap between a fun spot like Mash’d to a place that provides a chance to let loose and enjoy everything the night has to offer, like

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Sambuca 360. FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE // 7250 Dallas Parkway, Suite 110, Plano; flemingssteakhouse.com THE SHOPS AT LEGACY // 5741 Legacy Drive, Plano; shopsatlegacy.com MASH’D // 3401 Preston Road, Suite 1, Frisco; mashd.com SAMBUCA 360 // 7200 Bishop Road, Suite 270, Frisco; sambuca360.com For cooling off Normally, we are traveling as a family during summer. This year, you will most likely find us at Hawaiian Falls or Frisco Athletic Center for their water slides and lazy river. HAWAIIAN FALLS WATERPARK // 4400 Paige Road, The Colony (more DFW locations); hfalls.com FRISCO ATHLETIC CENTER // 5828 Nancy Jane Lane, Frisco; friscotexas.gov How they give back My family and I have always focused on advocacy within our community and beyond. We donate toys, clothes and shoes to those in need. A few years ago, we had a food drive with Lovepacs to collect food to help combat child hunger. Most recently, my husband and I took the kids to two protests to march for anti-racism. As they get older, we will continue to help them stay involved with their community and advocate for those who are in need. LOVEPACS // lovepacs.org How she found her mom squad I found my local mom squad through social media, sports and school. I am always looking for new and exciting things for my kids to do, and social media is a great source for that. Along the way we meet some great people who stick around and become family friends.

Why Celina is great for families We love our city because it is a small town with a big heart. Celina is a community where you can be very involved with everything the city has to offer but still feel like you are not living in a city. I love the location; I am two minutes from Prosper and 10 minutes from Frisco—but once I am home, I can still feel like I am away from all the noise. I have access to everything I need without living right in the middle of all the chaos.

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ABOVE // Ebonie Mbeteni, a business strategist and lifestyle vlogger, normally enjoys family travel during the summer; this year, the Mbetenis are staying closer to home.

MBETENI FAMILY: COURTESY OF EBONIE MBETENI

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dfwchild.com / july 2020

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dallas county.

THEY SAY EVERYTHING’S BIGGER IN TEXAS. And it’s true, y’all. From the world’s tallest cowboy (we’re looking at you, Big Tex) to a towering population, Dallas County has a big presence. Read on for a few fast facts about the county to make you a proud Texan.

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GEORGE MIFFLIN DALLAS, FAIR PARK, DALLAS BUTTON: ©ISTOCK STATS: CITY OF DALLAS; DALLAS COUNTY; DALLAS COURIER; STATE FAIR OF TEXAS; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; VISITDALLAS

CO U NT ’ E M U P

POPULATION 2,635,516.

DALLAS IS THE 2ND LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS AND THE 9TH LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY.

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WH AT ' S I N A N A M E?

Dallas County and the city of Dallas were not necessarily named after the same person. Dallas County is believed to be named for George Mifflin Dallas, the 11th U.S. vice president, but the origin of the city’s name remains a mystery. Some believe John Neely Bryan, the city’s founder, also named it after George Mifflin Dallas, but there is no evidence that Bryan knew him. Other possibilities for the town’s namesake are: Commodore Alexander James Dallas, George Mifflin Dallas’ brother + Walter R. Dallas, who fought at San Jacinto + James L. Dallas, Walter’s brother and a Texas Ranger + Joseph Dallas, who lived in the Cedar Springs area in 1843.

H OWDY, FO LK S!

CIT Y LI FE

THERE ARE 31 CITIES WITHIN DALLAS COUNTY LINES.

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YO U R FO R EC A S T

The State Fair of Texas is the nation’s longestrunning fair. Big Tex (at 55 feet tall) welcomes more than 2 million visitors annually.

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THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS 81 AVERAGE RAIN DAYS AND 1.3 AVERAGE SNOW DAYS A YEAR.

DA LL A S CO U NT Y D EMO G R A PH I C S 40.5% HISPANIC 40.5% HISPANIC OR LATINO OR LATINO ALONE

28.6% WHITE 28.6% ALONE WHITE

23.5% BLACK 23.5% BLACK OF AFRICAN OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AMERICAN ALONE

6.7 ASIAN 6.7%ALONE ASIAN 1.9% 1.9% TWO TWO OR OR MORE MORE RACES RACES 1.1% AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE 0.1% NATIVE HAWAIIAN OR OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER dfwchild.com / july 2020

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RÉSUMÉ AGE 42 LIVES IN East Dallas HAILS FROM Toronto, Canada, but

moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a teen OCCUPATION Gynecologist and women’s health media expert SIGNIFICANT OTHER Marvin Jackson, an architectural engineer OFFSPRING Chance, 6, and Miles, 4 ALMA MATER University of Oklahoma for undergraduate, Ross University School of Medicine for medical school FIND HER Instagram: @dallasgynecologist

the best of east dallas /

DR. JESSICA SHEPHERD ob-gyn and mom of two WORDS

HEATHER VANCE DEVERS

PHOTOGRAPHY

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CARTER ROSE

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

A

FTER MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE for her education and career as a gynecologist, Dr. Jessica Shepherd (mom of Chance, 6, and Miles, 4) chose to make her home in East Dallas two years ago—because of White Rock Lake. “I lived in New York; there’s water. Then in Chicago, there’s the lake, and [there are] even lakes in Toronto, so it felt familiar. I’ve been by water in all these various cities where I’ve lived.” Her husband Marvin is an architectural engineer who is involved in large projects such as Klyde Warren Park and DART, so Dallas’ growth is a major plus. There’s an energy here that fuels Shepherd’s whole family.

What has been your favorite part about your move to East Dallas? We both wanted our children to have a big-city, urban experience in an area that is close to the arts, thrives on creativity and includes diversity. I just get a really good quirky vibe from East Dallas. I love that kind of flavor, where you’re like, What kind of shop is that? There are a lot of mom and

STETHOSCOPE: NOUN PROJECT

Dr. Jessica Shepherd loves exploring East Dallas with her husband, Marvin Jackson, and their two young sons.

dallas county pop shops. A lot of artists live in the Forest Hills area; they’ll have art tours or [shows] in the actual studios in the homes. This feels to me like a great combination of the cities that we’ve lived in.

Had you ever been to Dallas before you moved here? When I was at OU, we would come down here, obviously, for OU-Texas or occasionally for weekends. To me at that point, because I lived in Toronto, I thought Dallas was small. So fast forward 20 years to when we were living in Chicago and made the decision to move to Dallas—I still thought the city was small, because by that time I’d lived in Chicago, New York and Philly. And then when I got here, I was pleasantly surprised at the growth. I found very quickly within the first six months to a year of being here that there’s a culture of wanting to really thrive and grow.

Your sons are Dallas ISD students. What prompted you to make that decision? When we were moving here, we looked at a variety of neighborhoods and schools. Initially, they went to the Jewish Community Center. And that was amazing, because it was a completely comfortable transition for us; they went to the JCC in Chicago.

I wanted my kids to be exposed to a different culture. And then for schools, I felt like I wanted one somewhat close to where we live, close access to downtown, and I wanted them to be able to be somewhere that is close to the arts and close to a variety of people. And that’s why we chose a DISD school. I researched all of them, and obviously every city has issues when you talk about a public school system, but there are also real benefits. I think we found like a great home for them as far as schooling. I’m happy with that.

How did you find mom friends when you came here? My local mom squad came through my sons’ school, Solar Prep for Boys. We have a great network of moms from every walk of life, and I was immediately able to connect with them and find moms I can spend time with while our boys play together.

What’s your favorite family restaurant near you? Our go-to for good food, wine pairings, comfy ambiance and great kids menu is Cedar & Vine in Lake Highlands.

What is your family’s favorite outing? We love exploring all the restaurants in East Dallas since there is so much spunk and creativity! Places like Greenville Avenue Pizza, Local Traveler or Cultivar Coffee. We also love taking bike rides in the neighborhood because it has so many trees and cool architecture.

What about a place for a night out? Definitely the patio of Smoky Rose or Local Traveler for some great bites and chill cocktails.

You’re a mom of two young boys, a wife and an OB-GYN. How do you make sure you take care of yourself? Self-care is making time for your wellness. I especially love woman-owned businesses and go to Session Pilates, and I follow the yoga instructor Georgette Dunn of Ready Set Flow whenever she teaches. It’s very important to have good energy from the people who create your arena of wellness.

You have made wellness a large part of your

medical practice. Why was this a priority for you?

I have kind of forged my career as an OB-GYN to really take it out of the spectrum of just health.

Obviously, I spent so many years in school learning about disease management and treatment and how to do that really well. But what I found coming out of residency, as I was starting to now see my own patients, was that the relationship that I could foster with my patients would be better served if I could integrate wellness into it.

I believe health and wellness are two different pillars. The wellness side of it is really one of those things that you take out of the office and the four walls of the exam room that you want to implement into your lifestyle. That’s ultimately going to impact your health in a positive way.

I’ve tried to focus on those other things— whether it’s emotional health, or sexual wellness—and bring them up very candidly in the office. It’s like planting seeds and allowing people, when they leave, to really think about it. I want them to think about if they’re willing to explore those journeys, meditation, yoga, going to a therapist and so on. As I peel away the layers [with my patients] and figure out maybe some emotional areas that could be addressed, I may send them to a chiropractor or an acupuncturist.

Those are the things that I really feel can make this wonderful atmosphere of health and wellness.

Speaking of wellness, what’s your favorite way to get active near you? Going to local parks and sites such as the Dallas Arboretum, Flag Pole Hill and also the local gyms for a short workout.

Where do you cool off in the summer? Ice cream trips are always fun for the family, and the boys love trying new spots. We enjoy Creamistry, Melt Ice Creams, Paciugo Gelato and Steel City Pops.

Jessica’s Picks

Solar Preparatory School for Boys // 1802 Moser Ave., Dallas; dallasisd.org/solarprepboys Cedar & Vine // 9661 Audelia Road, Suite 105, Dallas; cedarvinetx.com Greenville Avenue Pizza Company // 1923 Greenville Ave., Dallas; gapc.co Local Traveler // 7522 E. Grand Ave., Dallas; localtravelerdallas.com Cultivar Coffee Bar & Roaster // 1155 Peavy Road, Dallas (additional location in Oak Cliff); cultivarcoffee.com Smoky Rose // 8602 Garland Road, Dallas; smokyrose.com Session Pilates // 6465 E. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 320, Dallas (additional Dallas locations); sessionpilates.com Georgette Dunn, Ready Set Flow // readysetflowco.com Dallas Arboretum // 8525 Garland Road, Dallas; dallasarboretum.org Flag Pole Hill Park // 8015 Doran Circle, Dallas; dallasparks. org Creamistry // 2301 N. Akard St., Suite 260, Dallas (more DFW locations); creamistry.com Melt Ice Creams // 405 N. Bishop Ave., Dallas (more DFW locations); melticecreams.com Paciugo Gelato // 2115 Abrams Road, Dallas (more DFW locations); paciugo.com Steel City Pops // 2012 Greenville Ave., Dallas (more DFW locations); steelcitypops.com Concord Church // 6808 Pastor Bailey Drive, Dallas; concorddallas.org

What is your favorite local green space? Definitely White Rock Lake. There are so many things to do while seeing the water and the skyline.

How do you and your family give back to your community? We volunteer through our church, Concord Church, and also with local schools to help raise awareness in diversity and exposure to STEM through engineering and medicine, which my husband and I both work in.

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dallas county L A KE WO O D

DIANA NELSON

D ABOVE // During summer, Meghan Riney’s family enjoys cold treats and White Rock Lake. BELOW // A longtime East Dallas resident, Diana Nelson says she’s known most of her mom friends “since before we were in charge of small humans.”

L A KE H I G H L A N DS

MEGHAN RINEY

RINEY FAMILY: MEG RICHARDSON; NELSON FAMILY: PHYLLIS MCKNIGHT

M

EGHAN RINEY is a Lake Highlands native. When she married husband Ken, a civil litigation defense attorney from Amarillo, she convinced him to plant roots here. “I sold Lake Highlands as the ‘small town in the big city,’ and he’s loved every minute,” says Riney, who blogs at thebeautyfilledlife.com and is now raising Paul, 7, James, 6, and Matthew, 4, in the neighborhood. “Everyone always jokes about how many Lake Highlands natives come back, but there’s something about this community that you just don’t get elsewhere.”

Favorite family restaurant We have a birthday tradition of going to Mariano’s and wearing the giant sombrero while everyone claps and sings. We have a love-hate relationship with that tradition, but we can’t quit it. And you’ll find us at Mariano’s almost every weekend, birthday or not. Nothing beats their margaritas, fajitas and queso. MARIANO’S HACIENDA // 6300 Skillman St., Dallas; laharanch.com Best park Everyone in Lake Highlands calls it Fieldcrest Park (because it’s at the corner of Fieldcrest and Church Road), but I think its real name is Lake Highlands North Park. The park consists of a really nice bike-and-walking trail, a playground and a large field where we play Frisbee with our dog. LAKE HIGHLANDS NORTH PARK // 9334 Church Road, Dallas; dallasparks.org For a night out For girls nights, we meet at RM 12:20 Bistro, a chicbut-comfortable “French kitchen with a Southern touch.” Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I still can’t believe this place is really in my neighborhood. Live music, craft cocktails, locally sourced ingredients, a great patio … why would we leave our neighborhood? RM 12:20 BISTRO // 9850 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 305, Dallas; rm1220bistro.com Self-care spot I try to catch the Slow Flow/Deep Stretch class at Yoga Art Music (YAM Dallas). It’s like therapy and a nap rolled into one. YOGA ART MUSIC // 9850 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 427, Dallas; yoga-art-music.com How they give back I’m very involved in our boys’ school, and my husband is a member of the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands, the organization that has awarded more than $1,000,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors at LHHS. Every year they put on the big community Fourth of July Parade and Lake Highlands Oktoberfest, and they support our community in many other ways. EXCHANGE CLUB OF LAKE HIGHLANDS // lhexchangeclub.org Why Lake Highlands is great for families We’re very tight-knit but not exclusive—“Leave It to Beaver” with diversity! It’s just a really great place to call home.

IANA NELSON has lived in the East Dallas area since college, so it was easy for her and husband Joel to choose Lakewood as the place to raise their children: Edie, 10, Hugh, 8, and Bea, 6. As a special needs mama, Nelson loves the community she’s found. “My mom friendships were forged from church, the kids’ schools, the gym and the best neighbors in the world. Sometimes I make a new mom friend standing in line at the grocery store. I love how local moms support other moms.”

Favorite family restaurant Our son has autism, and eating out can be challenging—not so much for us, but for other diners. Sitting quietly through a meal is hard for him. Our neighborhood restaurants are laidback, understanding and welcoming. We love the food and family-friendly vibe of Penne Pomodoro Lakewood. And when the weather is nice, we head to the outdoor patio at Smoky Rose for live music, fire pits and green space. PENNE POMODORO // 1924 Abrams Parkway, Dallas (more Dallas locations); pennepomodoro.com SMOKY ROSE // 8602 Garland Road, Dallas; smokyrose.com Best park Winfrey Point is the spot. We love trees except when they eat our kites. Winfrey Point is great for kite flying, picnicking and wildflower trails down to White Rock Lake. We’ve become amateur birders and have fun looking for the monk parakeets and red-winged blackbirds that live there. WINFREY POINT // 950 E. Lawther Drive, Dallas; dallasparks.org For a night out Although we live in a family-centric area, there are plenty of adult spots on our side of town. We start with a cocktail at Lounge Here, a chic neighborhood hideout, followed by dinner at our current favorite restaurant, Local Traveler. It’s a low-light, intimate dining room with a back patio that makes you feel like you’re in the woods. Finish the night with live jazz at The Balcony Club and voilà—perfect date night.

LOUNGE HERE // 9028 Garland Road, Dallas; theloungehere.com LOCAL TRAVELER // 7522 E. Grand Ave., Dallas; localtravelerdallas.com THE BALCONY CLUB // 1825 Abrams Road, Suite B, Dallas; balconyclub.com How they give back Our proximity to a lake gives our family a frontrow view of the problems caused by litter. We hate to see baby ducklings swimming in trash! For the Love of the Lake is a nonprofit that cleans up the lake once a month. The kids are excited to volunteer. They see immediate results and are proud to help. FOR THE LOVE OF THE LAKE // 1152 N. Buckner Blvd., Suite 113, Dallas; whiterocklake.org Why Lakewood is great for families Just a few miles from downtown, our neighborhood is an urban oasis. Someone once told me East Dallas is “gently bohemian.” I think it’s a perfect description. East Dallas is unpretentious, diverse and full of nature lovers.

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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dallas county RICHARDSON

LESSONS

LORI JONES

OFFERED

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ORI JONES, a Beautycounter consultant and educator, lives in Richardson with her husband Chris and daughter Willa. The family loves the city because of the people. “Neighbors help each other out, say hello on walks and get outside together,” says Jones. The community is the perfect place to raise her family—while still being close to downtown Dallas and nature.

Favorite family restaurant We love Roman Cucina and have been going there since before Willa was born. The staff and management are incredible and so friendly. The atmosphere is laid-back, and the food is delicious! ROMAN CUCINA // 7989 Belt Line Road, Suite 315, Dallas; romancucina.com Best park We enjoy the waterfall at Prairie Creek Park. It is right around the corner, so we can walk there. The park is perfect for a picnic, a nature trail walk or a Frisbee game. PRAIRIE CREEK PARK // 2514 Prairie Creek Drive W., Richardson; cor.net Favorite family outing We love going to the pool at Canyon Creek Country Club, Alamo Drafthouse for a movie and dinner, or walking in Spring Creek Nature Area. CANYON

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july 2020 / dfwchild.com

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101, Richardson; guitarsandgrowlers.com Self-care spot I love Oscar Nail Bar on Custer. It’s comfortable, clean and close by. I go to Hair by Sharin for a haircut and color. She is another mom friend from my neighborhood.

OSCAR NAIL BAR // 3501 Custer Parkway, Suite 123, Richardson; oscarnailrichardson.com HAIR

BY SHARIN // Legacy Salon, 1301 Custer Road, Suite 482, Plano; hairbysharin.com Go-to for getting active I take barre at Pure Barre Richardson, where I also do some part-time sales. It is the only workout that has ever made me feel both strong and beautiful. It has a mind-body connection while improving flexibility, balance, toning and mental clarity.

PURE BARRE // 322 W. Campbell Road, Richardson (more DFW locations); purebarre.com For cooling off Willa and I are obsessed with Mexican paletas and get them at La Michoacana Paleteria y Neveria. We grab $20 and come home with a dozen and a half paletas for the freezer. My favorite is pepino y chile (cucumber and chili), and Willa’s pick is the fresas con crema (strawberries and cream). LA MICHOACANA PALETERIA Y NEVERIA ICE CREAM

// 8086 Spring Valley Road, Dallas; facebook.com How they give back We are active in Richardson Area Democrats organization, Together Richardson and local animal rescues.

& FRUITSICLES

RICHARDSON AREA DEMOCRATS

// 433 Belle Grove Drive, Richardson; richardsondemocrats.org TOGETHER RICHARDSON // richardsonliving.com/ together-richardson How she found her mom squad When Willa was a baby and toddler, I was president of Canyon Creek Moms Club—I met a lot of ladies through that. Now I meet moms mostly through Girl Scouts, PTA, the country club and Aldridge Elementary!

We love to walk in the neighborhood, have porch hangouts and swim. CANYON CREEK MOMS CLUB // canyoncreekmomsclub.org Why Richardson is great for families We love Richardson, specifically Canyon Creek, because of the people! The area is so friendly.

There is an annual July Fourth parade and lots of block parties. Our community is safe, and people look out for one another. And there is a lot of diversity at Aldridge Elementary. It’s a wonderful school.

“NEIGHBORS HELP EACH OTHER OUT, SAY HELLO ON WALKS AND GET OUTSIDE TOGETHER.”

// 625 W. Lookout Drive, Richardson; clubcorp.com ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE // 100 S. Central Expressway, Suite 14, Richardson (more DFW locations); drafthouse.com SPRING CREEK NATURE AREA // N. Plano Road, Richardson; cor.net For a night out Date night for Chris and me is Mena’s Grill. Girls nights are at Canyon Creek Country Club adult pool, Mena’s or Guitars & Growlers for trivia. MENA’S GRILL // 1851 N. Greenville Ave., Suite 500, Richardson; menastexmexgrill.com GUITARS & GROWLERS // 581 W. Campbell Road, Suite

JONES AND CHILD: COURTESY OF LORI JONES

Online and Live

ABOVE // When many places shut down during the pandemic, the Dorsey family found joy in bike rides and neighborhood walks.

FARMERS BRANCH

MOLLY DORSEY

DORESY FAMILY: AUBREY JIMENEZ/THE THREE PHOTOGRAPHY

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OLLY DORSEY, who works in operations for a due diligence firm, loves the green spaces in Farmers Branch, her “city in a park,” and neighboring Addison. This area is where she and husband Jon are raising their two boys: Luke, 8, and Hunter, 6. When Dorsey’s not hanging out with her family and friends at Brookhaven Country Club, you might find her watching Dateline or 20/20—“I love trying to figure out a good crime mystery!”

Favorite family restaurant We love Nate’s Seafood and Zoli’s Pizza, both on Midway at Belt Line. Nate’s has the best crawfish in town, and Zoli’s has delicious pizza that’s a little outside of the box. Their spinach artichoke dip is amazing! For a special treat, we like to go to Creamistry and watch our ice cream being made with the liquid nitrogen. NATE’S SEAFOOD // 14951 Midway Road, Addison; natesseafood. com ZOLI’S PIZZA // 14910 Midway Road, Addison (additional DFW location); zolispizza.com CREAMISTRY // 5100 Belt Line Road, Suite 610, Addison (more DFW locations); creamistry.com Best park We live right around the corner from a pond (my boys call it the “lake”) off of Oakbrook Parkway, where we can ride bikes, watch the turtles and ducks, and see the golfers on the course nearby. We often go on walks after dinner around the “lake” and will see people out fishing, walking their dogs and just enjoying the fresh air. And the Addison trails are great for a fun afternoon outdoors. OAKBROOK/ KEN RHYMER PARK // 3550 Oakbrook Parkway, Farmers Branch; farmersbranchtx.gov ADDISON TRAILS // addisontexas.net/parksrec Favorite family outing We love going to Brookhaven Country Club so the boys can play mini golf and we can sit at the fire pit to

have drinks with friends. On rainy days, we like to go to LOOK Cinemas and catch a movie. BROOKHAVEN COUNTRY CLUB // 3333 Golfing Green Drive, Farmers Branch; clubcorp.com/clubs/brookhaven-country-club LOOK CINEMAS // 5409 Belt Line Road, Dallas; lookcinemas.com Self-care spot My favorite place for an afternoon of alone time is Castle Nail Spa in Addison. I also love Joy of Waxing in Uptown (Allison is the best!)—it is worth the drive down the Tollway every time. CASTLE NAIL SPA // 5290 Belt Line Road, Suite 138, Dallas; castlenailsaddison.com JOY OF WAXING // 3622 Fairmount St., Dallas; joyofwaxing.com How they give back My family loves volunteering at Hunger Busters, a nonprofit that provides sack dinners to children in Dallas ISD who may not get a meal at home each night. It’s a great place for the whole family to volunteer, and my kids love that they can help too. It has sparked some great conversations! During the holidays, we volunteer at Metrocrest in its holiday store— prepping, making stocking stuffers and sorting donations. It’s our favorite thing to do as a family each holiday season! HUNGER BUSTERS // 3116 Sylvan Ave., Dallas; hungerbusters.com METROCREST SERVICES // 13801 Hutton Drive, Suite 150, Farmers Branch; metrocrestservices.org How she found her mom squad I am actively involved at both Brookhaven Country Club and at my children’s school, Trinity Christian Academy in Addison. We have such a tight-knit community of families we adore at both places, and they feel just like family to us now.

Why Farmers Branch is great for families We have lots of green spaces, parks and areas to run and play. Our taxes are low and our town is small, but we are in the middle of all that Dallas has to offer. In Brookhaven, our neighborhood, there are lots of young families moving in and redoing homes, and you’ll always see people out walking, jogging, biking and fishing.

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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ANDREA KING

ABOVE // During the pandemic, the Desai family has been enjoying backyard time at their Preston Hollow home—picnicking, reading and playing board games on a quilt.

PR E S TO N H O LLOW

NATASHA DESAI

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ATASHA DESAI’S PRESTON HOLLOW HOME was spared in last fall’s tornadoes, but there was devastation all around. “It resembled a war zone,” recalls the stay-at-home mom of four.

Amidst the wreckage, Desai also saw hope. “Neighbors delivered water and food to those dealing with damage. Students who couldn’t go to school packed up people’s belongings.” Those things remind Desai why Preston Hollow is perfect for her, husband Antal and their children: Alekh, 9, Natalya, 7, Nyra, 5, Coco, 4, and Niall, 1.

Best park Preston Hollow Park. The kids enjoy the swings and play hide and seek, running behind all the trees. We also bring footballs and play catch with the kids on the grass. PRESTON HOLLOW PARK // 6600 Park Lane, Dallas; dallasparks.org For a night out R+D Kitchen—the atmosphere is fun and casual, and the food and staff are always consistently excellent. The Newporter salad is my favorite! R+D KITCHEN // 8300 Preston Center Plaza Drive, Dallas; rd-kitchen.com Self-care spot I love pilates, so I had been frequenting The PilatesBarre before the pandemic. It’s a great total-body workout, strength training and cardio mixed. I also go to SoulCycle. The instructors are so high energy, and the music is wonderful. THE PILATESBARRE // 5425 W. Lovers Lane, Dallas (more DFW locations); thepilatesbarre.com SOULCYCLE // 5944 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas (additional Dallas location); soul-cycle.com For cooling off Our kids love Baldo’s Ice Cream. They get the five-cone flight, which lets them sample multiple flavors in kid-friendly portions.

Some favorites are strawberry milk, salted caramel and Frosted Flakes.

And the store changes the flavors often. Who doesn’t love a little variety?

BALDO’S ICE CREAM & COFFEE // 6401 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas; baldosdallas.com How they give back Giving back is important for our family. We have participated in the Katy 5K, supporting the Katy Trail, and the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K benefiting Make-A-Wish. The kids have also spent time working with Vogel Alcove, creating Bye Bye Bags with nutritious snacks for kids in need. I think it’s important for children to realize that you are never too young to make an impact and create change. KATY 5K // katytraildallas. org/5k ALLSTATE HOT CHOCOLATE 15K/5K // hotchocolate15k.com/dallas VOGEL ALCOVE // 1738 Gano St., Dallas; vogelalcove.org Why Preston Hollow is great for families I once heard a friend say, “Dallas does family best.” When everyone is trying their hardest to raise their children well, it creates a community that is supportive of strong family values.

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DESAI FAMILY: ANGELA WEEDON; KING FAMILY: DAVID ALPUCHE

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ORTH OF DOWNTOWN DALLAS, you’ll find the stately suburbs University Park and Highland Park. Together they compose the Park Cities, which offer manicured neighborhoods, superb amenities and outstanding schools. University Park resident Andrea King calls it a “sweet spot” for families. She and husband Troy, who works in analyst relations for AT&T, are parents to Sheridan and Kendall, 10, and Lucy, 7. Mom is director of development for To Be Like Me, a disability awareness program.

Favorite family restaurant After a family vote, we landed on Bandito’s.

We all like the chips and salsa, my husband loves the frosted beer mugs, I like the margaritas and my kids love the beans—everyone wins! It’s also a great spot to run into our neighbors and friends in a fun, casual setting.

BANDITO’S TEX MEX CANTINA // 6615 Snider Plaza, University Park; banditostexmex.com Best park The Park Cities area has a lot of parks, but our most frequented is Burleson Park. It’s easy for us to walk to with our kids, and it has a playground, walking loop and a big open field. BURLESON PARK // 3000 University Blvd., University Park; uptexas.org For a night out Highland Park Village has some great spots to grab a drink and people watch, and we love Highland Park Village Theater. My husband and I love the rooftop bar at HG Sply Co. on Lower Greenville too! HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE // 47 Highland Park Village, Dallas; hpvillage. com HG SPLY CO. // 2008 Greenville Ave., Dallas (more DFW locations); dfweats.com Self-care spot I enjoy a good discussion with a group of women at my church, Highland Park Presbyterian. Talking with other women about their lives and how we can all support one another makes me walk away feeling recharged and ready to take on the world—or at least the next task that day. HIGHLAND PARK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH // 3821 University Blvd., Dallas; hppres.org How she gives back For the past two years, I have been working with two incredible women—Hollis Owens and Toya Harris—to create To Be Like Me. We are a disability awareness education program to break down barriers and foster compassion.

Our current program focuses on late elementary students and provides a “field trip” experience. Students meet, interact with and learn from our wonderful leaders, who have a disability or difference themselves. It has been a gift to watch this organization come to fruition, and I look forward to continuing that work. TO BE LIKE ME // Tolleson Family Activity Center, 5817 Hillcrest Ave., Dallas; tobelikeme.org How she found her mom squad I met most of my local mom friends through my children’s school and through church. It’s also always fun randomly meeting someone at a local park or restaurant and becoming friends.

Why Park Cities is great for families Our neighborhood has an incredible focus on supporting the children and schools, which makes this a sweet spot to raise a family. I also think our city officials work very hard to provide quality services, from beautiful parks to great public safety.

L A S CO LI N A S

KRISTY DEROSA

K

RISTY DEROSA is an on-the-go Las Colinas mom and a digital creative producer for Citi, the financial services provider. She and her husband Kevin are parents to Preston, 5, and Brooke, 3. The family enjoys staying active and giving back to the community they love.

Favorite family outing We’re excited to visit the new Big Air trampoline and recreation park. The kids also love Play Street Museum. In addition, we are members at Hackberry Creek Country Club and spend a lot of time at the pool during the summer. BIG AIR // 2000 Market Place Blvd., Irving; bigairusa.com PLAY STREET MUSEUM // 901 MacArthur Park Drive, Suite 130, Irving (more DFW locations); playstreetmuseum.com/ irving HACKBERRY COUNTRY CLUB // 1901 W. Royal Lane, Irving; clubcorp.com/clubs/hackberry-creekcountry-club For a night out Anywhere in the Toyota Music

Factory. We saw Trevor Noah there, which was a perfect night out. And we’re looking forward to checking out Stumpy’s axe throwing! TOYOTA MUSIC FACTORY // 316 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving; toyotamusicfactory.com STUMPY’S HATCHET HOUSE // 370 W. Las Colinas Blvd, Suite 120; Irving; stumpyshh.com Self-care spot If I’m feeling like a splurge, I will go to the Four Seasons in Las Colinas for a massage. For a pedicure, I love Chic Nails on Royal Lane.

Both my son and daughter love to pick out a color and get their nails painted; it’s a fun family treat for all.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND CLUB DALLAS AT LAS COLINAS

// 4150 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving; fourseasons.com/dallas CHIC NAILS LOUNGE // 901 W. Royal Lane, Suite 140, Irving; chicnailsloungeirving.com How she gives back I am a member of the Young Professionals Board of Back on My Feet.

Back on My Feet combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. I volunteer on Saturday mornings at Dallas Life.

We run anywhere from 1–5 miles with the group.

Members are people living at shelters and need to maintain a 90% attendance rate to be connected with housing and employment resources. It’s a great way to stay active and give back! BACK ON MY FEET // backonmyfeet.org Why Las Colinas is great for families I cannot recommend Las Colinas enough for families. There is so much to do! I love how we have options for both mom and pop stores as well as national chains like Target. We also have so much green space; our family loves having the ability to be out in nature. There are also many education options for our kids. I like how there are a lot of schools to choose from for all levels of learning.

And there’s so much culture in this little enclave. One of my friends says Las Colinas Elementary reminds her of a little United Nations! And I can’t forget to point out how great it is to be close to DFW Airport (but without noise and pollution). We love traveling as a family, and it’s great to be able to be at the airport in less than 15 minutes when it's time to go!

Pecan Tree Pediatrics Lakewood New Option For Pediatric Medical Care

• Well child check-ups and immunizations • Telemedicine sick appointments available • COVID-19 testing at physician discretion • Minimal time in the waiting room • No charge for after hours advice line • Accepting most private insurance plans, with a self-pay option if uninsured.

Our physicians care for newborns, infants, children and adolescents for well visits, immunizations, and medical management of many pediatric conditions including (but not limited to) asthma, allergies, infections such as cold and flu, and skin issues.

DEROSA FAMILY: MICHELLE CARRIERE PHOTOGRAPHY

Rest assured that your child will be seen by a Pediatric Doctor for every sick visit and check-up.

Please know that our office is following recommended guidance from public health authorities, including best practices for hygiene, infection control, and medical professional team health.

6301 Gaston Ave., Suite 125P Dallas, TX 75214 214-214-3100 Rockwall: 972-772-3100 • 1005 West Ralph Hall Pkwy., Suites 135 & 145, 75032 Wylie: 972-429-4800 • 3360 West FM 548, Suite 910, 75098

pecantreepediatrics.com dfwchild.com / july 2020

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dallas county CO PPE LL

ERIKA SLATER

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ROM COPPELL’S small-town environment to its impressive school district, speech-language pathologist Erika Slater takes pride in the city. It’s the perfect home for her family—husband Peter (director of customer strategy for Metro

by T-Mobile) and their three children: Paige, 13, Hunter, 12, and Peyton, 9. Hunter has autism, autoimmune encephalitis and diabetes. Slater is co-founder of Competing for Recovery, a nonprofit that raises awareness of autoimmune diseases and connects area families.

Favorite family restaurant We love J. Macklin’s Grill for its patio and live music on the weekends. We also can’t pass up Anamia’s takeout right now. J. MACKLIN’S GRILL // 130 N. Denton Tap Road, Suite 120, Coppell; jmacklinsgrill.com ANAMIA’S TEX-MEX // 106 N. Denton Tap Road, Suite 240, Coppell; anamias. com Best park We have always been a bike-riding family, but since the start of social distancing, we take our cruisers to the parks more often. Andy Brown East has beautiful trails, lakes and wide paths to allow for riders, walkers and runners. ANDY BROWN PARK EAST // 260 E. Parkway Blvd., Coppell; coppelltx.gov Favorite family outing We love Old Town Coppell. We play board games at George Coffee + Provisions’ picnic tables while drinking their delicious coffee. Or we walk over to Twisted Root and watch the kids run around the playground and water features during warmer weather. Because

our son is high risk, during the pandemic we have been sticking to neighborhood scooter rides, chalking sidewalks or doing socialdistance gatherings in the front yard. OLD TOWN COPPELL // 768 W. Main St., Coppell; coppelltx.gov For a night out The Sound is a new area with restaurants in Coppell, and Landon Winery is a fave because of their local barrels. THE SOUND AT CYPRESS WATERS // 3111 Olympus Blvd., Coppell; thesoundtx.com LANDON WINERY // 3121 Olympus Blvd., Suite 130, Coppell (more DFW locations); landonwinery.com For cooling off The CORE outdoor water park is a fun spot for our kids. This summer, though, we will be cooling off in our backyard in order to social distance. THE CORE AQUATIC AND RECREATION FACILITY // 234 Parkway Blvd., Coppell; coppelltx.gov How she gives back I am a co-director of the Fighting Autoimmunity 5K here in Coppell, along with my friend Lindy Kinnan. We both have children who have autoimmune diseases, so we started our nonprofit to facilitate a fun run that raises awareness and supports other nonprofits dedicated to research of autoimmune diseases, like CONQUER at UT Southwestern and CAP (Children’s Alopecia Project). Over the past five years, we have raised and donated over $83,000 and educated others about autoimmune diseases and how they affect families. This year’s 5K will take place virtually to keep the community safe.

How she found her mom squad Our local elementary school has been the main connection for my mom squad, but with sports, church and other activities, my husband and I have found friends for life here.

Why Coppell is great for families Coppell is a small town in a big city. You run into neighbors, church members, teachers and friends everywhere you go. The city plans free events regularly, maintains and renovates the parks, and the school district is academically impressive. We couldn’t think of another place to raise our family!

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SLATER FAMILY: CHERA25 PHOTOGRAPHY

“COPPELL IS A SMALL TOWN IN A BIG CITY. YOU RUN INTO NEIGHBORS, CHURCH MEMBERS, TEACHERS AND FRIENDS EVERYWHERE.”

ABOVE // Paulina Flores enjoys volunteering at her children's schools, where she builds bonds with teachers and staff—and gets some extra time with her kiddos.

G R A N D PR A I R I E

PAULINA FLORES

FLORES FAMILY: WILDERLOVE CO.

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ROM A TODDLER to a teenager, mother-of-five Paulina Flores has her hands full—and there’s no better place to keep her kids busy and happy than in Grand Prairie. That’s where Flores, a stay-at-home mom, grew up—and it’s where she and husband Josh (a district manager for an international operator of pawn stores) are raising Ezekiel, 2, Kynadi, 5, Melodi, 9, Emma, 10, and Noah, 13.

Favorite family restaurant Pizzaiolo’s!

The owner and his son treat you like family.

They always offer the kids candy or other sweets and have amazing deals. We love the huge pizzas. PIZZAIOLO’S PIZZA & PASTA // 355 E. Westchester Parkway, Grand Prairie; pizzaiolosgrandprairie.com Best park The new PlayGrand Adventures park has amazing amenities for all ages (and abilities). The jungle gym, the climbing and exploring sections, the flying saucers and the swings are the best! They have bathrooms and a shuttle that will bring you to and from the park if there’s no parking available in the main lot. To catch the shuttle, park at Epic Waters. PLAYGRAND ADVENTURES // 2985 Epic Place, Grand Prairie; playgrandadventures.com Favorite family outing The Waggoner Park walking trails by the Trinity River are great.

They’re very relaxing, with lots of nature to encounter, little creeks and river views.

The trails are very wide, which is perfect for the kids’ bikes and scooters. And it’s a petfriendly area, which is a must since we have two fur babies. WAGGONER PARK TRAIL // 2122

N. Carrier Parkway, Grand Prairie; grandfungp.com Self-care spot I go to Oasis Nail Bar for a relaxing pedicure. Oasis has a calm feel, with piano music and screens that play videos of fish in the sea. They also serve delicious alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. They would give my toddler a slushy and a lollipop every time. OASIS NAIL BAR GRAND PRAIRIE // 1205 Arkansas Lane, Suite 150, Grand Prairie; facebook.com/ oasisnailbar.2018 Go-to for getting active We go to the Tony Shotwell Life Center. They have a gym, trails and pools. We go one or twice a month, and more often if we have time.

The kids also love the center’s library. They have awesome books, games and computers as well. And for my toddler, they have a play kitchen and toys. TONY SHOTWELL LIFE CENTER // 2750 Graham St., Grand Prairie; grandfungp.com/shotwell For cooling off For my littles, it’s Splash Factory. It’s a water playground for younger children, no pools. It’s cheap, shaded and fun! For the best snow cones, we go to Tastee Ice. My personal fave is the pickleflavored snow cone. SPLASH FACTORY // 601 E. Grand Prairie Road, Grand Prairie; grandfungp.com/aquatics/splash-factory TASTEE ICE SNOW CONES // 829 S. Belt Line Road, Grand Prairie (more DFW locations); facebook.com How she found her mom squad Honestly? Mostly from high school! But we have lots of ways to help meet new mom friends in Grand Prairie: our library’s toddler and elementary classes, citywide events and so much more.

Why Grand Prairie is great for families People take pride in their land, homes and neighborhoods. It’s a sweet spot in DFW, right in the middle of all the main cities, and there is so much culture and diversity. dfwchild.com / july 2020

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AWYER CINDY DODDS moved to the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Winnetka Heights 20 years ago as a single woman because of the camaraderie. She and her husband Jeff, a psychologist, continue to foster that community spirit by participating in local events along with their 5-year-old son Micah.

They are also taking in all the culture.

Favorite family restaurant There are so many to choose from in Bishop Arts, and it depends on our mood. But I would say that Spiral Diner is our favorite. I’m a vegetarian, but Jeff is not. The options are appealing to even nonvegetarians. We also like the eclectic vibe. SPIRAL DINER & BAKERY // 1101 N. Beckley Ave., Dallas (more DFW locations); spiraldiner.com Best park Kidd Springs Park. It has the new swimming pool that Micah loved so much we bought a season pass. Also, the park is large enough to accommodate large outdoor parties for a relatively small price. Last year, we had Micah’s fourth birthday party there and had well over 100 guests. KIDD SPRINGS PARK // 700 W. Canty St.,

D E SOTO

TIFFANY K. DANIELS

T

IFFANY K. DANIELS is happy that in DeSoto, her kids get to experience the same small-town vibe she felt growing up in Alabama.

Daniels is a speech-language pathologist and owner of Jargon Group Speech Therapy Clinic, and she founded The Learning Paradigm, a nonprofit that serves children with special needs.

She and her husband, Robert Spivey, have two kids: son Caav, 6, and daughter Dylan, 11 months.

Favorite family restaurant We love to frequent our favorite eatery, Sweetsie in DeSoto.

They not only have really good desserts such as pies, cookies and rolled ice cream, but 32

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Dallas; dallasparks.org For a night out Our date night place is Cretia’s. Their food is good, but their desserts are heavenly. I am a big dessert person who tries to watch my sugar intake. But on date night, I may choose a light salad for my entree. Then I feel free to order whatever dessert I want! CRETIA’S // 228 W. Davis St., Dallas; cretias.com Self-care spot Self-care for us means to reward ourselves with ice cream! Our favorite ice cream parlor is Picolé in Bishop Arts. I usually stick with something traditional like vanilla with nuts. Jeff and Micah like to experiment with all the flavors and toppings Picolé has. After ice cream there, it’s hard not to feel a little better about the world! PICOLÉ POPS // 415 W. Davis St., Dallas (another DFW location); picole.square.site Go-to for getting active I work out with a trainer at the new 24 Hour Fitness on Fort Worth Avenue. During the shutdown, Jeff, Micah and I took long walks, often near Stevens Park Golf Course. 24 HOUR FITNESS // 2300 Fort Worth Ave., Dallas (more DFW locations); 24hourfitness.com STEVENS PARK GOLF COURSE // 1005 N. Monclair Ave., Dallas; stevensparkgolf.com How they give back One of the primary reasons that I moved to Winnetka Heights was the strong sense of community you feel as you ride through our neighborhood and see neighbors visiting and children playing. Jeff and I have participated in many events over the years to continue to foster that neighborly feel. Most recently, Jeff, a

former musician, played rockabilly at the Turner House during the Winnetka Heights Home Tour.

A few years ago, Micah and I helped to paint the float that represented our neighborhood in the annual Mardi Gras parade.

they also have not-your-typical eggrolls such as Philly cheesesteak and pepperoni flavors that are pretty amazing. The vibe and customer service are always great! SWEETSIE BAKERY & CAFÉ // 921 W. Belt Line Road, Suite 112, DeSoto; sweetsie-bakerycafe.business.site Best park I’m a country girl at heart! Being outdoors either fishing at Joe Pool Lake with the kids or taking a hike at Cedar Ridge Reserve is something that I enjoy doing. Sharing my love of fishing with them is something that I’ve always looked forward to. JOE POOL LAKE // swf-wc.usace.army.mil/joepool CEDAR RIDGE PRESERVE // 7171 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas; audubondallas. org/cedar-ridge-preserve For a night out Sandaga 813 is a nice jazz lounge that has live music to relax and dance to. It’s great for either a date night or a girls night out. There’s even an outdoor patio that has more upbeat music. Always a fun time!

SANDAGA 813 // 813 Exposition Ave., Dallas; sandaga813.com Self-care spot I try to get massages as often as possible and my go-to place is The

Massage Suites in DeSoto. The atmosphere is nice and tranquil, and the staff makes you feel comfortable with friendly and caring service. THE MASSAGE SUITES // 279 N. Interstate 35 E., DeSoto; themassagesuites.com Go-to for getting active It has been a challenge to stay active and focus on fitness since having my little girl. But luckily I found Fit4Mom South Dallas Metroplex that has opportunities for moms to work out with their babies. FIT4MOM SOUTH DALLAS METROPLEX // southdallasmetroplex.fit4mom.com For cooling off My daughter attends AquaTots in Mansfield and is learning how to swim.

So we cool off in the pool quite often. We are sure to grab a snow cone from Tastee Ice on our way home to help beat the heat too! AQUA-TOTS // 1551 Highway 287 N., Suite 111, Mansfield (more DFW locations); aqua-tots.com TASTEE ICE SNOW CONES // 829 S. Belt Line Road, Grand Prairie (more DFW locations); facebook.com How they give back As the founder of a nonprofit that supports children with special needs, The Learning Paradigm, our family stays active volunteering in our community, especially during our adapted sports season where we focus on their abilities to grow, play and thrive! However, with the change in climate, we offered free speech therapy services for some of the children in the program and will continue to provide online educational resources for their families. THE LEARNING PARADIGM // thelearningparadigm.org

ABOVE // Cindy Dodds says a silver lining of the pandemic is the extra family time.

DODDS FAMILY: HEATHER ZAK OF HEATHER ZAK DESIGNS DANIELS AND CHILD: KORY SEBASTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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dallas county SO UTH DA LL A S

JESSICA MURRUGARRA

J

No Limits, Just Possibilities

ESSICA MURRUGARRA says her family moved to Dallas’ South Boulevard-Park Row Historic District “to put down roots in a place that believes diversity is beautiful.”

The stay-at-home mom and her husband John are raising two daughters: Jolie, 2, and Jemma, 1.

Best park Fair Park. We pack our bike trailer with a hammock and food for the ducks. Once there, we string our hammock on one of the many freestanding hammock stands by the water and relax while the kids feed the ducks and run around the green space. They also have lounge-style lawn chairs and tables to set out snacks and water on a hot day. FAIR PARK // 3809 Grand Ave., Dallas; fairpark.org For a night out I like going to Opening Bell Coffee near South Side on Lamar for a casual meetup with a friend. They have local beer, live music and, of course, really great coffee. My favorite is the Dirty Chai.

This place is also a great daytime escape with kids since it has a chalkboard table, crayons and coloring pencils. OPENING BELL COFFEE // 1409 S. Lamar St., Suite Q12, Dallas; openingbellcoffee.com Self-care spot Koffee Day Spa. They make you feel like a queen when you’re there. I personally recommend the pedicure, full-body massage, hot stone massage (a life changer!) and the facial. It’s a Blackowned, modern, minimal boutique focused on clean beauty. KOFFEE DAY SPA // 1118 S. Akard St., Dallas; koffeedayspa.com

Go-to for getting active I love walking in my neighborhood—one loop is exactly 1 mile—and looking at the grand historic homes. The view never gets old. For a more intense workout, I go to Park South YMCA to swim laps in the indoor pool, or Exall Park, which has workout machines placed all along the walking path. PARK SOUTH FAMILY YMCA // 2500 Romine Ave., Dallas; ymcadallas.org EXALL PARK // 1355 Adair St., Dallas; dallasparks.org For cooling off Exline Pool, which is currently being renovated with a new tube slide, or the new Mildred Dunn splash pad. We can also walk to our local library for a cool down and a good read after a good walk.

EXLINE FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER // 2430 Eugene St., Dallas; dallasaquatics.org MILDRED DUNN SPRAYGROUND // 3300 Carpenter Ave., Dallas; dallasaquatics.org How she found her mom squad By getting involved. I joined my neighborhood’s social committee and met several moms that way.

We celebrate Easter, Valentine’s, Halloween and MLK Day together and have an annual block party every October. When it’s safe to gather in larger groups again, we are going to have a big party for the kids.

Why South Boulevard-Park Row is great for families It’s a tight-knit community full of diversity and history. Generations of families live here and care about each other. There is also history everywhere you look, from the architecture of the homes to the murals of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X just a couple blocks away.

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ABOVE // Jessica and John Murrugarra give back to their South Dallas community—and teach their daughters generosity—by donating to Abide Women's Health Services.

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denton county.

JAZZ FESTIVAL AND FAIR: CITY OF DENTON; HORSES: ©ISTOCK. STATS: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU; THE TOWN OF FLOWER MOUND; DISCOVER DENTON; NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR HOME SAFETY AND SECURITY; THE COLONY PUBLIC LIBRARY; EMPORIS; DENTON COUNTY OFFICE OF HISTORY AND CULTURE; TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY

ON THE MORE RUSTIC SIDE OF THE METROPLEX, Denton County marches to its own beat. From the abundance of live music to the robust horse population, we gathered a few facts to show why Denton County stands out.

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gFlower Mound derives its name from The Mound, a 12.5-acre hill (said to be covered with wildflowers) standing 50 feet above the countryside. gAt 14.5 acres, Shiloh Field Community Garden in Denton is believed to be the largest community garden in the United States. gThe North Texas Fair & Rodeo takes place in Denton and is a nine-day event held in August. It includes concerts, rodeos, horse and livestock shows, games and more. The presenting organization aims to promote Western heritage and values.

H O RS I N G A RO U N D

1

S A FE T Y FI RS T

HIGHLAND VILLAGE IS THE 9TH SAFEST CITY IN TEXAS.

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5

G ATH E R H E R E

O N TH E ROA D

There are about 25,000 horses in Denton County—which has one of the greatest concentrations of horse farms in the country.

POPULATION 887,207. THE POPULATION HAS INCREASED 33.9% OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS.

3

M I SCE LL A N EO U S D E TA I L S

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THE AVERAGE RESIDENT HAS A 29-MINUTE COMMUTE TO WORK.

TH E MO R E YO U KN OW ... gThe Colony, originally Bridges Settlement, is the first non-native settlement in Denton County. It has one of the county's oldest cemeteries, Bridges Cemetery. g Guinn Hall at Texas Woman’s University is the tallest building in Denton County at 24 stories. gBuilt in 1877, the Paschall Building is the oldest building still standing on the historic Denton Square. gWith about 15,000 students, Texas Woman’s University is the nation’s largest university primarily for women. dfwchild.com / july 2020

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RÉSUMÉ

AGE 32 LIVES IN Denton's University

Park neighborhood HAILS FROM Flower Mound OCCUPATION Owner of LM Organics SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband John, co-owner of CleanerGenics OFFSPRING Tiajah, 14, Elijah “Eli,” 8, Mayah, 5, Lincoln, 3 ALMA MATER Marcus High School and the Art Institute of Dallas for interior design. “I sketch floorplans for friends who may be remodeling and can’t really see the scope of what they want.

Ultimately my retirement goal is if I can just remodel and flip homes till my last days—I would love to do that.”

Now that Cassie and her husband John work from home, the Kang family is enjoying more time together.

CASSIE KANG business owner and mom of four

WORDS

CARRIE STEINGRUBER

PHOTOGRAPHY

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CARTER ROSE

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

C

ASSIE KANG moved to Denton to be closer to the food truck scene—at the time, she and her husband John owned The Famous Dumpling Bros—and came to love the diversity of her adoptive city. A lot has changed for the family in the midst of the pandemic: Kang took over LM Organics, a local (and beloved) self-care brand; John made a major career change of his own. Now they’re both savoring the chance to spend more time with their kids and each other.

You just took over LM Organics a couple of months ago. What has that transition been like? It’s been great overall. LM Organics has a very big reputation in Denton, so there’s a little bit of pressure there, just convincing people that I love LM Organics too, and I want to keep everything the same as possible. Denise [the previous owner] worked so hard for so long, and my goal was to take it to the next level. So I have this expectation that I want to exceed, but also keep the current customers secure in our quality and ingredi-

LEAVES: NOUN PROJECT

the best of denton /

denton county ents. It’s some pressure, but I love it—I thrive off of that stuff.

Do you still own the food truck company? No, we actually sold Dumpling Bros, and my husband really is coming alongside me with LM Organics.

And we have a really good friend who has a carpet cleaning company, and so we partnered with him and started a commercial cleaning business.

We just pivoted our whole source of income, and it’s been going really great. The food truck industry is so hard on families and marriages. We were at a kind of crossroads and we had to decide: Do we want our business to thrive, or do we want our family to thrive? In that moment, we just chose our family.

How have these new ventures changed your family life? We both basically work from home, so our kids get to have both of us here. My kids have an obsession with their dad—they could care less if I’m home— because most of their life, we had the food truck, and so it was rare Dad was home.

It’s really good for me to feel like I have an everyday partner in life now, like in the diaper changes, the potty training, the dinners, the baths. It’s been the best thing. We’ve been able to go to counseling and work on our marriage and go do date nights.

It really has been a huge blessing for our family.

Taking over a new business in the middle of COVID seems like a risky idea, but it sounds like for you it all worked out. Yeah, which is so weird! I was like, “We’re crazy! We have no idea what the future’s going to hold—what are we doing?” But I just could not get LM Organics out of my mind.

The moment Denise announced that she wanted to sell it and move on from it, I was just like, I cannot imagine it not existing, because I use the products myself. It’s so hard to find a product that is truly good for you, that’s truly pure, truly organic.

So I talked to my friend in Seattle who has a similar business, and she goes, “You just need to do it. I will help you.” Because I can run the business; I can scale the business; I was just like, “I don’t know if I can do this and maintain the integrity.” But my friend was like, “Do you make

dinners? You can do this chemistry. It’s just natural herbs, spices and oils that you’re mixing together. You can do it.”

Then [Denise and I] agreed and made it happen. It was totally meant to be.

Now that you have more family time, where is your favorite place to eat out (or in) together?

Villa Grande is one of my absolute favorite restaurants. We originally started going to the restaurant in Cross Roads when we lived in Little Elm, and then when we moved to Denton, they had a location at Rayzor Ranch—I’m so lucky.

The brisket nachos are my favorite.

What are your favorite date night spots? We’re big movie people; we like horror films. We love Movie Tavern, but it really depends on where we can catch a show at.

Where do you go with the kids? We take them to Explorium, the children’s museum. I love that place because all my kids can have fun there. It’s not just [for] one age group—they all can find something there they love.

Any parks you frequent? They just opened the Vela Soccer Complex right off of Elm, next to the McNatt pet shelter.

They have soccer fields, and they have this beautiful playground and equipment. They even have a cool, modern merry-go-round, which my kids love. We really like that park.

Where do you guys go to cool off in the summertime? We love going to the water park, Denton Water Works.

I really love that place.

It’s like the White Water Bay experience, but on a smaller scale, so you can keep track of your kids. They have concessions, they have the wave pool, they have splash pads, slides and shaded seating. They even offer the indoor pool that’s connected to it.

Is there a hidden gem you love for “you” time?

There’s the Habitat for Humanity resale store on University. It’s in the back of an Avis rental car store, so from the street you don’t really see it, but oh my gosh—they salvage things from homes that are being renovated, and so they have these most gorgeous chandeliers, these antique doors and windows. I found several farmhouse sinks in

“DO WE WANT OUR BUSINESS TO THRIVE, OR DO WE WANT OUR FAMILY TO THRIVE? IN THAT MOMENT, WE JUST CHOSE OUR FAMILY.”

there one time for crazy good prices.

What about new places you’re looking forward to exploring? My friend bought this house on Locust Street, and they’re turning it into a B&B, but their focus is really going to be renting it out to bridal parties for weddings. She’s very intentional with everything going in there for it to be Pinterest picture–worthy. It would be such a good place to host some of my spa nights with LM Organics, or intimate dinner parties with friends, or it would be a local place to get away to. So I’m really excited for that to open up. It’s called The Brownlow House.

Anywhere else you like to go locally? The Embassy Suites—we love to do staycations there because they have a really awesome splash pad and pool, and sometimes they offer movie nights at the pool, and they have this little croquet green space back there. Then they offer in-suite dining, and the restaurant, so that’s a really nice little staycation place for us too. My mom will come over and take the kids, and my husband I will go there for a weekend by ourselves, or we’ll take the kids and make sure we spend time down at the pool—it’s really fun.

How do you and your family give back to the community? We volunteer through our church community a lot. And we feed the homeless during wintertime. There’s a homeless shelter right off McKinney; it’s called Monsignor King. You can usually see the Denton homeless community kind of making their way there around eveningtime when they open. So in the wintertime, we always try to drive around that area and give out gloves and hats and coats—nothing sponsored or anything like that. We know it’s our duty to take care of people, and so we try to do that every year.

Sometimes there’s people that we meet, they have this burden on them; they’re just in a really spiritually bad place. I can sense that, and I usually just offer to pray with them and for them, and so me and my husband do that, and our kids get to witness that.

Cassie’s Picks

Villa Grande // 2530 W. University Drive, Suite 1140, Denton (more DFW locations); villagrandemexicanrestaurants.com Movie Tavern // 916 W. University Drive, Denton (more DFW locations); marcustheatres. com Explorium // 5800 Interstate 35, Suite 214, Denton; exploriumdenton.org G. Roland Vela Soccer Complex // 3801 N. Elm St., Denton; dentonparks. com Water Works Park // 2400 Long Road, Denton; dentonwaterworks.com Habitat for Humanity ReStore // 1805 Cornell Lane, Denton (more DFW locations); habitat.org/restores The Brownlow House // 815 N. Locust St., Denton; facebook.com/thebrownlowhouse Embassy Suites Denton Convention Center // 3100 Town Center Trail, Denton; hilton.com Monsignor King Outreach Center // 300 S. Woodrow Lane, Denton; kingoutreachcenter.com

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denton county C A R RO LLTO N

SHERIEN JOYNER

R

ARBOR HILLS NATURE PRESERVE

// 6701 W. Parker Road, Plano; plano.gov ANDY BROWN PARK // 260 Parkway Blvd., Coppell; coppelltx.gov COPPELL NATURE PARK // 367 Freeport Parkway, Coppell; coppelltx.gov For cooling off We are blessed in that we have a pool— but if we don’t have people over, we enjoy going to the Rosemeade Rainforest Aquatic Complex. It has a lazy river, a kids area and a larger pool area. ROSEMEADE RAINFOREST AQUATIC COMPLEX // 1334 E. Rosemeade Parkway, Carrollton; cityofcarrollton.com Why Carrollton is great for families From a plethora of parks, trails and playgrounds to active public libraries and a full community calendar, there is always something to do with your children that’s not too far and not too expensive. Additionally, we have a good variety of schools from three different ISDs here, as well as a good selection of private institutions. Carrollton is also centrally located, so the ability to explore other parts of DFW is so much easier than living on the outskirts.

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ABOVE // During the pandemic, Alysia Rosas has enjoyed working in her flower beds, reading and spending more time with her husband and three kids.

LE WI S V I LLE

ALYSIA ROSAS

A

LYSIA ROSAS ARRIVED in north Lewisville 18 years ago and never left—she loves the diversity and the welcoming spirit of her community. Rosas works at Valley Ridge Elementary and is married to Frank. At one point, the couple planned to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, but these days they can be found exploring Lewisville Lake with their three kids: Sebastian, 13, Bella, 10, and Graci, 9.

Favorite family restaurant Blue Goose has always been a family favorite—it's a fun gathering place for friends, and our children can cool off in the fountains. A great time is always had. BLUE GOOSE CANTINA // 4121 Barton Creek, Highland Village (more DFW locations); bluegoosecantina.com Best park We have been spending time at Lewisville Lake: walking the paths, playing at the parks, boating or just cooling off with friends.

LEWISVILLE LAKE // Search for Lewisville under Lake Finder on tpwd.texas.gov Favorite family outing We enjoy spending time at Wayne Ferguson Plaza. It has become the heart of events in our community. Our children have grown up attending festivals and having picnics here. WAYNE FERGUSON PLAZA // 150 W. Church St., Lewisville; playlewisville.com For a night out Marty B’s is great for a date night or gathering. The food is amazing, and we enjoy the live music that is often found outside on the patio. Rusty Beagle is our favorite neighborhood place that never fails. We always see a familiar face when we walk through the doors! It's the best place to watch football. MARTY B’S // 2664 FM 407, Bartonville; martybsplace.com RUSTY BEAGLE SPORTS GRILL // 1301 FM 407, Suite 109, Lewisville; rustybeagle.com Go-to for getting active We are so lucky in that we have so many walking paths and trails in the area. We enjoy walking at L.L. Woods Park. My girls love bird-watching! L.L. WOODS PARK // 1000 Arbour Way, Lewisville; playlewisville.com For cooling off We have several community splash pads and pools in the area. Doubletree Ranch Park recently opened and is the perfect oasis for our entire family. DOUBLETREE RANCH PARK // 310 Highland Village Road, Highland Village; highlandvillage.org Why Lewisville is great for families There are so many reasons to love our area. The schools, parks, restaurants and most of all the people make Lewisville the perfect place to raise our family. Our community leaders are always looking for ways to stay in tune to our ever-changing and fastgrowing city.

JOYNER FAMILY: COURTESY OF SHERIEN JOYNER; ROSAS FAMILY: ALISON MORENO PHOTOGRAPHY

EAL ESTATE AGENT AND MOM SHERIEN JOYNER hails from Egypt but has found her home in Carrollton with her husband Charles, 5-year-old son Liam and their German shepherd puppy, Dixie. Carrollton’s DFW-centric location is perfect for Joyner and her family as they explore restaurants, parks and events within a 15-minute car ride from their home.

Favorite family outing Indian Creek Park is walking distance from our house, so we love to go feed the ducks, geese and turtles. Carrollton’s downtown area has an active summer series of events, and we usually attend at least a handful of those each year. It’s easy to find parking, enjoy the outdoor space, maybe grab some pizza at Cane Rosso, then head home. Occasionally, we hop over to Castle Hills Village Shops or make a dash to Andy’s Frozen Custard. INDIAN CREEK PARK // 2701 La Costa Drive, Plano; plano.gov HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON // 1100 S. Elm St., Carrollton; historicdowntowncarrollton.com CASTLE HILLS VILLAGE SHOPS AND PLAZA // 2520 King Arthur Blvd., Lewisville; castlehillsvillageshops.com ANDY’S FROZEN CUSTARD // 1733 E. Hebron Parkway, Carrollton (more DFW locations); eatandys.com For a night out Zocado’s Mexican Restaurant is a favorite for margaritas and chips on the patio. Masu Sushi & Sake is also a local place my husband and I frequent when we can steal away a quick date night.

ZOCADO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT // 1628 W. Hebron Parkway, Suite 120, Carrollton; zocadoscarrollton.com MASU SUSHI & SAKE // 3220 E. Hebron Parkway, Carrollton; masu-online.com Self-care spot Between my job and busy family life, I find my selfcare in times I can be silent or simply observant. I love going to local coffee shops like Parks Coffee or exploring what the Carrollton Farmers Market has to offer. PARKS COFFEE // 1421 MacArthur Drive, Carrollton; parkscoffee.com CARROLLTON FARMERS MARKET // 2722 N. Josey Lane, Carrollton; cityofcarrollton.com Go-to for getting active It’s hard not to be active with a 5-year old and a puppy! But I’ve enjoyed joining local running groups, or even walking with other moms around the neighborhood or other locations like Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Andy Brown Park, or Coppell Nature Park, all within 10–15 minutes away.

F LOWE R MO U N D

NATALIE O’DONNELL

S

OUTHWEST AIRLINES PROJECT MANAGER NATALIE O’DONNELL loves going on bike rides and exploring Heritage Park near her neighborhood, Willow Ridge Estates. She and her husband Kelly are raising a brood of boys there: Cole, 8, Levi, 3, and John David, 18 months.

Favorite family restaurant The real MVP goes to Chick-fil-A. (They save us on so many occasions!) But for a quick, sit-down meal, we enjoy Jakes Burgers, Craft Pies Pizza Company and Luna Grill. JAKES BURGERS & BEER // 1141 Flower Mound Road, Suite 630, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); jakesburgersandbeer.com CRAFT PIES PIZZA COMPANY // 2451 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100, Flower Mound; craftpiespizza. com LUNA GRILL // 2500 Cross Timbers Road, Suite 100, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); lunagrill.com For a night out The Tavern at Lakeside has

TH E CO LO N Y

MEREDITH SHANKS

O’DONNELL FAMILY: STACIE LEANN PHOTOGRAPHY; SHANKS FAMILY: LO AND CO MEDIA

B

Y PROFESSION, MEREDITH SHANKS is a freelancer in marketing and communications; by passion, she loves being in the kitchen. (As it’s gotten warmer, she’s enjoyed playing around with burger recipes—the favorite so far is an apple cheddar burger.) The East Texas native lives in The Colony with her husband Sterling, who is a student pastor, and their two foster daughters.

Favorite family restaurant We love Heritage Pizza. The pizza is really good, and they have a playground outside so kids can get out their energy. They also always run some amazing deals. HERITAGE PIZZA // 3750 Plano Parkway, Suite 600, The Colony; heritagepizza.com Best park We’ve recently discovered Stewart Creek Park. We love going there with friends because there is so much to do—playgrounds, nature trails, and we let the kids play in the sand and water. STEWART CREEK PARK // 3700 Sparks Road, The Colony; thecolonytx.gov For a night out I love Mi Cocina in the Grandscape area! I will go with my husband or friends—whoever is up for some Sunset Fajitas with me. The Truck Yard in Grandscape is also

a great vibe and atmosphere. Most restaurants at The Shops at Lakeside have an outdoor patio, which is especially nice during their Lakeside Music Series. THE TAVERN AT LAKESIDE // 2600 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 100, Flower Mound; tavernlakesideflowermound.com Self-care spot I enjoy getting pampered at GrandLux Nail Salon. The staff is friendly and does a great job!

GRANDLUX NAIL SALON // 3750 Long Prairie Road, Suite 130, Flower Mound; grandluxnailsalon.com Go-to for getting active We are members at Life Time—it’s a great facility with a lot of amenities including indoor and outdoor pools, rock climbing wall, child care, saunas, steam rooms and a spa. LIFE TIME // 3100 Churchill Drive, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); lifetime.life For cooling off We love going to the pool at Life Time or the Flower Mound Community Activity Center, visiting the Heritage Springs Splash Pad, or picking up an ice cream treat from Culver’s or Dairy Queen. FLOWER MOUND COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTER // 1200 Gerault

Road, Flower Mound; flower-mound.com/cac HERITAGE SPRINGS SPLASH PAD // 600 Spinks Road, Flower Mound; flower-mound.com/splashpad CULVER’S // 2709 Flower Mound Road, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); culvers.com DAIRY QUEEN // 2000 Long Prairie Road, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); dairyqueen.com How they give back My husband and I serve as home group leaders at our church, The Village Church Flower Mound; volunteer at our children’s elementary school and preschool; and my husband coaches our boys’ sports teams. THE VILLAGE CHURCH – FLOWER MOUND CAMPUS // 2101 Justin Road, Flower Mound; thevillagechurch.net/ flower-mound How she found her mom squad It can be hard to find a mom squad, and it’s ever evolving as my children grow and make new friends—but as a working mom, I found my first connections through my boys’ day care and at our church.

Motherhood is tough, and it helps to have others to walk alongside you who can truly relate to the day-to-day demands.

a fun choice. MI COCINA // 5400 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive, The Colony (more DFW locations); micocina.com TRUCK YARD // 5959 Grove Lane, The Colony (additional DFW location); truckyardthecolony.com Self-care spot We live fairly close to some trails and Bill Allen Memorial Park, and when I need some time for myself, you will often find me on a walk or run. BILL ALLEN MEMORIAL PARK // 5900 Carroll Drive, The Colony; thecolonytx.gov Go-to for getting active I’ve been missing my gym so much during this season. Texas Family Fitness is where I go, and my girls love their Kids Club. I’ve only ever used the equipment, but I’ve been wanting to try out some of their classes. TEXAS FAMILY FITNESS // 5000 Main St., Suite 50, The Colony (more DFW locations); texasfamilyfitness.com For cooling off Hawaiian Falls is right down the road. We’re looking at possibly getting season passes. HAWAIIAN FALLS WATERPARK // 4400 Paige Road, The Colony (more DFW locations); hfalls.com How they give back We are very involved in our church, First Baptist Church at The Fields.

Sterling is the student pastor, and I help out in our MOPS group. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT THE FIELDS // 1401 Carrollton Parkway, Carrollton; firstfields.org How she found her mom squad I adore my mom squad! When I became a foster mom, I felt incredibly lonely. I didn’t have any other mom friends, but I got involved in the MOPS group at First Baptist Church at The Fields, and I have

found the dearest friends. We meet up for playdates and girls nights all the time. MOPS AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AT THE FIELDS // 1401 Carrollton Parkway, Carrollton; firstfields.org/mops Why The Colony is great for families I love how The Colony feels like a small town, but it has access to big-city attractions too.

ABOVE // Meredith Shanks and her family love to head outside when the weather is nice. dfwchild.com / july 2020

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L A NTA N A

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NTREPRENEUR AND STAY-ATHOME MOM Sabrina Ray sells handmade wreaths and wooden signs through AdleyandAvery, her Etsy shop and Painted Tree Marketplace booth. The business is named for her 4-year-old twin girls, who were born premature and have special needs. Ray and her husband Clayton live in Lantana; Disney World is their favorite place, but their neighborhood runs a close second.

Favorite family restaurant We love Hillside Fine Grill. It’s a new restaurant in Highland Village and it’s delicious. Price-friendly for a family with the ambiance of an upscale restaurant. HILLSIDE FINE GRILL // 3140 FM 407, Highland Village; hillsidegrillhighlandvillage.com Favorite family outing The Dock is a fun multilevel play area at Trietsch United Methodist Church, and Explorium in Denton is a sensory-filled learning center for the whole family. We also have a few farmers markets on the weekend where, if anything, we can just walk around and get some fresh air. And of course, we love going to Painted Tree in Highland Village. There are a lot of local vendors with shops inside—we love to look around, and there’s always something for each of us. THE DOCK // 6101 Morriss Road, Flower Mound; tmumc.org/the-dock EXPLORIUM // 5800 Interstate 35, Suite 214, Denton; exploriumdenton.org PAINTED TREE MARKETPLACE // 2240 Justin Road, Highland Village (more DFW locations); paintedtreemarketplace.com For a night out There is an amazing group of moms in Lantana that sets up a moms night out on a regular basis. Marty B’s in Bartonville is always the go-to place.

They have a beautiful ranch-style dining room; dance halls upstairs; spacious cabanas outside on their patio, where they have live bands playing (on the weekend); large community fire pits for s’mores; places for the kids to run around and so much more!

Also owned by Marty is Rustico Wood Fired Grill and Wine Bar. They have a dress code and don’t really offer accommodations for children, which we can all appreciate.

Not that we don’t love our children—of course we do—but this is a nice escape with

a quiet and more refined dining experience.

Clearly, I’m a big fan of Marty! MARTY B’S // 2664 FM 407, Bartonville; martybsplace.com RUSTICO WOOD FIRED GRILL & WINE BAR // 3701 Justin Road, Suite 150, Flower Mound; therusticogrill.com Self-care spot I love to get my nails done at GrandLux Nail Salon in Flower Mound.

And for hair, always Kaitlin Leal. I’m very picky about my hair, and she understands me.

GRANDLUX NAIL SALON // 3750 Long Prairie Road, Suite 130, Flower Mound; grandluxnailsalon.com BEAUTY BY KAITLIN LEAL // 2910 Justin Road, Suite 2, Highland Village; facebook.com Go-to for getting active Walking our amazing trails in Lantana. There is so much in our neighborhood to love, and we have some great wildlife too. We are also a golfing community and have the Lantana Golf Club for members, and community pools, gyms, and tennis and basketball courts as well. LANTANA TRAILS // lantanatx.com/amenities LANTANA GOLF CLUB // 800 Golf Club Drive, Lantana; lantanagolf.com How they give back Another special needs mom and I are working on forming a group called Lantana Inclusion for those residents and their parents to feel supported and included. This is a brandnew venture, and we are so excited about what the future holds for our community.

Stay tuned!

I’m also involved with the Lantana Ladies League, which hosts several charity functions yearly as well as giving back to our community through scholarships and aiding local charities.

Recently they provided masks for senior homes, soup kitchens and other service providers. The Ladies League is a great way to meet people with similar interests, get involved as a business owner and also help local charities and causes. LANTANA LADIES LEAGUE // lantanaladiesleague.com Why Lantana is great for families Lantana and the surrounding areas have so much to offer. Although my girls are young, we have already been overwhelmed with all the things to do. My girls can go to horseback riding lessons and then go to science camps or gymnastics, swim lessons, dance, organized sports —there’s something for everyone!

The community is also loving and giving, and we have a couple of resident-run Facebook pages designed to freely give (recycle) gently used items that your family may no longer need. For our graduating seniors, we recently had a community parade to cheer them on and show our support. And we have so many locally owned businesses who give back to our community by hosting events or getting involved with our HOA programs. We love being here and are excited about the many opportunities our girls will have.

RAY FAMILY: DISNEY FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

denton county

Faith Lutheran Day School serves children 18 months to kindergarten.

ABOVE // Jessica French, husband Shawn and their four children live in Highland Village, a city of just over 16,000 on the shores of Lewisville Lake.

JESSICA FRENCH

FRENCH FAMILY: EMILY DAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY

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ESSICA FRENCH homeschools her four kids—Jase, 13, Allyson, 10, Finn, 7, and Maebry, 5—and teaches in the local homeschool community, which has been a source for friendships too.

French and her husband Shawn live in the Village Estates neighborhood, where their family enjoys getting outside to experience nature.

Favorite family restaurant Hillside and Rosa’s Café HILLSIDE FINE GRILL // 3140 FM 407, Highland Village; hillsidegrillhighlandvillage. com ROSA’S CAFÉ // 3080 Justin Road, Highland Village (more DFW locations); rosascafe.com Best park Doubletree Ranch Park is fun because the kids can run and play in the green space or play area, and there are walking trails and a pond, if you want to fish. DOUBLETREE RANCH PARK // 310 Highland Village Road, Highland Village; highlandvillage.org Favorite family outing We enjoy family walks and bike rides on a trail close to our home. We also fish in local ponds or the lake.

For a day or night out Painted Tree Marketplace is a such a cute place to walk around!

Board and Brush Creative Studio is also a fun outing with girlfriends. My husband and I enjoy quiet meals together at Mi Dia From Scratch, fishing and walks together.

PAINTED TREE MARKETPLACE // 2240 Justin Road, Highland Village (more DFW locations); paintedtreemarketplace.com BOARD & BRUSH CREATIVE STUDIO // 2230 Justin Road, Suite 220,

Highland Village (more DFW locations); boardandbrush.com MI DIA FROM SCRATCH // 2601 W. Windsor Drive, Flower Mound (more DFW locations); midiafromscratch. com Self-care spot Salons on 407 houses some great and affordable artists for hair, nails, massages and more. SALONS ON 407 // 1920 Justin Road, Highland Village; facebook.com/salonson407 Go-to for getting active I enjoy going on a walk early in the morning before the kiddos are awake. We are also members at Workout Anytime fitness, which is right around the corner from us. WORKOUT ANYTIME // 1952 Justin Road, Suite 118, Highland Village (more DFW locations); workoutanytime.com For cooling off We usually go to Las Colinas Country Club for a swim. Also, our sweet neighbor across the street invites us over to swim. LAS COLINAS COUNTRY CLUB // 4400 N. O’Connor Road, Irving; clubcorp. com/clubs/las-colinas-country-club How they give back My husband, oldest son and I volunteer weekly at our church in our kids department teaching a class. My husband also volunteers with local sports and is on the board with the baseball association. I volunteer teaching in our local homeschool community.

How she found her mom squad Homeschool communities that we have been involved in have been such a blessing for our family. Also, getting plugged in to our church has resulted in sweet friendships.

Why Highland Village is great for families We love that everything is nearby, from sports to stores and green spaces. The families we have met in Highland Village have been so kind and welcoming.

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denton county LIT TLE E L M

ALISSA MCBURNEY

A 601 S. Main St. #101, Grapevine, TX 76051 817-416-7774 littleorangefishkids.com

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july 2020 / dfwchild.com

ABOVE // Alissa McBurney and her family enjoy time in Little Elm's great outdoors.

Frisco; glownailbarfrisco.com Go-to for getting active Being outside— hiking trails, walking the neighborhood to see friends, feeding ducks at the pond and actually playing with my kids on the playground.

For cooling off If we aren’t in our pool out back, then we are at Little Elm Beach or Hydrous Wake Park for fun on the inflatable features or lessons on the board. LITTLE ELM BEACH // 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm; littleelm.org HYDROUS WAKE PARK // 580 E. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm (additional DFW location); hydrouswakeparks.com How they give back The best way is just showing you’re available, extending a simple hello, being where you are, exactly when you are there. Our local church family also does a great job of keeping us engaged with not just businesses and town events, but the people. CrossRidge Church wholeheartedly cares about every street and address number!

CROSSRIDGE CHURCH // 1701 Walker Lane, Little Elm; crclife.org How she found her mom squad Invited our neighbors to a gathering at the house, where we won them over with La Azteca Meat Market fajitas, and promised the best doughnut in town was at Bakers Dozen right before the Sunday service at CrossRidge. Been doing life together ever since. LA AZTECA MEAT MARKET // 407 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm (more DFW locations); laaztecamm.com HEATHER’S BAKERS DOZEN DONUTS // 2785 E. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 110, Little Elm; heathers-bakersdozen-donuts.business.site Why Little Elm is great for families In Little Elm, you can have the small-town riches with the big-city feels. Not too little, not too big, but just right.

MCBURNEY FAMILY: CHRISTY PERSICHINI PHOTOGRAPHY

Swimwear and summer fashion for boys and girls in sizes newborn through 10

LISSA MCBURNEY is a mom, bonus mom and the McBurney Home CFO. She lives in the Little Elm neighborhood of Sunset Pointe along with her husband Marty and four children: Kennedy, 11, Blakelee, 4, and twins Audrey and Luke, 1. The family’s word of the year is “improve,” so they’re tackling a new DIY project around the house each month, having too much fun with a Date Night Bucket List (from Uncommon Goods) and spiritually seeking to become more like Jesus.

Favorite family restaurant Hat Creek Burger Co. As a family, we love to be outside playing. Here we can enjoy a night out like we are on our back porch, minus the cooking and cleanup! HAT CREEK BURGER CO. // 2661 Little Elm Parkway, Little Elm (more DFW locations); hatcreekburgers.com Best park Little Elm Park—really, it has everything. Kennedy and I love to take our kayaks out on the lake, there’s a playground that even wears my hubby out, sand volleyball, the littles love the beach and making new friends, and easy access to a sweet treat.

LITTLE ELM PARK // 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm; littleelm.org Favorite family outing We are a family of six—so it’s a crowd wherever we go. We enjoy bike rides to McCord Park with a pit stop for $5 smoothies at Smoothie King on Fridays, or daytime movies at Flix Brewhouse. My kids always feel a bit more glamorous seeing a movie there—and I guess so do I! MCCORD PARK // 2050 FM 423, Little Elm; littleelm.org SMOOTHIE KING // 2731 Little Elm Parkway, Suite 320, Little Elm (more DFW locations); smoothieking.com FLIX BREWHOUSE // 1660 FM 423, Frisco; flixbrewhouse.com For a night out Marty and I are crazy simple. We can pick up Margarita Hut and his two left feet, park at Little Elm Beach and have the best time. And the only place for a ladies brunch getaway is Barneys— yum! MARGARITA HUT // 850 W. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 900, Little Elm; margaritahutle.com LITTLE ELM BEACH // 701 W. Eldorado Parkway, Little Elm; littleelm.org BARNEYS BRUNCH HOUSE // 5480 FM 423, Suite 700, Frisco; facebook.com/barneysbrunchhouse Self-care spot I really enjoy Glow Nail Bar. It’s clean and refreshing! I can get rid of my sandpaper feet, brighten up my nails, get a massage and enjoy a nonshareable drink.

GLOW NAIL BAR // 1606 FM 423, Suite 300,

Family Getaway in Lewisville

Cottonwood Trail

For 1.3 miles of perfect prairie views, the Cottonwood Trail is a great family hiking destination.

Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area LLELA.org • 972.219.3550 • Open Daily

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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MONEY, AT&T STADIUM AND TARRANT COUNTY COURTHOUSE: ©ISTOCK. STATS: CITY OF FORT WORTH; NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC; SPERLING'S BEST PLACES; TARRANT COUNTY; U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF THE NATION’S MONEY IS PRINTED IN NORTH TEXAS? (It’s way more than you’d think.)

Hitch a ride into the county where the West begins with a few fascinating stats about Tarrant County.

CO U NT Y A N D COW TOWN S TAT S

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g POPULATION: 2,102,515.

Tarrant is the third largest county in Texas by population. g GROWTH: Tarrant County ranked No. 5 nationwide in growth over the past decade.

Population in 2010: 1,810,664. Population in 2019: 2,102,515. And Tarrant County is now 2,700 times larger than it was in 1850. gAGE: Fort Worth is the youngest city in Texas. + Average population age for Fort Worth: 31.5 years old. For Texas: 33.9 years old + There are 517,080 children under 18 in Fort Worth. gTOURISM: The city of Fort Worth has an estimated 8.8 million out-of-town visitors annually.

COM E H OM E

TARRANT COUNTY HAS 41 INCORPORATED AREAS.

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LE T TH E G A M E S B EG I N

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S H I N I N G B R I G HT

C A S H MO N E Y

Arlington is the home to AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field, the venues where the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers play.

ABOUT 63% OF THE PAPER MONEY IN THE U.S. IS PRINTED AT THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING IN FORT WORTH.

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TARRANT COUNTY HAS 232 SUNNY DAYS PER YEAR. THE U.S. AVERAGE IS 205 DAYS.

H O U S E H O LD L A N G UAG E S P O KE N ( A S O F 2014): 58% ENGLISH 18% SPANISH 12% ASIAN OR PACIFIC ISLAND LANGUAGES 8% OTHER INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 4% OTHER dfwchild.com / july 2020

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RÉSUMÉ

AGE 43 LIVES IN Fort Worth’s Tanglewood neighborhood HAILS FROM New Jersey; grew up in the Houston area OCCUPATION Pharmacist and fashion blogger SIGNIFICANT OTHER Husband “Mr. S.,” who works in the medical field OFFSPRING Son “Little M,” 6, and daughter “Baby M,” 4 ALMA MATER Undergrad at Texas A&M University; pharmacy school at the University of Texas FIND HER AT styleofsam.com

the best of tanglewood /

SAM STEWART fashion blogger, pharmacist and mom of two

WORDS

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ALEXIS PATTERSON

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

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AM STEWART IS A WOMAN OF MANY TALENTS. She’s a pharmacist at Fort Worth’s John Peter Smith Hospital while also running her popular fashion blog, Style of Sam. She and her husband, known to fans as “Mr. S.,” settled in Fort Worth’s Tanglewood neighborhood. They thought it would be a great place to raise their family—and they weren’t disappointed. Tanglewood has been a happy home for Mom, Dad, 6-year-old “Little M” and 4-year-old “Baby M.” What makes Tanglewood special? When we moved here, our neighbors brought us plants and food and welcomed us. I’ve never experienced that. It’s a tight-knit community.

The neighbors watch out for each other. There are beautiful trees. It’s a really great place.

How does TCU contribute to the vibe? We are extremely close to campus. Our family likes to walk there. We’re a little farther out than some of the student housing, but it’s a fun mix of people. We have a lot of the older generation, younger families and college kids.

SAM: ANGIE GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY; PURSE: NOUN PROJECT

Sam Stewart says she and her husband did a “tour of Texas” before settling in Fort Worth.

STEWART FAMILY: ANGIE GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY

tarrant county Where’s a great spot in Tanglewood for a family meal? One of my favorites is Local Foods Kitchen, a family-owned place. They make good healthy foods, and they have this courtyard shaded by ivy. The people who work there love to bring my kids treats. We also frequent Zoës Kitchen. It’s really good, and they’re used to my kids. I love my kids, but they can be a little crazy!

What about your favorite park? I have two.

Overton Park is right across from Tanglewood Elementary, and it’s a wonderful park with sidewalks. There’s a playground, and it’s part of a huge walking, running and bicycle trail. And during quarantine, a lot of kids put fairy gardens there to make it a “positivity park.” Tillery Park is another favorite. It has a smaller playground for younger kids. So you could take both a younger child and an older child, because it has both types of playgrounds. And it’s fenced in, which is nice.

How does your family cool off on summer days? We love Forest Park Pool. There’s a very shallow end and a deeper end. Everyone in the community goes there. And the fountains at Sundance Square. The water disappears into the ground, and kids try to chase the water.

What are some ways your family gives back to the community? One of my favorite places is the Tarrant Area Food Bank. They have wonderful programs. My favorite is the Community Kitchen, where executive chefs from local restaurants teach culinary skills to people in the community. At the end of the 16-week program, most of them were able to get jobs at local restaurants. It’s amazing.

Also, we like to donate to the Center for Transforming Lives. They help women and children in Tarrant County break the cycle of poverty.

How did you and your husband meet? He was my lab partner freshman year of college. I totally had a crush on him. I was so excited when he sat next to me in microbiology class. When I looked over five minutes later, he was asleep! In his defense, it was an 8am class. But I was dating someone, and I think he was dating someone. So we always were just fond of each other. I remember every time I saw him on campus all four years. Our senior year, we were in pharmacology class together, and we had broken up with our significant others the previous summer. And we started dating. We said we wanted to be casual because we had just gotten out of very serious relationships. But we just really loved each other so much.

Where did you meet your mom friends? At our preschool—we go to Kinderplatz—everyone is super nice. Basically, you have no choice when your kids start school! You meet other moms. And I have a friend who also adopted. We bonded, and she introduced me to some of her friends too.

Can you tell us about the adoption process?

I’m a huge advocate for adoption; we’re blessed with two children because of it. My husband and I went through fertility treatments for seven years.

I finally got to the point where I was done trying to “naturally” have children. Both of our children are domestic adoptions. We just feel really lucky.

Our journey to become parents is actually connected to me starting the blog. My friends wanted me to write about our fertility troubles.

At the time, I didn’t feel comfortable with that, because it was so emotional and I didn’t know how to put it into words. So I shared fashion instead.

Looking back, I wish I would have shared more about our journey, because maybe I could have found other people who were going through the same thing. And maybe we could’ve helped each other.

How has the pandemic affected your work as a pharmacist? I am considered “as needed” at work.

When COVID hit, even though my hospital floor was a COVID floor, all our shifts got cut—we had stopped surgeries and everything. So I’ve worked only one shift since the pandemic started. Actually it has been OK for our family. We don’t have outside child care, and my husband had to cancel his clinic when I was working. So it’s helpful to have me home.

How busy do you stay with the Style of Sam blog? I would say it’s like a part-time job, 10–20 hours a week. I haven’t been able to focus on it as much since the pandemic hit, because I’ve been taking care of the kids, and there’s just a lot of other things going on.

You love high fashion but also attainable looks. That’s awesome! I’ve always been like that, because growing up, we didn’t have much. I got a lot of hand-me-downs. My mom sewed, and sometimes her customers would trade and give her clothing from their kids. And we would shop at garage sales. Pre-kids, I was at a lot of estate sales and resale shops. I don’t have as much time now, so I’ve found a lot of online resale shops—

Sam’s Picks

Local Foods Kitchen // 4548 Hartwood Drive, Fort Worth; localfoodskitchen.com Zoës Kitchen // 1601 S. University Drive, Fort Worth (more DFW locations); zoeskitchen.com Overton Park // 3500 Overton Park Drive E., Fort Worth; fortworthtexas.gov/parks Tillery Park // 2200 Rockridge Terrace, Fort Worth; mistletoeheights.org/tillerypark.html Forest Park Pool // 2850 Park Place, Fort Worth; fortworthtexas.gov/ forestparkpool Fountains at Sundance Square Plaza // Near Houston Street & Fourth Street, Fort Worth; sundancesquare.com Tarrant Area Food Bank // 2600 Cullen St., Fort Worth; tafb.org Center for Transforming Lives // 512 W. Fourth St., Fort Worth; transforminglives.org The Kinderplatz of Fine Arts // 2701 Riverglen Drive, Fort Worth; kinderplatz.org

The RealReal, Fashionphile. You can find all these designer things at literally a fraction of the cost.

Has your daughter gotten into fashion too?

Oh yes. She takes stuff out of my closet and wears it. And her teachers say she always notices what they’re wearing, their accessories.

What are your hopes for your kiddos? I just want to make sure they’re caring and compassionate. I have to make sure I really do the work to help them become really caring and compassionate people. It’s so important. I feel like a lot of us were focused on so many different things before. Right now, I feel like we all have to focus on one thing, and that’s making sure we all love each other.

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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W E S T L A K E A C A D E M Y 50

Wishing a wonderful summer to all students & congratulations to the strong & resilient Class of 2020 graduates across the DFW Metroplex!

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tarrant county SO UTHWE S T FO R T WO R TH

ARDEN JENKINS

A ABOVE // Fairmount�s Ashley Paz and her daughters love exploring the heart of Fort Worth, including the Trinity Trails.

CE NTR A L FO R T WO R TH

ASHLEY PAZ

PAZ FAMILY: COURTESY OF ASHLEY PAZ; JENKINS FAMILY: COURTESY OF ARDEN JENKINS

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INCE SETTLING IN THE HISTORIC FAIRMOUNT NEIGHBORHOOD IN 2006, Ashley Paz and her family have planted deep roots; in fact, Paz has been the local Fort Worth ISD Board of Education trustee since 2013. The business consultant and her husband Eric are proud to be raising two daughters—Vera, 12, and Vivian, 9—in a diverse community that “shows up for each other.”

Favorite family restaurant Chadra Mezza & Grill’s pizza and pasta buffet is our weekly Wednesday night tradition. We often meet friends there and are always running into our favorite neighbors. During the COVID-19 shutdown, they have made a to-go buffet option with all of our favorites so we can keep this tradition alive! CHADRA MEZZA & GRILL // 1622 Park Place Ave., Fort Worth; chadramezza.com Favorite family outing Our regular outings usually involve walking our dogs down to Magnolia Avenue to get ice cream from Melt or mini pies from Stir Crazy Baked Goods. However, our favorite neighborhood outings are the community events that are organized by Near Southside Inc., including ArtsGoggle, Open Streets and the monthly free concert series, Friday on the Green. MELT ICE CREAMS // 1201 W. Magnolia Ave., Suite 115, Fort Worth (more DFW locations); melticecreams.com STIR CRAZY BAKED GOODS // 1251 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth; stircrazybakedgoods.com NEAR SOUTHSIDE INC. // nearsouthsidefw.org For a night out Kent & Co is my favorite place to start a night out both with girlfriends and my husband. They carry Turbulent Rosé, which is my favorite wine and appropriately named for these times. KENT & CO MAGNOLIA WINE BAR // 1101 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth; kcowines.com Self-care spot I am a huge mental health advocate and have been very open about my own journey with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety. The Near Southside is home to one of the coolest psychotherapy groups in Fort Worth. Dr. Bean offers what he calls “Geek Therapy” for his patients, with strategies like Dungeons and Dragons processing groups and gaming therapy. Can you think of a cooler way to normalize mental health treatment? BEAN PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES // 1650 W. Rosedale St., Suite 305, Fort Worth; beanpsychologicalservices.com Go-to for getting active Urban Yoga has been my go-to studio for years.

Since the shutdown, they have been great at keeping their students connected through online classes and access to a video library. URBAN YOGA // 1706 Eighth Ave., Fort Worth; urbanyogafw.com Why Fairmount is great for families Fairmount is a tight-knit and inclusive community that shows up for each other. There are so many amazing people who give freely of their time and talents to keep it that way. Our schools are among the best in the city, there is always something going on, and we have a rich and diverse culture that exists nowhere else in the Metroplex.

RDEN JENKINS IS A MOTHER OF FIVE, with kiddos ranging from an up-and-coming kindergartner to a new driver.

She and husband Paul, a custom home builder, are raising their brood (Gwen, 5, Lake, 7, Eden, 8, Parker, 10, and Pierson, 16) in the second phase of Fort Worth’s Riverhills neighborhood, off of Arborlawn Drive and Hulen Street. It’s a pretty picture-perfect life for this photographer mama, who documents weddings and family portraits through Arden Prucha Photography.

Favorite family restaurant Our big family loves to dine at Press Cafe.

It’s so family friendly, and we love their simple but delicious menu. Press gives us the opportunity to relax and eat wonderful food while our children utilize the open space around the restaurant to play! PRESS CAFE // 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, Suite 105, Fort Worth; presscafeftworth.com Best green space We enjoy Waterside’s green space while snacking on a Steel City pop or a treat from Whole Foods. Their outdoor sitting area is a place to stay in the shade and cool off with jumbo fans while the kids play.

We also love walking to The Trailhead near Press Cafe, on the riverfront of the Trinity Trails, with a picnic. The green space is clean, easy to get to and full of Fort Worthians having outdoor time. And that’s where they hold the farmers market. A great Saturday morning spot! WATERSIDE // Bryant Irvin Road & ArborLawn Drive, Fort Worth; watersidefw.com THE TRAILHEAD AT CLEARFORK // 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, Fort Worth; trailhead1848.com Favorite family outing We love going to Pinstripes for a family bowling afternoon. Pinstripes has great food, wonderful service and their bowling lanes and bocce ball are perfect to entertain our big crew. PINSTRIPES // 5001 Trailhead Bend Way, Fort Worth; pinstripes.com How they give back We have been a part of the Cook Children’s Health Foundation. We have also been the featured family for March of Dimes and the American Heart Association. We are very passionate with these causes, because our daughter is a Cook Children’s patient. She has had four open-heart surgeries, suffered a stroke and has a blood disorder.

Cook Children’s and its amazing staff hold a very special place in our hearts! COOK CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOUNDATION // 801 Seventh Ave., Fort Worth; cookchildrens.org/giving MARCH OF DIMES // marchofdimes.org AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION // heart.org Why Fort Worth is great for families This is such a down-to-earth and family-friendly city. There are so many places to visit, and it just keeps growing. I absolutely love the options of locally owned restaurants, boutiques, breweries, bakeries, plus all the cultural and art-centered places to take our family. Our Riverhills community is amazing. It has been one of the biggest blessings to the seven of us. We have made the dearest friends and grown our social and business networks.

ABOVE // All five of photographer Arden Jenkins’ kiddos will be in Fort Worth ISD schools this fall. dfwchild.com / july 2020

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Serving students with learning challenges such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Anxiety and ADD 2020-2021 registration closes soon and a wait list will be started to better prepare for COVID19 precautions.

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All children are unique & marvelously made by God

BEDFORD

JENNY BROWN

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URST-EULESS-BEDFORD is pretty much right in between Fort Worth and Dallas, giving residents convenient access to everything the Metroplex has to offer. But there’s also plenty to enjoy right in the MidCities. Jenny Brown, who oversees home remodeling projects through The Remodel Place, is an expert on all things HEB—she’s lived in Bedford for more than three decades, and she’s now raising her daughters Stella, 9, and Lila, 3, in the same community.

Favorite family restaurant We like Abuelo’s Mexican restaurant.

They have really great fajitas, and I love their green salsa.

ABUELO’S // 850 Airport Freeway, Hurst (more DFW locations); abuelos.com Best park Chisholm Park is great and has tons of space to play.

We love the new playground equipment. And there’s a pond where the kids enjoy watching ducks; you can fish too. Chisholm Park also has baseball fields, pavilions you can rent and an aquatic center with big slides, a kids splash area and more. CHISHOLM PARK // 2200 Norwood Drive, Hurst; hursttx.gov Favorite family outing I like to take my daughters over to Dave & Buster’s to play games. The kids especially love to pick out fun prizes at the end. Besides the arcade, Dave & Buster’s has these cool virtual reality experiences. We always have a good time—and games are half-price

on Wednesdays. DAVE & BUSTER’S // 2525 Rio Grande Blvd., Euless (more DFW locations); daveandbusters.com For a night out I like MidiCi in Glade Parks. They have a nice patio to enjoy a glass of wine. And the pizzas are made right in the dining room, which has a tree growing in the middle of it. It’s a nice atmosphere. MIDICI NEAPOLITAN PIZZA // 1310 Chisholm Trail, Suite 800, Euless; mymidici.com Self-care spot I like to go shopping without children at Glade Parks. I love being able to walk to all the stores. And it’s got a nice green space where you can just sit and people watch.

GLADE PARKS TOWN CENTER // Glade Road and Highway 121, Euless; gladeparks.com Go-to for getting active We enjoy being active right outside our house. The neighborhoods in HEB are great places to take walks and ride bikes.

For cooling off Bedford Snoball is where we get a summer treat. It’s been around since the 1970s, and they have the best snow cones in town.

They also have fun games that the kids play while they eat.

BEDFORD SNOBALL // 2201 Pipeline Road, Bedford; bedfordsnoball.com How they give back My 9-year-old is in Girl Scouts, and we do a lot of community service projects through her troop. It’s great for my daughter to do things that really make our city a better place. GIRL SCOUTS

“WE HAVE GREAT FRIENDS, AND EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A SAFE, HAPPY PLACE TO LIVE.”

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OF TEXAS OKLAHOMA

// gs-top.org How she found her mom squad Most of my mom friends are from my kids’ schools and our neighborhood. I still have good friends from when I was a kid in HEB. There are a lot of us who stayed.

Why HEB is great for families This area has been home to me for a long time, and I love being able to raise my kids here. We have great friends, and everyone works together to make it a safe, happy place to live. The HEB school district is good, there’s a lot for families to do and it’s central in DFW. PLAINS

BROWN FAMILY: ZAN BERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

a safe place to learn

ABOVE // Lani Taylor found most of her local mom friends through play dates requested by her kids. “My mom friends are the best. They’re supportive, and we bond over the highs and lows of mothering our beautiful babies.”

ARLINGTON

LANI TAYLOR

TAYLOR FAMILY: REDMOND WORTHAM

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RLINGTON CALLS ITSELF “The American Dream City.” And Lani Taylor can’t disagree: Arlington has been a great place for her family to call home. She and husband Ryan, a field supervisor in the oil and gas industry, are raising their daughter Aryana Skye, 8, and son Ryan Kai, 6, in the city’s Viridian neighborhood. Taylor, the executive assistant for Tarrant County’s administrator, says her family loves the community’s diversity, amenities and friendly neighbors. An American dream, indeed.

Favorite family restaurant Halo Hawaiian BBQ and Jamaica Gates are our favorite family restaurants, because cultural foods bring us comfort. I am Samoan, and my husband is Guyanese. Neither of us has family who live locally, so when we crave our moms’ homecooked meals, Halo and Jamaica Gates are the closest we can get. Our kids love the short ribs and barbecue chicken from Halo and curry chicken and plantains from Jamaica Gates.

HALO HAWAIIAN BBQ // 2613 West Park Row Drive, Arlington; halohawaiianbbq.com JAMAICA GATES // 1020 W. Arkansas Lane, Arlington; jamaicagates.com Best park We enjoy Overlook Park in Viridian, because the lake view is beautiful and there’s plenty of space for my kids to run around or build sandcastles. It’s a great place to relax or have a picnic. OVERLOOK PARK AT VIRIDIAN // 1210 Viridian Park Lane, Arlington; facebook.com Favorite family outing Our favorite family outings are right in our neighborhood.

Whether it’s walking around the neighborhood or hanging out lakeside at Overlook Park, we like being outside. And we have the

best neighbors. A fun indoor place is Elzie Odom Athletic Center. There’s basketball, roller skating, rock climbing and a fitness center that everyone in the family can enjoy.

VIRIDIAN // North Collins Street & Blue Lake Boulevard, Arlington; viridiandfw.com ELZIE ODOM ATHLETIC CENTER // 1601 NE Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington; arlingtontx.gov For a night out Studio Movie Grill or Six Flags. My husband and I love to watch movies and eat. Studio Movie Grill is the perfect place away from our couch to do that. We also enjoy roller coasters, so we jump at any chance we get to go to Six Flags without the kids and ride all the big rides as many times as we want. We are big kids! STUDIO MOVIE GRILL // 452 Lincoln Square, Arlington (more DFW locations); studiomoviegrill.com SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS // 2201 E. Road to Six Flags St., Arlington; sixflags.com/overtexas Go-to for getting active We enjoy Urban Air and Brazilian jiujitsu. The jiujitsu academy’s address is in Euless, but it’s only five minutes from our house. During the pandemic, our favorite way to get active has been to go for walks near our house or work out in the garage. My husband creates a workout program for all of us to follow. URBAN AIR ADVENTURE PARK // 1303 N. Collins St., Arlington (more DFW locations); urbanairtrampolinepark.com SLOTH BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU // 218 N. Main St., Euless; slothbjjtx.com For cooling off Our community pool or beach area is my go-to place to cool off in the summer. I also like to go to Zero Degrees for a spicy watermelon slush or mangonada. ZERO DEGREES // 1807 N. Collins St., Arlington (more DFW locations); zerodegreescompany.com Why Arlington is great for families Arlington is a melting pot of cultures, and for my husband and me, diversity is important for raising our kids. Their school offers Spanish immersion and world languages, and our daughter is flourishing. It’s an amazing experience, and we’re happy to be able to provide that for our kids.

Clayton will not be having camp this summer.

After-School Care Please check our website at claytonyouth.org for info on after-school care.

817/923-9888 claytonyouth.org dfwchild.com / july 2020

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tarrant county CO LLE Y V I LLE

TINA DIEBER

ABOVE // One of the Bullock family’s favorite activities is checking out garage sales and looking for special treasures.

KE LLE R

EDEN BULLOCK

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ELLER OFFERS THE SWEET LIFE for Eden Bullock, a chef and entrepreneur, and her family. Bullock and husband Theryn (an autobody technician who also does athletic field pad and netting installations) have four children: Emma, 18, Bert, 16, Bea, 11, and Annie, 9. They love the local schools, and their neighborhood also gives Bullock a short commute to her job as the owner of Southlake’s Taste Buds Kitchen—a family-friendly kitchen studio.

Favorite family restaurant Taco Casa. Our family has so many great memories there. From after-church lunches with the sweetest friends to celebrating an accomplishment, we find ourselves there consistently for the best of times. And the hot sauce packets—we buy them by the case.

TACO CASA // 807 Keller Parkway, Suite A, Keller (more DFW locations); tacocasatexas.com Best park Johnson Road Park has been a favorite of all our kids growing up. It’s known by our family as the “tire swing park” because we love to spin each other on the tire swing until we simply can’t spin anymore.

Such a good time! JOHNSON ROAD PARK // 640 Johnson Road, Keller; cityofkeller.com/services/parks-recreation For cooling off We love ice cream. Every night is ice cream night for us. Braum’s, Wooley’s and ice cream at home are our favorites. BRAUM’S // 1221 Keller Parkway, Keller (more DFW locations); braums.com WOOLEY’S FROZEN CUSTARD // 7630 N. Beach St., Suite 166, Fort Worth; wooleysfrozencustard.com How they give back We all have a passion for animals and enjoy donating time and resources to the local rescues, Humane Society of North Texas and Apollo Support & Rescue. And HopeKids is a wonderful local organization that we’re privileged to be a part of, helping local families with kids who have life-threatening medical conditions. HUMANE SOCIETY OF NORTH TEXAS – KELLER REGIONAL ADOPTION CENTER // 330 Rufe Snow Drive, Keller; hsnt.org APOLLO SUPPORT & RESCUE // 1170 Dove Hill Road, Justin; apollosupportandrescue.org HOPEKIDS – NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER // hopekids.org/north-texas-chapter How she found her mom squad I’ve met some of the most wonderful women in so many different ways. Friends from church, school friends, professional connections, moms I’ve met at the grocery stores and garage sales—you name it. Great people are all over.

Why Keller is great for families Our city offers a little bit of everything for us as a family and individually. We live in a wonderfully supportive community, and being a transplant, it’s been a blessing to have neighbors and friends who have become family.

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BULLOCK FAMILY: ALYSSA MAISANO PHOTOGRAPHY; DIEBER FAMILY: COURTESY OF TINA DIEBER

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OLLEYVILLE IS HOME for Tina Dieber, a physician at Cook Children’s Medical Center. When she’s not working with parents and patients, Dieber is managing a busy household. She and husband Joe, a fellow doctor, are parents to 11-year-old Victoria, 6-year-old twins Anthony and Genevieve, and pups Bear and Alfred Pennyworth. The Dieber crew loves their home in Colleyville’s Riverwalk neighborhood but takes every opportunity to get out and enjoy their community and neighboring Grapevine.

Favorite family restaurant I love Loveria Caffe in Colleyville. I’m a first generation Italian American, and so many of the dishes at this family-run authentic Italian restaurant remind me of happy memories from my childhood. LOVERIA CAFFE // 5615 Colleyville Blvd., Suite 410, Colleyville; loveriacaffe.com Best park It’s so difficult to choose just one. We love Sparger Park in Colleyville because our kids often meet their friends after school for a quick playdate. We also love City Park in Colleyville for its treehousethemed equipment, which is so unique and beautiful. Parr Park in Grapevine has such fun water features—it always promises a good time, as does Grapevine’s Dove Park (my kids especially enjoy the zip line!).

SPARGER PARK // 4301 Bedford Road, Colleyville; colleyvilleparksandrec. com CITY PARK // 5205 Bransford Road, Colleyville; colleyvilleparksandrec. com PARR PARK // 3010 Parr Lane, Grapevine; gograpevine.com/explore DOVE PARK // 1509 Hood Lane, Grapevine; gograpevine.com/explore Favorite family outing My kids like to kayak alongside my husband Joe while he does an open-water swim across Lake Grapevine. We also enjoy Colleyville Nature Center for a quick walk. Even though it’s in the middle of the city, it feels like we are off the beaten path—and their Halloween celebration is always a fun time! And we love to ride bikes along the Cotton Belt Trail. You can ride for miles and miles alongside the train tracks. LAKE GRAPEVINE // grapevinetxusa. com COLLEYVILLE NATURE CENTER // 100 Mill Wood Drive, Colleyville; colleyvilleparksandrec.com COTTON BELT TRAIL // Starts at Dallas Road at Ball Street, Grapevine, and continues through North Richland Hills; gograpevine.com/trails Go-to for getting active My entire family belongs to Life Time, and we enjoy spending time at the outdoor pool. We also love going for long walks or bike rides. My kids participate in local kids triathlons—all hoping to become an Ironman like their dad one day. And we are members of Colleyville ATA (American Taekwondo Association), and it’s been a great experience training together. LIFE TIME // 1221 Church St., Colleyville (more DFW locations); lifetime.life COLLEYVILLE ATA MARTIAL ARTS // 4709 Colleyville Blvd., Suite 600, Colleyville; atacolleyville.com How they give back Joe and Victoria started WALLRUS (Waterways and Lakes Litter Recycle/Upcycle Society) to clean up local aquatic areas.

They even have bright green shirts with a giant walrus that they wear to be more visible when cleaning up. They also belong to DORBA (Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association), and they go out with others to help build up the local biking trails around DFW. I like to give back to our community by providing meals to families who are convalescing or dealing with loss. WATERWAYS AND LAKES LITTER RECYCLE/UPCYCLE SOCIETY // wallrus.org DALLAS OFF-ROAD BICYCLE ASSOCIATION // dorba.org Why Colleyville is great for families It’s safe, beautiful and peaceful, and the citizens are so friendly.

SO UTH L A KE

Metroplex. I like to join them for paddleboarding at Panther Island Pavilion in Fort Worth. BACKWOODS PADDLESPORTS AT PANTHER ISLAND PAVILION

ALISON VIKTORIN

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VIKTORIN FAMILY: COURTESY OF ALISON VIKTORIN

OUTHLAKE HAS A POPULATION OF 32,376. Three of those residents are Alison Viktorin, her husband Dustin and their 11-year-old son Cyrus. Viktorin—a voice actress, social media content creator and feng shui consultant—and Dustin, who works in finance, moved their family to Southlake almost two years ago. They came for the schools and fell in love with everything the community offers.

Best green space My neighborhood, Timber Lake, has beautiful ponds and nature trails. It’s been such a treat during this pandemic, with many places closed, to be able to walk right outside my door and have a lovely trail where I can decompress from everything and hear birds as well as water trickling in streams. TIMBER LAKE NEIGHBORS // facebook.com Favorite family outing We are quite an active family. My husband and son love to play tennis at our neighborhood courts and golf all over the

// 480 N. Taylor St., Fort Worth; backwoodspaddlesports.com For a night out My fave spot for girl time is Del Frisco’s Grille. I love, love their drink called Youth Serum. The name is fabulous, and the ingredients are super yummy for hot Texas weather.

My favorite spot is on their patio. For date night, we enjoy Truluck’s because of the live music and the ambiance during happy hour at the bar. DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE // 1200 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake (more DFW locations); delfriscosgrille.com TRULUCK’S // 1420 Plaza Place, Southlake (additional Dallas location); trulucks.com Self-care spot My favorite place to feel healthy is at Chernly Acupuncture. A Southlake couple owns it. My immune system has never been better! I also like to recharge at Bally’s Nail Bar with a nice pedicure. RAY CHERNLY ACUPUNCTURE // 470 W. Harwood Road, Hurst;

raychernly.com BALLY’S NAIL BAR // 250 Randol Mill Ave., Suite 170, Southlake; ballysnailbar.com For cooling off We like to play in our pool on most days and then get a delicious Steel City Pops treat. STEEL CITY POPS // 1151 E. Southlake Blvd., Suite 370, Southlake (more DFW locations); steelcitypops.com How she found her mom squad I met most of my mom friends through my neighborhood, church or school activities. I’m always up for more friends, so follow me on Instagram @alisonviktorin.

Why Southlake is great for families I have never felt so at home.

Southlake has welcomed my family with open hearts. The teachers and school administrators treat our kids like their own; they have so much love to give and bend over backwards to help. There are lots of things to do out here, so we’re never bored.

And I really love that wherever I go in town, I know someone. There’s a great feeling of community here, which brings a sense of peace and acceptance.

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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tarrant county M A N S F I E LD

TONI COLLINS

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COLLINS FAMILY: J TAYLOR STUDIOS

ANSFIELD HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES for Toni Collins, a Grammynominated singer-songwriter (under the name Toni Estes), content creator and mom. Together with husband Johnny, co-founder of a title agency, Collins is raising son Johnny III, 11, and daughter Justyn, 9. What drew them to their community? “All my friends lived here and loved it,” Collins explains. After moving here, her family fell in love with Mansfield too.

Favorite family restaurant Our current favorite is MOD Pizza. We love it because we can all get individual pizzas with a wide variety of toppings. The Mike’s Hot Honey is our absolute favorite! MOD PIZZA // 1675 E. Broad St., Suite 109, Mansfield (more DFW locations); modpizza.com Best green space Believe it or not, our favorite green space is our own backyard.

We happen to live on a golf course. When it's closed, my son races his (TCU hall-offamer) dad out there, and my daughter does cartwheels.

Favorite family outing We love to see all the newest movies at Cinemark. We have been looking forward to going to Mansfield’s newest theater, Flix Brewhouse; it’s still under construction. And we love to get frozen yogurt from Yogurtland. Of

course, with COVID-19, we’ve spent way more time at home than we usually do. It will be an adventure getting back out and finding new places to go. CINEMARK MOVIES 16 // 220 W. Westchester Parkway, Mansfield; cinemark.com FLIX BREWHOUSE // Coming to The Shops at Broad, Highway 287 & Broad Street, Mansfield (additional DFW location); flixbrewhouse.com YOGURTLAND // 1401 E. Debbie Lane, Suite 105, Mansfield (more DFW locations); yogurt-land. com For a night out For a fun girls night in Mansfield, I love Poured wine bar. It’s intimate, with a good selection of wine and some small bites. Super fun for a quick “touch base” with my girls. POURED WINE, BEER & BUBBLY // 1601 E. Debbie Lane, Suite 1105, Mansfield; pouredtx.com Go-to for getting active My husband and I have a trainer named Roy Williams, who comes to our home four days a week to train us. We really love it! ROY WILLIAMS III // Instagram: @ifbb_pro_roysalphalyfe For cooling off We love Bahama Buck’s (which has shaved ice, smoothies and more cool treats) and ice cream cones from Dairy Queen. BAHAMA BUCK’S // 1571 E. Debbie Lane, Suite 101, Mansfield (more DFW locations); bahamabucks.com DAIRY QUEEN // 1014 E. Broad St., Mansfield (more DFW locations); dairyqueen.com How she found her mom squad I have some pretty awesome mom friends! I’ve found many through my kiddos’ school. Others are neighbors I’ve added to my mom tribe.

Why Mansfield is great for families Mansfield has a small-town feel I love while still growing every day. And we love our children’s schools. Mansfield has been really great for us.

I’ve thought about moving other places, but I can’t seem to bring myself to leave!

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ABOVE // The Unterwagner kids are Texas transplants but feel right at home in Aledo, which sits just west of Fort Worth in neighboring Parker County. OPPOSITE // When they're not dressed to impress, the Collins family likes racing, turning cartwheels and more low-key fun at home in Mansfield.

A LE D O

UNTERWAGNER FAMILY: BRIAN UNTERWAGNER; WHITNEY AND DAUGHTER: COURTESY OF WHITNEY UNTERWAGNER

G ACCEPTIN NTS NEW PATIE

Harwood

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We also walk around our neighborhood.

TRINITY TRAILS OF FORT WORTH // Access points throughout Fort Worth; trinitytrailsfw.com For cooling off Frios Gourmet Pops in Aledo is yummy, and they have a drivethru which is convenient for a quick trip.

We also love Lone Star Sno for snow cones; it’s in the same parking lot as Frios.

FRIOS GOURMET POPS // 405 S. FM 1187, Aledo; friospops.com LONE STAR SNO CONES // 401 S. FM 1187, Aledo; facebook.com How they give back We donate a lot to Aledo AdvoCats, which helps underserved families in our community. And Beautiful Feet Ministries in Fort Worth is an organization that serves meals to the homeless. ALEDO CHILDREN’S ADVOCATS // aledoadvocats.com BEAUTIFUL FEET MINISTRIES // 1709 E. Hattie St., Fort Worth; thefeet.org How she found her mom squad I met one of my dearest friends in Aledo at preschool dropoff shortly after we moved here!

She then introduced me to a group of women in her neighborhood who were doing a weekly Bible study. That group is where I found “my people” in Aledo. Our children are involved in school activities and sports, and that has also allowed us to meet many friends. Finding the right group of mom friends takes time—and after seven years of living here, I have a core group of women who are supportive, understanding and fun!

Why Aledo is great for families We originally picked Aledo because of the schools, sense of community and more rural location. We have been very happy with our decision to set down roots in this community. Our children have all thrived here.

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LEDO HAS THE PRESCRIPTION FOR HAPPINESS for pharmacist Whitney Unterwagner. Her family (including husband Brian, an engineer at Lockheed Martin, and their kids Beckett, Finn and Addie, 14-year-old triplets, and Nole, 9) moved to the community west of Fort Worth from Georgia seven years ago for Dad’s job. The Unterwagners may not be native Texans, but they got here as fast as they could—and they’re here to stay.

Favorite family restaurant We love Bistro 1031 in Aledo. My daughter has a very strict diet due to some health issues, and they are always willing to go above and beyond to accommodate her requests. And the food is delicious!

BISTRO 1031 // 109 S. Front St., Aledo; facebook.com/bistro1031aledo For a night out My group of girlfriends frequently plans nights at Clearfork. We will restaurant hop and have so much fun—appetizers at one restaurant, dinner at another and then dessert and drinks at another. There is so much to choose from there, and everything is great. THE SHOPS AT CLEARFORK // 5188 Monahans Ave., Fort Worth; clearfork1848.com Self-care spot I am a huge reader (usually 10–12 books a month), and if I am not on my patio reading, I love coffeehouses! Aledo has two: Shamrock and Serve. My go-to spa is Willow Park Nails Bar. They are a new business and fabulous! SHAMROCK COFFEE CO. // 108 Jearl St., Aledo; shamrockcoffeeco.com SERVE // 328 Old Annetta Road, Aledo; facebook.com/servelokal WILLOW PARK NAILS BAR // 103 Willow Bend Drive, Aledo; facebook.com/ willowparknailsbar Go-to for getting active The Trinity Trails are such a great place to walk or ride bikes.

1N

WHITNEY UNTERWAGNER

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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private schools.

Students at The Cambridge School of Dallas get a hands-on lesson in human biology.

North Texas is home to a variety of private schools that parents might choose to meet their children’s educational needs. The information below is provided to DFWChild by the schools and is based on the 2019-20 academic year. The schools listed here offer at least four primary grades or three secondary grades. Campuses marked with an asterisk (*) serve students with learning differences or special needs.

COLLIN COUNTY ALLEN THE GUTHRIE SCHOOL

guthrieschool.com Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 110

NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF DALLAS*

SCIENCE FAIR: THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF DALLAS

notredameschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 165

CARROLLTON PRINCE OF PEACE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

popcs.org Religious affiliation: Christian; Lutheran Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 750

DALLAS CAMPBELL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

campbellchristianacademy.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 80

FAIRVIEW

Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 432

INSPIRED LEARNING ACADEMY

MCKINNEY

inspiredlearningacademy.org Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: 9

NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY, FAIRVIEW CAMPUS

northtexasperformingarts.org/academy Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: N/A

FRISCO

CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

ccawarriors.com Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 361

MCKINNEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

mckinneychristian.org Religious affiliation: Nondenominational Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 588

FRISCO MONTESSORI ACADEMY

PLANO

NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY, FRISCO CAMPUS

planochristianschool.com Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 90

LUCAS

coramdeoacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 493

friscomontessori.com Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 203

northtexasperformingarts.org/academy Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: N/A

LUCAS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

lucaschristianacademy.com Religious affiliation: Christian

BETHANY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

CORAM DEO ACADEMY, COLLIN CAMPUS

FAITH LUTHERAN SCHOOL

flsplano.org

dfwchild.com / july 2020

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private schools

FUSION ACADEMY PLANO

fusionacademy.com Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: 100

GREAT LAKES ACADEMY*

greatlakesacademy.com Grades: 4–12; Total enrollment: 120

JOHN PAUL II HIGH SCHOOL

WYLIE WYLIE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

DALLAS COUNTY

cks.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 490

wylieprep.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 320

ADDISON GREENHILL SCHOOL

johnpauliihs.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 700

greenhill.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,320

NEW HOPE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

trinitychristian.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,416

explorenewhope.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–7; Total enrollment: 92

NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY, PLANO CAMPUS

TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

CARROLLTON THE ST. ANTHONY SCHOOL*

northtexasperformingarts.org/academy Grades: 5–12; Total enrollment: 80

thestanthonyschool.com Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 85

PEBBLECREEK MONTESSORI

CEDAR HILL

PRESTONWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

trinitychristianschool.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 557

pebblecreekmontessori.org Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 150

prestonwoodchristian.org Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,400

PRINCE OF PEACE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

popschool.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 816

ST. MARK CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stmcs.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 550

ST. TIMOTHY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY*

staplano.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 26

SPRING CREEK ACADEMY

springcreekacademy.com Grades: 1–12; Total enrollment: 135

YORKTOWN EDUCATION

yorktowned.com Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 100

PROSPER PRESTONWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY NORTH

prestonwoodchristian.org/north Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Pre-K–10; Total enrollment: 240

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES CATHOLIC SCHOOL

smdpcatholic.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 190 60

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THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF DALLAS

cambridgedallas.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: 5–12; Total enrollment: 108

TRINITY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

DALLAS AKIBA ACADEMY

akibaacademy.org Religious affiliation: Jewish Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 350

ALCUIN SCHOOL

alcuinschool.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 600

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

allsaintsprek8.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 293

CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC SCHOOL

CORAM DEO ACADEMY, DALLAS CAMPUS

coramdeoacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–9; Total enrollment: 168

THE COVENANT SCHOOL

covenantdallas.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 653

DALLAS ACADEMY*

dallas-academy.com Grades: 1–12; Total enrollment: 175

DALLAS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

dallaschristianacademy.org Religious affiliation: Adventist Grades: Preschool–12 Total enrollment: 137

DALLAS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

dallasinternationalschool.org Grades: Preschool–12 Total enrollment: 700

DALLAS LUTHERAN SCHOOL

dallaslutheranschool.com Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: 7–12; Total enrollment: 175

THE EPISCOPAL SCHOOL OF DALLAS

esdallas.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 1,148

FAIRHILL SCHOOL*

ANN & NATE LEVINE ACADEMY

fairhill.org Grades: 1–12; Total enrollment: 165

BENDING OAKS HIGH SCHOOL*

thefcacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 435

levineacademy.org Religious affiliation: Jewish Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 435

bendingoaks.com Grades: 8–12; Total enrollment: 50

BISHOP DUNNE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

bdcs.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: 420

FELLOWSHIP COLLEGIATE ACADEMY

FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY

fbacademy.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 247

FUSION ACADEMY

BISHOP LYNCH HIGH SCHOOL

fusionacademy.com Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: 70

CALVARY LUTHERAN SCHOOL

gsesdallas.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 575

bishoplynch.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 1,010

calvarydallas.org Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 96

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

GRACE ACADEMY OF DALLAS

graceacademy.com

GARDEN: ANN & NATE LEVINE ACADEMY

Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 140

Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 220

HIGHLANDER SCHOOL

HILLIER SCHOOL*

parish.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,100

THE HOCKADAY SCHOOL

phps.org Religious affiliation: Presbyterian Grades: K–6; Total enrollment: 133

highlanderschool.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 100

hillierschool.org Religious affiliation: Presbyterian Grades: 1–8; Total enrollment: 48

hockaday.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,092

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

htcsdallas.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 142

JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL OF DALLAS

jesuitdallas.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 1,123

THE KESSLER SCHOOL

thekesslerschool.com Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 125

LAKEHILL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

lakehillprep.org Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 360

LAKEWOOD MONTESSORI SCHOOL

lmschool.org Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 70

THE LAMPLIGHTER SCHOOL

thelamplighterschool.org Grades: Preschool–4; Total enrollment: 450

MESORAH HIGH SCHOOL

mesorahhighschool.org Religious affiliation: Jewish Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 60

PARISH EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

PRESTON HOLLOW PRESBYTERIAN SCHOOL*

PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL OF TEXAS

pcstx.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 480

ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stbernardccs.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 150

ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stceciliacatholic.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 140

ST. ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS

smtexas.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal; Non-sectarian Grades: 1–12; Total enrollment: 885

ST. MARY OF CARMEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ST. MONICA CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stmonicaschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8 Total enrollment: 784

ST. PATRICK CATHOLIC SCHOOL

oakhillacademy.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 155

spsdallas.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 455

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ST. PHILIP & ST. AUGUSTINE CATHOLIC ACADEMY

olphdallas.com Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 181

ST. RITA CATHOLIC SCHOOL

strita.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 700

THE SAINT TIMOTHY SCHOOL

thesainttimothyschool.org Religious affiliation: Anglican Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 55

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CATHOLIC SCHOOL

staschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 863

SANTA CLARA CATHOLIC SCHOOL

santaclaraacademy.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 198

SCOFIELD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

SHELTON SCHOOL & EVALUATION CENTER*

NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY, DALLAS CAMPUS

OAK HILL ACADEMY*

ST. PIUS X CATHOLIC SCHOOL

spxdallasschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 290

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

stjohnsschool.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 500

msmcatholic.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 128

NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF DALLAS*

stphilips1600.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 228

scofieldchristianschool.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 175

smcschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 165

notredameschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: K-12; Total enrollment: 165

ST. PHILIP’S SCHOOL & COMMUNITY CENTER

saintspride.com Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 200

MOUNT ST. MICHAEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL

northtexasperformingarts.org/academy Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: N/A

STUDENTS: NOTRE DAME SCHOOL OF DALLAS

OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL

ordallas.org Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 140

spsacatholic.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 330

shelton.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 959

TYLER STREET CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

tsca.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 107

URSULINE ACADEMY OF DALLAS ursulinedallas.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12 Total enrollment: 850

VANGUARD PREPARATORY SCHOOL*

vanguardprepschool.com Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 115

WESLEY PREP

wesleyprep.org Religious affiliation: Methodist Grades: Preschool–6 Total enrollment: 459

THE WESTWOOD SCHOOL

westwoodschool.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 275

WHITE ROCK MONTESSORI

whiterockmontessori.org Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 170 dfwchild.com / july 2020

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private schools

THE WINSTON SCHOOL*

winston-school.org Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 150

YAVNEH ACADEMY

yavnehdallas.org Religious affiliation: Jewish Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 100

THE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL

thehighlandsschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 350

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC ACADEMY hfca-irving.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8 Total enrollment: 169

ISLAMIC SCHOOL OF IRVING

islamicschoolofirving.org Religious affiliation: Islamic Grades: Preschool–12 Total enrollment: 665

ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL

ziondallas.org Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Preschool–8 Total enrollment: 267

DESOTO CANTERBURY COLLEGIATE ACADEMY

theccacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 115

DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL

desotoprivate.org Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 225

FARMERS BRANCH MARY IMMACULATE SCHOOL

REDEEMER MONTESSORI SCHOOL

redeemermontessori.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 120

SAINT FRANCIS MONTESSORI

stfrancisirving.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 105

THE SLOAN SCHOOL

thesloanschool.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–5; Total enrollment: 145

STONEGATE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

mischool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: K–8; Total enrollment: 435

sgca.net Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 139

GARLAND

MESQUITE

BRIGHTER HORIZONS ACADEMY

DALLAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

bhaprep.org Religious affiliation: Islamic Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 820

dallaschristian.com Religious affiliation: Church of Christ Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 525

FIREWHEEL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

RICHARDSON

firewheelca.org Religious affiliation: Assemblies of God Grades: Preschool–9; Total enrollment: 250

GARLAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

garlandchristian.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 269

GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC SCHOOL

gscschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 225

GRAND PRAIRIE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SCHOOL

school.icgrandprairie.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 135

IRVING CISTERCIAN PREPARATORY

cistercian.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 5–12; Total enrollment: 360 62

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BRIDGE BUILDER ACADEMY*

Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 1,100

SELWYN SCHOOL

selwynschool.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 93

DALLAS CHOICES LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

choicesleadership.org Grades: Pre-K–6; Total enrollment: 100

DENTON DENTON CALVARY ACADEMY

dentoncalvary.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 275

THE KOAN SCHOOL

koanschool.org Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 75

FLOWER MOUND CORAM DEO ACADEMY, FLOWER MOUND CAMPUS

coramdeoacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 694

EXPLORATIONS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

explorationsprep.org Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 95

GRACE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

gcapatriots.org Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 44

FRISCO LEGACY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

legacyca.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 1,025

STARWOOD ACADEMY OF FRISCO

bridgebuilderacademy.com Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 40

starwoodschools.com Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 200

IANT QURANIC ACADEMY

LEWISVILLE

myiqa.org Religious affiliation: Islamic Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 200

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stjosephccschool.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 255

ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

spsdfw.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 175

DENTON COUNTY ARGYLE LIBERTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

libertychristian.com Religious affiliation: Christian

LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

lakelandchristian.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 450

PARKER COUNTY WILLOW PARK TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

tcaeagles.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 525

ROCKWALL COUNTY HEATH THE FULTON SCHOOL

thefultonschool.com

BUBBLES: ANN & NATE LEVINE ACADEMY

WHITE ROCK NORTH SCHOOL

whiterocknorthschool.com Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 325

Grades: Preschool–4; Total enrollment: 60

ROCKWALL HERITAGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

hcarockwall.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 520

TARRANT COUNTY ARLINGTON ARLINGTON FAITH ACADEMY

faithassemblyarlington.com Religious affiliation: Assemblies of God Grades: K–8; Total enrollment: 12

CHILDREN’S UNIVERSITY

childrensuniversity.com Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 250

TATE SPRINGS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

tatespringschristianschool.com Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 400

AZLE AZLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

BEDFORD

covenantfw.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 420

azlechristianschool.org Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 125

CORAM DEO ACADEMY, MID-CITIES CAMPUS

GREEN OAKS SCHOOL*

midcitiesmontessori.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 25

MERRYHILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

merryhillarlington.com Grades: Preschool–6 Total enrollment: 200

THE MONTESSORI ACADEMY OF ARLINGTON

tmaonline.org Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 203

NORTHSTAR SCHOOL

northstarschool.net Grades: 7–12 Total enrollment: 45

THE OAKRIDGE SCHOOL

theoakridgeschool.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 720

PANTEGO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, ARLINGTON CAMPUS

pantego.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 522

PARK ROW CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

parkrowchristian.net Religious affiliation: Church of Christ Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 200

CASSATA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

cassatahs.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 140

CHRISTIAN COTTAGE PREP

FLINT ACADEMY

greenoaksinc.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 38

CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

calvaryacademy.com Religious affiliation: Nondenominational Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 300

christiancottageprep.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 12

coramdeoacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–6; Total enrollment: 50

flintacademy.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 95

ART CLASS: HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ST. PAUL’S PREPARATORY ACADEMY

stpaulsprep.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 250

MIDCITIES MONTESSORI

COLLEYVILLE

COVENANT CLASSICAL SCHOOL

CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY INC.

crossroadsftworth.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: 8–12; Total enrollment: 50

FORT WORTH ACADEMY

fwacademy.org Grades: K–8; Total enrollment: Approximately 200

FORT WORTH COUNTRY DAY

COVENANT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

covenantchristian.net Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12 Total enrollment: 623

CROWN OF LIFE LUTHERAN

colschool.org Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Preschool–8 Total enrollment: 140

WAYPOINT MONTESSORI

waypointmontessori.org Grades: Preschool–6 Total enrollment: 150

FORT WORTH ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

aseschool.org Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 1,075

ALLIANCE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

acaknights.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 330

fwcd.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,077

HILL SCHOOL OF FORT WORTH*

hillschool.org Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 140

THE JANE JUSTIN SCHOOL & CHILD STUDY CENTER UPPER SCHOOL*

cookchildrens.org/child-study-center Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 70

THE KEY SCHOOL*

kcld.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 100

LAKE COUNTRY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

lccs.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 410

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF FORT WORTH

msftw.org Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 208

MOSAIC ACADEMY

mosaicacademy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 100

NOLAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

stjosephtx.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 345

ANDERSON PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED, TALENTED & CREATIVE*

andersonschool.net Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 25

nolancatholic.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: 9–12; Total enrollment: 753

ST. MARIA GORETTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL

BETHESDA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL & CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER

olvfw.com Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 89

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL

smgschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 235

bcsfw.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 450

OUR LADY OF VICTORY CATHOLIC SCHOOL

ST. ANDREW CATHOLIC SCHOOL

standrewsch.org

dfwchild.com / july 2020

63

private schools Religious affiliation: Nondenominational Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 100

KELLER MESSIAH LUTHERAN CLASSICAL ACADEMY

mlcatexas.org Religious affiliation: Lutheran Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 83

NORTH TEXAS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

ntxleadershipacademy.org Grades: Pre-K–4; Total enrollment: 16

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON CATHOLIC SCHOOL

seascs.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 527

TRINITY PREPARATORY ACADEMY

trinityprepkeller.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 300

KENNEDALE FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY

fellowship-academy.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 365

Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 605

ST. GEORGE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

stgeorgecatholicschool.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 100

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN SCHOOL

sharingnewlifespls.com Religious affiliation: Christian; Lutheran Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 210

ST. PETER’S CLASSICAL SCHOOL

stpetersclassical.org Religious affiliation: Christian; Orthodox Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 73

ST. RITA CATHOLIC SCHOOL

saintritaschool.net Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Preschool–8; Total enrollment: 120

SHADY OAK ACADEMY

shadyoak.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: K–7; Total enrollment: 25

SOUTHWEST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

southwestchristian.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 814

STARPOINT SCHOOL*

starpoint.tcu.edu Grades: 1–6; Total enrollment: 53 64

july 2020 / dfwchild.com

TEMPLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

tcseagles.org Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 400

TRINITY BAPTIST TEMPLE ACADEMY

tbta.tbtchurch.org Religious affiliation: Baptist Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 140

TRINITY VALLEY SCHOOL

tvs.org Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 1,015

GRAPEVINE GRAPEVINE FAITH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

MANSFIELD PANTEGO CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, MANSFIELD CAMPUS

pantego.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 545

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS E.A. YOUNG ACADEMY

eayoungacademy.com Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 72

FORT WORTH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

fwc.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 650

SOUTHLAKE THE CLARIDEN SCHOOL

grapevinefaith.com Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Pre-K–12; Total enrollment: 830

claridenschool.org Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 135

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL GRAPEVINE

fusionacademy.com Grades: 6–12; Total enrollment: 54

holytcs.org Religious affiliation: Catholic Grades: Pre-K–8; Total enrollment: 312

THE NOVUS ACADEMY

thenovusacademy.org Grades: K–12; Total enrollment: 55

HASLET LEGACY CLASSICAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

legacyclassical.org

FUSION ACADEMY

SOUTHLAKE MONTESSORI

southlakemontessori.org Grades: Preschool–6; Total enrollment: 26

WATAUGA HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

hcasaints.org Religious affiliation: Christian Grades: Preschool–12; Total enrollment: 330

PLAYGROUND: CORAM DEO ACADEMY

ABOVE // Coram Deo Academy teaches students from Pre-K through high school at campuses in Plano, Dallas, Flower Mound and the Mid-Cities

You Belong Here Texas School of the Arts (grades K-6) and Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts (grades 3-12) currently have openings in select grades for the 2020-2021 academic year and will hold virtual auditions, mid-July, to fill those spots. If your child would thrive in a creative, inclusive environment, fill out an application to audition for one of our schools.

Texas Center for Arts + Academics • 817-766-2390 • ArtsAcademics.org/Apply

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DFW SCHOOL DISTRICTS 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

ALEDO

aledoisd.org allenisd.org

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

66

23

ANNA

annaisd.org

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ARGYLE

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ARLINGTON

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AUBREY

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AZLE

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BIRDVILLE

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BROCK

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BURLESON

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CARROLL

southlakecarroll.edu

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CASTLEBERRY

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CEDAR HILL

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CELINA

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COPPELL

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CROWLEY

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DALLAS

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DENTON

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DESOTO

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DUNCANVILLE

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EVERMAN

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FORT WORTH

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FRISCO

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GARLAND

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GRAND PRAIRIE

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GRAPEVINE-COLLEYVILLE

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HIGHLAND PARK

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HURST-EULESS-BEDFORD

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IRVING

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KELLER

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KENNEDALE

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KRUM

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LAKE DALLAS

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MELISSA

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MESQUITE

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NORTHWEST

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PILOT POINT

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PLANO

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PONDER

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PROSPER

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RICHARDSON

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ROCKWALL

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SANGER

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SUNNYVALE

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WEATHERFORD

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LAKE WORTH

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Weatherford

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LEWISVILLE

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LITTLE ELM

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LOVEJOY

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MANSFIELD

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MCKINNEY

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FROM ALEDO TO WYLIE AND EVERY DISTRICT IN BETWEEN

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denton

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fort worth

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Drawing from the Collection for Children NOW ONLINE!

www.themodern.org/online-learning-programs

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 3200 Darnell Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817.738.9215

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DFW DESTINATIONS WORTH VISITING

AMUSEMENTS CRAYOLA EXPERIENCE

Plano crayolaexperience.com/plano Unleash your creativity with every color imaginable at this football field–sized attraction inside The Shops at Willow Bend. Crayola cranks up the fun with dozens of activity stations, plus meet and greets from costumed characters.

Then go to The Crayola Store to stock up for your home craft box.

KIDZANIA

Frisco kidzania.com Come explore this real-life city inside Stonebriar Centre. Kids ages 4–14 can role-play in more than 50 industries, from health care and technology to banking and transportation.

GONDOLA ADVENTURES

Irving irving.gondola.com When in Irving, do as the Venetians do and go for a posh ride through Mandalay Canal in a human-powered gondola, much like the ones you’d see in the Grand Canal. For even more fun with

the kids, climb aboard an Aqua-Cycle water trike (seats up to three people) for pedaling around Lake Carolyn. (For the latter, visit irvingwaterfun.com.)

LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER

Grapevine dallasfw.legolanddiscoverycenter.com Go online in advance to reserve your two-hour session to build and play with those tiny blocks on a grand scale. You’ll also enjoy more than a dozen attractions, including a 4D movie theater and Duplo Village for toddlers plus the Pirate Beach water playground outdoors.

MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT

TV show came to life in early 2019 when this indoor family play attraction opened at Grapevine Mills, the first in the United States. Spend the afternoon in 14 themed play areas, including Peppa Pig’s Treehouse and a sensory garden.

SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS

Arlington sixflags.com/overtexas Put on your sunscreen and then put your hands in the air for rides on dozens of coasters, (including the new El Diablo loop coaster) a whitewater rafting ride as well as kid-size rides inside Bugs Bunny Boomtown. Reserve your tickets and parking in advance.

TRINITY FOREST ADVENTURE PARK

Dallas medievaltimes.com/dallas Wear a paper crown and cheer on your section’s knight during this dinner show that includes jousting, a falcon in flight and sword fighting. It’s an experience fit for a king or queen.

Dallas trinitytreetops.com Take tree climbing to the next level at this aerial ropes course with obstacles up to 50 feet in the air. There’s another course for kids as young as age 4.

PEPPA PIG WORLD OF PLAY

Lewisville thezoneactionparktexas.com Let your kids run themselves ragged at this year-round entertainment complex

Grapevine peppapigworldofplay.com/dallasfw The piglet from the British children’s

ZONE ACTION PARK

ABOVE // Take a deep dive into the ocean at the Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium, home to all kinds of sea creatures, from sea stars to sharks and rays. BELOW // Klyde Warren Park is an oasis in the heart of Dallas with everyday activities as well as special events.

with everything under the sun. They’ll stay busy with go-karts, mini golf, batting cages, bounce houses … plus more fun under the neon lights of the 60-game video arcade.

ATTRACTIONS BUREAU OF ENGRAVING & PRINTING WESTERN CURRENCY FACILITY

Fort Worth moneyfactory.gov Visit any time of year to see firsthand where half the nation’s paper money is printed, cut and prepped to enter into the economy. During special demonstrations offered in March, June and July, you’ll become acquainted with the science of money making and the employees who make it.

KLYDE WARREN PARK: CAROL VIG; AQUARIUM: SEA LIFE GRAPEVINE AQUARIUM

FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS

Fort Worth fortworthstockyards.com The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District offers the ultimate cowboy experience, from weekend rodeos, Cowtown Cattlepen Maze and petting corral to the brand-new Mule Alley. While the twice-daily Texas longhorn cattle drives are on hiatus, catch the free Fort Worth Herd Experience—storytelling sessions led by the cattle drovers on weekends and holidays through Labor Day.

KLYDE WARREN PARK

Dallas klydewarrenpark.org The 5.2-acre deck park that literally bridges Uptown and Downtown Dallas offers endless free events and activities: fitness and dance classes, games, outdoor movies, concerts—with food trucks always nearby. dfwchild.com / july 2020

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main attractions

WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS

PANTHER ISLAND PAVILION

Gainesville frankbuckzoo.com All animal encounters such as the flamingo feeding and petting zoo are temporarily on hold, but the zoo gates are open for guests to visit the multitude of exotic creatures at this city-run zoo close to the Oklahoma border.

REUNION TOWER GEO-DECK

IN-SYNC EXOTICS WILDLIFE RESCUE & EDUCATIONAL CENTER

Dallas reuniontower.com Take the glass elevator up 470 feet for 360-degree views of downtown and beyond from Big D’s most famous landmark. Check the calendar for new allages painting events.

SUNDANCE SQUARE PLAZA

Fort Worth sundancesquare.com A large mural depicting Texas longhorns on the Chisholm Trail provides the ideal backdrop for spending some downtime in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. Stop by this Cowtown show-stopper to splash in the plaza’s play fountains and escape from the sun underneath the shade canopies.

AQUARIUMS & ZOOS CHILDREN’S AQUARIUM AT FAIR PARK

Dallas childrensaquariumfairpark.com Don’t miss the daily feedings for the closest views of eels, sharks, sea turtles and tons of other sea life that live in the aquarium, a venue that first opened for a world’s fair in 1936 and was redesigned with eye-level zones and exhibits for kids.

Rita Wood, DO Rita Wood, DO, is an OB/GYN at Eighth Avenue Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Medical District of Fort Worth, and is trained in minimally invasive surgery, including robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci system.

THE DALLAS WORLD AQUARIUM

Dallas dwazoo.com More than an aquarium, this full-fledged zoo located in the West End Historic District of downtown houses rare and endangered animals in authentically re-created habitats from the Amazon and across the world. Come say hello to the giant otters, sloths, penguins, manatee and the newest family member, Bimo the bearcat from Southeast Asia.

She serves a diverse community and is fluent in Spanish.

AREAS OF INTEREST INCLUDE: + Preconception care

DALLAS ZOO

+ Comprehensive prenatal care

Dallas dallaszoo.com Remember to visit in the morning when animals are most active, and wave hello to baby giraffe Kendi and more animals (representing over 400 species) at the oldest and largest zoo in Texas, located 3 miles south of downtown Dallas. Timed tickets and parking are required online in advance.

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FORT WORTH ZOO

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Fort Worth fortworthzoo.org See amazing animals such as hippos Daisy, Jonesy, Poppy and Bubbles swimming in their pool—then cool off yourself in the zoo’s Safari Splash water area with the kids. Stay tuned for the new Elephant Springs habitat expected to open in spring 2021.

1425 8th Avenue Fort Worth, TX 76104 817-926-4118

FRANK BUCK ZOO

Fort Worth pantherislandpavilion.com This riverfront venue (a skip away from downtown Cowtown) is home to the Coyote Drive-In movie theater, concerts, events like Fort Worth’s Fourth festival and watersports fun. Float the Trinity on Sunday Fundays.

FOSSIL RIM WILDLIFE CENTER

Glen Rose fossilrim.org Let your kids experience the thrill of feeding giraffes by hand on a self-guided tour (guided tours to resume in the future) at this drive-thru safari park in southwest of Fort Worth. All Fossil Rim animals—from zebras and bison to ostriches—are free-roaming and may approach your vehicle.

Wylie insyncexotics.com Celebrating its 20th year, this wildlife rescue provides a safe, permanent home for lions, tigers, cheetahs and many more big cat species. Take a self-guided tour to see them lounge in their playground enclosures and play pools, then come back for special events throughout the year (when caretakers treat the cats to watermelons, pumpkins and Easter eggs).

SEA LIFE GRAPEVINE AQUARIUM

Grapevine visitsealife.com/grapevine Sea Life Aquarium is home to stingrays, sharks, sea horses, jellyfish—and a temporary home to a lucky few sea turtles at the on-site Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Come look through the glass window to view aquarists at work with one newly arrived rehabbing sea turtle (named after a local health care hero).

SEAQUEST INTERACTIVE AQUARIUM

Fort Worth fortworth.visitseaquest.com Go on a wildlife adventure through five continents at this exotic aquarium and petting zoo inside Ridgmar Mall. You’ll discover more than 300 species, from seahorses and sharks to lizards and birds, many of them rescues and receiving rehabilitation. Register as a family in advance to experience the animal interactions with sloths, otters, stingrays and kinkajous.

SHARKAROSA WILDLIFE RANCH

Pilot Point sharkarosa.com Educational shows run every 20 minutes all day, so there’s plenty of opportunity to get to know the sloths, kangaroos, lemurs, two white tiger sisters, two black bears and the rest of the exotic residents.

Check back for the tram rides through the back pastures and kiddie barrel train rides to resume.

GARDENS & NATURE BOB JONES NATURE CENTER & PRESERVE

Southlake experiencesouthlaketexas.com/428/bob Discover the history behind its namesake—the former slave-turned-successful landowner Bob Jones—and join in the preschool-age and family programming at the education center and preserve trails.

CEDAR RIDGE PRESERVE

Dallas audubondallas.org Often cited as the best hiking spot in Dallas, the Audubon Dallas–run nature preserve boasts an excellent area for birders, a butterfly garden and nearly 9 miles of trails well-maintained by volunteer crews. Closed on Mondays. Check the Facebook page before your visit for current weather conditions or closures.

DALLAS ARBORETUM

Dallas dallasarboretum.org

Tailored to your family for the perfect fit.

Open days, evenings and weekends.

• Hourly drop-in childcare • Preschool education programs • School age activities

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• Back-up care

www.kidspark.com A family favorite for over 20 years.

In Arlington For ages 2 – 12

At Arlington Highlands • 309 Curtis Mathes Way • 817.236.1253 License #892451

CHILD SUPER COMBO TICKET

WITH THE PURCHASE OF AN ADULT SUPER COMBO TICKET USE PROMO CODE: DFWCHILD

601 EAST PALACE PARKWAY | RIPLEYS.COM/GRANDPRAIRIE | 972-263-2391

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dfwchild.com / july 2020

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main attractions

ABOVE // The indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine features twisting slides, a splash-filled treehouse, toddler play areas and more.

DOGWOOD CANYON AUDUBON CENTER

Cedar Hill dogwoodcanyon.audubon.org Sign up for the kayaking excursions, birding workshops, trail hikes and master naturalist–led events through the 200-acre center, which sits on the 3,000-acre greenbelt shared by the Cedar Hill State Park and Cedar Ridge Preserve.

FAIR PARK

Dallas fairpark.org Get an aerial view of the entire park from 500 feet up when you visit the rotating Top o’ Texas Tower open during the annual State Fair of Texas, and check out the renovations at the Hall of State and ongoing entertainment at Texas Discovery Gardens, Children’s Aquarium and Music Hall (where you can catch Broadway shows).

Pick your own

FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN

Blueberries & Blackberries

Fort Worth fwbg.org Book your timed tickets in advance to explore the tranquil Fort Worth Botanic Garden and the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT). Note the signs for one-way paths through the gardens, such as in the Japanese Garden and the interactive Native Texas Boardwalk.

Homemade Pies, Muffins, Jams, Blueberry Ice Cream & Unique Items

Open May 22 to July 25 Open 7am to 5pm Everyday including Father’s Day and 4th of July

FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER & REFUGE

Check the website to see our picking scale.

10268 FM 314, Edom, TX 75756 | 903-852-6175 75 miles East of Dallas on I-20

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Ads with © are © of Lauren Publications, Inc. 2020.

Blueberry Hill Farms

Fort Worth fwnaturecenter.org Download the trail map for contact-free hiking or join naturalist-led outdoor programs, such as canoe excursions and animal encounters, offered daily. Advance online registration is required at this city-owned nature center.

THE HEARD NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY McKinney heardmuseum.org Explore the butterfly garden, a mini zoo of both native and exotic wildlife, and in September, the exhibit of animatronic dinosaurs along the trails.

Preregistration required for the monthly zip line days. More in-person nature programming will resume in time.

LEWISVILLE LAKE ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING AREA

Lewisville llela.org Paddle down the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, take an educational tour of the 1869 log cabin or take part in more guided activities (such as birding hikes and stargazing) at this largely untouched natural area. Note that due to construction on the Lewisville Dam, some trails, camping areas and fishing access will be temporarily restricted. Families are encouraged to go fishing at Lake Park.

RIVER LEGACY LIVING SCIENCE CENTER

Arlington riverlegacy.org River Legacy’s Discovery Room features a 30-foot-wide screen, allowing kids to interact virtually with animal and plant life in the woodland environments of the adjacent River Legacy Park.

TEXAS DISCOVERY GARDENS

Dallas texasdiscoverygardens.org Climb up onto the tree deck on the Natural Playscape in the outdoor gardens and come inside the glass butterfly house for the toddler talks (Stories & More program on the first Friday and Saturday each month), noontime butterfly release, plus snakes and more critters on view.

TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER

Dallas trinityriver.audubon.org Pack your binoculars or borrow a pair from the nature center, located only 20 minutes from downtown, for live bird-watching during early morning walks. You can also enjoy nighttime hikes and more fun offered on 5 miles of trails.

WHITE ROCK LAKE

Dallas dallasparks.org Get out onto the water in a rented kayak or take in the views of the lake and sailboats from the 9 miles of paved hike-bike trails from the Bath House Cultural Center (closed for renovations) or the Dallas Arboretum.

GREAT WOLF: COURTESY OF GREAT WOLF LODGE

This nationally recognized, world-class garden is a must-see in any season. Don’t miss the Dallas Blooms festival each spring, pumpkin displays in the fall and Christmas exhibit during the holidays.

Open Now. Prepare for your visit at kimbellart.org.

Awarded Oklahoma’s Outstanding Tourist Attraction!

GET ON BOARD AN UNFORGETTABLE GETAWAY

OPEN FOR SUMMER FUN!

More than 200 acres in the beautiful Arbuckle Mountains with hundreds of exotic animals roaming free! Walk-Thru has pony rides and bouncers (weather permitting), house of reptiles, petting zoo, gem mining and feed the hundreds of fish and turtles. Group rates are available for 25 or more.

Come Feed The Animals And Shop The Safari Gift Shop Open 9am–6pm Daily • Last car admitted at 5pm EXPERIENCE TEXAS FUN NOW THROUGH LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Load up the kids and head to Summertime in Grapevine, where all necessary safety precautions are in place. Enjoy plenty of adventure for the whole family, like SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Lake Grapevine, waterparks and more. Save now with great hotel rates* and discounts on area attractions. Get together, get out and get away to Summertime in Grapevine!

arbucklewildernesspark.com

1/2 OFF KIDS ADMISSION Coupon is Good For Up To 4 Kids Under 12 Years

A $30 VALUE! Good Thru Labor Day 2020 (Not to be combined with any other offers)

Gov. & Military Discounts!

*Subject to availability/rates vary by hotel property. See website for complete details.

All Summer Coupons Honored Thru Labor Day!

Visit SummertimeInGrapevine.com 32575_GCVB_Child_Mags_Summer_July_2020_ad_v3.indd 1

Less than 2 hours north on I-35, Exit 51 1-800-PET-PARK

6/12/20 5:54 PM

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JOIN US FOR THE 2020

PARADE OF PLAYHOUSES NorthPark Center July 10-26

main attractions HISTORY CHESTNUT SQUARE HISTORIC VILLAGE

Dallas chestnutsquare.org Step back in time on a tour through 10 structures dating from 1854 to 1930 at this historic park two blocks south of the downtown McKinney square.

It’s also home to the weekly farmers market, trolley tours and the annual Killis Melton Ice Cream Crank-Off on July Fourth.

DALLAS HERITAGE VILLAGE AT OLD CITY PARK

Dallas dallasheritagevillage.org Until the historic buildings reopen, families are welcome to walk the grounds and enjoy activities such as horseshoes, chalk drawing, coloring sheets, scavenger hunts and hopscotch. Newly adjusted hours in the mornings and evening help beat the summer heat. Note that the village is closed Mondays and during the months of August and January.

DENTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE-ONTHE-SQUARE MUSEUM

PLAYHOUSES ON VIRTUAL DISPLAY and raffle tickets at dallascasa.org While some children dream of having their own fantasy playhouses, abused children dream of having safe homes with loving families. You can help an abused and neglected child have a safe and permanent home by supporting the Dallas CASA Parade of Playhouses.

Purchase raffle tickets for $5 each or 5 for $20 for your chance to win a custom-designed playhouse.

Denton dentoncounty.com/chos The 1896 structure of limestone, pink granite and sandstone is the heart of the city, the final resting place for John B. Denton (pay respects at his grave on the lawn) and home to the second floor museum in the former 16th District Courtroom.

DENTON COUNTY HISTORICAL PARK

Denton dentoncounty.com/chos Discover local history with docent-guided or self-guided tours through the Bayless-Selby and Quakertown houses and shop for fresh produce at the farmers markets held on-site.

FARMERS BRANCH HISTORICAL PARK

Farmers Branch fbhistoricalpark.com Step inside the 1927 general store or the 1877 train depot on guided tours or during children’s programming. You can also see historical demonstrations and enjoy other special events, such as fencing competitions and old-fashioned baseball games.

FRISCO HERITAGE CENTER & MUSEUM

Frisco friscomuseum.org Docents lead free tours through the historical village—including a church, depot, one-room schoolhouse and blacksmith shop—during open houses each third Sunday. You’ll discover even more history through the museum’s indoor exhibits. Don’t miss out on the biggest party of the year: the Shawnee Trail Cowboy Day in September.

HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM

PRESENTED BY

CASTLE SPONSOR

GRAND MARSHAL

Plano heritagefarmstead.org Help plow the kitchen garden, feed the chickens, step up on the rails to pet the resident animals (sheep, goats and donkeys) and enjoy more activities during Fun on the Farm. That’s one of the regularly scheduled and premier programs for kids on this farmstead surrounding the restored 1891 Farrell Wilson house.

LOG CABIN VILLAGE

Fort Worth logcabinvillage.org Play in a pretend chicken coop with stuffed animal 74

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hens, ring the bell outside the one-room schoolhouse and explore more about Texas pioneer life in and around these historic structures circa 1840–1890.

NASH FARM

Grapevine nashfarm.org Reap what you sow during first Friday heritage workshops at this restored 1869 farmhouse.

Costumed farmhands lovingly maintain the entire farmstead, including animals and the crops, and host annual festivals, such as Spring Into Nash and the 1920s Ice Cream Social this July.

MUSEUMS AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART

Fort Worth cartermuseum.org This celebrated museum has extended the date for several exhibits and plans to debut Acting Out: Cabinet Cards and the Making of Modern Photography on August 15.

THE ANN & GABRIEL BARBIER-MUELLER MUSEUM: THE SAMURAI COLLECTION

Dallas samuraicollection.org Did you know later samurais also used guns?

Discover the ancient masks, helmets, weaponry and armor for the warriors and their horses— the largest private Samurai collection outside of Japan—on view in the Harwood District in Uptown Dallas.

CAVANAUGH FLIGHT MUSEUM

Addison cavflight.org This flight museum and neighbor to Addison Airport houses an impressive collection of aircraft from World Wars I and II as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars, military trucks and a Sherman tank, many of which go on display for the annual Warbirds Over Addison.

CROW MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART

Dallas crowmuseum.org The Crow Family first opened the collection as a permanent museum in 1998 in the Dallas Arts District. It houses collections of jade, samurai armor and more historical artifacts and contemporary art pieces from China, Japan, India, Korea and southeastern Asia.

DALLAS CONTEMPORARY

Dallas dallascontemporary.org Located in the heart of the Dallas Design District, this non-collecting contemporary art museum offers free admission to groundbreaking exhibitions from regional, national and international artists.

Mom-friendly stroller tours are offered on select Wednesdays.

DALLAS HOLOCAUST & HUMAN RIGHTS MUSEUM

Dallas dhhrm.org Are you an Upstander? Discover what that means by revisiting history at this recently renovated museum, which opened to the public last fall across the street from its original location. Its mission: to share the story of the Holocaust with new generations, the following emergence of international human rights and the development of human and civil rights here in America.

Twin Coves Park & Campground

SEEKING PARENTS WHO UNDERSTAND SPECIAL NEEDS

Plan a stay-cation at the picturesque Twin Coves Park in Flower Mound!

The park boasts 19 furnished cabins and 22 RV slips, in addition to a variety of other amenities including a small craft launch boat ramp, and much more.

Families and can enjoy a variety of features including office/camp store, playground, two large pavilions, grass volleyball court, horseshoes and washer game sets, four-hole disc golf course, nature trails, and a lake overlook area with a fire pit and seating. Online reservations for cabin, RV, and tent site rentals can be made through the park website or by phone.

5001 Wichita Trail Flower Mound, TX 75022 twincoves@flower-mound.com 972.874.6399 / twincovespark.com

Make a difference in the life of a child by becoming a foster parent

LEARN MORE AT OUR MONTHLY ORIENTATION JPKIDS.ORG 972-303-5303 X214 11238_preschool_printad_DFWChild_7.25x4.688_v4_MECH.pdf

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Little Ones, Big Experiences Zoo Preschool pairs education with big-time fun.

Zoo Preschool Overview:

Students ages 3 to 5 will enjoy learning all about

• September 2020 to May 2021

the natural habitats of native and exotic animals,

• Open to students ages 3 to 5

participate in interactive activities and master new

• Zoo Preschool T-shirt included

skills during fun-filled days of adventure. Plus, Zoo

Registration Now Open:

members save 10 percent.

FortWorthZoo.org/Preschool

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main attractions

ABOVE // There’s more than upscale shopping to enjoy at Dallas’ NorthPark Center—the site is also home to an impressive collection of art, including Large Leaping Hare.

DENTON FIREFIGHTERS’ MUSEUM

Denton discoverdenton.com/firefighters-museum The quickest way to develop a deeper appreciation for the brave firefighters (actual emergencies aside) is to visit this museum of memorabilia from the 1800s to modern day, located inside the Central Fire Station lobby. Drop by for a self-guided tour and try on a uniform.

EXPLORIUM

Denton exploriumdenton.org Bounce between the play stations inside this children’s museum for kids 12 years and younger.

Explorium features STEAM exhibits, children’s entertainers and the Touch-a-Truck fundraiser each March.

FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY

Fort Worth fwmsh.org Create your own neon-colored Stegosaurus using the DinoGlow feature (one of the museum’s many dinosaur exhibits), gaze up at a dome full of stars inside the Noble Planetarium and play to your heart’s content inside the Children’s Museum.

Tickets sold separately for IMAX films inside the Omni Theater.

FRONTIERS OF FLIGHT MUSEUM

Dallas flightmuseum.com Experience the storied history of aviation and space flight at this museum near Love Field by seeing the dozens of planes, helicopters and space vehicles on display. You can also attend annual events such as the Moon Day exhibition.

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GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER AT SMU

Dallas bushcenter.org Pose for a photo behind the Resolute Desk in a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, and experience many more exhibits that honor the 43rd president and highlight world events during his administration. Don’t leave without taking a stroll through the Native Texas Park, awash in bluebonnets during the spring.

IRVING ARTS CENTER

Irving irvingartscenter.com As a Smithsonian-affiliated museum, Irving Arts Center often borrows some extensive collections to display in its own galleries. Go online to see what’s coming up on view, which music groups are performing in the two concert halls and the free kids activities soon to resume.

KIMBELL ART MUSEUM

Fort Worth kimbellart.org The iconic Kimbell is extending the special exhibition Flesh and Blood: Italian Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum through July. The new exhibit Queen Nefertari’s Egypt is set to open in November.

Admission to the Kimbell’s collection is always free; remember that the museum is closed on Mondays.

MEADOWS MUSEUM AT SMU

Dallas meadowsmuseumdallas.org Inspired by the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, the museum’s namesake Algur H. Meadows began collecting Spanish art in the 1950s. His donated works became the museum’s founding collection.

THE MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH

Fort Worth themodern.org Experience the paintings, sculptures, videos, photographs and prints from post-World War II to today inside this uber-cool museum. The Modern is extending dates for two special exhibitions: Ruckus Rodeo (through Aug. 16) and Mark Bradford: End Papers (through Jan. 10).

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DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART

Dallas dma.org Among the 10 largest art museums in the country, the DMA offers a full rotation of compelling and diverse special exhibits as well as free admission to its permanent collections. Check the calendar for special events such as the Arts & Letters Live author series, Late Nights and familyfocused art experiences inside the Center for Creative Connections (C3).

THE MUSTANGS OF LAS COLINAS MUSEUM & SCULPTURE

Irving mustangsoflascolinas.com Wildlife artist Robert Glen took eight years to complete the bronze sculptures of nine wild mustangs at Las Colinas Urban Center.

Come see them galloping in place across a granite stream.

NASHER SCULPTURE CENTER

Dallas nashersculpturecenter.org The sculpture center hopes to reopen to the general public just after the Fourth of July holiday. Until its reopening date (and return to regular programming), the center presents Nasher Windows—a new series of weekly exhibitions inside the entrance and visible from the sidewalk on Flora Street.

NATIONAL COWGIRL MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME

Fort Worth cowgirl.net The museum, which debuted its $5.5 million renovated second floor in spring 2019, is the only museum in the world dedicated to the women of the American West. Bring the family to test your skills on the renovated bronc riding and digitally create your own boot, shirt or horse in the Western Design Room.

NATIONAL VIDEOGAME MUSEUM

Frisco nvmusa.org Revisit the Atari and Nintendo games from your childhood and introduce them to your own kids at this interactive museum inside the Frisco Discovery Center. There is a full reproduction of an ’80s arcade, a giant Pong game and a life-size Mario for photo ops.

NORTHPARK CENTER

Dallas northparkcenter.com Elevate your next shopping trip by spying the dozens of paintings, pop art, large-scale sculptures and more at the luxury shopping center. You’ll find Andy Warhol’s Flowers series above the entrance to Tiffany’s. Come back soon for the free ArtROCKS program on select Saturdays.

PEROT MUSEUM OF NATURE & SCIENCE

Dallas perotmuseum.org There’s way more to see here than you can in just one day, so trust us, you’ll want the family membership. Experience all 11 exhibit halls including the Moody Family Children’s Museum, documentary-style films in the theater and special exhibits throughout the year.

SCI-TECH DISCOVERY CENTER

Frisco mindstretchingfun.org This children’s science museum inside the Frisco Discovery Center prepares the next generation of innovators through STEM-focused programming and rotating exhibits.

THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA

Dallas jfk.org It’s every Dallasite’s duty to visit this downtown museum that not only examines the realities of John F. Kennedy’s assassination

6121 E. LOVERS LANE | DALLAS, TX 75214 | 214-363-1630 | ZIONDALLAS.ORG

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ABOVE // The Water Lantern Festival at Fort Worth’s Panther Island Pavilion, set for November, is a time for hope, healing and connection on the banks of the Trinity River.

but also his mark on American history and the nation’s conscience.

TEXAS FIRST LADIES HISTORIC COSTUME COLLECTION

Denton twu.edu/gown-collection Texas Woman’s University displays a rotating collection of 50 show-stopping, well-preserved gowns once worn by the first ladies of Texas dating back to the 1800s. Docent-guided tours available in advance.

PERFORMING ARTS THE ACTORS CONSERVATORY THEATRE

DFWChild.com Directory Helping parents successfully navigate the childhood years is kind of our thing. Explore our not-so-secret weapon, the online directory, at dfwchild.com.

Lewisville getintotheact.org Become part of this community children’s theater by auditioning for the cast, signing up for academy classes or summer camps, or purchasing tickets for the season of fun plays and musicals.

ARTISAN CENTER THEATER

Hurst artisanct.com There’s never a dull moment at the Artisan with not one but three stages: Main Stage, Second Stage and Children’s Theater. Join in the fun by auditioning for a role yourself.

CASA MAÑANA

Fort Worth casamanana.org The faceted, aluminum-domed performance theater in the Fort Worth Cultural District plans to begin its children’s season in August with Shrek the Musical and its Broadway series the following month with Newsies.

COPPELL ARTS CENTER

Coppell coppellartscenter.org Though the grand opening for the $20 million arts facility in Old Town has been tentatively rescheduled for the fall, don’t wait to visit. Book your tickets online for the drive-in movie series and watch flicks including Back to the Future and Coco on the big screen through August 22.

DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER

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This professional family arts center in East Dallas focuses solely on entertaining and teaching aspiring thespians, with shows tailored to children and teens.

THE DALLAS OPERA

Dallas dallasopera.org TDO produces full-length operas at the Winspear Opera House (with the occasional free simulcast) as well as shorter operas just for the kids.

The entire 2020-21 season has been pushed to the spring, so mark your calendars for the two children’s performances Doctor Miracle and Jack & the Beanstalk, in March.

DALLAS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Dallas mydso.com There’s no forgetting your first visit to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, the grand concert venue starring the Lay Family Concert Organ with pipes that rise up to the ceiling. Check back for the DSO’s future performances, including the Family Concerts, as they may be rescheduled.

EISEMANN CENTER

Richardson eisemanncenter.com This performance venue at Galatyn Park Urban Center, just south of the Galatyn Woodland Preserve, hosts nationally touring shows, including kid-focused performances for the Family Theater Series. Separate tickets needed for all-ages preshow activities called Eisemann Extras.

FORT WORTH OPERA

Fort Worth fwopera.org The oldest continually performing opera company in Texas (founded in 1946) performs three or four shows each year at Bass Performance Hall, travels statewide for in-school programming, and in 2019 began offering “relaxed” performances designed for young audience members with special needs.

FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Fort Worth fwsymphony.org The professional musicians of the FWSO typically perform at a near-constant—shall we say allegro?—pace. You’ll find them on stage at Bass Hall performing for the dancers of Texas Ballet Theater,

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for kids at Family Series performances, and at early summer concerts outdoors in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

GEPPETTO’S MARIONETTE THEATER

Dallas geppettostheater.com Experience an authentic marionette show in its own charming theater located in the basement of the Hilton Anatole. Look forward to seeing the hand-carved, hand-painted puppets in Fiesta de Marionetas and new animatronic show Country Round Up at the State Fair.

KIDS WHO CARE MUSICAL THEATRE

Fort Worth kidswhocare.org The young actors and adults who run Kids Who Care really do care and share their inspiring messages in original musicals such as District XI – Believe in Me. A new digital version that’s part virtual musical, part documentary is now available to view online for free.

LEVITT PAVILION

Arlington levittpavilionarlington.org The summer music series, postponed to the fall, begins Aug. 28 at this outdoor concert venue in the downtown Founders Plaza. Plan to pack your picnics and lawn chairs for evenings relaxing on the lawn and enjoying the show.

MAINSTAGE IRVING-LAS COLINAS

Irving irvingtheatre.org The all-volunteer community theater performs a six-show season of comedies, dramas and musicals at the Irving Arts Center. Shows include a holiday musical mashup that concludes with an audience sing-along.

MEDICAL CITY LEWISVILLE GRAND THEATER

Lewisville mclgrand.com The entertainment venue in the heart of Old Town Lewisville hosts everything from gallery art exhibits, dance and shows from local theaters. There’s also live music, such as the Texas Tunes concert series.

MUSIC HALL AT FAIR PARK

Dallas dallassummermusicals.org Professional touring casts perform Broadway shows at the home for Dallas Summer Musicals.

The 2020-21 season is expected to return to the stage in November. Don’t miss favorites Oklahoma! in December and Wicked coming fall 2021.

NORTH TEXAS PERFORMING ARTS

Plano ntpa.org NTPA operates an adult theater company, several children’s troupes and the Starcatchers program designed specifically for children and adults with special needs. Campuses are located in Frisco, Fairview and Dallas with NTPA’s headquarters at the Willow Bend Center of the Arts in Plano.

PALACE ARTS CENTER

Grapevine palace-theatre.com The restored art deco venue with a lit-up-likeVegas marquee screens classic films inside the Palace Theatre. Live shows and art displays can be found in Lancaster Theatre.

THE COVENANT SCHOOL “Pursuing Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” The Covenant School is a Charlotte Mason-inspired K-12 community of faith and learning emphasizing the classical arts and sciences.

At The Covenant School, a proven model of classical Christian education is used to teach students to confidently engage the world for Christ through authentic Christian living, wisdom, and virtue.

Covenant offers: • A rigorous curriculum using Socratic instruction • Championship winning sports teams • Rich fine arts program • Small class sizes • Highly-skilled faculty

To To learn learn more, more, schedule schedule aa visit visit or or attend attend an an open open house house visit our website at Octoberplease 1 | November 5 | January 14 www.covenantdallas.com 7300 Valley View Lane,

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Messiah Lutheran Classical Academy

STUDIO B PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

The three-week festival returns every January and February as Cowtown’s biggest attraction.

There’s nonstop family entertainment at Will Rogers Memorial Center and rodeo competitions inside the new Dickies Arena. Be sure not to miss the All-Western Parade through downtown Fort Worth.

THEATRE ARLINGTON

Mesquite mesquiterodeo.com Bull riding and saddle bronc riding—watch as it all goes down on the dirt floor at the (air-conditioned!) Mesquite Rodeo Arena each summer.

Come early for pony rides in the kids zone and sign up your most fearless kids for the mutton bustin’.

PLANETARIUMS

Denton ntfair.com Bring the family out to the original fairgrounds to enjoy the live country music, carnival rides and kid-friendly fun from a mini tractor pull to mutton bustin’. Saddle up and stay tuned for updates on the future North Texas Expo Center.

Highland Village studiobtheater.com Local kids hone their singing, dancing and acting chops in classes and camps. Watch from the audience as a family or encourage your kids to audition for roles in public performances, such as Shrek the Musical Jr. and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas this fall.

Arlington theatrearlington.org For more than four decades, this downtown Arlington theater has produced musicals, comedies, dramas, new works and all-youth shows. Come back for date night at the Cabaret Series each weekend through August.

Christ-Centered Small Class Sizes Teacher Involved

THE PLANETARIUM AT UT ARLINGTON

Arlington uta.edu/planetarium With its 60-foot dome, this planetarium located on the UT Arlington campus is one of the three largest planetariums in the state. You’ll find a variety of films screened regularly when the planetarium reopens to the public.

Family Friendly Choice of: • Traditional 5-day • 2/3 Day Collaborative Learning Program

Preschool: 2-4 years old Grammar School: K–8th grade

UNT SKY THEATER

Denton skytheater.unt.edu You’ve not yet fully experienced a planetarium until you’ve witnessed the digital re-creations of the star maps and the most trippy Pink Floyd music video. See these and more from your seats inside the 40-foot domed theater located in the University of North Texas Environmental Sciences Building.

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RAILROADS GRAPEVINE VINTAGE RAILROAD

Grapevine gvrr.com Ride the rails on board refurbished 1920s-era railcars during one-hour excursions originating from Cotton Belt Depot and round trips to the Fort Worth Stockyards. Snag your tickets in advance to the year’s top events: North Pole Express during the holidays and Day Out With Thomas in the spring.

TCU Music Preparatory Division

INTERURBAN RAILWAY MUSEUM

Plano interurbanrailwaymuseum.org With the help of puppet Eugene the Motormouse, a team including professional storyteller Genie reads train-themed stories to preschoolers every Friday morning at this free history museum in downtown Plano. Tour the interactive exhibits and the bright red Historic Car 360 parked outside.

Early Childhood Music TCU offers a unique program where children and their parents can interact in a joyful musical environment.

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MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN RAILROAD & TRAINTOPIA

Frisco museumoftheamericanrailroad.org historictrains.org Join an outdoor guided tour of the rolling stock train collection on display behind the Frisco Discovery Center, the future site of the railroad museum, or take a detailed look at the TrainTopia miniature train exhibit inside the center.

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WATER PARKS EPIC WATERS INDOOR WATERPARK

Grand Prairie epicwatersgp.com Swim all year long—regardless of the weather— thanks to the spectacular retractable roof at the world’s largest indoor water park. Epic Waters is loaded with even more impressive amenities: 11 slides, FlowRider surfing simulator and an outdoor wave pool.

HAWAIIAN FALLS WATERPARKS

Garland, Mansfield, Roanoke, The Colony hfalls.com Water-logged thrill seekers are welcome to return again and again to Hawaiian Falls’ epic water slides and different attractions at each park, including the kid-friendly Keiki Kove.

HYDROUS WAKE PARKS

Allen, Little Elm hydrouswakeparks.com No boat needed, just put on a helmet and life vest for on-the-water fun at these two wake boarding cable parks. Come out to the Little Elm location for more playtime at the Aqua Park with extreme action floats for all ages.

NRH2O FAMILY WATER PARK

North Richland Hills nrh2o.com Let off some steam on the Green Extreme, the world’s largest uphill water coaster, and all the other extreme rides—body slides, inner tube slides, mat racers—or kick back on the white sand beach while the kids float in the wave pool.

SIX FLAGS HURRICANE HARBOR

Arlington sixflags.com/hurricaneharbortexas Relax on the Splashwater Beach, a tropical oasis with nearly 40 interactive water features for young children, and get your fill of this super-size water park right across the highway from Six Flags Over Texas.

Before you head out the door, be sure to check with each venue about its status during the pandemic and what precautions you might need to take.

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MargoDean SCHOOL OF BALLET Teaching ballet for over 60 years

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confessions

MOM TRUTHS ILLUSTRATION MARY DUNN

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE HAVING FOOD DELIVERED AFTER THE GIRLS WENT TO BED. I TOLD MY 4-YEAR-OLD THAT DADDY AND I WERE HAVING A DATE BECAUSE WE LIKE EACH OTHER. SHE RESPONDED, ‘I LIKE MY SISTER, BUT I’M NOT GOING TO GO ON A DATE WITH HER!’” —MEREDITH, THE COLONY 82

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CO M P I L E D BY E M I LY Y E A R W O O D

“Our kids have been asking for a puppy—but when our boxer messed up the carpet, I said, ‘We cannot have a puppy.’ Now every time I ‘mess up,’ my 4-year-old says, ‘We cannot have a mommy!’” —ALISSA, LITTLE ELM

“Last year, I took my three boys to a cabin near Rocky Mountain National Park because I want them to love and respect nature. I thought we had really made a breakthrough until halfway up our scenic drive, when my middle child started hysterically crying because he missed Chick-fil-A.”

“My girlfriend and I thought we would be good moms if we took our kiddos to Zoli’s Pizza. Understandably, the play area was closed off for safety measures, so we now had six children to entertain for a long meal. The kids were nothing but wild the entire hour. Afterward, my girlfriend and I looked at one another and toasted to our ‘brilliant idea.’”

—MEGHAN, DALLAS

—ARDEN, FORT WORTH

ON WHAT SEEMED LIKE DAY 500 OF QUARANTINE, THE GIRLS WERE FIGHTING. ONE OF THEM CAME CRYING THAT HER SISTER HAD TAKEN HER TOY. I YELLED, ‘YOU’RE BIGGER THAN SHE IS; GO TAKE IT BACK!’ NOT MY BEST PARENTING MOMENT.” —SABRINA, LANTANA

Got a funny parenting moment you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you. Send it to editorial@dfwchild.com.

My son recently discovered how much you can do with the Amazon Echo. I opened my Amazon app one morning to see he added fries and bacon to the shopping list.” —LORI, LUCAS

DEAR CAREGIVERS, WE THANK YOU. What do you call those who dedicate their lives to saving thousands, who spend their days caring for others and who work tirelessly to give us a brighter future? We call them heroes. To everyone on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight, Children’s HealthSM can’t thank you enough.

#THANKYOUCAREGIVERS

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