A SIMPLE HANDSHAKE For Ashley Taylor, kindergarten teacher at Keene Elementary School in Keene, Texas, developing relationships begins before students step into her classroom.
MAINSTAY A WA Y O F
Life
THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME Every place is unique, but nowhere is as unique home. Here are 20 interesting facts about Johnson County.
Sometimes “big time fun” means more than just fun.
Hometown Li v ing At Its Best
We’re the hospital in hospitality.
Texas Health Huguley Hospital Fort Worth South is here for you and your loved ones. Texas Health Huguley is built on the foundation of caring for our community for over 40 years. Our hospital boasts six stories of beautiful, spacious patient rooms and convenient outpatient services, but it’s our compassionate care that sets us apart.
In the past year, we have celebrated: » 47 Top Doctors » Achieving number one in patient experience in our service area » Our 11th Leapfrog Grade “A” Hospital Safety Score » Emergency Center of Excellence Award » Texas Health Huguley Surgery Center Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award » Acquiring the Mako™ surgeon-controlled, robotic-arm assisted technology for joint replacement » Acquiring the da Vinci Xi® Surgical System, for minimally invasive complex surgical procedures » Women’s Choice Award® as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety Whether you need 24-hour emergency care, joint pain treatment or women’s health services, we’re dedicated to being our community’s most trusted healthcare partner for life. For more information visit TexasHealthHuguley.org 11801 South Freeway | Fort Worth, Texas 76028 Physicians on the medical staff practice independently and are not employees or agents of the hospital. ©2018
YOUR HOMETOWN REAL ESTATE EXPERT
SPECIALIZING IN JOHNSON COUNTY
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Genuine & Honest. Relentless Work Ethic. Innovative Marketing. If you have any real estate needs, please feel free to call, text or email me. I would love to be of service in any way possible. 817.874.5385 | cody.lee@williamstrew.com | williamstrew.com
Get the full game experience Download the FREE Railroaders app!
• Contribute to the fan stream • Connect with friends at the game • Earn points for Super Fan • Complete in-game challenges
• Participate in real-time trivia • In-seat delivery of refreshments • Collect points for rewards • Check stats and schedule
Do all this and more with the Railroaders app, available on Android and iPhone!
opening day: may 18th 2
JO HNSO N CO UNTY LI V I N G
Sales - Service - Parts
Pictured: Mike Zorn, Zoey, Nick Zorn
As the owner of Classic of Cleburne, I am thrilled to be a part of the amazing communities here in Johnson County! We do business in the same way that has earned Classic an extraordinary reputation in North Texas. As part of the Classic family of dealerships, you can expect the same laid-back experience that has made our sister store, Classic Chevrolet of Grapevine, the nation’s #1 volume Chevy dealership for the better part of a decade. I have been with the Classic Organization for 16 years and, together with my son Nick, we believe in integrity, values, and ethics before profit. We invite you to see what “Relax…And Enjoy The Difference” really means and look forward to your business, exceeding your expectations and serving the community. -Mike Zorn, Owner
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Proud Sponsor of the Cleburne Railroaders H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T ITS B EST
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CONTENTS
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E D U C AT I O N
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A SIMPLE HANDSHAKE
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LEGACY OF AN AG TEACHER
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RED, WHITE AND WEIGHTS
For Ashley Taylor, kindergarten teacher at Keene Elementary School in Keene, Texas, developing relationships begins before students step into her classroom.
Twenty-three years after his retirement, Mr. Ed Gilliam is still considered one of the most admired Ag teachers to ever grace the halls of Joshua High School.
Don’t let her petite, 130 pound frame fool you - Isabella Weatherby is strong enough to work out with Team USA!
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BACK TO SCHOOL. BACK TO RULES
Summertime and the living is easy… or maybe the living is just relatively lawless. Four strategies to help shake off summer and soften the blow of back to school.
HISTORY
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JOHNSON COUNTY FUN FACTS
Every place is unique, but nowhere is as unique home. Here are 20 interesting facts about Johnson County.
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
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2 1 S T C E N T U RY PA I N R E L I E F B O R N IN JOHNSON COUNTY
There are currently approximately 70 medical conditions that can be treated using stem cell therapies. Dr. Phillips knew that as a pain specialist, he could help other people avoid suffering the ways his loved ones had.
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LUNCHBOX UPGRADE
As much as we all love summer, we have to admit that school is just around the corner. Ditch the same old sandwiches for these upgraded recipes sure to please even the pickiest eaters.
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T H E FAS T A N D T H E F UR I O US : TH E H EA LT H T REN D T H AT ’S N OT S LOW IN G D OW N
Gluten-free, non-GMO, low-carb, no-carb, whole food, raw food, keto, paleo. If you got a problem, yo, there’s a diet to solve it.
HOME & GARDEN
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FROM HOUSE PLANT TO MASTER GARDENER
From a houseplant to a vegetable garden, the Extension Master Gardener program covers all areas for anyone interested in exploring their green thumbs.
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ABOUT THE COVER Cover ph oto is of a ch ild en joyin g a ll th e fu n th at Ma in s tay Fa rm h a s to offer. Rea d m ore a bou t th e fa rm on pa ge 112.
Caring for animals isn’t what we do, it ’s who we are Give us a call today!
817-478-1515
13055 Rendon Rd. Burleson, TX 76028 Like us on Facebook!
Our Services
We strive to provide complete compassionate care for our patients and their pet parents. We offer many services, and our most common are listed below: Wellness Care (including Annual Health Exams, Vaccines, Senior Health Screen, and Preventative Health Care) Laser Therapy Dental Health Care (Including Scaling, Polishing, and Tooth Extractions) Microchipping General Surgery (From Spay and Neuters to Exploratories and Mass Removals)
In House Pharmacy In House Laboratory Testing (From Heartworm Test and Fecals to Full Blood Chemistry Analysis) Digital Radiography Pain Management (Including Post op and Long Term with the use of many oral or injectible drugs) Peaceful Euthanasia
Monday- Friday 8am- 6pm Saturday 8am-12pm By Appointment Only
CONTENTS
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T R AV E L & O U T D O O R S
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CLEBURNE RAILROADERS
The Railroaders shattered attendance expectations in 2017, averaging over 1,700 fans per game in a stadium with 1,750 seats a virtual sellout.
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HONEY TOUR
Founded in 1998 by Bobby and Caryl Woolard of Woolard Custom Jewelers, today the Honey Tour is a fixture on the annual calendar of Texas bicycling events.
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T R AV E L H AC K S
Eight travel hacks to help you put the “vacation” back in your family’s summer vacation.
FA I T H & CO M M U N I T Y
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B E L I E V E B O L D LY
Erica Willis teaches us how to clothe our children with truth.
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B E T H E V O I C E CASA OF JOHNSON COUNTY
Since its inception in 2002, CASA of Johnson County has provided the training and support necessary for over 300 volunteers to advocate for over 1,400 children in the foster care system.
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CHISOLM TRAIL 100 CLUB
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AMERICAN HONEY
One of the most important elements in any community are the First Responders, the brave souls who put their lives on the line everyday defending life and property. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club is dedicated to supporting these unsung heroes.
Let this summer be a time of celebration and reflection – choose joy daily.
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M A I N S TAY – A WAY OF LIFE
Sometimes “big time fun” means more than just fun.
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A JOURNEY IN BEAUTY
The morning of January 17 started just like every other day for Brittany Sullivan, curling her hair and getting ready for work. The next thing she remembers is waking up to her family standing over her, telling her that they were taking her to the hospital.
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HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS
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BU R LES ON I SD 2 0 18 H I GHLI G H T S
J OH NS ON COUNT Y J UNI OR LI V ESTOC K S H OW
Hill College Continuing Education offers the training that results in personal and professional enrichment.
Sampling of Courses Software Skills • Microsoft Suite
Manufacturing
• Welding • HVAC • Lean • Project management
Communication Skills
• Conflict resolution management • Customer service • Delegating tasks • Negotiation skills
For more information contact: 817.760.5820 | ceinfo@hillcollege.edu www.HILLCOLLEGE.EDU/ContinuingEducation H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T ITS B EST
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
PUBLISHER
Red Fin Publishing
Justin & Hayley Six Kyle & Halsey Clark
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Justin Six
CREATIVE | DESIGN
GreenFox Marketing
CONTENT DIRECTOR Hayley Six Hayley.RedFin@gmail.com CONTENT COORDINATOR Jennifer Cabbage Jennifer.RedFin@gmail.com
H
ello Johnson County, finally we meet! We would like to introduce ourselves and invite you on this journey with us. We are RedFin Publishing, a family owned “Kingdom Business” who roots for the small businessman, promotes faith and family, and believes in community. After much anticipation, we are excited to reveal your premiere issue of Johnson County Living Magazine! This publication is a labor of love, created by you, for you! Serving you bi-annually, Johnson County Living connects you to the “what” and “who” in your area through hometown happenings and stories told through the people who make up the heart of the community. Within this issue, you’ll read about Ed Gilliam and Ashley Taylor, teachers who have made an impact in the lives of students in Johnson County. You’ll also read about Brittany Sullivan who is turning her tragedy into a triumph and teaching others about inner beauty. We want to thank our advertisers for making this publication possible and free to the community! Help us express our gratitude by shopping local and visiting their places of business to pick up your complimentary copy. This publication is about you! Please feel free to email us with your events, photos, article ideas, or anything you would like to see in upcoming issues. We would love to hear from you! From our staff at RedFin Publishing, thank you for opening your doors and hearts. We are privileged and blessed to know your story and to share it. We give thanks to God for our many blessings and look forward to a great year to come! Until the next edition, wishing you many blessings,
Justin and Hayley Six
SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR Jordan Finley
PROOF READER Hayley Six Jennifer Cabbage
Kyle and Halsey Clark
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” Proverbs 3:27
PHOTOGRAPHERS Mallory Alyson Photography TH Photography Olive Jane Photography
H Lanoue Photography
Lindsey Sullivan Photography COVER PHOTO
SALES
Photo provided by Mainstay Farm Kyle Clark
Nikki Garrett Tana Howell Bruce Racioppa Justin Six Tiffani Thompson CONTRIBUTING
Lindsay Allen
WRITERS Sarah Berry Robin DeMott Charles Franklin Gabriela Jackson Lanette Moline Tori Mortensen Niki Passmore Heather Regula Sherri Sechrist Johnna Thomasson CONTRIBUTORS Burleson ISD CASA of Johnson County Cleburne Railroaders Carey Stites, Dietician Johnson County Living© is published biannually by Red Fin Publishing.
WWW.REDFINPUBLISH IN G .COM P.O. Box 1239 | Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 301-3828
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JOHNSON COUNTY LIVING MAGAZINE RED FIN PUBLISHING
JO HNSO N CO UNTY LI V I N G
All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.
P O OL CO N ST R U C T I O N • P O O L R E MO DE LS • O UT DO O R LIVING S PACE S • CUSTO M PER GOLAS R E TA I N I N G WAL L S • C U STO M R O C K WO RK • LANDS CAPE DE S IG N AND INSTALLAT ION • SOD
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E D U C AT I O N
A SIMPLE
Handshake
By Charles Franklin Photos by H Lanoue Photography and provided by Ashley Taylor
A
sk any teacher, and they will tell you that educating children is about way more than just instruction— it is about developing relationships. Not only does that mean building trust between them and the students, it also means showing them how to treat each other. For Ashley Taylor, a kindergarten teacher at Keene Elementary School in Keene, Texas, developing relationships begins before students step into her classroom. Every day, a student is chosen to greet their classmates with a smile, handshake, and sometimes a hug, as they enter the room.
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A native of Quinlan and a graduate of Texas A&M Commerce, Taylor has a passion for educating young minds and growing future leaders. “Keene is a very culturally diverse district,” says Taylor, “and I want to ensure each of them gets as many life lessons as they do academic lessons.” Each morning, as Mrs. Taylor walks her students to the classroom, she uses the time to speak to her “Littles” and see how their day is going. She uses this interaction to determine who will be the greeter that day. “I’m pretty sure it’s the best part of their day!” she says. A veteran teacher, with 18 years in education in Quinlan, Burleson, and Keene school districts, Mrs. Taylor first started the ritual years ago after observing many older teens and adults in society. She realized that lessons in courtesy and respect were something she needed to start teaching her Littles. These are skills that, when taught early, are ingrained in their habits and will be built upon in the years leading to adulthood. Concerned with many of the negative events happening in schools across the nation, Mrs. Taylor decided to post a video online of one of her students greeting the others. The video has been a huge success—with over 17 million views—and
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has received many comments from other teachers stating that they plan to implement greeting in their classes. Some comments on the video have even expressed how important it is for the students to practice verbal communication in a society where almost everyone we see is buried in their cell phones. With so many relationships based on texting and social media, many young people are missing out on the development that comes with a good, old-fashioned, conversation. “I’ve always wondered how I could make a change in the world. And something as simple as this video showed me that I can make a difference,” Taylor said. “Events like school shootings have been a real eye-opener. That is what made me post the video originally. Maybe if some of those kids had felt like others were on their side, were cared for enough to be spoken to individually, and were not judged, then things would have happened differently. I understand there are lots of factors that play into those situations, but what if…” For one student, the morning handshakes in Mrs. Taylor’s class seem to have made an extraordinary difference. She marvels at how the video became so popular and has been shared so much without
most people even knowing how special it really is. That is because Asher, the greeter in the video, suffers from Neurofibromatosis 1, a disease that affects the brain and his extremities. Mrs. Taylor recalls that when the school year began, Asher was non-verbal and had no fine motor skills. As any good educator will do, however, Taylor learned what types of things interested Asher. “I quickly learned that Asher loves Transformers toys,” she says, “and my husband is a huge 80’s transformers collector, so I took my knowledge and ran with it!” Not only did Mrs. Taylor have a good bit of knowledge about Transformers, but her family pet is a Pug named Optimus Prime (O.P. for short) after the main character in the Transformers cartoon and movies. O.P. even came in for a visit and spent most of the day with Asher. This opened a line of communication and Mrs. Taylor even brought in Transformers themed educational toys in order to make learning more fun. Before long, Asher began to speak openly about Transformers and the entire class could interact with him about something he was passionate about. Fastforward to the video, and Asher can be seen shaking the hand of each classmate, offering them a “Good morning” and addressing each of them by name.
“ I ’ v e a lwa y s w o n d e r e d h ow I co u ld make a c h a n g e i n th e w o r l d . A n d s om e th i n g a s s i m p l e a s th is v i d e o s h o w e d m e th at I ca n m a k e a di f f e r e n c e ”
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Considering where Asher began the school year, being non-verbal and lacking fine motor skills, the fact that he now speaks in complete sentences and understands which hand to shake with is quite an accomplishment. Where some students with his needs might take much longer to show progress, an environment of kindness and communication seems to be just what he needed to flourish. Taylor points out that Asher isn’t the only student who has been positively affected by their morning ritual, though. She has noticed a difference in the way her students interact with other kids and adults. “Throughout each day, our activities require us to be speakers and listeners. We practice those same lessons during those times: eye contact, clear speaking, and respect,” Taylor says. She goes on to explain that the Keene ISD motto is, “Every child, every need, every day!” With a room full of diverse learners, she is tasked with meeting each of their unique learning needs. Taylor knows that her students spend as much time at school as they do at home, so she begins the school year with the understanding that her class is a family. As such,
everyone must treat each other with respect and kindness. “This is the foundation that I build our year on,” she says, “Sadly, lots of kids come to school looking for the positive interaction that they may not have experienced at home. Life can be hard for kids, but it shouldn’t be at school!” With a classroom culture of kindness and communication, Taylor has instilled in her Littles some of the basic qualities that are so crucial in not only being a good student, but a good member of society. Though it might be something as simple as a handshake and greeting, she believes it can lead to something so much more. Her goal is for the video of Asher greeting his class to continue being shared so that a little glimpse of kindness can reach many more people. She gets excited when she talks about all the young people who could be exposed to it and be motivated to start something like this in their own school. With enough publicity, she hopes that a movement might be started—one that builds future leaders—and changes the world. One Little at a time. JCL
“ S a d l y , l ot s o f k i d s c o m e to sch o o l lo oking f o r th e p o s i t i v e i n t e r a ct i o n th at th e y m a y n ot h av e e x p e r i e n c e d at h o m e . L i f e ca n be h a r d f o r k i d s , but it sho uldn’t b e at s c h o o l !
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Alyssa A Dotson 217 North Ridgeway Suite 100
817-641-2208
205 N Broadway Joshua, TX 76058 Andrea Kelly John W Hardin 124 S. Ridgeway Dr. 600 N Nolan River Rd 817-556-3303 817-269-1774
Joshua, TX
817-202-0658
Levi H Anderson, Matthew S Dollins, AAMS® AAMS®, CRPC® 106 Hyde Park Blvd #200
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817-645-9777
817-645-9190
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817-641-2992
MKD-8821-A-AD
David L Layman
Burleson, TX
205 N Broadway
817-556-3303
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817-447-5007
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312 E Renfro St Ste 103
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STAY UP TO DATE ON CURRENT NEWS AND EVENTS BY FOLLOWING US www.joshuachamber.com f joshuaareachamberofcommerce www.facebook.com/groups/joshuaareachamber Please contact Miranda@joshuachamber.com with any questions
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AUGUST 8TH • •
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L EG AC Y O F A N
Ag Teacher
By Gabriela Jackson Photos by TH Photography and provided by family of Mr. Ed Gilliam
M
r. Ed Gilliam is best known as one of the most admired Ag teachers at Joshua High School. Twenty-three years after he retired, it was humbling to find myself sitting across the room drinking coffee with him. He began by offering insight into the man that has been such a pivotal person in the lives of so many students for so many generations. Born in October 1935, Ed Gilliam was raised in Bono, Texas to a farming family that raised cattle and went on to graduate from Cleburne High School in 1954. After graduating, he joined the Air Force and was stationed in France for 33 months, serving in the medical corps until 1957. Upon returning to the States, he tried his hand at bull riding and toured with Junior Meek for about a year until a riding injury changed his path. This injury, as well as his father’s illness and passing, led Gilliam to
make the decision to go to college using his G.I. Bill. He enrolled at Tarleton State College in Stephenville, Texas, and later went to Texas Tech University, where he completed his degree in Agri-Science. During his time at Texas Tech University, he worked in a feedlot for a man who would set in motion another journey. Mr. Whiteside talked Ed into getting a teaching certificate, which he did while running his own business planting grass in Pecos, Texas. Between the business in Pecos and getting married in 1963 to the woman he still calls “his sweetheart,” they moved to Slaton, Texas for his first teaching job. Not long after, when his mother fell ill, he brought his family to Cleburne and applied for a position to teach Ag at Joshua High School where he taught until his retirement 26 years later. When asked about a momentous event in his early years in teaching, his response was quick. “I realized
Twenty -three years after his retirement, Mr. Ed Gilliam is still considered one of the most admired Ag teachers to ever grace the halls of Joshua High School.
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that I was in control and responsible to these incredibly receptive kids. I wanted to teach them life lessons along with educating them about the subject. One of the things I used to say to them was, ‘You’re the smartest you’ll ever be.’ I wanted to encourage them to make decisions about their future and guide them there.” He told a story that described the incredible journey that became his “style of teaching” so to speak - a hands-on approach where he was as invested in the student as they were themselves. Each year, his students would come into his class, and like every year before, all his students were required to do a project—they could choose to build something, repair a tractor or raise an animal. The animals varied from sheep, pigs, cattle or horses. All the animals, with the exception of horses, were later taken to the stock shows. Mr. Gilliam was committed that once the student decided their direction, he would go to the home of each student and meet with the parents regarding the project their child had chosen because he wanted to involve the parents. All the classes combined averaged approximately 40 students. Throughout the term of the project, Mr. Gilliam visited each and every student’s home monthly to check progress and assist them in the process; for in the early years there wasn’t an Ag building for use by the school like there is today. Many times, Mr. Gilliam travelled as far as several states away just to buy livestock!
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He was teaching his students life skills like responsibility, timeliness, dedication to finish what they started and mostly that hard work matters.
When the time came to take the cattle to the stock shows, he would load up the cattle, the parents would load up their RVs or vehicles and like a caravan armed with a CB in every vehicle, they would travel to their destination as a family. Once they arrived, the students were required to wake up before sunlight to ready their animal; work did not stop on arrival. He was teaching his students life skills like responsibility, timeliness, dedication to finish what they started, and mostly that hard work matters. Business ethics is one skill that he himself learned and wanted to pass on to his students. His teaching was not only about book learning, but also about human and animal condition. Perhaps his students would find their way in the world just a little bit easier…and approach life head on. His teaching didn’t stop at the end of the school day; it followed the students home. Today, Mr. Gilliam is enjoying his retirement with his wife by his side. They have two grown children and three grandchildren. Every once in a while, you may find him attending a local event or rodeo, perhaps having coffee with a former student or as he would say, “You can find me on Facebook!” Mr. Gilliam’s unique teaching methods may no longer exist, but those who were lucky enough to have him as a teacher were blessed to sit in the presence of this very humble and dedicated man. “Teaching gave me direction, enthusiasm for life.” JCL
Matt Aiken, Stan McVey (was an Ag teacher at Joshua with Gilliam), Rodney Carlock
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Dr. Phillips was the first doctor in Dallas Fort Worth to perform Autologous intradiscal stem cell (BMAC) injections for lumbar disc disease and also the first to perform cervical spine intradiscal stem cell injections. He was the first doctor to implant the Medtronic MRI compatible Spinal Cord Stimulator system in the North Texas region and the first doctor in Texas to ever implant a gold-plated Medtronic Stimulator system for a patient with a Titanium allergy. Dr. Phillips was the first doctor in the North Texas region and second in Texas to implant the St. Jude/Abbott Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) stimulator system for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He was also one of the 1st 50 doctors in the country to be trained on and implant the Superion Vertiflex indirect decompression spacer device for lumbar spinal stenosis. Dr. Phillips has also served on and still serves on the Executive Board and Medical Executive Committees and has served as Medical Director of several surgery centers in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex.
Upon moving to Dallas, Dr. Scott Berlin opened and developed the pain management clinic at Methodist Medical Center. He was the first practitioner in Dallas to implant a fully implantable dual lead spinal cord stimulator system, which has now become the standard of care. He continues to offer state-of-theart solutions for unusual and difficult painful diseases. Dr. Berlin is board certified in anesthesiology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine.
Upon moving to the Dallas area, Dr. Andrew Cottingham performed all varieties of anesthesia including pediatric, neurosurgical, cardiac, vascular, orthopedic, otolaryngology and obstetric. He has been the Director of the Post Anesthesia Care Unit at a major teaching hospital and the Medical Director of a surgery center in the Dallas area. He is board certified in anesthesiology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine. Dr. Cottingham has been providing cuttingedge therapies around the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex since 1996.
IS STEM CELL THERAPY AN OPTION FOR YOU?
“Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you.’ “ -Luke 10:9
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H OMETOWN H APPENINGS
BURLESON ISD 2018 HIGHLIGHTS PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BISD
BISD welcomes Midas, a golden retriever, to Frazier Elementary.
Hughes Middle School students recently got to dig up some 25-year-old time capsules.
​Elementary students at the Academy at Nola Dunn competed against 22,000 students to take 3rd place in a national reading competition called the Great Reading Games.
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Membership with the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce gives you access to an organization dedicated to advocating for the business community, creating connections through networking opportunities, providing an extra level of credibility, and making a positive impact in our Community.
WE ARE IN BUSINESS FOR BUSINESS 1044 SW Wilshire Burleson, TX 76028 (817) 295-6121 www.burlesonchamber.org
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Our pediatricians are with you every inch of the way. Because childhood should be simple.
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By Lindsay L Allen Photos by H Lanoue Photography and provided by Weatherby Family
Alvarado Teen Hopes to Compete in the Olympics
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sabella Weatherby is a petite 130 pounds, but don’t let her size fool you--she is strong enough to work out with Team USA. In high school, she set records at state and nationals for squats and total weights and is no stranger to the MVP award at power lifting meets. But you would probably never know any of this if you met her. In addition to being humble, it would be hard for her to focus on just talking “power lifting” with you as she has a love for all things sports. Volleyball captain, power lifting captain, FFA officer, cheerleader, soccer team, track, National Honor Society and Student Council president top her résumé and somehow, she found time to study and graduate third overall in her class this year and work part time.
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“When I was younger, I competed in a lot of sports. I started with dance and then kept going from sport to sport and never stuck with just one. I even remember trying to play football, but my mom wouldn’t let me,” she laughed, “My parents knew athletics were my ‘thing’ and let me play and have a good time with it, but when I entered 7th grade, I knew I wanted to compete for my school.” As you can imagine, Isabella’s schedule didn’t allow for much sleeping time and her parents didn’t allow for low grades, which kept her motivated to study or she knew she would have to cut sports out of her schedule. Her high school days started with a 6:30 a.m. work out, then class, a lunch break that Isabella used as study time, then 8th period Track, followed by track practice after school, soccer practice and finally power lifting practice to end the night. The weeks were always filled with track meets on Thursday night, soccer games on Friday nights, power lifting meets on Saturday, and after church on Sunday she would head to a private facility for power lifting training.
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It all paid off though. Her junior year she won state after pulling the most weight she had ever pulled--335 pounds! “It was absolutely incredible to win state. It was a close competition and we had been going back and forth. It all came down to the deadlift and in the event of a tie, the win goes to the lightest person, which wasn’t me, so I knew I couldn’t afford to tie-I had to win it,” she remembered. Her coach for all four years, Scott Svendsen, said, “Isabella has great work ethic- her approach to life is that if she is going to do something, she is going to do it well. She gives everything her all.” He remembered her sophomore year when she cracked her wrist in track practice and still continued to compete in power lifting. “She was ranking pretty high in regionals when she broke her wrist and at the state qualifying meet she took the cast off so she could lift and compete and ended up qualifying and finishing 8th in the state with a broken wrist that year!” he said.
My parents knew athletics were my ‘thing’ and let me play and have a good time with it, but when I entered 7th grade, I knew I wanted to compete for my school.
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Isabella credits her love for sports back to her dad, who played football in college, winning a national title, and playing rugby and winning a national title as an adult, and is active in karate. It doesn’t hurt that Isabella has two brothers, one of whom plays college football, and both of whom she was constantly trying to keep up with as a kid. “I think we lost count on how many windows we broke playing ball in the house,” she said, “I am the youngest, but always tried to keep pace with them.” “I’m just as impressed with her as a person as I am an athlete,” Svenvden said, “If Isabella wants to do something, she does it with excellence. She is a large reason why our power lifting program has grown so much over the last four years, because of her leadership and her success.” Now that she has recently graduated high school, Isabella is training with USA Weight Lifting to see if she can qualify for the Olympics. “It would mean so much to me to try and represent our country at that level and it would be such a rare opportunity,” she said, “I know this is not something presented to everyone and the fact that I even get a shot at it is an honor and I am blessed to even try.” If she makes it past Phase 2 of the training tryouts, she will be
“I’m just as impressed with her as a person as I am an athlete. If Isabella wants to do something, she does it with excellence.” —Coach Scott Svenden assigned a personal trainer in college to coach her and prepare her for the next level of competition. If she makes it to the Olympics, and better yet, to the gold platform, her coach will always remember the freshman girl who showed up half way through the year to give power lifting a try. “I remember how talented she was then and the explosive power and strength we saw in her.” JCL
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BACK TO SCHOOL. BACK TO RULES:
Kicking Summer Habits and Keeping Happy Kids
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Summertime and the living is easy… or maybe the living is just relatively lawless. Four strategies to help shake off summer and soften the blow of back to school. BY TORI MORTENSEN
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t’s approximately 652 hours past bedtime, bottom of the ninth, game one of the College World Series. One child is standing six inches from the TV, watching the Tigers and devouring rainbow sherbet with a plastic fork off of a paper plate. The other is knee deep in a slice of week old Oreo Cheesecake. After all, they did skip dinner. You think you recognize the tee your oldest is wearing as the one his little brother got for the dodge ball tournament in roughly 2013, you try to recall just how many days in a row he has had it on…and that mullet though. The dining room table is finally being put to use. It plays host to two, stuffed to the point of un-zippability, REI “Wheely Beast” Duffels and a freshly Fed Exed Fly Rod in preparation for the almost three week “road trip to end all road trips” which begins in roughly 72 hours. You consider, for a moment, packing the summer reading project form. You know, so your son might knock that out on the drive? You wonder where said form is and then scrap the idea and get your own plate of sherbet. On the way back from the freezer, you notice the interior doormat is holding roughly a quarter inch of
water, the result of the daily, afternoon water gun war gone too far. Rather than ring it out, you let it be. It will still be summer tomorrow and the water wars are inevitable. Summertime and the living is easy… or maybe the living is just relatively lawless. Why do we do this to ourselves, y’all? Why do we so fervently buck the same systems we so diligently worked to implement August-May? Why, all of a sudden, is bedtime a moving target just because it’s sunny and 129 degrees at 8:30pm? Well, I’ll tell you why it happens in our house…because rules are lame. It literally sucks the life out of me to constantly reinforce rules that I know help my children to be reasonably accepted human beings. I much prefer to allow them to roam free. To be a YES PARENT. To see their faces light up like the Fourth of July when I say “Yes, you can eat dinner in the tree” (an actual question posed in our house this summer) and “Yes, you may have that second Snickers bar and yes, I know it’s 11:15pm” and “Yes, it doesn't matter that your brother had the Super Soaker first, you can go ahead and take it from him because it makes you happy.”
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But, as the Good Book tells us “Don't be a YES Momma all the time.” Proverbs 29:17 Ok, so not that EXACTLY, but something more like… “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” I am all about some “rest” and “soul delight” anywhere I can get it, y’all. So we all agree we have to rein it in for back to school, if not just for our kids’ well being and the sanity of the teaching profession, then because the Lord said so. Now, let’s talk tips to get us over the dreaded back to school and therefore “back to rules” transition period.
START ‘EM BACK EARLY.
I mean, sort of a no brainer, but set a date, experts say roughly two weeks before school starts. In my house, I give my crew even more advanced notice. Three weeks out, I let them know that they have 7 days of summer left and THEN starts two weeks of back to business as usual in preparation for the first day. Reinstate bedtimes, family dinners, alarm clocks, setting out things for the next day, those things that equal real life during the school year. It can also be pretty maddening to have someone ask you each and everyday when something is going to happen, so I always have some sort of “countdown to the first day” clock. A chalkboard, or paper chain for littles or even an app works well for the older ones. This is not because I am a Suzy Homemaker Pinterest DIY lover. It is simply to keep everyone on the same page and the question asking to a minimum. I’ve
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found that so much of the stress in life plum goes away when we tell folks in advance what they can expect.
SET SOME GOALS.
You can give even the youngest preschooler the gift of this important life skill and the earlier you start…well, you know the rest. Give each family member a notebook, a 3x5 note card, or even one of those giant sticky Post-Its. Ask your child what two or three things he or she would like to accomplish this school year. Maybe it’s perfect attendance or to participate in the talent show. Maybe it is no tardies or a B in math. Maybe it’s learn to read or make one new friend or make varsity. Maybe it’s to not argue with his teachers or be chosen student council president. Talk about what it would mean to him if he achieved that goal and the kind of things he’ll have to do to accomplish something like that. Talk about the alternative things she may feel, if she doesn't get that B in math. How does it feel when you don't believe as though you did your best? Post the year’s goals in your home. Review them often. Come back to them when things get hairy and feel out of control.
SORT OUT THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
We like to assume our children know what they are responsible for and what it looks like to be responsible for those things. Chances are they don’t. Who is doing what this year? Could your daughter pick her own clothes? Could your second grader make his own lunch or your
middle schooler log into the lunchroom app and be sure he has money in the account? Is it your responsibility to clean out the folder and search for homework and papers to be signed or is it the job of your child to sort through that monster and deliver forms and notes to you. Who will do what this year and what does it look like when those things are done correctly?
STRUCTURE A STRATEGY FOR WHEN THEY SCREWUP.
Here’s the thing, we are just big sinners, raising little sinners. The sooner we realize it, the easier our existence as parents on this mixed up, free agency-filled earth will be. We are all going to mess up and misbehave and miss the mark. However, we go back to our ole’ friend Proverbs. Correction is critical. Have a simple plan for when kids, inevitably, go off track. In most basic correction situations, you can use a simple technique like the one made famous by everyone’s favorite babysitter, the Super Nanny, a technique also known as The Naughty Step. I can’t very well put my ten year old in timeout on a step stool or naughty mat, but the concept remains essentially the same. If appropriate, remove the child from the immediate environment, get on their level, tell them exactly what they did wrong and describe how it makes you and/or others impacted feel, then WAIT. WAIT until it feels uncomfortable. Then, WAIT some more. For an older child, review the consequences you have
hopefully previously set for that type of behavior and clarify that the consequence will in fact occur. Take the phone, the toy, the keys, the free time, etc. if it’s necessary or appropriate. Remind them of the goals they set for this year and posted in your home. Ask them if their behavior is getting them closer or further away from those goals. Now, tell them that you like them. That you are on their side, but that you do not like and will not accept the behavior. Then hug them tight. Say the actual words “I love you” and then let that mess go. Seriously, it is over. No one wants to be continually reminded of how they dropped the ball or let people down. Above all, cut yourself some Back to School slack. When the bedtimes and meal planning and an endless stream of corrections flowing from your lips all just seems to be too much, remember that studies show our children will not turn out to be helpless, jobless vagabonds just because we let them stay up late and eat sugar in September. However, some statistic somewhere from some big Ivy League psychologist or neurologist or maybe a sociologist, IDK… I can’t really recall…anyway, someone who knows, wrote something once that said children who have well defined boundaries are happier and more respectful towards others. And isn’t that what most of us would actually write on our OWN 3x5 notecard of back to school goals? In the 2017-2018 School Year… I, Mom, will raise happy, respectful kids and find last year’s Summer Reading Project form. JCL
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HISTORY
Johnson County FUN Facts By Johnna Thomasson
“There’s no place like home.”
T
his is a statement quoted a million times over since first made famous by a young girl in red heels and whether you are born in a big city, small town, or on a piece of land that somehow has a population sign even though the population runs about 150, this is true for all of us. There IS no place like home. But what makes our home unique? Well, let’s talk about Johnson County. I can give you 20 reasons your home is unlike the rest.
1. YOU CAN VISIT THE HOME OF THE VERY FIRST JOHNSON COUNTY RESIDENT. The home of Henry Briden, Johnson County’s
original resident, a log cabin along the Nolan River can still be seen along State Highway 174 in Rio Vista, Texas. This landmark serves as a great reminder how large even the smallest beginnings can grow.
2. THE 1967 FILM “BONNIE AND CLYDE” WAS FILMED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF JOHNSON COUNTY. Starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty, this 1967 film found itself on Route 67 in Venus, Tx. Many small locations from the town were featured in the movie although disguised as different business for the film.
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3. SPEAKING OF MOVIES, DID YOU KNOW
5. MANY SUCCESSFUL MEN AND WOMEN
THE MOVIE “SWEETWATER” SET TO RELEASE JULY 2018 WAS FILMED IN CLEBURNE? Written and produced by Kim Hughes, this
BEGAN THEIR LIVES AND CAREERS IN JOHNSON COUNTY. Did you know that Major
movie is said to center around a few subjects like curing cancer, friendship, and dismantling racial barriers.
4. THERE IS HISTORY AROUND EVERY CORNER. If you, like my mom, like to educate your children with the history surrounding them then Johnson County offers the perfect environment to do so. With a variety of many historical homes to tour, you can also choose to spend your day at one of the many Johnson County museums like…. • Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum- Cleburne, Tx • Layland Museum- Cleburne, Tx • Imagination Station Children’s MuseumCleburne, Tx • Cleburne Railroad Museum- Cleburne, Tx • Southwestern Adventist University Dinosaur Science Museum and Research Center- Keene, Tx • Gone with the Wind Museum- Cleburne, Tx • Hopps Museum & Welcome Center- Keene, Tx
League Baseball Pitcher James Epherium Avrea was born in Cleburne in 1920? Or that American Rockabilly musician Johnny Carroll was born here in 1937? Johnson County has also been the home of an Olympic Biathlete (Henry Lee Dunlap), American Composer (Merrill Leroy Ellis), and many, many professional athletes.
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6. JOHNSON COUNTY WAS ALSO THE HOME OF JOSEPHINE MYRTLE CORBIN, THE LADY WITH 4 LEGS. Born May 6, 1928, Josephine was born with two pelvises side by side with her body axis splitting as it developed resulting in 4 legs. She was said to be able to move all four legs although the two smaller ones in the middle were much to weak to walk with. The condition is known as dipygus and although being born with this condition she used it to help her build a career as a performer. Her popularity grew so large that many other shows began to create their own falsified versions of Mrs. Corben. She eventually quit performing and went on to marry and had 5 children of her own.
7.
IF JOHNSON COUNTY’S POPULATION WAS TO GROW AT THE SAME RATE IT HAS SINCE THE FIRST CENSUS RECORDED, IT WOULD STILL TAKE WELL OVER 150 YEARS FROM TODAY TO EVER REACH THE CURRENT POPULATION OF NEW YORK CITY.
The first census for Johnson County was taken in 1860 with a resulting population of 4,305 which if we are being honest is about how many people you run into at Wal-Mart when you’re having a bad hair day. Today that population stands at 159,990. If the Johnson County population continued to grow at that rate, in about 150-160 years, we still wouldn’t be as jam packed as New York City.
8. JOHNSON COUNTY IS NAMED AFTER MIDDLETON JOHNSON. Middleton Johnson was a Texas Ranger, soldier, and politician and not only having one county named after him, he is also known as the “Father of Tarrant County.” I wonder what a girl like me has to do to get a county named after her, probably wake up earlier.
9.
WATER TAKES UP ONLY 1.3% OF JOHNSON COUNTY. Although being surrounded by the Brazos and Nolan River, the 740 sq. miles of Johnson County is mostly land. In fact, only 9.8 sq. miles is water
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10. CLEBURNE WAS ORIGINALLY NAMED CAMP HENDERSON. • Johnson County has had 3 county seats. The first in Wardville. The second Buchanan. And lastly, in Camp Henderson, which soon after retaining the seat, was renamed to Cleburne after Confederate General Patrick Cleburne.
11. JOHNSON COUNTY IS PRIMARILY REPUBLIC, BUT BARELY. Dating back to 1912, if you were to take a look at winning parties each election year the current statistics have Republicans leading with 14 years vs. Democrat’s 13 years.
12. JOHNSON COUNTY WAS THE WINNER OF THE EXCELLENCE IN PROCUREMENT AWARD FOR TWO YEARS RUNNING, MAKING IT ONE OF ONLY 48 COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TO EVER RECEIVE THE AWARD. This award encourages development of excellence in public procurement and was awarded to Johnson County in 2016 & 2017.
13. ALTHOUGH NO PERMANENT INDIAN VILLAGES ARE ESTABLISHED HERE, JOHNSON COUNTY SERVED AS PRIME HUNTING GROUND FOR MANY NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. These tribes included the Tonkawas, Kickapoos, Anadarkos, Caddos, and the Wacos.
18. THE CITY OF GRANDVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS GRAND VIEW (TWO WORDS). A reason for the change isn’t really stated, but my guess is in the south since we talkwithourwordsallsmooshedtogetherlikethis, it kind of just became assumed it was one word.
19. THE ORIGINAL COUNTY SEATS, WARDVILLE AND BUCHANAN, NO LONGER EXIST.
14. THE FIRST HOUSE THAT CHUCK NORRIS EVER BLEW UP IN “WALKER, TEXAS RANGER” WAS IN VENUS, TX.
I know, you probably read number 10 and thought “This girl doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” Which is true most of the time but in fact, the reason you may not have recognized the towns of Wardville and Buchanan is simply because they no longer exist.
Yes, Johnson County has seen the likes of Chuck Norris.
15. SPEAKNG OF VENUS, DID YOU KNOW THAT IT IS KNOWN AS “THE HOLLYWOOD CAPITAL OF JOHNSON COUNTY”? Well, obviously because of Chuck Norris, right? And Tom Cruise made an appearance for his movie “Born on the Fourth of July.” Geraldine Page won an Academy award for a movie shot here. Truthfully, I can understand the nickname.
16. ALSO, IN VENUS, OUT OF THE POPULATION OF 3000, 1000 OF THEM ARE PRISONERS. From movie stars to inmates, the town has room for everyone.
17. THE FIRST MINISTER OF JOHNSON COUNTY, WAS METHODIST. Simeon Odem was the first to open his church doors, but it wasn’t long after that other denominations began to pop up in the area as well.
20. THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE JOHNSON COUNTY. THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME. I should know, I now have done the research.
JCL
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Photographers & Writers Wanted! If you or someone you know takes fantastic photos or writes compelling pieces let us know!
Johnson County Living
MAGA ZINE
Please submit a link of your portfolio or gallery to
Hayley.RedFin@gmail.com
GIVE ME A CHANCE. VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME.
http://www.casajohnsoncounty.org/volunteer
CASA OF JOHNSON COUNTY The mission of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Johnson County is to speak out for abused and neglected children in the community as well as in court proceedings so that they can be permanently placed in a safe, nurturing environment as quickly as possible.
To learn more about becoming a CASA Volunteer please visit:
PH: 817.558.6995 Ext. 111 FAX: 817.556.9522
3728 E FM 4 Cleburne, TX 76031 817-659-5234 www.texastailspetranch.com
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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
2 1st Ce n t u ry
Pain Relief Born in
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By Sarah Berry Photos provided by Dr. Michael and Lisa Phillips
D
r. Michael Phillips is in the business of treating pain to give people their lives back. His practice treats patients who are experiencing chronic and acute pain, as well as pain related to cancer, in both Johnson and Tarrant Counties. The statistics on pain are staggering. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 100 million Americans suffer from some type of chronic pain. When someone’s life has been interrupted due to pain, all areas of their life are affected, from work and leisure activities to daily living tasks and sleep. It is imperative that pain is treated so that people can get back those parts of their lives that pain has impacted.
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There are currently approximately 70 medical conditions that can be treated using stem cells therapies. Dr. Phillips knew that as a pain specialist, he could help other people not have to suffer the ways his loved ones had.
As part of his training to become an anesthesiologist, Dr. Phillips also received training in pain medicine, a branch of anesthesiology. He became passionate about the field after witnessing his mother live with chronic pain and after seeing his grandfather struggle through the pain of terminal cancer. Dr. Phillips knew that as a pain specialist, he could help other people not have to suffer the ways his loved ones had. There have been many remarkable developments in pain medicine in the past several years. One of these advancements is stem cell injection treatments. These treatments involve injecting stem cells into an injured area of the body so that the stem cells repair and regrow or rebuild the damaged tissue. The “pluripotent� stem cells take on the property of the environment they are placed into, growing and incorporating into damaged tissue. Dr. Phillips has been performing stem cell treatments for patients since late 2013. He was the first doctor in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and one
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of the first in the country to perform autologous (obtained from the patient’s own bone marrow aspirate concentrate – or BMAC) stem cell injections for lumbar disc disease. This spring he became the first physician in the DFW area and one of the first in the country and the world to perform cervical spine intradiscal stem cell injections. Dr. Phillips and his team are using stem cell treatments for conditions including mild disc bulging due to degenerative disc disease; certain types of nerve injuries; partial rotator cuff tears; injuries of tendons, ligaments or muscles; plantar fasciitis; tendonitis of any part of the body; and injuries or osteoarthritis of multiple joints including shoulders, hips, knees, elbows, wrists, ankles, and fingers. There are currently approximately 70 medical conditions that can be treated using stem cells therapies. “We use stem cells to regenerate the nucleus and annular fibers of the discs in the spine,” Dr. Phillips explains. “(Stem cells) also regenerate cartilage in joints and help rapidly heal partially torn fibers of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.” Where do stem cells come from? For many patients, stem cells for treatment can be obtained from their own harvested bone marrow. However, as we age, we aren’t able to produce as
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many stem cells so donor stem cells are typically used for patients older than 60. These donor cells come from placenta tissue or cord blood donations from mothers who deliver babies by elective C-section and have expressly given their permission for the donation. Fetal or aborted tissue is never used. Although these treatments have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are still considered experimental by the insurance companies. Dr. Phillips explained that they are waiting for Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) division of Medicare (CMS) to give these treatments a temporary billing code which will allow them to be covered under Medicare, and then later by private insurance companies. These outpatient or office procedures are currently available to patients, but do require an out of pocket expense. In the fall of 2017, Congress passed a bill to speed up access to regenerative treatments, so Dr. Phillips is hopeful that this process of CPT coding may happen within the next 18 months. With regard to pain treatment, Dr. Phillips would like to encourage people to see pain specialists sooner, rather than later. It has been his experience
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that when patients only see their primary care physician (PCP) for pain management, the PCP may only prescribe narcotics and other medications that may mask the pain but do not treat the underlying cause of the pain. By the time the patient decides to seek help from a pain specialist, it may be 1-2 years after seeking help from their PCP and they may have become heavily reliant on pain medication. Dr. Phillips wants people to understand that although “there is a tremendous stigma regarding pain management clinics as being only ‘pill pushers,’ in reality, a well-trained pain physician is able to treat almost any type of pain syndrome and actually help to get patients off most, if not all, pain medications.” He believes strongly in treating the root cause of the pain in order to resolve the pain. If that is not possible, he says, only then will he focus on treating the symptomatic pain. This is especially important in dealing with our nation’s opioid crisis. Dr. Phillips is encouraged by how many advances have been made recently in the field of pain medicine. He says it is now possible to treat most any type of pain, whether it’s through stem cell injections, traditional pain medicine injections
After all, it's not just about pain reduction, it's about reclaiming one's life to the fullest.
or rhizotomies, or other types of treatments such as neuromodulation or minimally invasive surgical procedures. “For a stem cell treatment to be considered successful by our clinic, the patient has to get 85-90% pain relief along with increased functionality, and also have imaging (MRI) that shows improvement,” says Dr. Phillips. “We have been able to obtain over a 93% success rate after one (stem cell) treatment.” With such an amazing success rate, it's no wonder that stem cell injection treatments are becoming more common throughout the world now. After all, it's not just about pain reduction, it's about reclaiming one's life to the fullest. To learn more about Dr. Phillips and the OPTIMAL PAIN & REGENERATIVE MEDICINE division of US ANESTHESIA PARTNERS practice, visit www.Optimaldfw. com or call 817-558-4600. JCL
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BECAUSE EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY FAMILY - SENIORS - LIFESTYLE hlanouephoto@yahoo.com hlanouephotography.pixieset.com
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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
Carey Stites is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian working in central Texas. She has been a practicing Dietitian since 2001 with experience in both outpatient and inpatient medical nutrition therapy and sports nutrition. She is also an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer. She has promoted health and wellness through presentation, classes and cooking demonstrations all over Texas.
Photos by Jenny Lloyd Photography
Mini Pigs in a Blanket • 1 package reduced-fat crescent rolls • 1 package Oscar Mayer Turkey Selects
s much as we all love summer, we have to admit that school is just around the corner…..ditch the same old sandwiches for these upgraded recipes sure to please even the pickiest eaters. Using just a few ingredients you may already have in your pantry, you can whip up something new and unique that will be the envy of the lunchbox crew.
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1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll package. 2. Unroll crescent roll dough and tear triangles at perforated seams (there should be 8 triangles). 3. Cut 4 turkey select dogs in half.
4. Start at the large end of the dough roll each triangle around each half turkey dog and place on baking pan which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 5. Bake according to crescent roll package directions. Keep warm in lunch box thermos and add a ketchup or mustard package for dipping.
Hummus Grilled Chicken Wrap • 1 Flatout Flatbread • ¼ cup Sabra hummus • 1-2 ounces sliced grilled chicken or turkey • 2 slices cucumber, sliced lengthwise • Handful of fresh spinach leaves • Sliced tomato, depending on size of the tomatoes
1. Spread the hummus on the bottom of the wrap, spreading out the side edges. 2. Layer the chicken, cucumber, spinach leaves and tomato slices. 3. Fold the wrap tightly, as you would a burrito, tucking in all of the veggies with the first roll then rolling firmly to the end. Cut in half. 4. Keep fresh by covering with plastic wrap and adding an ice pack in the lunch box.
Pumpkin Pie Spiced Trail Mix • • • • • •
1 cup pecan halves 1/2 cup cashews 1/2 cup almonds 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice • 1/4 cup dried cranberries • 1/4 cup golden raisins
1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. Spread pecan halves, cashews and almonds in a single layer on a wax paperlined baking sheet. 3. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring once. 4. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 300°.
5. Bring honey, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a rolling boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 6. Drizzle hot mixture over nuts in bowl; toss to coat. 7. Spread coated nut mixture in a single layer on same wax paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 300° for 25 to 30 minutes or until glaze begins to harden. 8. Spread mixture onto lightly greased wax paper, and cool completely. 9. Transfer to a bowl, and stir in 1/4 cup each dried cranberries and ¼ cup golden raisins. Scoop ½ cup of trail mix and place into zip-log bag for lunch.
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The Fast & The Furious: The health trend that's not slowing down By Tori Mortensen
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pparently there's room for yet another driver in the race for “Top Diet Trend of 2018,” because the latest program making a name for itself in nutrition, Intermittent Fasting, has pulled up to the starting line and the other guys in the mix are taking notice. But health industry is in a pileup when it comes to Intermittent Fasting. Less diet really and more eating schedule, proponents of this clockor calendar-based eating routine have created multiple styles which encourage and restrict eating based on alternating times of feeding and fasting. According to recent studies, the Instagram influencers and lots and lots of fitness bloggers, the results of Intermittent Fasting are pretty darn great, including simple weight loss and vastly improved health. Though the concept is highly contested in an industry that spent years convincing us that we MUST basically eat around the clock in order to achieve our health goals. Cue the Internet momentum and contention. Touting benefits from Alzheimer's prevention to a complete immune system reset, from achieving advanced mental clarity to better mental health, multiple studies claim fasting may not only improve your overall health, but may even help you live longer. Some have shown that intermittent fasting may decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad"
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cholesterol. Additionally, IF may improve insulin resistance, which, in turn, helps stabilize blood sugar levels. In one recent study, periodic fasting was linked to lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and aging. Some scientists seem to believe this is likely due to the ways that it affects cell and hormone function. During the fasting phase, many cells die and stem cells turn on, which starts a regeneration process and gives rise to new, younger cells, study author Valter Longo, PhD, recently explained in an interview with Health Magazine. "It sounds too good to be true, but it's not," he said. Other data states that the prime health benefit of fasting comes when the body puts itself in a natural state of ketosis (ketosis is yet another health buzzword and could be a whole article in and of itself). And yet another camp promotes an IF eating schedule as a weapon in the body's struggle against a life filled with artificial light i.e having your days and nights mixed up, insomnia, daytime drowsiness. Now, again, ask anyone who has a car in this fitness race and you will most certainly hear mixed opinions (and even mixed explanations) of IF. Some individuals have even been driven to come out in full force against the trend and while others call it “The single most powerful thing you can do for your body.”
I do not have a degree in nutrition, nor am I a doctor, and you should totally ask one or both before you embark on any type of dedicated health journey. I am simply sharing with you the experience I had during my trial run at the controversial intermittent fasting deal, which was a positive one.
WHO:
Lots of folks have been fasting since, well, The Beginning. We hear it continually mentioned in the Bible as a spiritual tool used by those asking the Lord for direction, clarity, even blessings like protection and HEALTH. Most modern religions continue to honor the biblical practice of fasting in some way, with many recognizing it as possibly the most powerful form of spiritual discipline. From a purely medical standpoint, evidence shows that fasting has been used throughout history and was one of the first forms of treatment prescribed by many early medicine practitioners. We can even throw it back to the caveman days and recognize that a cave man would not have had access to a 24/7 buffet of food and snacks. He would have likely filled up only when he had a successful hunt, meaning there is some evidence that our bodies were not designed to eat around the clock day in and day out, but rather that we have conditioned them to do so. While fasting has been practiced for eons and almost anyone can pull it off, fasting is certainly not right for everyone. If done incorrectly, it could even result in harm to the body so again, consult your doctor and do some research before committing. The plan worked well for me because I had experience with religious fasting, I am in good health and I'm already not a breakfast eater which makes it very manageable for me to string together a 16-hour fast (more on this later).
WHAT:
Another thing that got me geared up for this program is its simplicity. Pick one of the IF styles that works for you. Eat when you are in feeding times. Don't eat when you are in fasting times. Some IFers choose to limit overall calorie intake in order to put themselves in a calorie deficit promoting weight loss. While others IFers eat the same number of calories as they would within a “normal” day, they simply eat them within the restricted window. Almost all IFers choose mostly healthy foods during feeding periods, regardless of caloric goals because they DO value the benefits a quality diet provides. I fell somewhere in between, eating in a deficit some days and within regular calorie levels on others and generally eating a clean diet.
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WHEN:
Most popular intermittent fasting plans can be grouped into 3 categories: Alternate day fasting, 24-hour fast followed by a 24hour non-fasting period. One can also choose to fast for 23 hours with one meal per day. Whole-day fasting specifies various ratios of fasting to non-fasting days, such as the 5:2 diet, in which people consumed 400–500 calories (women) or 500–600 calories (men) during the 5 days of regular eating and 2 days of fasting. During non-fasting days, the diet is regular. Time-restricted feeding - daily fasting period with a shortened eating window of 3–12 hours. For example, one form of TRF calls for fasting for 16 hours each day and eating total daily calories during the remaining 8 hours, typically on the same schedule each day. This is the program I used during my trial. I basically had my last meal at 5pm or 6pm and my first meal of the day at around 10am or 11am.
WHERE:
My favorite thing about intermittent fasting is that you can do it anywhere! It doesn't require a fancy pants organic grocery store be in your neighborhood. You won't need to bring your own containers or drink a shake or take a supplement or eat your food raw or measure and weigh it unless you want to. In fact, there is really no meal prep required at all. You aren't required to do anything other than eat on the schedule which works best for you. Again, most successful IFers also subscribe to some sort of plan for healthy eating during their “feeding hours”
which can be done anywhere these days! There is also an amazing free app called Zero, which will allow you to track your fasting goals right on your phone. I found this to be super helpful!
WHY:
Now to be clear, most IF subscribers are probably drawn to the plan for its weight loss claims, but studies showing the laundry list of potential health benefits just can't be ignored. I can attest to the fact that during my trial I did have periods of hyper focus and clear headedness. I did lose around 7-10 pounds and some skin problems I had experienced for nine years were almost completely non-existent! IF gets bonus points for resetting my taste
buds and allowing me to actually taste my food again. I could also recognize when I was truly hungry and could literally feel the energy I was receiving from the food I ate, in a different way than a sugar rush though, more like a food high. And I slept! If you quit eating at around 6pm or so, come 10pm‌ you may just happily put yourself right on to bed. So, if you struggle with nighttime eating or sticking to complicated diet plans, inflammation, insomnia or just those last 5-10lbs, you may want to consider intermittent fasting before you wave the checkered flag on your health. The way I see it, if this type of stuff is speeding to the front of the pack in the minds of healthy lifestyle thinkers and is also mentioned amongst the company of spiritual champs, maybe we should at least look at giving it a test drive. JCL
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817-6 45-800 0 WWW. H E A RT I S .CO M 9 02 WA LTE R P HOLLI DAY D RI VE CLE B UR NE, T X
WELCOME TO HEARTIS CLEBURNE At Heartis Cleburne, we are committed to providing a stimulating and nurturing environment – filled with warmth, comfort and care – that improves quality of life and allows our residents to flourish. As a national leader in assisted living and memory care, you can count on Heartis Cleburne to deliver the highest quality care for residents.
Joshua Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association 62
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101 S. Main St, Joshua
817-558-7447
JCPAAA is a 501C3 nonprofit organization benefiting the Joshua Police Department. The JCPAAA provide civilian assistance to the Joshua Police Department with Neighborhood Night Out, 4th of July and other community events in the area providing refreshments, bounce houses etc. The Joshua Police Department hosts a CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY. The Academy is a free 10-week program allowing Joshua citizens to explore the inner workings of their Police Department.
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817-645-2405
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1647 W. Henderson Cleburne, TX. 76033 125 S Main St. Godley, TX. 76044 www.rodenrealestategroup.com
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HOME & GARDEN
By Johnna Thomasson Photos provided by Diane Asberry of Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners
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From a houseplant to a vegetable garden, the Extension Master Gardener program covers all areas for anyone interested in exploring their green thumbs.
hen I was five my nanny had this sunflower garden and no matter how many times I had been told to not walk through the garden, I always did. The sunflowers were so tall they intrigued me; in fact they were Mammoth Russian Sunflowers. If you aren’t familiar with these flowers you wouldn’t know that they can grow to be as tall as ten feet. This sunflower garden was my hiding spot, my safe haven, primarily the place where my imagination would run wild. As I was sneaking around, pretending that I was small like the insects and everyone else was a giant, my imagination would continuously grow larger. However, the larger my imagination grew, so did my love for gardens. The Extension Master Gardeners is the perfect place for those sharing that same love. Whether you are someone who has one plant with the only goal of “KEEP THIS ONE ALIVE” or a professional who is out every day showing the same tender care and appreciation like that of many artists with their work, the Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners has a spot for you.
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The Extension Master Gardeners has many goals in mind. These Master Gardeners hope to not only expand the capacity of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service to distribute horticultural information but to also develop community programs related to horticulture and a Master Gardener Volunteer Network that is administratively self-sufficient. In Johnson County, the EMG has been able to start many gardens as learning sites for any members throughout the community with a growing green thumb. For example, PD Lacewell Park located in Cleburne, Tx offers a landscape of perennials, shrubs, and a watering system along with examples of composting for home use. Guinn Gardens on Buffalo Creek, a garden also under Johnson County’s planning, shows many different styles of gardening that would also work for the public’s home yards. As well, McGregor Botanical Park in Cleburne has planted many test sites following A&M’s EarthKind rules. This allows for testing of certain plants for Texas A&M University development studies.
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Originating in 2001, the Extension Master Garderners has always believed that community involvement in our local plant life to be very crucial. “To have the general public involved with knowledge of their local plant life is best for all of us.” states Elaine Bell, one of Johnson Counties top Master Gardeners. “We learn not to ‘over water’, therefore saving water. We learn how to choose the best plants for our area, therefore this [helps] us to have success in growing our grass, rose bushes, or tomatoes. We learn to care for our grass yards without excessive chemicals, therefore keeping a clean water supply. We learn how to properly care for our yard trees to provide shade, clean air, and higher monetary value to our landscape. A pleasant landscape is a pleasure to us all.” Having been blessed with sixteen years of learning and interesting work with the EMG program, Elaine Bell has always had a love for gardening. First developing her passion through watching the work her father and grandparents invested in their own personal vegetable garden, Elaine continued with
“We do not belong for awards, but for the satisfaction of our work.” —Elaine Bell
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To have the general public involved with knowledge of their local plant life is best for all of us.
her own throughout the years. During the years she had children at home, she recalls growing many large vegetable gardens, but it wasn’t until retirement that she decided to first participate in Johnson County Master Gardener Training. All volunteers interested in being a Master Gardener themselves are given the opportunity to undergo 50 hours of instruction before being asked to pass an exam and accomplish 50 hours of volunteer service with the Master Gardner Group. Once completed, the individual is officially certified and given the title, Master Gardener. From then on, carrying this title, their role is to complete 12 hours of CEU’s along with 12 hours of volunteering time in their planned activities each year. It is believed that Johnson County benefits by having the EMG because “we are able to help the public learn the ‘best practices of gardening,’” according to Elaine Bell. This is done by the
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articles EMG has written for newspapers over the past 10 years or so. “We have given many, many talks to groups. We have worked to teach children and teachers about simple vegetable gardens on school properties. We have made many house calls to help decide what might be with wrong with a homeowner’s plants, trees, or grass. We provide the ‘best plants’ for our area through our yearly plant sales.” she continues. The Extension Master Gardeners allows its members to be part of an interesting knowledge based program. Texas A&M University, which is the primary source for their fact based studies, is always studying and testing what is best for the public. Speaking of schools, the EMG has been responsible in assisting many schools throughout the county with starting their own school gardens that the children are given a chance to not only learn about but also attend to, hands on. Elaine Bell summed it up best when she said, “We do not belong for awards, but for the satisfaction of our work.” So whether you’ve looked up from this article and realized you were not able to keep that one plant alive, do not give up hope. Become knowledgeable, become involved, become a Master Gardener. JCL
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SARA KING AGENCY (817) 295-4425 121 NE Johnson Ave • Burleson, TX 76028 H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T ITS B EST
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H OMETOWN H APPENINGS
JOHNSON COUNTY LIVESTOCK SHOW This past January, over 1100 kids participated in the 82nd annual Johnson County Livestock Show at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Posse Grounds. Big congratulations to all the kids who participated and thank you for all the hard work you put into raising and showing your animals. You are building character and responsibility through hard work! PHOTOS BY TANA HOWELL AND MALLORY ALYSON PHOTOGRAPHY
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T R AV E L & O U T D O O R
Provided by Cleburne Railroaders
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CLEBURNE BUILT IT, AND BOY, DID THEY COME.
A
fter a blank-slate inaugural season in which the Cleburne Railroaders – independent professional baseball team - drew more than 100,000 fans, and welcomed various bigname special guests to The Depot, the club is building on that momentum heading into its second year. Whatever it may have been; winning Ballpark Digest’s Best of the Ballparks competition or having pitching coach Ed ‘Smoke’ Pruitt feature on both ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ and MLB Network’s ‘Intentional Talk’ by becoming the oldest player in league history, Cleburne had it for the opening season. Now, it’s just a matter of moving forward.
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“I’m really looking forward to 2018,” Pruitt said. “I’m excited to work with this pitching staff and help all of the players develop and get back to where they belong, but I also know that we’ll have a chance to work through the bugs from last year and become a playoff-caliber team in 2018 - both on and off the field.” The Railroaders shattered attendance expectations in 2017, averaging over 1,700 fans per game in a stadium with 1,750 seats - a virtual sellout. And while it isn’t easy to replicate that success, Cleburne’s already determined to reach new and exciting levels in 2018. Baseball started long before the Railroaders’ opening night May 18, and the stadium hosted the Heartland Conference baseball tournament, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball tournament and a multitude of high school games through the spring. Though the season structurally
looks similar to how it did last year, the Railroaders will welcome the expansion Chicago Dogs to The Depot for their first-ever three-game series in July, and each team in the league will pay a visit to Cleburne at least once in 2018. Fans can expect a unique environment at the The Depot each and every night, with a special promotion planned for every single one of the 50 home dates the Railroaders have scheduled in 2018. These nights include the Saturday Summer Concert Series, Fireworks Fridays, Wacky Wednesdays and Monday Madness. It’s also tough for expansion franchises to win in the inaugural season, but the Railroaders finished with a 47-53 record and a second-place finish in a tough American Association South division. That, almost alone, provides optimism in the second year. While a handful of players are expected back, Cleburne will have
THE RAILROADERS SHATTERED ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS IN 2017, AVERAGING OVER 1,700 FANS PER GAME IN A STADIUM WITH 1,750 SEATS - A VIRTUAL SELLOUT.
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plenty of new faces in the lineup for 2018, including infielder Jordan Dean - who slugged a career-high 17 home runs in the Frontier League last season. “I’m just excited,” Dean said. “It’s always exciting playing in a new league, a new ballpark, and I’m happy to be in Texas for the spring and summer. I’ve heard the ballpark is beautiful and the fans are even better, and it’s going to be an awesome season.” The Railroaders also added Matt Helms and Burleson native Levi Scott to bolster the middle part of the lineup and help out a pitching staff that was one of the league’s best in 2017. “I’m super excited and pumped to be back at home,” Scott said. “I’m glad to be back in front of the home fans and the people who’ve supported me for so long. I’m happy to play for a quality team and ready to get out on the field.”
Patrick Mincey and Dylan Mouzakes, two pitchers who anchored last year’s well-rounded starting rotation, will return to the club for their second season in Cleburne. “Patrick Mincey was a key element to our pitching staff last year,” pitching coach Ed Pruitt said. “He brought great leadership to our staff, and even though he was my nightmare with mechanics, he proved me wrong every time he hit the mound. He just got hitters out and it’ll be a thrill to have him back.” When the Cleburne residents voted for their ballpark, they envisioned having many reasons to visit it. No matter how you look at it, The Depot will be a destination for anyone for the surrounding communities in 2018. JCL
FANS CAN EXPECT A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT AT THE THE DEPOT EACH AND EVERY NIGHT.
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United Way of Johnson County fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. LIVE UNITED®
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T R AV E L & O U T D O O R
By Sherri Sechrist Photos by TH Photography and provided by Coralee Flug
Founded in 1998 by Bobby and Caryl Woolard of Woolard Custom Jewelers, today the Honey Tour is a fixture on the annual calendar of Texas bicycling events.
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O
n May 26th, the Burleson Honey Tour Bicycle Ride celebrated 20 years of delighting bicyclists with a beautiful cycling tour through north Texas. Held annually on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, the Honey Tour attracts bicycling enthusiasts from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, numerous Texas cities including Austin, San Antonio, Midland and Houston, and even some out of state riders. It is one of the largest tourism events in Burleson, organized by the Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce.
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“When we started the Honey Tour, there weren’t as many organized rides as there are today. We love to ride, and we love the Johnson County scenery and great backroads. We are proud of our city and wanted to have a ride to call our own,” says Bobby Woolard. “Caryl and I enjoy bicycling and thought it would be great to host a ride in Burleson. When we approached the Chamber about working with us on the ride, then-President Greg Solomon was skeptical,” Woolard laughed. “‘Who’s going to come to this thing?’ he would ask. ‘Will anyone be here?’ I assured him the riders would come, and in 1998 over 400 people rode in the first Honey Tour Bicycle Ride. The number of participants has grown steadily over the years but catapulted to nearly 1500 in 2012. Since then the Ride has held steady at between 1200 – 1500 participants every year. “With 1500 riders, the Honey Tour qualifies as one of the larger rides in the state,” continues Woolard. “While we don’t have the national recognition of July’s 100 mile Hotter ‘N Hell Ride in Wichita Falls, the Honey Tour is well-known to Texas bicyclists as a
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2018 was my first time to see nearly 1,500 bicyclists gathered in one spot…. to watch all the riders pedal away as one large group, heading out to enjoy the scenery of Johnson County on a beautiful, clear Texas morning... well, 1500 cyclists is a sight you won’t soon forget!—Andy Pickens, President, Burleson Area Chamber of Commerce
scenic, well-run ride with friendly volunteers. The Honey Tour starts and ends at Centennial High School. Riders choose one of five routes of from 7 to 67 miles. These routes travel through or near the cities of Burleson, Alvarado, Venus and Grandview and follow Johnson County backroads and byways. The routes include seven rest stops, which in 2018 were manned by the Burleson Rotary Club, the Burleson Lions Club, the City of Alvarado, the Grandview Chamber of Commerce, 5 Points Church, Giant© Bicycles and Wanita Lovell and friends. Wanita, a Burleson resident, has volunteered with the Honey Tour since it started in 1998. At the end of the ride, all riders enjoy a chicken sandwich, fruit and chips while the Red Bull Monster Truck rocks out with music in the background. The Honey Tour is in its third year of a partnership with the Burleson Boy Scout Troop # 11, who (with adults) use flags to direct riders at key turns on the Ride. “The Boy Scouts were working as volunteers for several years before they agreed to take on manning 15 of the 33 corners where the riders require extra guidance,” says Pickens. “Today, a portion of the Honey tour profits benefit Troop # 11, helping to send young Scouts to summer camps. It’s a great partnership.” While the Boy Scouts are situated at key turns along the scenic country routes, the Chamber also hires Burleson Police officers and members of the Johnson County Sheriff Department to direct traffic.
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“We’d like to keep strictly on the back roads,” continues Pickens, “but at some point, the riders have to cross Renfro and Highway 67 and other highly trafficked roads. The safety of our riders is the most important thing, and the addition of law enforcement to assist with the ride is critical.” The Honey Tour enjoys another key partnership with the Mansfield/Johnson Amateur Radio Service, who provide one point of radio contact for all emergencies. Emergencies range from flat tires to heat exhaustion to riders who may not be able to finish the ride they started. MJARS also provides “SAG wagons” – vehicles equipped with radios and the ability to pick up riders and their bicycles and then transport them back to the start line. “MJARS provided 15 SAG wagons in 2018,” says Pickens. “They are a great part of our success in keeping riders safe.” In addition to the MJARS, Boy Scout and rest stop volunteers, Chamber members and community members volunteer for the Honey Tour in many other capacities. Nearly thirty individuals work rider registration beginning at 6:00 AM the day of the ride. Another group sets up tents, tables and chairs outside the school. During the ride, volunteers wrap chicken sandwiches, serve food and hand out water to the 1500 weary participants after they cross
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The success of the Honey Tour is a direct correlation to the large number of great volunteers that support the ride each year. Roughly 250 people contribute their time to ensure our success.
the finish line. Pre-ride work includes placing signs along the route, stuffing goodie bags, rolling 1500 rider t-shirts and more. Additionally, Texas Health Neighborhood Care & Wellness Burleson provides medical support at each rest stop and at the ride’s finish line. The Honey Tour is met with rave reviews by the riders. Burleson resident and cycling enthusiast David Madden has participated in nearly every Honey Tour since the ride’s inception. “I think I have only missed two years,” said Madden, who has participated in many other organized rides, including the Hotter ‘N Hell. “The Honey Tour is one of my favorite rides throughout the summer,” Madden continues. “I know I am a little bit biased as it is my ‘home town ride’ and I know many of the riders and volunteers. The 67 mile route is challenging but well-marked. I knew it was going to be a special ride this year when I saw the rainbow as I was riding to the start. It’s a first-class event!” This year, Madden completed the 67 mile route in two hours and fifty-five minutes. “There is always a ‘leader pack” at the Honey Tour,” says Woolard. It’s amazing to see some of the expert riders fly around the corners and complete the long route in record times. Many of them are training for other rides, such as the Weatherford Peach Pedal or Hotter ‘N
Hell in July. But most of the riders travel the route at a more leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery, all the rest stops and the fellowship of friends.” Nearly 70% of the participants ride in the 46 or the 67 mile routes, and most, as Woolard suggests, take longer than three hours to complete the ride. Riders of all skill levels enjoy the 20 and 30 mile routes, and youngsters tackle the 7 mile ride. Riders range in age from early teens to their seventies, although riders as young as six and as “seasoned” as 82 have participated in the ride. “As one of Burleson’s biggest tourism events, the Honey Tour is a true partnership between the Chamber, our city and the community,” concludes Pickens. “The ride brings hundreds of visitors to our Burleson, and the community welcomes them with our trademark hospitality. The Chamber’s goal is to grow the event, perhaps to 2,000 riders, 3,000 riders, who knows how many riders? What we do know is that the Honey Tour Bicycle Ride will continue to showcase our city and county to bicycling enthusiasts for many years to come.” Honey Tour enthusiasts can connect year-round with the Honey Tour’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Registration and general information is found on Athlete360.com/HoneyTour; registration for the 2019 ride will open in August. JCL
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TRAVEL HACKS 8 TRAVEL HACKS TO HELP YOU PUT THE “VACATION” BACK IN YOUR FAMILY’S SUMMER VACATION BY TORI MORTENSEN
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va·ca·tion
noun: vacation; plural noun: vacations NORTH AMERICAN • an extended period of recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling: "he took a vacation in the south of France" synonyms: break, time off, recess, leave, leave of absence, furlough, sabbatical, spring break • the action of leaving something one previously occupied.
TRUTH: FAMILY VACATION AS A PARENT ISN’T REALLY VACATION AT ALL.
Sure it may be an exciting adventure, but the sooner we accept it for its true self the sooner we can get to “work” enjoying it. As parents, our primary occupation is just that… parenting. So when we take off and go on “family holiday” we still aren’t really off the clock. We’re still working. Feeding folks, breaking up sibling squabbles, teaching, bathing, wiping noses, we’re still parenting our tails off. It’s just that, for a week, we’re in a satellite office (hopefully one with a great view). However, with a little advanced planning and the use
of a few of these travel hacks, you may just find yourself with a few more pockets of time here and there this family vacation season. Time to enjoy the fleeting window of opportunity in which you get to see the great, big world through the little, tiny eyes of your children. Our family of four recently had a bucket list opportunity to travel across three countries over 16 days. 10 planes (3 red eye flights,) 5 trains, 6 buses, more than a dozen car rides, 5 types of accommodations and multiple border crossings and only 2 suitcases. Did I mention our traveling party included our 9 and 11-year-old sons? It was a recipe for disaster, but with some attention to detail on the front end, we had very few hiccups and experienced a trip of a lifetime.
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3. PLAN A DELAY.
To most folks LAYOVER is a dirty word. But what if that layover is somewhere really amazing? What if you can show your kids something completely incredible, something you may otherwise never see, just because it was “on the way?” Whether you are driving or flying, a pit stop to catch even a glimpse of a different culture, food or some new scenery can turn out to be the most memorable part of the trip.
4. PLASTIC PERKS.
First be sure to notify all of your card companies of the dates and locations of your travel to prevent Discover from calling you in the middle of a walk down a cobblestone street in Spain to tell you your cards have been turned off because someone just used it in a meat market just outside of Madrid. Next, while you have them on the phone, ask what promotions they have in the cities to which you are headed. Credit card companies often times have exclusive tickets to shows, private events and cool experiences available only to their card holders.
5. CUSTOM ZIP LOCK SUPPLY KIT.
1. PHONE A FRIEND.
We live in a time when people love to share what they know. When looking for a vacay destination, first try places were you “know a guy.” There’s truly no substitute for a local friend on the ground. They are the ones who will truly hack your travel for you, identifying the best places to stay, eat, play and the local not to be missed secrets. One of our very best friends set up an opportunity for us to camp with wild elephants in Zambia. Something we may never have found on our own!
2. AIR TRAVEL.
When searching for your tickets, be sure to set your browser to private. This can eliminate the price of a ticket increasing upon you revisiting the site. Check out websites like Seat Guru. Here, I was able to look at the configuration of certain planes, even photos of the seating.
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You can spend your entire trip handing out sunscreen wipes and gum and hand sanitizer and Chapstick and notebooks and pencils and snack bars and ear plugs OR you can give each traveler his own gallon sized Zip Lock full of the essentials. P.S. Wipes are a gift from God to mothers who are on the go. Check out Amazon for both sunscreen wipes and bug repellant wipes that most children can manage ALL on their own!
6. CONSIDER FABRICS WHEN YOU CONSIDER FASHION.
When it comes to traveling with kids, if you can’t wash it in the bathtub and hang it out to dry, why pack it? Companies like Under Armour, Columbia and Nike now make all-purpose, heat gear type lines at all price points and perfect for family vacations. UA has a pair of shorts they call Amphibious. They are suitable to swim in, comfy enough to travel in and nice enough to be worn to dinner… killing three birds with one pair of shorts.
7. BUDGET AND BARTER.
Eliminate the constant “ask” state so many of our kids are living in today by having them earn their spending money for the trip in advance or, at the least, by giving them a budget to stick to when it comes to trinkets. Have them budget for something small to take back to their neighbor, BFF or Sunday school teacher also. And don't forget to teach your kids how to barter with merchants and vendors! But, meeting and talking to the folks selling wooden turtles and making a bracelet with your name on it is the best so remember not to barter too hard. After all it is their livelihood and it’s simply your vacation.
8. CHECK AIR TRAVEL, ENTRY AND EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN.
For instance, sometimes an airline requires a birth certificate for a child to travel even though the TSA has no such requirement. And we learned this one the hard way, sometimes, a passport just ain’t enough. Especially when it comes to
traveling with children. Sometimes, you have to call and wake up your kids’ football coaches’ wives and ask them to send you copies of your kids’ birth certificates in order to gain entry to a certain country. Finally, sometimes, another country finds out you are a writer and requires that you sign a document issued by the national government stating that you “will not write or work at anytime while you are within their borders or you will risk facing prosecution.” At times like that, you KNOW for CERTAIN how great HOME is and you’ll want to be sure you have the proper documentation to get back there! But even if you DO have to sign a formal document stating that you are on “official family vacation” and that you are absolutely not there to work… you and I both know that we are simply ALWAYS working. Working to show our children what things look like outside of their bubble. Working to introduce them to people, places and ideas they've never thought of before. Working to create a sense of wonder in them, about their world and about their Creator who put it all together. Always working. Always worth it. Happy summer. JCL
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Believe Boldly CLOTHE OUR CHILDREN WITH TRUTH
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y eye catches the “Back to School Sale!” banner hanging precariously over the color-coded display of pastel and primary goodies. The time has come for every child’s dream, the insanity that is cleverly disguised as “School Supply Shopping.” I will spend an arm (and the occasional leg) on wide-ruled paper and glue sticks, all in the name of education. I can already hear the pitter-patter of tiny… whining. My solution for my kids’ incessant begging for the newest and greatest is the revolutionary, cutting-edge, never-ending “No.” “No, you don’t need Trolls pencil toppers to ‘sing better in music class.’” “No, a fidget spinner is not a school supply. Counting how many times it spins will not make you smarter in math, I promise.” “No, I will not pay $10 for a talking pencil box. I don’t care if it glows inside your
desk. Unless it creates pencils from tiny trees growing inside, you aren’t getting it!” I am not a school year Scrooge, promise. I would love for my children to have folders covered in Minecraft and glitter unicorns! But I have to draw a line somewhere between shoes that fit properly, and shoes that have Bluetooth capabilities. Expecting a phone call while running in 3rd grade P.E., are we? Though the pressure to give our kids the latest and greatest can squeeze us dry, we shouldn’t allow it. Don’t forget this school year that you, my friend, are the parent, and that little person tugging on your shirt hem is the child. Only one of you can be in charge, and here’s a hint: It isn’t the one hitting his sister in the back with his new lunchbox. Being in charge means choosing what is best for your little monsters, and that isn’t always easy. We should fill our child’s
heart before we fill our shopping cart. As quick as we are to clothe our children in the latest Nike fashion, we must fervently clothe them in the tools they need to make wise choices. We have to speak aloud the words of God’s love for them. By doing so, we help them hide words of Truth in their heart for the times they will be bullied, or will become the bully. We can encourage, challenge, and remind them of their value apart from possessions. These intentional conversations with our children will be what anchors their success in the school yard. This year I will walk every supply-filled aisle, your comrade in mothering. Just like you, I will be enthusiastic about the newest Crayola color and raise my arms in victory when we swipe the last Shopkins backpack. But these things will be secondary to what they
We should fill our child’s heart before we fill our shopping cart. truly need for another year of school: God’s Truth. “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many.” Deuteronomy 11:18-21a
- Erica
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FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y
e c i o V e Be th
A S CA
Y T N U O C N OF JOHNSO
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By Kathy McClure, Director of CASA of Johnson County Photos by TH Photography
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ASA of Johnson County is a member of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (National CASA), a nationwide network of programs in nearly 1,000 communities. At the heart of the movement are over 110,000 highly trained volunteers who advocate for the best interests of more than 280,000 of America’s children who have been abused or neglected.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2002, CASA OF JOHNSON COUNTY HAS PROVIDED THE TRAINING AND SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS TO ADVOCATE FOR OVER 1,400 CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
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Since our inception in 2002, CASA of Johnson County has provided state approved training and the support necessary for over 300 dedicated individuals to advocate for over 1,400 children from Johnson County in the foster care system. These volunteers have advocated for medical needs, educational needs, physical needs and psychological needs all the while providing perhaps the most important need of all—to be cared for, listened to and valued during an unimaginably difficult time of life for any child. Each of our volunteers serve as an adult the child can learn to know and trust during this time in his life when there is little or no stability. CASA board member, Crystal Dudley stated, “CASA Volunteer Advocates are a constant for the child in a time of chaos. A child may have multiple social workers, attorneys, therapists and foster placements throughout the life of a case, but one CASA advocate who is a constant in the child’s life makes a huge difference for that child’s future”.
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CASA VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES ARE A CONSTANT FOR THE CHILD IN A TIME OF CHAOS.
In 2002, Judge John Neill brought Court Appointed Special Advocates (“CASA�) to Johnson County. When swearing in new volunteers, Judge Neill provides not only encouragement but never fails to mention how much all the judges appreciate the work, dedication and commitment the volunteers bring to the children in Johnson County who have been displaced and find themselves in the custody of the state. The mission of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Johnson County is to speak out for abused and neglected children in the community as well as in court proceedings so that they can be permanently placed in a safe, nurturing environment as quickly as possible. We currently have 96 caring and compassionate volunteers advocating for our children in care. When a child has been removed from the only home and the only life they have ever known, a CASA advocate stays by their side, providing the appropriate support and attention they deserve to help them navigate through the child welfare system.
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CASA of Johnson County is a nonprofit organization that depends on the help and support of many dedicated individuals and businesses. We host two big fundraisers a year--“Aiming High for Kids” Sporting Clay Shoot and The Judge John Neill “Be the Voice” Banquet. Both events are geared toward providing a good time for all attendees and spreading the message of CASA. Eight hundred attended the sporting clay shoot this past April. The event is supported by generous donors and sportsmen including Lyness Construction; the Honorable Rob Orr; Health South/Huguley Hospital; Tarrant Roofing; Williams Energy; Chicken Express; Buck Stop; Dr. Pepper/Snapple; Royal Coffee; Ben E. Keith; P & P Plumbing; Sunrise Circle EE Ranch; Buyers Barricades; Members Credit Union; Gateway Early Learning Center; 5 Star Ford; Technical Chemical Corp; Classic Chevrolet; Kodiak; P & W Machine; Ulrich Barn Builders, Burnsco Construction and many more. CASA has recently been the recipient of proceeds from two independent events. Nolan River 453 Lodge hosted a golf tournament in Cleburne and JP Realtors along with Cendera Funding hosted a cornhole tournament in Burleson. There are no
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words to adequately express our gratitude to our supporters. They make it possible for us to continue to provide the services these innocent children desperately need. Our “Be the Voice” Banquet will be held on Thursday, November 8th at the Cleburne Conference Center. The very talented and popular David Hira will be entertaining with his special brand of magic and comedy. This event will spotlight one community member who exhibits the “Be the Voice” mantra in Johnson County. This event has evolved into a very special night in the life of CASA of Johnson County. Our current staff is made up of seven very dedicated individuals who believe strongly in the CASA mission. We are blessed to be working with the most amazing folks on the planet—our volunteers. The CASA volunteers come from every walk of life and range in age from 21 to 80 plus. Collectively, we have experience in the fields of education, medicine, law, special education, accounting, sales, banking, nutrition, and engineering to name a few. We have CASA advocates who are retired individuals as well as students, all of whom have the same passion—the
best interests of our children. Thanks to a grant from the Sportsmen’s Club of Fort Worth, CASA of Johnson County will be sending a number of our kids to summer camp this year. The camp will offer a wide variety of activities for the children, all of which will emphasize good sportsmanship and building individual as well as social skills. Foster children, because of their special circumstances, are many times lacking in self-esteem and confidence. Team activities and games offer learning experiences these kids can greatly benefit from. The kids will be exposed to water activities and indoor as well as outdoor team sports. Statistics bear out over decades of research that victims of child abuse and neglect are at great risk to not finish high school, for teenage pregnancies, to abuse drugs, to be incarcerated and to end up homeless. Our society faces the huge challenge of helping these children find a place where they can reach their individual potentials. We are blessed with many success stories here in Johnson County. It is only through great effort that great things are accomplished. If you are interested in volunteering or supporting our mission, we would love to hear from you. “EVERY CHILD HAS A CHANCE—IT’S YOU”. JCL
“EVERY CHILD HAS A CHANCE — IT’S YOU”.
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FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y
C h i s ol m T r a i l
100 Club
By Niki Passmore
U
ndoubtedly, one of the most important elements in any community are the First Responders, the brave souls who put their lives on the line everyday defending life and property. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club is dedicated to supporting these unsung heroes. Since its inception in 2010, they have assisted multiple law enforcement officers and firefighters, including the family of fallen Cleburne
Sheriff’s Deputy Clifton Taylor and injured Cleburne Police Officer Aaron Beseda. The CT100 Club’s mission has always been to assist families of law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers and emergency medical personnel if killed or injured in the line of duty. Starting in January of this year, their mission has expanded to include off-duty accidental deaths and injuries.
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Photo by Nick Chesney
The mission of the CT100 Club has always been to assist families of law enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers and emergency medical personnel if killed or injured in the line of duty.
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“After seven years in existence, we felt that our organization was now stable enough and had enough support in the community to expand our coverage. We are always looking for what else we could do to support our first responders, while keeping in line with our mission of supporting the families of those injured or killed. This seemed like a natural next step,” executive director Nikki Passmore said. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club, now in its seventh year, began with a law enforcement family that moved from Brenham, the Zaborowskis. Richard Zaborowski is a Texas DPS officer formerly stationed in South Texas. They had felt the benefit of a 100 Club while living in the Houston area when a family friend lost their life in the line of duty. The 100 Club of Houston is one of the largest in existence and has been assisting families for more than 40 years. Upon moving to Johnson County, the Zaborowskis learned that their new home didn’t have a 100 Club. Melissa Zaborowski took immediate action, contacting then-Sheriff Bob Alford to see if there was any possibility of starting a 100 Club in Johnson County. Bob Alford jumped on the idea and helped Melissa to forge contacts in the area. Bob invited several business owners and elected officials to attend an introductory meeting to talk about the idea. Among the attendees were Jerry Stringer, Don Beeson, Tom Cowan, Bonnie Davis and Bruce Basden. This meeting started a new movement in Johnson County. The need was immediately evident when a Grandview police officer was injured in an auto accident. Since the Chisholm Trail 100 Club was so newly formed there weren’t a lot of funds to draw from. It was that instance that convinced
Photo by BillyCordell
Photo by Angie Catron
the leadership to pursue an insurance policy for all the first responders in Johnson County. The Club approached local insurance provider, Lonnie Mears, for help in finding the right product. After some research, Mears realized there wasn’t a product currently available for what the Club was trying to do. He reached out to a company that created a product that would cover all law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel without extensive record keeping. The policy was only in place a few months before it was needed. In October 2011, Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy Clifton Taylor was killed in the line of duty. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club was able to assist the Taylor family. Clifton’s father, Randy, was self-employed and the $50,000 insurance payout allowed him to spend time with his family during that difficult time. Another important milestone was reached in that first year. The club, growing quickly, realized there was a need for an employee to consistently serve as the point of contact and keep up with the day to day activities of the Chisholm Trail 100 Club. Niki Passmore was already volunteering with the organization. “I had recently quit my job at a local bank after the birth of my daughter and realized I wasn’t happy
staying at home,” said Passmore. “I was looking for something I was passionate about that would work with my needs as a mother of two. I was extremely lucky to find a position with the Chisholm Trail 100 Club.” The 100 Club continued to grow, led by strong presidents, first Jerry Payne, whose strength was finding support within the community and lending respect to the fledgling non-profit, followed by Bruce Basden, whose strong background of experience in both running a business and a non-profit led to a dedicated and passionate board of directors filled with business owners and elected officials. Keith Kelly of Burleson was the Chisholm Trail 100 Club’s third president, bringing his skills of interpersonal relationships, followed by Bonnie Davis, the current president, whose attention to detail and record keeping has solidified Chisholm Trail 100 Club’s reputation as being a trustworthy, hard-working organization. “I’m proud to join the ranks of excellent leaders for the Chisholm Trail 100 Club,” said Davis. “I think the thing that has stayed consistent since the Club started is the passion of the leadership involved. Each president has dedicated an enormous amount of time and effort to this organization.” The Chisholm Trail 100 Club has assisted
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Photo by BillyCordell
Photo by Daniel Parnell
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many officers while keeping a large insurance policy in place to be ready at any time for the first responders we cover in Johnson and Somervell County, but the Club has also assisted with major events in other areas. When an explosion from a fertilizer factory ripped the town of West apart, the Chisholm Trail 100 Club responded by raising more than $80,000 for the families affected. When a shooter attacked officers in Dallas, the Chisholm Trail 100 Club partnered with DFW Strong, a movement led by the Novacek and Birdwell families, raising more than $120,000 for the families of that incident. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club is well known for its two main fundraising events - the 100 Shots for the 100 Club Clay Shoot Tournament and the Hot Rods and Heroes Motor Show. The 100 Shots for the 100 Club Clay Shoot Tournament is the flagship event, held on the first Friday in May at Beaumont Ranch in Grandview. This event hosts about 500 competitors and about 250 at the exclusive VIP Party for sponsors and invited guests. Last year this event netted more than $180,000! “The Clay Shoot is something we work on all year, tracking down the best auction items, securing contracts and ensuring the event is sold out,” said Executive Director, Niki Passmore. “Fortunately, it’s getting easier and easier to sell out this event. Last year we were 80% sold out for the 2018 event at the 2017 tournament!”
Sponsorships for the 2019 event are available now. The Hot Rods and Heroes Motor Show takes place in October at the Lost Oak Winery in Burleson. This event is three years old and still building its following. In 2017, more than 100 vehicles were displayed, ranging from classic sports cars to offroad vehicles and a range of quirkier entrants. Guests admire the vehicles while enjoying wine and pairings. Registration for this event will open in July. The Chisholm Trail 100 Club has also recently opened its first office location, inside the Independent Bank in Downtown Burleson. Currently, the office is staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For individuals interested in becoming a member of the Chisholm Trail 100 Club, or learning about fundraising events, drop by the office, or visit www.ct100.org. JCL
The Chisholm Trail 100 Club is well known for its two main fundraising events - the 100 Shots for the 100 Club Clay Shoot Tournament and the Hot Rods and Heroes Motor Show.
Photo by BillyCordell
Photo by Angela Gooslby
Photo by Casey Torres
Photo by Mike Powell
FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y
American Honey By Heather Regula
Let this summer be a time of celebration and reflection - choose joy daily, and keep looking up.
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I'm always in awe of the scientific explanation of why we have four seasons - The four seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth’s axis as we orbit around the sun; however socially, we tend to celebrate summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The Summer Solstice, the day with the most hours of sunlight during the entire year, is actually on June 21. People pay homage to summer in various ways all over the world. In ancient Egypt, summer was the start of the new year as the rising of the star Sirius occurred at the same time as the annual flooding of the Nile River. Swedish people often celebrate the Summer Solstice by eating the first strawberries of the season. In Barcelona, Spain, locals ring in the Summer Solstice with bonfires and fireworks during the Feast of Sant Joan. Over 3.5 million visitors annually flock to Aomori, Japan and take in the sights and sounds of a massive summer festival, featuring giant floats and music. Tens of thousands of people participate in large yoga sessions, in different cities in India, in celebration of the Summer Solstice. The highlight reel for summer in Johnson County features barbecues, late nights, frozen treats, the occasional warm summer rain, live music, and trips to the lake, among other things. Remember when you were 10 and counted down the days until summer so that you could catch lightning bugs in jars, swim in the creek, and ride your bike all day long!? Ahhh, those were the days!
Summertime as an adult carries some stress changing schedules, summer camps, vacations, and the good 'ole Texas heat can take a toll on all of us. Stop for a few minutes and shake off the stress and anxiety. Set aside your worries and linger with me for a minute here, in the land of Summer-is-the-best! Turn your face towards the sun (or where it would be if you were outside), close your eyes and breathe. Lady Antebellum's song "American Honey" is the ultimate expression of what summer feels like to me. The lyrics are perfect - “…there’s a wild, wild whisper blowing in the wind, calling out my name like a long-lost friend. Oh, I miss those days as the years go by, oh nothing's sweeter than summertime, and American honey…” While we can't go back in time to when we were 10-years-old, we can live this summer with that same youthful enthusiasm! Plan out your week and leave plenty of time for play! Rekindle that adventurous spirit and make the most out of this summer! Have a family picnic in your backyard. Tour your town as a tourist. Grill. Soak up some sun. Swim. Explore. Dedicate time to just lounging. Do whatever makes your heart happy! Let this summer be a time of celebration and reflection - choose joy daily, and keep looking up. As you find peace and happiness in the summer days ahead, intentionally look for volunteer opportunities. Choose at least one way that you can give back to your community and stick with it. We rise by lifting up others. Live intentionally and purposefully. Live well. JCL
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Luke 10:2 H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T I TS B EST
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121 N.W. Renfro Burleson, TX 76028
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Termites • Carpenter Ants • Fire Ants • Fleas & Ticks • Roaches • Mice & Rats • Yard & More
CBFINCHERSWESTERNWEAR.COM SINCE 1959, C.B. FINCHER’S HAS OFFERED LOCAL COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS THE BEST PRICES IN WESTERN WEAR CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES.
12208 S. FREEWAY | BURLESON, TX 76028
817 -293 -0620 H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T I TS B EST
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MAINSTAY A WAY OF
Photos provided by Mainstay Farm By Lanette Moline
W
hat if you could blend the excitement at the beginning of a movie, the big sounds, big sights and just the feeling of knowing that something incredibly special was going to happen with visiting a place that makes time stand still. Would you do it? What if that place was right in your back yard? Well, it is! It’s Mainstay Farm Park and it is located right here in Johnson County. For more than 29 years, Marianna and Jim Wilson have nurtured, grown and turned what started out as a Christmas tree farm into an experience of a lifetime. With the desire to raise their family in the country, they began to look for property and admit that, initially, they didn’t know what they were looking for. They found a little gray farmhouse that was attached to 36 acres and saw their vision unfold before their eyes.
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They firmly believe with all certainty that prayer led them to both the property and its name. As God made the way clear for them, they learned that a mainstay is a stake that is used to hold up a tree. Both Marianna and Jim knew that this was confirmation from God because He is the mainstay of their lives. The name, Mainstay Farm, is based on Scripture. “Stand firm, let nothing move you, always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord knowing that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort. 1 Corinthians 15:58 The work that they do on the farm is rooted in family, faith and discipline. They believe that farm living offers a “daily discipline of loving maintenance” that yields great results and the fact that they’ve raised three daughters on the farm prove this philosophy to be correct. Their 3 children ,Carmen, 30, who is married to Sean, 31, Meredith, 26, and Lucia, 24, have all worked there and are now described by their parents as “our creatives.” Marianna and Jim believe that, “nothing happens quickly. Everything requires time and attention.” That is the lesson that was passed on to their
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daughters and in the process they instilled in them a work ethic and freedom to build a life around the things that is loved and that brings joy. It is this same passion that is shared with everyone who enters the gates. The words “big, time fun” is an easy way to describe a visit to Mainstay Farm Park, yet still remains second to the “biggest, funnest day ever” as Farm Manager, Kristen Smith calls it. Today, the farm covers more than 70 acres attractions include Sheep Races, Mazes, Pedal Karts, Hayrides, Face Painting, Texas Tubin’Hill, Flying Fox, Jumping Pillow, Yee Haa Express, Slides, Farm Animals, Teeter Totter, Tree House, Chalk Car, Haymarket, Latvian Swing, food available to purchase and so much more. Guests live in the moment and enjoy being kids while parents are encouraged to join in the exploration. As Jim and Marianna reflect on the years and work that has gone into the farm, they admit that they wouldn’t change a thing. “We are a part of a supportive group of what is called agri-tainment farms and we all learn from one another. We have seen our fair share of ups and downs. One of the down times was the drought that we experienced about four years ago. It taught us an important lesson. That lesson was that we couldn’t quit, so we simply planted more trees. Quitting was not an option. We’ve learned to embrace change and dream big. You should never stop trying to chase your dreams and you have to be willing to take a risk.” Even after hosting countless students f'or field trips, it’s still amazing to them both to see kids crying when it’s time to leave. “We’ve seen kids struggling to stay awake to see just one more thing only for them to fall asleep in
Mainstay Farm Park brings 'agritainment' to life.
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their parents’ arms. That brings us joy.” As for farming, one of the mantras that Jim and Marianna live by is that “the best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago and the next best time is now.” This keeps them connected and engaged in what was started over two decades ago. Today, they still dream big. Next year marks the 30-year anniversary and talks of celebration are already in the works. They are also thinking of ways to improve efficiency, add attractions and enhance the experience at the farm. Jim and Marianna love that “the farm is bigger than them and still desire to honor the mission that God gave to them many years ago.” One of the ways that they do this is by stating that their number one core value is to “honor God by how we serve our guest and treat our coworkers.” In short, they treat every guest like family who they would love to come back. With corporate parties, family reunions, birthday parties, school field trips, family pumpkin days, Christmas tree selling days, spring break days
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and May Play Day, the cost for admission ranges from $10.95 to $19.95 depending on the occasion. Children’s birthday party packages are only offered on Saturdays and includes a two-hour time slot for up to 50 people. Mainstay Farm Park is located in Cleburne, Texas, 25 miles south of Fort Worth, and offers seasonal employment opportunities. With flexible schedules, staff members can join the Christmas-tree field maintenance team and work on irrigation systems as well as mow and shear trees. Stay-at-home moms can drop their kids off and join the field trip team whose responsibilities include facilitating class trips and assisting with educational fun days on the farm. There are also opportunities for seasonal event staff. High school and college students are encouraged to apply and the job responsibilities would include managing attractions and have fun while serving guests. For more information regarding scheduling an event or employment, the website is www.mainstayfarm.com. JCL
We’ve learned to embrace change and dream big. You should never stop trying to chase your dreams and you have to be willing to take a risk. H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T I TS B EST
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Johnson County Distillery
1655 S. Main Cleburne,TX 76033
817.992.5105
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Joshua Deer Processing
30th Season
of being family owned and operated
1601 S. Broadway Joshua, TX 76058 817-774-DEER (3337) www.joshdeer.com | f jdpdeer
Davis Jennings Construction was founded on the principle of excellence in customer service, safety, and quality buildings that will stand the test of time. Located in North Texas, our company was founded by Dale Davis, Kris Jennings, and Joe Jennings who have a total of 18 years experience in metal roofing and building construction.
CALL US NOW TO CREATE THE PROJECT OF YOUR DREAMS!
811 N. Hwy 174 Rio Vista, Texas 76093 (817) 373-3389 1460 W Henderson Cleburne, Texas 76033 (817) 645-7277 201 S. Main Godley, Texas 76044 (817) 389-3788 102 S Louisiana Grandview, Texas 76050 (817) 866-2070
Experience Certified Welder, Certified Engineer, 16 years of supervisory experience
Metal Building Systems • Metal Roofing Systems
Local Family owned and operated company since 2000 PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, PAINT, KEYS, HARDWARE, NUTS & BOLTS, LAWN & GARDEN, TOOLS, PROPANE
(817) 350-4835 www.f6plumbing.com 205 E. College St. Alvarado, TX 76009
RESIDENTIAL PLUMBING SERVICE & REPAIR
Metal Mart 813 N Burleson Blvd Burleson Texas 76028
Monday - Friday 8 AM to 5 PM (817)447-2728
when your plumbing is on the “fritts”, we’re the ones to get it fixed! H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T I TS B EST
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By Robin DeMott and Kira Zimmerman Photos by Lindsey Sullivan Photography and provided by Brittany Sullivan
The inspirational story of Brittney Sullivan of Cleburne is about choosing life and love. It’s about perseverance and determination. It’s about a young business woman, wife and mother of three who has chosen to pick herself up, dust herself off and thrive. She’s been assigned a mountain and with her faith, she intends to show others she can move it. On the morning of January 17, just six months ago, Brittney Sullivan started her day just like every other day. She was standing in her bathroom, getting ready for work and curling her hair. The next thing she remembers is waking up to her children and parents standing over her, telling her that they were taking her to the hospital. It wasn’t until they got to the hospital that she would fully understand what had happened to her: while curling her hair, she had an epileptic seizure and fell, face down, on the curling iron.
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beautiful children: Makennah, 10, Presley, 6, and James, 2. Brittney enjoys watching her girls play volleyball and basketball, dancing and singing. She likes to watch movies with her son, James, and loves seeing him play with his dinosaurs. Brittney graduated from Hill College with a cosmetology certification in 2009. In 2012, after being inspired by her father, who is a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy, she decided to return to Hill College to pursue a degree in criminal justice. She plans to earn her bachelor’s degree through Texas Tech University at Hill College, and eventually go on to law school at Baylor University or Texas Christian University. She recently started a nonprofit called Beauty Within Brittney. The mission of the organization is about helping others find their beauty within themselves. “We live in a culture that is obsessed with the way they look and how others are going to see them. Every day commercials bombard us with promises to deliver beauty and happiness. Many of us struggle to leave the house content because of the constant anxiety we feel over-looking and feeling ‘beautiful enough,’” Brittney said. At the hospital, doctors discovered that in the 1530 seconds she was unconscious, face down on her $15 curling iron, she sustained third degree burns on her eye, cheek and lips. She was told there was nothing they could do for her and sent her home with orders to come back to the burn unit in one week. When she returned to the hospital a week later, she was immediately admitted. Right after the accident doctors told Brittney it would likely take over two years for her to recover. In May, an expander was placed just under the skin on her face to expand her facial tissue. This summer, she will undergo her final surgery to remove the expander, remove the scar and repair her eye. The silver lining is that her sight was never damaged and her eye still has 20/20 vision in it. As she explains, “beauty” is in the eye of the beholder, and because of her accident of having a seizure and laying on her curling iron, burning her face to the bone, she plans to make a big difference. Her whole life has changed. She has no intention of wasting her life, but instead, plans on living it to the fullest. “I fully believe that God puts us on a path to change our heart and the direction of the way our life is going. God put me on this path to show the world that there is more to me than what’s on my face. Beauty is within my soul. Brittney and her husband, David, recently celebrated their 11th anniversary. They have three
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“Before my accident I felt the same way. Even for the first week, I didn't want to look in the mirror for fear of how ugly I would look. When I finally did look in the mirror, I broke down and cried and I said "God, why me?" God spoke to me and said “Brittney, show everyone the beauty within you. Show the world, me.” “So after a lot of prayer, I finally decided, I could be depressed about my situation or I could spread God’s love and show my true heart, my God-like heart.” “I want to show women that they are worthy and that they are beautiful. I want to share my journey. I want to spread awareness about epilepsy and being a burn survivor. I may not have all the answers now, but God will show them to me.” Her prognosis is nothing short of amazing. At first, she was told the recovery would take up to two years. However, as of July, it will be six months and it is likely that her final surgery will be within the next few weeks. The biggest blessing of the situation is that she has no pain, and only uses eye drops to ensure her eye stays in good health.
There is nothing ugly about loving someone no matter how different they may seem or be. Everybody should love everybody.
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“I’m not ugly, I was made in a likeness of Christ, and there is nothing ugly about him dying on a cross so that we can live with him eternally. There is nothing ugly about loving someone no matter how different they may seem or be. Everybody should love everybody,” says Brittney. Her plans for the non-profit are to be able to spread God’s beauty, to show women that they are worthy and that they are beautiful. She wants to tell about her journey and spread awareness about epilepsy and being a burn survivor. Once her healing and recovery is finished she plans to host an event to raise money to donate to the epilepsy foundation and burn foundation. Thus far she has been speaking about her story and recently held an all-girls camp to teach about selfawareness, self-defense and how important it is to love themselves. She has plans to bring a similar camp to Johnson County. “I want everybody to love everybody. God doesn't make trash and he made everyone in a likeness of him, starting with his heart. God wants everyone to love each other. Instead of hate, find the beauty within someone else’s soul. The true beauty within will make the beauty outward just as beautiful,” said Brittney. If you would like to assist Brittney with her medical expenses which so far exceeds $60,000, or to purchase a “Beauty Within Brittney” T-shirt, please email Brittney at beautywithinbrittney@gmail.com or message her on Facebook. Once her medical expenses are covered the funds raised will go to support her non-profit organization. JCL
call today for a free estimate! cell: 817-933-1702 Store: 817-774-2777
Family owned & located in Cleburne Texas.
Total Lawncare Service Commercial & Residential
We Offer • landscape design and installation • lawn maintenance
Our Nursery • trees • shrubs
• tree trimming
• colorful bedding plants
• sod installation
• ground cover
• irrigation
• native plants for Johnson County and surrounding areas
• curb appeal for selling or buying a home, or businesses
• & much more!
We have knowledgeable friendly personnel to answer questions regarding plants and trees that work best for your landscaping needs.
envirolscapes@gmail.com | 112 S. Nolan River Rd. | Cleburne, TX 76033
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Adams Tack.......................................................... Back Cover
Joshua Citizen’s Police Academy.................................. 62
Alpha Omega Pest Control............................................... 111
Joshua Deer Processing....................................................118
Benage Dental Care............................................................ 87
Keller Williams.......................................................................40
Berry Stewart Eye Center............................................... 100
Lindsey Sullivan Photography......................................... 34
Brides & Beyond...................................................................40
LNL Feed and Supply......................................................... 86
Burleson Chamber............................................................... 26
Mallory Alyson Photography........................................... 78
CASA of Johnson County................................................. 47
Martin Greer Distillery...................................................... 100
CB Finchers Western Wear............................................... 111
Metal Mart...............................................................................119
Classic Chevrolet.....................................................................3
Mitchell's Carpet Center.................................................... 87
Cleburne Lawn Equipment & Repairs..........................101
Olive Jane Photography.................................................... 70
Cleburne Railroaders.............................................................2
Open Door Charities - Emergency Relief Network........ 35
Cleburne Regional Airport................................................ 71
Opportunity Resource Services..................................... 55
Cloud 9 Boutique/Tanning/Salon............................... .100
Orange Theory Fitness......................................................110
Co-Ed Cuts.............................................................................101
P&P Plumbing Co.................................................................. 41
Colorado River Concrete....................................................27
Pandan...................................................................................... 41
Cook Children's......................................................................27
Pathway Church..................................... Inside Back Cover
Davis Jennings Construction...........................................119
Prime Source Roofing........................................................ 86
Doc Hollidays Work Outfitters........................................101
Raintree Homes....................................................................110
Dr. Michael Phillips............................................................... 23
RedFin Pools.............................................................................9
Edward Jones David Layman........................................... 16
Rendon Road Animal Clinic................................................5
Enviroscapes Nursery & Landscaping.........................126
Rio Mambo............................................................................128
F6 Plumbing...........................................................................119
Roden Real Estate Group.................................................. 63
Farmers Insurance - The King Agency.......................... 71
Rowlett's Hardware.............................................................119
First Financial Bank............................................................. 22
Self Storage Solutions........................................................ 55
Friou Floral and Gifts.......................................................... 63
Southern Stitches Embroidery........................................ 92
Graphic Pros........................................................................... 87
Stevan Buren Flooring.......................................................118
H Lanoue Photography...................................................... 54
Strother & Strother Law Firm.......................................... 87
Hamilton General Store..................................................... 78
Sunday Dinner Catering.................................................... 92
Heart to Heart Hospice...................................................... 92
Texas Health Huguley Hospital....... Inside Front Cover
Heartis Senior Living........................................................... 62
Texas Tails Pet Ranch and Spaw.................................... 47
Heritage Place Independent Living............................... 35
Top Texas Realty................................................................. 100
Hill College................................................................................. 7
United Way............................................................................. 79
Jerry Hidlebaugh DDS........................................................101
Williams Trew - Cody Lee.....................................................1
Johnson County Distillery.................................................118
Woolard's Jewelry............................................................... 92
Johnson County Living...............................................46, 79
Yellow Rose Propane & Exchange................................. 86
Joshua Chamber of Commerce....................................... 17
Please thank these advertisers for making this publication possible! H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T I TS B EST
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all day thirsty thursdays
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295 E REnfRo BuRlEson, TX 76028 817.720.7707 www.therimrestaurant.com
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visit us online at pathway.church
WORSHIP, SERVE, & GROW TOGETHER: Saturday 6pm Sunday 8:15, 9, 10:25 and 11:50am
325 NW Renfro St, Burleson | 817.295.5832
pathway.church
Tac k • R op in g • A ni m a l C a r e • B o u t i q u e F e e d • R a nc h E q u i p m e nt
610 0 S I - 3 5 W | A lva rado , T X 7 6009 | 817- 916- 4 4 90 w w w . a d a ms-tack. co m M P