Love of Dixie - Fall 2018

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

F O R

T E X A S

W O M E N

8102 VON-PES

EUSSI LARUGUANI EHT

LAUREN FLAKE FOUNDER OF LOVE OF DIXIE Behind-the-scenes with Hays County's Texas Strong author and Alzheimer's daughter

FIVE FAVORITE FINDS FOR FALL

HOW TO SIMPLIFY & CREATE A COZY HOME

RETURNING HOME FROM RWANDA

CONTACT US LOVE OF DI XI E 512.295.0091 lauren@loveofdixie.com loveofdixie.com

Photo by Hilary Roberts Photography

EDITORIAL LAUREN FLAKE Editor-In-Chief

HOWDY!

Welcome to the first ever issue.

Love of Dixie magazine is a dream come true, 30 years in the making.

It all started with a little girl who loved to write and design newsletters with a pencil and paper and an Apple computer in her parents' home office in a little house in North Austin in the 90s.

CONTRIBUTORS Cheyenne Bell, Michelle Discavage, Jordan Harrell, Terri Jackson, Hollie Kaszynski, Robin Lee, KariAnn Lessner, Amanda Regas, Andrea Stunz

Cover photo by Carly Fretwell Photography All content © 2018 For the Love of Dixie, LLC, unless otherwise stated.

Today, that girl is a woman on a Texas Strong mission with a team of amazing women behind and beside her. We are spotlighting Texas cuisine, travel, gardening, DIY, home decor, and entertainment, one issue at a time. We're sharing our passion for marriage, motherhood, womanhood, food, faith, and the outdoors.

ADVERTISING

Thank you for joining us on our maiden voyage.

FI ND US ONLI NE

We hope you love it as much as we do.

LAUREN FLAKE Founder

loveofdixie.com/ magazine CONTACT lauren@loveofdixie.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 Texas Strong Woman: Lauren Flake 06 Lone Star Lifestyle: Picks for Autumn 07 Simplify: How Cleaning Out Calmed My Nerves

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09

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09 Gardening: Fall Indoor Planter 13 Devotional: Welcome at the Table 15 Let's Just Eat: Farmhouse Eggplant Stew & Perfect Cornbread 18 Decor: Creating a Cozy Home 20 Entertainment: Fall in and Get It Together

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22 Featured Article: Reflecting on Rwanda 24 Family: Parenting with Literature 27 Travel: Tips to Help Make Your Overseas Adventure a Success

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LAUREN FLAKE LOVE OF DIXIE FOUNDER

Buda, Texas WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE TITLES FOR YOURSELF AND WHY?

I love being called Momma by my girls. Being a writer and an Alzheimer's advocate is rewarding and a whole lot of fun, but motherhood is, by far, my most fulfilling role.

WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS OR MENTORS?

My current role models are First Lady Laura Bush, Ree Drummond, and Jenny Hayes, the director of my grandmother's care facility. All three have taught me so much about hospitality and showing up for the people they love.

Photos by Carly Fretwell Photography

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LAUREN'S FAVORITES I adore reading Kate Morton novels, collecting all things turquoise, dancing in comfortable cowboy boots with my handsome husband, eating sushi and green tea ice cream, sipping skinny Margaritas and dark roast coffee with almond milk, gardening with my gorgeous girls, lounging in my backyard hammock, and using Rachel's Plan Bee body oil after a hot shower.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST FEAR OR CHALLENGE?

My greatest challenge is perfectionism. My fear of failure has held me back from accomplishing my goals and pursuing my wildest dreams, like launching this magazine, far too many times. Sally Lloyd-Jones, one of my favorite Christian children's authors, once said to pursue excellence instead of perfection, and ever since, I've been using that as my mantra. I do the best I can every day and trust God to do the rest.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

My Texas Strong shirts raised nearly $150,000 for central Texas disaster relief after the 2015 Memorial Day floods, in memory of my late mother, Dixie, who died after a decade-long battle with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 2013. It was really an incredible feeling to be able to help so many people while honoring my mom's legacy. My children's books, Where Did My Sweet Grandma Go? and Where Did My Sweet Grandpa Go?, were icing on the cake after a difficult season of grief and dementia caregiving.

HOW ARE YOU BUILDING COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW?

I facilitate an online community called Daughters of Dementia to unite and support women who are current or surviving caregivers, and I host quarterly gatherings of Motherless Daughters at the Turquoise Table in my front yard. We drink mimosas, talk about life, and do a nature-inspired craft while our kids play inside.

I also write frequently for a diverse community of Christian women called The Glorious Table.

WHAT IS A FAVORITE QUOTE OR VERSE YOU LIVE BY?

I have a few Bible verses and quotes that I try to remember and live by each day. Here are two favorites: "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:32 NIV "Do what you can with what you have where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CENTRAL TEXAS IN THE FALL?

I love having a break from the summer heat, quite honestly. I really enjoy decorating my house and pretending that we actually have fall colors here when the leaves turn different shades of yellow.

I also love visiting local wineries and celebrating Oktoberfest with my husband in tiny German towns like Bertram or Fredericksburg.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE TEXAS-BASED NONPROFITS TO SUPPORT?

My heart belongs to two amazing nonprofit organizations, Alzheimer's Texas and Austin Angels. I serve on the Hays County Alzheimer's Texas Walk committee each year and recently joined their Lone Star Monthly Contributors Club to support central Texas dementia patients and their families. I'm also an Angel Ambassador for Austin Angels, which is based in Buda and supports central Texas foster families.

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Lavish Leathers Tassel Necklace Buda, Texas lavishleathers.com

Lone Star Lifestyle: Picks for Autumn Red Fox Lane Essential Oil Bag Kyle, Texas etsy.com/shop/redfoxlane

Summer Moon Coffee Swinging Lantern Blend Austin, Texas woodfiredcoffee.com

Lavish Leathers Lantern Earrings Buda, Texas lavishleathers.com

Rachel's Plan Bee Sweet Pumpkin Body Polish Buda, Texas rachelsplanbee.com LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

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Simplify: How Cleaning Out Calmed My Nerves JORDAN HARRELL Tidiness does not come naturally to me.

So I read some books – some were practical, some philosophical, some spiritual. I wanted

My inherent forgetfulness coupled with my

to get a firm “WHY” behind this need for order,

distractibility (SQUIRREL!) makes keeping a

so that I was more likely to stick to it.

tidy home a seemingly impossible task.

However, I hate messes. You would have never

I realized that while we had a lot less stuff

guessed it if you’d walked into my house a

than most, we still had a whole heck of a lot.

couple of years ago. It would have looked like

We had junk drawers and piles all over, things

I rather enjoyed messes, or at the very least

that needed to be put somewhere, I just

they didn’t bother me. But it wasn’t that I

didn’t know where “somewhere” was.

liked my house in shambles, it’s just that I never knew how to keep the messes at bay.

My husband had been wanting to downsize for years (he could live in a van down by the

I never remembered to clean as I went. I’d

river if it weren’t for the kids and me).

often pick something up to put away, but get

Meanwhile, I had been holding on to a lot of

distracted mid-stride and set it down in a

things I “needed,” when I quickly realized that

different spot, creating a whole “traveling

what I “needed” was sanity – what I “needed”

mess” thing, in which I was constantly picking

was less stuff.

up, but never actually cleaning up.

Now, I could provide you with a step-by-step I realized a couple of years ago that I am a

plan, except that I’d probably be charged with

much better mom and wife when things are

plagiarism since I pretty much followed Marie

tidy. I feel like I can give my family more of my

Kondo’s exact formula in The Life-Changing

attention when I’m not stressed about all the

Magic of Tidying Up (so go buy it!). I want to

things that need to be done, or feeling like I

share with you a few overarching ideas that

just can’t keep up. The constant state of our

helped the process of cleaning out go much

house just made me feel frustrated and

smoother.

anxious. The problem was, I didn’t know how to maintain a tidy space.

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And require a lot less emotion.

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The fuller our hands are, the less open-handed we can be.

So we gutted everything: books, files, clothes,

Financially, we were stretched thin. We had

posted and sold and garage saled. And then

three kids, one income, and no wiggle room in our budget. Tithing was about all I felt comfortable doing in terms of giving. We didn’t have people over because we couldn’t afford to, so we just had this huge house to entertain with, but nobody to entertain. I wanted to create more space in our finances so it felt less like we were choosing things

décor, linens. EVERYTHING. We donated and we moved into a 1,500 square foot house and for the first time in years, I felt calm. Cleaning wasn’t such an overwhelming chore, budgets weren’t such a hovering cloud, hospitality wasn’t such an impossible task.

For us, simplifying was about much more than getting rid of stuff. It was about shedding the

over people – stuff over generosity.

weight of “things” to create more space for

The less stuff we have, the more dependent we are on community.

constant burden of housework so I can spend

Having less stuff does cause one problem: I

room in our budget so things like hospitality

will probably have to depend on others a bit. I will have to borrow someone else’s ski jacket if I ever go skiing; we’ll have to go watch the big game at a friend’s house because we don’t have cable; all those “use once every couple years” items are now “ask a friend if you can borrow it” items. But isn’t that the beauty of it? We reach out to others more often when we have less stuff because we no longer belong to it, or depend on it. Rather than things, we depend on people. We know what

people, feeling less bogged down by the more time doing things I enjoy, and making and generosity brought joy instead of stress.

The only bad part is, thanks to birthday parties and Christmases and grandparents, only one year later it’s time to do it all over again. I can feel the clutter creeping in, walls starting to inch towards the center, things losing their places, and my anxiety rising. But thankfully now, I know the solution.

Friends, it’s time to purge.

it is to share, to give and to take. To need and to meet needs.

The less self-reliant we are, the more faith we require.

We live in a pull-yourself-up-by-yourbootstraps, figger-it-out-on-your-own, selfsufficient, I-believe-in-God-but-I-don’t-needhim world. When you scale down to the bare minimum, you are essentially admitting, in the words of Fernando Ortega, “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.”

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JORDAN HARRELL Jordan Harrell lives in Sealy, Texas with her husband and three young children. She is the founder of Friday Night Wives, a thriving community for coaches' wives, and a frequent contributor at Her View from Home. You can find Jordan at JordanHarrell.com.

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Gardening: Fall Indoor Planter

Photos by Carly Fretwell Photography TERRI JACKSON As the temperature starts to fall and winter draws near, I always find myself searching for ways to bring the outdoors inside, especially when decorating my home.

One of my greatest joys in gardening is not only enjoying my plants outside but being able to pluck from my garden to bring their beauty indoors. I keep a pair of clippers hidden in a table by my front door and another one by my back door. I often grab one of them to snip fresh rosemary or a beautiful gardenia bloom to fill vases inside my home.

If you want to bring a little fresh into your fall decorating, I have the perfect garden solution for you. This project requires a carve-able foam pumpkin from the craft store, a knife, a vase to fit inside of the pumpkin, and your choice of filler. I have two options for you to fill the vase – a fall terrarium with succulents from the home improvement store or a fresh, fall floral arrangement using inexpensive flowers from the grocery store.

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First, you will need to cut your pumpkin to fit

Next, layer with decorative sand, colored

your glass vase, I used a low cylinder vase, but a

pebbles (like the ones for an aquarium), sea

mason jar would work well, too, especially if

glass, or other decorative rocks. You could also

you are doing the floral arrangement. For mine,

add mini pumpkins or other miniature accents

I chose to cut out the side of the pumpkin and

from the fairy garden section of your local craft

insert the vase that way, but you could also cut

store. Water thoroughly, and insert into your

out the top. Next is the fun part – make your fall

pumpkin. I finished mine off with some

arrangement.

decorative fall pieces I had on hand.

For the terrarium, start with a layer of cacti soil and then a layer of sand. Insert your succulents.

I picked four succulents out of a container growing in my garden but you can find a variety at your local home or garden store. (If you have succulents in your garden, you could bring them indoors and then replant outside when they outgrow your vase.)

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Think of fun, new ways to use your fall decor.

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Fresh flowers are another way to go with this project. You can always simply fill your vessel with items from your garden. Or if yours isn’t blooming yet, you can pick up a basic grocery store arrangement.

I grabbed a $10 wrapped bunch at my store. To it, I added greenery from my garden, including fern and rosemary, which helped it smell amazing. I filled the vase with water and flower food. Then, I placed some of the greenery from my garden inside it. Next, I picked out and placed the biggest flowers from the purchased bunch and finished off the vase with the smaller, filler flowers from that bunch.

To help me fill out the vase without having to purchase more flowers, I also used some fake floral in the form of cotton and decorative sprigs that I had from a fall arrangement the previous year. Next, you will insert your vase into your pumpkin. Again, you can accent your centerpiece with other fall items you might have and enjoy.

TERRI JACKSON

Terri Jackson is a wife, mom of two boys, professional florist, Disney World trip enthusiast, coconut sparkling water junkie, backyard party hostess extraordinaire, and all-around craft genius in Buda, Texas. You can find her at InspireDelight.com.

I love using things that I have from the garden and home décor in new ways. I hope this helps you find inspiration to enjoy your fall garden both outdoors and indoors this season.

Welcome at the Table MICHELLE DISCAVAGE

The room was crowded, and I had no idea where to sit. There were no familiar faces, and no one cared to welcome a stranger.

After scanning the room, I found a seat off to the side, and sat alone. All around me people were laughing and talking, enjoying their meal together.

But I sat in silence. No one invited me over.

A quiet meal can be enjoyable, but isn’t it nice to feel welcomed? Who doesn’t love entering a room hearing the greetings of others?

I sat in the noisy room, thinking of the countless times I did not feel like I belonged. How many times had I felt different from everyone around me? I was reminded of the woman at the well Jesus approached in John 4.

"When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?' The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?'" (John 4:7-9 NIV) Samaritans had Gentile blood, and they were despised by the Jews. The Samaritans worshipped differently, had differing political views, and had the audacity to build a temple to rival the temple in Jerusalem. Three strikes, they’re out.

The Jews and Samaritans were not friends.

And yet, we have Jesus, a Jew, approaching this woman at the well. There are so many things culturally wrong with this picture. Men did not speak to women. Jews did not speak to Samaritans. Jesus is breaking all the rules.

Not only does Jesus speak to the woman, but he asks her for a drink.

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Doesn’t he know Jews believed they would become unclean from drinking after a Samaritan?

Of course. Of course Jesus knew what others believed, but Jesus cannot become unclean.

Instead, what he touches becomes clean.

And here is Jesus, reaching out to a Samaritan woman, a woman with a history.

If you have heard this story of the woman at the well, you have heard she had multiple husbands.

"He told her, 'Go, call your husband and come back.' 'I have no husband,' she replied. Jesus said to her, 'You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.

What you have just said is quite true.'” (John 4:16-18 NIV)

Our Samaritan sister has been cast aside not once, but five times.

Jesus, in asking her to call her husband, addresses her hurt and her shame. He is not offended by her past, he does not walk around her. Instead, he steps right into her pain.

Do you see the beauty of this story?

Jesus breaks every cultural rule in order to reach out and lift up this woman. His love cut through every boundary and barrier, in order to draw her closer to him.

What does this mean for us?

Take notice.

Notice those around you, the ones eating alone on the outskirts, and invite them over.

Recognize pain.

We can recognize the pain others are feeling, we do not have to tip toe around it. Lean in and listen when others share their struggles.

Reach out to lift up.

Be the one who notices, who addresses the pain others feel, in order to lift them up, and point them to Jesus.

Next time you are out, take notice of the person sitting alone.

Invite her to your table, and welcome her.

How many times have you been led to believe this woman is, how shall we say, lacking in moral character?

The truth is, in the first century, only men could divorce (see Deuteronomy 24:1-4).

MICHELLE DISCAVAGE Michelle Discavage is the author of Unnamed Women of the Bible, a speaker, and a certified Life Purpose Coach.

She lives in Lubbock, Texas with her husband and daughter, where they are often found laughing together. You can find Michelle at SparkedLiving.net.

According to an aristocratic scholar named Ben Sira, a husband could divorce a bad wife. What constituted a bad wife? A woman who talked too much, had financial independence, burned the bread, or any assortment of things the man did not like.

This was the lesson being taught in Jesus’ day.

This was the culture the Samaritan woman lived in.

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LET'S JUST EAT: FARMHOUSE EGGPLANT STEW & PERFECT CORNBREAD

HOLLIE KAZSYNKSI My love for food is simple, honest, and unpretentious.

I love to cook, but even more, I love to serve people by bringing them together with the delicious foods I have prepared. I don’t want to be stressed about ingredients, and I don’t want to have long conversations about them. I do like learning about food, and I want to take into consideration which foods are packed with nutrients and benefits. Of course I will be mindful of which foods fit the needs of my dinner guests, but for the day-to-day, I just want to be myself and prepare the foods I love most for my family and friends. I want to sit with them at the table while we talk about life, try to solve personal and worldly problems, laugh, cry, and pray. None of these things require a “culinary lifestyle,” so I’ve decided my

Photos by Elizabeth Bernhardt LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

style doesn’t matter. Let’s just eat.

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farmhouse eggplant stew Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that seem to come out of nowhere. Many years ago, this stew recipe was given to me by my mother, who got it from a woman at a potluck, who got the recipe out of a magazine in the late 70’s. I’ve added a few of my own ingredients and served it in various ways throughout the years, but this one initially took me by surprise, because there’s nothing about the list of ingredients that says, “This one is a score!” Nonetheless, my kids devour it, and even when I double the recipe, there’s never enough for leftovers. I actually make this stew all year long, but the deep flavors are perfect for fall. It’s also a full meal in one pot, which makes it a winner, as far as I’m concerned.

INGREDIENTS 1 pound lean ground beef 1 pound reduced fat ground pork sausage 1 large eggplant, peeled and diced 1 medium onion, diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 2 ribs celery, diced 2 (16 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon marjoram

Saute the meats, eggplant, onion, bell pepper, and celery in a large stockpot. Add the seasonings, and simmer until the juices are reduced. Add the tomatoes, and simmer over low heat until all vegetables are tender.

If desired, serve the stew over brown rice or quinoa. This will make it last a little longer!

Perfect Cornbread INGREDIENTS 1 ½ cups flour ½ cup cornmeal ½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 ¼ cups 2 % milk ½ cup vegetable oil 2 cups grated Mexican blend or mild cheddar cheese 1 cup frozen sweet corn, slightly thawed

WE HELP YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED IN LIFE.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and oil together. Stir egg mixture with the cornmeal mixture just until moistened. Add the cheese and the corn, and stir well. Pour batter into a square glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm.

Store leftover cornbread in the fridge, that is, if you have any leftover.

HOLLIE KAZSYNKSI

Hollie Kaszynski is a native Texan and has lived in Austin, with her husband and three kids, for 13 years. She posesses a deep passion for teaching and service, which she pours into her children, church family, and local community. She loves adventure, traveling, writing, and being creative in the kitchen.

Creating a cozy home Fall in Texas is a fun and exciting season. From back-to-school madness to the excitement of hayrides and pumpkin patches, life can get crazy busy this time of year.

When life has you running full steam ahead, home should be a place where you and your family can relax, unwind, breathe and recharge. Creating a cozy home where your family can decompress should be a priority in any season, but especially this one.

CHEYENNE BELL

Hygge is a way of removing the hustle, slowing down, being present, and appreciating the simple joys of life.

The Danish have a word for creating a warm, welcoming, cozy home: hygge (pronounced hueguh). You may have heard about this concept in the past few years as it is a very popular trend. Even though it’s trendy, hygge is truly a lifestyle choice that, in my opinion, creates a happier home.

CHEYENNE BELL Cheyenne Bell is a writer and blogger with a slight obsession for old homes and good coffee.

Her blog, Sense & Serendipity, focuses on inspiring others to create a home well-loved and a life well-lived. Cheyenne lives in Buda, Texas with her two young children. Find her at SenseandSerendipityblog.com.

Hygge is not necessarily a “thing” or a “feeling” or anything you can buy; rather, it’s a state of mind. Creating a hygge, or cozy, home doesn’t have to be difficult; in fact, it’s more about removing what causes stress or anxiety from your home life and adding in a few simple touches or new habits that add comfort and encourage relaxation.

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Here are a few easy ways to make your home more cozy this fall: Pile on the blankets and throw pillows. Add some soft, fluffy textures to your lounging spaces. Toss some throw pillows on the couch or your bed and make sure warm, snuggly blankets are within arm’s reach. Encourage more snuggling!

Soften up your lighting. Use candles or make use of your fireplace more often, if you’re lucky enough to have one. Turn off the overhead lights and use lamplight instead. Creating a serene atmosphere with soft or low light encourages the body to relax and the mind to calm.

Cozy up the floors. Add some faux fur rugs in places where your feet hit the floor most often, such as the side of your bed.

You can even layer a fur on top of other rugs to add dimension to the space. I love to toss a faux fur across my living room ottoman to add a feeling of warmth and softness to the room.

Use fall scents. Burn fall-scented candles or buy a diffuser and fall-themed essential oils and burn them any time you’re at home. The scents will make your home smell heavenly and add to the cozy ambiance.

Fluff up your beds. Add a down-filled duvet or maybe an extra quilt at the foot of the bed. Down-filled comforters are wonderful at regulating temperature: they can add warmth when necessary but they don’t overheat hot-natured sleepers. They also are wonderful at making a bed feel that much more cozy and harder to get out of in the morning!

Host a supper club. Start inviting your friends over for dinner regularly. One of the most important aspects of hygge in Danish culture is spending more time with family and friends. Perhaps start with a standing dinner date with friends once a month, rotating houses each time.

Add a fire pit to your backyard. If you love spending time outdoors in the fall (who doesn’t?!), invest in a fire pit for your yard. Spend more evenings around the fire talking, laughing and chatting with friends and family.

Lose the tech. I believe that one of the biggest stressors in American homes is our dependency on technology, whether it’s television or your tablet or smartphone. Try to start making it a habit to shut down all of your social media and techdependent activities after 8:00 p.m. Instead, read a good book or enjoy the company of your husband, kids or furry friends.

Start a family game night. Spend more time with your kids by starting a game night tradition! Designate one evening a week as “family game night” and enforce it even if you get a bunch of heavy sighs and eye-rolls. I promise once the games get started, the moody kids will be having a great time! Even toddlers can play some fun, family games.

Surround yourself with books. Filling my home with books is one of my favorite ways to add warmth and encourage relaxation. Reading always relaxes me, but I find that if my books aren’t where I can see them, I tend to forget they’re there and busy myself in other, less relaxing ways. Encourage more reading by openly displaying your books!

Display family photos. Your home should be filled with special treasures, but none will be as important as the people who live there. Make sure you put your loved ones on display by framing family photos and sprinkling them throughout the home, whether it’s on the walls or on surfaces.

Decorate your front porch. The first thing people tend to see when they come over to your home is your front porch.

Adding some welcoming fall touches, like a potted chrysanthemum or a pile of colorful pumpkins, around your front door will greet your guests and make them feel welcome before they even step foot into your home.

Creating a cozy home this fall can improve your overall lifestyle by incorporating more of what you love like relaxation, friends, and family, and making them a priority in an otherwise hectic time of year. Even if you only incorporate a few of these tips into your life and your home, I promise you will feel a difference that you will want to continue building on!

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Entertainment: Fall in and get it together KARIANN LESSNER When summer’s over, and we pack up the pool toys, buy all the school supplies, and ponder in the carpool line how we are going to “make it work” with a schedule like this, it’s good to have a bit of direction.

Here are a few of our favorites that offer a little direction, motivation, or just a good solid voice so you can roll the car windows down and sing along.

BOOKS {Brené Brown} is Texas’ bestknown research professor, and if you’re trying to pull yourself together this fall, her books are a great place to start.

Love of Dixie’s pick is Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead.

Brown’s work at the University of Houston on courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, along with her TED talk, brought her international acclaim and offered us all a life coach, champion, and friend.

[BreneBrown.com] {Colleen Hoover} calls Saltillo, Texas home. She is a #1 New York Times best-selling author in the New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance categories. Hoover released her most recent book, All Your Perfects, in July.

She founded The Bookworm Box, a monthly subscription service and bookstore that provides subscribers with signed novels from authors all over the world and donates its profits to charity. If you’re a reader, this is a way to pack your purchases with purpose.

[ColleenHoover.com]

Podcasts & music

PODCASTS

{Darla Baerg} is a Baylor Bear, and we LOVE her for it! Darla is a master communicator and storyteller speaking to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups, women’s retreats, and seminars about her first love, Jesus.

Her new podcast, Joy FULL Moments, is a great way to grab hold of some Jesus while you wait in the carpool line!

[DarlaBaerg.com]

{Rachel Hollis} and her husband Dave, along with their four kids, dog, and fish (Mysterious, may he rest in peace), moved their highend-event-planning-turnedlifestyle-media-company, the Chic Site, a.k.a. Hollis Co., from California to the great state of Texas (Dripping Springs, to be exact).

Rachel's podcast, RISE, features bold conversations with fellow business powerhouses. Need a little kick-start where your lifestyle, business, or motivation are concerned? Check out RISE. [TheChicSite.com/Dais-Podcast]

Need a little kick-start?

MUSIC Houston’s {Cameron Dezen Hammon} may not be a native Texan, but her sound and style suits this great state perfectly.

Hammon’s 2016 album, “Words Don’t Bleed,” is an amazing amalgamation of 80s cover songs, largely works by men, reimagined and sung through a completely different filter in her ethereal voice. It’s fun to think of some of these oldies leading us in new ways.

[CameronDezenHammon.com]

KARIANN LESSNER

{Blue Water Highway} is a couple of fellas from Lake Jackson, Texas, who invited a few friends with opera, jazz, and lap steel talent to join them on an adventure. Their band is built on excellent musicianship, great songs, and a signature three-part harmony.

Their live shows take them all over the U.S., but we love them best with a brew in hand at one of our favorite Texas IPA houses.

Blue Water Highway's newest album, “Way Back When,” is a nod to their Texas roots.

[BlueWaterHighwayBand.com]

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KariAnn Lessner is a wife, mother, fairy godmother, children’s minister, podcast host, speaker, native Houstonian, and seeker of excellent chips and salsa. You can often find her hanging out in a rocking chair – unsweet sun tea in hand – telling some glitter-bomb of a yarn. Find Kari at YouBrewYouPodcast.com.

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Reflecting on Rwanda AMANDA REGAS

Last fall, I went to Africa with a

While educational sponsorship is

team of six other women,

at the core of their work, they

through Africa New Life Ministries

believe children need other key

(ANLM). ANLM is a nonprofit

factors to succeed such as a

organization created by

growing faith, community

Rwandans to help the Rwandan

development, and a healthy

people empower themselves

body.

through education and employment.

Their mission statement, powerful and simple, drew me in

An overview of ANLM taken from

immediately: “Africa New Life

their website reads:

exists to transform lives and communities through preaching

“Since 2001, Africa New Life has

the Gospel of Jesus Christ and

shared the Gospel using two

acts of compassion.”

hands: the hand of compassion and the hand of evangelism. Our

Our days in Kigali were filled with

goal is to see lives transformed

activity. Being a team of women,

through meeting basic needs, to

ANLM asked if we would consider

give hope for the future for those

focusing our trip on spending

living in poverty in Rwanda, and

time in relationship with women

to share the freedom and hope

and children, offering them

found in Christ. At the heart of

encouragement and support. We

our model for breaking cycles of

were thrilled to have that

poverty is educational

opportunity, so on our trip we

sponsorship. With a high school

completed 15 home visits. Eleven

education, or a vocational

of these visits included meeting

equivalent, children in Rwanda

children that are sponsored

have hope for the future.”

through monthly donations by various team members.

ANLM believes in caring for the “whole child.”

The sponsorship program

AMANDA REGAS Amanda Regas lives in McKinney, Texas with her husband and two daughters.

provides education and medical assistance.

LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

Top photo by Amanda Regas Bottom photo by Duffy Nabors

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FALL 2018

Sponsored children also attend a

Looking straight at us, laughing

I will not focus on what I cannot

monthly Christian day camp and

knowingly, he said, "Now, when

fix. Instead, I will encourage and

a four-day Bible camp each fall.

you go home...PLEASE...do not sit

support the ongoing efforts of

around your home feeling bad

Rwanda and ANLM.

We were able to touch the sweet

about what you have. Enjoy your

faces of children that we had only

life! Just don't forget about us.

Instead of standing at the sink

known on paper previously. The

Don't forget what you learned. Go

obsessing over why I get to have

other four home visits were to

home and be an ambassador for

water, I will smile thinking back to

meet women enrolled in a sewing

Africa New Life."

the day we waited for our turn at

program through ANLM’s

the water pump. The time spent

Women’s Vocational Center.

By addressing the internal

waiting for water provided

struggle he knew was imminent,

women a rare pause from

In between visits, our days were

he normalized our feelings in

constant manual labor and

packed with a full-on Rwanda

advance. It made me tear up.

multitasking. If it has not rained,

experience. We attended a

Pastor Fred genuinely hoped we

the spout only trickles, so people

Christian women’s conference.

would heed his advice.

wait. We witnessed how this small

We lived a day in the life of a local

pause made space for

woman, right down to cultivating

I have had a hard time heeding. I

community. The ladies chatted

land and gathering water.

feel disoriented.

and laughed. Lamenting that we have easily accessible water while

We gave presentations on

While getting ready to chaperone

they do not is useless. Instead, I

business skills and health and

a field trip, I was still washing off

will put my resources and time

wellness to women in sewing and

the red stain of the soil we walked

towards providing accessible

cosmetology programs. We

on in Kigali. A few days ago, I was

clean water for others.

walked through a genocide

delivering food to starving

memorial museum. And we spent

families and talking to people

Instead of hiding, I will rejoin my

even more time connecting with

with HIV. Now, I was preparing to

community. Rwanda’s emphasis

our sponsored children outside of

shepherd first graders through a

on relational living has no doubt

their homes.

fire station to learn about safety.

played a large role in their ability

This felt bewildering. I went to the

to move forward post-genocide.

field trip in a fog

My team and I will honor that by

There is so much I want to express about my time in Africa. It

returning to our own

will forever be one of the most

I believe that God’s plan involved

important and joyful times of my

equipping me to help. Rather

communities.

life. Previous mission trips have

than wringing my hands, I will

My soul is filled with gratitude for

left me well versed on internal

listen to Pastor Fred’s advice.

experiencing a beautiful new

struggle after a life-changing

culture and country. I know I will

experience. Processing the

find a new normal, and that

emotions involved in re-entry is important and is an essential and necessary step for personal growth, but it is hard work.

ANLM scheduled a debriefing session with Pastor Fred, their executive director, for the day we

My heart is still grieving the imbalance in this world.

knowledge is in part why I am holding on tight to the tension of feeling shaken and hopeful. I want the part of me that broke to stay broken, but I know that it will heal.

I'm praying for a solid scar.

left.

LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

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Parenting with literature ROBIN LEE

At my daughter’s four month well baby checkup,

Such thoughts haunt me on shaky or vulnerable

her beloved pediatrician gave us a board book.

days, but the truth is I have not done everything

His wife, a brilliant educator, secured a grant from

wrong. In some areas, I was victorious.

a formula company and used the money to buy books for her husband’s patients. They partnered

In his fabulous book, The Read-Aloud Handbook,

to emphasize the importance of literacy. Dr.

Jim Trelease says, “What we teach children to

Patterson pulled out the book, Barnyard Dance,

love and desire will always outweigh what we

prepared to go through his spiel. Reagan, in her

make them learn.” I taught my kids to love to

rolling over chubby glory, lunged forward and

read.

ripped the book out of his hands.

I would plop them in their high chairs and let It was very rude.

them "do art" while I read. Paper carefully taped to the high chair trays and chunky pencils and

He laughed and said, “Clearly, she knows what a

Crayola markers to experiment with, I read and

book is.” She opened it, upside down, and started

they created. Yes, they would chew on the

to babble. She loved to read, even then.

crayons and suck on the pens. That didn’t bother me. I wanted them to begin, as early as

Parenting is hard. Just under the surface, ready to

possible, to associate color and expression with

bubble over, lie the one million mistakes I have

books. I would read picture books, Dr. Seuss

made in my parenting journey. They are fetid and

books, poetry, and chapter books while they

crave making their stench known.

scribbled away.

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FALL 2018

When my kids were toddlers, there were always

The research is overwhelming. Reading to kids

books readily available. If a book was valued

is the single most significant predictor of future

and I didn’t want it ruined, I would keep it up

academic success. It is more profound than

and out of harm’s way; other than that, books

socioeconomic status, race, or geographic

were meant to be explored. They were drooled

location. According to the Organization of

on and chewed, flipped wide open and

Economic Co-Operation and Development

occasionally ripped. There were bottom book

(oecd.org):

shelves full of illustrated stories and baskets of favorites by the couch. I wanted them to love

"Students whose parents reported that they had

books so that someday they might treasure

read a book with their child 'every day or almost

reading.

every day' or 'once or twice a week' during the first year of primary school have markedly

I read to them while they ate lunch, painted on

higher scores…than students whose parents

sticks, and built with Legos. I never demanded

reported that they had read a book with their

their undivided attention; I only fostered

child 'never or almost never' or only 'once or

interest.

twice a month.' On average across the 14 countries for which data are available, the

There were many moments spent snuggled in

difference is 25 score points, the equivalent of

bed, singularly focused on reading together, but

well over half a school year."

a wide variety of settings and experiences paints the backdrop of our life with literature. If

Further, “The performance advantage among

I could change one thing in our culture, it

students whose parents read to them in their

would be this: I would have every parent in

early school years is evident regardless of the

America to read to their kids.

family’s socio-economic background.” Amazing.

As adolescents, my two older kids were

Again, from The Read-Aloud Handbook,

voracious readers. Many times I muttered under

Trelease says, “Research shows that even when

my breath that “keeping my kids in books” was

children reach primary grades, repeated picture

the most expensive part of parenting. For years I

book reading of the same book (at least three

was way too unorganized to manage the

times) increases vocabulary acquisition by 15 to

responsibilities of a library with its ridiculous

40 percent, and the learning is relatively

demands we actually return every book on time

permanent.”

or pay. I am not entirely sure WHAT made that impossible for me, but a regular trip to the

It makes sense. For those reasons, the thing I

bookstore was much more straightforward and

wish I could change in my own story is this: I

preferred, especially if it was a Christian

would have done more.

bookstore. I would buy my kids stacks of books, and they would devour them in days.

Personal discipline is not my strength. My parenting is seasoned with beautiful moments

As I matured in my parenting, I grew in my

that were what I longed for in both execution

checking out, keeping track of, and returning

and emotion, but the dailiness of those

books skills. Libraries became manageable, but

moments was woefully lacking. I read books

overflowing shelves of books we own is still my

before naptime. We made books available for

very favorite. Our home has books everywhere.

consumption everywhere.

LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

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FALL 2018

In spite of that, I profoundly regret not

We were desperate to seek a life that offered

establishing an evening routine of family story

breathing room. Painfully aware that we had

time.

one year to invest before our daughter left for college, and knowing that it was the beginning

Miraculously given a do-over, I would forge a

of forever to commit to our youngest, Texas

habit of gathering everyone around to read

offered hope.

stories nightly. I would let my kids engage in other activities quietly if they wanted—art or

Our youngest daughter has special needs. She

Tinker Toys, while their father and I read to

will likely always be with us, and as a

them. I would focus on the classics. I would

homeschooled student and now the only child

start with an illustrated version, move to an

in our home, we can create a learning

abridged version, then complete the cycle with

environment that celebrates who she is and

the original. I have found that if a brain has an

increases her chances of a growing knowledge

accurate framework for a story, it can work

of the world. Washed with hours of stories, this

through the difficulty of a sophisticated text.

clean slate of only-childness offers an exciting fresh start.

I wouldn’t have worried about comprehension levels but would have celebrated exposure to

We will read stories about the Alamo, then see

great stories.

it. We can enjoy biographies of Bonnie and Clyde and retrace some of their stomping

I would never have allowed electronics in my

grounds. I can introduce her to Elizabeth Barrett

kids’ bedrooms. Ever. Not even a Kindle. I would

Browning’s works, then go to the museum in

only allow unfettered access to paper pages.

Waco to see more. She cannot talk and has

Homework on computers would be completed

global developmental delays, but we will still

in public spaces. Let’s be honest, my teen

put in as much as we can, and multiply it by the

always has headphones on so she doesn’t need

incredible resources Texas has to offer.

quiet to study. Screens turned on behind closed doors have permanently poisoned the culture of

Literature and our new life in this great state are

our children. I weep for allowing any of that in

a thrilling combination for any child.

my home.

Time marches on, regardless of regrets. My

ROBIN LEE

Robin Lee is a recent Texas transplant, wife to an airplane-part-inventing, manufactured-home-selling man who keeps her in stitches, and mom to three beautifully unique kids who keep her on her knees. She lives near Tyler, Texas and loves to teach Bible Study, laugh, drink coffee with ridiculous amounts of flavored creamer, and nap.

Find Robin at RobinsCorner.com.

precious middle child is off to her first year of college. Tucked in the mountains of Vermont, at a small liberal arts school, the plethora of classic literature she has poured herself into and her excellent study habits boost my confidence that she will thrive. I hope and pray we did enough.

In our quest to parent on purpose and pursue good things for our family, just over a year ago, we moved from California to East Texas.

LOVE OF DIXIE MAGAZINE

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FALL 2018

Tips to Help Make Your Overseas Adventure a Success ANDREA STUNZ I got my first passport when I was seven years old. My family moved to Brazil in 1975. I've also lived in Singapore, England, and of course, the U.S. The adventure bug bit. I can almost hear my passport calling me when it sits dormant for very long.

If I haven't missed any in the counting, I've visited 26 countries and some of them multiple times. My thirst for travel is, for now anyway, insatiable. There is so much out there for my eyes to see, my ears to hear, my hands to hold, and my heart to feel.

While I don't claim any sort of "expert traveler" status, I do have a few helpful travel tips I can share. These basic tips can help make your overseas adventures a success.

Use reward points.

As you plan your trip, check to see if you have credit cards that offer reward points. You can possibly use those for hotel stays or rental car reservations. Traveling is a great time to use your credit card with rewards points. You're going to spend money anyway, so why not be rewarded for it? Be aware, however, that it's easy to go over budget with using a card. Set a spending limit and stick to it, so you're not paying for the trip after it's over.

Learn the difference between a converter and an adapter.

I can't tell you how many people came to visit me when we lived overseas and blew up their expensive hair irons and hair dryers. I never shame them, though, because we successfully blew our computer up when we first moved to Asia, even though we'd been told.

Simply put, a converter converts power and

When two adults are traveling with small children,

sometimes includes an adapter. An adapter ONLY

organize your bags in such a way that one adult can

adapts the plug.

get on the plane first and get things situated. Adult 1 sanitizes the space and stores the bags, while adult 2

If you have an appliance that you want to use in a

and kiddos remain in an unconfined area. Adult 2

country that supports a different voltage than where

boards with the children when boarding is done. This

your appliance is from, you will need a converter. And

eliminates the stress of shuffling bags and kids, as

you'll need one that will handle the wattage of the

well as the issues that come with confining wiggly

appliance you are wanting to use. Check the tag on

children on a plane for longer than is necessary.

your appliance to see how many watts it requires, then make sure you get a voltage converter that will handle it.

Beware of pickpockets.

My wallet, money, and passport were stolen in Paris.

Some appliances, however, are dual voltage. Most

As a seasoned traveler, I knew better. I have several

camera chargers, phone chargers, laptop chargers,

anti-theft bags and backpacks, but vanity won out

and such are set up to handle any type of voltage. So,

that day, and I carried something cuter instead.

you will only need an adapter to make your plug fit into the wall plug of the country you're visiting.

Pickpockets are good at what they do and often look just like another tourist. You're having a good time,

Pack extra clothes in your carry on.

you let your guard down, and they see you. Enjoy your trip by not allowing vanity or ignorance to give an

Take an extra set of clothes and anything you must

edge to a thief. Cute is not worth it. (Pacsafe and

have in your carry on, in case your luggage decides to

Travelon are good anti-theft travel bag brands.)

take a different route. Also, with air bumps and neighbor's elbows, there's a good chance of a spill. I

Pickpocket tip for men: Put a rubber band around

always put my airline-provided blanket in my lap first

your wallet, and carry it in your front pocket. This will

thing, following an unfortunate OJ incident.

make it harder for the pickpocket to snatch it without you feeling it.

Pack some items you can leave behind.

You might find it helpful to pack a few items, like

Don't be a grumpy traveler.

comfy shoes that you wanted a new pair of anyway or

We've all seen them. We've probably all been one a

jeans that have earned their keep. You may end up

time or two. Grumpy people bring everyone down

buying a coffee mug or, say, a few old books you find

with them. Be kind and pleasant.

in a quaint bookstore in Oxford.

My last piece of advice for you is the most important one.

Sail through security.

I always try to do whatever I can to make getting

Enjoy your trip!

through security as smooth as possible. Wear shoes that can be taken on and off quickly. Make sure your

ANDREA STUNZ

bag of liquids and laptops are easily accessible. Also,

Andrea Stunz is a welltraveled Texan currently living near San Antonio, having previously lived in Brazil, Asia, and the U.K. She finds joy in her family, grace in her friends, beauty in a story, purpose in the sunrise, wonder in her travels, and hope in Colossians 1:17. Find Andrea at AndreaStunz.com.

don't forget to dump or drink your water! Take an empty water bottle to fill after security but before you get on the airplane.

Plan ahead when traveling with children.

I asked my daughter what tip she would want me to share. She said she hasn't been able to use this one yet, but it's at the top of her list for next time.

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