Alliance Life Magazine April 2022 by Murray Media Group

APRIL 2022

PREMIER ISSUE

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advanced vision care

5 THINGS TO TRY BEAUTY TREATMENTS

10 HOT

SPRING DECORATING TRENDS

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Welcome to the Inaugural Edition

OF ALLIANCE LIFE! A

lliance Life was built on the vision and expertise of Scott and Kelly Murray’s twenty-plus years in publishing. I envisioned a community-based lifestyle publication to serve Haslet residents living in the 76052 zip code and doing business in the Alliance area.

With the help of Murray Media Group and Tony Jeary International, I was able to make that vision a reality. Alliance Life compliments the hyperlocal magazines in the Murray Media Group portfolio: Flower Mound Town Life, Lantana Living, Argyle Living, Lake Cities (Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas, and Shady Shores), Castle Hills (Lewisville), and 35 West (Northlake, Justin, Roanoke, Canyon Falls, Harvest and Pecan Square). Alliance Life focuses on communities in the Alliance Corridor: Haslet, Avondale, and North Fort Worth. We will feature merchants who serve the residents of 76052. Expect to see the best products and services and get to know the stories behind the businesses that want to serve you. Please get in touch with me about any great stories to tell about individuals, businesses, restaurants, doctors, lawyers, or volunteers who serve in the Alliance area. We want to tell those stories! Mailbox Media is led by our management team of Tony Jeary, Scott and Kelly Murray, my wife Lacie, and I. We want to bring you the stories of the people of the Alliance area who you see every day in a family-friendly publication. We hope Alliance Life is fun, interactive, and something you look forward to reading each month. By reading Alliance Life, we hope you are more connected to your friends and neighbors and get to know better those who live and do business closest to you. Alliance Life should hit your mailbox free of charge the 3rd weekend of every month. You will see local news, events, local business spotlights, Northwest ISD news, and community sports information. Alliance Life is made possible by the support of our local advertisers, so please support them! And tell them you read about it in Alliance Life! All the best,

Jeff Caves, Publisher

contents TA B L E O F

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advanced vision care

ARTICLES 07

DIY: CARPET DEODORIZER

10 HOT SPRING DECORATING TRENDS

GARDENS BAR & GRILL: HOME AWAY FROM HOME

INSIDE COMMUNITY & EDUCATION

18 INTERIOR PAINTING IDEAS

BOUGEE ON A BUDGET

THINGS TO DO FOR MOTHER’S DAY

BIG LOSS, HUGE WIN

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET YOUR HEART RATE UP

TEXAS TULIP SEASON

FEATURED

NATALIE CHILDRESS NAMED INAUGURAL PRINCIPAL

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NORTHWEST ISD TEACHER HONORED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE

THE HISTORY OF HASLET

GET TO KNOW YOUR FIRE CHIEF, KIRT MAYS

APRIL 2022 | ALLIANCE LIFE | 5

Publisher of Mailbox Media Jeff@murray-media.com

Publisher & Editor Jeff Caves

Administration

Managing Editor Jana Melton Assistant Editor Bobbi Byrne

Writers

Caylie Howard, Steve Gamel, Diane Ciarloni Jade Kensington, Jean Eisenmann Leena Duwadi, Mark Miller

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Advertising Inquiries

jeff@murray-media.com

Production

Graphic Designers Mish Cunningham-Scott Hallie Preece Cayla Thompson Arynn Tomson

Photography

Lacey Whitmer Photo & Design Your Candid Memories Photography What’s That Guy’s Name? Photography by Guy T Miranda Longoria Photography Live Beautifully Photography Penny Whistle Photography

Letters

Alliance Life Magazine invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments. Email jeff@murray-media.com. All submissions become the sole property of Mailbox Media.

Editorial Inquiries Call Caylie Howard at 972.899.3637 or email editor@murray-media.com Address: Mailbox Media L.L.C. 2591 Lakeside Pkwy., Ste. 200 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Alliance Life Magazine is published monthly by Mailbox Media. Some articles and/or content may be sponsored by advertisers. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Alliance Life Magazine is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its agencies assume all liability for advertising content. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2022 Mailbox Media

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INTERIOR

PAINTING

IDEAS by Contributing Writer

“Spend more time and creativity inside...” 18 | ALLIANCE LIFE | APRIL 2022

edecorating or renovating your house is never easy, and it gets harder and more tedious when you also need to paint. Slapping on one coat of paint after another can be draining if you’re going at it alone and still have the whole house to consider. And let’s not even start on the ceilings! But even if you stick to the same old exterior paint job, it doesn’t need to be so for the interior. And you could always try some wild and wonderful interior painting ideas. If nothing else, you’ll be guaranteed a reaction from all who enter your house. By keeping the exterior painting to a bare minimum, you can spend more time and creativity inside. You can let your imagination run riot with all those interior painting ideas you always wanted to implement but never got around to. There’s no time like the present, and really, when are you going to paint your house again? If you stick to the drab and uninspired, you can be assured that it won’t be at least for a few more generations.

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“I’m talking about... a paint job that will resemble you...” Don’t get alarmed though, when I’m talking about out-of-this-world interior painting ideas. I’m not saying that you should go with something that might resemble a Picasso painting. I’m talking about something more along the lines of a paint job that will resemble you and reflect back on who you are. So, your interior painting ideas need not be anything bolder than a splash of vibrant color on one wall surrounded by soothing colors on the other walls. This works very well in any house, and the vibrant color that you pick out can be either soothing or primal depending on what you want to show of yourself. You could, of course, always go to extremes and paint all the walls a bright vibrant shade or even mix and match different

shades to different walls. If you’re doing this, then you might want to think about the effect you’ll have and whether you can actually live with the color scheme. Wild and inspired interior painting ideas are well and good, but you should always take into account whether you’re going to be able to stand the sight of your newly painted walls or not. If you have to repaint everything, it kind of defeats the purpose. This doesn’t mean that you should put a hold on your creativity or stifle your interior painting ideas. All it means is that for some of the bolder ideas you have, perhaps you should do a small test-run somewhere else. Don’t think that painting your house should be a chore, and if you really want, you can always think you’re Michelangelo or Da Vinci, or any one of those great artists, and even paint a stunning mural on your walls. The only requirement here is that you turn your great interior painting ideas into reality and that you have fun while you’re doing it.

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Fitness

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET YOUR

by Steve Gamel

he higher your heart rate is, the more calories you burn and the more weight you lose. It seems pretty simple, right? For many of us, that means making sure we hit the gym for some strength training, CrossFit, and a few miles on the treadmill or

elliptical machine. But what if that’s not your thing? Or even if it is, what if you don’t have time to go to the gym this week or simply need a break from the normal routine?

Luckily, there are plenty of alternative activities out there that can keep your heart rate elevated and improve your cardiovascular health. Here are a few alternatives to consider as we enter a new year:

ICE SKATING

Even though we are in Texas, there are places like the Galleria or the Children’s Health StarCenter that not only offer a great experience for the family but also help you get in a killer leg and cardio workout without even realizing it. Ice skating is great for joint and muscle health, improved balance and coordination, and stress management.

STROLLER SPEED WALKING

It can be difficult for new moms to find time to get to the gym. Stroller speed walking is the perfect alternative; simply put the little guy or gal in a stroller and speed walk around the neighborhood or a local mall. Believe it or not, this is a form of high-intensity interval training that pushes your heart rate into the fat-burning range. 24 | ALLIANCE LIFE | APRIL 2022

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SWIMMING

Swimming is a highly underutilized form of cardiovascular exercise to get your heart rate up. Swimming is also great in terms of recovery from a tough workout. Several places in town offer an indoor pool experience so that you can still get your swim on without having to make an icy plunge.

BOXING

To piggyback off the previous alternative workout, there are tons of gyms in town that offer everything from a simple punching bag to go a few rounds with or a full-blown boxing and kickboxing cardio workout.

PLAY BASKETBALL WITH THE KIDS

For the competitive dads in their 40s and 50s, there is nothing like trying to recapture your youth by trying to beat your 12-year-old son or daughter in a game of pickup basketball. The cardio benefits are numerous, not to mention the ability to regain some of that long-lost endurance and coordination.

DANCING

ROCK CLIMBING

If you do have time to get to the gym but crave something different, consider yourself blessed if they have a rockclimbing wall. Places like Summit Climbing in Denton or Lifetime Fitness offer indoor rock climbing, which is perfect for cardio along with improving grip strength, coordination, and strength. Plus, it’s just fun! Facebook: @AllianceLifeMagazine

Take a dance class or bring your spouse out for a night on the town. If you’re planning on attending a wedding, get out on the dance floor and cut a rug. There are even interactive dancing games you can play with your kids on Xbox or Playstation. Bottom line, dancing is perfect for getting your heart rate up and requires zero workout equipment.

This is just a short list of alternative ways to get your heart rate up and keep it in tiptop shape. Remember that as you keep your heart rate up, you are naturally burning calories, improving stamina, and even building yourself a strong immune system. Did we leave anything off the list? What are your favorites? Please share with us so that others can join in on the fun. APRIL 2022 | ALLIANCE LIFE | 25

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