Moxie Fall/Winter 2016

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contents

fall/winter 2016 A Voice for Neglected and Abused Children

on the cover

Norma Castilla-Blackwell shares her passion for both......24

photo by Beth Bizer

model Melissa Williams

contents

28

16

36 36

34

Health

Nutrition

Life

Healthy You! Breast Cancer Screening-Prevention-Treatment.........14

Healthy Recipe Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna.........................................22

A Thirty Year Old Secret According to Marty....................................12

Your Best Energy Energy Dimension Challenge................16

Style

Beat Cedar Fever!

Energy Dimension Challenge................18

Hostess Gifts.................................................34

Moxie Makeover A new look with a heart to serve..........28

Special

Chic Shots!

Volunteer Extraordinaire..........................30

Giving - A Special Section Your Holiday Shopping Guide........ 36-38

Tricks of the Trade It’s All About Comfort...............................32

Moxie Message My Thanks.....................................................42

from the editor

Who do you serve?

There are some people who just seem to have an extra measure of kindness and giving. Our cover girl (and my daughter-in-law) Melissa Williams is one of those people.

Norma Castilla Blackwell also has a servant’s heart, especially for children and animals. Read Kristy Hurst’s story on page 24 and get inspired. he first time I experienced her It’s that time of year again when we thoughtfulness was early in her are called to dig down into our hearts marriage to my son. My husband and find ways to give to others. and I were about to head out the In this issue of Moxie!, we give you door for a weekend getaway to the coast lots of ways to show others you care. and the two of them stopped by to say Start with a hearty, delicious lasagna for goodbye. Melissa was so giddy she was a family feast (recipe page 22). Prepare practically jumping out of her skin! My your guest room/house for a comfortson held out a little box and said “we able stay with advice from Anna Lisa want you to have a great time.” Before Tamez, owner of Gruene Estate (page I could even get the box open, Melissa 32). Never arrive at the party emptysquealed, “we rented you a convertible handed. Grab a last minute, sure to for the weeked!!” She was as excited as please hostess gift. See our ideas on we were, and probably more! page 34. And don’t miss our holiday gift While she’s always excited to be able giving guide starting on page 36. to do BIG things for others, Melissa’s Two years ago, if you had asked me true passion for giving is revealed in her who I serve, I would have shamelessly small acts of kindness. Recently, on her answered, “my family and myself.” A morning coffee drive-thru ritual, she two year battle with ovarian cancer has noticed an empty bird feeder hang- certainly straightened me out and I am ing outside one of the windows of the exercising my servant’s heart more and assisted living home next door. After more. While it may never be as big as several days of noticing the feeder Melissa’s, I’m grateful for the reminder remained empty, she took it upon this season brings and pray that we all herself to fill it and keep it filled. She serve each other and God. has a servant’s heart.

Sit back and enjoy this issue. Take time for yourself. Take care of your body. Take care of your mind. Take care of your spirit.

T

Be gracious. Be giving. Be MOXIE!

moxie!

Editor in Chief: Georgia Williams Design Director: Pete Williams Feature Designer: Colin Williams

Writers: Marty Newton, Judith L. Thompson, MD, Margaret Polser, Jill Sharp, Katelyn Werner Le, Kristy Hurst, Anna Lisa Tamez Photographers: Beth Bizer, Pauline Stevens Copy Editor: Kelly Williams Advertising:

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A 30-Year-Old Secret

BY MARTY NEWTON

I traveled back to 1986 this year for my high school reunion and waiting for me, upon my arrival, was the path I didn’t take, at least not in high school. One day in February of my senior year in English class, I was handed a perfectly written note consisting of a one-sentence proposition by one of the best looking boys in school. But I had a boyfriend, a perfect boyfriend.

M According to

Marty

y boyfriend was the kind of boyfriend who once spent hours with my head in the bathroom sink trying to wash a hot oil treatment out of my hair. He would also lie to my family about what I had eaten that day. I did not eat that year and we had a system. When he was asked what I had eaten for lunch that day, he was to say whatever he had eaten. This would have had me consuming the same daily calories as the pitcher for the baseball team, which did not happen until later in life.

A few weeks after the semi-salacious proposition, my perfect boyfriend went out of town on a college exploration trip. I spent that Saturday night in the clutches of the wordsmith from my English class.

Monday evening after my slight indiscretion, I took my perfect boyfriend out on the front steps of our house with my guilt mounting. I was about to impale my confession onto my perfect boyfriend, when he grabbed my hands with huge tears in his eyes and blurted out, “I cheated on you this weekend with a college girl.” I could feel the lump in my throat turn into a fireball of outrage. I banished him from my house and spent the next few days putting him through the paces.

I needed time to think about what he had done and to reach an agreement with the wordsmith, who had recently been recruited to play football for a university five hours from the university I would attend. We decided to forgo our attraction for each other. I found it in my heart to forgive my perfect boyfriend (even though I still root for any school but Baylor), and sail through the rest of that year knowing graduation would bring a perfect ending. My perfect boyfriend ultimately married the perfect girl.

At our 10 year reunion, the wordsmith was married and with a sweet and knowing glance, that was that. At our 20 year reunion, the wordsmith was divorced and we began our chapter, at long last. We live in different states, so though it was full of romance and adventure, it was also full of inconvenience and didn’t last very long.

When we hugged each other at our 30 year reunion, I had the same feeling I have always had. When our embrace was over, and I was about to move on to the next person, he said, “don’t go too far away,” and in that moment, I realized-- that I guess I never have.

Marty Newton is a freelance writer and lives in New Braunfels with a cat.

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HEALTHYyou!

Breast Cancer

Screening • Prevention • Treatment

By Judith L. Thompson, MD

What’s new in the world of breast cancer? A lot!

W

e now know, more than ever that we can take our lives into our own hands, learn and be empowered with knowledge that allows us to choose behaviors that have been shown to reduce our risk for breast cancer. No matter what our family history is, we can improve our circumstances by making healthy lifestyle choices such as disciplining ourselves to get adequate rest, drinking enough water, getting regular exercise and exposure to sunlight, maintaining a healthy weight and refraining from the ingestion of toxic substances, in particular tobacco.

In addition to lifestyle changes we now know that there are individuals who may benefit from medical or surgical treatment to reduce breast cancer risks. Those individuals are identified based upon their personal and family history profiles.

Next comes the question of genetic testing. The indications for genetic testing are expanding rapidly. Those who are tested and found to be carriers of genes which predispose to cancer have options for increased surveillance, medical imaging, medications or surgery for cancer risk reduction. Again the indications for these tests are based upon our personal and family histories to allow for individualized health care.

14 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

The current breast cancer treatment strategies are increasingly coming into question, especially with breast cancer. We must differentiate between those with early and those with more advanced stages of the disease. In addition to staging, we have the means to identify the individual biology of tumors which allows us to differentiate between those who need more or less aggressive treatments.

The recommendations for screening mammography have changed. When to begin screening and how often varies with the agency guidelines one wishes to follow. In short, where in the past mammographic screening was recommended to begin at 40 years of age, now the age is 45-50 and where in the past screening on a yearly basis was recommended, now every 2 years is a recommendation although again, there are variations.

Factors known to influence our risk for breast cancer are: • Female gender (Men also get breast cancer) • Age • Age at first menstrual period • Age at first childbirth • Family history • Having had a breast biopsy • The presence of atypical cells on a breast biopsy There are other factors which influence one’s risk such as the use of female hormones or having dense breasts on mammography and all of this information must be taken into account in order to decide how to proceed with screening.

So be aware! Examine yourself, make healthy choices, know your history, determine what screening schedule is best for you and then live well and do good things.

Dr. Judith L. Thompson is certified by the American Board of Surgery, is a member of the American College of Surgeons, American Society of Breast Surgeons and is a founding board member of United Physicians and Surgeons of America, initiator of the Letmydoctorpractice movement. She has served New Braunfel since 1996 and is the proud mother of her two awesome sons Collin and Brian.

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Energy Dimension Challenge your best energy

by Jill Sharp & Margaret Polser

How many of you can relate to these experiences? ● You have a full day of whatever work you do, filled with people, problem-solving, and deadlines, and despite the fact that you may have been primarily confined to a desk chair or a seat in a car with little movement, you feel completely physically exhausted. A horizontal position on the couch is the all that sounds good. ● Or maybe you have gone for a long walk or run on a Saturday morning, and yet despite covering several miles and a hectic work week, you feel motivated and energized to tackle that garage cleaning project and the yard work and the laundry.

Even your toddler’s (or teenager’s!) tantrum doesn’t seem to bother you as much. What exactly is going on?

O Jill Sharp is a certified group fitness instructor

and personal trainer with over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry. She is also an experienced corporate trainer and performance coach, specializing in the development and delivery of personal and professional performance improvement programs. (jillmsharp@aol.com)

Margaret Polser has a master’s degree

in education and is a certified personal trainer.

She is also a trained and certified Wellness and Performance Coach, specializing in physical fitness, nutrition, and stress management. (mpolser@mpolserwellness.com)

ur energy levels are complex.

Where we typically think of energy from a physical perspective, and this is the foundation of our best energy for sure, some of the most exhausting and energy draining “muscles” we flex are not physical at all, but more mental, emotional, or spiritual.

When we are constantly “on” and never give our brains a chance to recover, when we are in a chronic state of worry, anxiety, or guilt, or when we don’t follow through with a commitment or align with our personal values, these energy vampires (some put on us and some we create) can leave us feeling depleted. And when we don’t exercise, move, or sleep enough? Consider that the icing on the proverbial no-energy

For 30 days, join us in choosing one challenge from each of the four dimensions.

cake. This is when tapped out, worn out, leave me alone becomes our only viable option. If you think of this from an athlete’s perspective, it’s much like overtraining, but in this case it’s an issue of mental and emotional overtraining, and potentially not enough training physically and/or spiritually.

So how do we explain why we can feel so physically exhausted when we have barely moved, or so emotionally and mentally energized when we have physically exerted? As we have all experienced, each of these dimensions influences and impacts the other.

When we are operating on too little sleep, we have a hard time completing tasks without a great deal of error or they require more time. In addition, something that can show up as stress (growth) in one dimension can actually give us recovery in another.

When we are emotionally tapped out, physical exertion in the form of exercise, or calling someone we deeply care about, are examples of how we can refill our energy stores. When we have balance in these dimensions, and we are physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned, we are truly experiencing and bringing our full and best to those people and things that matter to us most.

As we enter into a time of the year where not only are there increased demands on our energy, but we often find ourselves wanting to maximize the time that we have with those that we love and enjoy, we thought it would be the perfect time to bring forward an energy dimension challenge!

Our hope is that at the end of the month, we will all have experienced a more intentional approach to managing our energy and will feel empowered to continue to make meaningful change in our lives. We have lined out two options in each dimension, one for those getting started and one for those who are challenging themselves now and wanting to dive a bit deeper. We would love to hear from you, so let us know how you are challenging yourself and even better, how it is going by messaging us at

moxiemagazine.com/challenge Physical: • Getting Started: Leave 3 bites of food on your plate at each meal • Deepening Engagement: Take a minimum of 10,000 steps per day

Emotional: • Getting Started: Before you get out of bed, identify one thing that you are grateful for and change the answer daily • Deepening Engagement: Turn your cell phone off and give 100% of your best energy for the first 30 minutes upon arriving home at the end of the day

Mental: • Getting Started: Journal for 5 minutes each evening before going to sleep • Deepening Engagement: Read 1 new mentally challenging book every month

Spiritual: • Getting Started: Engage in 1 minute of deep breathing before going to sleep • Deepening Engagement: Meditate for 5-10 minutes each morning asking these questions: Why am I here?” and “What matters most to me?” and “How can I better align my life with the people and things I value most?”

Please go to www.moxiemagazine.com/challenge and leave a comment for Jill or Margaret.

MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 17

This season, beat cedar fever

By Katelyn Werner Le

W

Dreading another cedar season?

Many of our friends and family would grumble, “Yes.” And for some of us, that includes our friend in the mirror.

hat we call “mountain cedar” is technically known as “ashe juniper,” but by any name, the effects are just as unfortunate. Heavy golden pollen lines the countryside, lifts into the air, and wreaks havoc on our heads. Here, cedar allergy is so prolific and painful that we’ve coined the term “cedar fever.”

“If you put a dot on Fredericksburg, Texas, and draw a 70-mile radius circle around it, that’s two thirds of the world’s cedar crop,” says family physician Dr. Jay Gruhlkey. Between weather patterns and geography, all that pollen “sits on I-35,” he says. Cedar concentrations in the air are considered “high” above 500 cubic parts per million. “Some days in Central Texas, we’ve recorded 35,000 to 40,000 cubic parts per million,” he says.

Cedar allergies are just part of living in the Hill Country, we may think. But that need not be the case. We

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can take control of cedar allergies and improve our winter health—maybe for good. The key, doctors suggest, is starting early.

Allergic reactions are our bodies crying wolf. We have smart immune systems that catch dangerous invaders like viruses and bacteria and fight accordingly. But for some of us, our bodies get confused, and when they see something like cedar, they overreact to our own sniffly dismay.

“Allergies are a bit like a knee injury,” says ear, nose, and throat physician Dr. Charles Lano Jr. An injured joint will swell up, red, puffy and sore, a day after the injury. That’s the body’s inflammatory response: It’s shipping in more cells and materials to repair the hurt tissue. The swelling, in part, is because your knee becomes crowded.

This crowding is also present with allergies. When an allergic person breathes in pollen and it coats the sensitive linings of the nose, throat, or eyes, those areas become irritated—“Injured!” the body declares—and the body recruits more cells for repair. Stuffiness ensues.

The most common symptoms of cedar allergies are nasal, Lano says, with sneezing, congestion, and runny noses. Then come itchy eyes (“Cedar has a way of making those eyes really itchy and drippy,” Lano says.), scratchy throats, and even patchy rashes on the skin. In extremely allergic patients or on extremely high-pollen days, pollen can cause dangerous contractions of bronchial tubes, leading to asthma flare-ups and serious breathing problems.

These symptoms may sound similar to those of colds or longstanding sinus infections. Remember, Lano says, that colds will usually run their course in under two weeks, unlike season-long allergies, and colds and sinus infections rarely come with watery eyes.

If you suspect you have cedar allergies, mark your calendar on days when you have these symptoms. Then compare the timing of your allergy symptoms with local pollen counts. If your symptomatic days match days with high cedar pollen counts, you’ve probably found your culprit.

Seasonal allergies are difficult 20 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

for our bodies to handle. A common misconception is that we can get over allergies, or build up our bodies to resist them. But Gruhlkey explains, “Seasonal variation is hard to build resistance against.” Each new cedar season, our bodies must start from scratch on a pollen-fighting plan.

Our bodies aren’t likely to conquer cedar allergies alone, but a number of medical and lifestyle steps can boost us to overcome allergies. The best time begin those steps is before cedar blooms.

“With pollen allergies, prevention is the key,” says local allergist Dr. Priyanka Gupta. “We know cedar comes every year in December, January, February, so I always tell my patients to start thinking about cedar before it hits.”

Early to mid-November is a reason-

A common misconception is that we can get over allergies, or build up our bodies to resist them. able time to start taking medications like antihistamines and corticosteroid nasal sprays. These drugs build up in your body, strengthening their effects the longer you take them. So begin taking these medications before you encounter cedar pollen, and continue through the end of cedar pollen season, usually around February or March.

During the season, a natural and safe way to fight allergies is with saline rinses or nebulizers, Gupta says, to wash mucus from the nose and sinuses daily. Remember to use filtered or distilled water, not water straight from the tap.

On days with high cedar pollen, lifestyle changes can also help limit exposure. “If you are outside when pollen counts are high, wear a mask, glasses, or

gloves,” Gupta says. “Then come back in and shower,” she recommends, to rinse off any pollen remaining on your skin.

Also, brush or bathe pets before bringing them indoors to keep them from tracking pollen into the carpet, couch, and bed.

Before going outside, be sure to check daily pollen counts. On some days, it may be best to do outside work or exercise in the mornings or late afternoons, when cedar blossoms are closed and the air is still. Pollen levels vary quite a bit, Gupta says, based on weather and other factors, so stay informed and flexible to avoid pollen as much as possible.

If you’ve tried allergy medications and lifestyle changes with limited success, you can also ask your doctor about allergy drops and shots, treatments called immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy conditions your body to relax around allergens like cedar pollen. If you expose yourself to small amounts of the allergen yearround—through a weekly injection in your arm or a daily drop of serum under your tongue—your body learns to live with cedar pollen and becomes more tolerant to high-pollen days.

Both allergy drops and shots have been shown effective and safe for use with proper supervision.

Cedar is a part of life in the Hill Country—but that doesn’t mean cedar allergies must be. They can take an annual toll on our quality of life, but there is an upside of these nasty allergies: “They’re something we can manage,” says Gruhlkey, whether by taking allergy shots or drops, controlling your environment, managing medications, or combining these strategies. “You don’t have to suffer.”

If it’s time to take back your winter health and overcome cedar allergies, talk to your doctor this fall about what cedar-beating steps would be best for your lifestyle and medical history. And remember, an ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure—and avoid the pounding headache.

Katelyn is a master’s student in science and technology journalism at Texas A&M University.

She is happy to share her timely research with fellow Cedar Fever sufferers!

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Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagna Ingredients 1 Whole butternut squash 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp dried thyme salt & pepper to taste ½ C unsalted butter, melted ½ C flour 1 pinch nutmeg 1Tbsp Dijon mustard ¼ C white wine 4 C milk 2 C Gruyere cheese, shredded ½ C parmesan cheese 10 oz. Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 2 C ricotta cheese 1 whole egg 2 Tbsp unsalted butter ½ C onion, finely chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 2 Tbsp Italian parsley, chopped 1 box Lasagna noodles, cooked or oven ready Directions

Recipe provided by Ruth Stone at Tea and Savories, New Braunfels Photo by Pauline Stevens

Prepare butternut squash. Cut in half, remove seeds, rub with olive oil and bake upside down on a cookie sheet for 30 min. Allow to cool, peel skin off and mash with 3 tsp melted butter, lemon juice and thyme. Set aside.

Make a bechamel sauce by heating 4 cups milk with a pinch of nutmeg and 1 Tbsp dijon mustard. Set aside. Melt ¼ butter then add 1/3 cup flour and stir. When mixture becomes hot, slowly stir in milk mixture. Stir until thickened and add white wine. Last, add Gruyere cheese and parmesan cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To make Spinach Ricotta filling, saute chopped white onons in butter until softened. Ad spinach and saute. Remove from heat, add 1 tsp. Dried oregano and 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, 2 cups ricotta and one egg. Stir to combine and set aside.

To assemble lasagna, use 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Spread half bechamel sauce in bottom of pan, plase layer of lasagna noodles, spread half of butternut squash mixture, drizzle lightly with bechamel and add another layer of lasagna noodles. Spread spinach ricotta mixture on noodles followed by bechemel. Continue to alternate layers until lasagna is the last layers. Cover with Gruyere and Parmesan.

Cover with foil, and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 min.

Uncover and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Allow casserole to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 23

Photos by Pauline Stevens

Norma Castilla-Blackwell A VO I C E FO R A B U S E D A N D N E G L E C T E D C H I L D R E N

BY K R I S T Y H U R S T

More than a decade ago in Laredo, a young girl was sexually abused by a stranger. Her aunt, Norma Castilla-Blackwell, was outraged. Channeling her anger into a quest for justice, she successfully pushed for a sexual assault medical exam and for the perpetrator’s prosecution. Without her advocacy, Norma is sure that the man who violated her niece would have gotten away with it.

H

er young niece’s fight for justice opened Norma’s eyes to the plight of other children caught up in the legal system – especially foster kids whose lives have been torn apart. She discovered a passion that would lead to a career helping children in tough circumstances, who just need an adult on their side. As a teacher, she had witnessed and reported the effects of abuse and neglect on her own students. She had seen the bruises on their skin, their frequent absences, their inability to stay awake in class. Some of them had pulled her aside to whisper their heartbreaking secrets. Too many times, she had called the state hotline to report her suspicions that a student was being abused.

And while she knew that many abused and neglected kids land in foster care, she never found out what happened to those children after she made those calls. She didn’t know if they, like many other foster kids, were juggled from home to home, school to school, courtroom to courtroom. But she knew that for many kids, foster care is a scary new world, with few familiar faces.

So Norma made a choice: She would stand up for those kids, too.

She volunteered to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate through Texas CASA in Laredo, becoming a stable figure in foster children’s tumultuous lives.

Appointed to work with a specific child’s case, a CASA volunteer independently investigates each child’s situation and makes recommendations to family court judges about what is truly in the child’s best interest – whether it is returning the child to safe parents; finding relatives willing to raise them; or finding another safe, loving home through adoption. CASA also helps kids who stay in foster care get the skills and education they need to succeed as independent adults.

As a neutral voice for each abused or neglected child, Norma gathered information about the child’s daily life from family members, foster families, teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers – anyone who could help her understand the child’s needs.

She spent hours with each child, gaining trust. Then, she advised the court about how to best give the child a safe home and a shot at a happy life.

MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 25

It’s a job that’s only growing more demanding, as the need for CASA services is growing in Central Texas.

As a CASA volunteer, she witnessed both happy endings and heartbreak. There was the 10-year-old boy living in a bus behind a fast food place, with no restroom except the one inside the restaurant. After the child was placed in foster care, his father attempted to bring a gun and knife to a supervised visit at the CPS office.

And she’ll never forget the three kids whose parents were incarcerated for drug-related crimes. With their letters to their Dad being withheld by the jailers, he thought 26 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

they wanted nothing to do with him. When he was released after five years, he finally got to read copies that had been kept by the children’s grandmother, and he was inspired to rehabilitate himself and rebuild his relationship with them.

Those children thrived.

A lifetime of service A former case manager for Communities in Schools and an executive director for the Holding Institute – a non-profit providing educational services to students on the U.S.-Mexico border – Norma has dedicated her entire career to working on behalf of children.

“I’ve been helping for a long, long time,” she says. “My passion is helping vulnerable children and animals. I love to be busy.”

After marrying and moving to Canyon Lake, Norma returned briefly to Laredo to start a new CASA office, then started looking for a way to give back in her new community.

When she learned that the Central Texas CASA organization, based in New Braunfels, was looking for an executive director, she applied for – and got – the job in 2003.

“It was a bit of a culture shock, being from Mexico, moving from Laredo, and not knowing anyone,” she says.

“But I was welcomed by the community, and now I’ve been here for 13 years. And I love my job. I always say that although don’t have kids, I really have 482 kids.”

It’s a job that’s only growing more demand-

ing, as the need for CASA services is growing in Central Texas.

“Back when I started in 2003, we had 66 volunteers and five staff members,” she says. “Today, we have more than 250 volunteers and 21 staff members – and we urgently need more. We see the number of children increase by 10 percent every year. A lot of people are moving to the area, and more kids are coming into the system.”

A heart for kids and animals CASA of Central Texas serves children in Hays, Comal, Guadalupe and Caldwell counties, and is currently building a new office in San Marcos. Norma was recently appointed to represent the area on a national CASA committee seeking new resources and strategies to better serve children in suburban areas.

Her job is a big responsibility, but Norma’s heart is even bigger. In addition to her award-winning work with CASA, she has graduated from the Comal County Citizen Sheriff’s Academy and Leadership New Braunfels, is a member of the Rotary Club of New Braunfels, and currently serves on the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital – New Braunfels Civic Advisory Board.

“I’ve always loved animals,” she says. “Dogs are my passion, too.”

So she found a way to bring her two passions together.

For more than a year, she has been a board member of Canyon Lake Animal Shelter Society, or CLASS, and of Canine Classmates, a non-profit that encourages and improves literacy and socialization skills for struggling and at-risk pre-K through 5th grade students by pairing them with mentors and trained service dogs.

“I decided to get involved with Classmates because a lot of CASA kids move from placement to placement, and every time they move from school to school, they lose half a year of education,” she says. “In this program, we have a service dog named Dante, and the kids read to him. It is important not only for them to learn how to read, but to raise their self-esteem.”

Dante also participates in adoption days, joining kids and families in court.

Having dedicated both her free time and career to helping children and animals, Norma wants others to know that they, too, can make a difference.

“You can volunteer as a CASA advocate and help children in your own county,” Norma says. “Our volunteers are currently serving more than 400 kids, but there are hundreds of children in our area who don’t have a CASA advocate. It is the fate of these children that haunt our dreams. We are doing amazing work, but we have a lot more work to do.”

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Kristy Hurst is a freelance writer. She lives in New Braunfels with her husband and two children.

MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 27

moxie

makeover 44 year old Heidi Forgione has a heart to serve.

This mother of two teenage boys devotes her time, not only to her sons, but as a host family for orphans twice a year.

She and her husband open their home to children from international agencies. They believe these young people deserve an opportunity to experience a different prospective of what life can be like.

One treatment to a chemical peel is all it will take to restore Heidi’s youthful glow. Michelle McAskill, Esthetician at CosMedical Esthetics, carefully applies the magic potion.

Keeping Heidi’s medium brown color, William adds depth with lighter tones and kisses the ends with brighter color to bring out natural texture.

28 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

Regina, at Dancing Pony, helps Heidi select a fun, trendy holiday outfit. We want this “jeans and t-shirt” girl to get dolled up!

Heidi’s carefree cut can dry naturally, but for real pizzaz a simple round-brush blow dry and a few swipes with a flat-iron are all it takes.

William Edge, owner of William Edge Salons, gives Heidi the royal treatment, beginning with a cut that is a carefree style...just like Heidi’s personality

Makeup Artist, Alicia Canon, goes for the glam with bronze smokey shadow, soft color on the cheeks in hues of apricot for a natural glow.

PHOTO BY WILLIAM EDGE

Chic Shots!

PHOTO BY PAULINE STEVENS

“When you’re ready to buy or sell...”

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The first time I met Pam, I instantly fell in love with her style. It perfectly suits her personality - casual, comfortable and approachable. We want to know how she does it!

How would you define your style?

I worked in two high-end boutiques in Houston and always wanted to be up to the minute! That was years ago. Now I prefer clothes that don’t wrinkle, like nylon and interesting combos or linen that should be wrinkled. I like pieces that I can wear almost anywhere; lots of black, white and khaki with dashes of color.

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Where are you most likely to find your favorite fashion pieces?

My friends laugh at me because I buy almost everything on EBay… mostly new, but I’m certainly not opposed to EUC (that’s Excellent Used Condition)!

What is your “go to” outfit?

My current favorite outfit is a long split nylon top in white and any black bottom. My daughter says the bottom should be narrow or I will look like a whale! I try to follow orders.

I never leave home without .....?

I never leave home without a kiss from my handsome husband and without telling my dogs to guard the house. And I never leave without a smile! I always need one and find that having one is the best way to get one.

A smile is also an excellent way to hide some wrinkles.

Christmas Tour of Homes SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3RD • 10:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. Tickets can be purchased online at www.nbrw.com/ChristmasTourOfHomes or at the following locations in New Braunfels: Johnson Furniture • The Crossing And The New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce

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MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 31

It’s all about comfort Tricks of the Trade

By Anna Lisa Tamez

I purchase excellent mattresses from a p p r e c i a t e h a v i n g b a g s a t a local bedding shops. I furnish each comfortable level.

Lighting is important. A well-lit guest with two pillows, one is Down and the other is Alternative Down room, along with nightlights, allows (Target has a good selection of each). for comfortable reading and ensures The bed linens are 100% cotton. La safe passage.

We provide small, brand new Belle Vie sells Pine Cone Hill sheets that are dreamy and cool. In order to bottles of shampoo and condisatisfy personal body temperatures, tioner as well as fresh bars of bath I have three layers of cover – one soap (purchased online from Accent sheet, one lightweight alternative Amenities).

Visitors are always pleased to have down comforter and one lightweight sugar, artificial sweetener, as well as bedspread that is easily washed.

Our living rooms and dining creamer available for their morning F i r s t i m p r e s s i o n s m a t t e r ! areas have plenty of seating, all with coffee!

Last, but not least, we have fire pits Everything must be squeaky clean... comfortable chairs and sofas. Our from the yard, to the front door décor is pretty, but minimal, so as not with comfortable seating and festive lighting for groups to enjoy. After all, entrance, and all the way through the to be overwhelmed by “stuff.”

In closets I provide extra fans. Even the best conversations and memories house.

A wonderful fragrance (not too though we have ceiling fans, many come from gatherings around the fire.

Happy hosting! strong) welcomes our guests. I prefer people desire more breeze and noise.

Every guest has a luggage Glade Plug Ins...Cashmere Woods.

A lamplight in every room gives the rack for their belongings, thus Anna Lisa Tamez is a co-owner of several preventing suitcases on the feeling of being expected. vacation rental properties in the New Braunfels area.

Comfort is of extreme importance! bedspreads. I believe visitors

As owners of Gruene Estate, my husband and I enjoy preparing our property each week in a manner that shows we care about our guests. I have compiled what I think are the most important aspects of ensuring a quality stay in our vacation rentals.

32 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

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For the Hostess

Hostess Gift Ideas Find fun items at area businesses and make creative hostess gifts

For the Little Ones Cookies – 2 Tarts Bakery

Assorted gourmet nuts Brenham Kitchens (New Braunfels Farm to Market)

Gourmet Fudge Centerpoint Station

Fresh herb infused olive oil Organic herbs – Johnson’s Backyard Garden (New Braunfels Farm to Market)

French baguettes wrapped in a Cute Dishtowel Baguette – Gourmage Towel – Red Bird’s House

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Community Arts Program (CAPS) St. John’s Episcopal Church Providing at-risk students in New Braunfels a nurturing environment with a high quality program in violin, keyboard and guitar music instruction Every Tuesday 3:15-5:30pm

QUESTIONS? Contact Sayde Dunlap at sdunlap@satx.rr.com or 830-832-4654 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016 35

Holiday Giving Guide 25,000 Square Feet of Antiques & Collectilbles

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Live Here. Shop Here.

Visit the New Braunfels Marketplace and these great retailers to save here too.

Allstate Alamo Drafthouse Ashley Furniture Avis Budget Bon Worth Christian Gifts Ernesto’s Jewelry Fork & Spoon Patio Cafe Freaky Findz

Garden Buffet Gold’s Gym Hastings Books H & R Block Honey Baked Ham Co. & Cafe Kitchen Collection Leslie’s Pool Supply Mamacita’s Millennium Medi Spa

Mobile Phone Geeks Model Nails Opa’s German Store Palm Beach Tan Peachwave Scrapbook N’More South Texas Blood & Tissue Sundance Print & Copy The Kitchen Table

The Quilt Haus Tobacco Haus Cigar Lounge Tuesday Morning U-Run Uniform Factory Outlet Vivroux Sporting Goods Wally’s Party Factory Way to Sew William Edge Prodedgy Salon

651 N. Business I-35 • 830 620-7475 • www.nbmarketplace.com 36 MOXIE! FALL/WINTER 2016

Holiday Giving Guide

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We have the gift for the kid who has everything! Come browse our hand-picked selection of educational and creative items.

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VINTAGE GIFTS

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Moxie Magazine and Aus-Tex Printing win award from The Premier Print Awards 2016 CERTIFICATE OF MERIT “The Premier Print Award goes to those firms who demonstrate a unique ability to create visual masterpieces.

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This issue of Moxie! you hold in your hand is our 34th issue!

My Thanks!

By Georgia Williams

A

nd sadly, it is our last. I am unable to continue to publish due to health reasons. But I couldn’t just let it go without a note of special thanks to the special team who makes this happen every three months.

First and foremost, my sincere thanks goes to my cover photographer, Beth Bizer. Poor Beth, she was just getting her photography wings when I forced her to take my first cover photo. Best friends have to say “yes,” and she’s still saying it eight years later!

Thank you to Jill Sharp and Margaret Polser who have been contributing valuable health information in their column “Your Best Energy.” These girls talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk. I’m certain most columns were written on an airplane or sitting up late in a hotel room as they skirted around the country sharing their passion for healthy living.

To writer, Kristy Hurst: Thank you for sharing all the heartfelt stories of the women we feature in each issue. Kristy always manages to reach the inner passion each woman has and inspires us with her story.

And then there is Pauline Stevens. Wow! It started innocently enough with her food photography, but quickly spread to shooting nearly all of the photos throughout the magazine. Thank you Pauline for making Moxie! beautiful and for all the fun we had doing it!

The makeovers are one of the most popular features in Moxie! and it couldn’t happen without the magnificent team of William Edge Salon, CosMedical Esthetics, Hill Country Vein & Aesthetics and the willing boutiques who help dress up our lucky girls. My thanks to all of you.

Thank you to Betty Jones who shared hilarious stories with us that she drew from her life experiences. Thank you to Marty Newton who has recently been telling her stories with her unique style of humor.

We live in a community bursting with nutritionists and health experts who willingly share their advice with us in each issue. A huge thank you for that! And of course, all the successful businesses that have partnered with us each quarter. I will never forget how excited and terrified I was when I first stepped out the door to sell ads for a publication that didn’t even exist yet! Thirteen businesses said “Yes!” Luckily my daughter-in-law, Melissa (this issue’s cover girl) and Caryn Benson stepped in to take on that task. Caryn has now been forming new Moxie! relationships for over five years.

Thank you Caryn!

I’ve saved the best for last! If you know the story of how Moxie! started, you know that my sweet husband was the guy who planted the seed and promised to help it grow. He certainly has kept his promises! Thirty-four times this poor man has had to endure my “bossy” grumblings, my hand-wringing when the schedule got too tight for comfort, and my unsolicited opinion on color selection and layout design. Yep. We’ve survived it all, and have loved every minute of it.

My love and thanks to you, my Moxie! readers for eight wonderful years.

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In an effort to cater to the hectic lifestyle of today’s women, the Hospital

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