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x A i F n y n a Bi C e
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GeauxSmile.com | 318.861.0700 SHREVEPORT | NATCHITOCHES July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE |
Page 1
Dr. Morgan Trahant Lang
LOUISIANA LADIES 81 Sweet Summertime Keeping It Real with Teri Netterville
85 Women in Business A Brewing Community
50 Ball Mom Taking crazy to a whole new level
C ON T E N T S 2. (EVERYLOLA) TOContents FASHION
KIDDOS
HOME AND ENTERTAINING
HEALTH & BEAUTY
39 Le Bossier Bossier City’s famous event venue is re-born and better than ever 53 Myron’s Makeover Your Man Challenge New and improved looks for local philanthropist
63 Coastal Modern The inside scoop on the 2019 St Jude Dream Home 16 Hostess with The Mostess Summer Soiree 48 The Boss of Southern Cuisine Blueberry muffins, a summer favorite
30 Katie Bug, “God Loves You” A tribute to the beautiful life of Katie Grantham 57 Shekinah Academy A shining light for educating all children 70 Out of the Pool and Back to School Tips for a great start to a new school year 25 Integrate Your Health Not so sweet artificial sweeteners 76 Habits of Successful People Five important habits for a successful life 46 Heirloom Farms The hype and history on heirloom plant varieties
COMMUNITY
8 Ruston Strong A spirit of strength and resilience after the storm 15 Up With People Empowered young adults bringing positive change to Louisiana and around the world 92 CASA From Friendship to Family 84 Lola Party Presents Saturday Night Fever Get your groove on at Lola Party 2019 65 Audiobook Review Educated, A Memoir 96 From Her Perspective Alicia Hill owner of Alicia’s Kitchen
Page 2 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
3. Ivan Smith Ad
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 3
BLTs
are a summer staple in my family. I would venture to say our FAVORITE, summer staple. My dad fried up FIVE pounds of bacon last Wednesday evening. It was like we could smell it cooking all over town. Our entire family showed up ready to eat. The kids ran barefoot like little wild things as I sliced up a half dozen garden fresh tomatoes. My dad chuckled his familiar chuckle, shook the ice in his cocktail glass and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, “We have a good family, ya know?” He then reminded me for the third time, “It took me two and a half hours to fry all that bacon.” I rolled my eyes at him with a smile. Even when he is aggravating, he is charming, and after all, he was right. We do have a good family and we are really lucky people. I earnestly believe BLTs and barefoot kiddos on a Wednesday afternoon, the little things, are actually the BIG things that make life, well… that make life good. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude at that moment. Sometimes, I am not sure why God sees it fit to fill my life with so many blessings. I do know that I am eternally grateful to the men and women who have sacrificed warm summer afternoons with their families so that we can be with ours. This Fourth of July, I will be running around perfecting my American flag decorations, filling chip bowls and in true safety-first fashion I will remind the kids to back up from the fireworks. As the hustle and
bustle of celebrating unfolds, I will also take the time to remember what Independence Day is about. All the little blessings that fill our lives came at cost to many and those sacrifices are not forgotten. This issue of Lola Magazine is full of health, fashion and humor, but we also share stories of how precious life is. One of the stories that is dearest to our hearts is that of Katie “Bug” Grantham. Katie’s amazing mother, Morgan, has moved legislative mountains through her grief in honor of her Katie Bug. We take a look into the lives affected by the tornado that devastated Ruston in late spring. We shine light on the strength of a community full of pride and compassion for others. Back to school is around the corner! We bring you all the tips and trick you need for a great start to a new school year. We are grateful to have many long summer days ahead. By the time the kids go back to school, we hope you are ready to pack up their bookbags and send them off. Until then, enjoy these precious days with your family. May they be filled with BLT sandwiches and barefoot children… and If you are fortunate enough to have five pounds of fried bacon go ahead and put an extra slice on there! God bless you and God bless America!
4. (EVERYLOLA) Bevin’s Letter/Contributors Cheers! Bevin
READLOLA.COM
PUBLISHER Bevin Sutton Hicks Bevin@readlola.com MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Carie Cotter Hart Carie@readlola.com
ASSISTANT ADVERTISING ASSOCIATES Ashley Dillard, Shreveport/ Bossier/Natchitoches Ashley@readlola.com Hillary George Hillary@readlola.com Shannon Lewis, Ruston Shannon@readlola.com DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tommy Stow Sutton 318-560-5785 DISTRIBUTION ASSOCIATE Carl Hammock 318-607-7106 ART DIRECTION & LAYOUT Richard Creative Lola@richard-creative.com CONTENT EDITOR Kathy Spurlock EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Rachael McCoy lolamaginfo@readlola.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr. Nicole Cotter Donesa Walker Jessica Comegys Teri Netterville Payton Denney Clinton Downing Chef Hardette Harris Angela Vinet Danielle Richard Liz Craft Morgan Granham Caroline King Myron Griffing Kirsten Gladen Leesa Wallace Dr. Karen Pendleton Melinda Wallace Nicole Lahr RPT LPC Alicia Hill CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Brittany Strickland Jarrett Warren Misty Swilley COVER Photographer: Brittany Strickland Model: Melissa Durrett Clothing: The Fashion of Ruston Location: Mitcham Peach Orchard Hair and Make Up: Rachael McCoy
PICTURED ABOVE: Carie
Hart, Dr. Lindsey Pennington, Bevin Hicks, Dr. Morgan Lang ‹ Thank you to The Shreveport Chamber of Commerce for awarding Lola Magazine as the MBOA Emerging Business of the Year
Page 4 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Carie@readlola.com *Reproduction of contents without express written permission is prohibited. Lola Magazine is published bi-monthly by Stamper Marketing, LLC. 428 Mohican Lane, Shreveport, La 71106 (318) 573-6847. Lola Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertiser. Distribution of Lola Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of information, products and/or services. Lola Magazine makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the publication’s content. Nonetheless, we do not guarantee the accuracy of all information, nor the absence of errors. No responsibility will be assumed. Visit us online at readlola.com to subscribe. Lola Magazine is owned by Stamper Marketing, LLC.
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July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 7
8. (COMMUNITY) Ruston Strong by Liz Craft
Ruston STRONG WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH CRAFT PHOTOS OF PAM DANCE BY BRITT ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY
Page 8 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
R
uston residents went to sleep on the evening of April 24 with no prediction that an F3 tornado would strike during the early hours of the next day. And like a thief, the storm took its toll: two lives and millions in damages to the city and surrounding areas. Dozens of homes were destroyed and hundreds of others were damaged. Business, too, were also hard hit.
“It came like a thief in the night, with little or no warning.”
9. Ruston Strong (photos by Brittany) he tornado was part of a bigger T weather system that moved across
the southern United States that week, spawning some eight tornadoes across east Texas and Louisiana, according to the National Weather Service. The Ruston storm took the lives of 35-year-old Kendra Butler, a Grambling State University student, and her 14-year-old son, Remington Butler, after a tree fell through their home. Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency after he toured the affected area and surveyed the damage caused by the storm in Lincoln Parish, which had winds between 136 mph and 165 mph and traveled nearly seven miles, the NWS Shreveport office reported. Several neighborhoods were hit, along with Louisiana Tech University. Trained spotters and law enforcement
confirmed significant damage to the school’s campus. The university’s core academic buildings were relatively in good shape, but a number of the school’s athletic fields suffered major damage. Power lines were down throughout a major swath of the city, as well as multitudes of trees, creating safety hazards. “It looked like a war zone,” said Ruston resident Caty Simmons, who is also the advisory board supervisor for Sigma Kappa sorority on the Tech campus. She made her way to the sorority lodge soon after the storm hit. The streets were blocked by the downed trees, so Simmons and others passed through a nearby cemetery to get through to the damaged structures. “We saw what were probably 100-year-old trees split in half,” Simmons said
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 9
“Driving around, you just saw people helping each other. Strangers would ask, ‘You need help?’ and would proceed to jump in where needed.”
The whole landscape had changed and will not look the same for some time, a reminder of the storm’s trauma. “Now, if you stand on the front porch, it just looks like a different place,” she said. It’s changed much more than the landscape for many Ruston residents. Pam Dance can just now begin to talk about what happened without being overcome with emotion. Despite that her house was totaled by the storm, she feels blessed that it wasn’t worse than it was. “It’s just a miracle,” she said. Dance, 66, has lived in the once tree-lined University Hills subdivision for decades. The night of the storm, she was sound asleep, having only gotten home late from her job as a judicial administrator at the district judge’s office. “I didn’t hear a phone alarm. I didn’t hear the city’s warning siren,” she said. She went to sleep with her TV on and woke up minutes before the tornado hit to multiple alerts on the local stations to seek shelter. “They were saying, ‘If you’re in Lincoln Parish, get to a safe place immediately! Immediately!’” she recounted. “They were almost screaming it at me.” She headed to a room at the other end of the house, Dance said, clutching her tiny Chihuahua, Daisy. Then it struck. “It was like someone had a slingshot and trees were being shot through my house,” she recalled. “Big ol’ limbs… I heard glass breaking… heard the wind whirling around and around,” she said. It did not sound like a freight train, as so many have recounted after other tornadoes. “I heard the earth shake,” she said,
10. Ruston Strong
assuming that noise was large trees crashing to the ground all around her house. She started praying. “I didn’t know if we were going to make it,” she said, her voice trembling. “I just started praying and praying.” It lasted about 30 seconds and then it just stopped. Dance knew she had to get out of the house. And although she didn’t have any shoes on because she had just jumped out of bed to seek shelter, she headed out over all kinds of debris, including broken glass. Again, another miracle, she said. She suffered no cuts on her feet. Water was dripping everywhere, as if it was pouring down rain, but it wasn’t raining, she said. Like so many who act in unexplainable ways in an emergency, Dance grabbed a bucket to start catching water falling into the living room. “My roof was almost gone! What did I think I was protecting?” she laughed. The only explanation she can offer for the water absent of rain was that a nearby neighbor said the tornado had sucked half the water out of his pond. That’s what was falling in her living room, she guessed. As she and Daisy began to crawl out, she realized the whole neighborhood was thrown into total darkness. That’s when she called her cousin (Mary Lou Harrison of Calhoun) to come get her. “I basically had to climb out of there – over trees and a retaining wall,” she said. “All I could think about was, ‘I have to get out here – my roof is going to fall on me,’” Dance said.
Page 10 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members” – CORETTA SCOTT KING
“My cousin couldn’t get to me (by car) because all the roads were blocked with trees and downed electrical lines. “I heard her hollering at me – she didn’t have a flashlight or anything,” she continued. But Harrison wasn’t daunted, Dance said, “and went over the trees and wires. I couldn’t believe it. “There were miracles up and down that street. I can’t believe no one died in our neighborhood,” she said. Trees fell on one neighbor’s bedroom, and the only thing that stopped it from killing him was the bed’s head board. “It’s just amazing. I know there were two deaths and that’s so sad, but I’m amazed there weren’t more,” Dance said. So many things Dance can’t explain. “What made me wake up? I had just gone to bed and was sound asleep. I didn’t have one cut after walking over that glass. No one even had to go to the local emergency room.”
Texts and calls poured in with offers of assistance. “Driving around, you just saw people helping each other. Strangers would ask, ‘You need help?’ and would proceed to jump in where needed. People just dropped everything,” Simmons said. “It didn’t matter who it was,” she said. “I’ve never seen people come together in that way. Sounds cheesy, but it’s accurate.” Dance and her son, Jed, experienced the same phenomenal generosity. As they were working on the clean-up, “all these people would show up from churches (asking), ‘What can I do?’” They came with food, water, chainsaws. “At one time I had six-toseven people in my back yard with chainsaws, and I only knew two of them. After one day – 10 hours – my back yard was cleared of limbs. There was kindness galore,” Dance said. Simmons said people offered help with no expectation of anything in return. “You hope people will do that, but in reality, you don’t see it that often. But that definitely was the case here.” The generosity was almost overwhelming, Simmons said. “The Tech Foundation allowed us to participate in their Annual Day of Giving. In just 24 hours, we raised almost $15,000 for repairs for our lodge.” Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker
11. Ruston Strong
A lot of help from their friends
Both Simmons and Dance said one positive the storm brought was the overwhelming outpouring of aid so many offered in so many forms. “People came together,” Simmons said. “We had groups of alumni, almost all of the active chapter members” on hand to help. Several fraternities reached out and helped.
MAYOR WALKER became a bit emotional when he echoed their sentiments about the outpouring. “This is a very special town,” Walker said. “This tornado showed people what this town is all about.” The mayor recounted one particular event that illustrated the city’s generosity. “The tornado hit that morning at 1:47,” Walker said. That evening, he was walking through one of the areas that was hit and came to a perfectly clean yard. He asked the homeowner, “How in the world did you get it so clean? He said 30 college students from Tech came to help.” Walker asked how he was able to organize their coming. The homeowner said he didn’t arrange it – they just came. “They were following the sounds of the chainsaws. They knew if a chainsaw was going, someone was going to need help. That speaks volumes about Louisiana Tech and our city.” Some FEMA consultants who were in town after the storm were trying to pinpoint what it is that makes the city special, Walker said. They said it’s “the faith of this city and I really believe that’s so true.”
Let the rebuilding begin
Walker said the city’s main issues were restoring electrical power and removing debris.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 11
12. Ruston Strong SIGMA KAPPA STUDENTS
The city lost 80 percent of its electrical grid. “That was the biggest hurdle,” Walker said. Predictions were that was going to take 10 to 14 days to restore the power. In actuality, 92 percent was back up in four days, he said. Another issue that crippled the city was that Ruston lost thousands of trees, which were then cut and piled on the streets. The National Guard and the city immediately began tackling the problem, but the amount of debris was greater
than they could handle. After complying with FEMA bidding requirements, the city secured a company for additional help that came on board in early June. Walker said they hope to be through with debris removal by July. Repairs have started on the sorority lodge, which sustained more than $25,000 in damage. “It’s been a process,” Simmons said. “One of the pieces of the puzzle was it took us a long time just to get a tree removal company to the house because
SIGMA KAPPA ALUMNI
all the roads around it were blocked.” Once the roof was finished, interior repairs could begin on the damage, which mainly struck the lodge’s living room, the heart of the sorority’s structure. Dance’s home has been razed and she’s living with her cousin until she can start rebuilding. She was able to salvage a great deal, even though “the house almost fell down around everything.” However, “there were pictures still hanging on the wall… just a miracle.”
Page 12 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
13. Up with People content here
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 13
RUSTON
IS COMING TO...
SEPTEMBER 16-23, 2019
& SHREVEPORT SEPTEMBER 23-30, 2019
Host an Up with People cast member! Participate in a week-long cultural exchange that inspires understanding in a unique way. Simply provide a place to sleep, some meals, and limited transportation. In return, you’ll receive 2 complimentary tickets to the show! For more information, contact Sean Cortes at scortes@upwithpeople.org
14. Up with People Ad (camera ready)
SEE THE SHOW!
7PM · THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2019
7PM · SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2019
THOMAS ASSEMBLY CENTER @ LA TECH
GOLD DOME @ CENTENARY COLLEGE
UPWITHPEOPLE.ORG/RUSTON
UPWITHPEOPLE.ORG/SHREVEPORT
PRESENTED BY:
PRESENTED BY:
WITH SUPPORT FROM:
WITH SUPPORT FROM:
BENEFICIARY: TICKET PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE CENTENARY FUND Page 14 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-AugustFOR 2019STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Up with People
U
p with People is a global education organization that empowers young people to be positive agents of change in their communities and the world. Through our unique blend of music, social action, and international travel, we impact communities for the better while providing youth the knowledge and experience they need for today’s complex global environment. For more than 50 years Up with People has been breaking down cultural barriers and enhancing understanding to help create a more hopeful, trusting and peaceful world. Families in Ruston and Shreveport will have the unique opportunity to bring a bit of the world into their home between September 16 and September 30 when an international cast of Up with People(UWP) arrives in Ruston on September 16 and then continues with their final U.S. tour stop in Shreveport on September 23. Ruston and Shreveport are two stops on the international cast’s 15-week world tour which will continue with stops in Canada, Italy, Germany and Switzerland. UWP exists to empower young people to be positive agents of change in their communities, countries and the world. The group of 100 young adults from around the globe will volunteer, live with 40+ host families in Ruston and Shreveport, volunteer 1,000+ hours of community service and perform benefit concerts in each community. Kelly Hogan, owner of The Fashion of Ruston and Up with People alumna was asked what she hopes UWP will bring to the communities in Louisiana. Hogan’s response: “I would have to say joy and hope. The message which Up with People carries into a community is such a positive one. The music is also extremely powerful to me and always has been…I look forward to it being an awesome celebration!” There are many ways for locals in Ruston and Shreveport
15. Ruston Bank
to participate in the Up with People visit, though a favorite always seems to be getting involved as a host family. Host families are being sought to keep one or more students from the 100-member Up with People cast, which represents 15 to 20 countries and more than 15 states in the U.S.A. “I have so many memories living with host families! From staying with a college student in Hammond, LA to visiting Finland! Almost every night we would go to the sauna in Finland which is an interesting part of the Finnish culture,” said Mark Miller, Dean of Students for Centenary College and Up with People alumnus. Local host families are asked to provide a bed, local transportation at the beginning and end of each day, as well as breakfast and most dinners. Families are being sought to host cast members between September 16-23 in Ruston and September 23-30 in Shreveport. Up with People cast members are out of the house during the day volunteering at various locations across the Ruston and Shreveport community… such as Lincoln Parish Schools and Centenary College. This schedule leaves cast members free most evenings to be home with the family participating in their activities and interests. Up with People’s visit to Ruston is presented by LA Tech with support from Century Next Bank, Argent Financial, ACHIEVE Program at Lincoln Parish Schools and Lincoln Health Foundation, Lola Magazine and The Peach Radio. The visit to Shreveport is presented by Centenary College with support from the Rotary Club of Shreveport, Shreveport Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau and Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. Shreveport ticket proceeds benefit The Centenary Fund for Student Scholarships. Those interested in hosting should contact Sean Cortes at scortes@upwithpeople.org.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 13 15
16. (HOME & ENT) Hostess with the Mostest by Jessica Comegys
Hostess With The Mostess
Summer Soirée WRITTEN BY JESSICA COMEGYS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARRETT WARREN
Page 16 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Are you hosting a party this summer?
N
eed some inspiration to throw a truly southern belle chic event? Here are some tips from a few fabulous Louisiana
Ladies on how to host a summer soirée. I am a girl who has a vision for what I am creating. For me, the best part of making something is being able to see it in my head and then working hard to make it a reality. I love to make vision boards and lots of lists. My party tip: Pick a vibe and make a list. The vibe is so important, I want guests to remember the experience and when asked about it, be able to have a defining description. Memories like: “we went to a lovely garden party brunch…” or “the Moroccan dinner party last week was extraordinary.” Next, make lists. Guest list, menu list, grocery list, special
17. Hostess with the Mostest
details list. You need a point of reference to go back to and check off. Let’s be honest, life is busy. Lists are key. Be sure to have a variety of cold drinks for guests in hot
summer months. I like a mix of sparkling and still waters alongside a crisp wine and a signature cocktail.
Jessica Comegys
My favorite summer party recipes (bonus: everything is “make ahead” so you can enjoy the party… and make your husband grill the chicken.)
Grilled Jerk Chicken with Pineapple Salsa ¼ cup lime juice ½ cup olive oil 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp brown sugar (or coconut sugar) 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ½ tsp kosher salt ½ allspice
½ tsp thyme 2 garlic cloves, minced ½ tsp grated ginger ½ tsp crushed red pepper 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast (or any cut of chicken) 1 bunch ramps (or green onions), ends trimmed
1 cup orzo pasta (or any pasta shape) veggies (cucumbers, red onions, summer squash) greens (baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped)
herbs (mint, basil, parsley, cilantro, dill) lemon and lime juices (add the zest before cutting)
½ medium watermelon, chopped (slice the other half and serve with meal)
2 cups rosé wine (I also really like the rosé flavored vodka for extra kick)
2 cups fresh pineapple, diced 1 jalapeno, diced 1 bunch cilantro, chopped and separated into 2 parts
• Combine oil, lime juice, and next 9 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Reserve ¼ cup of sauce in a small bowl. Put
remaining sauce in a ziplock bag with chicken and chill for at least 1 hour up to overnight. • Combine pineapple, jalapeno, and cilantro in a small bowl and set aside. (Can be made 1 day in advance.) • Preheat grill. Remove chicken from
bag and allow to sit at room temp for 10-15 mins to remove the chill. Grill chicken 5-6 mins on each side. • Brush remaining sauce over chicken and grill 2-3 min until cooked through. Garnish with pineapple salsa, green onions and serve with orzo pasta salad or potato salad.
• Prepare your pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions. Be sure to generously salt your pasta water. Then drain and set aside in fridge to chill.
• Chop and toss. Combine the pasta with all ingredients and toss in a large bowl. Be sure to taste and season accordingly. • Chill until ready to serve.
Summer Orzo Salad olive oil drizzle, salt, pepper (don’t skimp) top with cheese (feta or goat, if desired)
Watermelon Rosé Pops 4 tbsp agave (or honey)
• Blend all ingredients together in a
blender or food processor. • Pour into popsicle molds and freeze
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 17
overnight.
Khadija Kapasi
Pineapple Fried Rice 4 people, 25 mins 2 cups cooked rice (day old or cooked and refrigerated for 3 hours) ½ cup carrots, cut in rounds ½ cup snap peas, chopped (or spring peas) 1 cup yellow & red bell peppers, chopped 3-4 spring onions, greens and whites chopped and separated Red chili flakes, optional 1 cup pineapple, chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 4 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish ¼ cup coconut flakes 2 tbsp soy sauce (or coconut amino soy sauce replacement) Salt and pepper to taste
• Heat up the oil in a wok or large pan, add spring onions whites and chopped garlic. Fry for 1 min, don’t let the garlic brown. • Add carrots and let them cook on high for 3-4 mins. Stir continuously so they don’t burn. • Add snap peas/peas, bell peppers and sauté for 2 mins. • Add soy sauce, pepper and red chili flakes if using. • Mix in the pineapple, coconut flakes, and rice. Mix it gently. Add salt if needed, sprinkle cilantro and green onions on top and serve.
18. Hostess with the MostestClare
F
irst of all, I love having friends and family over to my house to share good food and to celebrate life. As a young bride, I remember Julia Sipple (one of Shreveport’s dearest treasures) encouraging us to focus on delighting our guests and making them feel special when we entertain, and I’ve never forgotten that mindset. Often guests want to know what they can do to help so let them help with simple tasks such as pouring water, passing hors d’oeuvres, lighting candles, etc. These tasks not only help the hostess, but also help guests mingle. I find guests appreciate a buffet that includes a variety of dietary (vegetarian, gluten free, etc.) options. Pretty labels help friends identify all those options, too. Seasonal cocktails are always fun. In the winter, I love to set up an Irish Coffee Station on my patio with decaf coffee, Jameson’s
Irish Whiskey, whipped cream and easy instructions. For a December baptismal reception, guests raved over fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and rosemary mimosas in champagne flutes. In the summer heat, everyone loves a frozen drink. I love to serve Frozen Mint Daiquiris in silver mint julep cups using mint from my herb garden. They are so refreshing, and the mint julep cups keep your hands cool. This is the easiest and best recipe from my friend Tom Murphy. It can be made ahead, stored in the freezer, and served from a pretty pitcher. Enjoy your guests!
Nelson
Tom Murphy’s Frozen Mint Daiquiris 12 oz. frozen limeade (or fresh lime juice & simple syrup) 12 oz. light rum about 12 or so large ice cubes Plenty of fresh mint leaves sans stems
• Blend all in an electric blender until slushy but thick. Store in quart containers in freezer. Thaw slightly in a large pitcher, pour into mint julep cups, garnish with fresh mint sprig and a small straw. Cocktail napkins are a must
Page 18 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Andrea Remedies
A
nytime I’m entertaining, I want the ambience to be colorful and fun!
Estate sales are some of the best ways to find pieces that will inspire you. I once found a beautiful silk table runner that inspired my Moroccan theme. I’m always looking for that piece that will inspire me to create my next theme and I enjoy finding food that pairs within whatever theme I’m going with at the time. But one of my best tips is use your freezer. I cut down on cooking time by keeping diced onions and freshly grated cheddar cheese in freezer bags. That was a game changer for me. I believe in a low carb, sugar-free lifestyle but that doesn’t mean I can’t have desert! Who doesn’t love strawberry shortcake?
Angel Food Cake 12 egg whites 2 tsp cream of tartar 1 pinch salt 1 cup strawberry (or vanilla) egg white powder 1 cup Swerve confectioners sweetener 1 tsp strawberry extract (or other extract) CHEESECAKE SAUCE: 1 cup sliced strawberries 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened ¼ cup Swerve confectioners TOPPINGS: Sliced Strawberries Whipped Cream (sweetened with a touch of Swerve confectioners)
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift egg white protein and confectioners Swerve together and set aside. In a large clean bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until very stiff. Add your extract. Quickly stir in the egg white protein mixture. Pour into a greased 9 by 9-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. • To make the cheesecake sauce, place the strawberries, cream cheese and sweetener into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking. • Place the heavy cream into a whipped cream canister (THIS tip), add a tablespoon or two of Swerve confectioners. Close and shake the canister. (or you can whip the heavy cream with sweetener until peaks form). • To assemble, slice the angel food cake into 3 inch by 1 inch slices. Place 2 pieces into a serving bowl, top with a few tablespoons of cheesecake sauce. Top with sliced strawberries and whipped cream.
19. Hostess with the Mostest Luana Munoz
T
his dip can be easily made several days in advance. Refrigerate in a storage container and bring to room temperature before serving. Garnish
with a drizzle of good quality olive oil, finely chopped fresh herbs and freshly ground black pepper just before serving.
Mediterranean Lemon Feta Dip 8 ounces Feta cheese I prefer the block Feta but crumbled will also work ½ cup Greek yogurt 6 tablespoons mayonnaise finely grated zest from 1 lemon 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 medium clove garlic 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil fresh dill for garnish
F
freshly ground black pepper for garnish extra virgin olive oil for garnish
• Combine Feta, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic in the bowl of a food processor or blender and process for 3-4 minutes or until nice and smooth. Add the olive oil and process until combined. • Transfer dip to a serving bowl and smooth out the top. Use a small spoon to create a swirl on the surface. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle fresh dill and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with crudités and/or pita chips.
Bonus: a word from Andrea or me, one of the most vital pieces in hosting a great party is having your
guests feel welcomed and comfortable. Lighting can truly set the scene and mood for the event. During the day, I like to have as many windows as possible open to flood the room with natural light. Makes for great photos, too.
Mouser on lighting
My evening parties always have candles lit on the table and string lights glowing overhead, with select lamps on for that nice warm glow. More recently I’ve added light boxes that react to sound and color wheels for a more dance party vibe with friends. Nothing can ruin a party faster for me than harsh fluorescent or LED lighting. Keep it natural or neutral, ladies.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 19
M
y key to hosting an event is to plan in advance and then relax with my guests! Inviting guests two weeks out gives everyone time to prepare and schedule. Entertaining should satisfy all five senses from floral arrangements and tablescape, food and plating, beverages, and a playlist of tunes to complement the evening. I strive to be fully ready at least 30 minutes prior to my guests’
arrival with beverages chilled, appetizers ready to be plated, and music flowing inside and outside of our home.
Madeline DeBlieux
Cheese Puffs 1 lb butter 8 cups sharp cheddar cheese (recommend Cabot) 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon thyme ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Mix all ingredients and shape into small balls. Make a crosshatch with a fork onto each one. Freeze onto cookie sheets with wax paper. When ready to serve, bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. • Makes approximately 70-75
Marian Duggin
20. Hostess extra page W
ow the crowd! Impromptu parties for a small group of friends are fun, but I also love to get into the planning when we do something large. I like to have a theme when I have a party. Sometimes it depends on the time of year as to what I decide to do. Inspiration strikes me at weird times! Invitations are really important to me. I want it to set the mood for the party. And I prefer something unique. I recently sent an interactive box invitation with keepsake pieces that went with the theme of the party which told a story of a Jackson Square tarot reading during carnival season. I like to think of something unusual for decorations. Something unexpected that will give a wow factor when guests walk in the door. My husband, Sam and I make a
good team because anything I can dream of as far as decorations go, he can make happen. Like the mini pirogue he built used to display fresh shucked oysters and Mardi Gras umbrellas hanging over the string lit pool. If it’s a party for a large group of people, I have to find a way to utilize all the space in my relatively small house. Don’t be afraid to open all areas of the home if you have a small space. I always have two bars, including one in the master bedroom. This allows guest to get drinks and flow freely. My recipe advice is to hire a caterer. With all the time I spend putting together the experience, I have to rely on a great chef to pull off the food. This also allows me to enjoy the party and not be stuck in the kitchen.
Page 20 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Emily Vigen
21. Hostess extra page
Herbed Lemon Goat Cheese Pasta (Serves 6—plus maybe 3 kids) *Read entire recipe instructions before going to the grocery store! I recommend doubling the recipe if you’re going to have more guests. Goat cheese (1 lb crumbled or in a roll) left out to come to room temperature Corkscrew pasta (1 lb) Asparagus Cherry tomatoes Green peas (frozen) Mint Basil Parsley Lemon
1. Set out peas to thaw. 2. Put water and salt in a large pot to boil pasta 3. Chop Mint, Basil, and Parsley. Should come to about 1 cereal bowl full of herbs. Zest one lemon and add to herbs. 4. Cut asparagus to bite sized chunks. Prepare water to boil the asparagus. 5. Slice tomatoes. 6. Boil asparagus for 2-3 minutes (until tender but still bright green). Immediately drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water (to maintain color).
7. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne to large bowl and mix. Add in dollops of soft goat cheese and mix in well. 8. Boil pasta to instructions then drain, reserving at least one cup of pasta water. 9. Pour pasta over goat cheese mixture and toss until goat cheese is completely melted and all of the pasta is coated in cheese. 10. Add the herb mixture to the pasta mixture and mix again. 11. Add the asparagus, tomatoes, and green peas. Toss and serve!
I
absolutely love cooking and hosting, but as a mother of three, I need to know my limits when it comes to time spent prepping food in the kitchen (rather than enjoying myself with my kids or guests.) I have found that the secret to “doing it all” is to really only cook one large dish that kids and adults will both enjoy (making tweaks where necessary, because—as we all know—not every kid likes asparagus.) It’s also important to be able to cook this dish in advance. If you’re hosting a get-together for several families with kids, you’re not going to have much time to cook once they all arrive! The following recipe is a seasoned crowd pleaser in the summer for both adults and kids alike. Creamy lemony goat cheese pasta with lots of herbs and some healthy veggies thrown in, served piping hot or at room temperature, is sure to be a hit. It’s basically like macaroni and cheese, but with goat cheese and added veggies. (My kids love goat cheese, but if yours do not, I recommend the Swiss Laughing Cows for a similar creamy texture.) If you do have some seriously picky eaters, follow the instructions through step 9, then put aside a portion of just goat cheese pasta for the kids. (You could always try to throw some peas in?) Also, to cook this in advance, stop at step 7 until guests arrive and are ready to eat. This recipe works well with other summer produce as well. Love squash or arugula? Those work as well. Want more protein? Throw in some sautéed shrimp or have your husband grill some chicken drumsticks for a side dish that is sure to tempt the kiddos. Serve alongside a simple salad or blanch more asparagus for a crudité platter with a green goddess dressing. And by all means, pour yourself a glass of crisp, cold wine, and enjoy the summer!
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 21
Patti Harper
I
’m a list maker so my parties start with a list of the guests, the menu, and decorations that suit the season. Summer months are perfect for patriotic themes and Jerry and I enjoy entertaining outside. I love using small colorful pots of flowers on the table and clip fresh magnolia leaves to add greenery. To prepare for a large party, I create a menu that is not complicated. Easy but delicious recipes are the best and we try to serve southern classics made with summer fresh vegetables. One of our favorite menus includes squash casserole, horseradish mashed potatoes, a special family recipe of cole slaw, baked ham and cornbread. I always prepare everything but the ham the day before. Then 30 minutes before the party I pop everything in the oven and enjoy the
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Page 22 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
evening! Whether we are hosting our family or 100 friends, simple food is our go to. I’ve made Ham Baked in Beer since 1977 and it’s a staple for the 4th of July, Christmas and Easter. It’s easy and makes the kitchen smell heavenly!
Aunt Pat’s Famous Slaw Dressing: 1 cup mayo (or use plain greek yogurt) 3 tbs sugar (agave or honey) 1 ½ tbs vinegar (such as apple cider or white wine) ½ tsp salt and pepper ½ head of shredded cabbage (use red and green for extra color) 1 bunch green onions, diced Mix dressing and pour over cabbage, garnish with green onion Ham Baked in Beer 1 ham - bone in is best but this will work with boneless 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large jar of molasses (agave or honey) 1 bottle or can of beer (not lite beer!) 3 tbsp dry mustard
• Score the ham across the top and place garlic over top. • Mix together all other ingredients and pour over the ham. Bake at 325 for several hours basting with the drippings ever 20 mins or so.
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SWEET TEA.
FDA. These sweeteners are at least 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Artificial sweeteners entered the beverage space in the 1950s with drinks like Diet Rite, Tab and Fresca. Aspartame was approved in the 1980s and gained popularity in beverages such as Diet Coke. Sucralose followed in the 1990s and is now the most commonly used sugar substitute in food and drinks. It is heat stable, so it is considered to be a suitable substitute for sugar in baked goods. Stevia is derived from a plant and is, therefore, marketed as the “natural” sweetener. All of these sweeteners offer the same thing: sweet without the calories. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The average 12-ounce glass of sweet tea or can of sugar-sweetened soda delivers about 150 calories. The same amount of the diet variety? Zero calories. This should be great news, but, as I tell my children (much to their dismay and constant challenge to prove me wrong), nothing is free. The lack of sugar brings a host of chemicals that can wreak havoc on the body. Health optimization is not just about managing calories. How our bodies respond to these sweeteners turns out to be complex. When we consume sugar, our brain gets a message that something sweet is on the way and it initiates a host of reactions to manage it. When we consume artificial sweeteners, our brains get that
Artificial Sweeteners
The perfect drink for hot summer days in the South. Cool, refreshing, delicious…and full of sugar. I know, I know…I am raining on the parade of a southern tradition, but the sugar content of beverages is a huge contributing factor to the obesity and chronic illness epidemics. As a result, I am honor bound to address this with my patients and with you. Unsweetened tea? Drink water? Some people are receptive to these ideas, but others are horrified that I would suggest such things. This conversation naturally leads to the topic of artificial sweeteners. If I can’t have sugar in my tea, what else can I use to make it sweet? Artificial sweeteners are sugar substitutes that duplicate the sweetness of sugar without the calories. On the surface, this seems like the perfect solution. It turns out, though, that artificial sweeteners are not the solution for which we had hoped. In my opinion, artificial sweeteners are a big NO. Six high-intensity sweeteners are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration at this time: saccharin (Sweet’N Low), acesulfame potassium (Sunnett), aspartame (Equal), neotame (Newtame), sucralose (Splenda), and advantame. Steviol glycosides (Stevia, Truvia) are designated GRAS, or Generally Recognized As Safe by the
27. Integrate Your Health
INTEGRATE YOUR HEALTH with Dr. Nicole Cotter
Nicole M. Cotter, MD is an integrative physician in Shreveport, Louisiana. She was the first board-certified Integrative Medicine physician in northwest Louisiana and is one of the few integrative rheumatologists in the nation. She is the owner of Integrative Medicine of Shreveport-Bossier (www.integrativemedicinesb.com), a consultative practice where she partners with patients to create personalized health plans that integrate complementary medicine with conventional to care for the whole person.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 25
Artificial sweeteners are highly addictive, just like sugar.
same message of sweetness and behave in a similar manner. However, when this message is not actually followed by sugar, it stimulates our appetites and encourages our sweet tooth. Studies have shown that the use of diet drinks, rather than promoting weight loss, actually leads to weight gain. Therefore, the very thing that we use to try to cut calories and lose weight is causing us to gain! The consumption of diet drinks contributes to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Artificial sweeteners affect the microbiome, the complex system of microorganisms living in our gut that play an instrumental role in human health. In addition, there is ongoing controversy as to whether some artificial sweeteners increase cancer risk. Cyclamate, originally in Tab, was banned by the FDA because it was shown to cause bladder cancer in rats. There have been similar concerns with saccharin, but human studies have lacked confirmation. Certain people are allergic or sensitive to these sweeteners and report a myriad of negative effects after their consumption, ranging from headaches to widespread muscle pain to seizures. Artificial sweeteners are highly addictive, just like sugar. Because they are much sweeter than sugar, it is possible that the regular consumption of sweeteners changes the way we perceive food. We become so used to the super sweet taste of our food and drinks that we begin to find less sweet foods, such as fruits and vegetables, unappealing. By substituting artificial sweeteners for sugar, we are trading one addictive and health-crumbling product for another. These sweeteners have found their way into processed foods, many of these marketed towards parents and children. A popular brand of granola bars, for example, in the U.S. has a “less sugar” option. I was alarmed when I read the ingredients, though, to find out that the reason it has less sugar is the addition of an artificial sweetener. Yogurt is another example of a product that frequently has artificial sweeteners to cut the amount of sugar it contains. As always, I strongly recommend reading the ingredients of anything you consume and be skeptical of items that claim to be sugar-free, low-cal, light, or low in sugar because it likely means that the sugar has simply been replaced by an artificial sweetener. What, then, is the answer for sweet tea? Refined sugar (the white table sugar used to make sweet tea) has no nutritional benefit. Artificial sweeteners are the perfect example of a well-intentioned intervention gone awry. The answer to our sweet addiction is changing our palates. We are so accustomed to sweet that we feel dependent on it. However, if we exclude or at least decrease the constant sweet from our daily diets, our palates will rapidly adapt. The best sweetener is no sweetener at all. However, foods that are naturally sweet, such as whole fruit, can be highly nutritious and are a great way to satisfy the sweet tooth without the negative health consequences of refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.
28. Integrate Your Health • ½ Broadmoor Family Dental
Page Page26 74 || LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August July-August2019 2019
SWEETENER TYPE
BRAND NAMES
SWEETNESS COMPARED TO SUGAR
Aspartame
Sweet’N Low, Nutrasweet, others
180 times sweeter
Acesulfame Potassium
Sunnett, Sweet One
200 times sweeter
Saccharin
Sweet ‘N Low, Necta Sweet, others
300 times sweeter
Sucralose
Splenda
600 times sweeter
Neotame
Newtame
7-13,000 times sweeter
Advantame Stevial Glycosides
20,000 times sweeter Stevia, Truvia
250-300 times sweeter
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July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 29
Katie Bug BY MORGAN GRANTHAM
“God Loves You The Best”
T
30. PDP
hose were the words that 4-year-old Katie Grantham poured into the heart of another little girl sitting with her at lunch one day at school. My history as a witness for Christ has been lackluster on the best days and nonexistent on others. But Katie, that girl had it down. She didn’t get it from me either. Sure, I talked with her about God’s love for her and His love for others. But the Holy Spirit has done something inside that little girl that made it effortless for her to show others the love of Christ. It came as natural as breathing. I will never know who else she spread that love to. That was the only time she told me about it. But she told me with such confidence and ease that I could tell it was a conversation she had had before. I would give pretty much anything to hear her speak words of truth into another friend’s heart, into my heart. But I will not get that chance. The next time I see her, witnessing won’t be necessary.
November 19, 2017 Four-year-old birthday parties are the best. They consume hours on the weekends, sometimes multiple ones each day. They include water parties, unicorn parties, bounce houses, pony rides, NERF gun parties and everything in between. Each one has a theme and celebrating with kids is so much fun. That’s exactly what we planned to do that Sunday afternoon. We got ready for a birthday party. Our Gavin was a brand new 2-year-old. He was loud, rough, and passionate about whatever he was doing. He also needed a nap. So, Kirk was going to stay with a sleeping boy and Katie and I were off to a birthday party: My Little Pony dress, check; ruffle leggings with dirty knees, check; mismatched shoes, check; perfect present picked out and wrapped, check; homemade card made by Katie Bug, check. We didn’t make it a mile. A man driving an oil field truck ran a red light and T-boned us at 58 mph. Katie never stood a chance. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and other catastrophic injuries. People swarmed us, swarmed Katie. We knew some of
Page 30 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
them and others were strangers. But each one, according to the police report and witnesses, acted as if we were their very own. Katie was held and loved every moment of her life and these people, strangers, filled in that gap for precious minutes until her Daddy arrived on the scene. They pried open my door so first responders could get to me quickly. They sat next to me and held me so I wouldn’t move and further injure myself. I drive that route multiple times a day. And even now, more than 18 months later, when I get all the way through that intersection, I think to myself “Wow, that’s how it’s supposed to happen. We made it. Seems so easy.” But I know it’s not that easy. My Katie Bug never recovered. We
removed life support on November 26, 2017 and her organs were matched for donation. I don’t know that I will ever be able to find the words to describe what it’s like to watch your child, your first born, your baby girl, suffer in the PICU for a week before hearing that her injuries are too severe. Words will never convey what it was like watching the doctors and nurses remove life support in the OR. But not having the words is appropriate. Being able to explain it could, quite literally, break your heart. It could kill you. I know that feeling. I have felt that more times than I care to write about. I clearly remember the hours, days, and weeks that followed. I remember the
drive home from the hospital, the first night, looking into the baby monitor and seeing one baby in his bed and the other one...empty. I remember every detail of so much trauma. Maybe it’s the PTSD, the heightened senses, the overstimulation. But some of it is just me. It’s just how I operate...in the details. A regular heart and soul would crumble under the weight, the heaviness, the grief. People aren’t made to withstand this type of grief, this type of trauma. I knew I would die. I was absolutely convinced I would go to sleep and not wake up. I even fantasized about how it would happen. Nothing could be worse than what we had already been through, so there wasn’t much to lose.
Photo credit: Laura Caraway Photography
31. (KIDDOS) Katie Bug by Morgan Grantham
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 31
Katie Bug Books As time stretched on, it would be in fast forward motion through some details and slow motion through others. Days were moving, time was marching on, and I had no idea what was happening. And all the things... the “things”... that have to be thought of, done differently, memorialized (or not) just kept coming and coming: Christmas break Christmas Valentine’s Day Mardi Gras Spring Break Easter It was all so much to deal with, so much to navigate, so much to process. Then... Katie’s birthday. Birthdays are the best. Were the best. Will be the best again. Will never be celebrated again. Will be celebrated, but differently. Oh, the details. Details, details, details. We love(d) birthdays. What on earth would we do? Celebrate? Celebrate what? I didn’t know what to do. But I began to work in the details. A birthday party. Or at least an acknowledgement of birth. But that wasn’t enough. We love (present tense) our Katie big. We always have and we always will. But celebrating seemed wrong. So, if you can’t celebrate yourself, you celebrate others. I bought a few copies of Max Lucado’s book, “Just In Case You Ever Wonder,” to give away to people we would have normally invited to Katie’s birthday party. We could celebrate Katie by loving on others. Then we bought more... and I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to do all this through Amazon Prime...
32. Katie Bug
so I began asking around. I connected with a person who connected me with a person who connected me with THE person who could help me, a representative for Harper Collins Christian Publishing. I told her what I was trying to do and she allowed me to purchase bulk order books (250 the first time I ordered). I began to ask the families we would have normally invited to Katie’s birthday if they wanted to help me celebrate by distributing books to their Sunday school classes. The first year, we gave away more than 1,700 books to 27 churches. The coolest part was that some churches needed 2 and some needed 500. We sent them anywhere anyone wanted to take them. This year, year 2, we had to decide if it was going to be something we continued. The first year could be isolated, but once you follow through with year 2, it’s a “thing.” So we did it again with a different book. My husband, Kirk, and I are
readers. We love to read to our kids. We read in the car, at the breakfast table, in the bathtub, outside on a blanket in the yard, at bedtime, and all the places in between. We can do voices, have many of the stories memorized, and consistently tire of a book long before our kids do. But we read anyways. When Gavin was born, Katie would read her favorites books to him from memory. She would look at picture books with him and identify the animals/items his chubby toddler finger pointed to long after she lost interest in doing so. But continue she did, until Gavin tired of it and moved on. Reading with Katie gave me an opportunity to talk with her, to ask her questions about characters, choices, foreshadowing. Reading to Katie gave me the opportunity to just love her... with no schedule or expectations. So read we did....a lot. I could think of no better gift to help love on others than a fresh, crisp, brand new book given to you with no expectation. Just to love you. Because we love Katie.
Page 32 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Katie Bug’s Law The man who made that terrible decision on a beautiful Sunday afternoon has a history of poor decisions. He has a criminal record that includes possession of methamphetamines, drag racing, DUI, and others. At the crash site, his oil company supervisor arrived to take him in for a drug test (required if you are involved in an accident in a company vehicle). He refused and told his supervisor he would fail the drug test because he had drugs in his system. He was given a field sobriety test at the crash site and passed. So he was allowed to go home. Katie and I were transported via ambulance to a Level 1 trauma center and he was allowed to get a ride home. He was issued a citation for running the red light. When his company truck was searched a few days later, they found meth, pills, and alcohol in the back seat. In May 2018, we were in court for his red-light violation. We weren’t expecting his sentence to be handed out, but a deal was made and he was sentenced to 10 days in jail to be served on the weekend. The judge said he didn’t want to risk the driver losing his current job. Because this red-light citation was all he was held accountable for. Our community was outraged and rightfully so. The District Attorney was quoted in several interviews as stating that Katie “wasn’t dead yet” (or a similar sentiment) so the officers were not required to drug test. Katie wasn’t dead yet. Katie wasn’t dead...yet. I began researching the statutes and found that if officers don’t have suspicions that someone is under the influence, a crash has to include a
33. Katie Bug
fatality at the scene to mandate a drug test. It had to change. And I had to change it. I had no idea what I was doing. I’m a math teacher, not a lawyer....and surely not a politician. But I began asking questions. I asked questions to anyone who I thought would answer them. I logged a lot of hours on the phone and computer doing research and communicating. I encountered some of the kindest, most intelligent, genuine people throughout this process. This was difficult. There were moments I didn’t think I could do it. Speaking over and over again on how many pieces of the system failed us... failed Katie... is hard. It is seeing your beautiful girl’s face in the middle of a diagram with arrows pointing to all the systemic failures around her. She was failed by so many people. Somedays, it’s difficult not to insert myself into the failure list, too. Rep. Raymond Crews and Sen. Ryan
Gatti provided the resources and effort to get this bill through the process and I will forever be grateful to them for their willingness to help. I was terribly embarrassed by how our accident was treated. Embarrassed about those involved who are supposed to provide “justice.” Justice was certainly not served in our case. I’ve never laid the blame on any one person’s shoulders. There are many people who share in a piece of the blame. I could be angry. I could be bitter. And honestly, sometimes, I am. But when the anger begins to rise and bitterness and resentment well up, I try and remember: If what you want to say or do does not: 1. Honor Christ 2. Honor Katie and our family Don’t do it. Don’t say it. It will never be worth it. I wrote that on an index card many moons ago and place it where I need it the most at any given time.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 33
Sometimes, it’s the first thing I see in the mornings, sometimes it’s by my computer, sometimes in my car, and sometimes (more often than not) it’s in my back pocket. I could make more copies of it. But when I touch that wrinkled, worn index card, I remember not only the words, but how I felt when I wrote them. I can feel those words being put on my heart at a time I needed them the most. Katie Bug’s Law will ensure that any driver who is ticketed in a crash where someone is badly injured will be drug tested. Never again will “she wasn’t dead yet” be an excuse to not hold someone accountable to the carnage they have caused. It won’t prevent any deaths... not a single one. It will only ensure that impaired drivers don’t get to leave
34. Katie Bug
the scene of an accident they caused while a little girl suffers and dies days later. That’s a tough reality... that what you’ve worked so hard for is not going to save any lives... but it isn’t about me and what I’ve worked for. I wrote earlier that a regular heart and soul would crumble under the weight, the heaviness, the grief. A regular heart does crumble. People aren’t made to withstand this type of grief, this type of trauma. People aren’t. But... We aren’t regular people with regular hearts. We are Christians. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We have Christ living inside us. Our hearts are filled with His love and only His love can keep us from crumbling. We are not made to withstand this, but He is.
We have another little boy now, Ethan. It’s unthinkable to me that this little baby will grow up without Katie. He will never know her this side of heaven and that devastates me. Gavin, who was only 2 when Katie died, has had to learn and grow like no one should have to. He has learned more in the short months since we came home from hospital without our beloved baby girl than I learned in the 34 years before our wreck. And I pray that will serve him well later in life. It is a path no baby should have to walk, but then again, we don’t get to choose our circumstances, only our response. Kirk and I have chosen to love him enough to help him through his grief rather than thinking that loving him is helping him avoid it. We will have to answer his “why” questions for a long time. I want his grief to evolve with him, just like it does with us. We won’t remove Katie from his life, but we also have to be careful not to place our grief at the forefront of
every situation. There have been two occasions where my momma heart has heard his healing. The first was Summer 2018 at swim lessons. He was talking to his swim instructor, Jordan, about getting an ICEE after his lesson. He was telling her all about the snacks he loves...candy, ICEEs, fruits snacks. I was sitting on the side of the pool just watching and listening. He turned to this young woman, a sweet graduate student just working at the pool during her summers, and said, “I have a sister. Her name is Katie Bug. She died because her body quit working. She’s in heaven with Jesus and she used to give me fruit snacks. I’ll see her again, but she won’t be in our house anymore. I miss her.” I was breathless. I remember looking at Jordan and panicking because I didn’t know how she was going to react to that coming from a 2.5-year-old Gavin, who sounded so innocent yet the words he spoke hurt so bad. She was a college
“We aren’t regular people with regular hearts. We are Christians. We are filled with the Holy Spirit. We have Christ living inside us. Our hearts are filled with His love and only His love can keep us from crumbling. We are not made to withstand this, but He is”. student, not a counselor. Jordan looked him square in the eyes and said, “I know you had a sister named Katie and I know you miss her very much. And you’re right Gavin, you will see her again. Now, let’s practice those kicks.” I was stunned. She handled it. With grace and confidence and ease. That was the first time (and only time so far) Gavin has brought up Katie to a stranger. I am forever grateful to her for allowing him to feel safe and told her so. For this grieving momma heart, to hear him say those words made me both proud and heartbroken. The second occasion was when Gavin and I had an encounter with a little boy in the Spring of 2019. This little boy told us that he “felt sorry for Katie because she died.” Gavin knows that Katie is not his guardian angel, she’s not watching him, that she is with Jesus and we will see her again, but I wasn’t sure how he would respond to this...feeling sorry for someone is an emotion. I have always conveyed
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facts to him: Jesus died on a cross to save us and rose again so that those of us who believe and trust in Him will rise again after we die. But the feelings of being sad or worried or whatever the word is for a desperate longing to see Katie here again, are not as easily put into words. We talk about them for sure, but it’s not as concrete. He sees me cry and asks me if I miss Katie. He sees me watch old videos on my phone on occasion and sometimes he wants to see them and sometimes not. Gavin will go weeks without acknowledging her person, her room, or her things, then spend a few days off and on playing in her room, asking questions, or playing with her toys. It’s a constant evolution of conversations and emotions. It’s exhausting. But this day, when that little boy voiced his concern, Gavin looked at him, looked up at me, and then said to the boy, “Why do you feel sorry for her? She’s fine!”
She sure is, sweet boy. And we are, too. You never quite know what your kids hear when you speak. I have always asked myself “Is this too much?” “Have I said too little?” “Do I need to avoid this conversation a few more years?” and many, many other questions that will wear you down. In a little over 18 months, I have heard my sweet boy twice reassure to me that we are on the right road. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s what keeps me going. It’s not the quantity of the words, it’s the quality. Gavin told both his swim instructor and that little boy exactly what God has poured into his heart through Kirk and me. We are merely the vessels. It will be difficult and sad, and we will have moments of devastation again and again. There is no expectation that the suddenness, the tragedy, the impact of what was taken from us, or the grief will ever go away. I wouldn’t even want it to. But
we will evolve with it. It’s a choice we have to make in the details...our conversations, our books, our lives have to pour truth into those around us. The truth that Katie is fine... better than fine... she’s perfect and will be for eternity. It’s just going to take the rest of us a little more time to catch up. We have chosen to continue loving our Katie as much after her death as we did during her life. We have chosen to focus on the details and the big picture will come. We will keep our eyes on eternity and do our best with our time. Every day is one more day behind us and one more day closer to being reunited. It’s also another opportunity... an opportunity to use the small things, the details, to spread the love our Katie so freely gave. We love because He loves us... and you. I write what God puts on my heart on a Facebook page called Team Katie Bug.
35. Katie Bug
Photo credit: Candace Chaney, Mama’s Love Photography July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 35
FROM OUR FAMILY to yours, 36. Katie Bug
Thank you
for trusting
BOSSIER CITY 4001 Viking Drive Suite A
(318) 747-7020
SHREVEPORT
318 Carroll Street (318) 865-2250
US over the past 50 YEARS!
Parents are
always welcome in the back
Early morning & late afternoon
appointments
available
| LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019 Dr. Daniel Crawford •PageDr.36Lauren Wallace • Dr. Shannon Backofen • Dr. Susan Chidlow
Let Them Be CURED 9TH ANNUAL GALA
37. Little Works in Progress (new received 6/17)
October 3 SAVE THE DATE:
Davison Athletics Complex 5pm Cocktails • 6pm Gala
wigginoutLA wigginoutLA Wiggin.Out.LA
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 37
BATON ROUGE Acadian Village 3535 Perkins Road Suite 365 (225) 761-1170
LAFAYETTE
Main Street at River Rance 201 Settlers Trace Blvd. Suite 3009 (337) 991-9980
SHREVEPORT Shoppes at Bellemead 6535 Youree Drive Suite 406 (318) 798-3265
38. Vertage
Vertage Clothing @vertageclothing @VertageClothing
Page 38 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
WRITTEN BY ANGELA VINET • PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY STRICKLAND CLOTHING PROVIDED BY VERTAGE CLOTHING AND L.E. & CHALK
39. (FASHION) Le Bossier by Angela Vinet
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40. Le Bossier Wanting to recreate history, owner Dr. David Abdohu has created a hot spot for entertaining from intimate gatherings to large, lavish affairs.
What began as a landmark hotel for the newly built Louisiana Downs Racetrack evolved into a hot spot for big name entertainers gracing the LeBossier main stage. Names like iconic Lena Horne, country singers Waylon Jennings, Glenn Campbell and Mel Tillis, the effervescent Jerry Lee Lewis or the comedians Rodney Dangerfield and Redd Foxx all enjoyed this stage. Perhaps others listened to the smooth beats from Buddy Rich or the Count Basie Orchestra’s toetapping, big-band sound sailing through the air all the while surrounded by the splendor of the LeBossier ballroom. In a place where musical history is prevalent as well as appreciated thanks to the Shreveport/Bossier’s musical roots, the LeBossier has had its turn in the spotlight and should be appreciated as musical history for those who have graced the
stage in the ballroom. Travel through time by simply stepping into the LeBossier ballroom with its seating arrangements in tiered boxes surrounding the stage - it’s easy to become immersed in the big band era daydreaming of a time when ballgowns and black ties were standard evening wear. As time passed, businesses boomed in Shreveport/Bossier City with other venues opening and eyes turning away from the LeBossier. Now, with new ownership, the LeBossier is being resurrected, reconstructed, and restored to its former glory. Wanting to recreate history, owner Dr. David Abdohu has created a hot spot for entertaining from intimate gatherings to large, lavish affairs. Dr. Abdohu is man of many talents whose specialities in
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Rich velvet seating, a fireplace, and international yet eclectic wine list will have this as the new hot spot in town as a place to gather.
the medical field include taking care of the elderly as a passion. His desire for no person to feel loneliness or fear as they age led him to create his own assisted living facility, the Chateaus at Montclair. This project sparked his interest in construction, which propelled him to gain his contractor’s license. In doing so, Dr. Abdohu was able to take on his latest project, preserving the heritage that is the LeBossier. With his son Jordon by his side every step of the way, these two have turned a piece of Shreveport/Bossier history into a swanky new place for North Louisianians to gather in high style. Beginning with the Atrium Lounge, guests can now enjoy a culinary experience by the water feature while listening to music from the gorgeous white baby grand piano. The owners are hoping Sunday jazz brunch in the Atrium becomes the new
41. Le Bossier
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family tradition for generations to enjoy time and fellowship together. The hotel itself is large enough for big events, with 200 rooms. Being an event center, there are several spaces for large meetings with top-of-the-line technology available to assist presenters as well as several bars to mix and mingle after presentations are complete. The 14,000-square-foot LeBossier ballroom whisks people to a time of old-fashioned romance. The team was able to salvage the imported Versace brocade wallpaper, and the detailrich oriental pattern on the terraced balcony seat railings is nothing short of stunning. Flanking either side of the stage are two of the largest televisions in Louisiana specially imported and installed for the LeBossier at 12 by 8 feet, so even those in the VIP SkyBox have an up close and personal view of any act on the stage. Dinner theater is in the works with hopes of housing their own troupe at the LeBossier. The new owners are eager to speak with people interested in joining their new team to create a special place for unique entertainment as a constant
on their stage. Across the hall, Three Dons offers upscale relaxing in a piano bar setting. This Rat Pack-style bar will be feature some of the area’s greatest musical talent. Signature drinks such as the Marilyn Monroe or Don Capone will be served while any of the Godfather movies will be playing on the screens. The constant flow of music and drinks will keep patrons coming back for more as there are numerous spaces for intimate conversation and a large dining table to enjoy what the chef is serving from the American cuisine with Italian flare menu. Rich velvet seating, a fireplace, and international yet eclectic wine list will have this as the new hot spot in town as a place to gather. Bringing back LeBossier’s upscale ambiance of yesterday, David looks forward to generations growing together in this space from a princess tea party to the Sweet 16 and eventually the wedding ceremony and festivities. LeBossier is back and ready to create memories.
42. Le Bossier
LeBossier is back and ready to create memories.
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43. M Boutique (camera ready)
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 43
44. Britt Elizabeth
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LARGEST ANTIQUE LIGHTING SHOWROOM IN THE AREA
SHOPPING:
SERVICES:
Art • Antiques Lighting • Coffee
Repurposing Restoration • Repairs
45. (HOME & ENT) Blueberry Recipe by Chef Harris
ccmercantileshreveport.com July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 45
I
BY CAROLINE KING
f we told you our tomatoes were over 100 years old, would you believe us? We have been known to shock customers into thinking about produce. We don’t only sell vegetables, we sell agricultural history to our customers. It’s what makes us different from resellers and average growers. Heirloom Farms was started in 2013, dedicated to growing organic heirlooms and saving seeds for future generations. An heirloom seed is usually classified as a seed that has been around for at least 50 years and is not genetically modified. Our heirloom farming isn’t a career - it’s a calling for us. This journey into growing history began long before 2013. The interest in nutrition and how food is grown began after reading two influential and controversial books – “Healing The Gerson Way” by Charlotte Gerson and “The Maker’s Diet” by Jordan Rubin. “The Maker’s Diet” was on the New York Times bestseller list for 47 weeks. The year was 2004 and we were all tired of being sick. We decided that we needed to eat and grow clean foods. No more store-bought plants, no more treated seeds, no more GMOs – period. We were told about an heirloom seed company named Baker Creek in Missouri. After several phone calls, we decided this company was where we needed to start our journey to better health. Our small garden behind the house was where we perfected our skills. Within a couple years, we found a small farm for sale in Haughton and moved in 2007. This is where we practiced our growing techniques long before we sold to the public. You could say we were a work in progress. Lots of thought and research went into our plans for the future. We then bought a greenhouse in 2008 so we could do it right from start to finish. By 2013, we were ready to sell to the public. Our goal was to introduce the consumer to varieties they have never seen before. It was a hard sell because many consumers didn’t realize there was more to vegetables than just a few typical southern varieties. Our table consisted of 6 types of summer squash of all different colors and shapes. We had cucumbers that were
12 inches long. Some tomatoes were small, and some were orange, not the typical red. We were not deterred by the consumers who were hard to please. If we had to give away produce to get people to try it, that is what we did. Heirloom Farms has now evolved into a major seed-saving operation in addition to growing summer and fall crops. We have signed several seed contracts with Baker Creek Rare Heirloom Seed Company to provide them with organic heirloom seeds. We also participate in their Trial Grower Program to help them test and trial many varieties in the south. We care about what we grow because Baker Creek cared enough to start their company for people like us. There are many legitimate organic heirloom seed companies out there. Baker Creek is our favorite. In 2014, we decided to start free gardening seminars for the public. Heirloom Farms partnered with Baker Creek and LSU Agriculture offices locally to give the public information on growing food. Our first year we met at a convenience store restaurant. By the second year, were doing several classes at the local firehouse training room. Baker Creek would donate seeds and catalogs to seminar participants. Our story is far from over. In early 2019, we built an enclosed farm stand to sell our organic heirloom produce, canned goods and any farm-related food products. We are also a state-licensed nursery for plant sales. You may even see us at public events selling our produce. Our in-season hours are Monday to Friday at the farm with staggered hours to meet the needs of all our customers. We always recommend people call us in advance for availability and hour changes. We are always changing to meet the needs of the public while staying true to our heirloom roots. In every seed there is history that needs shared. Our goal is to keep that history from dying. You could say all our ideas started with a seed.
46. (HEALTH&BEAUTY) Organic Farming by Caroline King
Page 48 46 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Heirloom History
RIESENTRAUBE TOMATO Grown by the PA Dutch as early as 1856. A German heirloom that means “giant bunch of grapes.” CHEROKEE PURPLE TOMATO A Cherokee Indian variety that dates back to 1890. A dusky purple-pink color with sweet flavor and large fruits. Very popular in the south.
CHIOGGIO BEET Light red skin with beautiful rings inside like 47. Organic peppermint candy. Dates back toFarming 1840 Italy and arrived in the U.S. approximately 1865.
ST. VALERY CARROT A very rare carrot in the U.S. from France and mentioned by the Vilmorins around 1885. It was rumored to have been around long before then. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN SWEET CORN This is a shoepeg variety, which means not the typical row formation of most sweet corns, was introduced around 1890 by the Frank Woodruff & Son company. Known as one of the best heirloom sweet corns in the U.S. STOWELL’S EVERGREEN SWEET CORN Released commercially in 1856, a row corn that is white and known as the “King of all White Sweet Corn Varieties.” KAMATIS TAGALOG TOMATO A longstanding Philippine variety that is average sized, squatty with fluted edges. A more acidic tomato, great for salads. The name means “native tomato.” Edible Flowers:
Clover, Dandelions, Honeysuckle, Marigolds, Nasturtium, Borage, Sunflower, Zucchini Blossoms, Hibiscus, Lavender… to name a few.
Caroline King was born and raised in Pennsylvania. Her first job at 14 was working at an Amish Mennonite Farmers Market. She served her country in the USAF, and is currently a freelance journalist and farmer.
Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen, a Norwegian island. The vault was created to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds in the event of a global agricultural crisis. After its creation in 2008, which cost about $8 million, it has amassed a large collection of seeds from around the world. Seeds are stored in 3-ply foil packages in plastic tote containers on metal shelving. To preserve the seeds, the average temperature inside the vault is -18 c. The vault is underground, surrounded by permafrost during most of the year. In the event of an electrical failure, the permafrost ground will help the vault maintain its low temps. In 2018, the vault was in possession of 983,524 seed varieties. Each sample variety has a minimum of 500 seeds per packet. The vault seed capacity is 4.5 million samples. Heirloom Farms Country Store 895 Allen Town Rd, Haughton 318.949.9592 HOURS: Mon 2-5 pm Tues 12-6:30 pm Wed 11 am to 2 pm Thurs 4-6 pm Fri 12-3 pm
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 49 47
THE BOSS OF SOUTHERN CUISINE
I think this recipe is right on time for Blueberry season in northern Louisiana. Whether you pick them yourself or buy them from your local farmers market, now is the best time to enjoy them. This recipe calls for two cups which makes for a very tasty blueberry muffin. Blueberries are a part of the fruit salad listed on the Official Meal of North Louisiana. WRITTEN BY CHEF H.D. HARRIS, PRIVATE CHEF SERVICES
www.foodtourslouisiana.com
#USUPNORTH
48. Anna Stevens
Very Berry Blueberry Muffins
• With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. 1 stick of butter Add eggs, one at a time, add vanilla and 1 ¼ c sugar beat until combined. 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, 2 cups of AP flour baking powder, salt and cinnamon. 1 ½ tsp baking powder Gradually add flour mixture and milk to ½ tsp salt the butter mixture in alternating batches, pinch of cinnamon beginning and ending with the flour. ½ c whole milk Gently fold in the blueberries. 2 cups fresh blueberries (not frozen) • Scoop batter into cups and bake about • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick standard 12-cup muffin pan or two 6-cup inserted in the center of a muffin comes pans with paper cups. You can also spray out clean. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then the muffin pan with non-stick baking turn out muffins onto a wire rack to cool spray. 10 minutes more before serving.
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Shreveport Little League
takes the title of Champion for 7/8 Coach Pitch
49. Shreveport Little League Congratulations Shreveport Little League
STATE CHAMPIONS!
THIRTEEN BASEBALL ALL-STARS battled their way against stiff competition to earn the title of 7/8 Coach Pitch State Champions in Alexandria, Louisiana, on Sunday, June 23rd. Head Coach, Chris Cox guided his team believing in his boys to take the title of champion for his players. Strong hitting off of seasoned pitcher Coach Alexander Mijalis, smart base running from 1st Base Coach Travis Hart and 3rd Base Coach Brock Restovich coupled with solid defense had these players outscoring their opponents in both District and State Tournaments 114-42 representing a 72 run differential. Way to go BOYS! Shreveport is proud of you.
STANDING: Jack Pou, Jack James, Asher Walsworth, Mark Mijalis, Collin Irion, Brant Restovich FRONT ROW: Charlie Hart, Jake Raines, Cord Hendrix, Ryder Young, Christian Vinet, William Cox, Liam Duncan
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 49
Ball Mom: Taking Crazy to a Whole New Level WRITTEN BY PAYTON DENNEY
S
everal weeks ago in the Kroger checkout line, a beautiful, muscled-up specimen of a man winked at me. He smiled. I was tempted to turn around and look behind me, but Instead I mustered up all the courage I had and returned a smile. “Awesome!” I thought to myself. “I’ve still got it.” But as I wheeled past the sliding glass doors, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. There past the hem of my Sunday dress, halfway down my calf, was my two-toned ball mom tan line. I had obviously been wearing my workout pants and flip flops one too many Saturdays. The meathead had noticed. I wheeled my buggy to the car cloaked in the reality that the “it” that I now have is a grocery cart full of responsibility. Self awareness has never been my strong suit. Many moons ago, I wasn’t vulnerable. My mother raised me with a healthy overdose of self confidence. I didn’t waste time worrying about whether others liked me or approved of my choices. It just never occurred to me to care. Then I became a mother and the cloud of vulnerability descended upon me. It was steady for a while. Once my boys started playing ball, I learned a whole new level of giveadamn. I’ll never forget our first opening day at Dixie Ballfield when in an attempt to hurriedly get my youngest to the bathroom I ate it in front of the concession stand. I had been toting Cam on my back while wearing 4-inch wedges. We went down in a twisting motion just as the crowd was singing the national anthem. I landed on my back with Cam sitting upright on my stomach. He was laughing. Several men ran over to help. I curled up in my shell and died. So much for fitting in. News of my spill emanated throughout the mom groups. One mom’s heart softened as she listened, and she reached out to me. “Honey, you can’t wear those shoes out here. You’re gonna break your neck,” she warned. “I tell you what. I’m having t-shirts made for some of the moms to wear to games. Would you like me to get you one?” Concerned for my child’s emotional health, I agreed. How bad could it be? I could do this ball mom thing. I really did need to make an effort to fit in, so I started taking notes. Which fashion trends could I adopt? Which would make me stick out the least? I’m not a big jewelry fan, so the items made from unraveled baseballs didn’t appeal to my taste. Glittered team-colored nail polish? Nope. Too much maintenance. Snarky “you’re killing me smalls” t-shirts? Nope. That would require me to purchase a shirt, decide on a design and colors, and then find someone to make it. Too much effort. I needed something easy. Something simple, and not over done. Plus, Pat and I had been making fun of ridiculous sport parent attire since we married. “We will never,” we had said. Converse! Red converse! I could do that. I had worn converse in middle school. The shoes were speaking my language. Jackpot. So I scored the converse and wore them to the next game with a
pair of yoga Capri pants and an understated t-shirt. We arrived early for warm up. Pat would join us later as he was coming from work. As I began to claim my spot in the bleachers, my compassionate friend excitedly motioned for me to come over. She handed me my t-shirt and pushed me toward the bathroom. “Go put it on,” she insisted. Pat arrived late to the game. Although I could see him in my peripheral vision, I kept looking straight ahead. He got closer, but his gaze was not on the game. It was on me. I continued to ignore his attempts to make eye contact. I had intentionally positioned myself among the crowd because I knew. I just knew. Moments later, Dylan spotted Pat and began tapping me. “Mommy, there’s daddy. Daddy’s here!” I could no longer avoid. Our eyes met. He pointed at the words on my chest, “the real rowdy moms of baseball.” Shaking his head, he walked behind the bleachers to say hello to Cam in the dugout. That’s when he saw the letters of our last name printed on the back of my shirt. Pat released an obnoxiously loud burst of laughter. I was toast, and we both knew it. In the days since then, we have gone all in. We have a rolling beach cart that accompanies us to each game. We bring ice chests and chairs and a tent and towels. Every tournament weekend we make the mistake of waiting the entire first day in the concession line. We bring our own snacks on the second. We have baseballthemed blankets for the beginning of the season and screen-printed tank tops for the end. There’s a really good chance that someone is going to end up a diabetic from an overdose of ring pops and sour straws and snow cones, but that’s baseball, ya know? I’ve made the classic ball mom mistakes such as clapping when an opposing player strikes out in coach pitch and yelling “run” to the player on first after ball four in live arm. I’ve forgotten the hats before a game and had to trust sissy to escort the boys into the ballfield while I floored it back to the house. I’ve left the water bottles on the kitchen counter and had to spend the kid’s college tuition on 7 waters. I dropped one of those Mr. T tournament rings on the top of my foot. There is no pain that compares. I’ve prayed that God would let my kid get a hit, catch the ball, feel the glory. I’ve replayed each play of the game on the car ride home. I “encouraged” my youngest to keep playing even when I knew that he no longer enjoyed it. And then Cam broke his arm. Badly. I guess sometimes God has a way of intervening when our parenting techniques need a time out. We’ve discovered that baseball, while incredibly fun, is just a game. That was a jagged pill to swallow, especially when we had fallen in love with a group we called our “ball family.” This same group who encouraged me to
50. (LALADIES) Ball Mom by Payton Denney
Page 50 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
chunk the ridiculous shoes also accepted and loved us. They sat next to me when I would accidentally release the evil laugh at inappropriate times. They paid our admission when all I had was a checkbook. But most importantly, they believed in and loved my boys. These parents and coaches cheered at their victories and encouraged them to push past their failures. The irony of that relationship is that we were literally playing with the Joneses - two sets of them. In reality, it was never about keeping up but all about joining in. In the same season that Cam broke his arm, Dakota aged out of being able to play with the team. And while my youngest baby hung up his jersey up for good, the other adopted different colors and new teammates. Now we cheer for the Aces from a different set of bleachers. But I’m pretty certain we left our mark on our Aces family and their fearless leader, Coach Jones. Known for his fiery temper and tall stature, Coach Jones smokes like a chimney. But as we exited that season, he kicked the habit for good because the scrappy centerfielder who he taught to catch a fly ball reminded him that “cigarettes are, in fact, a drug.” This same man, with his big voice and animated arm motions, has a love for the game and his players that is rare. He believes that if you want something bad enough and are willing to work for it, victory can be yours. I’ve seen him get kicked out of a game and tear up over a big play — both in the same tournament. He takes time to understand how each kid ticks so that he can speak their language to result in improvement. His players’ personal victories and failures are his. That’s the kind of Joneses I want to keep up with. During a tournament recently, we had a break between games. Mom and I walked over to the tee ball fields to kill some time. We came upon a group of 4- and 5-year-olds. They were precious. The same characters were in the bleachers. We were watching intently, when from out of nowhere a huge dad voice yelled, “Get your head in the game, son!” Out in left field, a tiny player was turning circles. Mom and I burst out laughing. I guess some dads have a dose of ball mom in them. Maybe I should loan him my monogrammed tote. Or maybe I should remind him to get a grip because, while our kids will all go “pro” in something, it’s most likely not in baseball. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the game.
51. Ball Mom
We have baseball-themed blankets for the beginning of the season and screen-printed tank tops for the end.
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52. LE and Chalk (camera ready)
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“I thought, what have I gotten myself into,” Mike readily admits. “But I trust Myron explicitly… I mean, look at him. He always looks sharp!”
Myron’s
Makeover Your Man Challenge WRITTEN BY MYRON GRIFFING
53. (FASHION) Mens Fashion by Myron Griffing
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“My personal view of fashion is much akin to my decorating style in that every item does not have to match, but rather, coordinate with other pieces! It’s all about the mix!” FBI, CIA, JFK, KFC…MSP?
W
e are inundated with acronyms nowadays. I’m certain the vast majority of you are well aware of the first 4 mentioned but, are vexed by the last (smh). Of the 5, it is certainly the least recognized, but, that does not necessarily make it less significant. Local Realtor and non-profit guru Michael Sean Powell (MSP) is known for a lot of things: Being one of the top Realtors in our area, founding a popular non-profit called Roy’s Kids (named after his brother) and seemingly endless posts on FB describing in great minutiae his varying moods throughout any given day. By all accounts, Mike appears to be an overall good man. He serves his community, is a doting father, a good husband, a fine son and a loyal friend. What he is not… is a snazzy dresser! My personal view of fashion is much akin to my decorating style in that every item does not have to match, but rather, coordinate with other pieces! It’s all about the mix! I’ve followed the adventures of MSP for a few years now and have become something of a reluctant “fan” of this man and Roy’s Kids. The one thing I could never get past was Mike’s attire. He always dressed like my *Uncle Susan, a long-haul trucker and avid softball enthusiast (LOL). I felt compelled… nay, obligated to reach out to my friend for a style intervention. I called, we met and even made a FB video where Mike agreed to allow me to help him with his personal style. This “male-over” included: new clothes, shoes, socks, hairstyle and suggested growing a Van-Dyke (in honor of Uncle Susan...HA!). We set a time to meet at Stein Mart and so began MSP’s latest adventure. Beforehand, I asked Mike his shirt/jacket size (which he didn’t know), his favorite colors (blue, white and khaki), shoe size and budget. I arrived early and preselected several looks for him to try. Since, most men loathe the idea of shopping, especially for clothes, this preselection eased his anxiety about the process. “I thought, what have I gotten myself into,” Mike readily admits. “But I trust Myron explicitly...I mean, look at him. He always looks sharp!”
54. Mens Fashion
We tried on look after look, which can be mixed and matched (separates) to expand the number of styles with fewer individual pieces. Again, mix things up folks, it’s imperative! Afterwards, we headed to our hair appointment with Jeremy Johnson at Red1 Salon to top off the day. The results speak for themselves! Mike now has his own personal style, which better fit his business and philanthropic dealings. Our collective posts unveiling his new look have garnered almost 1300 “likes” and 353 overwhelmingly positive comments! Personally, I feel a new acronym is needed for this transformation. MSP is now one helluva SDM (Sharp-DressedMan). If You have your own Uncle Susan or dress almost solely in sports team-themed attire, you may need some tweaking… feel free to hit me up on FB. Thanks, and ttyl.
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*Uncle Susan is not a real person; she was invented by moi and I own any and all rights to her name and or likeness (jk).
55. Mens Fashion • ½ Maxie Home Ad
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56. Orangetheory
Pediatric Therapy
Speech, Occupational, Physical, and ABA Therapist Owned Team Approach Supportive, Fun Environment
Individualized Treatment Latest Research / Tech Certified Therapists
Little Works In Progress Where Children Are Cherished! www.littleworksinprogress.com • info@littleworksinprogress.com •
@LWIPShreveport @LWIPLeesville
Shreveport, LA: (318) 795-3388 | Leesville, LA: (337) 239-3334 Page 56 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Shekinah Academy A Shining Light on God’s Beautiful 57. (KIDDOS) A Special Place for Super Children
Special Children by Leesa Wallace
WRITTEN BY LEESA M WALLACE, M.ED DIRECTOR PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRITTANY STRICKLAND
S
hekinah Academy is a thriving ministry for kids with special needs and their families. It is a ministry that God fashioned and pieced together more than fifteen years ago. At this time, I was a homeschooling mom of five children. I had my BA in Special Education so I was able to help other home-schooling families faced with non-traditional challenges. From this natural outreach came a phone call one day. The desperate grandmother asked if I would consider home-schooling her medically fragile grandson with learning difficulties. Immediately the Lord impressed upon me that this was the right thing to do. This led to many similar phone calls throughout the years. Shekinah Academy now serves 28 to 30 children and their families. Curriculum is tailored to meet the specific goals of the student so that strengths and weaknesses alike can be targeted. The academy is now a part of a larger non-profit organization, Shekinah Solutions, Inc. This non-profit came about through the support of parents, community helpers, and St. Matthias Episcopal Church. July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 57
Hutton Simmons
and Christian Fryday ck Aimee McCormi
Shekinah Solutions is the umbrella organization with four specific parts:
1. Shekinah Academy – an
academic setting where challenged students are given individualized instruction and the support and opportunities needed to reach their full potential.
2. Rhythms of Grace – a church
service geared towards all ages with special needs and their families. Services are the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month at 4:30 at St. Matthias Episcopal Church.
3. Summer Day Camp – a day
camp held in June and July for all ages with special needs. The main goal of this camp is to get out in the community with fun outings as well as have many fun community organizations come to us. Making friends and providing fun social opportunities is what summer is about!
Walker Ratliff
4. Shekinah Too – our new pilot
program that serves special needs adults 21 years old and older with life skills training, vocational training, and community involvement.
58. Special Children Britt photos
A
typical day at Shekinah Academy includes Chapel, individualized instruction in core academic areas, group work, art and life skills. You will also find students learning to be patient, loving, and kind with one another. The staff makes it a priority to turn challenging moments or “bad” choices into learning opportunities. We strive to end every day on a positive note and focus on what we have overcome, not on our failures. It is startling to see what a non-verbal student or learning challenged student can overcome when they are in an environment that fosters security, acceptance, love, and opportunities to learn in a way that works for that specific student. I have been teaching for 25 years and in 2012 received my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as a certification in teaching the visually impaired. Experience has proven to me that all kids, given the time and opportunity, the necessary skills and positive attitudes, can absolutely learn and reach goals that no one ever expected. My teaching experiences have birthed a passion in me to reach the challenged student, unlock
Aidan Young
Page 58 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Tyler Cone
Christian Davis
“My heart is singing for joy this morning! A miracle has happened! The light of understanding has shone upon my little pupil’s mind, and behold, all things are changed!”
Feranmi Desal
u
Jaden Young
–ANNE SULLIVAN
Jaxon Crawford
Pam Huber and Calvin Pace
59. Special Children
Rebecca Smith
Nate Manco
rg
Heidi Romesbu
and Christian Fryday ck Aimee McCormi
Josiah Urquizo
Mallory Lang
William Allen
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 59
their abilities, and help to birth new understanding and skills that they didn’t realize they had. My prayer is that this passion is contagious and that parents, family, friends and others see the potential in every child. Our dream is to create a place and a voice for the developmentally disabled. To perpetuate acceptance in our communities where those that are often overlooked are seen as valued members of society. Where those that are challenged have an opportunity to sharpen skills and be involved in their communities to their full potential. Ultimately, all these efforts will improve quality of life for all. This beautiful ministry is not something I could have ever started or continued on my own. The staff of teachers and volunteers are remarkable. They have a passion for working with these exceptional children and adults. The families are incredibly supportive
and work closely together with our staff to ensure their students are receiving everything they need. It truly is a team effort with Christ as the Leader. I consider it an honor to serve my community through Shekinah Solutions, Inc. Truly, I learn more from my students and parents than I could ever teach them. I embrace the challenge of finding the key that unlocks a student’s mind and begins their journey of learning and meeting their full potential. I am inspired by a great teacher, Anne Sullivan. She had a student, Helen Keller, that she saw had great potential and possibilities. Her example as a teacher has been a strong influence in my life work.
LEESA M WALLACE, M.ED DIRECTOR OF SHEKINAH ACADEMY
60. Special Children • ½ ABC MOM (pickup? Or Senior Care full page?) For more information, visit Shekinahsolutions.com
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Page 60 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
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Will my kid need two sets of braces?
Less than 10% of children need 2 sets (or 2 phases) of braces!
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61. Foster (pickup) How long is theOrthodontics process of orthodontic treatment? Average treatment time is 18-21 months.
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We offer in-house financing with 0% interest & no finance charge for 24 months!
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To schedule a complimentary exam, call 318-797-8833 or request online at www.fosterortho.com
SHREVEPORT
1914 E. 70th St., #H July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 61
BOSSIER CITY 3011 Airline Dr.
SERVING UP FUN
ALL Summer LONG
62. Southern Trace Ad (Carie will send instructions) Join us
Thursday, July 4th
BBQ Buffet & Pool Party! Call the Front Desk for more details! 798.8300
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Contact us to learn more. 318.798.8300 southern-trace.com
*Southern Trace is not a licensed childcare facility and parents must remain on Club premises at all times. Membership is contingent on successful completion of the Club’s enrollment process. Other restrictions may62 apply. Contact the Club for details.| ©ClubCorp USA,2019 Inc. All rights reserved. 29957 1215 SMJ Page | LOLA MAGAZINE July-August
2019 ST. JUDE DREAM HOME: THE INSIDE SCOOP
63. St Jude Dream Home
Coastal Modern WRITTEN BY MYRON GRIFFING
I
t is that time of year again! The 29th annual KTBS St. Jude Dream Home is in full-on construction mode and everyone involved is scurrying around like ants to complete by our mid-July deadline. The St. Jude dream home started in our area by Dr. Mack and George Rodgers. Since 1990, it has raised well over $30 million. Georges son, Philip Rodgers, has since taken the helm of building the home and this is Space: interiors’ 3rd time to design it. The home is located in Kingston Plantation in NoBo (North Bossier)! This year I’ve decided on a “Coastal Modern” vibe with a simple palette of white, light grey and shades of blue. The
centerpiece of the open floorplan home will be the oversized kitchen island. We chose a gorgeous slab of Italian Quartzite with varying waves of blue and white. It looks very much like waves. The finish is leathered rather than smooth, which gives it a dimpled texture. It feels great and I encourage those of you who visit to touch it. An adjacent wall is covered in a basketweave wallpaper, which stretches down the hall and up the staircase to the bonus room. Henson’s Carpet One is again donating all of the flooring and lighting. For the 2nd year, Haverty’s will be providing the furnishings and also have a drawing for a $10k shopping spree!
There are several additional giveaways in addition to this including: a years’ worth of groceries, a Green Egg grill and a car from Moffit Mazda! It is somewhat difficult to try and verbalize a visual, so enjoy the pics and please try to see this gorgeous home during the limited time it’s open to the public starting Saturday, July 20 Saturday, August 10. You can purchase your tax-deductible tickets at the home, calling 1-800-724-2423 or online at www.stjude.org/give/dream-home/ shreveport. The giveaway is, ironically, on my birthday, August 11, and I cannot imagine a better gift than being a part of the St. Jude family.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 63
BRANDING W
101
hether you are a long-time business owner, launching a new venture, or still in the dreaming stages of owning your own business, it’s crucial to invest time and strategy in your brand. What’s in a brand? Your brand is a visual representation of who you are as a company. Through your logo, your wording, and your images, your brand presents the face of your business, and it is often your first impression to potential customers.
part 1
LOGO A strong brand has a few key elements: 1. Recognizable, memorable logo
64. Richard Creative 2. Clear, concise message 3. Consistency
Creating a professional, timeless logo is often the first step in establishing yourself as a bona fide business. The most effective logo will be instantly recognizable. Here are a few tried and true tips to create a logo that tells your story, and sticks with potential clients… 1. Create a strong silhouette
Choose something that looks great in color or in black and white - this will give you flexibility, and give you the chance to save money on future printing projects! 2. Keep it simple
Simple = easy to remember. That’s the main goal! 3. Put. It. Everywhere!
From office stationary and new business cards, to your Facebook profile image and giveaways – make sure your logo is tied to your business at every opportunity
Read Online:
Read Online:
MERCH
WEBSITE
part 2
How To Get Started: There are many ways to create a logo – you can take the DIY approach through websites like Canva.com, or you can partner with a professional. Working with a professional designer will take an upfront investment (typically starting at $250+), but it definitely comes with perks! • Polished, thoughtful design • Professional-grade files, in multiple formats for different applications • High resolution and quality, so that your design never looks pixilated or warped Working with a local designer will also allow you to collaborate on future projects, like applying your logo to marketing material, merchandise, and websites. These tasks will be much easier with a pro on your team! Need a hand bringing your logo to life? Contact the Richard Creative team! Our experience and know-how are at your disposal, and we would love to partner with you to create a successful, lasting brand.
A Creative Agency for Smart Businesses info@Richard-Creative.com
318-490-6555 Richard-Creative.com
part 3
Page 64 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
AudioBook 65. (COMMUNITY)Review Audiobook Review by Danielle Richard
WRITTEN BY DANIELLE RICHARD
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER By Tara Westover Read by Julia Whelan
Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover, details her unusual upbringing and the monumental journey to a new life, leaving the bizarre world of her youth behind.
W
estover takes the reader along as she describes her life growing up with her fundamentalist parents in the rural mountains of Idaho. The youngest of seven children, she was born at home with no documentation whatsoever. She wouldn’t get a birth certificate until she was seven years old. Her parents were distrustful of the government and never allowed their younger children to attend public school, nor did they provide much of an education at home. Parts of her account sound like a storybook existence of hard work and survival set to the backdrop of a breathtaking mountainside wilderness. However, every part of her family’s existence would come to be defined by her father’s unspoken mental illness. As a young girl, Westover loved spending her time out in nature on the mountain and enjoyed the different types of
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 65
work each season brought. This enjoyment, however, was often in contrast to her father’s bizarre beliefs, like his swearing off dairy products on behalf of the entire family based on his interpretation of scripture. At times, his bipolar disorder (as she would later learn was the name of his condition) dictated that the family prepare and stockpile food for the end of times. At other times, he would become isolated and withdraw from the family due to a deep depression. His prohibition of medical care and modern conventions like car insurance created turmoil for the family. He was a danger to those he loved due to the family rules and religious views he enforced. While some of her older siblings moved on and out, the younger Tara was left to endure the baffling and abusive atmosphere. As an adolescent, Westover began to distance herself from her family, escaping to voice lessons and drama productions in town and even taking a job working away from her father’s construction and scrapping businesses. She and a particular book-worm sibling had always talked about attending school in town, although neither were brave enough to stand up to their father. At 16, with the encouragement of her brother, she managed to teach herself enough trigonometry to pass the ACT test. At age 17, she stepped into a classroom for the first time as a college freshman at Brigham Young University.
Readlola.com/books
AVAILABILITY Hardcover Book: AMAZON, BARNES & NOBLE, TARGET, WALMART, BOOKS-AMILLION, APPLE BOOKS, INDIEBOUND Audiobook: Audible.com Book Club Reading Guide: The book’s publisher has a Reader’s Guide available online for book clubs. We’ll add a link to it at Readlola.com/books
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Page 66 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
About the reviewer: Danielle Williamson Richard is a
graphic designer, owner of Richard Creative, and the art director of Lola Magazine. She is all about organizing and creating, and has been a book nerd her whole life. Audiobooks and podcasts have become a near-obsession in her adult life, as listening while doing mundane chores makes for a much happier mama. Danielle is the mother of two exceptional children,
As I read about her struggles trying to exist in what seemed like such a foreign environment to her, I kept hoping someone (ANYONE!) would learn about her plight and recognize her need for some guidance in this new world. She silently forged ahead, unaware of some of the most basic and common habits of her peers, like washing her hands, going to the doctor, or even taking ibuprofen for a headache. It took many years and much confusion, but through persistence and dedication, she would come to find her niche in the study of history and historians. She graduated from BYU and went on to earn a Master’s degree and Ph.D. from Cambridge. I was enthralled throughout by each vivid detail and every new discovery she made. By the end I was relieved that she found a way to escape the harmful environment into which she was born. The decision to become estranged from her parents was not an easy one and I felt for her as she grappled with the pitfalls of her new life. Educated is a fascinating glimpse into a very unusual perspective of the world and it reminded me to appreciate the relative ease of my own life, at least relative to what Tara Westover endured. I came away with admiration for her intellect, wisdom, work ethic, and brilliant storytelling of a life that is more complex and beautiful than any fiction could offer.
67. Audiobook Review • ½ Bank of Montgomery and spends her days managing Richard Creative with her husband, James.
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July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 67
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Page 68 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Get Out of the Pool and Back to School with Improved Focus, Enhanced Memory Plus Processing Skills!
69. Learning Rx Ad
Our one-on-one approach can help to break through the biggest struggles associated with learning disabilities, attention issues, dyslexia and more! LearningRx brain training can make this school year as refreshing as a dip in the pool on a hot summer day!
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8856 Youree Dr., Ste D | Shreveport, LA 71115 | 318.797.8523 | www.learningrx.com/shreveport July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 69
OUT of the POOL and Back to
SCHOOL 70. (KIDDOS) Out of The Pool and G
Schoolby readiness Back to School DonesaWalker
etting off the summer slide and getting the brain ready for the academic prowess of school is an important part of July. Celebrating the July 4th holiday, then beginning to purchase school clothes, backpacks and supplies consumes our time and minds. But backing away from the brain drain of summer means more than just gearing up with supplies. It means that the brain must be made ready once again for a fantastic year of learning. Here are a few tips to avoid the dread of another school year and instead get the brain in gear for a great start to a fantastic year.
at all ages
BY DONESA WALKER, M.ED. OWNER OF LEARNINGRX AND BRAIN TRAIN LEARNING SOLUTIONS
Page 70 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
1
Cognitive skills & fitness
Working memory is the biggest predictor of school success. Recent research has shown us that in order for a student to have the largest success in academic skills, the students must have cognitive flexibility, which requires adequate working memory. What kind of memory? Working memory... that is the amount of memory your brain has to keep multiple thought processes occurring somewhat simultaneously. I say somewhat because the brain can truly only perform one thing at a time, but the efficiency of task switching relies on the short-term memory and the working memory. When working memory is in high demand but not enough of it available, the brain simply cannot remember multiple steps or directions and confusion or complete shutdown occurs. There are several ways to enhance this type of memory, but each of these requires deliberate intervention. One, a person can enroll in a cognitive fitness intervention program such as that offered at LearningRx, which personalizes the fitness workouts to the needs of the client. Two, a person can do online games such as Brain apps and games with a purposeful and meaningful approach spending time each day doing these. Three, a person can choose to play memory games such as board games like 5 Second Rule or Scattergories daily. Fourth, one can choose to do recall activities, such as remembering what is in the refrigerator or on a particular shelf. Knowing the strength or weakness of this skill and deliberately enhancing it can make all the difference to a year of success. Being cognitively fit means that the student struggles less to learn even if the instruction is hard to understand. Cognitive fitness can be the key to opening up doors to the students’ futures.
is training the students to persevere under the pressure, learning to manage stress by letting the pressure become a source of fortitude rather than a weight. Ways to enhance this in your child is simply letting them become bored and learning to do something with that. Let them struggle through a situation or hard place by encouraging them that they can do it if they will persevere and that you are there with them. Reminding them that at 211 degrees, water is just really hot. But one degree more of effort and the water boils, which means it takes off into the air as steam...it transcends the current uncomfortable place to become more.
3
Mindset & motivation
Growth mindset is the most powerful source of motivation as it allows the person to see the potential of what can be. Encouraging growth mindset is an everyday activity. It requires the restati ng of the I can’t to the I can if I give it another try and if that fails, then one more time. One of my students came in saying this is impossible and he learned quickly that there is no such thing. Eating an elephant starts with one bite at a time. He quickly changed to saying this is hard but it isn’t impossible and this has helped him strive this past year to be on the honor roll despite his struggles in learning in the past. Understanding that change comes because I make it happen rather than change comes and takes me along for the ride is the key to unlocking growth mindset. There is a terrific resource for this at BigLifeJournal.com. The Resilience Packet or the Growth Mindset packets are well worth the investment for your child or grandchild.
71. Out of the Pool and back to school
2
Grit & fortitude
Grit is one of the biggest determiners of completion of a task or goal. Grit means that the person perseveres no matter what is thrown their way and this is a trained skill. The difference in grit and fortitude is important to recognize. Fortitude is defined as mental or emotional strength that enables courage in the face of adversity while grit is defined as firmness of mind, invincible spirit, courage or fearlessness. Fortitude comes naturally to some and others struggle in the face of adversity, but grit can give one fortitude. As brain trainers at LearningRx, one of the biggest factors
4
Nutrition & hydration
Never can enough be said about hydration for the brain and nutrition for the body which affect the brain. 85% of Americans do not get enough magnesium into their diet to keep their brain function at capacity of growth and 80% of Americans hydrate incorrectly. Each morning, before anything else, every child should have a glass of water. The brain and body become dehydrated overnight. How can the brain function without fuel? Put a bottle of water on your child’s nightstand and teach them to drink it as soon as they wake up. This will help with short-term memory. Get a baggie of mixed nuts and super fruits to snack on
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 71
throughout the day, which will help with the magnesium benefits and end the day with an Epsom salt bath especially for those in sports as this will help with muscle cramping too.
TV hours at a time. Rest is critical for the brain and this is important to the overall health. Rest means no stimulating brain activity and that includes vegging out to TV. The brain needs to rest at least 15 minutes per hour
5
Sleep & rest
There is a huge difference in sleep and rest. Sleep should be restful but not all rest is sleep. Sleep should be 8-10 hours for the teen to child ratio. Too many Americans especially young ones are suffering with too little sleep due to technology. No streaming videos, gaming, TV or tablets at least 1 hour prior to bed! The brain cannot fall into proper REM sleep until it processes all of the information seen and taken in so if your child is going to sleep to TV or videos then their sleep pattern is being interrupted. Remember to limit the daily intake of technology to 10 minutes times the age of the child… that’s correct…none for those under 1 and that toddler should not be walking around with a tablet or consuming
in order to function well. So that means that for each hour of activity, the brain needs a few minutes to decompress…I know that schools don’t often provide this time but teach your child to find it when they can. A moment of prayer or meditation can have the same effect, so teach them deep breathing and restful mindfulness. For now, it’s a few more weeks until school, so take the time to incorporate these habits above into a cognitive fitness lifestyle. Take some time to rest by that pool and do some brain games. Enjoy the times with friends and family. Snack on some nuts and take a hot salt bath. Go get a massage and enjoy some random, boring down time so that your brain can come to the best year ever!
72. Donesa Interview Q &A : T H E L AUN CHIN G O F
The BrainTrain Learning Solutions
Q
Tell us a little about you.
A
I am a lifelong educator passionate about the learning process for all people. I believe learning
should be fun, engaging and full of experiences. I worked in the public school system for over 20 years in addition to several years in administration in charter/private school settings and within the homeschool community for over 10 years. Most recently, I have worked in the cognitive training industry for the last 11 years here in the Shreveport-Bossier area as the owner/director of LearningRx of ShreveportBossier. Through these experiences, I have seen the need for a wide variety of services and so the birth of The Brain Train Educational Services has been a long time in the making. I am a wife and a mother of two wonderful sons. I am active in my church and happy to be a contributing part of this community.
Q
What was the motivation to open this new avenue? I mean you have been so successful here for the last 11 years doing brain training at LearningRx so why the change/added services and why now?
A
Frankly, need. So many clients have come to me with a wide variety of need from an advocate for their dyslexic child to a coordinator of special services for parents struggling with memory to needing someone to advise them on homeschooling curriculum or needing assistance with finding the right mix of things for an ADHD child. I am still here to offer brain training as this is a very important piece of what I have been doing but I no longer am limited to only that as a resource. The need for more has grown as more and more people of all ages need to address their cognitive function in different manners. Technology and changes to the way we educate have introduced new avenues of learning as
Page 72 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
well as new challenges and I want to be able to embrace all the pillars of learning and provide a more robust service to our community. I also recognize that some services are very costly and I want to be able to reach out to more with a variety of price points and product offerings that will fit more in line with the budget and time constraints of our community.
Q A
What will the new services look like and how do people know what they need? That is exactly why I am opening this more robust offering. Most people struggling with learning don’t know
where to start and many people struggle with where to turn for advice. Does my child need tutoring or brain training? Should
Q
What are the exact services that you will be offering now? Some of the offerings will be:
1. Cost effective/affordable homework help as homework in this day/age is often very complicated and we are so busy that it is hard to get it done. Especially projects like science fair. 2. Instructional specialist advising services so that parents/ students can come to one place to look at various options for schooling from preschool through college. 3. Educational testing/review so that parents can get a true unbiased measure of where their child is and can take these results to other qualified professionals if needed or can use results to make curriculum decisions. 4. Homeschool, private school and local public school
I do meds or try a natural route and which natural route? What
shopping guides…we will have a menu of what each
is the first step when I am starting to struggle with my memory
school has to offer and hopefully even can help with
or I have a parent who is beginning to struggle? Should I choose public, private or homeschool and which school is right for my child? It is so confusing for so many people and there is a constant demand or barrage of information that causes an overwhelming overload and people are scared they are being directed one way or another and not sure it is the
73. Donesa Interview
scheduling tours or have dates for open houses, etc. 5. For the adult, we will have menus of local services that can partner to help with different needs such as knowing who to go to at which step of concern as well as getting back into school options, resources, etc. 6. Brain training options through LearningRx are still available as well. But we will also have other specialists we can offer
right way. I can tell you that as a parent, it is undoubtedly the
a menu for such as psychologists, psychiatrists, counseling,
hardest job ever and then as a daughter with parents who have
speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.
had health concerns that have affected cognitive function, that is hard too. Even my own recent medical issues put this top of mind that it is super important to have resources and to know who those resources are in the community. In essence, I am choosing to open this side of business as an economic, cost efficient resource provider to the community to help direct them to the different options we have so they can make better choices. Many of the offerings we have in Shreveport-Bossier are not even available in other parts of our state at all.
Q
Do you not think that you will be a little biased in your offerings, I mean, after all, your other business
of LearningRx will be offering some of the services.
A
That is true. It is hard not to be biased in truth in some ways but I am a pretty forthright person and anyone who
knows me will tell you that I will tell you the truth even if it hurts a little. I definitely do not know all, but I plan to be able to offer a wide variety of services with the focus on cognitive function obviously as well as to be a community resource of other services available in our community.
The primary reason for all of this is to be a one stop place where people can go to see what local resources are there for their learning needs at various ages without just having to pick luck of the draw or waste time searching on the internet & cold calling only to get frustrated with what is/is not available.
Q
When will these services be available to the public?
A
We are building up the menu of offerings and doing all the research necessary to be able to offer a full menu by May but we are beginning with the homework/ project help now. It is only $15 for ½ hour of help which is super reasonable and we look forward to being able to help a lot of frazzled parents get some peace at the end of this school year. We will even have a listing of summer camps/ VBS and other offerings soon so people can start shopping for those too. As a mom, this was so hard to try to find which things to involve my child in and where to sign up and how to know all the stuff…guidance counseling on these things is so important. Knowing that Shreveport-Bossier has incredible offerings and many times people just don’t know about them, I hope to shine a light on many of these and open doors to new opportunities in our area.
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 73
Introducing
T H E
BRAI N TRA I N L E A R N I N G • Cost
effective/affordable homework/project help • Educational advising services • Psycho-educational testing and diagnosis with licensed psychologist.
SOL U T I ON S • Home
school, private school and local public school shopping guides • Adult Learning Options • Cognitive Therapy
74. Brain Train AD (learning RX)
Staffed by local educators, diagnosticians & psychologists
Our mission is to be a single resource for testing and learning interventions, connecting community services to the individual client.
Call Today! 318.644.3884
8856PageYouree Dr., Ste D1 | Shreveport, LA 71115 74 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Experience the 75. JAC
GOOD LIFE
Ruston, Louisiana | Est. 2002
Membership options available • squirecreek.com For real estate opportunities contact Betsy Bryan (318) 768.7000
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 75
5
OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE WRITTEN BY DR KAREN PENDLETON
Did you know that it only takes 66 days for a behavior to become a habit?
If
you know your “why,” then you know the person you
passing day.
You may succeed in
reaching the top of one mountain
›› Having a vision for your financial health.
want to be. However, it’s not always
only to have fresh insights about other
›› Saving a particular amount of money.
easy to be that person every day.
mountains. Mountains you didn’t
›› Paying off your mortgage.
Your habits sometimes work for you
even know were there. Priorities and
and sometimes against you.
dreams change.
›› Being happy and content with what you have.
76. (HEALTH&BEAUTY) Healthy Habits for Success by Dr Karen Pendleton Thus,
successfully navigating these complex minefields to become the person you aspired to be can be challenging. I’d
like to set out to inspire you and share with you some practical codes for successful living and working in your world.
What does success mean to you? What kind of success would you like in your life? Success is the accomplishment of any number of possible aspirations, dreams or goals. It’s very personal and unique to you. To be able to look back and say, “I lived a successful life” means successfully pursuing a myriad of aims and goals. My hope is that this article will guide you to accomplishing them, from your
Think about it now. What does success look like? ›› Knowing your “why”... your purpose.
›› Attending to your brain health, like “loving your brain” and “feeding your brain.”
›› Possessing healthy relationships, both personal and professional. ›› Following your heart without regrets. ›› Embracing your understanding of spirituality and/or following your faith practice. ›› Managing your stress. ›› Being at peace. ›› Loving your work and never feeling stressed doing it. ›› Adopting good nutritional and gut health. ›› Losing weight and sustaining the weight loss.
to the smallest and most mundane.
›› Practicing generational health, thus bringing up your children well and seeing them create their own families.
Your list of dreams and goals probably
›› Working toward hormonal balance.
largest and most audacious through
seems pretty endless and one thing is for certain - it will change with each
›› Dedicating yourself to daily exercise, such as cardio, weights and calming forms.
›› Traveling to countries that you have on your bucket list. ›› Learning a foreign language. ›› Learning an art form - dance, music, painting. ›› Running a marathon.
These are just suggestions based on goals I hear from family, friends and patients that I manage. Take time out now to write down your own list. Please don’t edit yourself and don’t worry about what order the ideas come to you. Just let them flow out in a stream of consciousness. These 5 actions that follow will help you achieve any kind of success you can imagine. The ideas relate to all areas of your work and life: ›› Personality and character. ›› Relationships and parenting. ›› Learning and studying. ›› Health and peace. ›› Work and career. ›› Wealth and finances. ›› Retirement and legacy.
Page 76 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
1
Successful People Always Remember Their “Why”
Research shows that knowing your purpose…your “why” in life is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy. It is important to note that your profession is not your purpose. Your profession is a tool. It is the craft you use to accomplish your purpose. How do you get to your purpose? It is a mindset about why you wake up each day. If you know your purpose, then you are one of the lucky ones. But, beware of complacency so that you don’t lose it. If you are still defining your purpose, then these tools will help. Use a Post-it Note & Write down these three words 1. Grow 2. Give 3. Gratitude Each morning, ask yourself these questions: 1. How will I grow today? ...KEY: Learn something new every day 2. What can I gift to someone today? ...Key: gift without expecting something in return (This can be a skill that is hard to learn. We frequently feel that if we give, we should receive something in return. Give for the sake of loving people). ...Bonus Point: the most valuable gift you can offer is yourself. 3. For whom or what am I grateful? ...KEY: Be open to receiving “gifts” from other people.
77. Healthy Habits
Each evening answer these questions: 1. How did I grow today? What did I learn? 2. To whom did I gift today? 3. What happened today that I am grateful for? ...Practice “The Law of Receptivity.” ...The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.
2
Successful People Read Daily
Reading broadens your understanding and appreciation of life and of yourself…your brain. It is NEVER too late to have a healthy brain! By reading, this allows for the learning of something new every day, and with neuroplasticity, you can cause the brain to become bigger, stronger and more active, at ANY age!
3
Successful People Belong To A Tribe
“For millions of years, human beings have been part of one tribe or another. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate.” (Seth Godin)
Healthy relationships or tribes are a vital component of health and wellbeing. Studies have demonstrated that these
positive connections help folks live longer; deal with stress; be healthier; and feel richer! Just flourish! Conversely, the health risks from being alone or isolated in one’s life are comparable to the risks associated with cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and obesity. And, in fact other studies reveal that low social support is linked to a number of health consequences: depression, decreased immune function and other physical, emotional and spiritual health problems.
4
Successful People Manage Their Stress
“Stress is the trash of modern life – we all generate it but if you don’t dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.” (Terri Guillemets)
Here are some recommendations for coping with stress: STOP Stress in its Tracks…Stress Reduction ›› S: Stop…Relax ›› T: Take…Breath ›› O: Observe…Mind and Body ›› P: Proceed...in the Positive
Specifically, institute down shifting / downsizing; engage in self-care / self-love; practice mindfulness; and perform other stress management coping skills, i.e., practice gratitude, practice kindness, allow for digital detox, become emotionally intelligent and eat clean, whole and nutrient-dense foods.
5
Successful People Make Health A Priority “Your Health Is Your Most Treasured Asset.” (Alan P. Mintz, M.D.)
It is extremely important to become proactive regarding your own health and wellness. You MUST be your own advocate! To do this consider a lifestyle medicine evaluation, whereby a comprehensive workup is performed. You should definitely know your numbers, i.e., fasting blood sugar and insulin levels, along with Hemoglobin A1C; lipid / cholesterol panel; kidney and liver functions; chemistries and electrolytes; complete blood count; sensitive / specific thyroid function tests; Vitamin D3; nutritional biomarkers; risk for heart disease markers and sex hormone levels, including cortisol (stress hormone). With regard to sleep fitness, are you getting 7 to 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep or your own “sleep need”? (FYI: “sleep need” varies with age and socially-determined wake-up time.) Besides feeling rested in the morning, there are some significant benefits derived from experiencing quality and quantity of sleep on a nightly basis. Good sleep can turn on 700 health promoting genes.
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Eating and drinking well is important. Because water is the largest component of the body, thus proper hydration (1/2 your body weight in ounces) with “Ideal Water” is vital. In my opinion, “Ideal Water” is Electrolyzed Reduced Water. This is Charged (acting as an Antioxidant) Alkaline Water… water with a pH greater than neutral (pH of 7.0) …somewhere between 8.5 and 9.5. Daily eating of clean, whole, fresh and seasonal vegetables and fruits, along with nuts, seeds and whole grains is key. Remember we can’t get all of our nutrient values from the foods, because the soils have been so over farmed; therefore, I recommend these categories of supplements; and they include: 1. A food-grade, nutrient dense Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Complex based on optimal levels of ingredients and not “fairy-dusted” RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances). 2. Omegas / Fish Oils sourced ethically from smaller fish like sardines, anchovies and/or krill, thus decreasing our exposure to mercury. 3. A natural form of Vitamin D3, partnered with absorbable / chelated forms of Calcium and Magnesium (1:1 ratio), along with Vitamin K2 that directs those macrominerals, Calcium and Magnesium into bones as opposed to blood vessels.
The question always comes up. What is the best exercise(s)? The simple answer… The exercise that you will do! I believe in moving naturally and engaging in “Smart Exercise.”
It is important to schedule on your calendar (personal planner) 5 to 7 days a week, preferably in the morning, a variety of the three forms of exercise. Each exercise session should have a duration of 30 – 45 minutes, minimum. DR KAREN PENDLETON: Co-Founder/ CEO of the concierge Lifestyle Medicine practice: Pair O’ Docs Bio-Rejuvenis. Affiliate, FitnessGenes Pro. Earned Doctor of Medicine degree from Tulane University School of Medicine; and completed Ophthalmology Residency and Fellowship training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the LSU Eye Center, both institutes in New Orleans, LA. Received continuing education from Tulane’s Institute for Culinary Medicine and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Passion is for patient education at the individual and community levels. Take a comprehensive approach to patient care, concentrating on the management of metabolic and hormonal imbalances; correction of nutritional deficits; and tailoring exercise physiology. Encourage each patient, their families and our communities to achieve health, personal fulfillment and the goal-attainment of “Be Healthy…Look Better…Perform Well. DISCLAIMER: All of the information found in this article is based on the opinion of the author Karen M. Pendleton, M.D. The information is meant to motivate readers to make their own health decisions after consulting with their own health care providers. All readers should consult a doctor before making a health change, especially those that are related to a specific diagnosis or health condition. No information in this article should be relied on in determining a diet, making a medical diagnosis or determining a treatment for a medical condition. The information in this article is not intended to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare practitioner and is not intended as medical advice. No information in this article should be used to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease or condition.
78. Healthy Habits • ½ Citizens Bank (camera ready
Gina Eubanks, Allstate Insurance Company
I’ve had the privilege of doing business with Citizens National Bank for over 15 years. After six business ventures and three new construction houses, they have stood “with me” all the way. They have always been a source of encouragement with all of my business ventures. They have supported me not only through financing but providing advice as well as creative thinking in modern day commercial lending. Not only have they proved to be valuable and integral in my business planning strategies as well as personally, they are just great people!
NMLS#412577 www.citizensnb.com Page 78 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
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To schedule a personal tour, contact us at (318) 343-1626 or email at azaleaestatesniki@gmail.com www.azaleaestates.com/senior-living/la/monroe/old-sterlington-rd July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 79
SUMMERTIME Make It Count
80. Squire Creek (pickup?) Keeping it Real with Teri Netterville I saw a quote the other day that said, “Remember, you only have 18 summers with your kids and this is one of them, so make it count.” I’ve been through 20 summers with at least one, then two, and finally three children by my side looking up to me to help them make sweet summertime memories. Luckily for them, I grew up in a home where making memories was a priority. Providing opportunities for memorable experiences was more important to my parents than just about anything else…even, many times, more important than money. Is money needed to make happy memories? Many times it is, but not all of the time. If you can be creative and resourceful, you can ensure that your children grow up only to look back and reflect upon their childhood summer days as some of the sweetest and most precious times of their lives with you. The most important ingredient is your time and your attention. Time management will become your greatest antidote for a
calm spirit. When you can figure out a way to manage your adult obligations, while offering your children you without the phone or computer in front of your face, you are giving them all they really want and need in their young world. It’s about choices. And life is chalk-full of them. Look, I get it. As parents, our days are filled with obligations and responsibilities…those things we really don’t have a choice about. However, you do have a choice in how to utilize your time to complete your tasks at hand. Here is what I know for sure: Deadlines and obligations will come and go throughout your life. And yes, those things are important, but hear me when I say this: There will come a time when your child/ children are grown and no longer living under your roof and your main concern will not be whether or not you got every work deadline in on time. Your concern will be, “Did my children know they were my greatest priority? My greatest loves?” “Did I put enough time and energy into making their childhood happy and full?” “Will their memories include me
Page 78 80 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
being fully invested and present in their lives or will they think back and remember me with my face in my phone or focused on my computer screen?” It’s all about the choices you make right now. Here is an easy way to make this summer with your children fun and memorable, while getting your work done and without being completely frazzled. Make a summer bucket list! Sit down with your children and together make a long list of everything fun that you all hope to do and accomplish this summer. There must be rules in place, of course, especially for those of you who work from home or have obligations that must be tended to throughout the day. But only you know what those rules need to be for you and your family, so set those rules from the outset. Smiling excitedly, say something like, “Okay guys, I think I have come up with a perfect plan for us! Even though you guys know that Mommy has to work from her computer each day for my job, everyone knows that my biggest and most favorite job in this world is being your mom! Everybody knows that about me! That’s why I need you guys to help me with
this perfect plan that I think will keep my bosses happy, but mostly will keep you guys and me happy and having fun this summer!” This intro allows them to first and foremost know that they are your top priority, not work. Your job is important, but what is more important to you is them and being with them making fun summer memories together. So, in order for you to be able to follow through with some fun summer experiences with them, they will need to also help you think of ways that they can stay busy while you get your work done. Next, pull out an actual bucket for your “Summer Bucket List”…or you can pull out a huge poster size chart that you’ve already made into a “Calendar of Summer Events” with the calendar days blank and ready to be filled in with fun ideas. If I were you, I’d actually go online and look up things like, “Fun ideas to make summer memories at home” or “Ways to create lasting family memories on a budget.” Or even Google something like “Fun summer events” in your hometown. You will have hundreds of wonderful ideas pop up on your screen for you to throw out to your children if they can’t think of anything for themselves in that moment!
81. (LALADIES) Keeping it Real: Summertime by Teri Netterville THIS SEARCH WILL SUGGEST THINGS LIKE: • LEMONADE DAY: The all-American fun experience
• • • • •
of selling lemonade at your own front yard lemonade stand! And as with everything, if you want to make it more memorable for your children, you can decide to give the money to a local charity. Maybe even post about it on Facebook so that their friends can stop by for some yummy lemonade and to also contribute to your charity. INDOOR CAMPING: set up a fun campsite in your own living room, using chairs and sheets to make your own tent. BACKYARD CAMPING and add miniature golf. WATER FUN. There are a zillion ideas about how to have water fun in the backyard. SCIENCE FUN. There are also many, many ideas online that are age-appropriate, fun and interesting! PIZZA and MOVIE day
• BACKYARD PICNIC • SMORE’S NIGHT • BAKE something fun and different together. Maybe • • • •
• • •
even wear chef hats and aprons. PLANT A GARDEN together. PAINT PLANTERS and then go to your local nursery to buy whatever seeds your children wish to plant. Have a SCAVENGER HUNT! INDOOR OBSTACLE COURSE. Using chairs and other household objects, build an obstacle course that they can crawl under, walk over, do a crab crawl through and so on. GAME DAY/OR NIGHT. Allow them to pull out their favorite games. A real DANCE PARTY! WRITE A BOOK together!
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 81 79
There are also hundreds and hundreds of fun ideas to do away from your home just waiting for you guys to take advantage of! Sometimes we just can’t think of what to do in the moment. The internet and the people who share ideas online can be a beautiful and wonderful thing. For those of you who work 9-5 jobs and just simply cannot be there with your children during these summer months, it’s okay! Here’s a solution: Hire a sitter who will follow through with these fun and memorable experiences with your children. I did that with some children for a couple of summers and it was so much fun! That’s what it’s all about anyway, right? Providing fun, happy, sweet summertime memories for your babies. My niece, Sunny, thought of a fun way to share in the summer fun with the girls she babysat. During the summer months, she labeled her time with them as, “Sunny Camp.” Even though she kept the girls during the school year when needed, the summer months became something extra special to the girls, simply by Sunny naming their time together as “Sunny
Camp!” Sunny created a folder full of ideas that ranged from pool day, free museum tour day, create a play day, go to the zoo day, etc. The girls could go through the folder and pick out an activity they wanted to do each day. They loved “Sunny Camp” and it was the perfect solution for their parents who wanted their girls to have the best summer memories ever, even though they couldn’t be there with them during the daytime hours. Summers are so much fun, especially for the kids. They are away from school, have endless amounts of energy and want nothing more than having fun and staying occupied. For parents, these memories will be among the most cherished times of our lives and will give us such satisfaction as our kids grow up and retell some of the fun summer memories that we all shared together. But in order to provide these times for our kids, we must put in a lot of work, time, effort and energy. My gosh, it can be exhausting, so it’s a good thing that it’s all worth it. …Hey…just keepin’ it real.
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WOMEN IN BUSINESS:
85. (LALADIES) Women in A Brewing Community Business A Brewing Community by Kirsten W Gladen WRITTEN BY KIRSTEN GLADEN
ho knew that coffee can build community? I didn’t know either until I met motherdaughter duo Teresa and Shelby Sheppard. These women own and operate two of Monroe’s newest coffee houses and are taking a unique twist to the ever-growing Coffee Culture. The Sheppards are no strangers to entrepreneurship. Theresa and her husband Phillip have owned several businesses throughout the years like a garbage company, an arcade, and a community swimming pool to name a few. However, in 2010, the couple sold their commercial and residential construction company. Teresa then opted to stay at home and raise her grandkids to allow her three eldest children an opportunity to work and pursue their passions. But, when her youngest grandchild began school, she found herself wanting to go into business for herself. Theresa says, “I had always worked for my dad or my husband and I wanted something to do.” At the suggestion of her youngest child Shelby, she decided to open Bayou Brew House in October 2018 at the age of 61. But it became a family venture and a labor of love. Teresa, along with her husband and her family, completed the labor themselves
to turn a once-residential property into a local coffee house. Prior to the suggestion of the new family business, Shelby already had a peaked interest in not only coffee, but entrepreneurship in general. As the youngest, she had long witnessed the family being in business for themselves. When asked what she witnessed, Shelby states, “I saw my family have determination, tenacity, and ambition to go after things and see things through.” That same tenacity and ambition is what ultimately led Shelby to coffee. While playing basketball at Centenary College in Shreveport, Shelby would often frequent Rhino Coffee, which unbeknownst to her would become her muse. She says, “I always loved coffee and I enjoyed the vibe and atmosphere there.” It wasn’t until Shelby blew out her knee that she really decided to pursue her interest. In speaking about her life following her injury, Shelby says, “I worked as a camp counselor for two summers then I completed one semester at University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM), but when the opportunity came to go into business, I acted on it.” In preparation to start her business, Shelby enrolled in Texas Coffee School in Mansfield, Texas, and completed 17 hours of training to become a barista. Shelby learned everything from different brewing techniques to how many parts per million of water should be in a cup of
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 85
coffee to achieve a certain t a s t e . S h e l b y exclaims, “My favorite thing is seeing my friends drink black coffee; that’s incredible to me and one of my favorite things!” She also states, “I knew that I wanted coffee making to be a craft and not just something that we do.” And with that, Cypress Coffee Co. opened its doors in February 2019. In describing their businesses, Teresa likes to describe her coffee house Bayou Brew House as “comfort cozy,” while she describes her daughter Shelby’s location Cypress Coffee Co. as “urban trendy.” Despite the differences, the women agree on one thing - creating a coffee culture in Monroe that’s not commercially driven. In both locations, the women strive to know your name and memorize your order. Teresa states, “I want to be an established location and when people pass by, they think, that’s always been there.” She further states, “I want to be a gathering place for the neighborhood and when people have events to host, I want them to think about Bayou Brew House.” Not only does Bayou Brew House offer an assortment of artisan coffee, but also breakfast, plate lunches, sandwiches, and homemade desserts. In speaking of her menu, Theresa insists, “people connect over food.” And she wants to live up to her “comfy cozy” title, “I love when ULM students come in to study and eat. I had one customer that spent hours in here. Once I fed her, she wrapped up in her blanket and took a nap in the booth, then
woke up and got back to studying.” Also, as part of her business model, Teresa does not utilize other baristas or servers that frequently approach customer’s tables. She takes and delivers orders herself. She explains, “I don’t want people to think they have to leave, I want them to stay awhile.” On the other hand, Cypress Coffee Co. takes on a different persona. Shelby likes to think that she caters to young professionals and creatives since she’s nestled in Monroe’s revitalized downtown area. However, the space has kept its urban rawness with exposed brick and a meeting room with velvet chairs that’s sectioned off with a large glass partition, hence the “urban trendy” label. In speaking of her business, Shelby wants to be the hub for innovation and forward-thinking. She outlines, “I want to show that Monroe is not stale or still. We can all work together to succeed. Monroe is big enough to where you can’t know everybody, but still small enough to build community.” Both believe there is room for growth in Monroe for women and small businesses. Teresa states, “We’re on the edge…we’re right there within reach.” However, she believes we all must be active participants for the vision to come true. She further states, “Monroe needs community - If you can’t find a spot, create one!” Which is what this mother-daughter pair plan to continue to do. In speaking of the future, both Teresa and Shelby have their sights on expanding. Shelby describes, “I would like for each location to take on the persona of the environment. I want each coffee house to be unique and connect, but not like a chain (commercial franchise), but branches on a tree where one location is an extension of the other.” They also have hopes of becoming more social and integrating in the community by hosting open mic nights and live music. The businesses may even expand to offer craft beer, wine, and signature drinks for after-hour events. However, the community is already taking notice. Bayou Brew House was a 2019 nominee for the Thomas H. Scott Award of Excellence for Small Business by the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. And although they didn’t win, both Teresa and Shelby remain steadfast in their commitment to coffee. Shelby affirms, “It’s my hobby and my livelihood!”
86. Women In Business
Bayou Brew House
7129 DeSiard Street Monroe, LA 71203 6:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M.
Cypress Coffee Co.
523 DeSiard Street Monroe, LA 71201 7:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.
Page 86 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
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July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 87
LA s Grambling v TECH state FOOTBALL ties community together — WRITTEN BY TONYA OAKS SMITH —
Louisiana Tech & Grambling are scheduled to face off Sept. 7 at Joe Aillet Stadium in what will be the first ever meeting in Lincoln Parish for the two programs. The Bulldogs and Tigers have met once on the gridiron in the all-time series with Tech defeating Grambling, 20-6, to open the 2010 season at Independence Stadium in Shreveport.
88. La Tech Content
Page 88 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
“We are excited to be involved in what will be only the second meeting between Louisiana Tech and Grambling and the first time in Lincoln Parish,” Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz said. “I have great respect for Coach Fobbs and the history of the Grambling program. This is a great event for bringing the two communities together and I am looking forward to these two programs gathering in the name of sportsmanship and community. We are anticipating a hardfought, well-respected football game.” Although fans will have to wait until September for kickoff, the two teams have already come together in support of their shared community. On June 4, the Bulldogs and Tigers gathered for a community service project to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of North Central Louisiana and MedCamps. Throughout the day, team members from both Grambling and Louisiana Tech united to serve Lincoln Parish and the community.
On June 5, the schools and community joined again for a kickoff luncheon at the Ruston Civic Center. Proceeds from the event, sponsored by Origin Bank, benefited the Boys & Girls Club and MedCamps. “We are excited to share this opportunity with Louisiana Tech and the community in Lincoln Parish,” Grambling head coach Broderick Fobbs said. “While we look forward to our football game on Sept. 7, we also wanted to share this outstanding community service engagement to help those at the Boys and Girls Club, as well as MedCamps.” Ticket sales for the matchup will begin at 9 a.m. on June 3 at $10 in specific sections of Joe Aillet Stadium and gradually increase throughout each month this summer leading up to the game on Sept. 7. For the month of June, fans can purchase $10 tickets to the contest for
seats in sections II (West Side) and KK (East Side). Beginning July 1 and running through the end of the month, tickets will increase to $15 for sections I, II (West) and sections LL, QQ, RR (East). In the final month leading up to the Lincoln Parish matchup, tickets will go on sale for $20 for sections HH, BB (West) and sections MM, NN, PP (East). There will be regular-priced tickets available to purchase for all remaining seats the final week before the Sept. 7 kickoff between the Bulldogs and Tigers. Fans can purchase the single-game tickets online at LATechSports.com/ Tickets or by calling the Louisiana Tech Ticket Office at 318.257.3631 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Tickets will also be sold in person at the Ticket Office, which is located in the Thomas Assembly Center.
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July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 89
Play Therapy WRITTEN BY NICOLE LAHR, RPT, LPC
What Is Play Therapy? “Play therapy is based upon the fact that play is the child’s natural medium of self-expression. It is an opportunity which is given to the child to ‘play out’ his feelings and problems just as, in certain types of adult therapy, an individual ‘talks out’ his difficulties.” Virginia Axline Through play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills, and learn a variety of ways of relating to others. Play provides a safe psychological distance from their problems and allows expression of thoughts and feelings appropriate to their development.
Play therapy helps children: ›› Become more responsible for behaviors and develop more successful strategies. ›› Develop new and creative solutions to problems. ›› Develop respect and acceptance of self and others. ›› Learn to experience and express emotion.
›› Cultivate empathy and respect for thoughts and feelings of others. ›› Learn new social skills and relational skills with family. ›› Develop self-efficacy and thus a better assuredness about their abilities
90. (KIDDOS) Play Therapy Brentwood Content Who can benefit? Play therapy is most often used with children ages 3-12. It can be used as a primary intervention or as supportive therapy for behavioral problems, such as anger management, grief and loss, divorce and abandonment, and crisis and trauma or behavioral disorders, such as anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD), autism or pervasive developmental, and conduct disorders. Therapeutic play helps children with social or emotional difficulties learn to communicate better, change their behavior, develop problemsolving skills, and relate to others in positive ways.
What is a Registered Play Therapist?
The practice of play therapy requires extensive specialized education, training, and experience. A play therapist is a licensed mental health professional who has earned a Master’s or Doctorate degree in a mental health field with considerable general clinical experience and supervision. With advanced, specialized training, experience, and supervision, mental health professionals may also earn the Registered Play Therapist (RPT), Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) or School Based-Registered Play Therapist (SB-RPT) credentials awarded by the Association for Play Therapy. Many counselors may have toys in their therapy sessions for children to play with though have not received the necessary training and supervision to be credentialed as a “play therapist.” Looking for the credentials listed above will help you find an experienced play therapist.
Page 90 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
ABOUT THE THERAPIST Nicole Lahr is a Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) at Brentwood Hospital and Outpatient Clinic in Shreveport, Louisiana. She previously worked in the school setting in Virginia with children struggling from emotional and behavioral difficulties helping them adjust and thrive in the school environment. In addition, she has experience working in a school that specializes in Autism. Personally, Nicole is a military spouse and daughter who understands the ebb and flow of military life. She is passionate about helping children navigate the stressors of life and assisting them in overcoming obstacles. Nicole works with children ages 3-12 years. The Brentwood clinic may be reached at 318-222-6226 or online at brentwoodbehavioral.com.
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MYTH: 91. Brentwood Ad ElectroconvulsiveMental Therapy (ECT) illness is very rare. Geriatric Inpatient Treatment
affects 1 in 4 people.
Geriatric Intensive Outpatient Program& (IOP) INPATIENT OUTPATIENT CARE Women’s Program Brentwood Hospital offers a continuum of psychiatric services and chemical dependency treatment for children, adolescents, adults and seniors. Our hospital is a confidential, caring environment Outpatient Clinic that promotes crisis resolution, positive self-awareness, social skills and personal growth.
Military Program
At Brentwood Hospital, the foundation of our treatment rests on quality mental health services that improve the quality of life for our patients. Inpatient and outpatient services aim to stabilize, manage, and improve psychiatric and behavioral health symptoms.
OUR ONLYTREATMENT STIGMA IS HOPE... PROGRAMS • Children’s Program
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
• Child Partial Hospitalization Program
• Geriatric Inpatient Treatment
• Adolescent Treatment Program • Adolescent Partial Hospitalization Program • Adult Psychiatric Program
• Geriatric Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) • Women’s Program
• Adult Addictive Disease Program
• Outpatient Clinic
• Adult Partial Hospitalization Program
• Military Program
318.678.7500 • 877.678.7500 (toll free) • 800.558.8022 (fax) 1006 Highland Avenue • Shreveport, LA 71101 July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 91
BY: MELINDA WALLACE
T
iffany is an amazing y o u n g woman — raising her son as a single m o t h e r, holding d o w n a full-time job, and completing her education to become a registered nurse. Hers was not an easy road, however, as she endured the painful absence of nurturing parents and suffered the sting of an adoption gone wrong. She has battled leukemia as an adult and emerged the victor. Tiffany’s story of resilience is beautiful on so many levels, but most notably as it replenishes hope for those who have loved and lost. The oldest of three children, Tiffany always felt a sense of responsibility for her siblings. When she was a year and a half old, Tiffany’s sister was born addicted to cocaine and their brother was born a year later with fetal alcohol syndrome. Her earliest memories involve living in hotels, but never settling in one place for very long. Finally, when Tiffany was four years old, she and her siblings were placed in a foster home where they hoped to find the safety and security that had proven so elusive. But disappointment was lurking in the shadows, poised to steal another piece of their childhood. One of Tiffany’s most vivid memories of being in the state’s custody doesn’t involve a foster home or case worker, but the frightening backseat of a local police cruiser. Even at her young age, Tiffany knew that policemen were supposed to keep people safe. But somehow she felt incredibly vulnerable as she and her siblings were stuffed in the backseat and whisked away from the only family they had ever known. She remembers sitting in the lobby of a local police station at four o’clock in the
morning, waiting for someone whose heart and home would find room for a few kids who needed a place to belong. Little did she know the wait would be a lot longer than expected. Although her siblings have negative memories of their time in foster care, Tiffany has only neutral feelings about that season of their lives. She is aware that some of those memories may have been blocked for her own protection, but Tiffany has another theory regarding her neutrality. As the elder of the three children, she always took on the role of protector and provider, even when her age had yet to exceed the single digits. Tiffany always had to be strong for her brother and sister, displaying joy that was often a mere facade maintained for their benefit. She simply couldn’t afford the luxury of expressing her true emotions and eventually, she was convinced by her own pretense that everything was fine. For quite a while, there was no shortage of foster placements, including one that lasted nearly two years. But when Tiffany was about eight years old, she and her siblings were welcomed into the home of a local couple who would eventually adopt all three children. This seemed like the perfect ending to a bad story, and the beginning of a brand new chapter. They all rocked along for a couple of years, the new parents nearly as happy as the children to finally have a family. But as often happens with things, but should never happen with people, the newness eventually wore off, and a different reality emerged. About three years in, Tiffany began to sense a profound shift in the family dynamics. As a young teenager, she knew that something was just not right, but didn’t have anyone to confide in. During a time when she should have been hanging out with friends and participating in extracurricular activities, Tiffany was cooking supper and caring for her siblings. In time, it became obvious that everyone in the family was fighting a battle of their own, and some were quickly losing ground. Having succumbed to depression, Tiffany’s sister lost all motivation and eventually dropped out of school. As
92. (LALADIES) CASA “From Friendship to Family” by Melinda Wallace
Page Page92 92 || LOLA LOLAMAGAZINE MAGAZINE || July-August July-August2019 2019
the months turned into years, what stability and security the children had once known seemed to slowly evaporate, leaving them with a house but not a home. At the age of seventeen, Tiffany was on her own, working at a local seafood restaurant while earning her G.E.D. In time, both siblings would move in with her, but the teenage party life eventually took its toll on everyone. Upon receiving an eviction notice, Tiffany began searching for someone who would take them in. However, before any formal arrangements could be made, the state got involved and placed them in foster care, separating the two girls from their brother. Soon after that, Tiffany’s brother was placed in a boys’ home, the traumatic yet typical result of perpetual instability. Tiffany, on the other hand, was only one friendship away from finding a healthy and happy home. She was invited to come and live in the home of her classmate, whose mother took Tiffany in and treated her just like family. In order to qualify as an official “placement” for Tiffany, this mom enrolled in the necessary classes and subjected her home to the intense scrutiny of a home study. Shortly after moving in with her friend’s family, Tiffany discovered she was pregnant. Determined not to rewrite history, but to start a new chapter in her own story, she began taking college classes during her pregnancy. At this time, Tiffany’s new “mother” collaborated with the case
worker and the CASA on the case to secure her best interest moving forward. Because of their support, guidance, and encouragement, Tiffany delivered her baby boy, earned her LPN, and began to heal and grow into a healthy adult. At twenty-five, she was diagnosed with leukemia and underwent a successful bone marrow transplant, yet another evidence of her resilient spirit. One of Tiffany’s biggest disappointments is knowing that she might have found her happy ending much sooner. If only there had been someone she could talk to, who would understand and speak on her behalf. Surely, some of her heartache and suffering could have been avoided. And her brother and sister might have known different outcomes as well. As adults, Tiffany and her siblings can no longer benefit from the help of a CASA, but there are countless other children who are living a different chapter of the very same story. And for them, CASA can mean the difference between just surviving and thriving, while even survival is in jeopardy for some. CASA is Court Appointed Special Advocates who get to know children in foster care, gathering the appropriate information in order to advocate for the child's best interest in court. For more information, contact melinda.wallace@vyjla.org or check out the website www. vyjla.org.
93. CASA • Lincoln Flooring
ART • INTERIORS
INTERIORS • FASHION
FURNITURE • ANTIQUES
FLORAL DESIGN
GARDEN • ARCHITECTURAL
EVENT PLANNING
revivaldesign318@gmail.com
clintondesigner@gmail.com
300 Walnut Street • HISTORIC DOWNTOWN MONROE • 318-998-3284 July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 93
Natchitoches Farmer’s Market Downtown Riverbank Saturdays from 8am-Noon
MUST-ATTEND EVENTS
July
natchitochesfarmersmarket
Ruston Farmer’s Market 220 E Mississippi Ave Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays 4 p.m.- 7 p.m.
July & August
rustonfarmersmarket.org
Monroe Farmer’s Market 1212 Washington St 6am-Noon Monday-Saturday
July & August
Bossier City Farmer’s Market Pierre Bossier Mall Parking Lot Every Saturday from 9am-1pm
July & August
North Louisiana’s
Shreveport Farmer’s Market 94. (COMMUNITY) Events Festival Plaza Every Saturday from 8am-1pm
Now-August 24
shreveportfarmersmarket.com
pg/Monroe-Farmers-Market-223465751015463
bossiercityfarmersmarket.com
KTBS-3 INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVAL
July 4
events/2237925563126626
RFC Summer music film camp Movies & Moonbeams spiderman
July 5
mysparshreveport
July 8-12
robinsonfilmcenter.org
Jam on the Red Concert Series Thursdays 5:30 to 9 p.m.
Mamma Mia!
July 11
shreveportlittletheatre.com
July 11 & 25, August 1, 8 & 15
Page 94 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
shreveportaquarium.com
Sickle Cell Tournament
July 12-13
events/1239444742871247
July 26
95. Events
East Bank District and Plaza of Bossier City
Movies & Moonbeams Inside Out
4 -7 p.m. on the Last Tuesdays of the Month
eastbankmarket.com
allyallblog.com
August 10
mysparshreveport
Chris Stapleton Geek’d Con
LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE at ReadLola.com/party August 16-18
SEPTEMBER 7
geekdcon.com
SEPTEMBER 7, 2019
Readlola.com/Party
August 24
centurylinkcenter.com
OCTOBER 3
July-August 2019 | LOLA MAGAZINE | Page 95
Wiggin.Out.LA
MUST-ATTEND EVENTS
westmonroe.com/visitors/farmers-market/farmers-market
July 30 & August 27
www.sicklecellnwla.org
All Y’all Live: Wild Card 2
1700 N. 7th Street 7am-6pm Saturday
July 13 & 27
July 12-14
North Louisiana’s
Red River Balloon Rally
FROM HER PERSPECTIVE
Alicia Hill OWNER OF ALICIA'S KITCHEN, MINDEN LOUISIANA You will find this Bible verse painted on the wall at Alicia’s Kitchen
Kind words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
96. (LALADIES) From Her Perspective by Alica Hill Proverbs 16:24
I
t all started at an early age being raised in Minden. I was the only child of a single mother, Shelia Hill. Growing up in the projects, I spent my days at mama’s house on Cherry Street, or my grandma’s house on Fulton Street when Mama was working. I loved riding my scooter through the neighborhood and playing dolls with my childhood friends. As I grew older I loved watching Mama and Big Mama cooking in the kitchen. Being in the kitchen with Big Mama was just as good as learning to cook at some fine culinary institute. She taught me how to make the most delicious chicken and dressing, collard greens, hot water cornbread, lemon pie and everything thing else that will feed your body and feed your soul at the same time. When I was old enough to get a job, I started working at various fast food restaurants and continued working throughout my life. I’ll never forget starting my job at Bayou Inn. They told me that I would need to catch on quick because they got busy. My days in Big Mama’s kitchen taught me well, and I had no trouble keeping up. In the good old days we would cook up so much food for just the two of us, and of course we cooked up enough in case the whole neighborhood showed up. Many times, they did, and we always had enough to go around. It has always been my dream to open a restaurant and keep the tradition of feeding
Alicia Hill (right) pictured with fellow Minden native, Chef Hardette Harris
folks and feeding their souls alive like we did so many times growing up. God finally blessed me with the opportunity to do just that when I opened Alicia’s Kitchen. I received a call one day with an offer to open a restaurant that was unbelievable. Even though I had second thoughts, this is what I had asked the Lord for and he had delivered. My friends, family and a very special person pushed me to follow my dreams. I knew it was the right time and place for me to say yes. I started with nothing but faith and the people who believed in me who showed up to help out of pure kindness. Since opening Alicia’s Kitchen I am able to do something with my four daughters, and one day my granddaughter will carry on these same traditions. I tell everyone that cooking is my passion and it comes from my heart and soul. I do it with love and I cook as if Big Mama is still cooking right beside me. Not long ago I was cooking out of my kitchen with my dear friend Ms. Pattie trying desperately to make a living for my family. Today, I can say my dreams have come true as we welcome everyone to Alicia’s Kitchen and feed them “food like Big Mama used to make.”
Page 96 | LOLA MAGAZINE | July-August 2019
Bringing you HOME
HOLLY ROCA www.hollyroca.com
A Dynamic team of Women Helping Women Holly Roca is an agent known for empowering real life “wonder women” to pursue their real estate goals. Holly and her savvy, creative and compassionate
team proudly support and serve the women of this community, treating each
other like family. With Roca’s team you don’t just get a real estate expert and a
new home, you get the loyalty of confidentiality and friendship for years to come.
Each Office Independently Owned and Operated
318-213-1555
318.754.7039 | HollyRoca@kw.com
So much more than a fun place.
Madison achieved her results with Damon-Q Clear brackets at Cosse and Silmon Orthodontics.
www.CosseOrtho.com