Woman
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July 2019
West Georgia
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Taylor Worland A Special Kind of Love
Rare Pearls Celebrates Five Years of Empowering Young Girls
Why We Procrastinate and What to Do About it
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What’s inside... 10
A Special Kind of Love
28
Why We Procrastinate and What You Can Do About It
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Drs. Fred and Anne Richards Celebrate 50 Years Together
34
The Real Mentors of Douglas County
27
Rose and Shawn Isaacs Welcome Son, Sebastian
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Local Happenings
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Womentality
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A Time for Celebration Summer is in full-swing now, and we have had some really hot days! I hope you're staying cool this summer. What are your plans for the 4th? Are you going to your local parade, having friends over for a barbecue or planning on viewing the local fireworks display? Whatever you decide to do, I wish you a happy and safe Independence Day. In This Issue Our cover feature this month is Carrollton, Ga., resident, Taylor Worland. Taylor has a passion for children with special needs and works as an Early Intervention Specialist for Georgia PINES (Georgia Parent Infant Network for Educational Services). Georgia PINES, a division of the Georgia Department of Education, is a statewide early intervention program for families of children from birth to 5 years who have been diagnosed with hearing loss, visual impairment or both. Read more about Taylor's dedication to these children and how she is bringing special needs and the deafblind out of the darkness on page 10. We have some very important announcements to make about two couples who are very special to us here at West Georgia Woman magazine. My dear friends and mentors, Drs. Fred and Anne Richards will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on July 5. My goodness, they were – and still are – a handsome couple! Celebrate with Anne and Fred on page 22. We are also pleased to announce that our Daily Fare Chef, Rose Isaacs, and her husband Shawn are celebrating the birth of their son, Sebastian Photo by Zachary Dailey Andrew Isaacs. He is just adorable, and I know they will be wonderful parents! Celebrate the birth of Sebastian with Rose and Shawn on page 27. Do you put things off until the last minute, or just keep putting things off and never accomplish them, period? Find out why we procrastinate and what you can do about it on page 28. After realizing a great need in her community, Douglasville, Ga., resident, Judy McClendon-Redmond, had a dream of starting a program to help empower young women and girls. With the help of many wonderful mentors, volunteers and community partners, she was able to make that dream a reality in July, 2015. The Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program is celebrating five years this month. Find out more about Judy and her commitment to young women and girls on page 34. I would like to thank all of those who took the time to complete our reader survey. We received some wonderful feedback, some great suggestions for future publications and, not to mention, you guys really made this girl feel good! The winners of the drawing for the VISA gift cards were: Jo True – $100 gift card; Michelle Wilson – $50 gift card; and Polly Hubbard – $50 gift card. We appreciate all of you and we feel so honored to be a part of your lives each month. Thank you for reading West Georgia Woman magazine! See you next month,
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Finding our voice. Knowing our value. Making a difference. TM
West Georgia Woman is a voice for and about the women who live and work in West Georgia. Our mission is to engage, inspire, and cultivate a cohesive community for all women in West Georgia by sharing our hopes, our dreams and our lives. This magazine would not be possible without the inclusion of our advertisers. Please be sure to show your support by doing business with these VIP’s (very important partners) so we will be able to continue to share with you our stories about amazing West Georgia women! Please be sure to tell them we sent you! Inspiring women wanted.
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This publication is dedicated in loving memory of Tristan Alexander Brooks May 15, 1993 – September 17, 2015
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Volume 4 • Issue 9 July 2019
Publisher/Editor
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Copy Editor Editorial Contributor
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Photographer for cover Mark Steffey
Editorial Contributors
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Zachary@westgeorgiawoman.com Angela Brooks Dailey, owner and publisher of West Georgia Woman magazine, has lived in West Georgia most of her life and has a deep love and appreciation for the area. She received her B.B.A in management from The University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., and is a Civil and Domestic Relations mediator and arbitrator registered with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. She lives in Carrollton, and has two wonderful children, Zachary and Sydney Dailey. Angela enjoys reading, spending time with her children and extended family and loves to watch Sydney play soccer.
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By Janet Flanigan 10 by Mark Steffey Photos
A Special Kind of
Love
Taylor Worland helps bring hearing and vision impaired children and their families out of the darkness. 11
T
aylor Paul Worland lovingly shows a video on her phone that fortuitously captured the first time her daughter, Julie, said the word “Mama." “Isn’t she beautiful,” Taylor says – more a declarative statement than a question. Indeed, her little girl is beautiful, but what made Julie’s first “Mama” so incredible is that it took Taylor's daughter, who is non-verbal and has global developmental delays, six years to say the word. Taylor has a passion for children with special needs. This passion is manifested in her work as an Early Intervention Specialist for Georgia PINES (Georgia Parent Infant Network for Educational Services). Georgia PINES, a division of the Georgia Department of Education, is a statewide early intervention program for families of children from birth to 5 years who have been diagnosed with hearing loss, visual impairment or both. This passion also led Taylor and her husband, Craig, to make a monumental decision – to actively pursue adopting children who would be the most difficult to place in a forever family.
Girl Next Door Taylor was born in Atlanta, in 1987. Her parents wanted Taylor and her brother to enjoy a close relationship with both sets of grandparents and, when she was 3 years old her family moved to her parents’ hometown of Thomaston, Ga. Taylor experienced a normal and active childhood, excelling in soccer, babysitting, participating in
youth activities at Silvertown Baptist Church and enjoying close ties with her extended family. In 2006, during her senior year at Upson-Lee High School she was named both Prom Queen and valedictorian. Due to a lifelong love of science, she chose Berry College in Rome, Ga., for her undergraduate studies in biology.
A Life-changing Encounter “I loved everything about Berry," she shares. "The campus is so beautiful and it has a small student body, with a great teacher/student ratio. About halfway through my time at Berry, I took an introduction to psychology class under the leadership of Dr. Alan Hughes – the department chair and professor of psychology – and really enjoyed it. Dr. Hughes introduced me to Dr. Michelle Haney, who was a psychology professor and the director of the Applied Behavior Analysis/Autism Program. After taking her class, my focus completely changed.” Taylor enrolled in Dr. Haney’s Exceptional Children and Youth class, which paired the students with local families with special needs children. “I can honestly say the experience with Dr. Haney’s class changed my life," she relates. Taylor was assigned to the Sirmans family in Rome. Her assignment was to observe the Sirmans' daughter, Ivey, who was born deafblind, in her home, her preschool setting and in her various therapies. Taylor and Ivey’s mother, Gwen, experienced an immediate connection. "She allowed me to come into her home and see what it was truly like raising a child with special needs," she explains. "I saw glimpses of the high, highs – those moments and events that were cause for celebration. I also saw the low, lows – the difficulties, struggles and isolation that go along with raising a child with deafblindness. Gwen and Ivey opened my eyes to a world I didn’t even know existed. My life was changed because of them.”
Friends Forever
As a teenager, Taylor excelled as a mid-fielder in soccer and was named valedictorian of her senior class.
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As a freshman at Berry, Taylor met fellow student, now her husband, Craig Worland. They instantly became best friends and, although Craig transferred to the University of Georgia the next year, they continued the friendship for three more years. The two began dating at the beginning of their senior year, but Taylor credits that initial friendship to laying a strong foundation for a long-lasting relationship. “Being with Craig was different than being with
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anyone else," she shares. "I could let my guard adventure for us," she says. "We tried to make the down and be myself. He felt like home.” most of our time and visited as many national parks When they first met, Craig knew there was out west as we could. We really enjoyed our year something about Taylor that was special. “I was together while I completed my degree.” The couple instantly drawn to Taylor for the fact also had the opportunity to work that she lived differently," he says. together in a counseling service as "She has a unique way of looking mentors for at-risk youth. around and seeing people ‘on the While attending Utah State, margins’ who need love and then, Taylor was named a Helen Keller pursuing those people.” Fellow for the 2010-2011 academic During her senior year, Taylor year. Only 10 fellows from a pool began exploring options for her of candidates across the country postgraduate education. At that are chosen each year for this time, the only school in the country prestigious year-long fellowship. that offered a graduate degree In 2011, Taylor graduated specializing in deafblindness was with a master of education Utah State University. Determined in communicative disorders to follow this career path, Taylor and education of the deaf/ graduated from Berry with a hard of hearing with a focus on bachelor of science in psychology deafblindness. and moved to Logan, Utah. Shortly after, Craig proposed. Wedding Bells and When he graduated from UGA Reveille in the fall, Craig followed Taylor to Utah so they could be together After Taylor’s graduation, the two while she pursued her master's Taylor, with her best friend and were married at a lakeside service husband, Craig. degree. “Utah was such an
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in Quantico before transferring to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina for four months, where Craig completed combat engineering school. Eventually, Craig received his permanent duty station, and the couple was excited to learn they would spend the next four years at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. “While we lived in North Carolina, we began talking about adoption,” Taylor explains. “We both felt called and capable. When we moved to California, we knew that this would be the first place we would be for a length of time, so we began pursuing it." They attended a foster care orientation and quickly knew that this path was right for them. Then they began the year-long process of becoming certified as a foster and Since meeting the Sirmans during her time at Berry, Taylor had grown so close adoptive family in San Diego County. to their family that Gwen, right, holding Ivey, served as Taylor’s matron of honor. What made Taylor and Craig unique Inset: Ivey, center, was the flower girl and Ivey's two brothers, Walker (left), and as potential foster parents is that they Knox (right), were ring bearers in Taylor and Craig's wedding. did not put any parameters on children in Jackson, Ga. “I couldn’t have asked for more,” they would consider. “Through my schooling and says Taylor. “Since I was away during the planning, work and our faith and our passions as a couple, my mom had to take care of most of the details. She we had become committed to looking for a child found the perfect place.” or children that would be difficult to place,” Taylor Since meeting the Sirmans during her time at explains. Berry, Taylor had grown so close to their family that Although they were young themselves, they were Gwen served as Taylor’s matron of honor, Ivey was open to taking in children with special needs, older the flower girl and Ivey's two brothers, Knox and children and sibling sets. Little did they know that Walker, were ring bearers in her wedding. they would soon be matched with a pair of siblings As if Taylor’s master’s degree and the wedding that checked off all three of these criteria. were not large enough life events, Craig was also commissioned as an officer in the United States Instant Family Marine Corps. “He was commissioned the day before our wedding and, not too long after, we were Currently, there are almost 14,000 children in off to Quantico, Va.,” she exclaims. Georgia’s foster care system, according to the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. Many children in the custody of the Department of Military Life Human Services (DHS) awaiting adoption meet the It was now Taylor’s turn to support Craig definition of special needs and sadly, the odds of by following him in his career training and adoption decrease for these children. advancement. However, she found she was also able Taylor and Craig met two siblings, Joseph, and to continue with her own career path. In Quantico, Julie, through the foster care system in San Diego. she worked as an intervener, providing one-on-one “We met Joseph and Julie during their second instruction for a child who was deafblind, as well as time in the foster care system," she shares. "By the working as a personal care assistant for children with time the children had gotten to us, they had been Down syndrome. moved 12 times. Joseph was 5 and Julie was 3.” As is typical in military careers, the couple The children first entered the foster care system anticipated frequent moves. They spent nine months when Joseph was 18 months old and Julie was only
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8 weeks old. She was born prematurely at only 27 weeks and weighed 3 pounds. “When Julie was born, she spent six weeks in the NICU,” Taylor says. Then, just two weeks after going home, tiny Julie was rushed to the emergency room with broken bones and a brain bleed. It was determined she had suffered Shaken Baby Syndrome – abuse inflicted upon an infant or toddler that normally occurs when a caregiver or parent shakes a baby out of frustration or anger, usually because the baby will not stop crying. At that time, Julie and Joseph were placed in foster care. “Their birth mother did not want to give them up to either foster care or adoption and did all that was required of her to get them back,” Taylor explains. When their birth mother had completed her case plan, Joseph and Julie were reunited with her and their younger half-brother, Corey. Unfortunately, their birth mother found herself once again in the destructive cycle of domestic violence, and the instability of their home life found the kids placed back in the foster care system. The California Department of Children and Family Services made sure Julie and Joseph were kept together for placement and their other two siblings, Corey and Mona, would be placed together as well. Unfortunately, Joseph and Julie’s story is not unique. There are many children that experience this degree of trauma in their earliest years of life. One of the difficulties for children in foster care is they are often uprooted from one home and placed in another. They may spend a very short time or a longer stint with a foster family. Living as a foster child can be unpredictable and jarring, and the child may be placed with many families during their time in foster care. For any child, this would create some instability and potential problems, but for children with special needs, it can be catastrophic. This knowledge of the challenges for children in foster care was at the heart of Taylor and Craig’s desire to bring these siblings into their family. They knew they could make a difference in the children's lives.
A Difficult Transition “At the time that we met Joseph and Julie, they were living with a very loving foster family who were unable to adopt the children but who are still close with us today,” says Taylor. While meeting with the children during the transition process, Taylor and Craig recognized their challenges would be many. “We knew that Julie had significant developmental delays," she relates. "At 3 years old, Julie
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had not hit many of the milestones for her age. We did not fully realize the extent of some of her issues." Taylor and Craig began fostering the children in August 2015, and they experienced significant turmoil in the beginning. Julie was overwhelmed by the transition to her new home and her inability to communicate. She experienced violent meltdowns, including severe head banging, biting her arms and hands and she frequently woke in the middle of the night with tantrums. “We removed all of the hard furniture from her bedroom and padded the walls with soft tiles to try to keep her from hurting herself when she would flail about," she shares. "She would bite herself to the point of drawing blood and she would have bite marks up and down her arms after these meltdowns. The screaming and thrashing about was terrifying and exhausting. It was very scary, and it seemed like we were always waiting for the next meltdown." A popular children's song, Taylor discovered, would be the breakthrough they were searching for with Julie. “In the beginning, Julie would sit in one corner and scream and scream," she says. "Eventually, I began sitting on the floor next to her and singing songs. We quickly noticed that Julie loved music and singing, so I began singing the same songs over and over, accompanied by hand
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motions. "‘The Wheels on the Bus’ was our breakthrough. One day, as we sat in the corner, Julie raised her own arms at the appropriate time in the song. It was then that I knew she was in there and I was determined to help bring her out.” Taylor says Julie has always been a runner as well. She will take off at any time, anywhere, so a watchful eye is required, literally, every moment. Sensory issues are also a challenge for Julie. “She can’t tolerate the feeling of chunky food in her mouth, so we puree almost all of her meals," she explains. "She is hypersensitive in her mouth and hyposensitive with everything else." Hyposensitivity is when a child feels the need to seek out additional sensory information to feel content. Taylor is quick to point out that there are many other families experiencing these same issues in our community every day. Many parents are tired, feel isolated and struggle with bringing their children outside of the home. She says it is imperative to have a strong support system of individuals and organizations who can help provide services for these children and their families. Clearly, Taylor and Craig are determined to give Joseph and Julie the loving and stable life they deserve while helping them reach their full potential.
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Taylor and Craig are determined to give Joseph and Julie the loving and stable life they deserve, while helping them reach their full potential.
“We had multiple people tell us we were in over our heads, that we were signing ourselves up for a life of misery," Craig says. "My remarkable wife stayed steady and determined. She loved Julie through the tantrums and she worked with Julie, giving her ways to communicate, including sign language and communication devices, and she taught her how to feed herself.” In addition to fostering the children, the Worlands maintained a relationship with Julie and Joseph's birth mother. “We worked with our kids’ CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) to have supervised visits between their birth mother and the children,” Taylor explains. “At first she was defensive about the situation, but gradually she came to understand we all just wanted the best for the children. When she saw Julie feeding herself, it seemed as if at that moment she knew the kids were with a family that could truly help them.” On Nov. 20, 2016, the adoption was finalized, and the Worlands officially became a family of four.
Bringing Them Home After bringing two children into the family – especially children with such a transient past – Taylor and Craig felt it was necessary to find a place where they could put down roots. Craig, at the time a captain in the Marines, began the process of
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The Worland's courthouse adoption photo, Nov. 20, 2016. Front row from left: Julie, Craig, Joseph and Taylor. Back row from left: Taylor's mother, Dianne Paul, Taylor's father, Ronnie Paul, Craig's sister, Bonny Jean Worland, Craig's mother, Sally Worland and Craig's father, David Worland.
transitioning out to find a civilian job, and the couple decided to move back to Georgia to be closer to their own families. “Craig found his job skills in the military were a good match for a career in leadership and administration, and he was drawn to the hospital field because of our Julie,” Taylor explains. "He applied with hospitals throughout Georgia, but chose to accept a position with Tanner Health System in Carrollton. They moved to Carrollton in January 2017. “We love Carrollton and the people we have met here," she shares. "Our house is in walking distance to downtown Carrollton, and we have a doublefenced yard so Julie, Joseph and friends can safely play there." The children are happily enrolled at Carrollton Elementary School, where this fall, Joseph will be entering the fourth grade and Julie, second grade. "We have had an incredible experience with Carrollton Elementary School for the children," she shares. "Both of our kids love going to school, and that is a testament to Carrollton’s teachers. They truly go above and beyond. We are so thankful for them.” “Having a child with special needs is not easy and
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I would never pretend it is,” Taylor says candidly. “I have had many days of frustration, fear and tears, and it can put a lot of stress on a marriage. Soon after becoming a family of four, while we still lived in California, I began seeing a therapist weekly. One of the godsends waiting for me in Carrollton was the therapist that I have now. She has seen me and changed me and taught me so much. I am a different and more whole and accepting person because of her.” Taylor still visits her therapist weekly and says therapy is a lifesaver. Another way Taylor handles the stresses of having a special needs child is through her work with Georgia PINES; sharing her experiences and education with other parents of children with special needs. “I feel like I am surrounded by my people when I am at work," she relates. "We share an understanding that is deeper than words." Georgia PINES services are free for the families served, and Taylor currently works with eight families throughout West Georgia who have a child from birth to 3 years old with vision, hearing loss or both, as well as some with multiple disabilities. Taylor's primary focus is to begin intervention strategies for the sensory loss early, assist parents in communicating with their children and to help these children prepare for entering school. When the children reach age 3, they transition into services provided by the local school systems. It certainly seems as if providence has had a hand in her life and career. “Years ago, when I was still in school and I met Ivey and her family, they were also working with an early intervention specialist from Georgia PINES named Lynn McFarland," she says. "Now, I too, am an early intervention specialist with Georgia PINES and, amazingly, my boss is the very same Lynn McFarland!” Taylor is also pursuing her endorsement in Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) from Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass., and hopes to be endorsed by the end of the summer. CVI is vision loss that is caused by damage to the pathways between the eye and the brain and the specific parts When Joseph began asking questions about his past, Taylor and Craig created "Life Books" to help him make sense of his life story – with pictures and dates in chronological order.
of the brain responsible for vision, according to the National Eye Institute. CVI is the leading cause of vision loss in children in developed countries today.
One Big Happy Family The children have flourished over the last three years since their adoption into the Worland family. Joseph, 9, loves sports. He's active in soccer, baseball, flag football and enjoys sports camps. He especially loves Braves baseball and has a passion for UGA football. Julie, 7, enjoys supervised running and for the last two years has 7-year-old Julie loves running, swinging, swimming and jumping on the trampoline in the participated in track events in backyard. the Special Olympics with her school. She also loves swinging, swimming and jumping on the trampoline in the backyard. The pair are much like other siblings, easily trading both rivalries and love with one another. Through the arrangements of the open adoption, the lines of communication have been kept open with their birth mother. “Craig takes care of scheduling any phone calls with their birth mom," she says. "The children have maintained a close relationship with their half-siblings, Corey, 6, and Mona, 4, who were also adopted together into a very happy and stable family. "They all came to visit us in Georgia this past Thanksgiving," she says. "We also share videos between the families with a video sharing app. We realize each situation is unique, but we felt that for our son, it was important he maintain a relationship with his birth family.� Craig says Taylor's loving spirit and the sacrifices she makes for her family on a daily basis has helped their children become who they are today. "Taylor amazes me with her selflessness and willingness to move toward hard things," he says. "While her career is remarkable, the most amazing thing about Taylor is her daily sacrifice as a mother. She will never be celebrated in the traditional sense because the amazing thing that she does is so private; it is done in our home outside of the public eye. "There are still bumps in the road, and we know that the trauma both of our kids have experienced will manifest itself in future challenges, but things are light years better than they were before. I know that 9-year-old Joseph loves sports, especially this is because of Taylor's love. I get to learn from Braves baseball and UGA football. her selflessness every day." WGW
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Drs. Fred and Anne Richards Celebrate Their
Wedding Anniversary
W
hether through coincidence or providential intervention, Anne and Fred met again in Gainesville, Florida after having initially met six years earlier in Massachusetts. They married July 5, 1969, when enrolled in the doctoral program in the Psychological Foundations of Education Department at the University of Florida. In preparation for their upcoming marriage, they collaborated in the development of "Marriage Vows to Grow On," an integration of Judaism and Christianity and the psychological contributions of David Bakan, C.G. Jung, Abraham Maslow, Sidney M. Jourard, Erich Fromm and others. Anne and Fred understood marriage as a relationship in which, potentially, they could each become more completely themselves and more human. They understood love as a union freeing each of them to be and become a unique self while supporting, confirming and inviting the uniqueness of the other. They recognized that life brings constant change, that they would continue to change and consequently be different than the persons who took their marriage vows. Knowing they could hinder or help one another's growth, they vowed to set aside fixed, ideal images of what they might want the other to be, remaining open to discovering, over and over, the persons they could become. They said "I do" to accepting the responsibility of fostering each other's growth and well-being while facing together life's joys and sorrows, happiness and adversities, successes and failures. "A work-in-progress when I married Anne," Fred recalls. "I was surprised such a kind, intelligent, mature,
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responsible and good person would love me enough to marry me and remain with me. Now we're celebrating our 50th anniversary. Amazing grace! Oh, how the years have rushed by. We've grown old, profoundly grateful for the gift of each new day and, now and then, visited by a sadness when facing what all lovers come to know, that this mortal life is too short and ends too soon." WGW
Photo by Diana Head
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Daily Fare With
e s o R f e Ch
Chef photos by Keith May.
Rose Isaacs is a native of Carroll County and lives in Carrollton with her husband Shawn and their son, Sebastian. She graduated from West Georgia Technical College in 2013 with a degree in Culinary Arts. After graduation, she began her career as a chef at the Carrollton Kroger Marketplace where she works in the bistro.
24Recipe photos by Mark Steffey.
”Add whatever combination of vegetables
you would like with this dish. Try mushrooms, zucchini, squash or even eggplant for a veggie packed dinner. ”
Kielbasa Hash Ingredients
1 (14-ounce) package kielbasa, cut into 1/4inch slices 1 large green bell pepper, diced 1/2 large red bell pepper, diced 1 large onion, diced 3 cups frozen cubed or roasted potatoes Olive oil, as needed Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, such as cast iron, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil
over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes. Fry until golden and cooked through. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate and reserve. In the same skillet, heat 1 more tablespoon of olive oil Add sliced kielbasa sausage. Sauté until the sausage begins to brown. Add onions and bell pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently. Add the reserved potatoes back into the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.
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"grilled This salsa is perfect on top of chicken, in fish tacos, as
a topping for your Fourth of July hot dogs or even served by itself with chips for a refreshing treat.
"
Pineapple Mango Salsa
Ingredients
1 ripe mango, diced
1 cup pineapple, diced
1 medium bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 to 2 jalapeĂąos, seeded and minced 1 large lime, juiced 26
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation
In a serving bowl, combine the mango, pineapple, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeĂąo. Drizzle mixture with lime juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4. WGW
Rose and Shawn Isaacs proudly announce the birth of their son,
Sebastian Andrew Isaacs Born
_____
May 2, 2019 at 10:10 p.m. Weighing _____
7 pounds Measuring _____
21 inches long
Photos by Zachary Dailey/Dailey Life Photography
27
il t n U t i a Don't Wo Read This! Later t
e and t a n i t s a e Procr o About it.) W y h W ( Can D u o Y t a Wh
Y
our income taxes are due in two days, but you decide to reorganize your linen closet instead. Big project at work? No worries. That's not due for another week. You know you should be saving for retirement, but now just isn't the right time. Procrastination is putting off something, usually an unpleasant task, until the very
last minute. Most of us are guilty of delaying taking action sometimes, but why do we put off things we know we should be doing?
Reasons Why We Procrastinate • The task is unpleasant. No one likes to clean out the refrigerator, update their résumé, start an exercise regimen when you're a natural couch potato or write a 10-page essay. If it's boring, unpleasant or uninteresting, you are more likely to postpone the task. • You have a high level of anxiety. Some procrastinators may put off starting a project or task because of a fear of failure. Others procrastinate because they are afraid of what might happen if they are successful. • You have no self-confidence. When times get tough, it's easy for people who lack selfconfidence to begin doubting their abilities. When you have no self-confidence, you may avoid trying new things and miss out on valuable opportunities. • There is no structure in your life. You know you should be working, but you choose to get on Facebook or surf the internet instead. You're always late for work because you don't have a set bedtime and can't get up in the morning.
Things You Can Do While it may seem like an insurmountable task, you can overcome the challenges of being a procrastinator and complete those projects you've been putting off. Here are a few tips to conquer procrastination.
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• Just do it already. It's not going to disappear. It will still be there tomorrow and the next day and the next. So, you might as well go ahead and get it over with. Start by taking a deep breath, tell yourself you are going to accomplish the task today and dive right in. • Break the project up into smaller, more manageable tasks. If you've always wanted to write a book, but keep putting it off, write just one page each day. If you need to go through all of your receipts for tax purposes, only tally up the gas receipts one day. The next day, calculate all of your receipts for another category. Breaking projects up into smaller tasks is less overwhelming.
• Hire someone to do the job for you. Can't stand the thought of waiting in line for hours to get your oil changed or car repaired? Don't have the energy or time to clean your carpets or windows? Some auto repair shops offer a free concierge service, where they will pick up your vehicle wherever you are and bring it back to you once the repairs are complete. Hire a carpet Women’s Auto Clinic. cleaning or maid service Women’s Concierge Service. to do those household cleaning jobs you don't feel like doing yourself. Granted, you aren't 770.832.9465 actually doing the work yourself, but at least 134 Bankhead Ave., Carrollton you're taking action and completing the job. www.lamberttirecompany.com • Keep unnecessary interruptions at bay. If you can't stay off of Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat for more than five minutes at a time, then you're never going to get anything accomplished. Turn off your wi-fi source so you can concentrate on the task at hand. If you are always sending and receiving text messages, put your phone in a different room. • Have a positive attitude. When you face difficult tasks with a positive outlook, they won't seem so daunting. Tell yourself that what you are about to do is the best thing that you can do for yourself today. • Treat yourself when you finish the task. There is nothing like the motivation of knowing you've got something good coming when you finish the job. Once the task is complete, give yourself a small reward such as a pedicure, a new top or binge-watch your favorite television show for a few hours. • Ask family or friends, or use an online service to hold you accountable. Your family and friends can be valuable assets – and a pain in your rear – if you ask them to hold you accountable for something you've been putting off for awhile. There are online services that can also help you stay on point.
StickK is a free goal-setting platform created by behavioral economists at Yale University. The website claims their methodology is three times likely to increase your chances of meeting your goal. The interesting thing about their platform is that you have to put more skin in the game than just your reputation. You actually have to give them your own money. If you don't achieve your goal, your money will then be given to a charity that you hate. They have a list of 23 different "Anti-Charities" that you can choose ranging from the NRA (National Rifle Association), democratic or republican political action committees, and many more. Don't think you'll get to write those donations off on your taxes, either. To prevent you from benefiting financially from your unsuccessful contract, StickK does not provide tax receipts. The company doesn't claim the charitable deduction either. Procrastination is a challenge that all of us have to deal with occasionally, but you don't have to feel stuck, overwhelmed or helpless. You can tackle those unwanted tasks with a plan and a purpose, hopefully today and not tomorrow. WGW
29
Womentality
Inspiring quotes by extraordinary women “To see the summer sky is poetry, though never in a book it lie.” – Emily Dickinson
“In the summer, the days were long, stretching into each other. Out of school, everything was on pause and yet happening at the same time, this collection of weeks when anything was possible.” – Sarah Dessen
“One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” – Jeannette Walls
“I know I am but summer to your heart, and not the full four seasons of the year.” – Edna St. Vincent Millay
“It is easy to forget now, how effervescent and free we all felt that summer. Everything fades: the shimmer of gold over White Cove; the laughter in the night air; the lavender early morning light on the faces of skyscrapers, which had suddenly become so heroically tall. Every dawn seemed to promise fresh miracles, among other joys that are in short supply these days.” 30
– Anna Godbersen
Local Happenings
West Georgia Mental Health Professionals Wellness Meetup Group
This group meets the last Saturday of every month in Douglasville or Austell. For more information, contact Cheryl at theheartmatters@gmail.com or 678.754.5840. Learn more at www.heartmatterswellness.com.
Hope For The Journey This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the board room at the Tracy Stallings Community Center at 118 South White St. in Carrollton. These events are free to breast cancer survivors or those currently battling breast cancer. Learn more at www.hopeforthejourneywestga.org, email execdirector@hopeforthejourneywestga.org or call 770.214.1491.
Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program
Rare Pearls mission is to enrich and empower the lives of young girls and women. This group meets the third Saturday of each month at Heritage Baptist Church in Douglasville, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. This program is open to all girls ages 7 to 17. For more information call 770.947.8210, email rarepearls2015@gmail.com or visit the website at www.rarepearlsmentoringandleadership.org.
Nursing From The Heart Breastfeeding Support Group This group meets the third Monday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 500 Old Bremen Road in Carrollton. These events are free to pregnant women and moms looking for breastfeeding support. Free
31
weight checks for your baby will be available. Come and share your breastfeeding journey with us. Please check our website for meeting and event updates at www.nursingfromtheheart.com.
Gertrude's House Breast Cancer Support Group This group meets the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at Lithia Springs Family Chiropractic at 1758 Lee Rd in Lithia Springs. This group is open to all survivors, caregivers, supporters, friends, family and those fighting breast cancer. Visit their Facebook page @GertrudesHouse or email them at GertrudesHouse@yahoo.com.
GriefShare at Tabernacle Baptist Church Utilizing a video seminar, support group and workbook, each of the 13 weekly GriefShare meetings center around a topic important to the grief recovery process. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each evening. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Room 256, Carrollton, Ga. Classes are free. Participation workbooks are $15. For more information on GriefShare, call or text John Pearson at 404.368.2746.
Cancer Support Group at Tabernacle Baptist Church Has your life been impacted by cancer – whether your own or someone you know? Tabernacle Baptist Church hosts a faith-based cancer support group providing spiritual and emotional support to those diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, those in remission and caregivers. Meetings run from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held at 150 Tabernacle Drive, Carrollton, Ga. For more information, call 770.832.7063 or visit the website at tabernacle.org.
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the
Real Mentors
Rare Pearls
OF DOUGLAS COUNTY
The Real HousewivesÂŽ is a registered trademark of Bravo Media, LLC. This article is not associated with or licensed, endorsed or authorized by any person or entity affiliated with The Real HousewivesÂŽ television shows.
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Rare Pearls Executive Board Members from left: Elizabeth Jackson, Cynthia Barlow, Johnnie Proby, Barbara Phinisee, Dr. Jackie Leathers, Tarria Whitley, Judy McClendon-Redmond. Photo by Yolanda Mendes/Yo photoz.
Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Celebrates Five Years of Empowering Young Girls in West Georgia
35
J
udy McClendon-Redmond has been a big sister, leader and mentor for as long as she can remember. With an extensive lineage of strong and capable leaders in her family, being a role model for others is just a part of her DNA. "I always say I’ve been mentoring even before it was given a name," she shares. "In high school, I mentored the younger girls as well as my nieces and nephews." As founder and executive director of Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program, Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization, Judy is now able to do what comes naturally to her, with the help of many others who have a heart for servant leadership. Judy was born and raised in Florida, lived in Bronson for all of her school years and Jacksonville during college. After a short stint of living in Virginia Beach, Va., she moved back to Florida and lived in Orlando for 27 years. She took an early retirement from AT&T, where she served as an internal auditor for corporate finance and accounting, after her husband, Donahue, was transferred to Raleigh, NC., with his job as an AT&T executive. "In Raleigh, I fell back on my event management, fashion design, interior design, embroidery and seamstress skills and talents," she says. "I resumed my business, 'Another Creation by Lady J,' but this time it was my full-time job." They spent four years in Raleigh before Donahue was transferred again – this time to Copenhagen, Denmark. "Being a person who loves to travel, there was no hesitation to say yes to move to Europe," she exclaims. She took her work equipment with her, but also took the time to make some close friends and travel extensively. "The experience there was like no other," she shares. "Through my church there and my new found friends I was able to navigate around the city and the country. We have friends in Europe who watched over us, and made sure that our stay was an amazing experience. The culture in Copenhagen was extremely diverse, so that made our experience not only fun but educational." While living in Copenhagen, Judy served as a teacher and helped to organize the first Training and Education graduate class at the International Christian Community (ICC) Church. She wrote and published the students’ handbook and a training manual that was created for the students, but also used by other teachers as part of the curriculum. The class was similar to a “finishing school” for students age 15 to 18 who planned on going to college, exploring the world through different cultures and learning life skills – all under the Christian umbrella. Her students consisted of eight different
36
Photo by Yolanda Mendes/Yo photoz.
Judy McClendon-Redmond, founder and executive director of Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program.
nationalities, none of whom were Americans. Judy and Donahue spent two and a half years in Copenhagen before moving to Douglasville. She continues to communicate with her friends from all over the world, and a few of them have even come to Georgia to visit. She recieved her MBA and her master's degree in organizational development from Webster University in Webster Groves, Mo., and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in global business, leadership and education with California Intercontinental University in Irvine, Calif. "Right now, this has been one of the most difficult tasks in my life," she says. Donahue is retired from AT&T, and they have lived in Douglasville the last eight years. Judy has one son, but together she and Donahue have a blended family that consists of two more sons and two daughters who are all adults. They have several grandchildren who Judy says are the light in their lives, although they don't get to see them as often as they would like. Although she has very limited free time, Judy loves shopping, traveling, reading her Bible and making beautiful things through sewing, decorating, designing or crafting. "I love reading my Bible because the stories never get old, plus they are applicable no matter how many times I read them,"
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she shares. "I love and have an extreme passion for people, all people. I am fascinated and intrigued with the creation of human beings. It is my firm belief as a Christian and a human being that we are placed on this earth to serve and love each other."
Dreaming Big After working in Douglasville with her church and with other organizations, Judy realized there were young girls in her community who needed guidance and support. "I saw there was a need to do something for our young girls," she explains. "I didn’t want to keep talking about the need, so I prayed continually, asking for guidance and direction for my part in this." Never one to talk about a problem without first having a solution, Judy says she received a "formal calling" to make a difference in the lives of young people. "After it was revealed to me, I talked to my husband about having a luncheon on a large scale to invite others to see the vision that had been placed in me," she shares. "In that same year, 2015, in the month of July, I was blessed to have the event at the Douglasville conference center. Since I am an event planner by trade, it was not an issue to plan a large scale event of this sort in a short time."
Judy's first Rare Pearls luncheon included six female speakers from Douglasville and the surrounding areas, a keynote speaker from California and 223 guests in attendance. Many of those attending the gathering answered Judy's call and agreed to become involved in helping shape the lives of young women and girls in their community. "Twenty-one women joined the organization, and we had 12 girls to join," she exclaims. "This was the foundation of the Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program."
Meetings and Activities Rare Pearls monthly meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month at Heritage Baptist Church in Douglasville. Meetings include an opening prayer, a hearty meal, an ice-breaker to warm up the room, acknowledgement of any personal achievements, arts and crafts and informative workshop sessions. Time is also allotted for preparing cards for military personnel relatives, and thank you and get well cards for others the group wishes to acknowledge. Community leaders, business owners and in-house mentors lead the monthly workshops, and topics range from self-care and grooming to finance and budgeting. "Basically whatever our Pearls want to
37
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Carrollton • Villa Rica • Wedowee
become we take the and talents in middle time to pour into them and high school. "My to be the best they can father was the coach of be," she explains. a city league softball Outside of the and baseball team," she regular meetings, the shares. Pearls participate in "I smile every time I various group activities, think of how I watched such as field trips to him come from working amusement parks, sometimes two jobs a touring colleges, day, but he would get conferences and Rare Pearls members enjoy a tour at the Center for Civil and Human in his truck and go pick technology workshops. Rights Museum. From left: Dream Sanford, Gianna Adams, Jordan up every person who Griffin and Breanna Harris. Photo courtesy of Rare Pearls. It's also important was on the team who to the executive didn’t have ride. He leadership that the girls participate in workshops would pick them up and drop them off back home that discuss menaces in society, such as human when practice was over. That resonates with me still trafficking or other dangerous situations. today." Other activities during the year include a required It is important to Judy that the girls understand six-session etiquette workshop, a Christmas party the significance of helping others. "Volunteering is a and the Rare Pearls annual luncheon that is held in vital part of my life," she explains. "My thoughts are July. During the luncheon, each girl is acknowledged that if we instill giving back into our youth, they will for their participation in the program. not forget it when they are older. I make sure I share Rare Pearls meetings are always free to attend for with our girls and adults that none of this is about us, any girl age 7 to 17. The group also has an extension but it’s about helping others and making life better program, “Sisters,” for women 18 and older, run for someone else. Our young ladies seeing this at a by Barbara Phinisee, founder and director of the program. All of the Rare Pearls events are also free Just Want to Feel Better? for active members. Although the executive team You’re Not Alone. works hard to procure funds so the girls don't have to come out of pocket, some activities, such as visits to theme parks, may require an investment from the members. Training and Education Director and Board Member Johnnie Proby creates the group's annual curriculum and collaborates with other board members to find qualified facilitators for the meetings. "She is an amazing woman," Judy shares. "Johnnie is a great help and a vital part of Rare Pearls. Not only does she serve as a director on our Individual Therapy • Family Therapy executive board, but at one time she was our intern Group Therapy through Emory University. Johnnie did her practicum for her graduate degree on Rare Pearls and its operations. By her doing her project on Rare Pearls, that allows us now to be a part of Emory’s education system. She is also our in-house musical artist, with the voice of an angel."
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Community Outreach Judy grew up watching her parents give back to others as volunteers in their community, and followed their example by volunteering her own time
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young age has to also facilitate impact them in a workshops during positive way." the year based on The girls their expertise or participate in interests. holiday community "Our mentors service projects must have a love for the homeless and desire to through a help our youth partnership with and they must F.I.T. for the Future be willing listen in Douglasville. without judging or Through this discouraging," she partnership, Rare explains. "Yet, they Pearls is responsible A 2019 Rare Pearls Service Project with Action Ministries. It is important to must be willing to for providing the Judy that the girls understand the significance of helping others. be transparent and Photo courtesy of Rare Pearls. toiletries at both honest in dealing events. They also with our girls. This participate in various other outreach programs helps our girls to do the same." throughout the year. Volunteers are vital for any organization. They often help with administrative duties, fundraising, administrative tasks and, most important, spread the Inspiring Role Models word to others about the group and its mission. Judy The Rare Pearls mentors are considered “Servant is thankful for the people who give of themselves Leaders,” offering guidance and inspiring the whenever they are needed. girls to work hard and pursue their passions. They "All of our board members, mentors, volunteers
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RalphE.E.Fleck, Fleck,Jr., Jr.,M.D. M.D. Ralph JubalR. R.Watts, Watts,M.D. M.D. Jubal GregoryS.S.Slappey, Slappey,M.D. M.D. Gregory AnthonyW. W.Colpini, Colpini,M.D. M.D. Anthony BradG. G.Prybis, Prybis,M.D. M.D. Brad KevinM. M.Charron, Charron,M.D. M.D. Kevin Taylor B. Cates, M.D. Jeffry A. Dressander, M.D. E. Franklin Pence, M.D. Taylor B. Cates, M.D. Ki-Hon Lin, M.D. E. Franklin Pence, M.D. Shomari Ruffin, M.D. Ki-HonA.Lin, M.D. Bryan Kirby, M.D. Shomari A. Ruffn, M.D. David A. Scruggs, P.A.-C David A. Scruggs, P.A.-C MichaelC. C.Gravett, Gravett,P.A.-C P.A.-C Michael AndreaMaxwell, Maxwell,F.N.P. F.N.P. Andrea AlishaSchuchman, Schuchman,N.P.-C N.P.-C Alisha BritniLockwood, Lockwood,P.A.-C P.A.-C Britni 24
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and parents are important," she relates. "They are the backbone of our organization. It’s been said that an organization is only as good as its members and I’m in total agreement that is true! Everyone works well together and each member gives and works in their specialized field to the best of their abilities. The women and men in this organization go over and above what is asked of them. Whether it’s a community event or one of our social events, our volunteers are on point."
The Rare Pearls at a community partner event with Charming Charlie. Seated (l to r): Judy McClendon-Redmond, Gianna Adams. Standing (l to r): Tonjua Jackson, Michelle Morgan, Micayla Lamar, Dream Sanford, Mary Adams, Lauryn Thompson, Cynthia Barlow. Photo courtesy of Rare Pearls.
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Empowering Women Saturday, July 20, at the Douglasville Conference Center will mark the fifth annual Rare Pearls Women’s Empowerment Luncheon. There will be two keynote speakers. Jonnetta Patton, entrepreneur and mother of Grammy award winning singer and songwriter Usher, and Emmy award winning Monica Pearson, former news anchor for WSB-TV Channel 2 News. Entertainment will include gospel singer and Dove, Grammy and Stellar award winner, Babbie Mason, who was featured in the December 2016 issue of West Georgia Woman magazine, along with recording artist Johnnie Proby, Rare Pearls' Director of Training and Education. Fred Jones, Jr. of Hillsborough North Carolina, Minister of Mime, will also be performing. Tickets for the event are $50 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. Vendor sales will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the luncheon will be from 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., followed by a fashion show. Tickets are available at rarepearls2019wel.eventbrite.com. Judy hopes to expand the Rare Pearls reach by establishing multiple chapters accross the country and world-wide. Their first chapter expansion will be opening soon in Gainesville, Fla. "Entrusting me with these precious Rare Pearls is a big task," she
shares. "But I believe with all my heart this is a set up for something great in this city, this county, this state and the world. I’m ready and willing to take on this challenge. I need to think big and out of the box so that our Pearls can think big and out of the box."
"Entrusting me with these precious Rare Pearls is a big task, but I believe with all my heart this is a set up for something great in this city, this county, this state and the world. I’m ready and willing to take on this challenge."
Community Partnerships Rare Pearls' primary source of funding is through donations and sponsorships. There is always a need for community partners to help by donating their time Photo by Yolanda Mendes/Yo photoz. through volunteering at events; facilitating a monthly workshop showcasing the volleyball court; another is a poet who won third their business, career or passion; monetary place in the Georgia Toastmasters junior contest. donations to fund field trips, activities and events; "I think the biggest challenge for girls today is in-kind donations such as food for meetings and that they just don’t feel free to be themselves," water for outdoor events, t-shirts or t-shirt printing, she relates. "The pressures of peers, self, life and program and ticket printing; craft supplies; cakes and bullying places our girls in positions that they are sweet treats for the annual Women’s Empowerment afraid of being transparent, afraid to have the Luncheon and donations of toiletries for their holiday freedom to love and to even like themselves just community service projects. "We are constantly the way they are. I try to always make a point to let looking for community partners," she says. "These our girls and adults know they are loved, beautiful, donations help in so many ways." important and necessary. If they don’t feel loved and validated anywhere else, we will make sure they are validated in Rare Pearls." WGW Making an Impact Many of Rare Pearls' young members are thriving. One young lady was featured on CBS News for an in-school community project; another is an aspiring entrepreneur who paints on canvas; one excels on
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To learn more about Judy McClendon-Redmond and the Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program, call 770.947.8210 or email rarepearls2015@gmail.com. Visit them on Facebook @rarepearlsmentoringandleadership Mail donations to: Rare Pearls Mentoring and Leadership Program P.O. Box 6086, Douglasville, Ga. 30154 or donate online through the website at www.rarepearlsmentoringandleadership.org 43
Kids Korner
L
Water Bottle Fireflies
ight up the night with these adorable and easy water bottle fireflies. The kids will have so much fun making these and shedding some light on the great outdoors in the evenings. These also make perfect bedroom nightlights for little ones who are afraid of the dark. Bring back memories of your vacation at the beach and display your child's summer artwork with these crabby under the sea magnets. Shaping the front crab claws can be a bit tricky, so you may need to help your child with this. Always supervise young children when using a hot glue gun. Materials 1 plastic drinking water bottle Googly eyes Glow sticks Foam Sheets Pipe stems Scissors Hot glue gun Instructions Activate the glowsticks and place them inside the plastic bottle.
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Photos and crafts by Zachary Dailey
Glue googly eyes to the bottle cap. Wrap a pipe stem around the plastic bottle, evenly distributed at the front, middle and back of the bottle and twist to form the legs. Glue in place. Wrap a pipe stem around the bottle cap neck and twist to form the antennae. Glue in place. Cut two wings out of the foam sheets and glue them to the top of the bottle.
Crabby Under the Sea Refrigerator Magnets
Materials Shells
Red marker or paint Assorted googly eyes Pipe stems Scissors Hot glue gun Round magnets Instructions Using the marker, color the shells or paint them. Glue the googly eyes to the wider part of the top of the shell. Cut pipe stems in the following sizes: 2, 4-inch pieces; 6, 2-inch pieces; and 2, 1-inch pieces. Glue the 2-inch pieces to the inner part of the shell, about an inch into the inner part – 3 on each side. Leave about 1-inch of the pipe stem showing outside of the shell. Bend all 6 forward in the shape of legs.
Glue the 2, 1-inch pieces to the inner part of the back of the shell. Leave about 3/4-inch showing outside of the shell. Bend slightly with both ends facing the base of the shell. Glue the 4-inch pieces to the inner part of the shell – 1 on each side in front of the other legs. After they are glued in place, take the end of the pipe stems and bend backward into a curve to create the crab claws. Turn the shell upside down and fill with hot glue. There should be enough glue so the magnet will be able to extend beyond the shell. While the glue is still hot, place the magnet in the glue and allow to dry. WGW
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