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What’s In: Winter Accessories

By
Neena Mitchell
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The temperatures are finally dropping and it is time for us to start bundling up.

However, just because the weather is cold this does not mean we must abandon our sense of style to keep warm. The best way to dress fashionable and weather appropriate in the winter is to accessorize.

Winter accessories involve a lot more than earrings and a necklace. In fact, winter may be the one season that has so many various types of accessories.

Here are the best accessories for winter 2016/2017:

Beanies

Beanies are a must-have for every winter!

Beanies are a must-have for every winter! There are so many different styles and colors you can find them in. Two of my favorite beanies are the BP. Knit Pompom Beanie from Nordstrom ($19) and the Stussy 5-0 Beanie from Urban Outfitters ($35).

Cold Weather Wraps

Wraps are a great way to be stylish and warm without the weight of a coat. They can be worn with dresses, skirts, and pants – pretty much anything. You can get a Muk Luks Cold Weather Wrap from JCPenney ($27) or a Ruyi Fringed Tapestry Wrap with a Faux Fur Collar from Dillard’s ($48).

Faux Fur Scarves

Want to be cute and classy during the winter? This is the way to do it. Channel your inner Elizabeth Taylor with this Faux Fur Snood Scarf by Merona from Target ($25) or this Faux Fur Tube Scarf from H&M ($15).

Felt Hats

On those rare days in the winter when the weather is cool, but not too chilly and it is safe to leave the coats and beanies at home, felt hats come out. The BP. Rope Trim Floppy Felt Hat from Nordstrom ($17) and the Wool Felt Hat by Hat Attack from LL Bean ($69) are perfect for those occasions.

Felt hats are a making a comeback this season.


Leather Gloves

Upgrade your winter wardrobe with leather gloves or faux leather gloves instead of regular knit gloves. You can find these at Macy’s (Calvin Klein Leather Gloves, $66) or Kohl’s (Apt. 9 Leather Gloves, $26).

Socks

Keep your toes warm and cute this season! Although no one may ever get to see your stylish socks, you can still dress them up. My favorite socks this season are from Nordstrom (Kate Spade New York crew socks, $30) and Stage (MUK LUKS Chianti Pearl Fair Isle Print Cabin Socks, $16).

Trench Coats/ Overcoats

Looking for the perfect coat to add to your winter wardrobe? These coats from ASOS (Classis Trench Coat, $64) and ZARA (Red Women’s Overcoat, $129) are stylish and durable for the weather.

Winter Headbands

Winter headbands allow us to keep our ears warm and holds hair out of the face. So, it’s a win-win! You can find some cute winter headbands at LL Bean (Pistil Ginger Headband, $26) and JCPenney (Mixit Crochet Flower and Pearl Headband, $12).

Try out any of these accessories in your winter wardrobe this season!

Updates From Angelina College

By
Nancy Reynolds
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Guy Gustafson gives a tutorial to students Chelsey Brown, Brianna Cryan and Andy Landeros.

Here are a few updates from the recent events at Angelina College.

AC Police Academy

Graduates of Angelina College’s Police Academy earned a 100 percent pass rate on their state licensing test. In order to become a Texas Peace Officer, cadets must complete 720 hours of training and pass the state licensing test. Eighteen Angelina College cadets graduated Dec. 9. Sheriff Greg Sanches was the guest speaker.

Second year Angelina College nursing student, Cody Duncan helps Leadership Lufkin participants, April Turner (left) and Melinda Moore care for a patient.

Graduates include: Dustin Allen and Joshua Pouland, both of Lufkin, Daniel Atkinson of Rye, Abby Brooks of Pollock, Austin Coker of Woodville, Jeramy Cole of Kennard, Cory Davis of Cushing, Stormy Dorthy of Brookland, Evan Freed of Coldspring, Adolfo Garcia of Corrigan, Kayla Hemperly of Goodrich, Haden Jowell of Alto, Christopher Lendo of Brookland, Garrett Nalley of Woodville, John Ortiz of Crockett, Jimmy Reid of Sillsbee, Heather Syvertson of Cushing and Bray Walter of Palestine.

Leadership Lufkin

Members of Leadership Lufkin visited AC Dec. 8 and were given tours of the Health Careers simulation lab and the Computer Numerical Control shop.

Anna McReynolds, remediation & retention specialist/teaching assistant; Tonya LaForge, director of nursing programs; and Stefanie Vaughn, surgical technology program director created a surgical and postoperative scenario. The group observed a simulated appendectomy performed on a high-tech simulator mannequin and then were able to observe and participate in the postoperative care of the patient.

Mike Standifird, Technology & Workforce instructor, informed the group about how computer-aided manufacturing works and were able to watch the process in Angelina College’s machine shop. Standifird also told the group about how those studying machine tool technology can expect to easily find good jobs paying in the range of $30 per hour.

Guy Gustafson at Quad Graphics, Alex Robertson, Austin Anderson, Andy Landeros, Andrew Patterson, Liliana Madera, Chelsey Brown, Reg Reynolds and Brianna Cryan.

Registration at Angelina College is ongoing  through Jan. 5. For more information about registration and the health careers and technology and workforce programs, go to angelina.edu.

AC Graphic Arts 

AC graphic arts students toured Quad Graphics facilities Dec. 7. Reg Reynolds, AC graphic arts instructor, arranged for the tour so students could experience the complete design process.

“I think students benefit from seeing the physical process their designs go through,” Reynolds said. “After speaking with Quad Graphics employees, they see that how the concepts learned in class impact the production of their designs.”

Quad Graphics’ Lufkin facility is a web offset plant dedicated to the production of retail advertising inserts. Their headquarters is located in Sussex, Wisconsin.

For more information about AC’s graphic arts program, call (936) 633-5233. Registration for spring semester is ongoing through Jan. 5.

 

Family-Friendly Tips to Transform Your Home this Season

By
Megan Whitworth
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Transition your interior décor when temperatures drop – it’s a great time to tap into your creativity and make a statement. Here are some ideas – big and small – to freshen up your home this season.

Play with Colors

When the weather is cool, think rich colors like plum, navy and amber. Bringing in a unique color palette will inspire you to make other changes as well, from painting a fireplace to adding an accent wall to incorporating a tile backsplash.

Make your home cozier by installing a soft, but durable carpet.

Make-Over a Room

Make your home cozier by installing a soft, but durable carpet. Just remember to consider your household dynamics when making a selection.

“Those with pets or children will want to keep in mind that spills and stains can be a common occurrence and select a family-friendly carpet,” said Jennifer Bertrand, Designer for Flooring America and Flooring Canada.

Make life easier with material designed to release pet hair and reduce pet stains. For example, the Stainmaster PetProtect Carpet and Cushion system is designed with pets in mind and is extremely durable to withstand the activity of a busy family with pets. More information can be found at FlooringAmerica.com.

Pillows

Have fun turning vintage wool blankets into pillows. Or if you just want to purchase items, seek out plaid patterns or materials that are full of textures and heavier weights.

If you have pets, be wary of knit pillows, as animal hair can get stuck in the material. Look for tight weave fabric to fit into your lifestyle.

Have fun with colors like spice amber, plum, navy, black, or whatever color makes your heart happy.

Capture Some Art

Update your framed photos around the house. If you have children, let them get creative and contribute to the overall design. Give them the phone or tablet and let them capture what the season means to them: nature, family, friends or whatever!

Paint Together

Change your front door color.

Or paint a piece of furniture with a lacquer paint to add a high sheen and a fun splash of color.

Cooler weather means cozier interiors. Take steps to change your décor to suit the changing weather.

(StatePoint)

Gift Giving to the Gardener

By
Cary Sims
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‘Tis the season of trying to figure out what gift to give at Christmas.

While I love Christmas time, I have the hardest time buying for someone who “doesn’t need anything.” Worse maybe is me trying to come up with a list that my family may use to buy me something. Truly, it can get difficult.

And while I write this on a cold and blustery morning and you read this on a cold and blustery day as well, let’s not forget that Christmas gifts can be for the garden and landscape.

Looking around a landscape, I think there are lots of gift giving opportunities that would work. For years, I’d give my mom a rose bush for Christmas or Valentine’s Day. The opportunity to grow citrus here such the Meyer lemon or satsumas is abundantly evident. A single, well cared for citrus tree could provide more than enough citrus fruit for family and some neighbors.

Other great options for more traditionally grown fruit in east Texas are figs or pomegranate or even a native mayhaw.

You could find an antique/heirloom plant that you could gift. True gardeners most likely know all about “pass-along-plants.” The problem is that we really don’t pass along to many plants due to the large selection of several, quality nurseries. Let me propose that heirloom plants can certainly be purchased from local and online nurseries!

For smaller spaces in the landscape, there are bulbs galore that are harder and harder to find. Consider perennials that may provide color or dimension. Garden structures such as a bench or an obelisk may be a fine addition to the landscape, and certainly won’t need any maintenance.

I’m going to guess that most vegetable gardeners really don’t need help buying traditional vegetable seeds. I find a lot of fun sorting thru the seed bins and studying the seed packets for what I want to try. Where I hesitate is with a new tool or wheelbarrow or other such items. There are specialty hoes, pruning shears, and more for the offering. Google “specialty garden tools” and you may be surprised.

For older gardeners that do have a full landscape and garden, but are having troubles working outside, there are several rolling seats, kneeling cushions, and other aids to make tending to plants easier.

Lastly, I think of gardeners as lifelong learners. They must be. They learn from trial and error, and sharing with others the secrets of how things grow best. For them, a historical book such as “Heirloom Gardening in the South or Antique Roses for the South” would be a great gift. Bulb lovers must have “The Bulb Hunter” by Wiesinger on their shelf as well. He documents the story of locating bulbs across the South.

So, to wrap up, consider new or hard to find plants. Also, think of tools, gardening aids and even a good book. Whether young or old, inexperienced or a veteran, there are lot of gifts for a gardener.

 

How to Style Tacky Christmas Sweaters

By
Maddie Adams
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I love anything Christmas, especially an excuse to wear Christmas clothes.

Tacky Christmas sweater parties are my favorite. I find them so fun, and they really help me get into the Christmas spirit. Tacky Christmas sweaters can still be super cute and totally tacky at the same time.

Maddie Adams styles a Christmas vest.

You can go to almost any store right now and find an awesome assortment of tacky Christmas sweaters. JcPenny’s, Target, and Rue 21 have some of my favorite ones. You can also go to Goodwill or any local thrift shop an find some fun ones.

When styling tacky Christmas sweaters you can wear them with jeans or a fun skirt. I like to pair them with my gold sequin boots. For a great finishing touch add a huge Christmas bow, a scrunchie, or a Santa hat.


As you go looking for the perfect tacky Christmas sweater this month, remember vest, hoodies, a sweater dress or big sweaters are all acceptable. The tackier the better!

Happy Holidays, and Happy Fashion Friday!

An Update from Rep. Trent Ashby

By
Rep. Trent Ashby
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Dec. 7 marks the 75th anniversary of the “date which will live in infamy,” when American troops were attacked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The date, which shot the United States into the Second World War, now commemorates the lives of men and women who bravely served so that we could continue living in a free country. For those who served previously, and those who are still serving today, we are forever indebted to you.

Now an update from your State Capitol in Austin. . .

An Update On The State Budget

This month, the Health and Human Services Commission affirmed the proposed $350 million cut to Medicaid therapy services for children with disabilities. While I agree that certain measures must be taken to reduce spending, I believe such a drastic cut to Medicaid will limit the access to care that so many disabled Texans need. With the 85th Legislative Session quickly approaching, I agree with Speaker Straus that this was not the original intent of the Texas House, and stand ready to properly address the issue in our state’s supplemental budget.

In other recent news, the Legislative Budget Board met to establish the growth rate in the state’s two year-budget, which determines how much lawmakers can spend in next year’s legislative session. The 10-member board – chaired by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Joe Straus – agreed unanimously on an 8 percent growth rate in the state’s budget, which would cap spending on roughly half of a budget that last biennium totaled $209.4 billion. This number is down nearly 4 percentage points than what was set two years ago, which reflects economic growth that has been slowed by low oil prices.

Although the spending cap is significantly lower than last biennium, the cap provides the Legislature with an opportunity to make strategic investments in priorities such as education, child protection and mental health care. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature to ensure that we produce a balanced and responsible state budget.

Merry Christmas and On to 2017

The Christmas music on the radio and the presents under the tree can sometimes make it easy to lose sight of the true meaning behind one of my favorite holidays. Many of you will travel to see family and friends dear to your heart, and others will stay close to home in House District 57. As for me and my family, we will once again gather at church on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Whatever your plans, the entire Ashby family wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Reminders

The mobile office is suspended until after the holidays, but as always, please feel free to visit us in our District office at 2915 Atkinson Dr. in Lufkin should you need assistance. Additionally, you can always reach us in our District office at (936) 634-2762 or our Capitol office at (512) 463-0508.

Kohner Strong: A Story of Bravery and Love

By
Grace Baldwin
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The holidays should be filled with joy and gift-giving, but for one local family this holiday season will be filled with costly medical bills and a debilitating sickness.

Kohner Thompson, an eight-year-old student at Huntington Elementary, likes to play football and attend church, and he has led a normal life until recently.

Contributed photo of Kohner, Ashley, Kohner’s father, Michael, and sister, Kayleigh, 5.

The young boy’s life was flipped upside down when Kohner was diagnosed with a cyst on the center of his brain this summer.

It all began when Kohner started involuntarily rolling his eyes around June of this year. At first, his parents and doctor thought it was just an attitude problem, but several months later Kohner was admitted to the emergency room for a severe headache. It was there in the emergency room when he had his first full seizure.

“They did a CAT scan immediately,” Ashley said. “And that’s when they found the cyst in his brain.”

A CAT scan, or computerized tomography scan, is an x-ray image made of the brain.

Doctors advised the Thompsons to schedule an appointment with a neurologist in Houston to have an electroencephalogram (EEG), a test evaluating electrical activity in the brain, so they scheduled an appointment at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“In our heads, we thought we were going down there for an EEG,” Ashley said. “That’s all we were going down there for.”

But as Ashley and Kohner were getting prepped for the exam, certain things kept alarming her.

“[The doctor] walks out of the room and comes back with a guy he introduces as the head of the neurology department at Texas Children’s, which was alarming, but they assured us nothing was wrong,” Ashley said. “They kept looking at each other, and I said, ‘Is everything OK?’”

While they were waiting for the results, the doctors told Ashley and Kohner they could leave and they would hear the results later of the EEG, but before they reached the parking lot, a group of doctors stopped them and said the results were back.

As they sat in a waiting room, preparing to hear the results, a woman approached Ashley, handed her a business card, and said to contact her if she needed anything. The card identified the woman as a grief counselor.

Ashley said she hit the ground in tears.

“That’s your kid,” Ashley said. “You can’t not know what the actual results are and someone hand you a grief card. Like, that’s just not OK.”

Finally, the doctors brought them into a private office and said there were aggressive brain waves on the central part of Kohner’s brain. They wanted to do an immediate MRI to further understand it. The MRI later showed Kohner had a two mm cyst on his pineal gland.

Ashley described the pineal gland as “literally the dead center of your brain” and the “worst place for brain surgery.” Because of this, the doctors believe it would be more harmful to remove the cyst than to let it remain.

Currently, Kohner is battling strep throat again, and Ashley said that whenever he is sick with fever, his seizures spiral out of control.

Kohner and his family said they want to try the most cautious and least invasive treatment in hopes that the cyst will begin to shrink and surgery will be unnecessary. They have an appointment to look into all the treatment options next week.

Unfortunately, medical costs have proven too much for the Thompsons to bear. At first, they thought they might need to cancel Christmas, but some friends said they would provide gifts.

However, their struggle is not over.

They have declared bankruptcy and need support this holiday season as medical bills keep piling up.

“A lot of business that we’ve gone to for donations have all turned us away because it’s Christmas and the end of the year,” Ashley said.

Business owners told her she should have come to them at the beginning of the year, but Kohner did not get sick until late summer. However the problem is now, and the Thompsons need support.

Contributed photo of the family wearing #KohnerStrong t-shirts that they are selling to support medical costs.

“It’s been really emotional and hard on me as a mom because when your kids are sick you just want to be able to give them medicine or one thing and it go away completely, and right now we can’t do that,” Ashley said.  “We go to church, we pray. He prays before every meal and at bedtime, and every time he prays, the first prayer that comes out of his mouth is that he wishes his cyst and seizures would go away.”

The Thompsons are selling t-shirts with #KohnerStrong on them to show support for the young boy and to raise funds for medical costs. To purchase one, Ashley can be contacted through Facebook at facebook.com/Kohner415. Also on that page, readers can follow Kohner’s journey.

To donate to the Thompsons, visit gofundme.com/Kohner-strong or their PayPal account at paypal.me/kohner415.

Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy and Happy this Winter

By
Megan Whitworth
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With colder weather comes an increase in weather-related illness and health issues.

From activity levels to mood, diet and more, seasonal weather affects all areas of your life. But, don’t let the winter blues get you down – follow these tips to help keep your family healthy and happy during the cold-weather months.

“Winterize” Your Diet

Some fresh fruits and veggies can be hard to find in winter. The Cleveland Clinic suggests turning to root vegetables like beets, carrots and turnips since they can withstand cold temperatures, making them easier to find. Also on their list of suggested foods are oatmeal, soup (without a lot of salt), sushi, broccoli and cauliflower – all of which provide essential nutrients to support immunity and boost vitamin levels.

Also, be sure to work vitamin D into your system. It aids bone health and muscle strength, but during shorter, cloudy days of winter, you might not get the necessary amount you need. Harvard School of Public Health recommends daily 15-minute walks outside to get some sun, and eating vitamin D-rich foods such as dairy products, breakfast cereals and fish like salmon and tuna. You may also consider a supplement.

Keep Moving

When cabin fever sets in, grab the kids and head outside.

Studies show that daily exercise and activity offer immune-boosting benefits. People who exercise 30 to 45 minutes a day experience a 40 to 50 percent reduction in the number of days they get sick, according to studies at Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab.

Encourage the family to get active with step or fitness trackers. Daily or weekly step goals and challenges with siblings or spouses are fun ways to keep everyone moving. FitBit, Garmin and Jawbone all make trackers with corresponding mobile apps to help monitor goals.

And, when cabin fever sets in, grab the kids and head outside. Cold weather activities nearby or on a trip away, such as sledding, skiing and snowboarding, can offer additional exercise outside the normal indoor routine.

Always be Prepared

When the weather gets cold, the risk of certain illnesses like cold and flu rise. What’s in your feel-better-fast kit when your family gets sick? Items that doctors recommend to have when a cold or the flu hits include: pain and fever relief (ibuprofen, acetaminophen), tissues, fluids (especially cool water), soup and tea, throat lozenges and a digital temperature monitor.

Instead of waking young children to get accurate temperature readings with a digital thermometer, consider picking up TempTraq the next time you’re at Target, CVS or Walgreens. It’s a wearable, Bluetooth monitor that safely and continuously senses, records and transmits body temperature for 24 hours through its free TempTraq app. You can even receive fever alerts so you can eliminate poking or prodding kids in the middle of the night, providing peace of mind for you and much needed rest for them during sick days.

For a happy and healthy winter, use these tips to inspire your family to eat right, get active and be prepared for colder weather.

(StatePoint)

Nursing Unit Receives Vital Sign Monitors from Volunteer Auxiliary

By
Misty Boggs
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LUFKIN, TEXAS (December 8, 2016)… The Volunteer Auxiliary at CHI St. Luke’s Health-Memorial recently donated 2 Vital Sign Monitors, each worth more than $2,900, to the K4 Nursing Floor. Volunteer Auxiliary President, Don Newland, along with Volunteer Doris Harkness presented the monitors to members of the K4 nursing team including Deidra Taylor, Jill Loftice, Arceli Basat, Honey Jacildo, Angela Robins and Jo Crenshaw, Director of K4. Money raised throughout the year in the Memorial Gift Shop and various fundraisers make it possible for the Volunteer Auxiliary to donate equipment to the hospital.

Snowman Luminaries

By
Ginger Bowie
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Can you believe it’s December already? This year flew by!

So far our fall and winter has been unseasonably warm, but that hasn’t stopped us from dreaming of a white Christmas.

Since the weather hasn’t decided to cooperate, we decided to take matters into our own hands by making these adorable Snowman Luminaries. These little guys make the perfect kid craft and would be a super cute decoration for your holiday parties.

Let’s get started!

Snowman Luminaries at GingerSnapCrafts.com

snowman crafts

For this project you will need:

Quart mason jars and lids
Decoupage
Buttons
Orange scrapbook paper
Flannel fat quarter
Fabric scissors
Coconut flakes (or glitter)
Hot glue gun & glue
Llack spray paint
Foam paint brushes
Battery operated tea lights
Filler for your luminaries (white beans, red lentils, etc.)
Huggies Wipes

FYI: Before my kids got started, I had spray painted the lids of our mason jars black and let dry. I don’t trust them with spray paint quite yet!

huggies 1

When we are doing craft projects (or anything messy really) we always have a package Huggies Wipes open and ready to go! Remember not all wipes are created equal ~ only Huggies Wipes have triple layers that are thick enough to clean those tough messes, and boy are we messy!

huggies 2

The first thing you will do is coat your mason jar with a nice thick layer of decoupage.

huggies 3

Next, you will sprinkle coconut all over your jar. Use your hands to press it down.

huggies 4

Set it aside and let it dry.

huggies 5

This would be a great time to clean up a little bit with the Huggies Wipes. Your hands will be a little bit sticky at this point.

huggies 6

Then you’ll gather the rest of your supplies. I had buttons and noses (cut out from orange cardstock), the tea lights, and a flannel fat quarter.

huggies 7

Cut a scarf out by cutting a 1 1/2 inch strip of material and then fraying the edges with the scissors.

huggies 8

Tie the scarf around your snowman and then hot glue the eyes, nose, and buttons on with a glue gun.

huggies 9

We filled the bottom of our jars with red and green lentils. You could also use beans or rice, whatever you have on hand. Then stick your tea light in right on top of that. Put on the lid, and you’re done!

huggies 11

Aren’t these adorable? They’d make cute centerpieces at a holiday party!

huggies 10

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