Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of “You’re not alone.” –Brené Brown Hello ladies. I am going to get right to the update: summer is here, and I have not done a Christmas card in two years. I consider you all my friends and family, so here we go. Joe, the eldest, has had enough of the Midwest and is taking the show on the road. He will still be working for the same company but …

SOOLEY By John Grisham Once again, I’ve picked a book by one of my favorite authors, John Grisham. This is his 36th novel and, believe it or not, I have read them all. However, this is not his usual courtroom story. The court he chooses to write about this time is a basketball court. The main character, Samuel (Sooley) Sooleymon, is a 17-year-old boy from South Sudan, who has been chosen to come to America to play basketball for a traveling team that showcases the skills of young Sudanese players for college coaches. The secondary tale is about Sooley’s family, …

Summer is the time for family fun in the Midwest. Time to get outside and enjoy some of our local traditions — including those centered around food. I remember the first time I took my Littles strawberry picking. Recently, we were at my mom’s, and she made them a simple dessert that they went crazy for: strawberries over angel food cake with homemade whipped cream. Such a simple dessert, and they loved it. Our family enjoys cooking together, and recently our middle daughter recreated something she had on a visit to Florida. Here are two summer-inspired recipes to share with …

Well, I guess I am a college graduate now. Weird, weird, weird. I don’t feel quite ready to be a full-fledged adult yet, so I will be starting Accelerated Nursing School at Creighton in August. I am excited to be pursuing a career in nursing with a background in psychology. The long-term goal is to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner in pediatrics. (We will see where life takes me…I am VERY indecisive ☺.) Before graduation, a few of my best girlfriends and I were curled up on my bed on a Sunday morning discussing the events from the night before. …

This issue is about celebrations and creativity. I hope you enjoy the beautiful stories that applaud our community and how we have found small ways to celebrate. The journey continues in faith, family, friends, fitness, and finance. ~ Jen [in this issue] Editor’s Note Rays of Grace Foodie Forum Bookmark [ in every issue ] Editor’s Note – News from Jen Theisen Energize – Feed My People On the Scene – Out and About in the Valley Taking 5ive – Meet Women in the Valley Fab Finds – Our Favorite Finds In Session…- Question for the Health Coach Foodie Forum – …

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” ~Prince Hello friends; the above quote is from one of my favorite songs, “Let’s Go Crazy.” It was an iconic song of the summer of ‘84. It takes me back to a time of innocence and a time of freedom from real worry. As I write, I have a fresh cup of coffee, and Prince is playing in the background. I am learning to enjoy the little gifts, and this moment of quiet and time to write is a gift. Collectively, we have all been through …

Alrighty my friends, I’m not sure how we got here but apparently, I only have a month left of college. Over the years I have shared lessons, and growing moments. There are also a few things I have not shared with you… a few of my favorite and even a little embarrassing moments. Colorado – My roommate and I decided to take a trip to Colorado during quarantine. This was our first time traveling to Colorado and we are very “go with the flow,” type of gals when it comes to traveling.  We talked to locals and looked up some …

Happy Spring! I have to say, I never quite know where the inspiration for this article will come from. I have a very seasonable palate. I suppose most of us living in the upper Midwest do. I would never make chili in the summer or grill seafood in the winter. Perhaps it’s the fresh ingredients that inspire me. This time, however, it was two unexpected gifts from our eldest that brought forth these two recipes. First, the pasta dish recipe was given to me after our daughter requested to make our family dinner. Second, she bought us this Easter cake …

NIGHT FALL By Nelson DeMille This book, written in 2004, is a work of fiction, but is based on events that actually happened. On July 17th, 1996, at 8:31p.m. E.D.T., TWA Flight 800 bound for Paris and then on to Rome, Italy, took off from New York and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after takeoff . All 230 on board died in the crash. Of the 258 witnesses who came forward and were interviewed, 38 of those reported a “streak of light” ascending from the ocean. There were many theories as to what actually happened:  was it bomb, missile …

School Daze The Best and the Worst of Pandemic Pedagogy For centuries, pedagogy has been the same old, same old:  students congregate in a school, freely sharing air. Lunch is a noisy clustering of kids in a cafeteria, while recess and gym class have kids pinballing off each other. The COVID-19 has forced schools across America to reconfigure themselves on the fly — not an easy task, as the pandemic swelled and subsided and swelled again. Adapting to remote learning brings its own set of uncertainties, like iffy (or nonexistent) internet connections and some families lacking sufficiently quiet space for …