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This Veteran’s Day, Sentinels of Freedom honors all veterans from every generation. We are forever grateful for the sacrifices they have made. I hope you will join us to salute the veterans who chose to serve our country with honor, courage, and commitment.

All veterans deserve a chance to succeed after their military careers. This is one of the main reasons that we started the Sentinels of Freedom program over ten years ago. It started with one Sentinel, one severely wounded veteran in need of assistance. Today, we have over 400 Sentinels in the program. We continue to assist severely wounded veterans as they complete their higher education and transition back into civilian life. This past fall we saw the number of applicants double! We welcomed over 30 new Sentinels into the program. The need is greater than ever.

Our unique, personalized program provides the Sentinels with living and housing assistance, mentoring, resume building, financial planning and counseling, networking, and so much more. We are in contact with our Sentinels throughout their educational journey. We get to know each and every one of our Sentinels on a personal level and continue to keep contact even after they graduate. They stay a part of the Sentinel family forever.

Please consider making a donation to the Sentinels of Freedom program today. These veterans need your help. www.sentinelsoffreedom.org/donate

Being a parent is not easy—the role involves an array of stages, adjustments and emotions. Most parents would agree that being a new parent isn’t always something for which you are prepared. You think you are all set but that assumption is far from the truth. The intensity diminishes with more children, but it is a unique experience with each new child, nonetheless. Each new life is unique, with a new set of quirks and temperaments. The game of life changes accordingly.

One’s responsibility as a parent is high regardless a child’s ability that is born healthy, but it is even higher with a child with medical challenges. I am the parent of a son who has no medical issues and a daughter with special needs not obvious to the naked eye because she is on the high functioning end of the developmental scale. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she has overcome many obstacles. She doesn’t fit the stereotype of being in a wheelchair or having some obvious physical ailment. She is nine years old and aware of the differences between herself and her special day class.

Never setting limits or labels, her father and I always support and focus on treating her with love, without boundaries on her capabilities or participation in everyday childhood experiences. I cringe at the thought of her not being accepted or ostracized, or worse, of being bullied. Lord knows that can happen to any child, whether mainstream or not.

I recall the heart-wrenching time I had to gently inform my daughter why she is in the special day class at school. I matter-of-factly told her that she has special needs. That means she needs some extra help doing things that her classmates do, whereas they may just need different types of help, depending on the type of “boo-boo” that happened to their brains or bodies. I could see her eyes taking in our conversation as she asked, “So I am special needs?” in a surprised tone. Since she wasn’t in a wheelchair and didn’t needed help to eat, etc., I told her she may not need as much help and that’s why she is like the big sister to her classmates. The help she needs is because of the stroke she had in my tummy, and that’s okay.

I could sense her coming to terms with it as the surprise and confusion turned in circles in her head. My heart ached and my mind battled with my choice that day—the double-edged sword of preparing her mindset for this reality instead of hearing it via deeply hurtful remarks from children was difficult. Her being within the age group where the coping skills are learned and engraved in us, I wanted to be the one to teach her the foundation of self-acceptance and prepare her for the ostracizing that many children experience—that the possibility of unkind words people may say to her doesn’t mean that they are true words. I realized how much I need to trust my parental instinct.

We must help our kids to accept, love and trust themselves despite the limitations or labels others will try to place on them. As I continue this mission of teaching her self-love, I too must trust the reflection looking back at me. I am a parent that worries at each stage of my children’s lives, only to look back and see that God brought them through it just fine. The sacrifices that come with the blessings are oh-so-apparent as I tread this thing called life. I hope that the mountains both my children may face are climbed with tightened-up boot straps and a strength that comes from knowing that their existence is not a mistake. May they know that they have value no matter what pebbles or boulders come rolling towards them. My job isn’t to prevent the mountains from forming but to plant that seed of them growing into productive adults who know who they are at the core of their being. If their lives reflect this goal, then I have done my job and I can put down the sword—or better yet, pass it on to them.

Stefanie Boggs-Johnson is published author of I See You, Little Naomi and soon to be released I See You, Little Andrew. Her educational children’s books promote special needs awareness and compassion. She is also a licensed cosmetologist and the owner of For Every Season, a mobile beauty service for the special needs community. For more information, you may visit her business website ForEverySeasonServices.com or her Facebook page @ItTakesASpecialVillage.

Hello! I’m taking over for Ben Fernandez, one of the greatest trivia players I’ve ever had the pleasure to compete with and against. I will do my best to follow in his quite large shoes. I’ve written 10,000 questions over the past 30 years, so let’s start with a variety of some of my all-time faves!

1. Incredibly, what future Hall of Famer scored the winning run in both the 1971 AND 1979 World Series?

2.Longevity in music is tough. Who had a Billboard Top 40 hit every year from 1970 to 1985? Hint—Male solo singer.

3. The Oscar-nominated 1975 film “Give ‘em Hell, Harry!” had a cast of one, James Whitmore. A few years later, what Best Picture Oscar winner had the most extras appear in one scene– over 300,000 people?

4. Calvin Coolidge was born on the 4th of July. Which three U.S. Presidents died on the 4th of July?

5. Alex Trebek has hosted ‘Jeopardy!’ since 1984. Who hosted an April Fools’ edition of ‘Jeopardy!’ in 1997?

6. Here are some lyrics: “Smile, though your heart is aching; Smile, even though it’s breaking…”. Who wrote the music for that famous song in 1936?

Autumn has arrived and with it come shorter days, cooler temperatures, and of course, the holidays. A wonderfully festive season, autumn is a time to break out cozy sweaters and savor the awesome beauty of the great outdoors, spend time with cherished family and friends, and share festive meals and wine. On Thanksgiving, we celebrate our nearest and dearest. Why not make the day even more special with a memorable wine?

As the weather grows colder, we tend to gravitate towards heavier, more substantial wines. While cabernet sauvignon and merlot enjoy great popularity, it may be time to try something new and different.

Nebbiolo, an aromatic grape hailing from the Piedmont region of northern Italy at the foot of the Italian Alps, produces outstanding wines celebrated the world over. Named for the Italian word for fog or “nebbia,” as the region tends to be quite chilly and foggy much of the year, Nebbiolo is the grape used to craft the legendary wines of Barolo and Barbaresco.

The Italians call Barolo, “The King of Wines,” and for good reason. The wines are intense and powerful and can age for decades. Barolo is produced within the boundaries of a series of towns, including the town of Barolo itself. A wine can only be called a Barolo if it is produced within the boundaries of those towns. Each town’s wine has its own special attributes that make it unique and different to all the others. For instance, if you prefer a heavy tannic red wine, you might choose a Barolo from the town of Castiglione Falletto. If you prefer a Barolo with softer tannins seek out a wine from the town of La Morra.

If Barolo is the king of wines, then surely Barbaresco is the queen. Barbaresco is also made from the nebbiolo grape and produced just ten miles from Barolo in another demarcated zone. Barbaresco wines tend to be slightly fruitier, more perfumed, and more feminine in nature.
While both are wines of great power and beauty, Barbaresco is considered gentler while Barolo is more hearty and tannic. If looking for a passionate literary comparison, perhaps a Barolo would be Henry Miller and a Barbaresco, Anais Nin.

Both Barolo and Barbaresco are pale garnet in color and have a spicy floral quality on the nose, with plenty of earthy minerality. On the palate, the wines are very high in acid. Flavors can include strawberries, cherries, rose petals, black tea leaves, and even tar. Depending on the producer and the vintage, the wines might also offer aromas of vanilla, toast, cinnamon, and clove.

A young Barolo or Barbaresco can often be too intense to consume pleasurably. Aging allows the wines to improve. The flavors soften and gain in complexity. Layers of spice are added and the wines become more perfumed. A bottle of aged Barolo or Barbaresco adds instant elegance to any holiday table. Not cheap wines, Barolo and Barbaresco may range in price from $20 to many hundreds of dollars.
Nebbiolo wine without the fancy Barolo/Barbaresco moniker is made in other parts of northern Italy as well. If Barolo and Barbaresco are not in your budget, seek out a Langhe Nebbiolo. Produced just outside the Barolo and Barbaresco regions, Langhe Nebbiolo’s can be extraordinarily delicious at a fraction of the price of their more famous cousins.

Many excellent nebbiolo wines are crafted all over the world, including Australia and California. The Sierra Foothills AVA is home to several wineries producing wonderful nebbiolo wines worth seeking out. Delicious with a variety of cheeses as well as wild game, rich pastas, and roasted meats, nebbiolo is a true food-lover’s wine. Try it this year with your Thanksgiving dinner. It’s sure to become a lasting tradition.

Cheers!

From glowing statement eyes to neutral lips, add big bold lashes for a noteworthy evening, and the holidays are looking bolder and brighter than ever! Neutral lips with a hint of color are the look du jour this season with a touch of metallic on the eyes followed by a dewy highlighter to brighten the complexion—this will give you that ooh la la holiday feel. This look will give you a diverse flaunt, unified by one ubiquitous style, complete with naturally glowing skin.

It’s Time This Holiday Season to Make Room on Your Top Shelf For Organic Glowing Skin Products

German cars, Swiss watches, French beauty—some countries are known for turning out the best-in-class products. A longtime favorite of ardent beauty junkies, the latter (aka Caudalie) is undergoing a reawakening in the beauty sector. Melding French ethos with unparalleled innovation, Caudalie infuses sophisticated formulas with indigenous, (home-grown) organic ingredients. Take Caudalie’s Radiance Serum, the brand’s proprietary and patented anti-aging serum with natural antioxidants from grape polyphenols that was discovered more than 20 years ago in the unlikeliest of places, a vineyard in Bordeaux France. This remarkable serum not only hydrates the skin and repairs the surface, it evens out dark spots and fades melasma naturally, without harsh chemicals. It is purely organic, loaded with natural grape seed oil—a priceless treasure from the vine of grapes. It contains high concentration of omega six and vitamin E that provides nourishing and regeneration properties, healing the skin from the inside out. Dark spots fade and the skin is smoother and glowing; a youthful complexion is achieved. It’s a “must have” for evening out skin tones and glowing skin!

The Scoop on Neuro Peptides
Want the best in beauty technology to repair and smooth fine lines? Look for the extraordinary and powerful antioxidant, Neuropeptide. It is taking center stage in the form of beauty ingredients and is hands down one of the most reparative, skin lifting, regenerative products available. It diminishes fine lines and boosts the skin’s ability to fight free radicals—it’s on the anti-aging forefront. The result is happy, healthy skin and more to the point, a flawless glow!

Boost Your Glow
The secret to glowing skin is not only a good skin care regime and Neuropeptides, but a good face shimmer-highlighter. After applying your make-up you can add a beautiful sheen to the face with many different types of highlighters. We have many to choose from but the one we sell the most is a peachy-pink shimmer highlighting powder. It looks like real skin with pink and peach undertones to give the skin that beautiful sheen and natural glow.

The Rouge Cosmetics carries the finest in organic skin care and advanced pharmaceutical skin products, along with trendy and classic cosmetics to give you the most real and natural looks. We welcome walk-ins to try our cosmetics and we offer expert advice skin care consultations to help you with all your skin care needs. We are open seven days a week for your convenience.