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As we’re finishing up winter and heading into spring let’s talk athletic wear. Why? Well, because spring is usually that time of year when I get the itch to be super active! The sun is shining, it’s starting to warm up, and summer is on the horizon. It feels like that time to shed those holiday cookies and cozy winter meals.

One way to get me into the active spirit is to make sure I’ve got cute workout wear, because let’s face it, fashion exists in the athletic world and there’s a ton of super cute options! So why not take part, right?

Wearing a put-together athletic outfit does change the way I approach my time exercising. Sure, there are days I throw on one of my husband’s old t-shirts and sagging running tights. However, those are also the days I don’t “go to work” with my fitness routine. The days I kill it are the days I feel good and confident in the clothes I put on. If the rule applies to when we get dressed daily, whether that be for work, a dinner date, weekend outing, etc., then it surely applies when we exercise. We usually feel our best when we dress our best.

With that said I thought we’d discuss how to dress the part based on your budget because, truly, no matter the budget, there is fabulous, cute, and fun workout apparel out there—pieces that help to boost your energy and get you pumped for yoga, barre, TRX, or a boxing class. Or if you’re like me, you get dressed up for your free, at-home workout routines. I workout in my living room and still make the effort with my exercise attire because it’s not about anyone else. It’s not about impressing the people you see. It’s about setting yourself up for success and what you wear does play a part.

We’ve got two athletic outfits. Both are awesome. Both are at completely different price points. Regardless, you’ll feel cute and sassy! Take your class then head out and throw on your cotton hoodie. You’re now ready to run a few errands or pick the kiddos up from school. It’s not only cute for exercising; it’s presentable for those moments when the athletic gear becomes your look for the day. Whether you’re splurging or going the budget-friendly route, don’t be afraid to have fun with your athletic wear.

I will say sometimes price tags play a role in the quality of clothing. However, sometimes the more cost-effective pieces are just as good. So, test out the products. Head to the stores and try it all on. Practice those lunges in the dressing room to see if the leggings stay put. Do some jumping jacks to ensure the sports bra does the job. Then strut your stuff and head to your exercise class and kill it.

Splurge Friendly

Top $23 *on sale

Sports bra $59

Pants $89

Jacket $47 *on sale

Running shoes $75 *on sale

Yoga mat $78

Water bottle $35

Total $406

Budget Friendly

Sports bra $10

Tee $15

Leggings $25

Jacket $40

Shoes $49

Yoga mat $15

Water bottle $10

Total $164

Thanks for reading dear ones! Stop by www.maccarose.com for links to these looks and more! Follow along on Instagram: maccarose_

Corned beef and cabbage has become synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day in the United States. This combo has become so ubiquitous, in fact, that even those of us who know it is not authentically Irish set aside our prejudices and join in on the fun.

Whether slowly braised in the oven, brought to bubbling goodness on top of the stove, or thrown into your new electric pressure cooker, cooking a big slab of corned beef usually means there will be leftovers. And that’s never a bad thing. But since you can get a corned beef-on-rye sandwich at any deli on any day of the year, I’ll take a radical turn and use that juicy leftover corned beef as a filling for soft tacos. Yes, tacos. Think of it as Irish Fusion Cuisine. Or whatever.

For the requisite crunch, I’ll add thinly sliced ribbons of fresh green cabbage. Farm-fresh cabbage is inherently sweet, moist, and tender—unlike the odiferous, tough old heads you may find at the supermarket. (Or perhaps worse yet, the dry, flavorless pre-shredded stuff that comes in a cellophane bag.) A zesty horseradish dressing drizzled over the top, garnished with sliced chiles and cilantro, completes the perfect mouthful.

Casual meals like this demand little of the host. To make my job even easier, I’ll simply lay out all of the ingredients and let my family or friends assemble their own tacos. These are so messy-good you may want to just skip the traditional dinner and serve Corned Beef & Cabbage Tacos on Sunday, March 17.  Hey, this is California! And your children will probably thank you.

The only decision that remains is whether the accompanying adult beverage should be a pint of Guinness or a Mexican beer. (Hint: There’s no wrong answer.) Slainte!

Corned Beef & Cabbage Tacos

One (1 to 1 1/2-pound) chunk of cooked corned beef 

4 cups finely shredded green cabbage              

2 carrots, shredded

1 large green onion (scallion), thinly sliced

8 (8-inch) whole wheat or white flour tortillas, warmed

For garnish:

Thinly sliced jalapeno or serrano chile peppers

Small cilantro sprigs

Horseradish Crema (recipe follows)

Lime wedges

1. In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, warm the corned beef in its cooking liquid over medium heat, covered, until heated through. Alternatively, microwave, or wrap securely in foil and warm in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces. You should have at least 3 cups.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, and green onion.
3. To assemble each soft taco: Lay a warm tortilla flat on a dinner plate and add about 1/3 cup of warm shredded corned beef to the center. Top with about 1/2 cup of the cabbage mixture and drizzle with Horseradish Crema. Garnish as desired with chiles, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Fold in half and eat out of hand.

Horseradish Crema

1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema

1/4 cup prepared white horseradish

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Dash of cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, stir together all of the ingredients until well blended. Use at once, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Cook’s Tips

There are numerous types of cabbage; but this recipe employs the common green head variety that is so prevalent right now. Red head cabbage is ideal for long, slow braising with bacon and red wine, fresh apples or pears, or raisins or other dried fruits. Savoy cabbage has long, thin, crinkly pale green leaves that are loosely layered on the head. Its exceptionally mild flavor makes it a European favorite. Asian varieties are ideal for stir-frying.

When young and fresh, cruciferous cabbage is sweet, mild, and delicious. It’s also high in fiber, Vitamin C, and many antioxidants.

Cabbage Arithmetic: 1 small (2 pound) cabbage, cored, makes about 8 cups of shredded cabbage.

To warm the tortillas, place 4 on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave in 30-second bursts until heated through. Repeat with the remaining 4 tortillas. Alternatively, stack 4 tortillas in each of 2 packets of aluminum foil; crimp the edges to seal. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and warm until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

When feeding a crowd, serving the Horseradish Crema from an inexpensive plastic squeeze bottle will facilitate service. (You may need to cut the tip of the bottle with scissors to make a larger opening, so the crema will flow more easily.)

If you’re not a fan of soft tacos, tuck the ingredients inside crispy corn tortilla shells.

Instead of—or in addition to—using corned beef in the filling, coarsely chop leftover boiled or steamed potatoes. Season well with salt and pepper and sauté in California olive oil until nicely browned on the outside and heated through. When serving potato tacos, you may also want to pass prepared salsa at the table.

When the corned beef is long gone and you’re still craving these tacos, substitute grilled or roasted salmon.

The Horseradish Crema is enough “dressing” for me; but if you prefer, toss the cabbage with a mustardy vinaigrette or a more traditional coleslaw dressing before adding to the tacos.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show your appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!

It is safe to say, not many classical composers are well-known to the general public, however there are some exceptions, and among these is the Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg.  His famous works have become world-wide favorites and the “Peer Gynt Suites” are at the top of the list.

The Composer

 Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was born in Bergen, Norway. His early training, at age six, was from his mother who started him on music lessons. At age 15, he went to Leipzig, Germany and studied piano and composition at the Leipzig Conservatory. It was reported that he conflicted with the school’s philosophy, so he eventually returned to Norway. After returning to Norway, Grieg met with Rikard Nordraak and together they organized the Norwegian Nationalist School of Music. In 1867, Grieg founded the Music Union in Christiana, (now Oslo) and was its conductor until 1880.

Scandinavian nationalism in general, can be described as a reaction to German-romanticism. This was due to some Scandinavian composers receiving their early training in Leipzig. Grieg was considered the most popular of the Scandinavian nationalist composers. He loved the customs, native traditions and wild mountain scenery of his native country. Grieg was creating a “Nordic Sound.” He was an important factor in furthering Norwegian nationalism by writing pieces using traditional aspects based on popular music. He took an active role in the national musical life of Norway.

Nationalism had a local flavor with its roots in Russia. Scandinavian composers reached for an indigenous style. Nationalism in music stressed native folk songs and subjects of national interests. Other countries were also experimenting with native folk music.

Music

 Grieg’s concept of Norwegian music was to use the charm and attractiveness of native folk music.  He was able to write beautiful music incorporating original subtle harmonies, folk-like melodies and distinctive dance rhythms. He firmly believed that Norwegian music expressed the spirit of the north.

Grieg’s music drew public attention through his many piano pieces, songs, sonatas for violin and piano, and other incidental music connected with his suites.

His famous Piano Concerto in A minor was one of his signature pieces that gave him prominence and much admiration.

Peer Gynt Suite was one of Grieg’s most celebrated and famous compositions. It was commissioned by Henrik Ibsen, author and playwright. He wanted Grieg to write incidental music for his play, Peer Gynt—a story of fairies of a different variety. This gave Grieg a vehicle to tell in musical terms the story of this Norwegian tale.

Originally, in earlier times, a suite was comprised of dance tunes all in the same key. Four tunes were common, although in some suites many more were used. The four usual dances were: Allemande, Courante, Saraband, and the Gigue. These classic dance forms are no longer used.

The sections in the suite that describe the core of the story are: “In The Hall of the Mountain King,” “Death of Ase,” “Arabian Dance,” “Anitras Dance,” and “Morning.”

“The Lulllaby,”in the suite is a combination cradle song in dirge. The Peer Gynt Suite made Grieg an overnight sensation as the suite was a tremendously popular success.

In 1884, Grieg accepted a commission to write a suite honoring Ludvig Holberg, the Norwegian philosopher and playwright. It started out as a five-movement piano piece and later he arranged it for string orchestra. This became the favorite version of the Holberg suite. It was very popular and met with great success.

Grieg’s reputation was very well established by 1885, with a body of substantial and popular works endorsed and enjoyed by the public. His writing took on a schedule of composing in the spring and early summer, and in the fall and winter he went on concert tours as he was always in demand. An ironic chapter in his life was, he was excellent as a miniaturist – he excelled in composing smaller forms and was thought by some to be without equal. He enjoyed listening to the longer forms, like symphonies and operas, but he felt he could not write the longer forms as well as other composers. He was dubbed the “Chopin of the North,” as he and Chopin both wrote in shorter forms.

Around 1862 Grieg went to Copenhagen where he met his cousin and future wife, Nina Hayerup. He built them a house in Troldhaugen where they lived the rest of their lives. Grieg has emerged in modern times as one of the most popular, serious composers of all times.

Long live his musical treasures.

I don’t like scary movies much. I could never figure out why people would spend good money to terrify themselves whether it is a film or a roller coaster. Having said that, I have been known to ride a coaster or two and when I think about it, I handle that the same way I deal with scary movies. I figure out how long it’s going to last and then convince myself I can handle 35 seconds of terror or in the case of Signs, 94 minutes!

I remember watching this eerily fascinating movie when it hit the theaters in 2002.  Whether I like the genre or not, I like Mel Gibson. I believe him to be one of the most versatile and talented actors God ever created. I say that for a reason. It seems to me that every film he makes, whether writing, producing, directing or acting, has a huge helping of thought-provoking relevance to life. Signs is no exception.

I find that most Sci-Fi- movies are non-stop tension from beginning to end. Signs has a different pace, it’s like my roller coaster that goes very slowly uphill and then scares the “you know what” out of you as you drop off the cliff. All in all it’s a pace I can live with. 

M. Night Shyamalan is the writer and director. From what I’ve read his viewers either think he’s amazing, or not. I believe he’s like a great comedian: it’s all in the timing.  Of course, picking the right combination of actors is critical and this crew works well together. 

Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess, newly widowed, dad of two young kids, Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin, both talented at any age. His ex-semi pro baseball playing brother, Joaquin Phoenix has come to live with this little family after the death of their mother.

The Hess family grows corn in Pennsylvania. I come from a farm family and I’ve always been told that corn grows so fast that you can actually hear it grow. I’m not a corn whisperer but in this movie, the corn is tall and the aliens scary. The Hess family hear “things” one night and when they check it out the next morning there are mysterious crop circles in their corn fields. Before long, they find that the world has been invaded by aliens.

Before you start thinking that this is truly not Carolyn’s kind of movie, let me tell you the real plot. In my view, the aliens coming to earth is just a sub-plot. From the very beginning there is a subtler plot working. You have to pay attention to Mel instead of the aliens. In a crisis of faith, Mel had given up his true avocation—minister—when his wife died in that car accident. This secondary story line weaves its way through the film brilliantly. 

While there isn’t a lot of flashy technology, it is a “thinking mans” movie, more reminiscent of Hitchcock than Spielberg. Maybe it’s the light glancing off their eyes from time to time that makes it so creepy. I was halfway waiting for a “shower” scene!

It’s probably good to watch it after the kids have gone to bed. If grandma and grandpa are visiting you might want to keep the defibrillator handy. Other than that, make the big bowl of popcorn and enjoy the ride! I would love to hear from you on this one.  Remember keep your eyes and ears focused on Mel and enjoy the ending! Carolyn@carolynhastings.com

Some decisions in life are simpler than others. Choosing between “paper or plastic” at the supermarket (before California banned single-use plastic bags about a year and a half ago) was a much easier decision than whether to buy or lease a car, or when to start receiving your social security benefits.

In the investment world, however, few decisions are easy. An investment decision being contemplated more and more nowadays is mutual funds or ETFs, which is the right investment choice? The difficulty with the decision between the two investment vehicles is compounded by a general lack of knowledge and understanding, and information that is typically biased by the two sides promoting their respective product.  Another factor adding to the difficulty of the decision is the relative youthfulness of ETFs compared to the aged mutual fund industry. There were only about 100 ETFs in existence in 2002. By the end of 2016, there were over 1,700 U.S. issued ETFs, representing $3.4 trillion. Conversely, there are a lot more mutual funds, they have been around a much longer time, and there is nearly six times more money in them than ETFs. The first mutual fund was created in 1924.  At the end of 2017, there were nearly 9,400 mutual funds issued in the U.S.  In total, the money held in U.S. mutual funds amounted to almost $19 trillion at the end of 2017.  

In my effort to help make this investment choice a little simpler, I suggest you consider the two from the perspective of taxes and cost. A third significant consideration when deciding between the two investment products is the flexibility of buying and selling (trading) them. Which is the right choice? A look at mutual funds vs. ETFs from these three perspectives will lend an answer:

#1) Cost   

ETFs often have lower fees and expenses. ETF expense ratios are typically lower than mutual fund fees. In 2016, the average expense ratio of index ETFs was just 0.23% compared with a 0.82% average expense ratio of actively managed mutual funds and a 0.27% expense ratio for index equity mutual funds, according to Investment Company Institute. Today the cost difference between the two is even greater as ETFs, on average, cost even less. Many mutual funds include a variety of fees in their expense ratio, including fees to cover marketing and distribution costs. Then there is the “transaction cost”—the cost to get in and/or out of them (buy and sell cost). Today, there are many hundreds of ETFs with NO cost to buy or sell. That is not the case even for “no load” mutual funds. 

That impressive out-performance by the dark line (ETF portfolio) is due to very low cost and great tax efficiency. The graphs below depict that. The mutual fund portfolio cost is nearly 9x more than the ETF mix.

The red is a sufficiently diversified mutual fund portfolio allocation. The blue portfolio is the same allocation for a portfolio of ETFs. Even with the same investment asset classes held for same time period and gaining the same annual return on investment, the compounding cost savings in the ETF portfolio will result in a greater overall investment return than the costlier mutual funds. In addition to the lower costs, ETF investments are also much more tax efficient.

#2) Tax Efficiency

ETFs are more tax efficient than mutual funds. ETFs and mutual funds have the same tax consequences when it comes to capital gains taxes and taxes on dividend income.  However, investors can control their capital gains from ETFs. You cannot with mutual funds. Like a stock, investors can defer tax on gains from an ETF until they sell it. This is much more tax efficient than mutual fund investments that trigger a capital gain tax liability every year that the fund company sells holdings in the fund at a profit. This is essentially every year.  So, the mutual fund owner is paying capital gain taxes even if he/she doesn’t sell anything. That just takes away from the overall return on the investment. 

#3) Flexibility

ETFs offer more trading flexibility. ETFs trade like stocks, as they are “listed” on major U.S. stock exchanges. Tick-by-tick, ETFs’ share prices change second-by-second every trading day. At any time in a market trading session, an investor can buy or sell ETF shares. This is significant. Mutual funds, instead, can only be purchased or sold at the end of a trading day—after the market closes and their price is determined (based on Net Asset Value—the value of fund assets minus liabilities divided by the number of shares. Imagine the difference in selling an ETF early in the morning of a big down day versus selling a near identical mutual that same day and forced to receive the end of day price for it. This could easily result in 3 or 4%, or greater difference. Then, think of the other side of this coin. A mutual fund investor on the buy side, again forced to get the end of day price, misses out on any gain in a big up market day. The ETF buyer, able to buy early during the trading session, gets the day’s gains. 

I hope this helps you make the right choice between mutual funds and ETFs. Back to the buy or lease, or when start Social Security questions—I consult other professionals for those answers.

I am confused. I hear some in politics claiming to be “progressive,” then they say things indicating otherwise. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I have a different understanding of the term or perhaps I just don’t know what the word means. Let’s look it up…

Progressive    

Adjective:

1) Favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, especially in political matters: a progressive mayor.

2) Making progress toward better conditions; employing or advocating more enlightened or liberal ideas,  new or experimental methods, etc.: a progressive community.

3) Characterized by such progress, or by continuous improvement.

of or relating to any of the Progressive parties in politics.

Noun:

1) A person who is progressive or who favors progress or reform, especially in political matters.

Okay, that’s what I thought. So then, who are these people and what are they trying to pull? For example, we have the woman who everyone refers to by her three initials, AOC, and something she calls “The Green New Deal,” with followers parroting the deal’s “solutions” to climate change.

First off, since when is dogma progressive? Whenever someone says, “the science is settled,” what they’re really saying is, “don’t you dare question this.” In real science, questions are welcomed. As for contra-progress point number two, for  argument sake let’s say that human activity has increased CO2 emissions. Fine. The problem is, AOC and her followers’ solutions are anything but forward-thinking. They’re all about “cut this” and “stop doing that.” Generally, they want us to devolve; down-scale, cut back, and drastically change or eliminate activities that create CO2. Where is the progressiveness in that? How about a push to create the equivalent of catalytic converters for CO2? Oh, wait, we already have those—they’re called “trees.” Seriously, isn’t a truly progressive answer one where innovation is used to correct problems but then build upon what we have, not one that wrecks our vibrant economy? 

Then there are other “fake progressives” proposing another jump-back in time. This one concerns race relations. Their idea? Reparations for slavery. To suggest that anyone alive today ought to be afforded racially-based accommodation in order to retro-actively punish American society as a whole for long-past inequities is ludicrous. It turns America back, not forward. African American scholar Shelby Steele, Senior Fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institute calls the idea of reparations “impossible,” “self-defeating,” and “shameful.” The suggestion that African Americans today need special accommodation or help in order to compete or succeed is an insult to every African American in our country.

Politicians who pander such outrageous, hyperbolic schemes are hardly progressive thinkers. Their ideas are not promoted to solve real problems, they are intended to create division, allowing those politicians to grasp or retain power.

Since its founding, America has always led the world by moving its technology, economy, and society ahead, not back. Radical ideas suggested that break this path forward will be recognized by truly progressive thinkers as little more than the feeble, transparently-manipulative ploys they are.  

Next month we will be hosting our Annual Sentinels of Freedom Gala. I invite our entire community to join together to support these wounded veterans; to give them the strength and encouragement they need to finish their educational journeys. 

It is amazing what these self-motivated individuals have accomplished. To listen to their stories and understand who they are and want to become is such a source of inspiration for me in my own life.

This year, our Sentinel, Johnnie Yellock II, a retired staff sergeant from the US Air Force, will be sharing his journey. Johnnie served two combat tours in the Middle East as an Air Force Special Operations combat controller.

On his second deployment to Afghanistan Johnnie’s vehicle convoy detonated an improvised electronic device (IED).  The blast propelled him up and over the vehicle. When he regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was the bottoms of his feet pointing at him, and a lot of blood loss.  He sustained compound fractures to both lower extremities and endured more than 3 years of rehab, a year in a wheelchair and 31 surgeries to salvage his legs. He left the service with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.

 “SOF came into my life at a time of a lot of uncertainty to help bring clarity surrounding work, school and finances.”

Johnnie works part-time while completing his MBA from Southern Methodist University, but realizes the guidance and support provided by SOF has made all the difference in his successes. Johnnie lives in the Dallas area and gives back by volunteering for various organizations that support the underserved youth in his community.

Please join Johnnie and his fellow Sentinels on April 13, 2019, at the Blackhawk Museum in Danville. To learn more and purchase tickets and sponsorships, please visit www.sentinelsoffreedom.org/2019-GALA

We hope to see you there!

St. Patrick’s Day is upon us and it’s time to celebrate Irish-style. If you’re not a beer drinker and are wondering what to fill your glass with at that party or pub, look no further than a bottle of fine Irish whiskey. Irish Whiskey is enjoying a strong popularity these days and the wide selection of new brands and styles now available is clear proof of this.

Quickly now – who invented whiskey? The Scottish or the Irish? History tells us it was the Emerald Isle that first produced “Uisce Beathe” or “water of life.” It is thought that Asian monks brought distillation to Ireland more than a thousand years ago.

Celtic friars distilled spirits in Irish monasteries for centuries for medicinal purposes, but few doubt those monks may have tipped back a glass or two for the simple joy of it. The whiskey of those days was not aged and often flavored with roots, flowers, herbs, and honey. The warming spirit was highly effective at taking the icy chill off a cold Irish night. Indeed, a dram of whiskey can still be called “good medicine” today.

The oldest distillery in Ireland is the Old Bushmills Distillery in County Antrim. Whiskey has been produced at Old Bushmills since the 1400s. Whiskey production was a way of life in rural Ireland until taxes, the Temperance Movement, and economic struggle scaled it back significantly. Scotch whisky (spelled without the extra “e”) took over where Irish whiskey left off and easily stole the market away.

But the Irish never stopped producing their signature whiskey, distilled three times in copper pot stills. The smooth, delicious spirit was merely produced in much smaller quantities than that of their Scottish cousins. But today, at long last, Irish whiskey is gaining in both status and prestige on an international level. If you’ve never tried Irish whiskey, now is the perfect time.

If a whiskey is labeled “single malt” it means it was produced at just one distillery, as opposed to being blended with the products of several distilleries. A sophisticated spirit, single malt whiskey is always of the finest quality and enjoys a reputation around the world of exclusivity and elegance.

Traditional Irish whiskey is made from malted barley. The malted barley is dried in closed ovens with no smoke contact. The resulting whiskey is known for its clean, bright flavors—smooth and strong on the palate with flavors of vanilla, toffee, ginger, dried fruit, oak, honey, and black pepper.

The smoky flavor of peat is not common in Irish whiskey. Burning peat (organic matter unique to peatlands or bogs) imparts a unique briny, smoked quality to a spirit. Peated whiskey abounds in Scotland but is the exception not the rule in Ireland.

Irish whiskey is aged a minimum of three years, but usually much longer. The age on a bottle indicates the age of the youngest whiskey in the blend. Irish whiskey can be made with malted barley as well as other grains, including corn (maize) or wheat. Distilleries employ master blenders who strive to produce a signature taste and consistent quality for a blended whiskey, year after year.

Bushmills and Jameson are old esteemed brands of Irish whiskey on the market offering top quality products. There are also numerous new labels offering exciting and different styles of Irish whiskey. Try The Sexton Single Malt, aged four years in Oloroso Sherry barrels, the popular Red Breast Single Malt 12 Year, the briny, peated Connemara, or Method and Madness’ Single Malt aged in Old Bourbon barrels.

Irish whiskey can be enjoyed in many ways, from cocktails to coffees. While some aficionados prefer a single malt straight up or on the rocks, others demand a bold blend with hot java and cream. Whatever strikes your fancy, be sure to fill your glass high in honor of the good St. Patrick.  

May the luck of the Irish be with you. As the Irish say, “Slainte!” or Cheers!

I recently had the honor of being a part of an event. This yearly extravaganza occurs in over 500 locations across the world on the same night. Although thousands of teenagers from all walks of life look forward to this same type of celebration, what made this day in February so special was the needs it fulfilled. Sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, it is a prom for young men and women of all abilities—the community of special needs.  A “common unity” that should always exist and is gaining momentum in miraculous ways, the Night to Shine Prom is the party of the year where everyone gets to shine. 

As a mother of a beautiful young girl who has mild cerebral palsy, the path of her future seemed so treacherous in the beginning. I learned that life can go “topsy-turvy” in a blink of an eye as many families can attest. The visions of a future filled with sports activities, dances, graduations and weddings was stolen as we were given a limiting outcome by the medical world.  Stripped from our loved one, or so we thought, was the potential joy of participating in common activities. Parents in similar circumstances might never imagine, during the darkest moments of a trial, how much light was going to form to help us see a bit more clearly. 

Side by side with our child, we continue to be led to a path of some fabulous roads of healing and rejuvenation.  As much as we can feel “disorganized” with trying to put all the pieces together, along comes an “organization” like the Tim Tebow Foundation to help everyone feel like kings and queens.  Most important is the grounded message that our children have always been worthy—since the day they entered our world. 

The day began early for me since I had excitedly signed up to assist for multiple volunteer opportunities. My abundance of eagerness to change the world in a day was going to be accomplished through my tireless charity of actions (or at least try!).  If I can’t change the medical setback that happened to my daughter, at least I can be a part of the flock that wants to assist in making this world a nicer place.

The evening added another moment that was an amendment to my child’s life, changing one of my many worries into humble hope.

I have learned that changes never happen when we want, but changes happen when we need them. With patience I hope to one day see the droplets of positive changes finally filling up that cup. This was one night that the cup overflowed as I watched dozens of people help prepare for the excursion. 

I got to apply make up for the women and children attending, and I saw their expressions as they got pampered and adored by a fellowship of loving individuals at Cornerstone Church.  The hair, make-up, and the fitting of dresses and tuxes completed, it was on to Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church where limousines pulled up to provide rides around the block. Cheering occurred as the guests were introduced and walked down the red carpet wearing their king and queen crowns. Poses for photos and dancing filled the gym while a short walk across the courtyard echoed the sounds of the room that held a karaoke festivity. Each guest was partnered up with a buddy as some parents enjoyed downtime in the respite room or, for families needing less stimulation, there was a sensory room that offered a comfortable, quiet environment. 

There wasn’t a face in the building that wasn’t lit up. It was a moment centered on catering to all people of all abilities. What a great night and what immense memories were created by a simple action of treating everyone like royalty. The night was filled with smiles!

It gives me hope for this world filled with so many unknowns—a world where our children are going to be given the great responsibility to become communities that are built on a foundation of kindness and love. The blueprint for the future was revealed in the Night to Shine prom, where the world’s priorities were reconstructed, one light at a time.

Stefanie Boggs-Johnson is the mother of a pediatric stroke survivor and is the owner of For Every Season, providing in-home beauty services for the special needs and elderly communities.  She is also the published author of “I See You, Little Naomi” and “I See You, Little Andrew”, educational children’s books which promote special needs awareness and compassion.  For more information, please visit her Facebook page @ForEverySeasonBeauty.