Two years ago, at the age of 42, I had my first appointment with a dermatologist. Standing in her exam room, naked and vulnerable, I cracked jokes about having more moles on my body than there are stars in the sky. Instead of laughing, my dermatologist continued studying my skin with her dermatoscope until eventually […]
Lana Shovlin
Posted inArts & Culture
How to deal with pet odor
ust because we consider our pets part of our family does not mean that people who come over to our home or live there next will be as fond of them, especially if they leave behind any lingering odors. Whether you are hoping to sell your house soon or just want to freshen things up, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Photoshoots for tweens build self-confidence
Having spent most of her childhood growing up in an abusive household, Elizabeth Bailey knows a thing or two about self-doubt. “When someone spends all of their time telling you that you don’t matter, or that you’re not good enough, you start to believe them,” says Bailey. Little did she know that a gift from […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Don’t let Halloween haunt you later
When our family first moved to Springfield, we were greeted by amazing neighbors who, seconds after introducing themselves, informed us that we had bought a house on the most popular street in town for trick-or-treating. Each Halloween, our entire block of Glenwood Avenue is barricaded off to accommodate hundreds of trick-or-treaters, and we were advised […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Weeknight family dinners
Recently, there was a meme floating around on social media that said, “School is back in session, so we can eat dinner at 4 p.m. or 9 p.m.”. As a parent of three children, two of whom are involved in multiple extracurricular activities, this simple sentence resonated deeply with me. When it comes to meal planning, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Fun family adventures
When it comes to family friendly activities, parents sometimes have a hard time coming up with ideas that will please everyone. Oftentimes, we end up with the same activities in heavy rotation and that can leave everyone feeling a little underwhelmed. Recently, when I was given the opportunity to try out two new family activities […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Back-and-forth over back to school
I vividly remember that early afternoon on March 13, 2020, when my children walked home from school for the final time. I watched as they slowly ambled down the sidewalk and up our driveway, weighed down by book bags that had been stuffed to the brim with the entire contents of their desks and crinkled […]
Posted inNews
Be great on the grill
Summertime barbecues tend to conjure up images of different varieties of meats, sizzling away on a hot grill, little kids covering hot dogs with entirely too much ketchup, cold drinks packed into ice-filled coolers and maybe a slip-n-slide marathon or two. There’s nothing better than smelling the piquant aroma of grilled meat drifting over the […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Fried chicken favorites
One of the dearest memories my husband has of his childhood is watching his mother and grandma, standing side by side in his grandmother’s kitchen on Sunday afternoons, frying chicken together. Once their task was complete, his family would gather around the table, the air heavy with the delicious aroma of cooked poultry, spices and […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Walk, Hike and Bike History
When it comes to learning about Springfield’s rich and diverse history, Justin Blandford, superintendent of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and his incredible team want to offer an experience that will exceed your expectations. That’s why they recently developed Walk, Hike and Bike History, a series of six outdoor experiences that focus on encouraging […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
How to have a vintage summer
It’s no shocker that we live in an era of organized sports, scheduled playdates and endless summer camps. In today’s busy world, parents often dedicate their summers to shuttling children (sometimes as young as 3 years old) back and forth to all sorts of planned events. While there’s a lot to be said for that, I […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Pandemic leads to a boom in home remodeling
In the not-so-distant past, many people re lied on their home as a place that resembled something more of a pitstop than an oasis where they chose to spend the majority of their free time. Between work, school, recitals and practices of all kinds, families considered themselves lucky if they were able to coordinate their […]
