Leah Petty & Ryan Harris at Reichert’s Barn, Bluff Springs. PHOTO BY TIFFANY & STEVE OF WARMOWSKI PHOTOGRAPHY 1. Give yourself timeStart the dress search early – six to nine months ahead of the wedding day, if you can – so you’re not stressed out with last-minute shipping and alterations. Bridal salon appointments typically […]
Special Issues
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Children in groups make better decisions
PHOTO metrocreativeconnection.com A new University of Illinois study has found that practice working on group projects might help children become better decision makers. In the study, published in the American Educational Research Journal, collaborative work was compared with direct instruction to measure how well students could make reasoned decisions and apply their skills in a […]
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Three months of things to do
The Minnesota Ballet brings the story of Cinderella and her evil stepsisters to life on March. 12, 7:30 p.m., at the Kirkland Fine Arts Center in Decatur. Lap Sit StoriesFeb 18–May 11, 11am Mon. Every Mon. For babies 0-18 months and their parents. Free. lincolnlibrary.info. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St., 753-4900. Thursday Stories Feb 18–May […]
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Pick the perfect wedding photographer
Danielle Sprout & Ryan Caldwell. PHOTO BY MOMENTS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY You spend months planning in order to get every wedding detail perfect – the dress, flowers, centerpieces – but after the big day all you have are your memories and, of course, the photos and videos. You only get one shot to capture your wedding. […]
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Helping families stay together
Carolyn and Monte McMannigell of Taylorville, a host family. PHOTO COURTESY MCMANNIGELL FAMILY Monte McMannigell always wanted to help kids but he had never before taken the initiative to act. But following a presentation by Ryan Mobley, central Illinois regional director for Safe Families for Children, at Grace Baptist Church in Taylorville, he and his […]
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A guide to secondhand shopping
You have to do some digging to find bargains at a thrift store like Goodwill. The inventory changes quickly, so go often. PHOTO BY JOSEPH COPLEY I wasn’t always a thrifter. As a status-conscious teenager growing up in suburban Chicago, I eschewed secondhand clothes in favor of the latest offerings from my favorite stores at […]
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How babies thrive despite us
Baby Meets World: Suck, Smile, Touch, Toddle – A Journey Through Infancy, by Nicholas Day. St. Martin’s Press, 2013. Baby Meets World by Nicholas Day is not your average baby manual. It’s a combination of scientific research and current and historical popular belief about infants. It’s a cross-cultural comparison of the many ways to raise […]
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‘Move more’ this winter
Blessed Sacrament students participating in genHkids’ Gotta Dance Move More program under the guidance of Tracey Sims Kopecky. PHOTO BY Virginia Ferguson Health experts recommend that children get 60 minutes of “moderate to vigorous” physical activity a day. That means any exercise that gets the heart beating fast and gets kids breathing hard. Recent studies […]
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Calendar for kids and parents
Alvin and The Chipmunks – The MusicalNov 19, 7pm Thu. Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $65. peoriaciviccenter.com. Peoria Civic Center, 201 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria, 309-673-8900. Schoolhouse Rock Live! JRNov 20-22, 7pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun. Family-friendly revival of Emmy Award-winning 1970s Saturday morning educational cartoon. Featuring songs such as “Just A Bill,” “Interplanet Janet” and “Conjunction […]
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Pickleball takes Springfield
Springfield’s Iles Park has the largest dedicated outdoor pickleball facility in the Midwest. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Created one Sunday afternoon in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by then State Representative Joel Pritchard, pickleball is now played in all 50 states – and has nothing to do with pickles. Springfield resident Jack Handy loves to […]
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The many benefits of water aerobics
This water aerobics class meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the west location of the YMCA. PHOTOS BY DAVID HINE Gene Weiser could be the poster child for water exercise – or at least the poster adult. Weiser, a ballroom dancer and former Springfield resident now living at The Villages in Florida, maintains that regular […]
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Life is fine ‘Under The Oaks’
The front entrance to Seasons Under the Oaks. “I’ve heard people exclaim, ‘This is like a resort!’” says owner Steve Zaubi. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Steve Zaubi, owner of Seasons Under The Oaks, is standing in his facility’s common area. “This is the ‘great room,’” he explains. “It’s meant to be an extension of everybody’s […]
