Each year the new members of Junior League of Lansing are charged with presenting the Kids in the Kitchen event. The idea is to get kids in the kitchen cooking treats that are not only healthy, but tasty. Each new member class develops a unique way to make this happen, and this year’s new member class (which includes myself and Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine Account Manager Jennifer Hodges) decided to partner with the Westside YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day. Chairing the event this Read more [...]

Imagine a summer filled with beautiful sunsets, no television, sandy floors and happy, tired children. A vacation home can provide families with a place to re-charge, build memories and enjoy life’s simple pleasures. It’s a timeless summer experience. If you’re considering purchasing a vacation home, you’ll be happy to know that there are many mortgage options available for you. However, it’s important to carefully review the financing options that are available. Here are a few common Read more [...]

For the past two summers I’ve been fortunate to be a coach partner with Wayne State University’s Employment Transition Program. This innovative program combines training (resume writing, interviewing, etc.) with support, including four one-on-one, individualized coaching sessions with an experienced career coach. The program participants are white-collar professionals who are unemployed or underemployed and seeking to get back into the workplace. One tool I often used with these clients was Read more [...]

How often do we overlook the true essence of someone ― the hidden heart? In our busy, busy lives, we zoom from one activity to another, from one quick conversation to another. One of my former clients has toiled away for years in an analytical job. When she’s in the middle of a project and someone interrupts her, I’m sure she is perceived as gruff and short in her response. But the truth is, she has a heart of gold. And everyone misses it. They don’t know she used to volunteer at a women’s Read more [...]

February always makes us think of chocolates and flowers and all things love. Now that you have found your true love, it might be time for the talk. Not that talk, but the talk about your financial compatibility. Disagreements about money are often a topic most couples argue about and can cause serious problems for the future of your relationship. How your new love handles his finances may impact your future happiness together and that is something you should know before you look to make a Read more [...]

"Reinvention isn’t only for celebrities or musicians or athletes — reinvention is for all humanity. All of us should strive for a newer and better self. Just constantly take our lives to the next level." This quote (Parade magazine, 1-17-10) from my new favorite philosopher, LL Cool J, speaks to the essence of New Year’s resolutions. The New Year is an opportunity to take a look at our less desirable habits and focus on creating better ones. In January of last year I borrowed an idea from Read more [...]

It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again, but the holiday season is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you get a little stressed with all the holiday get-togethers, shopping and spending. Thankfully, there are some simple ways to maintain your sanity and keep the holidays affordable this year. 1. Set a budget for the holidays. Budgeting is always a great idea, but it’s hard to know where to start. My suggestion? Review your expenses from last year’s holiday season. Be Read more [...]

Mothers and daughters joined CAWLM staff to honor the remarkable women who have enabled us to become who we are. The event included a high tea with dainty sandwiches and treats from Silver Service Catering. The attending women were the 15 winners from the Mother Daughter High Tea Contest. The event also included an address from CAWLM’s Image Focus columnist, owner of Mieshel Image Consulting, and co-host of In Her Shoes radio, Shelley Davis Mielock, as well as the opportunity to get a portrait Read more [...]

Choosing a comfortable, caring senior living environment has never been easier. With so many options available, you and your loved one can decide what care facility is the right fit for their needs. When to Choose a Facility Sometimes it’s easy to recognize when a parent or family member may require elderly care. They may have difficulty making meals or going out to buy groceries. Your loved one may forget little things, such as how or when to take their medicine. It may be as simple as Read more [...]

Home sweet home—I find that saying comforting. Yet, like many others, I feel like I spend more time away from my home than in it. As a mother of three, some of my time is spent running kids to and fro. As a business woman, I spend a lot of time at the office, in the radio station and at community events. Many times I get home so exhausted that I don’t have the energy to make our lovely abode “sweet”. Isn’t it funny how we spend so much time away to have the things we desire, yet we often Read more [...]

Worried. Confused. Lost. That is what many women are feeling when they arrive at the center. When someone walks through the door of the house-turned-center on Walnut Street in downtown Lansing, she sees bright colors, baby items along the wall and friendly faces willing to help. The Shared Pregnancy Women’s Center has been helping pregnant women in the greater Lansing area for more than 25 years. They offer free pregnancy tests, non-diagnostic ultrasounds, lay counseling, maternity clothes, Read more [...]

Around 8:15 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13, Lisa Williams received an exciting phone call: a great blue heron had been rescued near Marshall, Michigan, and was on its way to the wildlife rehabilitation center where she currently is stationed as the director. The great blue heron was wrapped securely in a white terrycloth towel and tucked into a navy blue animal crate. When the animal arrived, Williams was there to greet the rescue team as she reviewed the intake logs for the day. She flipped through the pages, noting the number of reptiles (mostly turtles), bird and mammals that had been brought to the center that day. Read more [...]