Recently I wrote about New Life Christian Church and their passion to serve the Centreville area. One of New Life's members, Karen Furgerson, was just recognized for her commitment to volunteerism, along with other "community celebrities" by Cabot Creamery Cooperative— with a five-day Caribbean Cruise.  Furgerson was shocked when she found out that she had won. Extremely excited and a bit credulous, she and her husband of course cleared their schedules for the cruise. I recently interviewed Karen via e-mail, and I'm sure you will be as encouraged as I to read how her desire to give to others …

Despite all the snow, Creative Salon and Spa went ahead with their Grand Opening Party yesterday. They are located where Creative Cuts used to be (across the street from the Centrewood Plaza Giant) but it is a completely different place. A new management has brought in an entirely new look and employees, too. The place looks very open, very welcoming and very modern. Although the salon opened on Jan. 2 they are celebrating their opening this week with a 50 percent off special until Jan. 30.I took my two-year-old son to the party for the free haircuts they offered to the public yesterday, …

Cold days mean cabin fever. It’s lovely to be warm and snug by the fire on vacation but the glory of it all withers when it no longer seems optional. Small children need something to keep them occupied or they're likely to invent their own games: raiding the trash can, throwing couch cushions and climbing the counters (well, maybe it depends on the kids!).There are some great options around here thankfully for getting out and staying warm. Life Time fitness, Smalltalkers and Chick-fil-a are local indoor play staples.  However, if you’re home bound and looking for a little adventure here are a…

Of all the door to door salesmen, kids are the hardest to turn away. Unlike adults, their attempts at getting a sale are forgivable when unpracticed, adorable when wooden and in general their presence is all together welcome. They do not use forced “closers” to manipulate you emotionally. They do not suggest compelling and questionable stories about how they will starve if you do not buy their magazines.There are terrible salesmen, the girls who try to act all buddy buddy and crack jokes about their ex-boyfriends that don’t make any sense. There are pitiable teenage boys who are shy and …

Over the weekend I took my children to the National Art Gallery with my mother. We only spent about 10 minutes in the Chester Dale collection itself. An entire day spent to walk quickly (and longingly) by Picasso, Degas and Monet? Having children brings new meaning to the idea that joy is in the journey and not the destination. When I asked the kids what their favorite parts of the day were the answer was, not surprisingly, the gelato, the cherry tomatoes and the metro-rail.  A good memory which includes an art gallery though, I hope, will grow to be an interest in the art itself one day. My …

When, like me, your child is approaching 11 months and still not crawling, you might be a bit worried. That is, unless this isn’t your first child. Since the “Back to Sleep” campaign kicked off in the mid-90's, most babies spend a lot of time on their backs in what seems to be a successful attempt to prevent SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Although doctors encourage the importance of “tummy time” during play, let’s face it, most babies scream through it. With a scant amount of “tummy time” many infants have a lack of interest in crawling. Sitting up is the preferred position when they …

Perhaps you have seen the signs for New Life Church, received the mailings or just driven by the building with a faded Anheuser Busch logo next to a shiny new “N” logo. Patrick Furgerson, the executive associate minister of the church, has been involved since before it was founded 17 years ago. Furgerson attends the church with most of his family: wife, son, and his brother's family, his father and stepmother. The Church has three locations: just over the Centreville border at Westfield High School, McLean and Haymarket. He said that they originally chose this area,“in large part due to the …

In a house full of toddlers, it seems like all of life is one eternal cold. Try as I might to keep hands clean, noses wiped, and everyone bathed and in bed on time someone short inevitably gets the bright idea to crawl on the floor at Cosco or lick the glass railing at Fair Oaks Mall. The entire house is then blessed in cacophonous stages with the latest viral concoction.A trip to the doctor always reveals the obvious- that my children do indeed have a virus and that there's not much to do about it but be miserable for a few weeks.  The doctor warns against the dangers of cold medications, …

If you're feeling a little post-holiday let down, don't fear! They aren't over. Jan. 6th is the feast of the Epiphany, and some cultures even celebrate Christmas until Feb. 2nd. Try telling that one to your HOA as an excuse not to take down the lights and decorations.The time we now spend madly shopping and reveling in lights and candies was once "advent," a season of darkness and anticipation. Winter solstice, which marks the shortest day of the year, was on Dec. 22nd. The Christian calendar interprets this as the darkness of the world before the appearance of the light of Christ, the time …

Many of us are on holiday vacations and that means some extra time to get around to fixing the leaky faucet, buying the kids shoes and maybe curling up next to the fire with a good book. But what to read? I interviewed a local book lover to give us some tips.Linda Mathwin used to teach literature, among other classes, at Ad Fontes Academy. In fact, I took her AP literature course some years back. Now Mathwin is at home with her three children here in Centreville and she occasionally tutors. Here is an assortment of books that she recommends: 1) "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving—"My …

Here's a little free advice from a local marketing agency on how to pick a great Christmas card: "Think of it as an inside joke between you and the recipient, even if the card is more straight or serious in nature," said Eric Reiss, director of Church Marketing Solutions (CMS) in Fairfax. "Pick a card that reminds you of something unique or interesting about the person you're sending it to, so the card becomes a small reflection of something you love or enjoy about [them]."Now imagine you're trying to share a joke with a person you've never met. That's the challenge of direct marketing. …

If you're looking for a unique game to entertain your friends over the holidays, check out unevolvedbrands.com. The website is the brainchild of Graham Smith, who has reduced common logos to simple colored dots. "Some you might find easy [to recognize], others not at all, which probably has less to do with how well you know your brands than how well your brands use subtle design clues to impress upon you," he suggests in an article he posted for Fast Company.What are "subtle design clues"? They might be images that we can't help but recognize. This would seem to imply that there is some …

Somehow as frightening as labor was to me, it never scared me so much as potty training. I can take the pain. I'm not saying I enjoyed it. It's terrible and intense- but then there's a precious baby afterwards.  Yes, there are also sleepless nights, stress- and the diapers. Somehow day follows day, diaper follows diaper, and it's all just the new normal. Potty training, however, breaks that normal. Potty trained would be a welcome new normal.  Potty training, though, I could do without. Since this is a necessary right of passage for every parent and toddler I thought, "why not write about it…

Fierce winds sweep down the cul-de-sac. I brave the morning cold to put a letter in the mailbox- only to find several pieces of a large box shivering in the front lawn.  No problem: I fold them and tuck them into our recycling bin. As I load the kids into the minivan a little later, I find a lone trash can lid cowering beneath the car.  Hmmm. Not sure where that goes.  When we return from our venture, our own trash can is missing. I don't remember our neighbor having a trash can so I'm guessing the one in their driveway is ours.  Those things are expensive- I can think of many nicer ways to …

Perhaps it's too early to think about New Year's resolutions, but if you want to be more healthy in the upcoming year, you may want to get to know Scott Macri.  Recently I met him at a meet up group that he organized to promote healthy eating and living. Macri lives here in Centreville and is a holistic health coach (HHC).  If you're a bit confused, as I was, that's different from a nutritionist whose focus is on diet and exercise. An HHC is interested in the whole picture of a client's life, "relationships, career satisfaction, diet, spirituality, physical activity etc," as Macri puts it.…

Christmas is a time for unusual sights and sounds: men wearing red suits with white fur trim, people braving whipping winds to buy cut trees- and then there's the Latin.  No, I'm not referring to the "Feliz Navidad" sort of Latin, but the long-gone Roman Empire kind of Latin. None of us speak it but there it is, piped through the radio and emblazoned on Christmas cards. To help you out, here's a quick guide to a few popular Latin phrases and their English meanings. Five Common Latin Phrases at Christmastime: 1)Gloria in excelsis Deo: Glory to God in the highest. 2)Hodie Christus natus est:  …

Currently there's a trend to favor "open-ended" toys.  These are toys like blocks, scarves, sticks and balls that can be anything with a little imagination.  An open-ended toy doesn't declare how it should be used in the way that a plastic circus set or a baby doll does. In theory, I would love to have a shelf full of open-ended toys. Instead we're blessed with a myriad of plastic yard-sale rescues, battery-infused stuffed animals and lots of "Little People."  Most of our toys are gifts or hand-me-downs and I'm not complaining at all- what a money saver!At first, like any overly-anxious …

Christmas decorations are up, but it's not too late to plant a few bulbs. In fact, if you didn't get around to it this year, that's probably for the best. Although the rule of thumb is to plant bulbs in the fall, it's still just too warm around here. My gladiolas just did an encore- that's why it's best to wait until daytime temperatures remain in the 40's. If you wait until the weather is cold enough, the bulbs will stay dormant until spring.In fact, if you want to give an early and unique Christmas gift to a friend, wrap a couple bulbs in taffeta tied with a bow.  Also plant a few for …

No one likes the commute to D.C.  Waiting in line to enter route 66 is enough to leech every drop of creativity from the soul.  For Amy Mann, a local portrait artist who has lived in Centreville for 22 years, it's a trip she's chosen to endure.  Mann is a copyist at the National Gallery of Art, which means that she is able to set up her easel once a week near the painting of her choice. Copying is an amazing opportunity to learn from other artists.  First Mann searches the NGA website and then makes a visit. There are a number of considerations she takes into account: Is there enough room …