our town february 2011 - west cobb

FEBRUARY 2011

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The West Cobb Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

KENNESTONE NORTH • 840 CHURCH STREETSUITE G3 • MARIETTA, GA 30060

www.nwgadermatologists .comWE ACC E P T MA S T E RC A R D, VI S A, AM E X, DI S COV E R A N D CA R E CR E D I T

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“PROVIDING TOTAL SKIN CARE”

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Dr. Kayal specializes in diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, including: Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Malignant Melanoma, Paget’s disease and

Recurrent Skin Cancers. He also specializes in a variety of cosmeticprocedures to include: Botox, Fillers, and Chemical Peels.

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Featured product of the month: Nectifirm

Graphics and DesignTerry Tanner

Tanner Graphics, Inc.

Feature PhotographerJohnny Walker

Johnny Walker Photography

Contributing WritersMichael PittmanPam WalkerMark OrlerTerri SeymourShelia Frey

Lindsey WeberKaren Hartley

Leisa A. Bailey, Ph.D.Dara Hosch, MD, FAAP

Shasta ClarkMark S. Duffield, D.O.Marco GustafssonJason GoggansJohn Conti

Michelle DeHaven, DVM

Publishers/Editors Linda Demery & Lori McLinden

The West Cobb Area’s Family Lifestyle News Magazine

OurTownMarietta Kennesaw Acworth PowderSprings

Our Town is published and direct mailed monthly to prestigious

homes in the West Cobb Area. Opinions expressed by the editorial

staff are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of

the publisher. Our Town reserves the right to edit and or reject any

editorial or advertising content. Our Town is not responsible for er-

rors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or for the validity

of claims made by advertisers.

Entire contents copyright 2010 by Our Town. Reproduction in

whole or in part is forbidden in any media without prior written

permission from the publisher.

Our Town Magazine109 Anderson Street

Suite 109Marietta, GA 30060

678-337-7844Fax: 678-337-7825

[email protected]

Calendar of Events About the Cover/Feature Photographer February Crossword Winter is Here: Be Prepared… Our Town Travel Man-Time! Strength in Stilettos Romance…Then and Now Shopping with Shelia Twenty Something Home & Design Many Believe Marriage is Obsolete Childhood Seizures Mommy Moments Avoiding Injuries on Your Ski Vacation A Five Point Guide for Reading to Babies The WellStar Cardiac Network Health & Fitness JumpStart the Spring Garden What’s Cookin’? February is Dental Health Month

in th

is issue

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For Advertising Information Call 678-337-7844 • www.ourtownmonthly.com Our Town

Photo by Sherri's Portraits

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ECHO MILL KID’S CONSIGNMENT SALE: Echo Mill Subdivision, main clubhouse. Thursday,2/10 from 4-8pm, Friday, 2/11 from 9am-6pm, Saturday 2/12 from 9am-1pm. Echo Mill is located at Corner Roadnear Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs. For more information, call Keri at 770.439.1741.

CITY OF KENNESAW VALENTINE’S WESTERN HOE-DOWN: Western theme dec-orations will set the scene for the City of Kennesaw Parks & Recreation Department’s annual parent/child Valentine'sdance, held on Saturday, February 12th, from 6 to 9 pm at the Ben Robertson Community Center. Advance ticketsare $20 per couple ($10 for each additional family member), and can be purchased online at www.kennesaw-ga.gov/pkrec or at the Ben Robertson Community Center. Children ages 3 and under are FREE. Tickets can be pur-chased at the door for $30 per couple (space is limited). For more information, call the Kennesaw Parks & RecreationDepartment at (770) 422-9714.

CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH AT MARIETTA CENTRAL LIBRARY:Join the library staff for a special program celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. in the CentralLibrary’s large conference room (266 Roswell Street, Marietta). A special steel-drum performance, dancing, art, andreadings from Langston Hughes’ works will delight attendees. For information on this free event call 770-528-2320.

MARIETTA DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE: The annual Daddy/Daughter Dance is open to fathers anddaughters ages 5-12 years old, and features a fun afternoon with great music, dancing, and refreshments. Dress is semi-formal to formal. This is a great opportunity to make another magical childhood memory! Bring your dancing shoesand camera! Register early because space is limited and reservations are required. Registration is at the Marietta Parksand Recreation office located on the third floor of City Hall, 205 Lawrence Street. The dance will be held at theMansour Center, 995 Roswell Street, Sunday, February 13th from 2:30 to 5pm. Tickets are $30 for couples, $5 forextra daughters, and reservations are required. For more information, call 770.794.5601.

SOUTHERN MUSEUM MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA: Mark your calendars for GIRLS DAY OUT! Sat-urday, February 19th, from 1 to 4pm. The traditional Victorian tea party returns in February. Ladies, dress your Sundaybest and join us for an afternoon of memory and merrymaking! In addition to tea and sandwiches, we will enjoy a fashionshow, play dress up, create a make-and-take craft, as well as enjoy music and games. Like last year, we will also be taking apicture of each mother and daughter team and emailing it to you after the party. And if you have a sweet tooth, you won’twant to miss the dessert finale! For more information, contact 770.427.2117 ext. 3058, or [email protected]. $35per couple; $25 for Museum members; $10 for each additional guest. Reservations recommended.

KIDS KINGDOM CONSIGNMENT SALE: Kids Kingdom is a high quality, well organized children's con-signment ministry featuring children and teen clothing, baby items and equipment, toys, videos/DVDs, baby furniture,books and educational items, maternity, and much more. We offer name brand clothing from well-known brandssuch as Oshkosh, Gap, Gymboree, Limited Too and have developed a reputation for allowing only quality, stain freeitems at a fraction of the original cost. Kids Kingdom proceeds benefit ministries within the church and in our com-munity as well as missions worldwide. The sale will be held Thursday, March 3rd from 6-9pm, Friday, March 4thfrom 9am-6pm, and Saturday, March 5th from 9am-Noon. Kids Kingdom is located at Orange Hill Baptist Church,4293 Austell Rd., Austell, GA 30106.

BORN AGAIN BLESSINGS CONSIGNMENT SALE: Children's and maternity clothes, shoes, toys, nurs-ery items, baby equipment, furniture and more! Friday March 4, 9am-7pm. Saturday March 5, 9am-noon. Previewsale: Thursday open to workers and sellers only. First time moms can sign up for early shopping privileges. CobbCounty Civic Center. 548 Marietta Parkway, Marietta. More info: www.bornagainblessings.com

DUE WEST TREASURE CHEST CHILDREN'S / TEEN CONSIGNMENT SALE: 3956 Due WestRoad, Marietta. The sale is located at the corner of Acworth Due West Road and Kennesaw Due West Road in theDue West United Methodist Church Family Life Center. Admission is FREE. Sale dates are Thursday, March 10th,9:30 a.m. -7 p.m.; Friday, March 11th, 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.; and March 12th, 8a.m. -12 noon. Many items are 1/2price on Saturday ONLY. We offer high-quality items at greatly reduced prices. Find gently used children's, junior’sand teen's clothing, accessories and shoes. We also offer FORMAL WEAR, school uniforms, baby items / furniture,electronics, books, CDs, DVDs, TOYS and more! For more information, please call 678-318-1908 or email [email protected].

TOTS TO TWEEN SPRING CONSIGNMENT SALE: Sponsored by Northwest Atlanta Moms of Multiples(formerly Cobb Parents of Multiples Club). We are now a TWO day sale!! Open to the public on Friday, March11th from 1:00pm-8:00pm, and Saturday, March 12th from 8:00am-12noon at Sandy Plains Baptist Church, 2825Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta, GA 30066. We offer clothing (newborn to juniors), accessories, toys, play equipment,strollers, car seats, furniture, and much, much, more! For more info, call or email 678-453-6993 [email protected], or visit our website at www.NOWAMOM.org.

Visit our website at www.ourtownmonthly.com for additional on-going events. For additional area consignment sales, visit www.thebargainwatcher.com.

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Get Ready! Get Set…… for the Junior-League of Cobb Marietta’s 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Run!Our February Cover Girls are all part of the Junior-League of Cobb Marietta committee thatis bringing the 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Run, the Peachtree Road Race Qualifier to Marietta.Jennifer Johnson-Lynch, President, Amber Harris, Mardi Gras Run Chair, Caroline Whaley,President Elect, and Stephanie Swanson, Mardi Gras Run Chair- Elect gathered days before thesnow and ice in January in the Marietta Square for this photo shoot.

Peachtree Road Race runners have a new opportunity for qualifying times: The Junior Leagueof Cobb-Marietta's annual Mardi Gras Run, which has been officially certified as a PeachtreeRoad Race qualifier. The Mardi Gras race steps off from the Marietta Square on Saturday, Feb-ruary 12, rain or shine. The 5K starts at 8 a.m., the 1K starts at 8:45 a.m. and the Tot Trot

starts at 9 a.m. Awards will be given to thetop three finishers in numerous age cate-gories and everyone receives a specially de-signed technical race T-shirt, with plenty ofhealthy snacks and fluids available after therace. Plus, all 1K and Tot Trot racers receiveribbons. Registration is $25 if registered byFebruary 7 and $30 afterward. The Tot Trotis $15. Run-related events include a packetpick-up and dinner on Feb 10th at The RedEyed Mule on Church Street Extension inMarietta as well as the 2nd Annual MardiGras Brunch at Marlow's Tavern in Kenne-saw as a post-race celebration!

Sponsors for this year’s race include, Belk,Big Peach Running Company, Dirt CheepMusic, iVision, Publix Supermarket Chari-ties, Red Eyed Mule and Marlow’s Tavern.

As the newest fundraiser for the JCLM, the Marietta Mardi Gras 5K is a wonderful opportunityto run or walk with your friends and community in a 5K while helping fund community proj-ects supported by the JLCM. Each year, the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta’s financial impactis more than $200,000 through annual grants and volunteer hours being given to various com-

munity projects and agencies in Cobb County in-cluding Cobb County Safety Village, The Centerfor Family Resources, SafePath Children’s Advo-cacy Center, The Center for Children and YoungAdults, Communities in Schools, Omosaze, Inc.,and the Cobb County Youth Museum.

Founded in 1933, the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta is an organization of more than 500women committed to promoting voluntarism,developing the potential of our members and improving the community through the effectiveaction and leadership of trained volunteers.Their purpose is exclusively educational and char-itable.

For more information visit www.marietta5k.comor visit them on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/marietta5k. Gary Jenkins678.795.0115, [email protected], orAmber Harris 678.770.0680 To register send acheck payable to JCLM to Pacesetter’s P.R. POBox 81777 , Atlanta , Ga 30366 . Register onlineat www.georgiarunner.com

Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Johnny Walker has been exploring photography for almost40 years. "Through the use of digital photography and the many aspects of Photoshop and Light-room, I found I could channel different mediums and artistic energies into one creation."

Johnny's work has appeared in local, national and international publications. The focus for most ofhis professional career involves weddings, portraiture, sports photography and landscape.

Johnny's easy going personality, technical skill andnatural vision for emotional, natural momentsconsistently ensures beautiful wedding photogra-phy. With his photojournalist style, an eye for de-tail and ability to capture decisive moments enablehim to tell, through images, the unique and per-sonal story of each couples wedding.

Johnny Walker Photography takes great pride inbeing one of Marietta's photographers choices forarea sports teams. As a full-service photographystudio, he offers a wide range of professional actionsport's photos. His expertise and professionalismin the sports field is unmatched. Johnny has shotaction photos at competitions in a wide variety ofsports through the years. Event participants are vir-tually able to view their photos almost immedi-ately following their events. Prints and otherproducts can also be ordered from Johnny's web-site.

Johnny's passion for photography probably beganwith his love of expressive landscapes. His prints combine dramatic photography, vivid colors, andartistic touches to create new, captivating visions of the natural world. Using high end Nikon equip-ment, he is able to capture the subtle details of the natural world and transfer them to large printswith stunning clarity and color. His award winning images are in numerous private collectionsthroughout the United States, including the US Capitol in Washington DC.

Johnny Walker lives in Marietta, Georgia with his wife, Kim, step-daughter, Patton and dog, Atticus.

Jonny can be contacted at 404.993.9750 or [email protected]

Visit www.johnnywalkerphotography.com to view Johnny’s recent work.

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Dear Friend,If you’ve ever thought about going to

a chiropractor but you’ve hesitated be-cause you weren’t sure it was right foryou please read on…

My name is Dr. Amy Valente. Iwould like to show my heartfelt thanksto the community by celebrating theNew Year with the announcement ofCommunity Health Week. It’s my wayof saying THANK YOU to the peoplewho have been so helpful and mean somuch. I hope this will benefit you andyours.

I have agreed to “give away” (to any-one who asks for it) $200 worth of myservices for only $20.

That’s right-$20.In the years that I have been practic-

ing I have helped many people in theNorth Georgia area feel better and livehealthier, more productive lives throughchiropractic care. I would now like tointroduce you to the many benefits myprofession has to offer.

For instance, chiropractic care may beable to help you if you are sufferingfrom any of the following conditions.

• Low back pain

• Neck Pain

• Migraines

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• Herniated discs

• Degenerated discs

• Shoulder/arm pain

And a whole host of other problems,ranging from TMJ to carpal tunnel.

These symptoms can be caused when-ever the vertebrae in your spine are out ofalignment, because this “misalignment”directly affects your nervous system.

Fortunately, if you are suffering fromsuch problems or similar conditions rightnow, they may be relieved or eliminatedby proper chiropractic treatment (com-monly called “adjustments”).

So if you’ve always wanted to “checkout” chiropractic care and see what is in itfor you, now is the best time because…

Right now $20 will get you all theservices I normally charge my new pa-tients $200 for!

WHAT DOES THIS INCLUDE?

Everything. Take a look at what you’ll get…• An in-depth private consultation

about your health and well being.• A chiropractic spinal examination…• A set of specialized X-rays to deter-

mine if a misalignment in yourspine is causingyour pain orsymptoms…(NOTE: Nobodygives these kindsof X-rays FREE.They would usu-ally cost $100)…

• An analysis ofyour X-rays andspinal exam re-sults so we can seewhat needs to bedone to help.

• Helpful literaturethat shows how your body worksand why you experience pain…

• Answers to all your most probingquestions about chiropractic careand what it can do for you….

The appointment will not take longat all. And like I said, we normallycharge $200 for this (most of which justcovers the cost of the set of X-rays).

But now, as a part of this one timeoffer, you can come in and find out forcertain if you need chiropractic care andhow it can help you eliminate the painyou are feeling.

Before you come in, though, you’llprobably want to know a little bit aboutme. So let me tell you….

MEET THE DOCTORPrior to obtaining my Doctor of Chiro-

practic Degree at Life University in Mari-etta, GA, I received my B.S. degree fromExcelsior College. I am nationally andstate board certified in Chiropractic andPhysiotherapy.

I am one of the few doctors in this areathat performs specific Activator analysistechnique for the treatment of degenerativediscs, scoliosis, herniated discs just to namea few.

I have happily donated my time to or-ganizations such as MUST Ministries,YWCA (Domestic Violence Shelter forWomen), and Ross Memorial.

I am very proud to be a wife and motherof four boys and a member of LibertyChurch in Marietta, GA.

DOES CHIROPRACTIC REALLY WORK

Absolutely! When you come in I’ll pro-vide you with studies that show why chiro-practic is a preferred method of treatment.But what provides the best “proof” onhow well chiropractic works is what ourpatients say about it.

ANKYLOSINGSPONDYLITISAND BACK PAIN

Although Chiropracticcare has been an enormoushelp to me and my familyfor 30 years when I met thedoctor’s at NLCC I wasnot currently under care. AsI started getting adjustedagain the relief was almostimmediate! I was suffering

from soreness, stiffness and sleepless nights.“Feeling better” affects everything in lifeand helps us cope with the daily stresses. Isuppose I am most amazed by knowingthat one’s spine has to do with every part ofthe body. God made us that way- “fearfully& wonderfully made” (Ps.139)

Your Friend- Pastor Ron Mobley

TMJ & HEADACHESI was in a lot of pain when I started

coming for my adjustments at NLCC. Isuffered with pain in my jaw and severeheadaches. Now that I have been receivingchiropractic care my pain has decreasedtremendously and I don’t have to worryabout constant headaches. I can walk mydog without pain and my posture has got-ten better. My husband is also very pleasedwith my progress. I am thrilled at howquickly I have improved due to chiropracticcare and I love the positive caring atmos-phere they have in the office.

Thank you,Denine Wolden

KNEE PAIN/SLEEPLESSNESSThe reason why I came into the office

was because I was having knee pain and Iwas not sleeping very well at night. I amnow getting 3-4 more hours of sleep atnight and my knees have gotten a lot bet-ter. I interact more with my family and Ican ride my bike with my granddaughter. I

feel 100% better. The doctors and staffhere at NLCC really do what they say andare very professional and friendly. Chiro-practic care really works great!

Thanks, Thomas Weems

SCOLIOSISWhen I first came into the office I did

not know the extent of my health issues.After the exam, the doctor told me I had ascoliosis that affected my health in manydifferent ways. Chiropractic has helped meto restore my physical balance and as adancer that is very important! I also hadnumbness in my hands and now I can takenotes without my hand going numb. SinceI have been getting adjusted I have moreenergy and my heartburn and circulationhas improved! I am happy to say that chi-ropractic is easier than I expected and notas time consuming as I once thought.

Thanks!,Christine Pearce

GUARANTEE OF GREAT SERVICE

Obviously we can’t guarantee results.No one can. But there is one guaranteewe can give you and that’s a guaranteeto accept your case only if we truly feelwe can help.

LIMITED TIME OFFERObviously, with an offer like this we

can’t afford to do it for very long. Sowe’ve picked the dates of Feb. 1st-15th.If you would like to take us up on ouroffer and see what chiropractic can dofor you, all you have to do is call our of-fice and set up an appointment.

Call our 24 hour help line @

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Special Introductory Examination during Feb.1st-15thI expect to get flooded with appoint-

ments for this event, so please call me assoon as possible to be sure that youdon’t miss out.

Thank you very much, and I lookforward to helping you get rid of yourpain so you can start living a healthier,more productive life. God bless.

Sincerely,Dr. Amy Valente, D.C.

ONLY $20 TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS HELP BUT HAS NEVER BEEN TO A CHIROPRACTOR BEFORE

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In lieu of the recent snow storms and frigid temperatures, you should be ready to win-terize your house or face the fact that you will be paying some HUGE energy bills. Tem-peratures have gone into the teens and Atlanta has already had more snow this year thanthe past few years combined. Here are some tips for you to prevent a huge energy bill amonth from now.

Check Attic I nsulation Attic insulation is one of the most common losses ofenergy in our homes. Fortunately, it is also one of the most inexpensive to fix. Mosthomes here were built over 10 years ago and are vastly under insulated. The U.S.Department of energy recommends that in Georgia we have between R-30 and R-60(12-22 inches of loose fill insulation). The higher the R-Value, the more resistanceto heat transfer. If your home does not fall in these guidelines, then you are throwingaway money as we speak. Re-insulating your attic can save you up to 20% off yourheating and cooling bills. Check your attic or get someone to check your attic assoon as possible.

Replace Original Windows Everyone knows that most builders don’t usethe very best materials when they build. Nowhere is this more apparent than inwindow quality. Most “builder grade” windows do not have the features of today’squality energy efficient windows. These qualities include multiple Low-E coatings,gas fill between the panes of glass, and double and triple layers of weather stripping.Windows are a huge energy concern, and it is fairly easy to tell this time of year ifyour windows are adequate. Stand next to them for a minute and then stand closerto the inside of the house. If the temperature difference is noticeable, then it isprobably time to start looking at replacing them. New energy efficient windowscan save you up to 40% on your heating and cooling bills.

How Cold is Your Garage? Do you spend a lot of time in your garage? Isthere a room above your garage that is colder than the rest of the house? Do you

have a car that is expensive to fix? If the answer was yes to any of those questionsyou might want to check into an insulated garage door. An insulated garage doorcan affect your garage temperature by 20 degrees or more.

Water Heaters Water heaters are often over looked in the energy loss category.The most efficient water heaters on the market are the tankless kind, but they alsocan get quite expensive. A cheap low cost alternative is a water heater blanket. Theyare sold in most hardware stores and can cut down your water heater cost sufficiently.

Programmable Thermostats- Thermostats can be one of the biggest toolsthat you can use to keep high bills at bay. Programmable thermostats let you setyour temperature to change by a few degrees in the middle of the night and middleof the day, the times when you usually would not notice the change. Most peopleleave their homes at 8-9 am and don’t return until 5-6 pm at night. This 8-9 hourperiod is costing us close to the same amount as the time when we are home. Bysetting your thermostat to automatically change the temperature by a few degreesduring the times you aren't in your home, you can help to curb your energy cost agreat deal.

If you consider these tips and prepare yourself for the winter season, you will be helpingyour pocketbook, as well as, the environment. If you fail to pay attention to the littlethings, a big $300-$500 energy bill may be waiting for you next month!

Michael Pittman is the Sales Manager at Atlanta South Construction

770.614.8191 www.atlantasouthconstruction.com

WINTER IS HERE: BE PREPARED…


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Romantic Weekend EscapeFebruary is the month of romance. That word in itself means different things to differentpeople. In the travel industry, depending on your romantic thoughts, a romantic week-end could be anything from a short weekend in a mountain lodge in front of a roaringfire to a beach getaway in the Caribbean or even a short cruise to the Bahamas.

The primary focus for a short trip is how fast you can get there, flying or driving. We inAtlanta are very lucky as we can reach many destinations quickly. A three hour flightfrom home can get you to Denver or the Caribbean. A short drive to Ashville NC orFlorida can be an easy trip, as well.

What could be more romantic than a day of skiing followed by a romantic sleigh rideand dinner beside a cozy fireplace at Keystone’s Resort’s Ski Tip Lodge? Keystone isonly 90 miles west of the Denver International Airport so if you depart Hartsfield inthe early morning, you can be on the slopes by afternoon.

Also close by is Vail with its wonderful little village and world class hotels like the FourSeasons or Ritz Carlton in Lionshead , just a short walk from the village. A compli-mentary shuttle bus gets you there and back in case you may not want to walk. For asuper splurge for your significant other and a wonderful Valentine gift, stay at the Arra-belle in Vail Square which is reminiscent of the historic lodges of Switzerland and theFrench Alps.

For those who prefer their romance on a white sandy beach, a short non-stop flight fromAtlanta on weekends is the lovely islands of the Turks and Caicos. One of my favoriteislands, the beaches here are sugar fine and as white as snow. Nothing beats a sunsetdrink under a palapa on the beach with the turquoise water lapping at your feet. Or trythe bar at the Grace Bay Club where the infinity edge pool makes the bar seem like anendless counter that extends all the way to the sea.

For a sybaritic and very romantic weekend, try the Amanyara with its separate pavilionsfor each couple. Three walls of the pavilions retract so you can welcome the outdoorsand enjoy your surroundings. The most romantic experience is dinner at the sunkentable in your pavilion and surrounded by cushions for a cozy evening.

If you are a golf fanatic, you may want to consider Bermuda or the Bahamas, keepingin mind that at this time of year, they can be chilly in the evening. The cold fronts thataffect the South can also extend as far as these islands. Even though they are located inthe Gulf Stream, day time temperatures can be cool and breezy too. In Bermuda, a per-fect golf getaway is the Fairmont Southampton boasting the islands oldest private golfclub. The staff can also arrange to have you play some of the other courses on the island.

The One and Only Ocean Club in Nassau offers every possible amenity and activityyou can imagine, and all with exclusive privacy and blissful ambience. Tee off on theTom Weiskopf designed course or rent bicycles to ride around the island by day. TheSpa at this hotel is also “over the top”.

If you are looking for the perfect place to go for a wonderful and romantic getaway anda getaway from all this “lovely” weather we have been having, look no further than yourfavorite Travel Counselor, the best way for you to decide the perfect spot for you.

Pam Walker is a Virtuoso travel consultant and can be reached [email protected]. You can follow her travels by visiting Pam's blog athttp://www.pamwalkers.blogspot.com & www.walkeradventures.com


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February is a great month just to “catch up” on a few things. It’s the shortest month of the yearwhich creates a sense of urgency that other months don’t possess and it forces one to watch thecalendar with much more attention so you don’t miss the possible “leap” that might occur whileyou’re looking the other way.

During this time of year my wife allows me to take an annual hunting trip with my father so wecan spend some quality “man-time” away from the estrogen baths we live in every day, and re-connect while attempting to kill defenseless animals. Now, I know this may sound barbaric to

some, but to many men it’sa critical ritual to our sanityto get as far away as we canfrom our families whilst car-rying guns. It’s a chance forme to catch up with my fa-ther and be with other sonsand other fathers who alsoneed this time to rechargeour “guyness.” What mightbe shocking though, to mostwomen any way, is thatthese trips are not like the“girls weekends” where spas,massages, margaritas and“sharing” are inevitably onthe menu. Typically a trueguy-bonding trip involvesan element of suffering. Wepick the worst time of theyear, go to the most miser-

able locations, and place ourselves at the mercy of Mother Nature where we can be tested.

You might be inclined to believe that such an occasion would be filled with commiserations abouthow stressed our families make us, or how terrible our bosses are treating us and how we justwant a hug sometimes. You’d be dead wrong.

The vast majority of the ritualistic conversations involve the dredging up of old hunting failureswhere one’s lack of skill or intelligence caused the “BIG ONE” to getaway or left him leaving thefield with only his wilted pride in the game bag. Unlike everyday life, in these precious momentsyou are called to the carpet for your every mistake by your brothers in arms.

Why is this so important? Because men, unlike our better halves, are not emotive creatures bydesign, but are forced to behave like ones so we are not perceived as heartless jerks. Most of ourlives we spend managing our desire to verbally clobber someone and instead don the cloak ofempathy and understanding. In the field, surrounded by the laws of cruel nature, no such ex-pectation exists and we relish in the verbal taunts and brutal honesty that come with missing ashot or claiming another man’s kill, which happens all the time.

“That’s another for me!”

“How?! Your gun didn’t even fire. Did you somehow remotely convince it to commit suicide justby looking at it with your grotesque face?”

“Noooo, I used a photo of you.”

Sweet music.

In conclusion, I again thank my wife for allowing me the opportunity to “catch up” with mymanliness and yes, sometimes I do just want a hug.

MAN-TIME by Mark Orler

Mark Orler is a full-time husband, father and part-time observationiest.

Mark can be reached at [email protected]

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1st AnnualProm DressConsignmentSale at Allatoona High School March 12!

Strength in Stilettos (SIS) student organization will be hosting the 1st AnnualProm Dress Consignment Sale on Saturday, March 12 from 10am-2 pm at Al-latoona High School in Acworth. This is a great opportunity to find a fabulousnew dress for prom, as well as, earn some extra cash! The consignment salewill accept long and short formal dresses, shoes and hand bags. Sellers set theirown prices and receive 70% of the sale price.

Attendees will have the opportunity to enter the “2011 Dream Prom Raffle”to win a gift basket including, restaurant gift certificate, 2 prom tickets and somuch more! Please join us for an exciting shopping day filled with dresses,shoes, and bargains galore!

Sponsor/vendor tables will be available for businesses to promote their productsand services for only $50. Sponsor fee includes a 6 ft table, logo on volunteert-shirts and the option to include coupons/give-a-ways in the shopper gift bags.

The consignment sale is a fundraiser sponsored by Strength in Stilettos, a femalestudent organization founded by Allatoona High student, Nina Brante andHarrison High student, Paige Smith. The organization is dedicated to support-ing, enhancing and empowering girls through promoting academic achieve-ment and community service. Proceeds will benefit Allatoona and HarrisonHigh School programs, as well as, a scholarship program for senior girls.

Sellers and volunteers needed. Volunteers shop early at 9am. For seller regis-tration, vendor/sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, visit us atwww.strengthinstilettos.org or email us at [email protected].

Romance is something we should always hold on to. It keepsus young, happy, alive and energetic. Romance is not some-thing you should wait until you have time for. It should bea continuing part of your life. There are many ways to keepthe romance alive in your relationship. However, romancetoday may be a bit different than it was 50 years ago!!

Then: Leave a love note in your husband's lunchbox.Now: Send your spouse a romantic email.

Then: Meet your husband at the door naked when hecomes home from work.Now: Make an appointment to actually be home at thesame time!

Then:Have a candlelight dinner waiting for your husbandwhen he comes home.Now: Fax your spouse's secretary to have him/her meet youat a nice restaurant.

Then: Fill the house with beautiful fresh flowers!Now:Go online and have flowers delivered to your spouse.

Then: Surprise your spouse with a romantic phone call.Now: Leave a sexy message on your spouse's voicemail.

Then: Have a leisurely picnic in the park.Now:Take your notebooks outside and have a quick sand-

wich.Then: Stroll together on the beach.Now: Put on the ocean channel and get on the treadmilltogether!

Then: Say "I love you" everyday.Now: Say "I love you" everyday.

The point I am making with this is, love is love and no mat-ter how busy we are or how hectic things get, we need tokeep that love alive. Take some time, slow down and enjoyeach other. Life is short; do not let it slip away without ex-periencing love, romance and fun everyday, not just onValentine's Day!

Romance....Then & Now by Terri Seymour

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Do you see photographs of yourself and say "Do I really look that bad?" Chances are you probablydon't - but if you want to improve your satisfaction with the majority of the pictures taken of your-self, try these tips next time you're in front of the camera:

1. Choose clothing colors that are flattering to your complexion. Certaincolors complement certain complexions. Patterns and horizontal stripes can make you ap-pear wide and very closely spaced stripes and patterns can create strange blurs. My son woreseersucker pants in a photo that ended up looking like out of focus ' zigzags' in the finalproduct. Be careful when wearing red, black or white. These colors can present too muchof a harsh contrast, or wash you out, especially in someone older or with a fair complexion.

2. To look thinner (especially if a small child is not available to stick in front of you)angle your body so one shoulder is closer to the camera. Don't facethe camera head-on. Put one foot in front of the other and put your weight on the backleg. Stand or sit up straight slightly holding in your stomach.

3. Your smile needs to be relaxed. If you don't like your teeth, practices smilingwith your eyes, letting your mood translate through them. If the photographer gives you acountdown, look away from the camera and then back right before the shot. This will helpyou avoid the fake perma-grin.

4. Ask the photographer not to a flash if at all possible. This is the majorcause of red-eye and shiny skin. Cloudy days are best for outdoor photos. Avoid high-noonif possible. To avoid the appearance of a double chin, try to arrange for the camera to beslightly above you so you can look up at it, which will slim the look of your face.

5. If you know you are going to be photographed, wear a little moremakeup to avoid a splotchy complexion. Use concealer and a good coveragefoundation, eye makeup, lipstick and blush. Avoid any products that are overly glossy oriridescent. Remember to use a light dusting of powder to set makeup and diminish shine.Blotting papers can be used for men.

6. Although you may not look fabulous in every picture that you'retagged in on Facebook, you can bury the evidence by untaggingyourself. You won't delete the photo - it will just hide the trail from other's mini-feedupdates. At least there are some things in life you can control! If you are using a professionalphotographer don't hesitate to take a lot of shots. The more you take the more you have tochoose from. Experiment with poses and ranges of expression.

When your only representation is a picture, it’s important to make sure it says what you want it to.When you know in advance that you’re going to have your photo taken (at a wedding, a graduation,for business cards, websites, etc.) take steps to prepare. Using these tips will help you help you feelcomfortable and poised for your next photo op.

“A good snapshot stops a moment from running away.” ~Eudora Welty

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I was never cut out to be a vegan. Meat I could maybe live without, but I really,really love dairy. So, last year when I proudly told my family I had become avegan –enlightened about social issues and morally superior to omnivores--theyknew it wasn’t going to last. Regardless, I was clean for three months, eventhrough the holidays. If someone offered me a grilled cheese, or a pig in a blanket,I would put my hand over my heart and say, “That is sooo kind of you, but I’m aveeeegan.”

One day, as I was explaining to my family how awesome Iwas for being a vegan, my brother asked if he could eat thehard-boiled egg in my salad. “No way!” I said, and poppedit into my mouth.

“Eggs come from chickens!” He yelled, pointing a finger inmy face, “You’re not a vegan anymore! Gotchya!”

I was mortified. Not only had I eaten non-vegan food, butI had also forgotten that hard-boiled eggs were even an ani-mal product. Suddenly, I was questioning my commitmentto veganism. I didn’t actually know that much about animalrights, I had not done any research to make sure my foodpairings were giving me enough essential nutrients, and Istill can’t figure out how to cook tofu and make it taste likesomething besides packing peanuts. The sorry truth is—Ibecame a vegan because I thought it would make me seem cooler.

Now, if you are well informed and passionate about animal rights, the choice tobecome a vegan is commendable. But trying to do something good with selfishintentions--like me-- is doubly lame. And I do good things for bad reasons a lot.

Like wearing more pink in October, or texting a donation to a charitable organi-zation. I’m not actually supporting the Susan G. Komen Foundation by wearingpink, but I feel like I am. And the texting? Well, I just thought it was cool that Icould text a donation (from the account that my parents pay for). All of thesecharities, fundraisers, and causes are important, but I didn’t participate in thembecause they were important to me—I just wanted to look trendy.

So I decided to do something radically different from the “charity chic” move-ments that I have mindlessly gravitated to in the past. I looked atmy budget (not my parents’), researched some charitable organi-zations that interest me, and chose to invest in one substantially. Ihave visited a few third-world countries in the past, which pro-foundly changed the way I view international aid. Through Com-passion International, I sponsor education and healthcare forfive-year-old Brian, who lives in an AIDS-affected region of Kenya.I’m not trying to be cool; I have simply realized that I might actu-ally make a difference to some-one if I commit to one or twocauses I believe in, rather thandabbling in a million. Charityis chic—but commitment tocharity never goes out of style.

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nIf your bedroom doesn’t offer you a respite from the hustle and bustle of the day, then now’sthe time to transform it! It’s a new year, filled with wonderfully exciting and new possibil-ities. The time and money you consider investing now will definitely pay off in big divi-dends in your future. Especially, because your bedroom redecorating project might justmean that you’ll find yourself being just a little happier, a bit more joyful,and most importantly at peace with yourself and your surround-ings.

Decorating your master bedroom is probably morefun than decorating any other room in yourhome! Why? Because it’s the one room in yourhome that you can truly allow your personal-ity to shine! Remember, this is your space,and you deserve the best!

And, as with every decorating project, firstthings first! It’s important to develop a dec-orating plan that fits your needs, yourlifestyle and most importantly your pocket-book!

Consider taking these three simple and easysteps!

Step #1: Begin your project by visualizing, and thenlisting, all the types of activities you’ll want to conduct in your“get-away” haven. Perhaps it’s writing thought-provoking entries inyour daily journal; reading your favorite books; knitting; needlework; watching old romanticmovies on your TV/DVD player; daily meditation; contemplating your plans for the nextday, and, oh, yah, sleeping- and waking up! Whatever the activity, think through what typesof things will make you the happiest in your new master bedroom retreat.

Step #2: Look at your bedroom space with a “critical” eye. Ask yourself, can your bed-room, with your given amount of space, accommodate all of the activities you listed. Whilethe answer is usually yes, you may still need to take advantage of some clever pre-planning.

Step #3: Think about “coloring your world” – especially your soon to be redesignedmaster bedroom. As with most all decorating projects, one of your first priorities is lockingin a color scheme. Color sets the stage and provides harmony to everything else that willeventually find its way into your new bedroom. It’s the backdrop that surrounds all of your

furnishings, fabrics and accessories, lighting – EVERYTHING!

While you’re thinking about redecorating your master bedroom –why not consider giving custom a try! A custom made bedspread

not only offers you the opportunity for a truly unique design,but they are naturally made to fit any style bed!

Did you know that you could select from a beautifulvariety of quilting patterns for your new customspread? That’s right! All custom spreads are customquilted just for you through a highly specializedhand guided sewing process. Quilting patterns runthe gamut of creative designs – from butterflies toseashells, to a huge array of geometric patterns.

Try comparing the thickness of a custom spread to aready-made. Believe it or not, custom spreads contain

two to three times the fullness of a ready-made spread.And if you still want it fuller, all you have to do is “say the

word”!

The same variety continues with custom window treatments. The se-lection is almost endless and can be unique and made just to suit your windows!

Fabric, trim, design, hardware all work together to make the window, and the bedroom,the place of your dreams!

Karen Hartley is a DDCD, Decorating Den Certified Decorator. She has been the ownerand designer of Decorating Den Interiors since 1986, celebrating 25 years! You may previewher portfolio at www.decdens.com\khartley. Karen can be reached at (770) 459-9096 orby email at [email protected]. Call today!

Suite Dreams! by Karen Hartley

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Many Believe Marriage is Obsoleteby Leisa A. Bailey, Ph.D.

The month of February is often associated with love because of the celebration of Valentine’s Day.However, in November, 2010 a startling release by TIME magazine and Pew Research Center of-fered a sobering poll about Americans current view of marriage. The headline was that nearly 40%of those polled stated that marriage is becoming obsolete (up from 28% in 1978). This caused aflurry of articles and more than a little concern and sadness among marriage therapists. When ex-amined more closely the survey offers some interesting information about how marriage is currentlyviewed.

In the 1950s, when half of American women weremarried in their teens, marriage was viewed as a steptoward adulthood and a necessary path to inde-pendence, children, and intimate companionship.Moving directly into marriage from adolescence isno long expected and the expectations of marriagehave changed. Couples are more focused on havinga higher quality marriage and the current view ofmarriage has shifted to less necessary and less fo-cused on sacrifice and obligation; and more aboutromance, life fulfillment and happiness.

Getting married for life, having children and raisingthem with your spouse is still the ideal for mostAmericans but acceptance of the alternative pathshas grown. Johns Hopkins University sociologistAndrew Cherlin states: “Marriage is still very im-portant in this country, but it doesn’t dominatefamily life like it used to. Now there are severalways to have a successful family life, and more peo-ple accept them.” It is without debate that the viewof “family” has changed. More people accept theview that a marriage isn’t necessary to have a family.

Currently, nearly one in three American children are living with a parent who is divorced, separatedor never-married (five times more than 1960).

Sociologist, Cherlin also discusses differences in marriage among the socio-economic groups stating:“The college-educated wait until they’re finished with their education and the careers are launched.The less educated wait until they feel comfortable financially.” There was a 13% increase in couplesliving together from 2009 to 2010. With the recession and the challenging economy, many waitto get married and opt for cohabitation. Some are living together because they don’t have enoughmoney to live alone, and they aren’t going to get married until they have enough money. Therefore,the age for first time marriage has increased. In 2010 the median age of men getting married forthe first time was 28.2 and 26.1 for women; and this age has gone up about one year every decadesince the 1960’s. For most college-educated couples, living together is a prelude to marriage afterbetter financial stability is achieved. However, for those without a college degree the trend is tomove in together, have children, and then consider marriage.

Currently two-thirds of people with a college degree are married, compared with less than half ofthose with a high school degree or less. Those within lower socio-economic levels are less likely tomarry. It is unclear whether the burdens of poverty are making people’s relationships less perma-nent or people’s impermanent relationships are worsening their economic future.

The view of marriage has changed but it is still a respected and desired life path. While 40% believemarriage is becoming obsolete, only 25% of the unmarried stated they do not want to get married;and among currently married, 80% said their marriage is as close as or closer than their parents’marriage. Additionally, while 44% of Americans under 30 believe marriage is heading for extinc-tion; only five per cent of those in that age group do not want to get married. Marriage is complexand challenging but not headed to be obsolete any time soon!

Dr. Bailey is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Marietta. You can learnmore about her and her practice by visiting the website: www.marietta-psychologist.com. You mayreach her at (770) 428-6698 or by e-mail to [email protected]. Your commentsor questions are welcome.



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CHILDHOOD SEIZURESby Dara Hosch, MD FAAP - Cobb Pediatrics

Witnessing your child have a seizure can be terrifying for any parent. However, morethan 100,000 American children experience seizures every year. The most familiar typeof seizure is the generalized convulsion but some seizure activity is not as obvious. Rec-ognizing what is happening and knowing what to do are important to minimize thecomplications of a seizure. This article will discuss some common types of childhoodseizures and review first aid recommendations.

A seizure is definedas abnormal electri-cal impulses in thebrain. This leads torepetitive jerkingmovements, staringspells or unusualbehaviors. Seizureshave various causesincluding brain in-jury, lack of oxygen,illness, poisons,electrolyte imbal-ances and geneticconditions. By farthe most commonreason for a child-

hood seizure is fever. A sudden change of body temperature lowers the brain’s seizurethreshold. For children between the ages of one and five years, most seizures are simplefebrile seizures. These seizures generally last less than five minutes and stop without anymedical intervention. Afterwards the child quickly resumes normal behavior. Whilethere is a 30 to 50 percent chance of having subsequent febrile seizures, very few childrenwho have simple febrile seizures go on to have a chronic seizure disorder.

For patients with chronic seizure disorders, called epilepsy, fever is not the only thingthat can increase the risk of a seizure. Flashing lights, fatigue, stress, medications, breath-ing too fast, and stimulating video games are other common triggers. Some patients ex-perience a sensation or warning sign before the seizure such as a distinctive smell or taste.Other patients have no warning. Seizures appear as staring spells, full body convulsions,or subtle movements involving only a small part of the body with no loss of conscious-ness. The infantile spasm is a particularly devastating type of seizure that is associatedwith metabolic disorders and birth injuries. Unfortunately, babies who have infantilespasms often experience developmental regression following a seizure. The type ofseizure activity depends upon the portion of the brain that is affected. Following aseizure, some patients experience confusion and sleepiness called a post-ictal period.

Since simple febrile seizures are generally brief and harmless, no treatment is needed.Children who have seizure disorders or atypical febrile seizures should be referred to aneurologist for management. Tests are used to determine the most effective treatmentfor each patient. Available treatment choices include medications and special diets. Forextremely severe seizure conditions that do not respond to medication, doctors may con-sider implanting a vagus nerve stimulator or surgically removing the part of the brainthat triggers the seizure. Children with seizure disorders should never bathe or swimalone.

If you witness a child having a seizure, it is important to remain calm. Check the timeso that you can track how long the seizure lasts. Seizures that last more than an hourcan cause neurologic damage. Keep the child in a safe place where he or she is unlikelyto fall. It is important to protect the child’s airway; do not put anything in the child’smouth. Position the child on his or her side to prevent choking on vomit or phlegm. Ifthe child has a fever, sponge down the child’s skin with a wet cloth and keep the childlightly dressed. It is safe to use a rectal medication if it is indicated for fever reductionor seizure treatment. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes or causes thechild to have trouble breathing. After a seizure it is important to follow up with a doc-tor.


after

Shasta Clark, a former writer for CNN Headline News is a freelance journalist who writes about her most

challenging job yet, motherhood. You may contact her at [email protected].

Mommy MomentsRound Three

by Shasta Clark

We are expecting our third baby! I discovered I was pregnant in a way I never would have with my first. My husbandwas traveling for work. We agreed we’d wait to take the home pregnancy test whenhe returned. But, who can wait an entire week to know if their whole life is goingto change? So I did the mature thing; I called my best friend and said, “I’m comingto your house, and I’m taking a home pregnancy test.”

Now, as a mother of two sons, I am a veteran at pregnancy tests, pregnancy, andmothering. Still, I’ve made a few gaffes. The biggest one—giving my son a name Ididn’t like, then legally changing it when he was 5-months-old. I’ll get to that storywhen I write about names. The smallest one—using home pregnancy tests where Ispend 20 minutes squinting at a urine-soaked stick to determine whether there is apink line.

This time, I wised up and bought onethat clearly says pregnant or not preg-nant. I was too anxious to read the re-sults, so I asked my friend to do it.When she screamed, I knew! Wejumped up and down, hugged,screamed. I was thrilled! Then she saidthe thing that gave me the “Oh Crap!”moment. She said, “I’m glad it’s youand not me.”

That’s when it hit me. This is real, andthere is no turning back. I am really going to do this again. How will I juggle threekids? Oh boy! Or Girl! Thankfully, the moment quickly faded.

Since this is likely my last pregnancy, I plan to spend the next few months writingabout the “pregnant experience.” My goal is to be completely honest, writing thingsthat most people wouldn’t tell their mothers. My hope is that if you are pregnant,or have ever been pregnant, or have lived with an expectant mom, you’ll be able torelate to and laugh about pregnancy. Because, let’s face it, all those hormones makepregnancy pretty darn funny- at times. Men, just a friendly warning, if your wife ispregnant, you can only laugh when she laughs. Otherwise, you run the risk of ahormone meltdown.

To get back to this story, when my husband returned from his trip, I had dinnerwaiting for him. After we sat at the table and thanked God for our food, I told himI forgot something in the oven. He offered to get it. When he opened the oven,there was a cookie sheet with a single bun in the center.

“A bun in the oven,” he said, beaming from ear to ear. Thankfully, he was matureenough not to be upset that I hadn’t waited until he got home to find out the goodnews.

Like I said, with my first pregnancy, I would have never allowed a friend to knowbefore my husband. I wonder if this is a sign that the baby is doomed to “last kid”syndrome? Too soon to tell. I feel guilty since I am aproduct of the syndrome myself. By the time my momgot to me after raising two sons, she’d relaxed on every-thing. The only pictures of me between the hospital andhigh school graduation are school yearbook pictures.Thank God for Olin Mills, or I’d think my childhoodwas a myth.

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At Pinnacle, our physicians maximize results and minimize recoverytime. How? By using leading edge technologies and the most innovative techniques. We take this advanced approach in everyarea of orthopaedic care, including Pinnacle specialties such assports medicine, joint replacement, fracture care, spine, foot andankle, hand, general orthopaedics and pain management.

Visit www.pinnacle-ortho.com for a complete list of services, physicians andlocations near you.

Once you Get to Know Pinnacle, youwon’t want to go anywhere else.770-944-3303

Avoiding Injuries on Your Ski Vacationby Mark S. Duffield, D.O.

Snow skiing is a very popular winter activity. Every year nearly 15 million people ski in the U.S.alone. Most are under the age of 40 with 60 percent being men and 40 percent women.

However, like all sports, skiing does come with some inherent risks. Based on reports from theISS (International Ski Symposium), approximately two people per 1000 days skied sustain a se-rious injury from snow skiing. So really, per person involved, skiing has a relatively low numberof injuries for a sport that is so common. By comparison, soccer injury statistics reveal that in a90 minute game two to three players may sustain injury, showing an injury rate of 14 percent forsoccer vs. a low .05 percent for snow skiing.

Most skiing injuries are minor bruises and scrapes. When major injuries occur, they are typicallycaused from an isolated fall, usually due to a skier’s loss of control, such as going too fast or skiingin an area that is inappropriate for their ability. Only about ten percent of injuries are due to col-lision with other skiers.

Head injuries account for a very small amount of injuries, particularly since the evolution of theski helmet. There is strong evidence that ski helmets may prevent and/or significantly reduce theseverity of minor to moderate head trauma. So as with any sport, it is important to use the propersafety equipment.

Most major skiing injuries are either to the knee (33 percent) or the shoulder (nine percent). In-terestingly, those percentages are opposite with snowboarding. With technology advancementsin equipment over the last 30-40 years, particularly bindings and boots, lower leg fractures andlacerations have significantly reduced. However, the incidence of ligamentous injuries has in-creased, specifically to the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).

The good news about ACL injuries is that over the past four to six years they seem to be on thedecline. This may be due to the trend in shorter skis, brought on by the advent of the shaped ski.It was previously thought that the bindings were the culprit of many ligament injuries (i.e. thebinding didn't release and the knee took the brunt of the load, tearing the ligaments). However,the shorter ski seems to lessen the strain on the knee ligaments, particularly with inadvertent turnsor falls.

When a person does sustain a ligament injury, often they cannot continue to ski and must be

helped by either a companion or the ski patrol and taken to an Aid Station. Sadly, the ski day(and likely the trip!) are over as these injuries are not compatible with further sporting activities.When evaluated by an Orthopaedic Surgeon, if the diagnosis is ACL injury, the discussion is typ-ically centered on whether to surgically reconstruct the ligament or use a brace for definitive treat-ment. Typically, for patients who are very active and desire a knee similar to their pre-injurystatus, a reconstruction of the ligament is offered. Although considered a surgery with a very pre-dictable outcome, it is not necessarily the best or only option for every patient. Bracing can be agood option too, and is often the option of choice for patients willing to use a brace on a consistentbasis.

Shoulder injuries related to skiing typically come in one of two categories: dislocation or fractures.Dislocations occur when the forces applied across the joint are so great that the supporting struc-tures are torn and the bones are no longer held in position. Such dislocations usually require im-mediate medical attention in order to be "relocated" and will often later need surgical attentionto keep the shoulder stable.

When fractures occur, they are usually of the clavicle (commonly known as the collarbone) orhumerus (upper arm bone). Generally speaking, both can be treated non-operatively, thoughsome variations do require surgical attention.

In conclusion, snow skiing is truly a sport that anyone can enjoy, regardless of ability or age. Itinspires one to be in direct contact with the outdoor elements andgives us the opportunity to see many aspects of nature that we maynot ordinarily experience. In general it is also a very safe sport,particularly when a skier recognizes his or her physical limitationsand level of skiing ability. So if you hit the slopes this winter, bemindful of your safety and you’ll likely enjoy an injury-free vaca-tion.

Dr. Mark Duffield is an orthopaedic surgeon at Pinnacle Or-thopaedics. Get to Know Pinnacle. Call 770-944-3303 or visitwww.pinnacle-ortho.com for a complete list of services, physiciansand locations near you.


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by Marco GustafssonReading to babies is a wonderful experience and one that is critical to their development. However, noteveryone is used to reading aloud and may find the idea quite unusual. Here is a simple guide to helpanyone get started. Have you ever wondered why some kids actually choose to bury their heads in awell-thumbed Lord of the Rings novel, and others just want to watch it on DVD? While we often

assume that there are those who are “readers” by nature, andthose who are not, we may actually play a larger role in in-stilling the love of words in our children than we realize, andfrom a surprisingly early age.

It is commonly understood that reading aloud is beneficial indeveloping a love of books and therefore a love of learning inchildren. However, when should it all begin? Some parentsbegin reading to their babies while they are still in the womb.Others begin when their child starts bringing books home tobe read for homework. Australian children’s author, MemFox, believes in reading to your child from as early as possible.She suggests, “Reading aloud to children every day from their

first year of life until they start school (and beyond) changes their lives forever”.

So just how do you read to your baby? This simple five-point guide may help get you started:

1. When to read… Find a moment when your baby is quiet but alert, perhaps after a feed, playor sleep. Once you are familiar with your baby’s routine and ways of communicating with you, it willbecome easier to find the best time.

2. Where to read… Sit in a cuddly position with your baby to read. Children come to associatereading with comfort and enjoyment this way. Make sure the book is close to them so that they can seeand touch the book.

3. What to read…Have some very simple board books or cloth books on hand to read. Not juststories, but books with songs and nursery rhymes are great as are interactive books with things to touch,feel and hear. Head to your local library or bookstore - there is a wonderful selection to choose fromthese days. Special e-Readers are also a good option

Books about things you may have done, or seen with your baby are a great way to expand on and reinforcerecent events. For example, if you saw ducks in the park, read a book with pictures of ducks in it.

4. How to read… Read with animation in your voice. Don’t worry about feeling silly; you willbe rewarded when your baby grows to love particular parts of a book because of the sounds you make.This is also known as “voice inflection” and is defined as “the way we change the tone of our voice toemphasize key words.” With the right tone of voice and inflection appropriate to a baby’s developmentyou can read almost anything. The editorial section of a newspaper can even be read to calm a baby, ifthe tone of voice is right!

Use all the senses. If the story has wind blowing, then gently blow into your baby’s neck. If the storyhas movement, then bounce your baby gently on your knee. If the crocodile “snaps”, then gently pretendto “snap” your baby’s tummy with your fingers. Once they have become familiar with the story theywill begin to “squirm” in delightful anticipation as the “crocodile gets ready to snap”. This is actuallyteaching story prediction (knowing what comes next).

5. What then?…Once your baby has a few books they like, leave them in accessible places for themto find, the bottom of a bookshelf or a basket. In time you will begin to see them pulling out the booksand “reading” them for themselves. They will flip the pages and chatter to themselves. You may evenhear them start to mimic the voices you do. By the time they can move around the house they will bebringing their favorite books for you to read to them. A wonderful, but maddening thing when you aretrying to cook dinner!

The ‘pre-reading’ skills can begin to develop from a very early age. Skills such as holding the books theright way up, turning the pages in sequence (babies, as young as four months, can flip a board bookpage over with their fist as you are reading to them), exploring pictures and learning that the words areread to tell a story. These are all essential skills for children learning to read.

Most importantly, read for the fun of it!

Reading isn’t about trying to push your child to be a gifted baby; it is about giving the gift of stories toyour child. The discovery that there is something lovely within the pages of a book is the best readinglesson you can ever give your baby, and when they’re older, they may just be carrying the latest kids’novel around with them, instead of a Nintendo D.S.


We strive to provide an environment wherekids can have a fun and happy dental experience while receiving the very bestdental care available. Come tour our state ofthe art office with themed rooms representingeach continent from around the world.

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When it comes to heartattacks, time is muscle.So when it matters most,trust the WellStar Car-diac Network. For manyheart attack victims,chest pain or discomfortis their first sign of trou-ble, and these signs canbe mild or subtle. Ourhighly trained emergencydepartment physiciansdiagnose heart attacksfast and efficiently, andWellStar’s accreditedChest Pain Centers atWellStar Cobb, Douglasand Kennestone hospitalscan quickly treat or trans-fer patients for the inter-ventions they need.

Interventions range from angioplasty and stenting to unclog any blocked artery, to elec-trophysiology to regulate irregular heartbeats.

WellStar Cobb Hospital has an electrophysiology (EP) lab enabling physicians to assessand treat patients with rapid or uncontrolled heart rates. This includes inserting pace-makers as well as automated internal defibrillators.

WellStar Douglas Hospital has recently begun performing cardiac catheterizations, en-

abling countless patients to stay close to home.

WellStar Kennestone offers a dedicated electrophysiology and cardiac catheterizationlabs. WellStar Kennestone also offers an adult cardiac surgery program. These interven-tions are not possible without the expertise of the cardiologists and cardiothoracic sur-geons working within WellStar’s cardiac program.

The WellStar Cardiac Network includes WellStar Cardiovascular Medicine (CVM).WellStar CVM provides comprehensive cardiac service offerings, proven expertise inpreventative care, cutting-edge treatment of acute and chronic cardiac conditions and isdedicated to improving the quality of life for its patients. They have offices located inAcworth, Austell, Canton, Cartersville, Douglasville, East Cobb, Hiram, Jasper, Mariettaand Woodstock.

Partnering together to offer enhanced services to our community, WellStar Health Sys-tem, WellStar CVM and Quantum Radiology are now providing heart screenings.

A Heart Screening, also known as a CT Cardiac Calcium Score, is a fast and non-invasiveCT Scan used to determine the risk of Coronary Artery Disease. Using a multi-slicescan, the heart screening can help cardiologists determine the participant’s level of riskfor heart disease or future cardiac issues. The screening is recommended for those whohave diabetes, family history of heart disease, history of smoking or tobacco use, highblood pressure or high cholesterol.

While lying on the table, the CT Scanner will perform cross-sectional images of theheart. The images are then reviewed by a radiologist specialized in cardiac imaging. Thepresence of calcium is directly related to coronary atherosclerosis. A calcium score pro-cedure cannot detect the degree or location of specific blockages in the coronary vessels;however, it can assign you a risk level of disease and a risk level for future cardiac eventsbased on your calcium levels.

The WellStar Cardiac Network

Continued on page 30


What Happens On Day 91…? by Jason Goggans

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We’ve all seen the infomercials; get fitin 90 days, get ripped abs in 90 days,and transform body in 90 days. I havealways wondered where they got thatarbitrary 90 day number from. Whynot 60 days, or 80 days or 120 days?Anyway, I have also wondered whathappens on day 91. What comes next?Do we fall back into our old ways andun-transform ourselves? Are we ex-pected to then find our own path tomaintain our newly founded physique?There never seems to be a game planfor that.

It has always fascinated me (and yes,slightly annoyed me) when peoplecome to me and say they want to lose30 lbs and they want to do it in 2months. I wonder why the finite goal.I can certainly help you achieve thatgoal but the question still lingers, whathappens after the two months? Herein lies one of the main reasons that thebody and health that we all dreamabout eludes us.

Too many of us spend our time puttingon unwanted weight, setting time spe-cific goals to “do right” and get the

weight off, only to fall off the wagon once the time frame is up or the goal is achieved. Theresult is yo-yo weight gain and weight loss which is unhealthy and frustrating. Don’t get mewrong, this is not an indictment on short term goals. I am actually a fan of them. The problemis that most of us set short term goals with zero thought put into what happens next. Instead weuse these 2 and 3 month goals a crutch to fall back on when our bodies fall out of shape and wewant to firm up.

Here’s a thought…how about making health and fitness a part of your everyday life…every day.That means 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year. This is the only way you will achieve true fitnessand ensure yourself health, vitality, and longevity. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? Now,this doesn’t mean doing a gut busting workout every single day or eating perfectly every singlemeal of your life. What it does mean is paying attention to your health and striving to do what’sbest for your body every day. Will you slip up? Sure. Will you have bad days? Of course. Butover time, if you make yourself and your health a priority every day, if you stop relying exclusivelyon arbitrary 2 month and 3 month goals every health and fitness goal you have ever had willsurely follow.

One of my mentors in this industry, Dan John, once said “little and often over the long haul”.This can apply to anything in life but especially in fitness. Have patience, consistency, do alittle, do it often, and do it over the long haul. This is the perfect fitness formula. This alsomeans no more trying to lose 10 lbs in 10 days or dropping 10 inches in 30 days. If you wantthat you might want to find a surgeon. Instead let’s enjoy the journey. And fitness is a journey.Learn to enjoy the process. If you talk to my most successful clients you will find that it wasthe journey or the experience they enjoyed the most, not the outcome. Isn‘t it that way formost things in life?

Along your fitness journey you will experience joy, some pain, you will have to overcome ob-stacles, and you will experience the pride of accomplishment. You will find energy and con-fidence, vitality and longevity. You feel like living life again or maybe for the first time. Andyes you will experience every health and fitness goal you ever dreamed about. That’s living,folks. That’s life!

This is what happens on day 91. Well, there should never be a day 91. Make today the day thatyou dedicate your life to health and fitness. Don’t spend so much time focusing on the goal.Take some time to focus on the journey. And always remember, a little and often over the longhaul. If you do you will never go wrong.

Jason Goggans, B.A., ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, graduate of the University of Florida andfitness professional located in Kennesaw and Marietta, GA. Goggans is the owner of BodyBack!Women’s Fitness Boot Camps and has posted more information on his website, www.BodyBack-BootCamps.com. Log on to receive a copy of Jason’s latest report, “10 Quick Ways to WeightLoss…How to Look and Feel Better FAST!” or call Jason @ 404-452-5208.

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APPOINTMENTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE

The screenings are currently offered at the WellStar Imaging Centers at Cobb, Kenne-stone and Douglas Hospitals, WellStar Kennestone Imaging Center at East Cobb andthe Paulding Physicians Center. The screening takes less than 30 minutes and requiresno special preparation. The self-pay rate is $99 for individuals and $149 for couples anda physician referral is not required. The fee includes the scan and the radiologist inter-pretation. For more information or to schedule a heart screening, call 770-956-STAR(7827).

At WellStar, the circle of care does not stop at intervention and treatment. Our cardiacprogram revolves around a continuum of care belief that includes treatment of the“whole person” in addition to advanced clinical treatment. The people behind this beliefare the educators, physicians, nurses and clinicians treating our patients every step ofthe way. We offer a multi-phase rehabilitation program, with doctors and rehab profes-sionals working together to create a rehab plan especially for each cardiac patient. Sup-port groups are available to make sure that our patients are taken care of emotionallyand mentally, not just physically.

Continued from page 28

The WellStar Cardiac Network

WellStar Cardiac Network

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by John ContiSpring is right around the corner and if you're like me, you can't wait to get your handsinto the soil. While you're holding out for higher temperatures, there's plenty you can dotoday to jumpstart the spring gardening season.

Sow Seeds Indoors -Take a trip to your local nursery or home store and buy seedsto start indoors. In March I like to start annual flowers for my pots and containers. Cur-rently, I have Coleus, Zinnias, Impatiens, Petunias and Marigolds germinating. Follow theseed packet instructions and you'll get excellent results. Some plants will take longer thanothers to bloom or bear fruit, so plan accordingly. This is also a great time for startingculinary herbs and vegetables. If you're looking for something new this year, try moon-flower vine or cathedral bells to climb your fence or trellis. Both can be started from seed.If you have children, get them involved. Many children have a natural affinity for garden-ing. It's a great quality to encourage and nurture in them.

Dust Off The Birdhouses - I put my birdhouses out in early March. Small birdslike chickadees will be actively searching for appropriate homes to raise their families. Minewere up for less than 24 hours before the home tours began.

Give Your Garden Tools A Checkup -Take your pruning shears and other cut-ting tools to a local knife sharpener for cleaning, oiling and a good sharpening. On a warmday you may want to assess your lawnmower. Take it in for servicing or a tune up now-while you can. Many lawnmower repair centers are swamped shortly after the season starts.It's one tool you don't want to be without.

Get Inspired - Order your garden catalogs. Purchase your favorite garden magazines.Create a wish list of new plants, design features and outdoor furniture. With a little plan-ning, you won't be overwhelmed when May rolls around.

Seek Out Indoor Gardening Events –There are countless indoor garden, flowerand landscaping expos. If you can't find anything in your local area, a day or weekend tripto a flower show might be just what you need. Look for a botanical garden or arboretumwith indoor facilities.

Clean Out Your Beds - As soon as the weather permits, you can clean out yourbeds. It's a good time to rake and clear your planting areas of dead branches, leaves anddebris. I like to mulch as soon as possible in the spring, while there's still plenty of spacebetween the emerging bedding plants.

Learn a Landscape Design Software Program - There are so many inex-pensive landscaping soft-ware programs availabletoday, many of them under$50.00. Create and samplenew designs before dig-ging. Take advantage of theoverhead and 360 degreeviews. Many of the pro-grams now offer a 3D walkthrough feature. It simu-lates the experience ofwalking through an actualgarden. You can also ad-vance the garden timelineinto the future to see whatit will look like when theplants and trees mature.It's a wonderful creativetool!

Call your Landscaper Now - If you're planning to use a professional landscaperthis year, make sure to schedule your work as far in advance as possible. When the groundis soft enough for digging, landscapers will be working overtime to keep up with the vol-ume.

I hope these suggestions get you motivated to take action. The sooner you get started onyour garden plans-the more time you'll have to enjoy the rest of the season. Happy Gar-dening!

John Conti is a landscaper and publisher of Stellasyard.com. Visit his web site for how toarticles, advice and free design plans.

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Heavenly Cheese GritsSouthern on Occasion, page 119

4 cups boiling water1 cup quick cooking grits1 ½ teaspoon salt6 tablespoons butter1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese1 tablespoon sherry11/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce1 ½ teaspoons hot pepper sauce1 egg, beaten¼ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Combine the boiling water, grits and salt in a saucepan and mix well. Cook over low heat untilmost of the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter, 1 cup cheese, sherry,Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce. Fold in the egg. Spoon into a greased baking dish.Sprinkle with ¼ cup of cheese.Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly. May be prepared 1 day in advance and stored,unbaked, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before baking.To serve eight

Louisiana Red Beans and RiceGeorgia on My Menu, page 121

1 pound dried red beans½ pound salt pork2 quarts water3 cups white onions, chopped1 cup parsley, chopped1 cup bell pepper, chopped2 large pods garlic, crushed1 tablespoon salt¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper, depending on taste3 generous dashes Tabasco1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 (4-ounce) can tomato sauce¼ teaspoon oregano¼ teaspoon thyme1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into bite size piecesRice, cookedSoak beans overnight in water. Cook beans and pork in salted water 45 minutes. Add all re-maining ingredients except for sausage. Cook slowly another hour. Stir occasionally. Add

sausage and cook 45 minutes. Cool. Reheat and bring to a boil. Serve over rice. If desired,serve with chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper or tomatorelish. To serve eight

Creole PorcupinesGeorgia on My Menu, page 285

3 tablespoons butter, melted (no substitute)1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed2 eggs, well beaten1 ½ cups pecans, chopped1 cup dates, chopped3 cups coconut, shredded and divided

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt butter and stir into sugar; beat in eggs. Add pecans, datesand 1 cup of the coconut. Form into small balls and roll in the remaining 2 cups of coconut.Place on a greased baking sheet and bake until cookies just begin to brown lightly, about 25minutes.Yields 4 dozen

With the arrival of February, many instantly think of hearts, red roses andchocolates. Sure, Valentine’s Day is great but isn’t Mardi Gras much morefun for everyone? At the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta, we couldn’t agreemore. How will we celebrate, you ask? This year marks the 2nd AnnualMarietta Mardi Gras 5K Race to benefit the Junior League of Cobb-Mariettaand its community partners. Come join us at an event that has fun for theentire family on February 12 with a 5K Run, a 1K Walk/Run, and the Tot Trot

(for kids 5 and under). How can you get ready? By enjoyingsome Mardi Gras recipes from our two cookbooks of course!

From Red Beans and Rice to Bloody Marys to Cheese Gritsto Creole Porcupines, you’ll find a number of great recipes

to use to help celebrate Mardi Gras or any occasion that comes your way.

Georgia on My Menu and Southern On Occasion are deeply discounted andare great additions to any collection. For more information about purchasingcookbooks from the Junior League of Cobb-Marietta, please access our Website at www.jlcm.org. We hope to see you at the Mardi Gras 5K! Laissez lesbon temps rouler!

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February is Dental Health Monthby Dr. Michelle DeHaven, DVM

So, perhaps it’s not highlighted on your calendar. Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day or even theSuper Bowl (minus the Falcons, unfortunately) may come to mind when you think of February.National Pet Dental Health Month, not so much.

That’s exactly why the American Veterinary Medical Association came up with its campaign.Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in our companion animals, butmany owners don’t recognize the problem, and few are aware just how serious the consequencescan be.

So let’s start with the basics. Dogs and cats lose their deciduous, or baby, teeth between 3 and6 months of age. They are replaced with permanent teeth. Just as in humans, with time, a softgrey substance called plaque forms where the tooth meets the gum line. If not consistently re-moved with brushing, a harder substance called calculus will build up. Both these substancesare visible to the naked eye and will cause bad breath. Still, it’s the plaque that forms under thegum that is a much greater problem.

The plaque under the gum, or sub-gingival plaque, contains enormousamounts of bacteria. These bacterianot only damage the tissue themselves,but also release toxins that can causemore damage. Untreated, theywill begin to destroy the sup-port structures holding the toothin place and eventually the bones ofthe jaw as well. Once the bone sur-rounding the tooth is severely dam-aged, the tooth will almost certainly need tobe extracted.

Bacteria imbedded in the plaque will also workits way into the bloodstream, and can be amajor factor in causing diseases of the kidneys,heart and liver. Constant inhalation of oral bac-teria is also the No. 1 cause of pneumonia inolder pets.

And you thought the only problem was thosenasty smelling kisses?

Studies have found that 80% of adult dogs andcats have some degree of dental disease. Butthe good news is that much of their dentalproblems are preventable and treatable.

Routine brushing is the best method toremove the soft plaque buildup. Manyanimals will tolerate brushing, espe-cially if you start this when they arepuppies and kittens. A great place togo for pointers on how to brush isavma.org, or the staff at your veteri-nary clinic. If you fear for your fin-gers and have a pet this is not goingto put up with this brushing non-sense, a special veterinary diet made fordental health is your next best bet. Var-ious dental chews come in third; dentalrinses are only slightly effective at best.

Even with daily brushing (I’m being optimistic here), at some point your pet is going to need aprofessional cleaning. Your pet will be put under gentle anesthesia, and the plaque and calculuswill be removed above and below the gum line. All the teeth will be examined and any teethtoo damaged to save may be safely extracted.

Like so many things in our lives, when it comes to your pet’s dental health, preventative main-tenance goes a long way to preventing much bigger problems down the road. It used to be thatowners didn’t bring their pets in until their breath was really horrible and their teeth terriblypainful and most old pets ended up toothless. It doesn’t have to be that way.

National Pet Dental Health Month is our chance to educate pet owners about the importanceof keeping your furry one’s mouth healthy.

If you would like your pet to be Our Town’s Pet of the Month,

please send a photo with a short bio to:

Our Town Magazine, 109 Anderson Street, Suite 109,

Marietta, GA 30060 or email it to

[email protected]

FireSide’s Valentines Day Tips

Cook a romantic dinner (on your natural gas stove)

Snuggle up to a romantic fire (lit with natural gas)

Pamper your loved one with a relaxing bath

(water warmed by your natural gas)

Happy Valentines DayFrom Your Friends

at Fireside Natural Gas!

Who Says Natural Gas Isn’t Romantic?

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our town february 2011 - west cobb

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