Chaney, a 12-year-old SPARC student, was uneasy about performing with her uncle before she stepped on stage at the school’s LIVE ART show last year. It wasn’t because her uncle is family. It was because he is multi-Grammy award-winning Jason Mraz and she knew everyone would be paying very special…

That magical, yet often hectic time of year is here. And if holiday shopping, party planning, and the madness of the season have you stressed to the max, it’s time for a well-deserved break. That’s where the city you love comes to the rescue. Richmond has just the ticket –…

Q. My child is very shy around new people and people he doesn’t see very often. I’m worried about holiday parties, visiting Santa, and out-of-town guests. How can I help him overcome his shyness? A. Shyness is a normal experience for many children. Some children are naturally more reserved and…

Ferris Bueller was right: “Life moves fast. If you don’t stop every once in a while, you could miss it.” It’s true. I’m the proud mother of two wonderful teenagers – but it seems like it was only yesterday that I brought them home from the hospital. Thankfully, I have…

And this time, we can prove it! Just flip on over to page 20 and check out our behind-the-scenes look at some of Richmond’s most treasured holiday hot spots. From glorious nights to glorious lights, Janet Showalter takes us on a journey across Richmond, exploring what it takes to put…

Too much work and not enough downtime had left me feeling all used up. It had been unseasonably warm – one of those it-doesn’t-even-feel- like-Christmas years. Factor in an ongoing battle with strep that December, and you’ll understand how Mom, Dad, and three little girls ended up standing in line…

Most of us have been to staff holiday parties, and we have some pretty good stories to tell as a result. And it’s safe to say that the vast majority of those stories don’t involve heroism, or, say, acts of kindness. What we remember are the outlandish acts of often-intoxicated…

Christmas is perhaps the most global and yet the most personal of holidays. People of varying faiths participate in a grand tradition of 2,000 years (or more, shout out to you, ancient Druids!) But each family’s celebration is unique. We interlace our own practices within the customs handed down through…

My boys were pumped. A birthday party and a rock-climbing adventure all in one. They had talked about it for days. On the way to the party, they giggled about who was going to race to the top the fastest and how high each of them would climb. I should…

People are often surprised to learn that our pets have many of the same diseases we do. Annual physical exams and routine blood work can be helpful in identifying these diseases early. Diabetes mellitus occurs when there is too much sugar, known as glucose, in the blood stream. Insulin is…

Make garland for the holiday – or any day! Just change the colors and the shapes of the pipe cleaners. What you need: • Yarn • Pipe cleaners • Cardboard swatch (about 3 inches wide) • Scissors, ruler • Streamers, ribbon, or more yarn   What you do: Pom-Poms 1.…

When she was two, Zemon Briggs’ mother enrolled her and her siblings in childcare, summer programs, and other enrichment activities at FRIENDS Association for Children in Richmond. As a young adult, FRIENDS helped Briggs apply for college scholarships and loans. Now in her thirties with four daughters of her own,…