New spring fashions are popping up in stores and online, tempting us to think about sunnier days ahead. (And getting to the gym!) Here is a sneak peek at what you will want to put in your shopping carts now.

There is a place just about 90 minutes down the road that feels about as far away as you can get. It is the perfect place to relax and recharge. There is a magic that slowly seeps into your soul. This magic is an organic blend of nature, beauty and friendliness that gently beckons you to cozy up in an Adirondack chair with a front row seat to the best views any bed and breakfast on the Georgia coast has to offer.

On a chilly morning last fall, a good Samaritan found a 5-week-old kitten unable to stand or even lift her head. Vets at the Palmetto Animal League Community Clinic in Okatie could find no underlying cause for the kitten’s paralysis. Staff members fed her with an eyedropper, but she showed no signs of improvement and they feared the worst.

Dear Readers: We’re now in the third month of 2017, and do you know what that means? For a lot of us, it means our New Year’s resolutions are already a thing of the past. It isn’t that we’re not committed to positive change. It’s just that often we’re not clear about how to achieve it. Especially if resolutions are general­—sure, we all want to lose weight or save more money, but it can be hard to follow through.

You’re driving home, and you’re worried. You’ve just been to visit your mom for the third time this week; she seems to need more and more help each time you return. She has been pretty down since dad passed away, and hardly ever leaves the house. Her nutritional habits are a little concerning, as well. Standing to cook a full meal is just too much, so she has resorted to eating little bits of TV dinners. Two weeks ago when you visited, you intended to get her prescriptions refilled. But when you looked at the pill bottles, the medicines were hardly used at all.

A friend recently sent me a picture of a billboard, which showed an advertisement for a divorce lawyer with a message of: “Undo… ‘I do’… Fast…Easy…Affordable.” Unfortunately, for many, it may not be as “fast,” “easy,” or “affordable” to simply “undo” one’s marriage. The process for “I do,” which includes obtaining a marriage license and holding a ceremony to sign the marriage license, is much less involved than the process to obtain a divorce from the marriage.

When buying a home, it is always best to be prepared. Write down a description of your dream home. Meet with a mortgage lender to get an idea of their procedures and for how much you will be able to borrow. Once you get serious about buying go ahead and get pre-approved! Do not make any big purchases during this time and continue to save for your down payment. It is best to put down 20 percent of the purchase price and finance 80 percent or less. This way you will not be required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). However, there are programs where as little as 3 percent down and financing 97 percent are available.

Pillow fights are nothing but fun–joyful, energizing and giggle-producing. Food fights with your kids, on the other hand, are stressful, crazy-making and can result in eating disorders down the line.

However, his artistic talent went far beyond the printed page and yet, to this day, his Secret Art Collection is virtually unknown to the general public. Throughout his lifetime, Ted Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) created paintings and sculpture, which he secretly stashed away at the Dr. Seuss Estate.

What “best kept secret” non-profit has a great party in early March? Their name sounds kind of “stuffy,” yet their work is making a significant difference in the education of our children in Beaufort County. They are the Foundation for Educational Excellence and they are successfully raising money to help our children learn through creative and innovative methods.

For years and years, I lived under a dark cloud of worry that I would end up financially destitute, a bag lady.

A study conducted by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America reveals that I’m not the only one. In fact, most of us have felt that way, not because we’re broke but because we don’t have confidence that we know how to hang on to our money. And that makes us timid, worried and financially insecure.

February is American Heart Month and a reminder that we need to take special care to protect our vulnerable hearts. That’s why my 90-minute yoga class last week was dedicated to postures designed to open the heart, support the heart, and nourish the heart. I felt so stress-free after class that I was able to get through an entire night of TV news without a single taco chip.

It is difficult for parents to balance giving financial help to their adult children and allowing them independence, even if independence means hardship. I do not have all the answers. I struggle because I’m a mother and my mom heart wants to protect my children from every possible bump in the road of life.

The members of McIntosh Art Association are onto something good as they connect our community’s future to its past in an artful and unique way. Association president, Ethel Wilson, shared the group’s exciting 2017 event plans:

Q: What drives you crazy about your spouse?

A: SUSAN: The way he looks at me when we are at a social gathering from across the room drives me crazy in a good way. He is so particular about the way his closet is color coordinated, especially his golf shirts, they are hung by color and all facing the same way
TOM: She comes up with so many great ideas and concepts but doesn’t implement them. She thought of Angie’s List first!

Instead of all the “new year, new you” declarations, relax. Think about going rogue. Let’s just hit the reset button and focus on some of the “little” things that will make a difference when living your life in style.

Pink Staff's Favorite Self-Help Books!

Most of us live hectic lives, which includes juggling kids, aging parents, jobs, bills, deadlines, housework, relationships, pets and a million other responsibilities. Add to that illnesses, divorce, hurricanes, heartache, loss, frustration and failure, and it’s easy to find yourself off-balance.

Gilbert proposes that ideas float all around us in the universe just waiting to be plucked away, tended, watered and fed until they bloom inside you. Whether our ideas tend to be writing a book, or creating something artistic, they can be cultivated into existence with perserverance. Big Magic delves into many arenas of your life outside of creativity and inspiration, as well. Gilbert writes about how to deal with paralyzing fear and everyday challenges. Her book is a perfect for anyone who is ready to walk through the world just a little bit braver.

Aches and pains are part of life. You wake up one morning and your back is tight, your knee is pinched, your neck is jammed between two stone pillars. We usually accept these limitations and move on the best we can, with or without an Advil.
But here’s the good news. Many of the aches and pains we live with are caused by muscular imbalance. And muscular imbalance is often curable. By us, no prescription required.

It’s not just the favorite color of the holiday season, it’s the color of the new year. Pantone, the color authority of the fashion and interior design world has just announced the new “it” color of 2017—“Greenery.”

What’s all the buzz about STEM? It’s the initiative in schools to emphasize Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics instruction from elementary grades through high school. With the support of the Beaufort Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Laura Burcin submitted a proposal for a daylong workshop to introduce middle school girls to local professionals in the field. The chapter received a Program Development Grant with the Society of Women Engineers through a generous donation from the ExxonMobil Foundation.

The HGTV® Dream Home is marking its 21st anniversary on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where the white sand, moss-draped oaks and laid-back island lifestyle, make it one of America’s favorite beach towns.

1. USE A STAND-UP DESK. You thought I was going to say exercise, right? Later. There are 10,000 studies that show how damaging it is to your health and vital organs to spend long periods of time sitting down. (I love my Varidesk; it’s a cinch to raise and lower.) When you rise repeatedly, your kidneys can breathe and your energy can flow.

The holidays are here and it’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s the season for gatherings of friends and family, tables overflowing with food and glasses filled as we clink a toast of good cheer and make way for the New Year.

Every family has at least one tradition—whether it is where the holiday meal takes place, who says the blessing, or the after dinner festivities. Commonly, traditions seem to be about what we should do, or what has been done for years. Customarily, we follow along with traditions, often forgetting the reason why. The core of a tradition often offers insight to the true meaning that it holds. It is not just about the custom, but about the meaning behind the custom and how it has come to future generations.

Arriving on a 30-acre working farm in Ridgeland, framed by towering pines and moss-laden live oaks, my animal immersion experience began. Chelsey Lancaster, the business manager at Dog Gone Sensational, greeted me with an exuberant smile and a persona bursting with energy. “Let’s get started,” she beamed.  I asked if I could use the potty and Chelsey pointed to a space off the main office. “Sure, you’ll be sharing the room with our recently rescued baby squirrel.” After a fun stare-off with the little guy, Chelsey pointed out they were working on finding homes for several dogs, two ponies and a duck. Janet Rahn, co-owner of DGS and Chelsey’s mom, drove up in her golf cart athletically balancing her cup of coffee.

Recently, while packing up files and expense records I came across a file for a business trip that could have been very expensive but was so cheap. I am still amazed.