Articles
Mar 01 Book Bites -- March 2012
HCPL Book Reviews — February 2012 Toddlers (Ages 1 – 3) Moo Cow Kaboom! by Thacher Hurd One night, while the pigs and chickens are sound asleep—KABOOM!—Farmer George’s Moo Cow disappears! A low-down Space Cowboy has whisked her off to a galaxy far, far away. What’s this sweet cow to do now, forced to become the Wild Beast Earthling Moo Cow at the Inter-Galactic Rodeo? Get ready for Thacher Hurd’s | read more…
Mar 01 FYI -- March 2012
Texas Holds the #2 Spot for Number of Registered Sex Offenders Recently, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) released the results of its latest survey charting the number of registered sex offenders in the U.S. The organization’s most recent survey found 747,408 registered offenders in the country, which represents an increase of 7,555 registered offenders since the last survey in June 2011. NCMEC conducted its first survey | read more…
Mar 01 Mommy Has a Brand-New Suit: One Mom Embraces Sensible Chic
When I haul my kids to Schlitterbahn this spring break, I’ll be sporting a spanking-new swimsuit. With its sturdy straps and sensible seat coverage, it doesn’t resemble anything you’d see on a runway. No whimsical flight of poolside fancy, this baby is built to withstand ultra-chlorinated kiddie pools and over-zealous laundering. Jelly fingerprints and sippy cup mishaps are no match for its industrial-strength fabric. It’s a mommy suit, and I’ll | read more…
Mar 01 Spend Spring Break in Galveston!
As temperatures rise, flowers bloom, and everyone starts daydreaming about afternoons spent basking on the beach, why not consider taking a spring break in sunny Galveston? With 32 miles of beaches and tons of year-long and seasonal attractions, there’s plenty for both activity- and relaxation-oriented vacationers to do and see—not to mention the gorgeous spring weather on the Gulf! With average temperatures peaking in the high 60s, March is an | read more…
Mar 01 Travel to Toronto
If you’re looking for a special romantic getaway with your spouse and you want it to be something a little different, why not head across the border? Not that border—I’m talking about heading north to Toronto! I know what you’re thinking: why in the world would I want to head north? In the winter, no less. Well, for starters, with high temperatures in the thirties and lows in the teens | read more…
Feb 01 Marriage Isn't Natural--Another Reason to Commit
Parents Ask — February 2012 Question: “My daughter is getting married this year. With so many people getting divorced, I was wondering if you have any advice for her.” -Beth from Katy Answer: I didn’t marry you because you were perfect. I didn’t even marry you because I loved you. I married you because you gave me a promise. That promise made up for your faults. And the promise I | read more…
Feb 01 FYI -- February 2012
First FDA-Approved Study of Stem Cells to Treat Hearing Loss Begins at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Cord Blood Registry® (CBR) are launching the first FDA-approved, Phase I safety study on the use of cord blood stem cells to treat children with sensorineural hearing loss. The study, which will use patients’ stem cells from their own stored umbilical cord blood, is the first of its kind | read more…
Feb 01 Galveston Offers Fun, Romance to Visitors This February
In the years immediately before and after the Civil War, Galveston was known as the “Playground of the South,” a place for visitors to eat, drink, and be merry in style and comfort. Tourists flocked to its lovely beaches, drawn by its convenient location and many attractions. Not surprisingly, these are the same qualities that draw tourists to the Island today. As winter moves into spring, there’s no better place | read more…
Feb 01 Journey to Motherhood
We recently celebrated my son’s 4th birthday, and it gave me reason to reflect. It has been five years since we decided to adopt. While it seems like an easy enough decision—you either want kids or you don’t—it took me a long time to make that choice. Now that we have gone through the process, we find that many friends and family members are wondering why we haven’t chosen to | read more…
Feb 01 Promises To My Teenagers
I recently spent time around a table with some older and wiser mothers. The conversation soon turned to teenagers—and there I was, sitting with the grownups. I envied my own budding members of that maligned demographic, who sat on the hostess’s matching recliners, lost in contemplation of their iPods, while the battle-worn women told of children morphing into angry, emotionally unstable, abusive, even suicidal teens. “You never want to believe | read more…
