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One of the most difficult decisions most families face at some point in their lives is having to place a loved one in a nursing home or other similar facility. Most of us will take on this challenge at some point and, as heart wrenching as it often is, sometimes there really is no other practical choice. For a family, that decision comes with tremendous responsibility to remain diligent in making certain that their loved ones are adequately fed, hydrated and regularly moved, to prevent bed sores that can easily lead to a terminal infection. Recently, through my own experiences, I've come to learn of another nursing home hazard to guard against, namely the possibility that our loved ones are being grossly overmedicated with drugs, being used off-label, to suppress the anxiety or aggression that can sometimes come with Alzheimer's disease and dementia. A 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources found that found that 88 percent of Medicare claims for antipsychotics prescribed in nursing homes were for treating symptoms of dementia. The problem is that not only are antipsychotic drugs not approved to treat dementia, they come with a specific, black box warning that elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis who are treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk for heart failure, infections and death. Nevertheless, estimates by patient advocates reveal that approximately 300,000 nursing home residents nationwide continue to receive antipsychotic medications to "calm" their dementia-related symptoms. In recent years, substantial effort has been focused on this nationwide problem. In 2012, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") undertook a concerted effort to reduce nursing home use of antipsychotic drugs, but missed their target. In 2013, Johnson & Johnson agreed to a $2.2 billion settlement of civil and criminal charges with the U.S. Department of Justice for its aggressive off-label marketing of antipsychotic drugs to nursing homes. Nevertheless, reduction in the overuse of these drugs in the nursing home setting has proven extremely difficult and, according to CMS, over 20 percent of long-stay nursing home residents continue to receive these drugs. What's even more alarming is that the residents receiving antipsychotics are not always the aggressive or difficult ones. One study, found that 22 percent of dementia residents on antipsychotics did not have any behavioral symptoms and 29.5 percent had non-aggressive behavioral symptoms. Another study revealed that antipsychotics were being used off-label in nursing homes to treat relatively benign behavioral symptoms such as wandering, crying or "resisting care." Although many nursing homes undoubtedly find it more convenient to manage resident anxiety, confusion, or behavioral issues with antipsychotics, this practice amounts to chemical restraint, plain and simple. It's really not much different than strapping a patient down for shock therapy but, given the well-developed body of research regarding the substantial risks to dementia patients subject to this practice, it is dangerous and misguided. Our loved ones deserve better, and there are alternatives. Residents often become agitated because they are in pain or discomfort. Simply giving them due attention, to identify and address those underlying causes, can make a substantial difference. In addition, evidence continues to mount showing that well-targeted, non-drug therapies, such as aromatherapy, music therapy, massage therapy, behavior management techniques, and animal-assisted therapy, can benefit dementia patients and help reduce certain behavioral issues. CMS studies have shown that changes promoting such therapies may be achievable without a substantial investment in additional resources and, when compared to the risks and costs of the off-label antipsychotics, these alternatives seem like a relative bargain. Although strides have been made towards reducing the practice of chemically restraining nursing home residents, this practice unfortunately remains relatively widespread today. Therefore, it continues to fall to those of us with parents, grandparents, friends or other relatives in such facilities to remain diligent in an effort to enhance the quality of life for our loved ones, to protect them from substandard care and to help promote goal-directed, person-centered care for each and every resident. Please take the time to learn about the type of medication your loved ones are being prescribed. Read the labels on that medication. If you feel a resident is being subjected to improper chemical restraint, speak up. Contact the director of nursing at the facility. Contact your loved one's doctor. If that doesn't work, report the practice to OHFLAC, the State agency that regulates nursing homes and other similar facilities, or contact an experienced attorney who can help get your loved one's life back on track and ensure the safest and best care for their particular circumstances.   One of the most difficult decisions most families face at some point in their lives is having to place a loved one in a nursing home or other similar facility. Most of us will take on this challenge at some point and, as heart wrenching as it often is, sometimes there really is no other practical choice. For a family, that decision comes with tremendous responsibility to remain diligent in making certain that their loved ones are adequately fed, hydrated and regularly moved, to prevent bed sores that can easily lead to a terminal infection. Recently, through my own experiences, I've come to learn of another nursing home hazard to guard against, namely the possibility that our loved ones are being grossly overmedicated with drugs, being used off-label, to suppress the anxiety or aggression that can sometimes come with Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

What do Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr., Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, 50 Cent, Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vin Diesel all have in common? Of course they are all accomplished actors, but they all have also recently filmed movies in Pittsburgh. A quick Google search showed that at least 48 movies have been shot in Pittsburgh since 2010. While many people have always known that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer, I could not help but wonder why major motion pictures have recently flocked to the area. After doing some research, one reason, as with most businesses, is the price of production. Since 2004, Pennsylvania has offered a 25 percent tax credit to films that spend at least 60 percent of their total production budget in Pennsylvania. Moreover, many of the additional costs that go into making a movie, such as security, labor, etc., are also cheaper in Western Pennsylvania. Additionally, Pittsburgh's diverse landscape allows for a wide variety of scenes to be filmed in the same region. The best thing about the recent influx of film production is that many steps are being taken to keep money and jobs in the region. While award winning actors will always be flown in for big movies, the film industry brought in over $300 million to the region's economy from 2009 to 2012. Furthermore, the money brought into the region has not only gone to the local film industry, but local business owners stated that restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and many other industries have seen more business when movies are being filmed. Companies, like 31st Street Studios, are doing everything they can to ensure the industry is here to stay. 31st Street Studios is a sound stage and production company located at a former steel mill in the Strip District. According to CNN, the Pittsburgh facility is currently 300,000 square feet, which is the largest production facility outside of New York or Los Angeles. 31st Street Studios has not only provided the resources needed to make movies in Pittsburgh, but also has partnerships with national entertainment companies looking to film in the region. If any of our readers are interested in making their movie debut, Will Smith's new movie, Concussion, has recently been looking for extras and websites such as Pittsburgh Film Office consistently post casting notices.   What do Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Robert Downey, Jr., Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, 50 Cent, Matt Damon, Jake Gyllenhaal and Vin Diesel all have in common? Of course they are all accomplished actors, but they all have also recently filmed movies in Pittsburgh. A quick Google search showed that at least 48 movies have been shot in Pittsburgh since 2010. While many people have always known that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer, I could not help but wonder why major motion pictures have recently flocked to the area.

"Silent Night, Holy Night..." Every Christmas we sing the words of this beloved carol. But have you ever wondered: just how "silent" was it on that first Christmas? With Mary ready to deliver, the holy couple is led quickly to a stable behind a busy inn. You can hear the sound of Joseph's frantic preparations, making a suitable place in the hay for his wife to lie down and give birth. Then the night air is filled with Mary's labored breathing. When the baby finally arrives, he greets the world in the usual way: with an ear-splitting cry! Believe me, it's anything but silent in the stable. Meanwhile, there are shepherds in the hill country outside of the city guarding their flocks. The quiet of the evening is interrupted by a host of angels appearing in the sky overhead. The angelic visitors direct the shepherds to the newborn child. Then they sing out praises to God that echo throughout the neighboring hills and valleys. There's no silence here either. The shepherds hurry to the stable to see the baby for themselves. The gospel writer, Luke, tells us that the shepherds are amazed and can't help sharing everything they've seen and heard. In the streets of Bethlehem, the silence is broken as the shepherds stop and share their exciting story with every passerby. It wasn't quite a silent night, was it? But the sounds of the first Christmas must have blessed the Father's heart. The baby's cry confirmed that the old prophecy had been fulfilled: "To us a child is born, to us a son is given." The savior, Jesus, had come just as He promised. The angels' announcement to the shepherds was the very first proclamation of the gospel. And the ragtag shepherds who visited the Christ child were actually the world's first missionaries--sharing with everyone the good news they had heard with their own ears and witnessed with their own eyes. I love "Silent Night." We sing it as part of a candlelight service at our church every Christmas Eve. But I'm thankful that the first Christmas wasn't too silent. The sounds of the first Christmas are reminders to us of God's amazing and boundless love. Merry Christmas from all of us at Bordas & Bordas!

Behind every great man, stands an even greater woman. Right? Well, what do we really know about Mrs. Claus? I envision her always baking cookies and I kind of imagined the elves as her "children." I have no doubt she hums Christmas tunes all day long and smells like sugar. I imagine I could lick the walls of her house because I believe they are coated with icing. And, I believe there are little lace doilies all throughout her home with pillows so fluffy that when you lay your head upon them, the feathers puff right out. She seems like she has the answer to anything and could wrap a present in a jiffy. I believe she has special communication powers with animals and they gather around her because they know she always has a treat for them in that apron pocket. I don't think she ever gets upset from all the social media I have seen. And, I do not believe she ever strays from her standard clothing color pallet. Whoever she really is up the in the North Pole, I like her a lot. Not just because she is married to an important man, but also because I can never picture her without putting a smile on my face. Therefore, Mrs. Claus brings me lots of happiness and I hope she gets the credit she so deserves. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On Saturday, a man named Ismaaiyl Brinsley woke up in Baltimore and shot his girlfriend in the stomach. He then drove to New York City and killed two police officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, before taking his own life. The officers were the 44 th and 45 th law enforcement officers to fall to gunfire in 2014. The crime in New York stands out in many ways. In a pre-meditated, senseless, and cowardly fashion, Brinsley snuck up on a marked police vehicle and shot the officers as they sat in the front seat. Brinsley's social media messages indicate that he intended to kill LEOs for the sheer sake of it. Because of Brinsley's sickening and depraved actions, two families lost husbands and one lost a father. Ramos had two sons, one just thirteen-years-old. Liu was a newlywed. The vicious and pointless nature of the crime will haunt the families and friends of these men for the rest of their lives. However, Ramos and Liu are not the first United States LEOs to lose their lives to "revenge-style" killings, even this year. This past June, in Las Vegas, two police officers were shot in an equally cowardly and pointless attack. Officers Igor Soldo and Alyn Beck were murdered by white supremacists Jerad and Amanda Miller, while eating pizza on their lunch break. The killers left a swastika and Gadsen flag on Beck's body. The Millers also killed Joseph Wilcox, a civilian who attempted to stop them. Similar to Brinsley, these killers had boasted in advance of their intention to kill police officers because they believed they were "oppressors," and followed through. Jerad Miller was killed by police and Amanda Miller shot herself before she could be apprehended. Like every mass shooting in America, there are two main lines of thinking. One is that mass shooters like Brinsley or the Millers are psychopaths, or mentally ill, if you prefer. No broader conclusions can be drawn from their actions and, at best, we can hope to watch out for people who may suddenly open fire on others, and then themselves, in this manner. In this mindset, mass shootings are a sort of natural disaster that can't be predicted or reliably prevented. The other line of thinking is that Millers or Brinsleys "represent" whatever ideas they claim to have about what they are doing, and everyone else with any similar thoughts. In this case, Brinsley's extreme anti-police postings - death threats in fact - mean to some that he represents anyone who has been critical of the Brown, Garner, or Tamir Rice deaths that have been so much in the news. Likewise, in some minds, the Millers were representative of the Cliven Bundy Ranch protesters and anti-tax or anti-government regulation thinking out west. Too often, the view a person has of the "meaning" of a mass shooting depends on what they already thought before it happened. We're so deeply buried in our politics that a mass murder of human beings becomes nothing more than a bloody Rorschach test for whether a person watches right-wing or left-wing TV news. New facts and situations confirm what we already think, so nothing is solved, nothing is learned, and nothing improves. On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated. News traveled so slowly then that a group of people who had assembled to hear Robert Kennedy speak actually got the news from him, instead of off their phones and tablets. Kennedy knew something of violence, having lost his elder brother to an assassin's bullet, and he would soon die himself at the lands of another "lone gunman." Here is what he said, in part: What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black. So I ask you tonight to return home, to say a prayer for the family of Martin Luther King -- yeah, it's true -- but more importantly to say a prayer for our own country, which all of us love -- a prayer for understanding and that compassion of which I spoke. We can do well in this country. We will have difficult times. We've had difficult times in the past, but we -- and we will have difficult times in the future. It is not the end of violence; it is not the end of lawlessness; and it's not the end of disorder. But the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land. You can score the killing if you want, by color, by uniform, by point of view, even. You can explain how each one shows how right you are about everything you've already said, or thought, or heard. We are as good at that as anything we do. But there is another way to spend our energy. We can say a prayer for our country; and, in 2015, we can try to live more peacefully, more justly, and with more compassion for "all human beings that abide in our land."

I love Christmas. Family gatherings, children's Christmas programs, shopping, Christmas parties, remembering Christmas' past and those loved ones who are no longer with us. Christmas memories take me back to an uncomplicated, happy time, before so much life happened. One of my favorite memories is singing Christmas hymns at church. If I had to pick an all time favorite hymn as a child, I would have to say "Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," an old time hymn from the 1940s (and of course, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer")! There are so many incredible hymns that may seem "old-fashioned" or "outdated," but as I sing those same hymns as an adult, with a greater understanding of the words that are strung together and the One they are so powerfully written about, I am humbled and amazed. When I sing those hymns today, I'm reminded of Who Christmas is about and the simplicity of a season that can so easily be overcrowded by busy holiday to-do lists. Today, I encourage you to think back on some "old" Christmas hymns, maybe one you can remember your grandmother always singing or one you remember singing as a child; search it on YouTube, and see the words with fresh eyes and then sing along, because you know you want to. J Oh, today's favorite is "Emmanuel." Translation "God is with us." Can you even imagine? GOD with US. God, the creator and sustainer of all things, the KING of Kings, the Great I AM humbled Himself and came to earth to dwell among us -- His people! Crazy! I can hardly wrap my mind around such a profound truth. And everyone knows "O Holy Night." Hillsong has a great version on YouTube, too. The line "Long lay the world in sin and error pining 'til He appeared and the soul felt its worth, the thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices." Wow. That's what I want to consume my heart and mind, not only on Christmas, but year round! Are any of you weary? Well, because of what happened on that very first Christmas over 2,000 years ago, we have an invitation to rejoice and have hope again. What are your favorite hymns??   I love Christmas. Family gatherings, children's Christmas programs, shopping, Christmas parties, remembering Christmas' past and those loved ones who are no longer with us. Christmas memories take me back to an uncomplicated, happy time, before so much life happened. One of my favorite memories is singing Christmas hymns at church. If I had to pick an all time favorite hymn as a child, I would have to say "Oh Beautiful Star of Bethlehem," an old time hymn from the 1940s (and of course, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer")!

We could never understand when family and friends would come to our home for Christmas and ask our mom, "Why don't your trees have a lot of ornaments around the bottom?" Our mom would say to them, "I've dog proofed the trees and our home," some would look at her like she was crazy, others would just say, "Oh that's interesting." Well I'm here to tell you that our mom makes sure we don't get hurt over the Christmas holiday. Both of us boys love to play ball and man, oh man, some of those ornaments look just like a beautiful ball to run with and play keep away from one another. Mom tries to keep what she calls "Dog proof" ornaments at the bottom of the trees, but sometimes my brother and I just can't help ourselves, we grab it off the tree to run, play and chew the heck out of it. Stuffed ornaments are the best. Mom always puts anything that she feels would cause us harm up and out of the way, but what can we say, we love the good stuff that we are not allowed to have. She does this all year long, but especially at Christmas. Sometimes my brother leaves evidence of this (that would be Guinness because he's the ornery one) and we get a very stern talking to. Mom says it's because she loves us and doesn't want us to get hurt or have upset tummy's, we know that, but sometime we just can't help ourselves. We are her four legged kids, and kids cause mischief a lot of time. I guess what we're trying to ask of all our pet owner families out there is to please remember to pet proof your homes, just like you would child proof your homes. Please remember that we are part of your family too. We protect you; please protect us at Christmas time and always. We know our mom does. Remember "Adopt, Don't Shop." If you see animal abuse of any kind, please call the authorities to help out our four legged friends. No animal should be abused verbally or physically. Also remember dog fighting is not a sport, it is the worst case of abuse out there for our four legged friends. Help stop this madness, spread the word about dog fighting. Merry Christmas, Barley & Guinness Bark on Bordas Dog Nation Bark on   We could never understand when family and friends would come to our home for Christmas and ask our mom, "Why don't your trees have a lot of ornaments around the bottom?" Our mom would say to them, "I've dog proofed the trees and our home," some would look at her like she was crazy, others would just say, "Oh that's interesting." Well I'm here to tell you that our mom makes sure we don't get hurt over the Christmas holiday. Both of us boys love to play ball and man, oh man, some of those ornaments look just like a beautiful ball to run with and play keep away from one another. Mom tries to keep what she calls "Dog proof" ornaments at the bottom of the trees, but sometimes my brother and I just can't help ourselves, we grab it off the tree to run, play and chew the heck out of it. Stuffed ornaments are the best.

When I was a child growing up in the 50s my family always got a real tree at Christmas time. Usually about three or four days before Christmas, all of us, dad, mom, my brother, Sam, and my two sisters, Annie and Jean and I would climb into the car and my dad would drive us out to the Dairy Queen in Elm Grove, which at the time was located on Route 40 East where the Rite Aid parking lot is now. The Dairy Queen, of course, was closed for the winter, but we weren't there for ice cream. We were there to buy a live cut tree to take home and decorate it for Christmas. For a little kid, that was really exciting and the memory of it warms my heart to this day. There were a couple of times I remember actually going out in the woods to get our tree. My parents, Clifford and Anna Swallow, were born and raised in Washington County in eastern Ohio near the town of New Matamoras. The landscape there is rolling hills and farmland. Sometime in the early 1940s, as a young married couple eager to find a new way of life instead of farming, they traveled north up the river to the "big city" called Wheeling, West Virginia, where there was an abundance of employment opportunities. Most of my mom and dad's older siblings had already moved to Wheeling. My dad obtained a job at Blaw Knox iron foundry and except for a few years he spent in the U.S. Navy serving our country during World War II, he continued to work there until he retired in the mid-1970s. But no matter how many years they lived in Wheeling, my mom and dad would still refer to the place that they grew up in Washington County, Ohio as "down home." My dad's mother, Clara Swallow, together with my Uncle Gene and Aunt Vera, remained living at the homestead farm where my father grew up. Many of my most cherished childhood memories were of spending time at grandma's farm on the weekends and entire weeks during the summer months. Grandma didn't have electric or in-door plumbing. So needless to say, she got her water from a well and, of course, the bathroom facilities were the old proverbial "out house." But the land was rich in natural gas, so she was able to cook and heat her home with gas and she even had a few gaslights that I always found quite fascinating. That and a few oil lanterns were the only light that we used during the evening hours as we sat in the living room with the adults quietly talking, kids munching on cinnamon toast made with homemade bread and real butter while grandma played some gospel music on the old player piano that was a prominent fixture in that home. The farm's 250 acres was spread out over a hillside and the only way to get to it was up a dirt road. As you can imagine, when it would rain or snow, sometimes that dirt road was impassable by vehicle and we would have to park the car at the bottom of the hill and walk up an often time muddy and slippery or snow covered two mile hike to grandma's house. My mom's brother, Sam Ring, lived in a hollow at the bottom of that hill and a couple of times we left our car at his house and walked to Grandma's up through the woods behind his house. We would do this usually around Christmas time so mom and dad could scout for a tree. Dad would chop it down, drag it up to the farm, and later in the weekend load it up in the car to take home. Once we got it home we would always have to listen to the inevitable bickering that occurred while mom and dad tried to get the tree straight in the stand before we could start decorating it. This is a frustration that people who have only used artificial trees will never experience! When I got older, artificial trees became more and more popular and my mom and dad finally decided that an artificial tree was more economical and convenient than going out to get a real one so we stopped making our yearly "find a tree" outings. Grandma, Mom and Dad are all gone now and the homestead farm and property have long since been sold. Even now when I let these memories wash over me it reminds me of a much warmer, simpler and easier time. I realize that is probably because I was little and my life was simpler and easier. Some, like my sister, Jean, still do go out and buy a real tree every year. Though I appreciate her "must have a real tree" spirit, it just isn't enough to make me want to go to the trouble of doing it. I will continue to take the easy way out; drag my pre-lit artificial tree out of storage every year, stick it in a corner and celebrate the birth of Christ and let the memories of yesteryear warm my heart.   When I was a child growing up in the 50s my family always got a real tree at Christmas time. Usually about three or four days before Christmas, all of us, dad, mom, my brother, Sam, and my two sisters, Annie and Jean and I would climb into the car and my dad would drive us out to the Dairy Queen in Elm Grove, which at the time was located on Route 40 East where the Rite Aid parking lot is now. The Dairy Queen, of course, was closed for the winter, but we weren't there for ice cream. We were there to buy a live cut tree to take home and decorate it for Christmas. For a little kid, that was really exciting and the memory of it warms my heart to this day.

When you think of Holiday meals, you often think of a big turkey or ham dinner. But what about breakfast? My family has started a tradition of having a big Christmas breakfast on Christmas morning. It started when my son and twin nephews were very young. My parents would wait, not so patiently, for my brother and myself to pack up the kids and come up there to see them. Breakfast was always the last thing on the kid's minds, so it started out simple with my mom making cinnamon rolls. As the boys got a little older and could wait a little longer to start opening up gifts, a more traditional breakfast was made. As my son Zach grew older, I found myself up pacing in the morning waiting for him to wake up. There were no more surprises so he didn't really have a reason for waking at the crack of dawn. I decided a few years ago while I was up early watching A Christmas Story for the millionth time to make a big batch of sausage gravy and biscuits to take up to my parents for our annual Christmas breakfast. It was a huge hit on our breakfast menu and a tradition that my dad, brother and husband now look forward to every year. A very simple recipe turned into a great Christmas tradition for our family. Brown 1 roll of Jimmy Dean (or your preference) sausage in a large pot. After it is all brown and crumbly, set the cooked sausage aside leaving all the fat in the pot. Add about 4 tablespoons of butter and let it melt. Sprinkle 5 tablespoons of flour over the melted butter and stir until there aren't any lumps. Let that cook for a few minutes and then add 5 cups of milk, while whisking the whole time. Let that come to a slow boil and thicken, about 5 minutes or so. Add your cooked sausage and a ton of black pepper (the more black pepper the better). You can also add some crushed red pepper flakes if you like it a little on the spicy side. As always, add salt to taste and continue to let it simmer. I found that the longer this simmers, the better and better it will get. When it is breakfast time, simply make some frozen buttermilk biscuits (we love the Pillsbury frozen biscuits) and enjoy. Happy Holidays!!!!

Bordas & Bordas is happy to call the friendly city of Wheeling, West Virginia home. The attorneys and staff of the firm are committed to giving back to the community that has given and continues to give so much to us. Below are just a few of the many recent philanthropic sponsorships that Bordas & Bordas is honored to be part of. The Cancer Research Classic exploits the thrill of basketball and its participants to promote the importance of men's health. The seventh installment of the annual Cancer Research Classic is slated for January 2-4 at Wheeling Jesuit University. Proceeds raised by the event remain in our area and assist in funding undergraduate scholarships for ongoing prostate cancer and men's health research at the Urological Research Institute. Bordas & Bordas happily contributed to the cause again this year.   Bordas & Bordas is happy to call the friendly city of Wheeling, West Virginia home. The attorneys and staff of the firm are committed to giving back to the community that has given and continues to give so much to us. Below are just a few of the many recent philanthropic sponsorships that Bordas & Bordas is honored to be part of.

It's that time of year again. The time to put up the Christmas tree, and decorate inside and out. The time to shop until you just don't want to shop anymore. . . and then go home and wrap. More importantly, it's time to bake CHRISTMAS COOKIES! I absolutely love to bake. For me, baking is a form of relaxation. I don't bake as often as I would like because the finished product has to go somewhere and I don't eat sweets often. As a result, I usually only bake at Christmas, for friends' birthdays and if I am hosting or going to a party. Creating an excuse to bake, I started making the dessert of choice for some of my co-workers' birthdays. Jay Stoneking and Jason Causey consistently request cheesecake. Jeremy McGraw is more of a chocolate-chocolate chip cake kind of guy. Zak Zatezalo appreciates whatever I choose to make, but also has a preference for cheesecake. I am a little behind on our birthday celebrations this year - even though Jason put his request in at least a month before the big day. Maybe a plate of Christmas cookies will make up for the delays??? The variety and quantity of cookies I make varies each year based upon the amount of time I have to bake. I always set aside one full day devoted solely to baking, but prefer to have at least two. If everything falls into place this year, I will have the entire weekend before Christmas to bake so I'm looking for some new cookies to try. Each year I have my "must-dos": snowballs, snickerdoodles, chocolate crinkles, peanut blossoms, chocolate chip, lemon bars, congo bars and seven layer cookies. I have my timing down to a point where I can get all of these done in a single day. I have it down to such a science that even the year I was on crutches until just days before Christmas, the must-dos were still made by Christmas Eve. There are a number of other cookies and candies I will make if I have the time including, maple cookies, almond crunchies, thumbprints, cheesecake bars, candy cane cookies, caramel corn and white chocolate candy to name a few. While I love decorated sugar cookies and am told by many that they are some of the easiest cookies to make, they aren't on my list. For some reason, however, mine never seem to turn out to my liking so I have stopped even trying. I like to try at least one "new" recipe each year. I'm excited that this year it looks like I may have at least the entire weekend before Christmas to bake if I can get my shopping done. The last time I had that much time, I think I ended up with 15 different kinds of cookies and candies. That means I need some ideas and new recipes to try. What are your family favorites? Are there any cookies that are simply a must each year in your house? There are several cookies I've enjoyed over the years that I wish I knew the names of or had the recipes for. Any recipes you want to share? If all goes well, I am going to have lots of cookies to give to family and friends this year, including having my baking done in time to bring a plate or to the office for some pre-holiday cheer. I know many people don't bake, but if you are looking for a quick, easy recipe or treat to give as gifts or serve when guests come over or just want to try something new, I thought I would share my white chocolate candy recipe. This treat, known as "Lois's Candy Recipe" in my house after the family friend who first shared it with us. It's always a big hit with family and friends. Lois's Candy 1 - One pound white chocolate (I use the white chocolate baking chips) 2 cups Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal 2 cups Rice Krispies 1 cup dry roasted peanuts Mix the cereal and nuts together well in a large mixing bowl. Melt the white chocolate until smooth, stirring regularly so it does not burn or scorch. Pour the melted chocolate over the cereal/nut mixture and mix well. Spread evenly over wax paper until completely cool. Break about and enjoy. The finished candy should be stored in a cool-dry place. I hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy the holiday season.

The Thanksgiving and Christmas Seasons are among us. This is a wonderful time to reflect on everything we are thankful for and to remember those who are not as fortunate. As I think about all of my blessings, such as my family and friends, food and shelter, I realize that many people in our community don't have these things that I often take for granted. This reminded me of all the wonderful community services that are available to those who may need help. I have the privilege of serving on the board of the Marshall County Meals on Wheels, one of the many fantastic programs our community offers to our citizens, so I thought I would share a little about the program and what it provides. The program offers one hot and one cold meal five days a week for a minimal cost. However, cost should not be a deterrent for those needing assistance. There is help available. Currently, the meals are delivered within the city limits of Moundsville, Glen Dale, McMechen and Benwood, and there has been discussion of expanding the area served in the future. The Meals on Wheels in Marshall County started about 60 years ago. First it began operating out of the St. Francis Church and then later at the First Christian Church, where it resides today. Originally the program was associated with Lutheran Services, but last year we were forced to search for alternatives. Through the hard work of a lot of volunteers, Meals on Wheels continued and became its own organization. It is now known as the Marshall County Meals on Wheels. It is a 501(c)(3), receives no government funding and relies heavily on donations and volunteering from our community. We have two great employees, Karen Gast and Gloris Vanscyoc, who love what they do and work really hard to make Meals on Wheels a success. We also have approximately 17 volunteers in addition to our board members, who donate their time, effort and talents. Without them, none of this would be possible. As important as a good, healthy meal is to our clients, the gift of time is just as important. While so many of our clients tell us how thankful they are for the good meals they receive, they are even more thankful for the time our volunteers spend just visiting and talking. Sometimes a good conversation is just what they need. So during this time of year, please remember that there are so many great organizations in our community that provide services for those in need and I would encourage everyone to reach out to any of them and help by volunteering or by making a donation. For more information about Marshall County Meals on Wheels, contact Karen Gast at 304-845-1750. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!