Family

The joy of having special-needs children

Body & Soul, summer issue

My mom can cook. I mean flat-out cook. To me, the real test of gourmand greatness isn’t concocting exotic dishes from strange recipes that call for ingredients you’ve never heard of before, utilizing specialty gadgets that can perform only…

Q. My 13-year-old daughter is begging me to be allowed to date. She claims all the other kids in her eighth grade class are allowed to go out with their boyfriends and girlfriends, and she is the only one who isn’t permitted to socialize…

Words — and names — are powerful. My youngest daughter, Zélie, is learning words, sentences, and questions. Watching her young mind develop simply amazes me. At age 2 she is only at the beginning of life, and everything is new for her. I…

This variation of Three Kings Cake is flat, more like a cookie, with a trinket (or a few) baked inside. FOR THE CHOCOLATE DOUGH: 1/2 cup blanched almonds 1 cup sugar 6 tablespoons soft butter 6 teaspoons vanilla or almond extract 2 eggs,…

by Jake Frost In our family, we have so many nicknames that our nicknames now have nicknames of their own — we call them “nick-nicknames.” Such as “umpkins” — it’s a word we use to refer to all the kids collectively, as in: “Hey! You…

by Matt Archbold  Every story answers a question. The good ones do, anyway. In fact, the greatest story there is begins with one young wom­an’s response to the question of love and ultimate sacrifice. Mary, the Blessed Mother, said “yes.”…

We know Christmas entertaining can be stressful, but here are some helpful tips and delicious recipes to keep your gathering festive and focused on the joy of Christ’s birth.   Appetizers Keep it simple with a combination of the following:…

A Walz family favorite, during the winter months. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 pound beef sirloin tips (1-inch cubes) 1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes 2 packages (.87 oz. each) brown gravy mix 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 26 oz. bag…