january 2015 - absolutely brazos magazine

Sugar Land Face and Body'sNew Medical Spa

BeautyJust GotEasier:

AccessHealth'sThe Heart of Fort Bend

New Year NEW YOU

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JANUARY 2015

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INSIDE FRONT

INSIDE FRONT

CHI St. Luke’s Health–Sugar Land Hospital is the first in Houston to offer the da Vinci® Xi Surgical System—the latest minimally-invasive robotic surgery technology. This is one of the ways we provide an unwavering commitment to innovation and compassionate care. Learn more at stlukessugarland.com

For Houston it’s a first. For you, it’s simply amazing.

Sugar Land Hospital1317 Lake Pointe ParkwaySugar Land, TX 77478281-637-7000stlukessugarland.com

Eric Humble, M.D.Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

281•313•055516926 Southwest Freeway

Sugar Land, TX 77479

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• Skin Tightening of the Face and Body• Reduction in Fine Lines, Wrinkles and Skin Irregularities • Skin Resurfacing

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JANUARY 2015 l TO ADVERTISE: 281.690.4242 or www.absolutelybrazos.com2

CONTRIBUTORS

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | V O L U M E 3 | N U M B E R 2

C O V E R S T O R Y

14

Joan FrancesContributorPages 14 & 32

28

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 28

6 BEAUTY JUST GOT EASIER:SUGAR LAND FACE AND BODY PLASTIC SURGERY EXPANDS SERVICES TO INCLUDE STATE-OF-THE-ART MEDICAL SPAThe 6,400 medical facility already boasts high-quality concierge care, a warm and dedicated staff and its own operating room, but lately, Dr. Eric Humble has expanded his focus to a new arena: creating a medical spa featuring cutting edge technology and procedures.

F E A T U R E S

15 absolutely! KID FRIENDLY Find the best and brightest in private schools and after school activities to meet your child’s needs.

23 NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Rejuvenate yourself for the New Year! The area’s finest providers will help you start the year refreshed and at your best.

C O L U M N S

14 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOTMeet Adam Hernandez

32 A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORYSpiritual Growth in Fort Bend County

N E W S W O R T H Y

22 LAURA LYONS HONORED As Literacy Advocate

OAKBENDMEDICAL CENTER’S Thanksgiving Food Drive

a b s o l u t e l y !A U T O R E V I E W

28 2015 BMW M235i COUPE

I N E V E R Y I S S U E

4 PUBLISHER’S POINT OF VIEW

10 SEEN ON THE SCENE

12 COMMUNITY EVENTS

18 OUT & ABOUT IN THEHEART OF BRAZOS

30 COMMUNITY MARKETPLACEMarty Knesek, R.N. and Dr. Eric Humble.Photography by Nesossi Studios.

ON THE COVER:Dr. Eric Humble and Marty Knesek, R.N.

Photography by Nesossi Studios.

Tim Cashion, DDS Teresa Cody, DDS

Call us now!281-815-4196

17003 SW Freeway, Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77479Formerly Cashion & Cody Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

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A $25.00 flat fee foran x-ray & consultation

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EXCLAMATION POINTS!T H E I N S I D E S C O O P S T R A I G H T F R O M T H E T O P

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE. 700STAFFORD, TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.ABSOLUTELYBRAZOS.COM

Vol. 3 No. 2 | January 2015

absolutely! Brazos Magazine are published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copyright © 2015 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduc-tion without permission is strictly prohibited. absolutely! Brazos Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading adver-tising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. absolutely! Brazos Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Subscription requests are free to West Fort Bendarea addresses. Annual paid subscription of $25

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P U B L I S H E RE D I T O R- I N - C H I E FPatti Parish-Kaminski

M A NAG I N G E D I T O RSarah Bearden

S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V EJessica Kij

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E SJennifer Elliott

Molly EllisKay Garrett

Juliet HubbellAndrea Rigamonti

Suzanne StilesBonnie Bell Woodrow

A RT D I R E C T O RGrace Belleza

G R A P H I C D E S I G N E R SCamille Hay

Elizabeth Pace

W E B D E S I G N E RJoey Belleza

P H O T O G R A P H E RNesossi Studios

O F F I C E A D M I N I S T R AT O RAdrienne Boring

I N T E R NErin De Veyra

C O N T R I BU T O R SM.G. Angulo Joan FrancesSteve Kursar

I N Q U I R I E S281-690-4242

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

Publishedby

Publisher, PATTI PARISH-KAMINSKI

When You Wish Upon a Star . . . .

The New Year has roared in like a lion here at absolutely! focus media! Just when we thought the hustle and bustle of the holiday season was behind us, the New Year has arrived with new dreams, new resolutions and new opportunities to be an entirely new you! We have so many wonderful resources in our community to help us be the best that we can be, and in both our cover story and in our New Year, New You special section, there is all that you need to be ready for 2015. Sign me up!

Speaking of signing up, now is the perfect time to start signing the kids up for summer activities and planning for the new school year. In absolutely! Kid Friendly on page 15, you’ll find all kinds of resources to help you and your little ones plan ahead.

While we’re planning for our new year here – and making a few resolutions along the way – we’re dreaming big for 2015, and hope you are as well. Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” Just as the year roared in like a lion, use the characteristics of that magnificent beast and be courageous in pursing your dreams. And, when they come true, let us know. That’s the amazing kind of community news we love to share!

Happy New Year to all of our Brazos friends! We wish you many blessings for 2015!

Absolutely yours,

[email protected]

Ticket giveaways to area attractions and events.Facebook.com/AbsolutelyBrazos

READER FEEDBACKJust picked up a copy of absolutely! Brazos and want to thank you very much for featuring our Keep Richmond

Beautiful article. Helping us get the word out is key at this point – we appreciate your support. Your magazine is refreshing and interesting – enjoying the seasonal articles especially.

Regards, Barbara Johnson

Jessica Kij and Patti Parish-Kaminski at the Houston Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land with absolutely! focus media’s Jingle Tree.


The 6,400 medical facility already boasts high-quality concierge care, a warm and dedicated staff and its own operating room, but lately, the well-known surgeon has expanded his focus

to a new arena: refining Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery’s medi-cal spa. With the most “cutting edge technology and procedures,” this medi-cal spa completes the Sugar Land Face

Beauty

COVER STORY

By M.G. AnguloPhotos by

Nesossi Studios

T his place just keeps getting better. In a time when men and women have the option to shave years off their bodies, correct problem areas and improve their

self-esteem, confidence and looks through medical procedures, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery offers the best op-tions in the business.

Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic SurgeryExpands Services to Include State-of-the-Art Medical Spa

Just Got Easier:

The staff at Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery: Tiffany Ortega, Marty Knesek, R.N.,Angela Garza, May Akbari andDr. Eric Humble.

and Body package, so to speak, said Dr. Eric Humble, the man who made Sugar Land Face and Body a reality.

A board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Humble said he en-joys the transformations he can make happen with his pa-tients. After performing his first face lift, Dr. Humble said his patient not only loved his work but the changes it brought to her life. “It showed me the light,” he said. “Not only did she look wonderful, her self-esteem improved, her home life improved and her work life improved. Helping people feel better about themselves – that’s always my goal.”

And now, through the facility’s medical spa, Dr. Humble has found another way to help even more people. In this medical spa, governed by the Board of Medicine, cosmetic procedures are offered under the supervision of a doctor. “We have purchased every type of technology to create the most cutting edge spa, with the most up-to-date procedures, that truly show results,” Dr. Humble said. “Not everyone puts this kind of investment into a spa.”

Sugar Land Face and Body already offers breast en-hancement, body contouring and facial rejuvenation, but the medical spa has increased the facility’s services to include advanced non-surgical procedures, often referred to as aes-thetic procedures. The medical spa is perfect for people who don’t need, or want, to undergo surgery to receive the results they’re looking for, said Marty Knesek, R.N., who manages the medical spa. “There are some problems that can be cor-rected without surgery, and I’m here to guide them in all things non-surgical,” she said. “My goal is to help my pa-tients look the best they can.”

Some of the traditional procedures offered in the medical spa are botox and fillers – cosmetic injections that are used to revolumize the face, smooth wrinkles and to create fuller lips – but the spa is expanding its procedures to those Dr. Humble and Knesek know will please patients.

Vampire FacialDon’t want the downtime involved in facial resurfacing?

A vampire facial involves using a patient’s own Plasma Rich Protein to help stimulate one’s own collagen production, im-proving skin texture while toning the skin.

FractoraFractora is a revolutionary resurfacing procedure that

can be utilized on all skin types. It can be used on any area that can benefit from skin renewal, achieving profound con-traction, especially on the neck area. Non-surgical face lift results are noted, especially in regards to deep wrinkles, fine lines, pore size, skin texture, broken capillaries and more with significantly less down time versus CO2 laser resurfac-ing procedures.

CoolSculpting®

Essentially a fat-freezing treatment meant for fat volume reduction, CoolSculpting is an option for those who don’t want liposuction. The only FDA-cleared, non-surgical fat reduction treatment, CoolSculpting is perfect for those indi-viduals who have fat resistant to diet and exercise.

Visit www.beautybecomesyou.com or call 281-313-0555.

BeautyBecomes You

W ith their on-site operating room and now, medical spa featuring cutting edge

technology and procedures, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery is your one stop shop for everything beauty. Their convenient location makes both surgical and aesthetic options more convenient and accessible for patients. Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery services include:

Vampire FacialFractoraBotox Facial Fillers Juvederm HydraFacialChemical PeelPerlane

Radiesse Restylane Fat Grafting Skin Care Obagi Skin Products Skin Medica ProductsMicro-Needling

Aesthetic Services

Body ContouringUltherapy®

Tummy Tuck CoolSculpting®

Liposuction Body Lift Mommy Makeovers

Facial RejuvenationFace Lift Eyelid Surgery Rhinoplasty

Neck Lift Brow Lift Ear Surgery

Breast EnhancementBreast Augmentation Breast Lift

Breast Reduction Implant Exchange

Options for MenTummy Tuck Liposuction

Breast Reduction

www.absolutelybrazos.com l JANUARY 2015 7


“This is an amazing option,” Kne-sek said. “It’s an in-and-out procedure that’s a lot less invasive for those areas you would consider using liposuction on.”

Micro-NeedlingFor those looking to improve their

skin, micro-needling offers treatment for moderate acne, fine lines and wrin-kles, lax skin, burns, stretch marks, as well as skin texture and pore size. “This treatment creates a response to regenerate collagen,” Knesek said.

HydraFacialThis medical facial exfoliates, ex-

tracts, cleanses and hydrates the skin for immediate results. The treatment, which removes dead skin cells and extracts impurities, can improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, oily or acne prone skin, congested and enlarged pores, hyper-pigmentation and brown spots. According to Knesek, “This is a comfortable procedure, and it’s great for clogged pores.”

Chemical PeelAnother option to improve the skin,

a chemical peel works by applying a chemical solution to the skin that soaks in and causes the skin to peel. This pro-cedure essentially rids the body of skin

in a controlled manner so that new skin can grow in its place. Usually done on the face, neck and hands, a chemi-cal peel can improve the appearance of scars and acne, reduce age spots, fine lines and dark patches and improve the overall look and feel of the skin.

UltherapyThe aesthetic option to tighten, lift

and tone skin, Ultherapy is ideal for those considering a face lift. The only FDA-cleared procedure to non-surgical neck, brow and under-chin lifts, Ulthe-rapy uses ultrasound energy to lift and tighten skin. “It’s a great non-surgical option to a face lift, as well as a preven-tative measure for the younger popula-tion,” said Dr. Humble.

True GuidanceIn addition to having access to these

new procedures, patients can be confi-dent to get the best advice when using them. “We don’t do ‘Hollywood stuff’ in here,” Knesek said. “By that, I mean we don’t force procedures on patients or make changes that would leave them embarrassed. I will never make them look like someone they never were before. When people walk out of here, I want them to feel good about themselves.”

And that’s a common theme at Sug-ar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery

– making sure each patient feels great about the choices they’ve made – ei-ther through surgery or non-surgical means. “We have a trust within this community,” Dr. Humble said. “We’re not going to push people into getting procedures, because we’re dedicated to delivering good results.”

Knesek said she provides the best care by taking the time to have in-depth complimentary consultations with her patients. Through her consultations, Knesek guides her patients, offers her opinion on decisions and makes them feel comfortable about the decisions they’ve made. “I want my patients to come to me with their questions, and we can spend 45 minutes to an hour discussing options, because there is usually more than one thing we can do,” she said. “I explain to my patients what the procedure does, what they can expect and I make sure there are no medical complications, especially for those patients who have never had a procedure done.”

“When I sit down with a patient, I take everything in consideration – their lifestyle, like if they’re an outdoors type of person – their health, medical histo-ry and if they are looking for corrective or preventative care,” Knesek added. “I listen to what the patient wants and customize treatments for the patient. I will always guide them to what’s in their best interest.”

With its refined medical spa led by Knesek, Dr. Humble said Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery is cre-ating an even stronger presence in the community. Already, the well-estab-lished facility is known for its contri-butions to various Fort Bend County charitable events including Girlfriends Giggle and the Sugar Plum Market. Now, it’s getting a reputation for offer-ing high-quality cosmetic care.

“Now, everything is under one roof,” Dr. Humble said. “From consult to sur-gery, our patients get everything they need here in one place.”

For more information about surgical and aesthetic procedures, visit www.beautybecomesyou.com or contact Dr. Eric Humble or Marty Knesek, R.N., at Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery at 281-313-0555.

Marty Knesek, R.N., confers with a patientusing Ultherapy to tighten, lift and tone skin.


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Leading medicine starts with houston methodist primary care.At Houston Methodist, your family’s well-being is at the center of all we do. From simple checkups to more complex concerns, our board-certified primary care physicians provide the compassionate care you need, as well as access to our leading network of world-class specialists. We offer four convenient locations in Missouri City and Sugar Land.

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January 7th, 8 – 10 amBird Hike at Seabourne Creek Nature ParkJoin the Coastal Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists for a free, guided bird hike at Seabourne Creek Nature Park in Rosenberg, located at Highway 36 in Rosenberg next to the Rosenberg Civic Center. Meet in the parking lot to sign in and receive bird lists to use. Binoculars and weather appropriate clothing are recommended. Call 281-633-7033 or email [email protected].

January 10th, 9 am – 1:30 pm Free SAT Practice TestSign up for an opportunity to take a full-length SAT® practice test at the Albert George Branch library, located at 9230 Gene Street inNeedville. The SAT is a standardized test used by colleges to determine admissions and financial aid, and the practice test sessions should help students gain experience and become better prepared for the actual test. Register at www.fortbend.lib.tx.us, in person or call 979-793-4270.

• • • E V E N T S • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

January 10th, 11 am – 2:30 pmMini Maker Faire for KidsGeorge Memorial Library, located at 1001 Golfview in Richmond, will celebrate the creativity and resourcefulness of Fort Bend County’s youth with a special Mini Maker Faire for students in grades one through five. Numerous stations will be set up throughout the library with art and science activities such as Aboriginal dot painting, key chain making, Lego® building and more to encourage, inspire and empower young people to explore their imaginations. Call 281-342-4455.


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January 18th – 31st Family Reading ClubThis six-week program is designed to encourage families to read, learn and have fun together. The Family Reading Club will continue through February 28th at all branches in the Fort Bend County library system. Families that complete the program by reading 36 books or for 6 hours are eligible to receive a book bag for the family and will have their name entered into a drawing for a $50 dining gift card. To register, visit www.fortbend.lib.tx.us or call 281-633-4734.

SUBMITYOUR EVENTS

E-mail [email protected]. Include the event date, time, location and a short description of the event.

• • • E V E N T S • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

January 24th, 9 am – 1 pmAnnual Fruit and Citrus Tree SaleThe Fort Bend County Master Gardeners’ annual fruit tree sale raises funds to support their programs throughout the year, as well as horticultural education efforts in Fort Bend County. The sale will take place in Barn H at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, located at 4310 Highway 36 South in Rosenberg. For a list of trees to be sold, visit www.fbmg.com. Call 281-341-7068 or e-mail [email protected].

Meet Adam Hernandez

By Joan Frances

F oster High School has a rep-utation in the Lamar Con-solidated Independent School

District as one of the area’s top recog-nized schools. The administration and faculty focus on the needs of each stu-dent to prepare them for the future. Adam Hernandez is a senior who has excelled in academics and sports and has an impressive high school resumé.

Adam became a member of the varsity wrestling team as a fresh-man. The team qualified in regional and placed second in district during his sophomore and junior years. He was co-captain last year and is cap-tain this year. Scholastic wrestling is the sixth most popular sport among high school boys. Adam said, “The ela-tion of winning a match and gaining self-confidence makes all of the hard work worthwhile. It also builds char-acter and a disciplined work ethic.” When Adam is not wrestling for the high school, he is also a member of the Fort Bend wrestling club, and he took classes in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu at Gracie Barra in Katy as a freshman and sophomore where he will be com-peting at the national level this sum-mer.

Academically, Adam has taken Ad-vanced Placement (AP) classes since sophomore year. His favorite subjects are math and science. His favorite teacher is Jacob Nowaczewski, who taught Adam AP Chemistry. Although

Adam

HOT SHOTHigh School

challenging, Nowaczewski instructed this subject in such a way it stuck in Adam’s head with complete comprehen-sion. He also has the student’s best in-terest in mind, helping them whenever he can.

Adam was on the “A” Honor Roll as a sophomore and junior and placed sev-enth in his senior class. One value that he feels is important is honesty. “The key to doing anything is to be honest with yourself and to take every opportu-nity given to you, and use it to learn and improve to the best of your ability.”

Adam is very active in his commu-nity. As a member of Sacred Heart Church, he devotes his free time as an usher and sacristan, setting up for Mass, preparing the church for the con-gregation. He serves as a retreat plan-ner at the church, as well as helps with Vacation Bible School during the sum-mer. Adam is also sergeant at arms for The Green Club, a pro-environment organization. He has distributed food during Thanksgiving at the George R. Brown Convention Center and helped at Lunches of Love in Richmond deliv-ering to needy families. He also tutors students in Physics at the high school.

For the past three years, Adam has been recognized at Foster High School as

a leader and a respected student. He is vice president of the Workforce in Training Club that focus on engineer-ing. As a freshman, he was presented with the Spanish III distinguished student award, and as a junior, he was given the AP Chemistry award. His ju-nior class science team placed first in the University Interscholastic League competition with the highest scoring school team in the district. Adam also placed second as the highest scoring individual at the same UIL District Science meet. During his sophomore year at the Fort Bend County Fair, Adam was awarded Outstanding Art-work entry. He is a devoted and com-mitted student focused on becoming a successful individual.

Adam aspires to attend college at Texas A&M University in College Station or Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado to study chemical engineering. He received Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test National Hispanic Scholar recognition as a junior and has several scholarship opportunity offers. With such an im-pressive resumé of academic victories, Adam is prepared to achieve great-ness in the future. Congratulations and good luck as you continue on the path of success.

“The key to doing anything is to be honest with yourself andto take every opportunity given to you, and use it to learnand improve to the best of your ability.” – Adam Hernandez



The Mission of St. Mark’s Episcopal School is to encourage spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development in young children through an enriched curriculum, rooted in the Christian faith.

7615 FM 762 RICHMOND, TEXAS 77469 • www.stmarksfortbend.org • 281.545.1296

Options of a 2-day, 3-day, 5-day classes CERTIFIED TEACHERS

St. Mark’s Episcopal SchoolFaith-based connected with Church and Pastor

2 & 3 YEAR OLD CLASSESBRIDGE-KINDER PROGRAM

STATE LICENSED Pre-K BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Spanish Lessons • Weekly Chapel • Active Learning CentersState-of-the-Art Technology • Outdoor Learning Center • Godly Play

The mission of St. Mark’s Episcopal School is to encourage spiritual, intellec-tual, social, emotional and physical development in young children through an en-riched curriculum rooted in the Christian faith. Within a nurturing Christian com-munity, St. Mark’s Episcopal School builds in each child the foundation for good character and a lifelong love of learning.

St. Mark’s Episcopal School is currently accepting applications for their two-year-old, three-year-old, Pre-K and Bridge to Kindergarten Class for the current school year. Open enrollment for 2015-2016 will begin in February. The two and three-year-old classes will have the option of a two, three or five-day program. The Pre-K and Bridge Kinder classes are five-day programs. St. Mark’s also offers before school care from 7:30 to 9 am and after school care from 2 to 6 pm. A state licensed school, St. Mark’s is pursuing Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools accreditation.

Each class is staffed with a certified teacher and a teaching assistant. St. Mark’s enriching early childhood program incorporates a child development curriculum with active participatory learning. The staff is trained in early childhood develop-ment so they can observe, understand and support children’s learning in all areas. In addition, St. Mark’s curriculum includes art and Spanish lessons, math explo-ration, Reading A-Z, fun and fitness, godly play, weekly chapel, gardening and state-of-the-art technology, including iPads and student touch screen classroom computers. St. Mark’s is where children flourish!

Call 281-545-1296 or e-mail Tracey McMahon Little, Head of School, at [email protected] for more information.

St. Mark’s Episcopal SchoolIs a Special Gift

absolutely! Kid Friendly Advertorial

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Welcoming Students fromPre-K (4 yrs) through Grade12

Discover Calvary Episcopal Preparatory at ourPROSPECTIVE FAMILY PREVIEW WEEKJANUARY 26TH, 28TH & 30TH, 9AM & 1PM

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Calvary Episcopal Preparatory:Called to a Higher Standard

While outstanding academics are a trademark for Calvary Episcopal Prepara-tory’s reputation of excellence, its pride as a Christian school is how they treat each other and grow in their understanding of God’s expectations for them. Cal-vary incorporates reverence for God, respect for others and responsibility for self into every aspect of the educational experience.

In addition to a rigorous and accelerated academic environment, the Calvary experience includes service learning, leadership opportunities and enrichment programs for student creativity and expression. These programs include a suc-cessful athletic department and visual and performing arts encompassing a Thes-pian Troupe, a National Arts Honor Society and a competitive band.

Throughout the years, the Calvary art department has earned award-winning medals and recognition at the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show and Fort Bend County Fair. In addition, Calvary’s drama club hosts an annual musical. The 2014 production included 52 participating students at the sold-out performance of Se-ussical the Musical Jr. Along with a solid fine arts department, Calvary has cham-pionship middle school athletics, including volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, golf, track and soccer. The school also participates in Private School Interscho-lastic Association (PSIA) for lower and middle school and Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) for high school in all categories, sending many students to state.

Calvary Episcopal Preparatory is an international school that incorporates Christian character education, Bible class, Spanish and library lessons. To sign up for Calvary’s preview events the week of January 26th, visit www.ces-richmond.org or call 281-342-3161. Bring this ad for $100 off registration.

absolutely! Kid FriendlyAdvertorial

Now is the time to turn our thoughts to the new year. Last year, the Gingerbread Family of learning centers opened its newest loca-tion in Richmond, Texas. For over 33 years, The Gingerbread House Learning Center and the new Gin-gerbread Kids’ Academy have cre-ated an environment where children can learn and grow. The programs are designed for children ages 8 weeks to 12 years.

Research has shown that in or-der for a child to be successful in school and in life, they must begin with a strong foundation in learning. Gingerbread has designed a cur-riculum that includes an emphasis on reading, writing, science, math, discovery and exploration, as well as social skills development. The infant and toddler programs focus on the development of both gross and fine motor skills along with ba-sic language development. The 3 to 5 year-old Pre-School and Pre-K programs focus on academics, peer relationships and preparation for entry into Kindergarten and el-ementary school.

The Gingerbread After-School programs, located onsite at Frost, Hutchison and Hubenak Elemen-tary, as well as onsite at the Gin-gerbread Kids’ Academy, offer homework assistance, arts, crafts, games and sports.

A new year means new begin-nings. The Gingerbread Family in-vites you to come and visit. Both locations are now accepting enroll-ments for the 2015 school year. For more information, contact Tim Ka-minski at 281-239-2110 or e-mail [email protected].

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IN THEHEARTB R A Z O S

OUT&ABOUT

Wertheimer Middle School young scientists had a blast making their own ice cream during a science lab.

Ashley Denison, Zoe Aguilar, Isaac Moreno, Debbie Harmon, Ryan Evett, Joshua Morelli, Hadley Holchak, Alison Mackinaw, Charles Green, Jase Neeper, Jeffrey Rapacki, Jaylan Tatum, Camden Dagley, Emma Woods, Nicolaus Johnson and Dory Soward made poppies to wear and share.

Ira Goble and Jake Muceus.

Lorenzo Lerma, Jr., Adrianne Manrique, Gigi Ludecke, Janet Corson, Amber McDonald and Lynn Hill enjoyed touring the beautiful grounds during the ribbon cutting at Brazos Bend State Park.

Mrs. Harmon’s class at Austin Elementary studied the story of The Poppy Lady.

Lindsay and Ethan Kappes. Taylor Kalmus and Kayla McCall.


Calvary Episcopal Preparatory (CEP) students Pre-K through 12th grade celebrated Veteran’s Day with a full-scale production honoring the five branches of the armed forces. Every grade level and every faction of the fine arts department presented an original and motivational performance.

Alex Dewey played Taps.

Christian Berry.

Sixth grade young speech writers Isabel Beale and Crisana DeShazo recited their poem, Heros Among Us.

Faith United Methodist Church’s Annual Hallelujah Harvest Festival was a tremendous success as they welcomed over 2,000 neighbors and friends from the surrounding communities to enjoy free activities, entertainment and great food. This year’s record pumpkin sales enabled Faith UMC to donate $5,354 to local charities.

Ben and Brian Wu, Conner Kamp, Kaden Thurmond, Zachary Palmore and Timothy Tapley.

Eli Cleaver was determined to get to the top of the rock wall.

Kacy Acosta loved her pony ride.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber held its Fort Bend Strong event at Safari Texas Ranch. Each mayor from across Fort Bend County selected a recipient from their town to receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Chamber, and the recipients were honored at the event.

Mary Rose Zdunkewicz with Sarah, Brenda and Jeannell Ritter.


IN THEHEARTB R A Z O S

OUT&ABOUT

Lunches of Love held their Fourth Annual Walk of Love at Seabourne Creek Nature Park in Rosenberg. Despite the cold, hundreds of kids and adults came out to support the mission to end childhood hunger one step at a time.

Sydney, Sofis and Shawna Russo with Kendall and Kelsey Corley.

Harrison and Max Keast. Maddie and Olivia Ballis had fun playing in the bubble balls.

Tony Quezada, Mona and Gerald Thompson with Sarah and Sofia Quezada.

Representing as proud media sponsor were absolutely! focus media’s Adrienne Boring and Kay Garrett, who handed out goodies and cheered on walkers.

Brent and Emily Neal with Leah Turkasz and Ella Martinez finished smiling.

Carlos, Catherine, Natalia and Isabella Say were bundled up and excited to participate in the walk.

Meredith Holler, Hailey Reaves and Laura Thompson.


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Over 3,300 visitors attended the 31st Annual Needville Harvest Festival to enjoy a plethora of fall activities. Proceeds from the festival go directly into maintaining and improving Harvest Park’s 16.2 acres.

Little Mr. and Miss Contest winners Ashlynn Finch and Seiler Sebesta.

Harvest Queens Court members Makayla Urbanek, Samantha Pfeffer, Alexa Cain, Kendal Buffalo, Tierra Tydlacka and Ganessa Sanchez.

Foster High School senior Hunter Kasuls signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Congratulations!

Foster Varsity Baseball Coach Richard Tosch, Foster Varsity Assistant Baseball Coach Mike Harvey and Foster Athletic Director Shaun McDowell with Brenda, Hunter, Brett and Haley Kasuls.

Literacy Interven-tion for first grad-ers identified as having difficulty learning to read and write. Chil-dren receive in-tensive, individu-alized instruction from a trained Reading Recovery teacher.

Reading Re-covery students receive a 30 min-

ute lesson each school day for 12 to 20 weeks. As soon as students can read within the average range of their class and continue independent literacy learn-ing in the regular classroom, their lessons are discontinued, and new students be-gin individual instruction.


NEWSWORTHY

OakBend Medical Center held a Thanksgiving Food Drive at its facilities and collected enough food to serve to eight families nominated by Jane Long Elementary School. OakBend’s Human Resource Director Nancy Retzlaff worked with Kimberly Zapata, a counselor at Jane Long, to come up with the nomi-nated families that would receive the col-lected groceries.

OakBend employees filled up the do-nation boxes during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving with canned goods, dry goods and donations of cash to pur-chase additional items for the baskets. OakBend also worked with Tiffany Jack-son, Marketing Director of Richmond Healthcare Center, to get baskets do-nated to be filled with the food items and turkeys that were delivered to the fami-lies November 21st.

“We are grateful for the generosity of our employees and staff. The eight fami-lies who received these baskets have a total of 50 people. It is heartwarming to see our staff giving back to our commu-nity,” said Retzlaff.

OakBend Medical Center’s Thanksgiving

Food Drive

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Laura Lyons Honored as Literacy Advocate

Laura Lyons, Lamar Consolidated ISD’s (LCISD) Executive Director for El-ementary Education, received the Ad-vocate for Excellence in Literacy Award at the Billie J. Askew Reading Recovery and K-6 Literacy Institute at the Read-ing Recovery Conference in Dallas. Ly-ons was nominated by Kathryne Salinas, the teacher leader for LCISD’s Reading Recovery® and Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) program. The award is given annu-ally to honor an administrator who has consistently contributed to the success of Reading Recovery in their school dis-tricts. Lyons began the program in LCISD when she became the executive director.

“I had first-hand experience with Reading Recovery when I was a princi-pal,” Lyons said. “When I became ex-ecutive director, I knew it was a program that could help so many of our children.” Reading Recovery is a short-term Early

Laura Lyons and Kathryne Salinas.

DLL is the Reading Recovery pro-gram for first graders receiving their initial literacy instruction in Spanish. Spanish-speaking students in bilingual classrooms who struggle to learn to read and write receive intensive, individualized instruction in Spanish from certified bilin-gual teachers who are trained to work with early literacy in Spanish. LCISD has 12 Reading Recovery campuses and 650 students have been served since 2011.


F E A T U R I N GUT Physicians Women’s Center

Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic SurgeryOsteoStrong

Joyce Long’s Wellness InstituteFulshear Family Medicine

New Year,New You

REJUVENATION & WELLNESSSpecial Advertising Section


Women’s Centerat Sugar Land

Call 713.486.1250 for appointmentswww.UTPhysicians.com

17510 West Grand Parkway South, Suite #550 • Sugar Land, TX 77479

Brian R. Heaps, MDBoard Certified Ob/Gyn

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proudly welcomes Dr. Azeema Moosa

New Year, New YouAdvertorial

UT Physicians Women’s Center in Sugar Land welcomes Dr. Brian R. Heaps, a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. De-

fined by his dedication to his patients and the delivery of the highest quality care, Dr. Heaps is pleased to be working in the Fort Bend community.

Dr. Heaps is motivated by the great trust that his patients have in him to take care of them during the most important phases of their lives. In fact, one of his greatest honors is being involved in the delivery of a couple’s child. As a Board Certified Ob/Gyn, Dr. Heaps understands that the delivery of a baby, however, is often only one aspect of what matters most in women’s care.

Knowing this, Dr. Heaps has worked to become proficient in the evaluation of com-mon issues and has worked to become skilled in their medical and surgical treat-ments. He has been trained and is committed to minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic assisted surgery.

Through his work as the Director of Medical Informatics and Chair of Ob/Gyn and Pediatrics at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, Dr. Heaps has led the way in teaching fellow physicians and caregivers. His care for patients and his dedication to medicine has served as a foundational motivation to succeed. Above all, Dr. Heaps is honored to serve those with whom he comes in contact.

Dr. Heaps’ office is located at 17510 West Grand Parkway South, Suite 550 in Sugar Land. For a consultation or appointment, call 713-486-1250.

I t’s a new year and time for a new you. Known for its quality surgical services

and on-site operating room, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery has just made your New Year’s beauty resolu-tion easier with the addition of their new medical spa featuring the most “cutting edge technology and procedures,” ac-cording to Dr. Eric Humble, the man who made Sugar Land Face and Body a real-ity.

A board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Humble has helped transform the lives of hundreds of patients, and now, he plans to assist even more patients with his comprehensive medical spa headed up by Marty Knesek, R.N. Spa services include the traditional procedures, such as botox and fillers – cosmetic injections that are used to revolumize the face, smooth wrinkles and to create fuller lips – but the spa is expanding its services to include even more options for patients, including procedures such as Vampire Facial, Fractora, HydraFacial, CoolS-culpting, Micro-Needling and Ultherapy. A relatively new procedure, a Vampire Facial involves using a patient’s own Plasma Rich Protein to help stimulate one’s own collagen production, improv-ing skin texture while toning the skin, ac-cording to Knesek.

With the addition of these non-inva-sive, non-surgical options that utilize the latest technology to help patients achieve noticeable results, there is something for everyone at Sugar Land Face and Body’s new medical spa. Visit www.beautybecomesyou.com or call 281-313-0555 for a consultation, and start the new year with a new you.

See ad on page 1.

Ring in the New Yearwith a New You FromSugar Land Face andBody Plastic Surgery

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New Year, New You Advertorial

I n this economy, people need to make wise choices, and their health and quality of life is most important. Now is the time

for alternative wellness. Through cutting-edge technology and a comfortable environment, OsteoStrong offers relief and re-sults from a multitude of things, including osteopenia, osteopo-rosis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and diabetes.

The OsteoStrong system is a patented technology that trig-gers the adaptive responses that increase bone density and muscle strength naturally. The OsteoStrong system addresses a broad range of debilitating systems and speeds recovery time, allowing clients to more quickly resume their normal daily functions. It is safe and effective, leading to an improved quality of life.

It seems scientists agree that just 10 minutes on the Power Plate, which involves movements performed on a vibrating sur-face, is the most efficient workout. The poses you perform on the vibrating plate “fire up” your muscles, so the entire body is working.

Every second you’re working out on the Power Plate, mus-cles contract about 35 times, which increases the metabolic rate and the rate at which you burn fat. During a Pilates session, it is only 10 times per second. Many people are unwilling or unable to perform regular exercises and would greatly benefit from this new approach.

OsteoStrong is a strength, fitness and wellness studio lo-cated at 1876 FM 359 in Richmond. For regular updates, visit www.facebook.com/osteostrong/richmond. For more informa-tion or to schedule an appointment for a free session, call 281-762-0944 or visit www.osteostrong.me.

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SMILEDOCS

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Introducing New Pediatrician

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Dr. Heidi Schultz

Ms. Syndi NoblesMs. Jessica Meyer

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New Year, New YouAdvertorial

S ay the name Joyce Long, and chances are that at least one in ev-

ery five Houstonians knows about her awesome hands or therapies. For the last 24 years, Joyce Long’s focus has primarily been her Galleria location. Her free time has been dedicated to wound-ed warriors and hospice patients at her Fort Bend County location. But now, Long has come back home to bring her unique brand of wellness and therapy to her Rosenberg location full-time.

Originally from Rosenberg, Long knew from a young age that there was more out there beyond the borders of Rosenberg. She has had a vast amount of experiences and has worn many hats through the years. When Long devel-oped some health issues in her 20s, she began to educate herself.

Through many hours of training and work, Long earned her health, along with many titles and certifications. From Na-tionally Certified Colon Hydrotherapist Instructor to Certified International Pas-toral Medicine Practitioner, it’s no won-der why people all over the world seek out Long for her amazing gifts and vast knowledge of health. Most recently, she received several of the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) Best of Local Busi-ness awards for massage in 2011 and 2012 and colon hydrotherapy in 2012. With referrals from 20 doctors and three hospitals, Long has built a worldwide cli-entele.

With the new year, now is the time for Fort Bend County to experience the benefits of Joyce Long’s vast knowledge of internal balance and detoxification through lymphatic massage and colon-ics. For more information on services, visit www.joycelong.biz or call 281-344-0095 to schedule an appointment.

Rosenberg’s Guru of Detox Wellness Therapies

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M anaging emotions and stress is very important in this busy world.

With demands regarding work perfor-mance, family obligations and man-aging households, it is vital to stay as stress-free as possible, because emo-tional health directly influences physical health. Stress increases the risk of heart disease, depression and obesity and de-creases cognitive performance.

Some strategies to decrease anxiety can help mental and physical health. Positive thoughts and focusing on what is good in life can reduce levels of cortisol and improve mood and energy. Try not to worry about worst-case scenarios. Take some time away from phones, e-mails or work during the week. Limit intake of al-cohol, which is a depressant to the body, and limit caffeine intake, which increases adrenaline and heart rate. Always try to get as much sleep as possible.

Deep breathing exercises in a closed, quiet room can refocus the mind from anxiety and have a calming effect. Be sure to ask for help from others when needed, using your support system of work colleagues, family and friends to assist with tasks or just to have some-one to talk with. Last but not least, ex-ercise. Regular exercise not only helps physically by improving cardiac and lung function, but it causes the body to re-lease endorphins, which lower anxiety and stress and allow people to cope bet-ter in all aspects of life.

Fulshear Family Medicine is located at 7629 Tiki Drive off FM 1093 in Fulshear. For more information, call 281-346-0018 or visit www.fulshearfamilymed.com.

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absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

By Steve Kursar

F or the last couple of decades, American and Japanese luxury carmakers have benchmarked

their German counterparts as a way to catch up to them in several areas. As a result, the non-German brands have started to look, feel and drive more German. Well, the Germans haven’t exactly been sitting back and watch-ing all of this happen. Nope, they were busy designing and engineering their cars to stay one or several steps ahead.

A perfect example is the new 2015 BMW M235i Coupe. This is the BMW that is made for the entry-level luxu-ry segment, essentially the “afford-able” step into a luxury vehicle, which means it is priced somewhere in the mid $30,000 range, although the final price tag can be much higher.

But if you do drive either or more of the worthy rear-wheel drive competi-tors to the BMW 2-Series, what you’ll discover is the emotion that only the BMW elicits from its driver. I think that comes from both that German high-way speed limits allow drivers to com-monly push their cars over 100 miles per hour and that Germans just take driving more seriously. No German would consider sipping a Starbucks Mocha Latte while driving the Auto-bahn. Both hands on the wheel and both eyes on the road at all times.

The base BMW 2-Series with an MSRP of $32,100 is the 228i with a 240 hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cyl-inder engine that gets fuel economy numbers of 23 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The M235i is the more expensive – and way more fun

to drive – model that has a has a 320 hp, 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine.

The M235i has the abil-ity to make everyday driv-ing a dream, where just a supermarket run is fun. But throw it into Sport mode, and that’s where it shines. My daughter

loved getting on the Tollway ramp when I was able to accelerate to over 70 mph very quickly. Unfortunately for both us, there’s no Autobahn with-in driving distance. There’s a Sport mode that removes the traction con-trol feature, but I didn’t dare go there.The standard Sport mode was enough excitement for me.

The BMW M235i Coupe has thrown down the gauntlet to the American, Japanese and soon Korean carmakers looking to offer American car buyers with the best driving cars on the road. But it’s all good news for us, because all cars just keep getting better and better.

BMW M235i COUPE2015

Let our awards speak for usHERMES• 2014 Platinum Winner: Fort Bend Focus

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• Texana Center’s Media of the Year Award received at the organization’s 4th Annual Reaching for the Stars Awards Ceremony.

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First Baptist Church of Richmond’s first building built in 1889.

The progress of Fort Bend County settlers began with small steps. People gathered with the same

goal in mind: create a community to sus-tain life and thrive in harmony. When towns were formed, residents quickly built a post office, mercantile and bank. The railroad provided transportation for farmers and ranchers to deliver crops and livestock to other cities. So much emphasis was made for success on the farms, but spiritually, organized religion developed slowly in Fort Bend.

Roman Catholic Spanish missionar-ies first brought Christianity to Texas. Their goal was to convert the natives and to build missions comprised of several buildings, including a chapel, workshop and classroom to teach the Native Ameri-cans to be productive Spanish citizens. Many of these missions were unsuccess-ful but set the movement for advancing the practice of religion.

As time progressed, different religions emerged and became influential in many aspects of community life. By the late 1800s, evangelical Protestants domi-nated much of the state, and Baptists,

children’s choir and theater was orches-trated, and recreational sports such as baseball began.

One of the oldest churches in the area is First Baptist Church in Richmond, lo-cated on the corner of Fifth Street and Houston Street. In 1885, Lottie Dyer Moore and John M. Moore, Sr. opened their home to the church. They donated the land across the street and built the first church sanctuary in 1889. Many significant families were patrons to the church. Mamie Davis, daughter of J.H. and Elizabeth Davis, married Albert P. George in the church in 1896. They lived in Richmond and made George Ranch one of the most successful ranches in the area.

In 1900, the original church building was destroyed by a hurricane. It was replaced in 1902 by a wooden structure, and in 1930, architect Alfred Fin de-signed a new worship center full of dark wood and beauty. For 60 years, it was appreciated and praised. Tragically, on September 1, 1990, an electrical fire de-stroyed the building. Once again rebuilt and dedicated in 1993, the church seats 400 people and continues to encourage fellowship and unity that focuses on com-munity involvement and spiritual fulfill-ment.

Today, Fort Bend County is home to over 160 religious congregations. With such a culturally diversified area, church-es accommodate any religion of choice. Fort Bend County continues to meet the challenge to encourage religious multi-plicity, unity, morality and devotion.

Methodists and Catholics were the pri-mary practices. Churches were built for religious people to gather every week to provide a degree of stability in an ever-evolving society.

As religion emerged, so did educational responsibilities. The Mexican govern-ment failed to provide facilities, and after independence, the Republic of Texas had no money. Education was limited to pri-vate and religious groups. The churches trained ministers and priests and provid-ed general education with tuition to those who could afford to pay.

Public schools were below standards and lacked credible teachers and hous-ing. Private school students were taught in rooms in the church, and teachers were paid by the tuition. In addition to academics, church sponsored family events emerged to unite the community in relaxing and enjoyable entertainment. Picnics and concerts were organized as a way to encourage church attendance and patronage. The study of religion de-veloped friendships that brought towns together. Women’s groups were formed for quilt making and Bible reading. A

in Fort Bend County Spiritual Growth

First Baptist Church in Richmond.

A LITTLE PIECEOF HISTORYBy Joan Frances

Photos from First Baptist Church in Richmond.

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january 2015 - absolutely brazos magazine

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