Many schools in the River Region offer open houses in the new year for potential students to join their families. See below for a complete list. Click on the links for further details.

Alabama Christian Academy

January 12

Eastwood Academy

January 19

Montgomery Academy

January 24

Montgomery Catholic Preparatory January 22

Saint James School

January 22

Trinity Presbyterian School

January 19 

Only Locals Know… An old Southern tradition for prosperity in the New Year is to consume black eyed peas in some form. Click herefor how the tradition began and several ways to serve these tasty legumes…only in the South! 

Fabulous Black-eyed peas and greens

Try this recipe from Cooking Light — I substitute Mustard Greens –super healthy tradition — New Years Day recipe for Healthy Southerners!

Only Locals Know…  The Meteor Drop on New Years Eve in Wetumpka is no joke! Just east of downtown Wetumpka lies an almost five-mile-wide meteorite crater which is the result of an 83 million-year-old meteorite impact.  It is the only confirmed meteor crater in Alabama and is one of the best preserved in the world.  The meteorite is estimated to have been 1,000 feet in diameter.  Find out more about this historic event here!  

Ring In 2012 in Southern Style…

AlleyBAR: New Year’s Eve Bash

8 p.m. AlleyBAR and Allstate Beverage are bringing Dueling Pianos back to entertain you through the night and into 2012. Tickets are $25 and include a complimentary champagne toast at midnight and continental breakfast at 12:30 a.m. Table reservations can be made by calling 334.387.3333.

Capital City Club New Year’s Eve Ball 8 p.m.-1 a.m.. Watch the ball drop live from New York at 11 p.m. CST right from your own Club! Reserve a table of eight and receive two complimentary bottles of wine or champagne and VIP seating. $75 per person includes heavy hors d’oeuvres. Register online or call the Club at 334.834.8920 today to make your reservations. Members and guests of members only.

EMERGE NYE Party 2011 9 p.m. Train Shed at the Historic Union Station. The hottest NYE Party in town is back! Get ready to dance all night long to the DJ/band Creativity! With drink tickets, great food, a band and a DJ, this will be a night you will never forget! Plus, all attendees receive a special EMERGE rate at Embassy Suites! Grab your dancing partner and party with EMERGE on New Year’s Eve! Tickets $50. Online registration only.

New Year’s Eve Cruise on the Harriott II

10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Enjoy a two hour riverboat cruise with entertainment, hors d’oeurves, cash bar, complimentary champagne toast, party favors and the largest New Year’s Eve Fireworks show sponsored by Creek Casino. $50 per adult. 334.625.2100 www.etix.com

New Year’s Eve Celebration at Roux

Two Seat ings: 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Now accepting reservations for New Year’s Eve at Roux! Top off 2011 with an unforgettable, 6-course meal complete with a champagne toast right in the middle of it all in historic Cloverdale Village – only $65 per person without wine pairing or $90 per person with multi-course wine pairing. Good food is the best way to celebrate a Good Year! Reservations for both seatings are limited and filling fast. Groups welcome. Call 334.356.3814 to claim your spot today!                        

Tipping Point: Low Key NYE Cocktail Party 8 p.m. -1 a.m. Celebrate at Montgomery’s most unique restaurant and bar, The Tipping Point. Ticket includes hors d’oeuvres and midnight bubbly toast. $25 per person. 334-260-9110

Play and Stay at the Renaissance Renaissance Hotel and Spa is offering a $129 room-only rate or a $159 Two For Breakfast rate. 334-481-5000.

The River Regions Earliest New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Wetumpka Courthouse steps.  At 9:30 the evening will begin with a POW/MIA recognition followed by live music and the meteor drop at 11 p.m. concluded by fireworks at midnight.    

HAVE FUN – BE SAFE and STAY In the KNOW!

Cornerstone services are generally causal.  You will see some in suits and some in jeans, but as a general rule dress is casual.   The music is mostly contemporary, but we do blend in the more traditional music.   It is generally a very upbeat service with singing accompanied by guitars and lead by a five member praise team. Video is often incorporated into the service with other forms of praise included from time to time (drama, specials etc).

The Lord’s Supper is served each Lord’s Day and is open to any one that has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

You will find Cornerstone is a very friendly congregation, so come prepared to make new friends.   We love visitors that are in town for the day, military personnel here for a few weeks, or anyone that may be looking for a church home. Our preaching minister is Jay Thompson. To learn more about us visit us on the web at www.cornerstone-cc.org.

1.  Always, always, organize your kitchen first: Once the kitchen is organized, everything else can be     unpacked and organized at a slower pace. The kitchen is the “heart” of the home.

2. Take small steps: Start with one room and stay on task. Don’t move to another room until finished        with the first.

3. Unpack one box at a time: Do not unpack several boxes at once or you will get overwhelmed.

4. Purge as you go: You may have packed something you really don’t need. Make sure & label the box         “donate” or “trash”

5. Get the kids involved: A child, as young as 5 years old, can unpack boxes for their rooms with very         simple, yet direct instruction, such as: “Put the toys in this bucket in your closet,” and “Put your clothes     in this dresser.” This is a great way to get them excited about their new room!

Remember your new home is a new start! Happy unpacking!

Marilyn Bopp and her husband, Tommy, have been married for 19 years and have 4 children. Marilyn is a graduate of Auburn University with a BA in Communcations. Tommy, also a graduate of Auburn, owns his own energy consulting company and they have resided in Montgomery their entire marriage. They are members of Eastwood Presbyterian Church and their children attend Eastwood Christian School. Marilyn loves to help families have happy, peaceful, organized homes.

Eat local raw honey to build up an immunity to area allergens

Stay off dairy & wheat if your allergies to do flair up.  Check out homeopathic remedies to prevent future symptoms

Use sunscreen every day to protect your skin.  Try Aubrey Organics Natural Sun or Burt Bee’s Chemical Free Sunscreen.

Avoid mosquito and ant bites.  Try Quantum Health’s Buzz Away, a natural bug control without deet.

Eat organic foods and produce

Work-out at the YMCA or one of the many local parks

Steve Thompson and Willard Henson are the owners of Health Wise, Montgomery’s Health Food Superstore. Steve, who is turning 52, looks like a thirty year old. A former bodybuilder, Steve works on lean muscle and cardio activity. He’s worked out at the downtown YMCA for over 34 years. Willard Henson, a former corporate attorney, has a passion for the wine & culinary areas of the store. He has brought organic wine and beer to Montgomery. Health Wise is dedicated to helping their clients with knowledgeable staff and educational seminars on healthy living.

Neutral colors with accent pieces to add a “pop” of color is still popular. We are seeing smaller furniture coming back in vogue. People are simplifying and reducing their home size. A standard size sofa was 100”, it’s now back to 84”. A mixture of fabrics and styles is still popular.

What is the biggest key in decorating a room?

Lighting, without question, can make the most dramatic difference in a room. Paint colors are affected by it and the feel of the room is determined by it. Adding accent, table or task lighting to a room can make a big impact.

What are your recommendations for decorating with large flat screen TVs?

It used to be common to hang flat screens over a fireplace. However, you need a deep room to keep it at a proper viewing height to avoid neck strain. Many people are buying consoles with side shelves to hold the flat screens which also allow you to add art and accessories. This will warm up the wall and add more visual interest. Another option is to add a series of prints around the TV.

What should you bring to the showroom when shopping?

The most important thing to bring is a sketch of your room with measurements. If you have existing furniture, jot those measurements down as well. Bring in pillows and other accessories to help us match your colors and style. We can also come to your house to help with paint colors and accessories. Designers can help you avoid costly mistakes and help you think through your design. Custom orders or off the shelf, the key is to enjoy the process and to enjoy your space.

Ben Ray helps people 

With a degree in interior design, Ben Ray has helped customers for over 20 years. Ben is married and has two adult sons. His wife, Millie Ray, has her own business making baked goods for 38 grocery outlets. Contact Ben with all your design questions at Chambers Furniture, 334.613.0570 or www.ChambersFurniture.net.

“Cole and I had discussed adoption before we even got married, and I’ve always had a heart for adoption,” Joy said. “I adopted his daughter Sarah Kathryn, and then we were able to have two children of our own, but we were both really convicted that the Lord was calling us to add to our family through adoption.”

Samuel was the Portis’ first addition, and bringing him home was an experience that transformed all of their lives. “When we saw the difference we were able to make in this child’s life and the positive changes he was making in the rest of our family, it was so uplifting. I never really planned for my family to be so diverse and colorful,” Joy said. “But now, none of my children see skin color anymore. It has been wonderful for us all.”