John Killian never planned on being a marathon runner. But three years ago, Killian’s son Sam was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

At neighborsgo.com/stories/8951 , Killian describes the disease as “a progressive muscle disorder that robs boys of their ability to walk by the age of 12 to 14, the use of their arms and hands by their late teens, and ultimately causes heart and lung issues that make it the number one genetic killer diagnosed in childhood, with an average lifespan in the early 20s.”

They were in Anaheim, CA for the fifth annual Student Television Network convention. They returned home with a second place national award.

But there was an added bonus for these Royse City High School broadcast students: while in California, they received a special invitation to appear on Jay Leno.

The JayWalking segment aired last Friday, Jan 25.

To learn more about their exciting adventure, look for the full story to come on neighborsgo.com and in the Feb 9 print edition.

So my 10-year-old daughter gets this homework assignment to list 101 uses for a newspaper. This is going to be so easy, she thought, especially since Mom is an editor.

She got off to a great start, quickly jotting down 62 meaningful uses. Then she paused and asked, "does putting it over your head when it rains and you don't have an umbrella" count?  

That was just after she jotted down "to keep editors employed."

I thought I'd share part of her list here. She's still working on the remaining 39.

A big thanks to Stephanie Martin, Chef Brandt Evans, and the rest of the folks at The Harbor's newest restaurant, Blue Canyon Kitchen, Tavern and Wine Bar. This past Saturday, my husband and I were invited to participate in a "mock dinner," in which the cooks and wait staff practiced for their big grand opening event today.

I loved the lobster ravioli, and my husband thoroughly enjoyed his tenderloin and calamari. At the top of my list: the chef's special creation: lobster corn dogs. You simply have to try it to understand.

All of this served up in the warm and elegant glow of a mountain lodge setting at The Harbor. Even the fog over Lake Ray Hubbard added unique flavor to our special evening.

Judy Telford just let me know that six Rockwall-HeathHigh School apparel students were chosen to display their handy work at Groovy’s in downtown Rockwall. The fashionable skirts are hanging in the storefront window and everyone is encouraged to vote for The Grooviest Skirt by donating to the Women in Need Shelter. 

All proceeds go directly to the shelter and the winning student will receive a prize from Groovy’s owner, Christi Foster. The six finalists are Tiler Bates, Jennifer Hibbard, Trang Pham, Lindsey Sorrenson, Gabriela Pena and Katelyn Winser.

You have until Saturday, Feb. 9 to vote!

Had to share this...it's Great Grandma, riding a four wheeler through the Adirondak Mountains in New York. She's 83.

(In her defense, her hair didn't look like that before she went riding.)

Rockwall Helping Hands urgently needs volunteers to work in the Thrift Store and the Boutique.

Helping Hands, located at 950 Williams Street, is a non-profit assistance agency that has served RockwallCounty for more than 30 years.

It must not have liked my previous post, about how I'm not a very "Idol" person, and how I don't watch much TV. How ironic. I'm sitting there watching the Stars game Sunday afternoon, and the TV goes squirrely, like doing all these vertical lines and fuzzy stuff. Then, just as the Stars are about to score, the picture shrinks down to this narrow point of light and POOF, the screen goes to black.

Well, it's not my valley; it's Robbert and Brenda Bloemendaal's valley of Rowlett. Take this video trip through hundreds of beautiful flowers and you'll think to yourself, What a Wonderful World.