The first-ever Marana Main Street Festival was held over the weekend with plenty of entrants in the bed race and plenty of fun, food and sun in the streets. Spearheaded by town staff and local business owner Teri Murphy, the event is designed to familiarize residents with an area of Marana that was once considered downtown before the introduction of Interstate 10 in the 1960s cut through the area’s development plans.

The first-ever Marana Main Street Festival is coming to the Town on April 5-7. Spearheaded by town staff and local business owner Teri Murphy, the event is designed to familiarize residents with an area of Marana that was once considered downtown before the introduction of Interstate 10 in the 1960s cut through the area’s development plans.

Oro Valley

My family has this non-negotiable Christmas tradition. Many of them, actually, but this one in particular sets the story. Every year, we clear our respective schedules and gather ‘round the Christmas tree on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We blast our Christmas playlist as—one by one—we hang ornaments from the boughs of our tree. The kids and I absolutely love the tradition because it gives us a chance to reminisce over Christmases past as we unwrap layer after layer of bubble wrap to uncover a pajama-clad Santa or a sparkly twirling ballerina or even a fragile depiction of the White House that we picked up the year we visited Washington D.C. My husband is not quite as fond of decorating the tree, seeing as he is responsible for overseeing the little kids as they attempt to hang our very breakable glass ornaments from boughs high and low. I know he stresses out about it, but it gets easier as the years go on. In fact, this year I was the only one to break an ornament. There’s more to it than the Tannenbaum, though; our traditional tree decorating night wouldn’t be complete without steaming mugs of hot chocolate. This single tradition is the one that officially kicks off our holiday season, but it’s far from the only one we adhere to.

(NAPSI)—If you’re like most Americans, your favorite part of a meal is dessert. According to a recent survey, 97 percent of Americans eat dessert more than three times a week.

(BPT) - Make wrapping gifts more fun this holiday season. Get your supplies ready, invite some friends and turn up the holiday music.

The holiday season is arriving fast, and just as quickly, local food banks and charities are collecting large sums of food to help needy families heading into Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

The year was 1623, and the first settlers of Plymouth Colony found themselves in a dire situation. Since their arrival in New England three years earlier, the Pilgrims had struggled to jumpstart their fledgling colony – a settlement founded on the hope of religious freedom and with the financial backing of a group of English investors who expected a handsome monetary return. Under the terms agreed to with their investors, the Pilgrims were to be organized under a commonwealth, a form of government that would ostensibly ensure their survival in the harsh New England environment by allowing each member of the colony to draw from a common pool of resources (while giving the investors back in England the ability to more easily collect profit).

(BPT) - You’re ready to say your “I do’s” in front of your family and friends. Planning a memorable celebration of your commitment to each other, however, doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your commitment to the environment. It’s possible to create the wedding of your dreams and stay “green,” even in the cold, white months of winter.

(BPT) - This time of year, homes across the country are bustling with friends and family celebrating the holidays with festive foods and drinks. Dairy products like butter, milk, cheese and cream are standard ingredients in celebratory dishes, but one area where dairy can play a starring role is often overlooked – the cocktail glass. Instead of just offering wine or beer, the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has put together cocktail tips and tricks for making every gathering a happy hour at home.

I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  As I get older, I remember family traditions and how they are important to carry on.  When I was a child, we always went to Grandma Peggy’s the night before Thanksgiving.  She would make a feast with ham and turkey, mashed potatoes, scalloped corn, green-bean casserole, stuffing, and lots of homemade pies. It was enough for 40 people because that is how many crammed into her two-bedroom home in Southwest Minnesota.   

(BPT) - Thanksgiving and Christmas meals often incorporate a lot of traditional foods and flavors, which as a host, may become a bit boring. But when you have friends and family visiting for several days, there are plenty of opportunities to shine with new flavors and interesting meals.

January

Oro Valley

Of all the seasons, fall is my absolute favorite. Not only does it usher in fresh, crisp air and football (Go Cardinals!) but so, too, does it offer the opportunity to try flavorful pumpkin recipes and cozy casseroles. Those things alone set the season apart, but I like to take it a step further. A couple of years ago I scoured the craft stores in late September. I was on a mission to add a touch of fall décor to my home and I was prepared to consider my shopping splurge an investment. To my surprise and delight, though, I found that many retailers were clearing out their harvest decorations to make way for aisle after aisle of Christmas goodies. I was able to pick up quite a haul at a fraction of the retail price. And then, to fill in the gaps, I searched my own home and neighborhood for items to finish the look. Today, I’m sharing some ideas for inexpensive and festive fall décor with you.

Oro Valley

Mayor Ed Honea and members of the Marana Town Council will be at the

MOVIES

“Becky’s New Car” being shown

The Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) Home and Garden Show is coming to the Tucson Convention Center.  Visitors will encounter a festive autumn theme with pumpkins, gardening, and arts and crafts – all part of this year’s show.

With the weather hinting at cooler temperatures on the horizon, this mom’s focus turns to fall foods. As someone who cooks with the seasons, I look forward to the time of year when pumpkin and warm spices like nutmeg and cloves begin appearing in my recipes. I have a whole Pinterest board (find me at pinterest.com/suchdarcie/) devoted to cozy fall dinners and another that features apple desserts. But one meal that often gets overlooked in seasonal cooking is breakfast. Those of us with school-age children in the house tend to be in such a morning rush that we can consider ourselves lucky to get even a bowl of cereal on the table. Believe it or not, though, there are plenty of recipes out there for moms like us who want to serve a hearty and wholesome hot breakfast in a hurry. I thought I’d share two of my favorites today.

MOVIES

The Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA) Home & Garden Show just got better. This locally-produced home show featuring Tucson businesses runs Oct. 5-7 at the Tucson Convention Center (TCC), 260 S. Church Avenue.