Kendall Country Women November/December 2022

Mandy

Jones

The Jones Christmas Ranch

Creating a full

CHRISTMAS LIGHT

drive-thru experience

2 KENDALL COUNTY WOMAN

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022 3

INSIDE

07__Peggy Schooley

Letter from the Publisher - Peggy Schooley, Publisher

Kendall County Woman Magazine

14_

HairBenders

22_

Mandy Jones

The Jones Christmas Ranch

46_

Boerne Nutrition

08_

Good Reads

November/December

2022

18_

Holiday Cocktails

10_

Calendar

30_

12_

Holiday Fashion

34_

Young Entreprenuar

Maisen Stemple

Abbey Frazier

the Shoppes at 222

4 KENDALL COUNTY WOMAN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022 5

Letter

November

from the Publisher

KENDALL COUNTY

WOMAN

/ December | Issue 24

Dear Kendall County Woman reader,

After a wild few years like we’ve all just endured,

we felt like we wanted to tell a great story of

perseverance, dedication, and frankly, a story that

would just make you smile. I think that we delivered

that with our cover story on Mandy Jones, owners

of the Jones Family Christmas Ranch. What started

as a local “must visit” attraction at the Jones’

personal residence has fast blossomed into being

a full business operation with a heavy non-profit

foundation designed to help local families in need. Located at the old Vanguard school location, this is

sure to set us all up for a great new Christmas tradition!

We enjoyed hearing about not only the origins of the family’s motivations for the extravagant light

show, but also to hear about their very deliberate work with local charities to help those that need it

the most.

In addition, this issue has a slew of other content that we really hopes inspires you to learn more about

your neighbors, their businesses, and to learn even more about our area.

As winter is in full swing, and we begin to already start looking toward the holidays, we hope that you’ll

take a look around at people you might know that would make an interesting story. Local business

owner with a great story? Local woman doing some amazing things? A non-profit that is making a

difference? We want to hear about it! Don’t be shy! Should any of us an email to the right of this letter

and let’s have a conversation. This magazine exists only because of our dear clients and the many

people like you that appreciate our local community enough to support it!

Welcome to the November/December 2022 issue. Let me know if we brought you a smile!

Thanks,

PUBLISHED BY

Compass Creative Texas, LLC

Boerne, TX

Advertising Inquiries: (210) 507-5250

PUBLISHER

Peggy Schooley

peggy@compasscreativetx.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Benjamin D. Schooley

ben@ compasscreativetx.com

210.507.5250

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND DESIGNER

Megan Smart

megan@compasscreativetx.com

SALES & MARKETING

Meredith Sturlin

meredith@compasscreativetx.com

DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY

Compass Creative Texas, LLC

Peggy Schooley, Publisher

Kendall County Woman Magazine



| BOOKS |

| BOOKS |

Good Reads

November/December 2022

Mad Honey

By Jodi Picoult

Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like

to start over. She never imagined she

would end up back in her sleepy New

Hampshire hometown, living in the

house she grew up in with her son,

Asher, and taking over her father's

beekeeping business.

Tomorrow and

Tomorrow and

Tomorrow

By Gabrielle Zevin

On a bitter-cold day, in the December

of his junior year at Harvard, Sam

Masur exits a subway car and sees,

amid the hordes of people waiting on

the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her

name. For a moment, she pretends

she hasn’t heard him, but then, she

turns, and a game begins: a legendary

collaboration that will launch them to

stardom.

A Hill Country

Christmas

By Michael Barr,

Lynn Dean, Gail

Kittleson, Gina

Lister, Shannon

McFarland

A collection of 18 holiday stories from

every corner of the Texas Hill Country.

Five different authors make history

come alive in these multi-cultural

narratives about life and death,

humor and sadness, heartache and

romance, the blessings of Christmas

and the triumph of the human spirit.

The holiday season isn’t always

easy, but these stories are filled with

inspiration from Christmas Past and

hope for the difficult times we live in

today.

The House

Across the Lake

By Riley Sager

Casey Fletcher, a recently

widowed actress trying to

escape a streak of bad press,

has retreated to the peace

and quiet of her family’s lake

house in Vermont. Armed

with a pair of binoculars and

several bottles of bourbon,

she passes the time watching

Tom and Katherine Royce, the

glamorous couple living in the

house across the lake. They

make for good viewing—a tech

innovator, Tom is powerful;

and a former model, Katherine

is gorgeous. One day on the

lake, Casey saves Katherine

from drowning, and the two

strike up a budding friendship.

But the more they get to know

each other—and the longer

Casey watches—it becomes

clear that Katherine and Tom’s

marriage isn’t as perfect as

it appears. When Katherine

suddenly vanishes, Casey

immediately suspects Tom

of foul play. What she doesn’t

realize is that there’s more to

the story than meets the eye—

and that shocking secrets can

lurk beneath the most placid

of surfaces.beatur auta volupti

aut litatem imenit.

The Matchmaker’s

Gift

By Lynda Cohen

Loigman

Even as a child in 1910, Sara Glikman

knows her gift: she is a maker of

matches and a seeker of soulmates.

After making matches in secret for

more than a decade, Sara must fight to

take her rightful place among her peers,

and to demand the recognition she

deserves. Two generations later, Sara’s

granddaughter, Abby, is a successful

Manhattan divorce attorney. When

her beloved Grandma Sara dies, Abby

inherits her collection of handwritten

journals recording the details of Sara’s

matches. But among the faded volumes,

Abby finds more questions than

answers. Why did Abby’s grandmother

leave this library to her and what did

she hope Abby would discover within

its pages? Why does the work Abby

once found so compelling suddenly feel

inconsequential and flawed?

How much of our lives is fate, and how

much is choice?

#Dancefever

7

By Kady Hinojosa

FBI Tactical Intelligence Analyst Mali

Hooper is enjoying life working on a

task force in New York City with her

fiancé, Jacob Black, and a team she

considers family. When a tragedy

leads them to a new case, they are

immediately ordered to disengage.

It's a DEA matter. Unable to move

on, Mali and Jake are forced to take a

leave of absence. But people, the most

disturbing being children, are dying of

a devastating epidemic, so Mali and

Jake decide to act on their own. They

find a chilling clue that sends them

on a trajectory where there's no way

back: Revancha Payback. With the help

of a few friends, including Jake's Army

buddies, they put their careers and

lives on the line with an unauthorized

operation. Can Mali and Jake stay a

step ahead of the DEA and solve the

The Measure

By Nikki

Erlick

One spring day, small wooden

boxes arrive for every person,

all over the world, from

suburban doorsteps to desert

tents. All the boxes feature

the same inscription, “The

measure of your life lies

within,” and vary in only two

ways: the name of the recipient

and the length of the single

string inside. Instantly, the

world is thrust into a collective

frenzy, first to ascertain their

origin and meaning, and then

to confront the truth of the

strings. Told through multiple

perspectives, The Measure

introduces an unforgettable

cast of characters whose lives

weave and interlock with one

another upon the arrival of

the strings. As society divides

itself, the truth has the power

to unravel their long-held

beliefs and relationships all

while forging new alliances and

philosophies about our time on

this earth and our place in the

community. Would you choose

to find out the length of your

life?

Murder at the

Menger

By Kathleen Kaska

It's 1953, and detective Sydney

Lockhart finds herself solving another

murder. The victim is a slick bookie

named Johnny Pine who had his dirty

fingers in pies from Texas to Florida.

Sydney tracks Pine to the Menger Hotel

in San Antonio where she discovers

he's been murdered in the room next to

hers. And as usual, Sydney is a suspect.

With her partner, Ralph Dixon, handling

the case from Austin, or so she believes,

Sydney is working alone in unfamiliar

territory. To make matters worse her

car is stolen, and she elicits the help of

an Irish cab driver named Taco and a

bouncer named Rip. Soon she's on the

trail of Nora Jasper, a harlot jazz singer

and Pine's girlfriend. Corpses start to

pile up, a string of illicit deeds surface

and Sydney's home life goes south. But

the investigation takes a bizarre turn

when Sydney is whacked over the head

and thrown into the river. She surfaces

with a faulty memory, uncertain of

whom she can trust. Her only choice is

to find the killer before the killer finds

her, or before she gets arrested.few

friends, including Jak.

These friends, intimates since

childhood, borrow money, beg

Lily Campanello is familiar with doovers,

favors, and, before even graduating

too. When she and her mom

college, they have created their first

relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the

her final year of high school, they both world is theirs. Not even twenty-five

case, without getting killed first?

hope it will be a fresh start. Their paths years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant,

cross when Asher falls for the new girl successful, and rich, but these qualities

in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for won’t protect them from their own

him, too. Yet at times, she wonders if creative ambitions or the betrayals of

Visit The Boerne Bookshop

she can trust him completely . . .

their hearts. A dazzling and intricately

imagined novel that examines the

153 S. Main St. #120, Boerne, TX 78006

multifarious nature of identity,

disability, failure, the redemptive

830-249-0000 | www.TheBoerneBookshop.com

possibilities in play, and above all, our

need to connect: to be loved and to


love.


| CALENDAR | | CALENDAR |

Bandera

Nov. 4: BuckFest Gala

Mansfield Park Show Barn, 2886 SH 16 North

Bandera County Chamber of Commerce’s annual BuckFest Gala

features a social hour, dinner and dance, live and silent auctions,

and a raffle. banderatex.com

Nov. 5 : Market Days

Bandera County Courthouse Lawn, 500 Main St.

The first Saturday of every month, this market is open with arts

and crafts vendors on the courthouse lawn in downtown Bandera.

banderabusiness.com

Nov. 5, 12, 19, 26 : Cowboys On Main

Downtown Bandera, Main Street

Enjoy free cowboy fun in downtown Bandera. Listen to a chuckwagon

storyteller, hop on a saddle-broke Longhorn, or take a

horse-drawn wagon tour of Bandera. Most Saturdays, the Bandera

Cattle Company Gunfighters perform gun battle reenactments at

“Rattlesnake Ridge” behind the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

banderabusiness.com

Nov. 12 : Veterans Parade and Honors

Various locations

The American Legion 157 Post organizes this 20th annual

celebration that includes displays, information booths, a special

program honoring Vietnam War-era veterans, a parade on Main

Street, and a veterans and spouses barbecue. al157tx.org

Nov. 17 : Third Thursday Cowboy Camp with Lew Peterbaugh

Bandera Beverage Barn, 1407 SH 16 North

Bring your guitar to play along or simply come to listen. Pickers

who play cowboy, Texas, or Western swing music are welcome

to sit in. banderacowboycapital.com/business/bandera-beverage-barn

Nov. 27 : Frontier Times Fourth Sunday Jamboree

Frontier Times Museum, 510 13th St.

On the fourth Sunday of each month, the Frontier Times Museum

hosts this family-friendly event that offers live music, storytelling,

and other performances. frontiertimesmuseum.org

Boerne

Nov. 4: Night Hikes for Adults

Cibolo Center for Conservation, 140 City Park Road

Join naturalist Jasmine Torrez and explore the Cibolo Center for

Conservation to discover various living organisms that call the

Cibolo home. cibolo.org/calendar

Nov. 4-6: Master Artwork Show

The Bevy Hotel, 101 Herff Road

This intimate and unique art experience features artists and interior

designers who are available for discussions and consultations.

Accomplished artists show 2-D art, sculptures, wearable art, glass,

and more on display in the large and open space. ci.boerne.tx.us

Nov. 10 : Fall Diva Night

Hill Country Mile, Main Street

The best girls’ night out on the Mile is back. Fall Diva Night bursts

with late shopping hours, cocktails, delicious bites, music, and

other fun. Come out and support local businesses with a night of

fun shopping. ci.boerne.tx.us

Nov. 12-13 : Market Days

Main Plaza, 100 N. Main St.

On the second weekend of the month, this market offers hundreds

of festive booths displaying everything from collectibles and

remembrances of the past to modern innovations that bring a

smile of wonder to those who stroll past. boernemarketdays.com/

boerne.html

Nov. 25-26 : Dickens on Main

Hill Country Mile, 100 N. Main St.

Boerne’s historic Hill Country Mile transforms into a vintage

Christmas experience, with nonstop entertainment in various

holiday villages set up throughout the venue. The celebration’s

main attractions include live music and performances, visits

with Santa Claus, ice sculpting, children’s take-home crafts, snow

along Main Street, roving musicians, carolers, and other revelers.

adickenscelebration.com

Nov. 26: Music in the Cave: Sounds of the Season

Cave Without a Name Throne Room, 325 Kreutzberg Road

Enjoy Tinsel, an a cappella quartet, for sounds of the Christmas

season with contemporary classics and beloved carols. Described

as sleek, sophisticated, and distinctive, Tinsel has a roster of

professional singers who are Grammy winners and classically

trained vocalists. They entertain audiences with classical and

contemporary original arrangements of holiday favorites. cavewithoutaname.com

Fredericksburg

Nov. 4: First Friday Art Walk

Various locations

Participating fine art galleries remain open until 8 p.m. so visitors

have time to explore the various events and exhibits planned

throughout the day and enjoy local refreshments. Just look for the

galleries flying the Art Walk flag. visitfredericksburgtx.com

Nov. 11-13 : Die Kunstler von Fredericksburg Art Show and

Sale

Once a year over 40 artist of Fredericksburg present their best

work. Meet the artist at the Friday night reception from 5pm to

8pm. Saturday various artist demonstrate their skills and answer

questions. Sunday the People’s Choice and Artists’ Choice awards

are announced. Come, enjoy, and vote for the best if the show art

work. Friday 5pm to 8pm – Saturday 10am to 5pm. — Sunday

11am to 4pm https://https//:dkfredericksburg.org 8302855005

Nov. 12-13 : Disney’s “High School Musical JR”

Steve W. Shepherd Theater, 1668 US 87 South

Fredericksburg Theater Company presents a junior stage version

of Disney’s smash-hit musical. A “brainiac” girl and “jock” boy

cause an upheaval when they decide to audition for the high

school musical. Together, their alliance might just open the door

for other students to shine as well. fredericksburgtheater.org

Nov. 18-20 : Trade Days

Fredericksburg Trade Days, 355 Sunday Farms Lane

Shop more than 350 vendors in seven barns and acres of antiques,

collectibles, tools, crafts, shabby chic, primitives, ranch furniture,

hunting accessories, candles, unique clothing, jewelry, food, and

other items. fbgtradedays.com

Nov. 19 : Historic Home Tour and Holiday Market

Pioneer Museum, 325 W. Main St.

The Gillespie County Historical Society offers tours of historic

homes in and around Fredericksburg as well as a holiday market

that’s decorated in its holiday finest. pioneermuseum.org

Nov. 25-27 : The Peddler Holiday Show

Gillespie County Fairgrounds and Exhibition Hall, 530 Fair Drive

Celebrating over 40 years as Texas’ favorite arts and crafts show,

the Peddler Holiday Show always arrives at the perfect time for

holiday shopping. peddlershow.com

Nov. 25-27 : Trade Days Holiday Encore

Fredericksburg Trade Days, 355 Sunday Farms Lane

Shop twice in November at this encore Trade Days, with over 350

vendors in seven barns, acres of antiques, a biergarten, and live

music. fbgtradedays.com

Nov. 25-Jan. 2 : Eisbahn Outdoor Ice Skating

Marktplatz, 100 block of West Main Street

This annual seasonal outdoor ice skating rink benefits the

Heritage School, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Boys and

Girls Club of Fredericksburg. heritageschool.org/eisbahn

Ingram

Nov. 11-Dec. 17: ArtMart Christmas Gift Showcase

Hill Country Arts Foundation, 120 Point Theatre Road

This annual holiday shopping showcase features handmade crafts

by area artists. hcaf.com

Nov. 18-20, 25-27; Dec. 2-4, 9-11: “A Christmas Carol”

Hill Country Arts Foundation, 120 Point Theatre Road

“A Christmas Carol” recounts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an

elderly miser who is visited by the ghost of his former business

partner Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present

and Yet to Come. After their visits, Scrooge is transformed into a

kinder, gentler man. hcaf.com

Johnson City

Nov. 25-26 : Market Days at Lights Spectacular

Courthouse Square

Held the fourth weekend of the month, this open-air market features

vendors and artisans selling handmade or locally produced

products for the Christmas holiday season. johnsoncitytexas.info

Kerrville

Nov. 5 : Kerr County Market Days and Hill Country Swap

Meet

Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 SH 27

Every month, Market Days features artists and crafters specializing

in original handcrafted items. Hill Country Swap Meet is a

monthly community garage sale/flea market. kerrmarketdays.org

Nov. 5 : Holiday Magic Handmade Crafts Sale

Elk’s Lodge, 1907 Junction Highway

Holiday decorations, handmade crafts, gifts, boutique items,

jewelry, a bake sale, and a light lunch are available at this event,

with proceeds supporting local charities. facebook.com/craftingforgood

Nov. 12-13 : Texas Gun and Knife Show

Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 SH 27

Vendors sell new and used guns, knives, ammunition, coins,

jewelry, camping gear, and outdoor accessories. texasgunandknifeshows.com

Nov. 12 : Open Car Show and Parade

Kerrville VA Hospital, 3600 Memorial Highway

The open car show and parade includes live entertainment, food,

fun, and great comradery; benefits the patients at the Kerrville VA

Hospital; and 100% of proceeds benefit VA patients.

everycarshow.com

Nov. 19: Holiday Lighted Parade and Christmas Tree and

Tranquility Lighting Ceremonies

Kerr County Courthouse, 700 Main St.

Officially welcome the holiday season, and most importantly the

arrival of Santa Clause riding in on his signature fire truck, at this

holiday event. Grab your hot cocoa and join others for this annual

downtown community tradition. kerrvilletx.gov

Llano

Nov. 25-Dec. 31: Starry Starry Nights Lighted Christmas

Park

Badu Park, 300 W. Legion Drive

Sip hot chocolate and stroll along the Llano River enjoying all of

the displays that light up Badu Park. It’s a great place to celebrate

the season with family and friends. llanostarrystarrynights.com

Marble Falls

Nov. 18, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023 : Walkway of Lights

Lakeside Park, 305 Buena Vista Drive

This is one of the biggest holiday events in the Highland Lakes

each year. Two million lights on more than 130 sculptures illuminate

Lakeside Park beginning each year in November. On weekends

and holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve,

children can visit with Santa and his elves. There is no charge, but

donations are accepted. visitmarblefalls.org/christmas-season

Medina

Nov. 5: Medina VFD Hunters Game Dinner

The Farm Country Club, 475 Pue Road

Medina Volunteer Fire Department hosts its annual Hunters

Game Dinner, a fundraiser with dinner and a dance. medinavfd.

com

New Braunfels

Nov. 4-13 : Wurstfest

Wurstfest, 120 Landa St.

During the 10-day festival, find a variety of entertainment, food,

and fun while celebrating German culture. Enjoy carnival rides,

games, German and Texan beers, special events, and the finest

Bavarian-style entertainment. Wurstfest.com

Nov. 15 : Holidays in Gruene: Sip-N-Shop

Gruene Historic District

Stroll through Gruene Historic District enjoying complimentary

beverages and special offers at the many participating shops. This

event is also the official “Kringle Cash” kickoff, available at select

retailers. Stroll as long as you can, then rest your feet at Gruene

Hall with free live music. holidaysingruene.com

Nov. 17 : Come and Taste It: Meet Texas’ Best Winemakers

The Grapevine, 1612 Hunter Road

On the third Thursday of each month (except January), come to

The Grapevine and taste some of Texas’ best wines and craft beer

straight from the winemakers and brewers. This monthly event

features complimentary tastings, live music, and door prizes.

grapevineingruene.com

Nov. 18-20 : Weihnachtsmarkt

New Braunfels Convention and Visitor’s Center, 375 S. Castell Ave.

Weihnachtsmarkt (Vy-noks-markt) is a German-style Christmas

Market with a Texas twist. Held the weekend before Thanksgiving,

this New Braunfels tradition offers the charm of the open-air

Christmas markets of Germany, except indoors. Enjoy gemutlichkeit

(good cheer) and three days of shopping for authentic German

ornaments, unique Christmas decorations, specialty items,

apparel, and fabulous gifts from a wide array of retail merchants

and artisans. newbraunfelsweihnachtsmarkt.com

Nov. 19-20 : Holidays in Gruene: Old Gruene Market Days

and Photos with Cowboy Kringle


Nearly 100 vendors offer uniquely crafted items and packaged

Texas foods. Reserve a spot in advance to create a lasting Christmas

memory with Cowboy Kringle, Gruene’s own brand of Santa.

holidaysingruene.com

Nov. 24 : Holidays in Gruene: Turkey Trot and Kids’ Turkey

Chase


Start your Thanksgiving day with the 14th annual 5K run/walk

through Gruene Historic District. Kids under 12 years old have a

blast chasing a turkey mascot for a quarter mile. Races begin and

end in front of Gruene Hall and benefit local charities, including

the Comal County Sheriff ’s Green Santa Program and the New

Braunfels Police Department Blue Santa Program. holidaysingruene.com

Nov. 25-27 : Holidays in Gruene: Photos with Cowboy

Kringle


Reserve a spot in advance to create a lasting Christmas memory

with Cowboy Kringle, Gruene’s own brand of Santa. holidaysingruene.com

www.TheAgriCultural.org


| FASHION | | FASHION |

Holiday Fashion

VELVET IS THE PERFECT

ADDITION TO ANY CLOSET.

The Madison burnout leopard

velvet top comes in 3 color

options, in sizes S-2XL. We paired

it with black skinny jeans, gold

flats (not sold in store) and great

jewelry. This top could be styled a

variety of ways. Wear it to work or

holiday parties!

LOOKING FOR A FUN

WEEKEND LOOK?

This Southwest

Cactus sweatshirt

(S-2XL), paired with

distressed denim

and a felt hat is the

perfect weekend

look. Of course

we added lots of

turquoise jewelry for

an extra pop!Whether

you're touring the hill

country or out running

errands, you will look

darling doing it!

VELVET &

SEQUINS?

This is a great

holiday look.

The Adalaide

velvet sequin

top is available

in S-2XL, paired

with black skinny

pants, gold

booties (not sold

in store) and of

course the fall

staple, a felt hat!

830-331-7340

312 RIver Road, Boerne TX 78006

info@thepearlantler.com

12 KENDALL COUNTY WOMAN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 13


| BEAUTY | | BEAUTY |

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS IN BUSINESS

What's something that

people would find surprising

about your job?

802 East Blanco Rd

Boerne, TX 78006

Phone: 830-331-9181

ReJeania Bollier

HAIRBENDERS

How long have you been in Boerne?

33 years

What brought you to Boerne?

Better economy and opportunity for growth

What got you into this industry?

As a teen I loved styling my hair and being creative with my makeup.

Often family and friends would ask me to do their hair—and I loved

making people feel beautiful!

What keeps you at your job?

Getting to be creative every single day. Seeing the smiles on clients

faces.

What's something people don't understand about

your job?

You aren’t just a client to me. You are an incredible human being who

has put their trust in me and I will do my absolute best to create a

look just for you!

There is a tremendous amount of

science and chemistry involved

in processing hair color and

permanents. It is a delicate balance

to keep the client’s hair in optimal

condition. For cutting hair there is a

certain amount of math involve-- the

style will change based in the angles

and degrees of how we choose to cut


the hair.

What's been the hardest

part about your job?

Long hours of standing on my feet

with my hands in the air for weeks

and years on end. Many days we

go without lunch or potty breaks,

especially during the holidays. When

you are in my chair—you are my

number one priority.

Where do you see yourself in

5 years?

Right now, I still love being behind

the chair. However, educating new

and upcoming stylists would be a

fabulous place to spread my wings.

I want to share the many years of

knowledge I have gained and pass it

onto the next generation.

Before & After

MODEL: CINDY MCCASH

HAIR : REJEANIA

EYELASHES AND MAKEUP : CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ

Anything you'd like to say to

the local community?

Our goal at Hairbenders is to help our

clients feel better about themselves

and their future. I have spent many

hours in extra training and education

to provide the best look for my clients

What wisdom would you

offer someone thinking

about going into your

profession?

After 30 years,I consider this to be the

most rewarding career path I could

have possible have chosen. I love my

job every day! I love being creative,

having fun with clients and making

them feel amazing about themselves!

TEAM MEMBERS (LEFT TO RIGHT)

Kristyn Carney, Cosmetologist

Colleen Wooley, Cosmetologist

Claudia Rodriguez : Licensed Aesthetician,

Registered in Permanent Makeup

ReJeania Bollier, Owner and Cosmetologist

Misty Hamilton, Cosmetologist


| COCKTAILS | | COCKTAILS |

Holiday Cock tails

by Lillian Oler

Assemble Cocktail Workshop

Spiced Old Fashioned

2 oz Bourbon

1/4 oz Spiced Syrup (see recipe below)

3 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters

Whole orange (to peel)

Grapefruit Fizz

1 oz Cardamom infused Gin or

Alcohol Free Gin Alternative

2 oz Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice

1/2 oz Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

Prosecco or Alcohol Free Sparkling Wine

Alternative

Rosemary

Method:

In a shaker tin with ice, combine gin, grapefruit

juice and simple syrup and shake until

well chilled. Strain over into a coupe glass

and top off with Prosecco. Carefully torch a

rosemary sprig and place over the edge of

the glass. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Method:

Add all liquids required into a mixing glass. Fill ice

above the liquid line and stir for about 20 to 30 seconds.

Strain over a large ice ball in a double rocks

glass. Peel a 2 inch piece of orange peel, with the

pith side up and the outer orange peel facing down

towards the cocktail, squeeze gently to express oil

into the cocktail and gently touch over the rim of

the glass. Trim up peel to make a flag for the rim,

or simply place the expressed peel into the cocktail

between the ice and the liquid. If available, use a star

of anise pod to garnish as well.

Spiced Syrup Recipe:

9 inches of cinnamon stick

12 cloves

12 star anise pods

16 oz 1:1 simple syrup

Assemble Cocktail Workshop is a

unique activity to do on Boerne's Hill

Country Mile. Owner, Lillian Oler has a

passion for hospitality and quality craft

cocktails and looks forward to hosting

locals and visitors alike. Perfect for

girls night out, date night, celebrations,

team building experiences and more.

Reservations can be made online at

assemblecocktail.com.

Start by breaking down cinnamon into small pieces.

Add them and the rest of the spices into a spice

grinder. Preheat a stainless steel pan and add ground

spices. Allow to toast for up to two minutes. Be

careful not to burn the mixture as you'll have to toss

it out start over. In a separate vessel, dissolve 16 oz

turbinado sugar into 16 oz filtered water, then add it

to the pan with the spice mix. Simmer together for

about 5 minutes and allow to cool completely. Strain

and keep refrigerated for up to 10 days. This recipe is

enough for about 30 servings.


#JOINTHECLUB

WASH AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE

FREE VACUUMS AND TOWELS

ONE MONTHLY PRICE

NO CONTRACTS

DOMINION LOCATION

BOERNE LOCATION

AT INTERSTATE - 10 & DOMINION DRIVE 21911

I -10 SAN ANTONIO, TX 78256

SOUTH OF BOERNE BY TRACTOR SUPPLY

1520 S. MAIN ST. BOERNE, TX 78006

FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

www.clubcarwash.com | (833)416-9975

SCAN HERE TO

FIND A LOCATION

NEAR YOU

| FEATURE |

| FEATURE |

Mandy, a 2000 graduate from BISD, and Mike,

a 2000 graduate from Uvalde, met while in

college at Texas A&M. After a brief 6 month

courtship, the duo were married and just

recently celebrated 19 years together.

Upon graduation, Mike was hired with CutCo

as a salesman and the couple were sent to

Amarillo. Mandy explains, “We were just too

far away, and we both agreed we just weren’t

happy. Luckily, Mike was soon promoted and

they moved us back to the area, and we lived

in Schertz”. The couple bought a home, had

two young children, and quickly discovered

that the ISD didn’t serve their expectations

and Mandy explains “we realized that the ISD

wasn’t what we really needed in Schertz. We

knew BISD was a much better school for the

kids, so we came back in 2014 and will never

leave again.”

by Ben Schooley

andy and Mike Jones are serious about Christmas. VERY serious.

So serious that they have taken their well-known Christmas light

show they have hosted at their home for several years, and are

creating a full drive-thru experience on acreage just north of Boerne.

The couple sat down with us to describe where this passion originated,

their plans for the new property...and how big their electric bill can be.

And the Christmas lights

soon made their formal

entrance into the couple’s

life together.


| FEATURE | | FEATURE |

Mike explains, “I look at it as a hobby, but

my passion as well. When I was a kid, some

neighborhoods would decorate big. It was

a thing for us to do as a family. That seems

to have died down in recent memory. When

I had kids I wanted to make sure we were

doing it because I love to just see the sparkle

in their eyes. My dad decorated the house

and I have forever said “Oh man – I have to

do this” so I’ve been decorating the house

since I was 12 years old.”

“I liked the house in Fredericks Creek but I

they cut all that from the show and we didn’t

and we’re simply doing what we know we’re

In 2007, the lights were set to music. In 2008

it started getting to become quite the local

attraction. In 2010, it started winning awards.

knew we wouldn’t be able to do the show that

we wanted. She called me from a house on

Wolfschlager and said “Wait till you can see

what we can do for Christmas!” and so I ran

really like it.”

Speaking of their spirituality, this is core

component of the Jones’ and their passion

supposed to do. It has been simply perfect,

and that means it’s all in God’s plan.”

And God’s plan was for them to expand the

Mandy continues, “Every year it just got

bigger and bigger. I thought it was super

fun and thought it was just a great thing. He

definitely took it to another level.

out there and said “Yup – that’s the one’. I

didn’t even go inside.”

In 2015, the couple relocated again and their

passion for Christmas lights only continued to

for the Christmas light show. Mandy explains,

“It’s so positive. There’s nothing negative you

can take from it. People are always smiling,

happy. Our themes are always focused on

Christ and it is simply designed to make your

outreach, and the couple is doing exactly that.

After growing from 400,000 lights...to

600,000...and even to 800,000 lights which

included a typical electric bill north of $2000

We kept growing out of our house and it

just got nuts. When we bought a new house

we had to consider how we would decorate

the house, how the traffic would flow, etc.

Every house we would grow out of it quickly

because of the decorations.”

grow. Eventually network television even took

notice. Mandy continues, “In 2017 we were

asked to be on Great Christmas Light Fight

on ABC. At that point we were at 400,000

lights. It was a lot of fun. We didn’t have to

apply – they reached out to us. It was fun but

exhausting...it was a contest where we were

heart happy and to focus on Him. We want

them to feel the joy of Jesus when they come

there.” Mike adds, “It’s that time of year that

you can lift someone’s spirit. There’s plenty

of negativity, but this is simply joy. Everyone

smiles. There’s no way you can have a bad

time. I’ve always loved doing this and intend

a month, the couple continued to expand.

Mandy explains, “We were looking for a drive

thru location for our show, and it’s an entire

year project to do this. It’s literally a full time

job. In ‘21 it got so big that we began looking

for land to do this. I got on realtor.com and

found this property and stumbled on the old

In 2007, the lights were set to music.

In 2008 it started getting to become quite the local

attraction. In 2010, it started winning awards.

The couple moved to the Woods of

Fredericks Creek but immediately realized

that the Christmas lights wouldn’t work in

such a neighborhood. So their search for

the perfect home continued. Mike explains,

up against 4 other houses. They have a judge

that goes to each one and he determines the

winner. It was a super fun experience and

they have called us again to try to participate

but we declined. So much of what we do was

about our mission and our Christianity and

to do it for as long as I can. When I was a kid

we didn’t have any money so we only had

a few thousand lights, so I would change

the layout all the time. I’ve already designed

the this year’s layout. This is God’s dream

– not ours. Everything has fallen into place

Vanguard property. We weren’t really sure

what it was or if it would work, but we pulled

in and knew immediately that it would work.

It was time to move the display out of the

neighborhoods and it was just too much. The

amount of people that come to the house


| FEATURE |

| FEATURE |

fee to enjoy the lights, but it’s only to help

So the whole family has begun production for

this year’s show. With a planned 2.5 MILLION

lights for this year, they have their work

cut out for them. With the acreage, there’s

trees to be cleared, roads to be repaired, the

buildings to be re-purposed...and obviously

a LOT of lights to be hung throughout

the property and programmed via Mike’s

software he uses to synchronize everything.

cover the substantially larger costs and also

for them to grow their ability to extend their

charitable efforts. Mandy continues, “What

would we like to say to the community of

Kendall County? That’s easy: Thank you.

We couldn’t thank the community enough

for the support and for believing in our

mission and outreach to those families we’ve

anonymously helped. So many families have

no idea where some of our gifts have come

every year grew and we knew we’d have to

pull back due to the traffic or we’d have to

take it to the next level.”

Mike continues, “there was power, lots of

electrical infrastructure, 8 buildings, these

great roads that ran through the property,

and the location was perfect. I do a lot of

nonprofit work and so my passion is about

that, so when we pulled up we saw this 18k

square foot gym I thought about all the great

outreach work that we could do. “Shine

Bright Ministries” is one that we work closely

with – we’re going to host events throughout

with kids, and we host them, feed them, have

Santa, give them gifts, and try to give them

just a magical gift. We’ve always done work

like that and with the giant gym, I knew we

could do so much more.”

Mandy adds, “We didn’t want to look back

in 20 years and say “We shoulda bought it”.

We were praying so hard to find the land like

this and when we found it we just knew that

we had to move on it. We pulled up and there

was Christmas lights on the tree and we just

knew it was for us. They did a big Christmas

deal every year and when we walked the

Since inception, the couple has simply softly

asked for donations to offset some of the

cost of the show, and then they quietly give

the majority of the money away to those

in need. Mandy continues, “I’m big into

outreach. We’ve seen so much good come

with this. It’s so much more than Christmas

lights. We’ve gotten anonymous letters in

the mail and they are so moving and that’s

what keeps us going. How many more people

can we help? Who can we reach? This is a

ministry. We reach so many different people

and it’s such a unique way to do it – and

Jesus is the reason we do this. These letters

about how their lives are over and the lights

made their heart happy or they lost a relative

recently and the lights made the season

special again. My first word as a baby was

LIGHT. It’s apparently always been a thing. I

tell the kids “be the light in the darkness” so

yeah, it’s been a theme.”

from and that simply sustains me. But I

couldn’t do any of that without the support of

the community. To step in and get someone a

car who couldn’t get to work...to help cancer

patients, to get wardrobes for kids that

didn’t have clothes, to work with so many of

the local charities that do amazing things.

You don’t think there’s kids here actually

sleeping on the floor, but there are a lot. The

admission will not only assist us with keeping

this going, but we’ll be able to reach so many

more people now.”

As for the future plans for the family, they’re

uncertain. However, they are certain that it

will include the lights. Mandy finishes, “We’ll

do this forever, and maybe one of the kids will

want to do it. They’ve only known decorating

and when we’d drive around and the kids

would yell “Bah Humbug” if they didn’t have

lights, we’d all laugh. As a family, we’re just

so passionate about it and it drives us year in

After growing from

400,000 lights...to

600,000...and even to

800,000 lights which

included a typical

electric bill north of

$2000 a month, the

couple continued to

expand.

the year in children’s homes. Every Christmas

we host kids from other groups that work

property, we just knew it would work. Who

else would this be meant for?”

For the future, the family intends to have a

and out. It feeds our souls, so how could we

ever stop doing that?”



| PROFILE |

Abbey Frazier

the Shoppes at 222

222 S. Main St. in Boerne

Open 10am-5pm Monday - Friday

10am to 6pm Saturday.

12pm to 5pm Sundays.

Best Little Gift shop on

Main Street in Boerne,

TX....there is Something

for Everyone!

How long have you been in Boerne? What

brought you to Boerne?

I have been in Boerne for 8 years, born and raised in the

Hill County. Love the Hill Country and Texas!

What got you into this industry?

I've always wanted to have a boutique and share the

experience with my 2 daughters. We started the Cactus

Daughter back in March of 2021. I had the opportunity

to take over this amazing historic building and share this

space with wonderful local vendors to create the best gifts

on Main Street and offer "Something for Everyone."

What keeps you at your job?

The people that walk into the door every day. AND my

vendors. They are the ones that make this shoppe so

unique and special.

What makes your store so special to you?

My vendors. They are all local or the next county over.

They handcraft their own items or lease a space to create

their own creative niche. There is truly something here for


everyone!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully winning the Best Boerne Explore for Best Gift

Shop in 2023!

Anything you'd like to say to the local

community?

We are an amazing shoppe offering many local and

handcrafted items. Stop on by for yourself, a special

someone—maybe create an amazing gift basket, and

definitely enjoy some homemade ice cream from Blithe

Creamery while shopping with us. Support local and shop

small!


| YOUNG |

ENTREPRENEUR

Maisen Stemple

Maisen's Lemonade & Lawns

Young entrepreneur,

Maisen Stemple, is in business

of lawn maintence and selling lemonade.

We asked him a few things about his business.

When did you start your business? 2019

Tell us about how you got into

entrepreneurship? I wanted to make money for things

I wanted, so I talked to my mom about having a lemonade

stand, as I got busier I started to offer other drinks, like ice tea

flavored lemonades and eventually snacks. As the weather

changed I decided that I could go around the neighbourhood

and ask if I could rake leaves, trim small bushes, weed eating

and things like that.

What has been the most challenging part of

working for yourself? I would say I am a little shy

so sometimes I get embarrassed to ask if I can work for

someone, but once I find a client and they are happy then it's

word of mouth so it helps me feel better.

What has been your favorite part of your

business? Making money honestly, and getting to talk to

my clients and asking them how their day is or what their

plans are, I like to meet people and I like to talk to them about

what they do for a living, and I always ask how much money

do you make ..... I try to compare jobs so I can figure out what

I want to be when I grow up.

What would you like to do when you grow

up? I want to be a business man, I want to do everything I

like working outside but I also like to calculate numbers. As

long as I can make money to buy what I want I don't want to

narrow down my search yet.

If you'd like to go to college, where would that

be? A&M as of right now but I'm not really sure.

Anything to say to the community as a whole

and your parents?

Money doesn't grow on trees, so you must work hard for

those things you need and want, and you will learn a lot too if

you work for what you want.

What are your next plans for business? I earned

enough money for a leaf blower last summer so I added that

on my lawn care side, and next I would like to make enough

money for a pressure washer so I can pressure wash drive

ways and houses too.



Boutique & Gifts

DaisyPearlBoutique.com

404 South Main Street

Boerne, Texas

830-331-1349


| PROFILE | | PROFILE |

Kyrsten Budde Valenzuela

WOMEN DOING

WONDERFUL

Things in Kendall County

Nominated by local women, these ladies are creating businesses,

relationships, art, and teaching kids real life skills.

Elizabeth Nolen

Laura White

Blythe Zemel

“I immediately thought of my mother and wanted to submit her:

Elizabeth Nolen, former director of Boerne ISD student mentoring

program, brought the concept of Free Little Art Gallery to Boerne,

Texas. Her project unites and connects people of all ages. More Free

Little Art Galleries have opened in Boerne, introducing and nurturing

“Blythe Arts with Girl with Grit is awesome. She is selfless

and does amazing work with the girls and boys of our community.

She teaches them real life skills and is amazing! The

art and creation in our special little town. Elizabeth believes art should impact she has on young teenagers is so very cool to witness.

“Kyrsten Budde Valenzuela is very involved in our community. She’s

be accessible to all, to participate with humanity in a shared yearning They open up to her in a way that no other adult can do. She is

the owner/manager of Agape Equine Ranch and is an accomplished

to live in this place we call the world. She looks forward to meeting, currently expanding through the hill country and Austin.”

competitor who regularly competes at barrel races, rodeos, and

supporting, and growing with others through this unique and new way

ropings. She gives horse lessons to kids of all ages and is a spiritual “I'd love to nominate Laura White. She started the Craft Beer Girls of

of experiencing art!”

Girl with Grit Program is a 501c3 nonprofit that was officially

mentor to them. She is always willing to go the extra mile for her

Boerne group and is (possibly without knowing it) bringing so many

started by Blythe Zemel in December of 2020. Blythe had recently

families and of course the animals. She just expanded her business

to include horse rehabilitation. Kyrsten also started a nonprofit called

women together. The Facebook group has grown greatly over the last

several months with meetups at local breweries and restaurants. I

Check it out at https://www.elizabethannanolen.com/

free-little-art-gallery

developed a line of female safety glasses, Safety Sasses

and became aware of that we often overlook teaching girls

Sacred Echo Ministry to help abused and bullied kids.”- Kathy Budde know it has impacted sales at these establishments and has allowed

some fundamental skills.

-

ladies a common reason to come together. Her gatherings are casual

Check it out at https://girlwithgrit.com/

and welcome to all. What she is doing is so great for our beer-loving

community--so much better than a book club in my opinion.”

-Lauren Watson

- Lillian Oler



| COMMUNITY |

Hill Country

Family Services

HELPING THE COMMUNITY

“I’m still in shock”, said Sandy. “Things like this

don’t happen to people like me. I have a college

degree!” Sandy continues to explain, “I lost my

job due to COVID -19. We definitely need my

income to pay for our household expenses”.

When a crisis occurs it’s not just affecting the adults

in the home. “We have three kids at home, and one is

in full-time pre-school.” Sandy is not alone. COVID-19

forced hundreds of local families into an unexpected

panic when they lost their jobs or were furloughed

in 2020. “We moved to Boerne less than a year ago

because they schools are so incredibly good. But it

was an expensive decision. We really stretched our

finances to give our kids the best quality of life. Without

my income, I’m not sure we’re going to be able to

financially survive for very long.”

Sandy and her family were experiencing a short term

yet terrorizing crisis in 2020. Local nonprofit Hill

Country Family Services (HCFS) was able to immediately

intervene and provide the assistance needed to

keep Sandy and her family stable until Sandy could

find a new job.

HCFS provided emergency financial assistance to pay

the next month’s mortgage, fresh and healthy self-selection

groceries for three months and all toiletry

and household cleaning items at no cost to the family.

Even the family dog received dog food from the Daisy

Cares program through a HCFS partnership with the

San Antonio Food Bank.

What exactly is a crisis?

Everyone’s “crisis” is different. But 2020 was the great

equalizer when everyone on Earth was affected by the

crisis called COVID-19. HCFS has quietly been serving

families in Boerne in crisis for 36 years. HCFS uses the

industry standard definition of a crisis to determine if

they can help local individuals and families: Crisis

(1) Crisis intervention can wait up to 72 hours,

(2) The crisis is a disruption to daily functioning

for an individual or family

(3) Someone in crisis can recover quickly with

assistance, intervention, and community

support.

When a family is faced with a crisis, humility, and

vulnerability and sometimes fear is extremely evident

when they reach out for help. Staci Almager, CEO of

HCFS, explains, “We believe that our purpose and

our role in the community is to help an individual or

family get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

Bad things do happen to extremely good people. But

a crisis doesn’t have to last forever. With our help, a

family can and will recover from any crisis”.

Sandy’s family recovered from their short-term crisis.

They continue to share their experiences and vulnerability

on social media with others. They have chosen

to be part of reducing the stigma of asking for help

when experiencing a crisis.

HCFS acts as a community

triage organization helping to

identify as many local nonprofit

agencies to assist the individual

and family along with HCFS.

Staci says, “No local nonprofit

organization can serve alone.

We need all of our friends and

partner agencies working

together to help solve complex

crisis issues”.

Are you or do you know someone in the

community currently struggling with a crisis?

Or, would you like to donate or volunteer?

Contact Staci Almager at (830) 249-8643 or

info@hcfstx.org

44 KENDALL COUNTY WOMAN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022 2021 45 29

| HEALTH |

| HEALTH |

A SUCCESSFUL DIET WORKS WHEN YOU EAT WITH INTENTION.

Everybody does it. The family gets together,

you're staring at the mountain of rolls in the

face, your aunt Susan's sugary yams are

staring at you in the face and you say "Ooo

lawdy lets do this", and you immediately regret it

the next day. This is OKAY. If you are dieting, the

situation gets tricky when this "isolated" occasion

becomes reoccurring.

A successful diet works when you eat with

intention. Say you know you're going to a family get

together that evening, or you know you're going to

want to sit down later in the evening with a bowl of

popcorn and ice cream; just allocate your calories

accordingly. However, DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF.

Eat light healthy meals for breakfast/lunch, maybe a

meal-replacement shake (cough, cough maybe from

Boerne Nutrition), with healthy snacks in between,

and this will set you up for a high calorie meal later

in the day.

Boerne

Nutrition

By Eric Wendt



| HEALTH |

| HEALTH |

Some folks also will use healthy

drinks to help them get to their next meal

if they're feeling the munchies. Caffeine

can be used to curve the appetite to help

avoid those mid-day cravings, which

quickly raise your daily caloric intake.

Again, all of this is just general

advice for those who are dieting. This is

not for everybody. At Boerne Nutrition we

try to make eating healthy fun and tasty.

Our energizing tea are full of vitamins and

will leave you operating at a higher level

throughout the day. Our shakes, waffles,

and protein coffees offer a wonderful

meal replacement to help you take control

of your diet and daily caloric intake.

Shoulders Taps

104 E Hosack St,

Boerne, TX, United States, Texas

(830) 443-2182

Weareboernenutrition@gmail.com

AT BOERNE NUTRITION WE TRY TO MAKE

EATING HEALTHY FUN AND TASTY.



Full Service

Hill Country Caterer

We specialize in YOUR kind of food.

No matter the size or occasion we can handle it all!

Give us a call for your next event!

830-765-2479

www.riverside-catering.com


NOW ACCEPTING

TRICARE!

COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMINATIONS | EYE CARE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Jennifer L. Johnson, OD, FAAO

Therapeutic Optometrist

Optometric Glaucoma Specialist

Jennifer Johnson has dreamed of becoming an optometrist

since she was in middle school, and through hard work and

determination, she made her dream come true.

At the young age of four, Jennifer was diagnosed with

accommodative esotropia and hyperopia, and was prescribed

her first pair of eyeglasses and began engaging in vision therapy.

It was during this phase of her life that she was introduced to a

whole new visual world, and began developing her passion for

optometry.

Jennifer attended Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA),

where she successfully completed the pre-professional program

in 1996. During her time at SFA, she worked as an optometric

technician for four years, which is where she learned all aspects

of running an optometry practice. Upon graduating from SFA,

she was accepted to Southern College of Optometry (SCO), in

Memphis, Tennessee, where she graduated with honors in 2000.

She then moved to San Antonio and started practicing on the

south side of town in a multi-specialty eye clinic.

Missing her small-town roots and dreaming of practicing within a

familiar, close knit community, she and her family moved to Boerne,

Texas in 2009. In 2011, Jennifer joined the staff at Boerne Vision

Center, where she established close personal relationships with

members of the community. While working as part of the Boerne

Vision Center team, she began participating in, and graduated

from, “Leadership Boerne,” which is sponsored by the Boerne

Chamber of Commerce. In addition, she joined the Board of the

Rainbow Senior Center at the Kronkosky Place in 2012 and was

named Boerne Business Woman of the year in 2015.

After more than 17 years of practicing optometry and gaining

experience in various areas of eye and vision care, under the

supervision of talented mentors and experienced optometry

professionals, Jennifer decided it was time to realize her dream

of owning and operating her own practice. After consulting

God through prayer, and her family, in August of 2017, Jennifer

Johnson founded Johnson Eye Care in Boerne, Texas.

In addition to serving the Fair Oaks and Boerne community as

a talented optometrist, Jennifer is also married to Dr. Michael

Johnson, who was also her high school sweetheart. Together, they

have two amazing daughters, Cate and Grace. The Johnson family

lives in the Fair Oaks Ranch community, where they are active

members of First United Methodist Church of Boerne, and serve

the community through various ministries. Cate and Grace enjoy

participating in many of the weekly children’s and youth programs

at their church.

BEST OF THE BEST

IN BOERNE

1375 South Main Ste. 202 (next to Dietz-McLean Optical) :: phone: 830-428-0901 :: fax: 830-331-4100 :: @JohnsonEyes

HOURS


Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Wednesday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM :: Friday 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

www.johnsoneyes.com

Kendall Country Women November/December 2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?