November Editor's Letter

Ah, siblings. There really is nothing like them. I have five: three brothers and two sisters. I am the oldest of this crazy crew, and what a ride it’s been up to this point. Oh, the stories we can tell when we are all together! Some of the craziest and funniest times I’ve spent have been with them. And some of the saddest and hardest also have been spent with this group. We’ve seen each other through growing up, marriages, births, surgeries, deaths and all the little day-to-day living that happens in between.

While we’ve known for a while that siblings play a part in shaping who we become, new scientific research has been published that looks into the role siblings play in our development and the affect they have on the person we become. Lauren Greenlee takes a look at the “Science of Siblings”. And she discovers that scientific research has proven having siblings can affect your weight and make you thinner. I need to call out my brothers and sisters and let them know they are failing me in this aspect!

I absolutely cannot believe it is November! Where did 2016 go?!? As we do each November, we pause on the fourth Thursday and turn our minds to giving thanks for our many blessings. Oftentimes, the busyness of the holiday overshadows its true meaning. Sarah Lyons shares ideas on how to cut down on distractions and make the holiday more meaningful in your home this year. Check out her terrific ideas. In the Sarver home we’re going to try her “take a break” idea. Have other ways to celebrate the holiday with more intention? Share them with me—I’d love to hear how you make the holiday less crazy and more meaningful in your home!

Happy Thanksgiving, Kansas City!