Q: Our 4-year-old changes her clothes several times a day after school and on weekends to "look nice." She'll wear new clothes or use a schoolbag once or twice, and then later refuses them and wants something new. It's very draining. How much force should we use and is it worth the fight?

Michelle Jokinen is once again gathering supplies for troops overseas for her "Stockings for Soldiers" program. Money is needed for mailing costs, as well as for things to put in the stockings. (Plus, more good news from around the region.)

West Nelson's cooking prowess can be traced to two sources: genes and necessity. Genes because both his mother and grandmother were excellent cooks. Necessity because when he was in the third grade, his mom went back to school and he had to take charge.

Hello! I'm Lovina's oldest daughter Elizabeth. I have not written the column in a long time, so I decided to give Mom a break and take a turn at it again. I fried chicken for our supper tonight. Along with chicken we had mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. Yum!

Sometimes it takes a move by one company to spur activity from others, particularly in a down economy. That looks to be the case in Garfield Township, where last month's opening of a new "super" Walmart store in the Grand Traverse Crossing mall will be followed by major big box upgrades planned next year at Meijer and Sam's Club along U.S. 31.

Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow last year had the 11th most liberal voting record in the Senate and was on the party leadership team that unveiled their health care package last week. Rep. Dave Camp has a solid conservative voting record and was among Republicans leading the futile effort to pass a GOP health care alternative in the Democratic-ruled House. But, lo and behold, Stabenow and Camp emerged on the same page last week on promoting alternative energy.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm took office vowing that she would go "anywhere, any time" to bring jobs home to Michigan. And she's lived up to that promise -- with one glaring omission. She has never visited, or even made a special effort to court the largest potential market in the world: China. (Also, how good was GM's news?)

Watching the generations before us get to middle age -- kids grown, finally having freedom and money to travel, buying a cottage or RV in anticipation of retirement -- set the tone for what many of us pictured for ourselves. But that is not the case for baby boomers.

Last Thanksgiving I read this poem at a large and wonderful Thanksgiving gathering with friends in Empire. I love the poem: it feels like a blessing for those of us who aren't inclined toward typical ones. I love its crazy speed, the way the speaker sees us as half-crazed with thanking.