Mill Creek Life (2024)

14/01/2021

It's a New Year and time for a New Home! Visit the team at 's Greenhouse Pointe Model Home and take a tour. Just blocks from downtown Geneva, these custom homes have all of the gorgeous features that will check off all your needs and wants.

To learn more, call 630-980-4364
Model Home Open:
Monday: 3-6pm
Tuesday: 10-1pm
Sat & Sun: 12-3pm

1115 Western Ave.
Geneva, IL 60134

11/01/2021

How are you and your family enjoying the winter? Whether it is playing in the snow, enjoying a winter vacation, or any other fun winter activities, Mill Creek Life wants to highlight it! Send your photos and stories to [email protected] to be featured!

14/12/2020

's newest community, located in Geneva, is waiting for you! Come visit the model home at Greenhouse Pointe and chat with the designers. Featuring high quality, custom design and details, you will find the perfect home here that will check off all of your needs and wants.

26/11/2020

Happy Thanksgiving Mill Creek! 🦃 🍂

We hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday!

What are you thankful for this year and what are you excited to eat on this holiday?

23/11/2020

Meet Maple! She is a miniature pinscher, chihuahua, dachshund, beagle mix. She has lived in Mill Creek for five years. Her family got her from a rescue in Kentucky. While in Kentucky, Maple had an accident, which caused her to lose a leg. But losing a leg has not slowed her down one bit! She loves to run, meet new people, and most of all go for car rides!

20/11/2020

2020 has undoubtedly been a year of change for everyone in your household. Corporations big and small have moved many of their employees from in the office to working from home, while many schools have headed into the new school year with either full or partial virtual learning. All of these changes have shown that there is a real need for households to create home offices and learning areas in order to stay organized and minimize chaos. This need is exactly what Mill Creek resident Lisa A. wants to help fellow residents tackle.

Lisa, her husband Ryan, and their children Kyle and Jordan have lived in Mill Creek for 11 years! Kyle and Jordan both attend Geneva High School and are very active athletes. Kyle is a baseball and football player, and Jordan is a very serious dancer who studies ballet at a prestigious ballet school in downtown Chicago. Lisa, a corporate interior designer for nearly 30 years, had her once very busy schedule come to a screeching halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. After being furloughed for over three months and with the future being unknown, Lisa knew she needed to make a change. Like many families, COVID put the security of her family on the line, and she realized there was no better time to chase her dreams than now. As households, including her own, found their needs changing, Lisa knew she could help make a difference, and in June 2020, Lisa opened LLC.

Lisa shared with Mill Creek Life that her goal is to truly help people through the new reality of COVID. “The deeper we get into this virus, the more we are learning that the work-life we once knew has forever changed. It’s time to stop working at your dining table, sitting on those hard dining chairs. If you are fortunate to have an existing home office that was sufficient for a few hours of time a week but cannot accommodate a full day of work, it’s time to upgrade. Good enough is not good enough any longer.” Lisa strives to help others create permanent solutions that allow them to focus, be efficient, and be comfortable.

17/11/2020

Meet Brennan! When Brennan is not participating in sports, such as flag football, soccer, or fishing, he can be found watching any Youtube video about the outdoors or the military. From an early age, he demonstrated strong patriotism and pride for his country. Listening to the national anthem and decorating for the Fourth of July on family trips to Maine are just a couple of ways Brennan showed his red, white and blue pride. The simple participation in holiday festivities turned into a passion for learning and understanding the history of this country.

In August, Brennan talked about creating a tribute for September 11, 2001. Brennan searched for flags that represented the significance of 9/11. He ordered the flags, and his plan was in motion. Next, Brennan built flag poles using old tent poles and zip ties. Then the digging began. Several days of using a drill and good old fashioned manpower and the holes were ready. As with most everything Brennan sets his mind to, his simple plans continued to grow. Words of encouragement and appreciation from neighbors provided continued support for the work he was doing. In the days ahead, Brennan added several small flags to the yard, spotlights to highlight the display, and white lights to outline the tribute.

Throughout the week of September 11, Brennan sat outside playing carefully chosen songs that captured the memories and feelings of that historic day. The calm, serene atmosphere drew in neighbors, friends, and family who appreciated all of his efforts. Many visitors told stories about their memories of 9/11. Others stood in quiet reflection, while some admirers stopped and thanked Brennan for his hard work and positive contribution to the neighborhood. When asked why he created the tribute, Brennan simply stated,” I did it for everyone in our neighborhood to enjoy and help make people smile again.”

Brennan’s empathy, kindness, and compassion for others go well beyond his years. Brennan’s service to others has always been a special gift that he continues to share.

12/11/2020

This Veterans Day, we honor those who served and thank them for our freedom. We work to teach our children to be kind, to pay it forward, and not to take anything for granted.

We at N2 and Mill Creek Life want to thank all those who have selflessly served our country. Without you, we would not be able to enjoy all the freedoms this great country provides! 🇺🇸

10/11/2020

This recipe for orange cranberry sauce is tart, sweet, and spiced and so easy to prepare. The orange liqueur highlights the natural fruit flavor, an extra special twist. This sauce pairs well with turkey, pork, bacon, ham, and lamb. I like to prepare a large batch and freeze the extra for future meals.

Ingredients:
24 ounces fresh cranberries, cleaned
1 1/2 cups orange juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup orange/cognac liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
1 Tbs. water
2 Tbsp. plain gelatin powder (2 envelopes)
1/2 cup raw honey or more to taste
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
1 15-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained (optional)

Instructions:
- Combine the cranberries, orange juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a large saucepan, bring to a simmer uncovered over med-high heat. Continue to simmer until the berries begin to burst about 5-7 minutes.
- Place the liquor and water in a large bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top to soften (1 minute). Pour the hot berry mixture over the softened gelatin, stir well. Let the mixture cool for 1 minute and then stir in the honey and mandarin oranges.
- This recipe makes approximately 6 cups of cranberry sauce. Store it in the fridge for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

05/11/2020

Phew...well that was a whirlwind spring, summer, and fall. Seems like just yesterday we were freaking out about snow in April and finding a home in July for all the plants we fell in love with. With impending doom approaching…er...I mean winter...I always take time to reflect on the garden season before I put the garden to bed and turn my thoughts to what I’m going to do next year. Here are some things to do in the garden in the late fall/early winter to make sure that all your hard work from March through October wasn’t for naught.

Check for critter damage and protect your plants. Were the rabbits eating a certain plant every.single.week? If so, I will wrap a little chicken wire “collar” around the plants I know they will keep after once I’ve gone inside for the year.

Note plants that didn’t do what you expected them to do. The plant could be struggling due to the drought we had and will need a little extra help next spring with fertilizer and regular waterings. Or it could mean that a plant is aging out and will need to be removed next year because it’s past its prime.

Put some thought into your wish list of plants for planting in 2021. I have seen so many misplanted plants this year. Folks fall in love with that cute little spruce at the big box store and don’t take the time to investigate its habit (or the fact that blue spruce are dying from a fungal disease and shouldn’t be planted!).

Check out the rest of the gardening tips in the November edition of Mill Creek Life!

02/11/2020

Meet Mason H. and learn how he is staying connected to Mill Creek's GreenField residents below!

“During mail call, if you didn’t get any mail, it was a downer,” said John. The Navy veteran talks from experience. “This goes way back to my mother. She was a letter writer, so that rubbed off on me. I like to send mail, and I like to get mail.”

John is doing his best to help limit the "downer" days that Mason has. While he was a student at Geneva High School, Mason, whose family lives in Mill Creek, worked as a dining room server at GreenFields of Geneva. The senior living community, which is also in Mill Creek, is where John lives with his wife, Miriam. “I talked to Mason early on. I remember him telling me that he had signed up for the Marines. I always was asking about his status, whether he’d heard from them or not,” said John. Mason "got the call" and prepared to leave for boot camp after graduation this spring. “I didn’t get to see him because we were in quarantine,” said John. “I wrote a letter and asked for it to be given to him. That started it off.”

“It” has been a pen pal relationship between Mason and John, as well as a couple of other residents of GreenFields. “After Mason got to San Diego for training and he had a little bit of time, he wrote back, and then we started writing back and forth,” said John.

Karen T., life enrichment manager for independent living at GreenFields, has helped coordinate the letter-writing campaign. “Mason is writing back, which is so sweet. He’s very honest about his training being hard. He’s tired, but when he gets a few minutes free, he writes. It’s really touching. He has so little time for himself, and when he does, he writes to the residents. I’ve seen his letters. The chicken scratch makes them so real and from the heart.”

Photo credit: Karen Michel

02/11/2020

Greenhouse Pointe in Geneva comes with a variety of floorplans and custom design options available. Brought to you by one of our newest sponsors, Nitti Development, this is the perfect community for anyone looking to make their own vision come to life! Top quality products and appliances are featured in every home. Steps away from the heart of Geneva, the location of these homes truly can't be beat!

Interested in touring one of their gorgeous new homes? Stop in this weekend during the model home open hours!

Model Home:
1115 Western Ave, Geneva IL
Open House Hours: Sat & Sun
12pm-3pm

27/10/2020

These oooey, gooey, chocolate peanut butter bites are irresistible, protein-packed, and can be made gluten-free. Get the recipe below and enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup raw honey
3 ½ Tbs. butter softened
1 LG. egg
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
4 Tbs. tapioca flour or arrowroot powder (gluten-free) or all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Have all ingredients ready at room temperature. Preheat the oven 350 degrees and lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream the peanut butter, honey, and butter. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually mix the cocoa mixture into the peanut butter mixture, then fold in the chips.
4. Place 1 tsp. of the batter in rows, 2 inches apart. Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10, minutes. These taste great warm out of the oven with a glass of chilled milk. For storage cool cookies completely and store in a sealed container in the fridge.

23/10/2020

We wanted to highlight GreenFields of Geneva who is one of our wonderful sponsors! Read more about them below and check them out!

During what is commonly known as an "unprecedented time," the team at GreenFields of Geneva senior living community has been consistently providing unparalleled service to its residents. As a Life Plan Community, GreenFields offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, short and long-term rehabilitation, and skilled nursing, all under the one roof of its beautiful 26-acre landscaped campus in Mill Creek.

Pony Express Pen Pal Program
GreenFields’ Pony Express Pen Pal Program matched residents with volunteer pen pals throughout the area. Looking for ways during the stay-at-home order for residents to stay engaged, Karen, life enrichment manager, reached out for volunteers using Facebook. Thirty-six individuals/families (many from Mill Creek) promptly signed up, with more than 15 joining in. Families sent the letters, and sometimes gifts, for Karen to deliver, pony-express style, to their apartments. The reverse was done with the letters that the residents wrote back.

Balcony Bash
They snapped their fingers, swung their hips, and boogied. Sporting bright yellow concert T-shirts, residents of GreenFields enjoyed great music and beautiful weather as they listened to live entertainment, strategically placed around the perimeter of their campus. In their very own Lallapaloosa-styled event, musicians wearing tuxedos playing classical music and show tunes, an Elvis look-alike leading a band in classic rock, and every genre in-between, performed along the grounds of the property.

21/10/2020

Meet Mill Creek resident Barb! Barb and her husband, Jeff, have been Mill Creek residents since 2015. Barb has been retired for five years from the telecom industry where she was a program/project manager. As a member of the , Friends of the Library, and Chicago Parrothead Club, Barb is very heavily involved in the community! She has made a great difference in Geneva as she annually raises funds for the and the . She is also a member of three book clubs, including one in Mill Creek!

About two years ago, Barb developed a process which she calls 1 Story at a Time. This process helps adults document their own life stories, allowing them to easily share these stories with their families. Prior to COVID-19, Barb hosted two 1 Story at a Time workshops in the Geneva area. Unfortunately, the second two workshops had to be canceled due to COVID-19.

With the workshops being canceled and like many others during the pandemic, Barb found herself with extra time on her hands. With her writing background, Barb came up with the idea to have children document, on paper, what they are experiencing during the pandemic. To make it a little extra exciting for kids, she thought it would be great to make it into a time capsule!

To read the rest of Barb's story, check out the October issue of Mill Creek Life!

20/10/2020

We wanted to share some photos of residents gathered together while staying socially distant to enjoy an evening filled with good company and the great music of !

12/10/2020

In this month's Resident Business Beat, we learn more about Shannon who is a Mill Creek resident and owner of The Redhead Cakery. She has been creating delicious cakes and cupcakes to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers, and holidays.

Shannon began her cake decorating adventure over 20 years ago after taking some Wilton cake decorating classes. Fully believing anytime is a good time to eat cake, Shannon has enjoyed bringing her creations to family events or finding any reason to throw a party of her own to share her delicious treats. After finding herself making cakes for friends and family, Shannon decided to go into business doing what she loves and The Redhead Cakery was born.

Read the rest of Shannon's story in the October issue of Mill Creek Life

08/10/2020

Meet Merlin and Rhea!

Rhea is an African Grey. She loves to eat ice cream and french fries! Rhea is ready to say hello anytime she hears the phone ring and tells the dogs to "be quiet!" Unfortunately, her old family did not have enough time for her so she began plucking her feathers but since joining her new family in Mill Creek, many of her feathers have grown back!

Merlin is a Cocktail! He loves to dance and is a big cuddle bug! He also likes to chase the dogs whenever given the chance. Merlin's previous owners surrendered him to a rescue. He loves being in his new home in Mill Creek!

05/10/2020

Meet Katerina! Katerina has been a resident of Mill Creek for twenty years and has just returned home from a one-year deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba! Katerina enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in June 2018. After enlisting, she headed to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, for OSUT (one station unit training). After training was complete, Katerina graduated as a Military Police Officer.

Katerina has known she wanted to be in law enforcement since she was young. She shared that growing up with her amazing parents, she was exposed to the best of both worlds in regards to social work and public service. They both have extremely demanding jobs that require compassion and heart. Katerina’s mom, Evelyn, is a school counselor at Glenbard East High School and her dad, David, is the Commander of Northern Patrol with the Illinois State Police. Katerina saw the wonderful impact that her parents made on the community and has followed in their footsteps. Her brother, John, is also making an impact as he is an airborne infantryman who is currently stationed in Vicenza, Italy.

Mill Creek thanks you, Katerina, for your service!

To read the rest of Katerina's story, check out the October issue of Mill Creek Life!

Photo Credit:

02/10/2020

This tasty, high-protein pancake is the perfect way to start any busy day. Naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup, kissed with the flavors of toasted nuts, and topped with fresh fruit. This paleo/keto-friendly, Dutch-style pancake can’t be beaten!

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2/3 cup almond milk
3 Tbs. pure maple syrup, plus additional for topping
1 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour or gluten-free flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. lemon zest or ground cinnamon
2 ½ Tbs. toasted walnut oil plus additional for topping, (you can substitute coconut oil or butter)
1 cup fresh berries or sliced banana
2-3 Tbs. toasted walnuts for topping (optional)

Prepare the pancake batter at least 1 hour before baking or the night before. Using a blender combine the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup, almond extract, almond flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Puree until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the walnut oil in a 9-inch pie pan. Place the pan in the oven for 3 minutes to heat the oil. Next pour the prepared pancake batter over the heated oil, place back in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes until set.

Remove the pancake from the oven, top with fresh fruit, and drizzle with toasted walnut oil and pure maple syrup. Serve warm. Enjoy!

By Vanessa Argentieri-Mahoney, Mill Creek Resident

28/09/2020

They stepped forward in droves. When Mill Creek residents heard about the Pony Express Pen Pal program at GreenFields of Geneva senior living community, they were eager to help. Karen, who is, herself, a resident of Mill Creek, is the Life Enrichment Manager at GreenFields. Looking for ways during the stay-at-home-order for residents to stay engaged, she launched the pen pal initiative. Reaching out to her neighbors through , Karen asked for families willing to become pen pals with residents of GreenFields. Thirty-six families promptly signed up, with more than 15 more joining in. “Families send letters to me, and I deliver them pony-express style to their apartments. I do the reverse with the letters the residents write,” said Karen.

Shortly after Pony Express was launched in March, the program was featured on . An anonymous postmaster saw the piece and wrote to Karen, saying, “I found it to be a profoundly touching story and as a retired postmaster, truly appreciate the value of the written word and transmitting it through the oldest and most reliable communications medium in the United States.” Enclosed with the letter were two sheets of $.55 First Class Mail Forever postage stamps as gifts to the pen pal residents. “Now put thoughts to paper, secure them in an envelope, place a postage stamp on the envelope, and drop it in the mail,” the note concluded.

To read the rest of this heartwarming story, go check out the September issue today!

By Wendy M. Foster, Vice President IVY Marketing Group

24/09/2020

A warm cup of coffee and a delicious donut that makes you feel comforted the moment you take a bite is the perfect way to start a morning! Dawn, Mill Creek resident, and owner of , strives to deliver just that to all of her customers. Dawn and her sons, Joshua and Jacob, have been Mill Creek residents for over 19 years. In 2013, Dawn and her friend, Eileen, opened Early Light Café. Dawn then took over the café in 2014 and ran it solo until October 2018, when she decided to pursue her true passion. Dawn went on to establish Brown Butter Baked Goods and focus exclusively on her now widely popular gluten-free donuts.

At Brown Butter Baked Goods, Dawn offers gluten-free baked goods that prove how delicious gluten-free can be. “I love making something that tastes so good and makes you feel like you have been hugged by your family and friends.”

Dawn grew up cooking with her mom, grandma, and aunt. She shared with Mill Creek Life how her home was always the one that everyone came to and spent time at. She wanted to keep those same traditions at her home in Mill Creek as well as at her business. She is truly grateful for her customers and that they choose to come and spend their hard-earned money on the food she bakes.

Photo Credit: (Terence Guider-Shaw), , Inc.

21/09/2020

Stop loving your plants to death. We all do it. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. But you gotta stop. Sometimes loving them too much can lead to WORSE disease and bug issues and death. We lose more plants to overwatering than anything else. We field calls every day about leaves with holes, webs on stems, funky colored leaves, and more. But in the grand scheme of things, plants are resilient. Here are some tips (and tough love …) on how to put some emotional distance between you and your shrubbery …

1. Watering - Plants don’t need water every day no matter what your neighbor/garden club/internet/mother/friend of a friend’s painter who bought a tree once, says. Plants need water when they are dry.

2. Bugs & Disease – If you start looking closely enough, you will find some sort of “thing” on every plant you own and freak out unnecessarily. But those “things” aren’t usually anything to worry about. We subscribe to the “if you can’t see the bug, you can’t spray for it” school of thought. Basically, that means we don’t get too worried about holes in leaves, yellow leaves in small quantities, or minor fungal issues such as powdery mildew.

To read the rest of these gardening tips, check out the Mill Creek Life September issue!

By Meagan Provencher, Sr. Landscape Designer, ICNPro

17/09/2020

Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your body and mind. This low-grade, simmering type of stress can manifest in many ways, including fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, aches, pains, and tense muscles, sleep disturbances, getting sick more often, low or no libido.

Pain and stress overlap significantly. Both disrupt your body’s homeostasis, adversely impact cognitive function, disrupt wellbeing, and so much more. And that’s where chiropractic care can help: Visiting your chiropractor regularly can potentially have a positive impact on managing chronic stress and its wide-ranging repercussions.

Reduce Stress Through Chiropractic Care
Although stress falls into specific categories, they all impact the body similarly. Managing stress becomes crucial to maintaining health and happiness, and chiropractic care provides an effective method for helping to manage stress.

To read more about how stress can affect your body and how chiropractic care might be right for you, check out the September issue!

By Dr. Matthew Hart,

14/09/2020

How adorable is this precious pet?!

Meet Bauer, the Yorkichon, and one of Mill Creek's newest residents! Bauer is a mix between a Yorkie and a Bichon. He joined his new family this summer and has been loving every minute of it. Bauer's family shared that their favorite things about him are how adorable he always looks and that he is always ready to play with them! He loves to bark at himself in the mirror. He also makes the cutest noise that sounds like a little pig when he gets excited!

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