Neal McCoy is known for giving 100 percent at every show. The energetic entertainer is on the road 200 days a year, dancing, jumping, running, and climbing onstage, turning his show into a giant party. Add to that his charity work, and he’s giving 110 percent, at least. McCoy is a regular on USO tours and has performed for troops in Bosnia, Italy, Hungary, Afghanistan and Iraq (six times). He’s also part of the Spirit of America tour, which organizes shows at military bases across the U.S.

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For years, she was known to the general public primarily as Alan Jackson’s wife, but with It’s All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life, Denise Jackson made a name for herself as a New York Times bestselling author. Now, Jackson has written a new inspirational book, The Road Home, which relates how faith helped her deal with tough situations.

Her publisher wanted to pull out the core messages from her autobiography and put them in more of a short-story form. “It could be more like a devotional-type thing, where you could read two or three pages at a time,” Jackson says. “I think this will really appeal to women graphically, because it’s got beautiful pictures. I added scriptures and some inspirational quotes from people I’ve been encouraged by.”

Jackson says her favorite nugget of wisdom in the book involves the power of prayer.

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Following a quick jaunt to Atlanta earlier this month, I now have a secret wish every time I travel for work – please, please, please let there be a Toyota Prius available at the rental car company. I am hooked, and I want one for myself.

I am not the kind of guy to gush over cars, or to pay attention to what’s hot on the lot. In fact, I still drive a Malibu that’s about 10 years old, and a lot of these new cars look goofy to me. (The boxy Element, the Dick Tracy-ish PT Cruiser.) But once my Malibu goes ka-put, I may have to splurge on a hybrid. The extra money I spend on the car payment, I can probably make up in gas mileage. On my last work trip, I averaged about 42 miles per gallon – all interstate, but going over mountains, as well as busy highways in Atlanta. Still, this has to be the first time I’ve ever driven to Atlanta and back for less than $40.

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Most people welcome spring and the return of warm days, colorful flowers and green grass. But millions of folks with allergies look to the growing season with a sense of dread. Spring means pollen, and lots of it. For many, that leads to itchy eyes, runny noses, coughs and other not-so-welcome symptoms.

Outdoor allergies are triggered by grass, trees, weeds and mold. If you’re allergic to one of these, your body reacts to the microscopic pollen or mold invaders as it would to a cold germ — and you get those familiar cold-like symptoms. Antihistamines and decongestants do the trick for most people, but if your symptoms are relatively mild, you may be able to treat your allergies the natural way.

For example, try boosting your intake of vitamin C and B5, both of which act as an antihistamine. (Histamines make your blood vessels swell and produce fluid — the culprit behind the itching, sneezing and congestion.) Fish oil has also been found to reduce asthma caused by allergies. It may sound unappealing, but some people swear by the Neti pot. It looks like a teapot, but you use it to pour a saltwater solution through your nose to flush out debris and toxins. Also, keep windows and doors closed to prevent pollen from getting inside. Avoid going outside on dry, windy days, when pollen is worse.

If mold is your problem, lower the humidity in your home to 40 percent or less to inhibit mold growth. A fan can help, but for really moist areas, you’ll need a dehumidifier. An air purifier with a HEPA filter can work wonders in reducing coughing and breathing problems. Put it in your bedroom, where you probably spend the most time.

If you’re not plagued by allergies and can enjoy spring in all its glory, consider yourself lucky. But don’t get cocky. Allergies can develop at any age.

Photo credit: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Last fall, that dark wool rug sure made the room look warm and cozy. Now it feels a bit claustrophobic. As warmer weather strolls in, it’s time to give your room décor a spring check-up. Here are some simple (and inexpensive) ways to give your rooms a lighter touch:

•Remove heavy drapes and replace them with lighter curtains or even just sheers. Then, wash the windows. You’ll be surprised how much brighter a room looks when the sun shines through clean glass.

•Clean out the clutter. All the knickknacks and collectibles stacked in every corner add to the claustrophobic, closed-in feeling — and you definitely want to “air it out” for spring. Try cleaning off your shelves, then put back only those items you can’t live without. And maybe replace some with brighter, more colorful accessories.

•Shake things up. If it’s been awhile since you rearranged your furniture, spring is a good time to move things around. If the sofa is facing the fireplace for winter, try turning it toward a large window to take in the view. An inexpensive ready-made slipcover in a pale floral or stripe will bring a splash of spring to a dark, heavy sofa or chair.

•Brighten the walls. If you have the budget for it, a fresh coat of paint can light up a room like nothing else. Replace the neutral earth tones or dark winter colors with a lighter, energetic shade of fresh green, light blue or yellow. You might even want to bring in pictures and wall hangings in brighter shades.

•Roll up the rugs. Spring is a good time to replace your heavy wool area rugs with lighter cotton or sisal rugs — or no rugs at all, for a cleaner, lighter look.

•Bring in the green. If you haven’t already tossed out your silk flowers, do it now. They don’t bring life to a room they way real plants do. Now that the weather’s warm, bring in a live plant or some fresh flowers for a joyous jolt of energy.

LeAnn Rimes made a splash in country music with “Blue,” but now she’s gone green.

Partnering with a new concentrated detergent, all small and mighty, Rimes is telling a new generation that small decisions can make a big difference in the environment.

“Just because they’re kids, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a voice. They have a huge impact on the environment. This is their future they’re taking into their own hands,” she says.

“My generation did know there was a problem with the environment but I don’t think we completely understood that we needed to make these changes, and that we needed to take our future into our own hands. Thinking about having my own kids, and the world I’ll be bringing them into, I wanted to start being more responsible with the world we’re living in.”

She advocates for making small changes in a family’s daily routine, like turning out the lights when leaving a room, switching to energy-efficient bulbs and using cotton towels instead of paper towels. On the road, Rimes travels with recycling bins on all of her buses, so she can properly dispose of water bottles and glass. With 10 to 16 people on a bus, she says she’s essentially carpooling – also a smart option for families trying to go green.

“I think people get caught up in their lives and think that, ‘Oh, just because I’m doing it, I’m not going to make that much of a difference,’ but you really can. All it takes is one person to make a change,” she says. “I think kids are at the forefront of this green movement. I think it’s going to be very impactful on their life. Whether or not they make those changes now will determine what happens 20 to 25 years down the road.”