McKinney- Scare on the Square- Friday, October 30- Bring the whole family for a fun evening of trick or treats in Historic Downtown McKinney.  Everyone attending can enjoy hayrides, treats and a safe family Halloween event.  Historic Downtown is closed off for trick-or-treaters to cross the street safely, going shop to shop for goodies.

Allen-Live on the Green featuring Genepool Band-Friday, October 30from 6:30PM to 9PM.  Enjoy the live music as you shop or sit back on the patio for dinner enjoy the fun atmosphere.  Genepool Band plays a variety of music from the 1960's thru today.

Plano-2nd Annual North Texas Kids Expo- Saturday, October 31stfrom 10 AM to 4 PM at the Plano Centre located at 2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway in Plano. There will be Costume Contests for All Ages! Live Entertainment, Arts & Crafts, Door prizes, Trick or Treating, Bounce Houses, Face Painters, Ronald McDonald at 1pm, Lots of vendors, Educational Seminars, and so much more!!! This is an event you don't want to miss!

Frisco-Fieldhouse USA's Halloween Family Festival-Saturday, October 31^stfrom 6 PM - 10 PM. This free event is sure to please everyone with a bounce house, arts & crafts, court games, live DJ, food, and much more! A movie will be played on the JUMBO screen beginning at 8 PM! Fieldhouse USA is located at 6155 Sports Village Rd. in Frisco. 

Fall Festival in Allen Sat from 6 pm - 9 pm, This event will feature over 50 games and activities including "The World's Largest Slide" 3 lane bungee run, Obstacle Courses, Rock Wall, Laser Tag, Preschool Games, and Concession Stand and Tons of Candy.  Cost is $5.00 per child and will be held at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen. 1015 State Hwy 121 Allen

Trick or Treating at Allen Premium Outlets Sat from 4pm - 7pm Come in your costume and walk the sidewalks.  Participating stores will be handing out candy to children.  Parents also can pick up a special treat in the food court.  Complimentary face painting will also be in the food court.

Who doesn't love fall?  Numerous fall carnivals, the changing of the leaves, getting into the swing of a new school year, and oh yeah football!  Most people have better things to do on a beautiful fall day other than home maintenance but fall maintenance on your home is just as important as spring cleaning.  Regular home maintenance can save you thousands of dollars later on utility bills and extend the life of items in your home.

Each fall you should take steps to ensure that your home is ready for the upcoming winter.  You should check your windows and doors to make sure they are working properly and make any repairs necessary.  Also, check for any air leaks and re-caulk as necessary.  It is a good idea to remove screens and place them in an attic or garage to avoid wear and tear during the winter months.  Fall is a great time to clean out gutters and downspouts and check for any repairs that may be needed to them.  Flush with a water hose to make sure they are draining properly.  You might have to repeat this process as more autumn leaves fall from the trees.

Inside your home you should replace your furnace filter and have a professional come and inspect the furnace and perform any required maintenance before lighting it. It is also a great time to have your air conditioner inspected and winterized (possibly by the same professional).  Your water heater should be drained to remove any sediment that may have built up (this should be done annually).  It is also a good idea to remove any garden hoses and insulate exterior pipes as needed.  If you are like me, your fireplace will get a lot of use during the winter so have your chimney professionally cleaned.  Don't forget to replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors if you have them (if you don't have them definitely install them).

If you there are no handymen in your home and you live in the Collin county area give a call to Wayne Flores at Home Maintenance Solutions to take care of this for you. www.hmsrepair.com

Take time to perform regular fall maintenance on your home...your pocket book will thank you later!

Celina's Big Orange pumpkin patch-pick in the field or select from  pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, train rides, hay rides, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, petting zoo, farm animals.  Cost is $7 per person and includes hay ride, feed for animals and small pumpkin.  5518 County Road 126, Celina, TX 75009. Phone: 972.382.4995. Alternate Phone: 972.382.4465.   Visit www.bigorangepumpkinfarm.com  for more information.  Directions: 10 minutes from the Dallas North Toll Road and 10 minutes from McKinney. Take FM 2478 North off of US 380 and follow the signs and painted round bales routing you to our Pumpkin Farm.

Creekwood United Methodist- Pumpkin Patch with Fall and Harvest decorations!  October 10th till the 31st. Pumpkin painting, picture taking, and much more.  261 Country Club, Allen, TX, 75002. Phone: 214-544-8050 ext 107. Email us at: chuckchurch@creekwoodumc.org.

Flower Mound Pumpkin Village-Pumpkins, hay rides, pony rides, petting zoo, ferris wheel, carousel, barrel train, bounce houses, what more could you want?  Free admission and free hay rides!  Pumpkins are priced from .50 to $20.00 and all proceeds go to charity.
4908 Cross Timbers, Flower Mound , TX 75028.  For more information visit www.flowermoundpumpkinvillage.com or call phone: 214-498-8300. Directions: Located in North Texas 30 minutes north of Dallas. Open: October 1 to 31, from 9 am to Dark.  Fall Decorations, Picnic area available. A visitor writes on September 26, 2008: "We Love it." (UPDATED: September 26, 2008)

Pumpkins on the Prairie-pumpkins, pumpkin patch- already gathered from the field, straw or hay bale maze, child-sized haybale maze, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, pickup-pulled hay rides, wagon rides, face painting, Free admission.  3521 Main Street, Frisco, TX 75034. For more information visit www.pumpkinsontheprairie.org Phone: 972-335-2882.  Directions:  North Dallas Tollway to Main Street (north of SH 121). Go west on Main to the pumpkin patch, about a 1/2 mile on the left hand side of the street.

ALLEN - Friday, October 2-Retirement Planning sponsored by Borders Books - 5:30-6:30 class called Planning Beyond the Numbers.

MCKINNEY-Saturday, October 3-Crape Myrtle Trails Run & McKinney Wellness Day- The event will be held at Towne Lake Park and will kick off in the morning with a 5K and 1 mile run that will raise money to sponsor the Crape Myrte Trails Foundation as well as various PE departments at McKinney elementary schools.  All ages are welcome for the run and elementary school children are encouraged to participate.  Registration fees for the run vary so please see website for more information.  The wellness rally in the park will focus on health and wellness for all.  Heath screenings, awareness activities, goody bags and fitness experts will be on hand to answer questions and make this a fun event for all.  Please visit www.cmtrun.org for more information.

FRISCO- Saturday, October 3-Mother Son Dance-Salute to America will be the theme.  Come and dance the night away with your special little man.  The dance will be held at Wakeland High School located at 10700 Legacy Drive. The evening will include music, refreshments and special memories.  A photographer will be onsite selling special portrait packages.  Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased online the Frisco Athletic Center located at 5828 Nancy Jane Lane.  Show off your American pride or come dressed in your Sunday best. Two dance times are available. Dance times are 5:30 - 7 p.m. (ages 4-7) and 7:30 - 9 p.m. (ages 8-12). Tickets may be purchased for either time all tickets purchased online must be picked up at the Frisco Athletic Center by 9 p.m. on Friday, October 2.   For more information visit www.friscofun.org or contact Kari FitzPatrick at KFitzPatrick@FriscoTexas.gov

Why do so many people love the autumn season?  I'm not a gambling man but I am willing to bet that most people love fall for more than one reason.  Whether you realize it or not your love of a certain season was probably instilled in you as a child.  Your earliest recollections of the change of seasons, the move from the heat of summer to the cool of Autumn, the shorter days...when you think of them what is your earliest memory of the season?

On a crisp Saturday in fall I am taken back to running out in the front yard to play football with my friends.  Raking leaves into piles and doing the Charlie Brown run and jump.  Other memories remind me of the excitement of the upcoming holidays.  What child doesn't get excited about a costume for Halloween or grandma and grandpa's visit for Thanksgiving or Christmas?  Who could forget Santa?!  Ultimately all of these memories were of the important things in life, family and home. 

Where do you find yourself today?  Do you have the home you always dreamed of?  Is your door adorned with a special fall wreath welcoming visitors?  If you do not have the home you want, I am happy to make that childhood dream come true.   The tax incentives currently available may make that dream even easier to obtain.  Call me today to talk about how I can serve you.  Let's give you something to truly celebrate before the holidays...your own home.

"The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our homes."

Harold B. Lee

Allen-Talk Like A Pirate Day- Allen Public Library- Saturday, September 19 - All Day!  Free!

Allen-5^th Annual Allen Open Golf Tournament - Saturday, September 19 8AM-Noon - Sponsored by Allen ISD Transportation Department, the tournament will benefit the Allen Foundation which provides scholarships for students. Shotgun Start 4 person scramble (enter your own foursome, twosome, or single player, ladies welcome) Trophies awarded to the 3 teams with lowest scores. Fee is $85 and includes green fees, cart, range balls, and hamburger lunch. Mulligans sold for $10 each. Proper golf attire required. Volunteers welcome.   Location: Chase Oaks Golf Club, 7201 Chase Oaks Blvd., Plano TX 972-517-7777

MCKINNEY FARMERS MARKET - Saturday, Sept  19th - 8AM- NOON-Located at Chestnut Square Historic Village - 315 S. Chestnut, McKinney, Texas - S.H. 5 at Anthony Street. Fresh and organic produce, eggs, cheese and meats.  Dixie's Store will feature craft items and coffee.  For more information call 972.562.8790.

McKinney Third Monday Trade Day - Sept 18th - 20th Just West of 75 on Highway 380. This is the largest flea market in North Texas.  Over 400 vendor will be there. Come see me under the RE/MAX balloon in the middle of the market!

McKinney-Greater Collin Kennel Club Dog Show - Saturday, September 19- 6AM-6PM- The dog show will feature a variety or breeds demonstrating their skills on standard obstacles.  The dogs will race testing both time and accuracy.  Spectators welcome and admission is free!  Myers Park & Event Center 7117 Country Road 166, McKinney, Texas 75071

Homes have many different cosmetic features that tend to get updated over the years.   From wallpaper and border to smooth walls, linoleum squares to stained concrete each change or update can make dramatic changes to the way your home looks and feels.  Many homeowners in recent years have found themselves at a crossroads...I want wood floors do I go with laminate or hardwood?  That is a very good question, the answer is not the same for everyone.

When deciding between laminate and hardwood you need to consider several things:

*Do you intend to stay in the home for a long time?

*Do you have children and pets?

*Will you use this property as a rent house?

*How much money are you willing to invest?

Hardwood floors are incredibly beautiful and create a timeless classic feel in a home.  They can last for many years when taken care of properly and you can refinish them when they have lost their luster.  They are susceptible to moisture so you want to install them in areas that are free of high humidity (avoid kitchens and bathrooms).   Wood floors are an investment in your home as the cost is higher than laminate, but you can increase the value of your home by choosing wood over laminate.  If you have a higher end home, buyers might expect hard wood floors instead of laminate. 

Laminate floors provide you with the look of wood in a synthetic form.  Since the material is synthetic it tends to be more durable and holds up under high traffic, children and pets better than wood floors.  Laminate floors can be cleaned with a damp rag, unlike the wood floor counterpart that needs to be polished.   Many synthetic floors come with at least a ten year warranty against dents and warping, however laminate floors cannot be refinished if they become scratched. 

Wood and laminate floors can both be installed by the do it yourself weekend warrior.  The cost will vary greatly depending on the type of wood or laminate you select.  Overall if you intend to live in your home for a long time, then investing in wood floors would be wise.  On the other hand, if you plan to rent your home out and do not want to be burdened with expensive flooring repairs laminate would be a better option.   Remember the flooring you select will be with you for a long time to come...choose wisely...take all things into consideration...then go for it!

Did you ever think that the President of the United States speaking to our children would be controversial?  I think most people prior to the current administration would consider it an honor to have the President speak to the children.  Why then are parents so concerned that there is a hidden agenda in today's speech? 

Emotions flared up last week when word got out that not just a speech but curriculum had been sent to the school districts so that they could discuss and encourage the children to ask what they can do to help the President.   A few comments from parents regarding the issues were:  

‘me and several of my friends are not sending the kids to school at all that day and plan on watching it at home under MY watchful eye'; ‘kids in GISD have the Sept 8th flu for 24hours- no vaccine available'; ‘I know right? It's like Hitler tactics to try and reach the youth when the parents aren't around!'.

While others disagreed:  ‘ I DO want my girls to watch.   I want them to hear a motivating speech about staying in school'.

Texas as a whole has left the decision to each district. While some districts will not show the video at all, others are providing opt out forms for parents who do not want their children to participate.

His speech was just released yesterday and most people haven't had time to react or read it due to the holiday.   Here is an excerpt from his speech:   "I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going to be any of those things."?  Hmm maybe most parents think their children should be the next big star or at least shoot for it!  For today's speech to children in its entirety go to:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

The message is apparently so important to get out that it will be featured this evening on Nickelodeon channel at 8/7 central.  This was communicated on Friday in an email to everyone on Nickelodeon's email list stating that ‘You Have The Right' to be informed.  Hmm... so parents don't have the right to tell their children what they can and cannot watch now?

Or is it possible that parents saw the PSA that was shown in a Utah elementary school last week without warning.  Parents there were not aware of such a showing and this one did have some controversial statements.  Watch the video in its entirety and judge for yourself (scroll towards the bottom of the article)- the very end of the video is what concerns most parents:  http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92974.  One parents response to this video:   " The video's slick and professionally done, and positive for the most part, but it strikes me as more than just a bit creepy when it features lines like 'I pledge to be a servant to our President' and 'I Pledge to be of service to Barack Obama.'

Glenn Beck's show on Fox News this afternoon will feature ‘The Indoctrination of Our Nation's Children'.  He will be discussing the recent concerns and possibly bringing to light more things to be concerned about. 

So what do you think about all these concerns.  Are they justified?  Is there an underlying political agenda towards our children?

Allen- LIVE on The Green - Vic Duncan Band-Friday, August 28-7PM to 9:30PM

Vic Duncan performs his own original music and many great hits of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Allen-LIVE on Under the Pecan Tree - Day Job-Saturday, August 29-7PM to 9:30PM.  Day Job is one of DFW's premier professional cover bands, performs the best hits from the late 60's through today. With their broad mix of your favorite tunes, everyone will be entertained.

 Allen- Borders Bilingual Story Time- Saturday, August 29- 10AM-Bilingual story time with Norma & Spanish Schoolhouse.  Event to be held at Borders Books located in Watters Creek Shopping Center - www.watterscreek.com

MCKINNEY FARMERS MARKET - Saturday, August 29 - 8AM- NOON-Located at Chestnut Square Historic Village - 315 S. Chestnut, McKinney, Texas - S.H. 5 at Anthony Street. Fresh and organic produce, eggs, cheese and meats.  Dixie's Store will feature craft items and coffee.  For more information call 972.562.8790