Childhood nutrition and obesity has become a topic for school age kids and their parents. The site below is all about nutrition and eating healthy foods. There is even a section that suggest Healthy Snacks and shows how to make them.

There are recipes that kids can make while they are between school and dinner for kids without special health issues, and for diabetes, cystic fibrosis, lactose intolerance, and others.

Some of the snacks on the list are: Awesome Applesauce, Banana Bread, Berry Tasty Muffins, Blueberry Oatmeal Squares, Blueberry Pancakes, Chicken Salad & Greens, Chocolate Sweetheart Parfait, Confetti Quinoa, Cream Cheesy Cucumber Sandwiches, Disappearing Zucchini Muffins, Fabulous French Toast, Frozen Yogurt Pops, Fun Fruit Kabobs, Garden Chicken Wrap, Grilled Veggie Pita, Heart-Healthy Recipes, Homemade Peanut Butter, Incredible Edible Veggie Bowls, Italian Tomato Soup, Lean Green Pita Dippers, Mediterranean Pasta Soup, Oh-So-Delicious Oatmeal, Olive-Crusted Salmon, Peanut Butter Muffins, Pepper & Onion Frittata, Perfect Peachy Freeze, Perfect Pineapple Pops, Pizzadillas With Red Sauce, Pretzels, Roast Beef Wrap, Simple Snack Mix, Southern-Style Cornbread, Strawberry Smoothie, Super Strawberry Bars, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad, Tiny Pizzas, Yogurt on the Go.

When you send this site to your contact list, you let them know you aren't just a real estate professional.

Here's the link:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html

 

 

I read an article this week about how the median price in the US is rising again. That caused me to look at Barnstable County to see if that is the case here. Here is what I found.

For Barnstable County
Single Family Homes only
Oct 2010 to Dec 2012
Date                 10/10 11/10 12/10 1/11 2/11 3/11 4/11 5/11 6/11 7/11 8/11 9/11 10/11 11/11 12/11
Median Price $   350    324    346    358   317  305  332  346   319  320  328   344  331    328     335

For Barnstable County
Single Family Homes only
1999 to 2012
Date               12/99 12/00 12/01 12/02 12/03 12/04 12/05 12/06 12/07 12/08 12/09 12/10 12/11
Median Price $ 178    218    248    305    351     398    410    381    390    329     335   341     331

For Barnstable County
All Single Family (Homes, Condos, Land, ...)
1999 to 2012   1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011
Median Price $ 178    218    248    305    351    398   410    381    390    329    336    339    334

The data does not indicate that the median price has begun movin upward yet. So, if you are a buyer and the national median has already begun moving upward, this could be the indicator that the market has bottomed out.  If median price is moving upward nationally, but prices on Cape Cod haven't seen that movement yet, you could be ahead of the curve by buying now.

When you look at the last set of numbers, the last four years show a relatively stable median price. Median price does not usually stay as static as this data says it has.  The years from 1999 to 2005 show an increased median from $178K to $410K. For the years from 2008 to 2011 the data shows an almost flat median price.

Are we at the bottom? There is a lot of pent up demand. Inventory is lower than it has been since 2005. The national median is reported to be increasing. We may be at the bottom.

 

 

(Referenced data is compiled from Cape and Islands MLS. The Cape Cod and Islands MLS does not guarantee or is not in anyway responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the Cape Cod and Islands MLS may not reflect all real estate activities in the market. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

 

 

Well, we have been spared until now. Today we showed a few homes but the conditions were less than ideal. The picture below is of the Bourne Bridge headed south over to Cape Cod.  I was on the way back to Falmouth from Sagamore Beach. This picture was taken at around 12:30 and the weather has continued to go down hill from that point.

Many drivers were going very slow, because the sand trucks and plows hadn't treated very many of the road ways.  no, from my Main Street Office in Falmouth, the plows are occasionally going by, but it seems like they are waiting until the snow actually stops, which will be later this evening.

I guess we have to have snow, and we have had some amazingly warm days for January. Tonight there will be some soup, some hot chocolate, some election results, and maybe a movie.  I am, however, looking forward to more amazingly warm winter days that will melt this white blanket and let us warm up again.

The press release below was issued by Robert Paul Properties today. The principle brokers of Robert Paul are Robert Kinlin and Paul Grover. We currently have offices across Cape Cod and Southeastern MA and we focus on Waterfront, Luxury Real Estate.

You can see one of my waterfront listings by clicking here: http://www.robertpaul.com/cape-cod-homes-listing.asp?id=991 Luxury Cape Cod Real Estate. It is a beautiful beachfront, 3 bedroom, ready to move in. This is the kind of property we like to focus on at Robert Paul Properties.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Robert Paul Properties Captures the Luxury Market

 

CAPE COD, MA (1/16/12) — In what proved to be another unstable economic year, one market segment that showed growth for 2011 across Cape Cod and the South Coast was the $1M+ real estate market. Boutique real estate firm Robert Paul Properties ended the year as the number one realty firm in this highly competitive marketspace.

 

             

“At a time when so many investments are hard to forecast, one that still projects long term success is luxury real estate” noted owners Robert Kinlin & Paul Grover.  “Our clients reached the conclusion that the time was economically and personally right to move forward. Savvy people are buying and selling properties for solid prices, and we are very well positioned to expertly guide them through that process.”

 

While the market place realized a 3% increase in volume over 2010, Robert Paul Properties increased their luxury sales by 30% with an average sales price north of $2.2 million. With the largest inventory of luxury properties across Cape Cod and the South Coast, Robert Paul Properties believes in further growth in 2012.

 

About Robert Paul Properties

Robert Paul Properties, owned by Robert Kinlin and Paul Grover, is the most recognized and respected name in luxury real estate across Cape Cod and the South Coast. Built on a bold new business model as well as a tradition of excellence, and fueled by an elite team of talented agents, Robert Paul Properties is a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^™   and Luxury Portfolio International with offices in Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, Osterville, Marion and Provincetown. Their extensive portfolio of fine properties is available at www.RobertPaul.com.

# # #

Twitter: @RPLuxuryHomes

Facebook: RPLuxuryHomes

 

Have you ever consciously defined trust?  The word trust apparently derives from older expressions that include confidence, reliability, and character.  To trust something or someone is to have confidence in it/them, to rely on it/them, or to depend on the character/construction of it/them. 

When some says, "Trust me," I have been trained to take a closer look at what they are saying. My experience is such that people who ask for my trust are not as trustworthy as those who I am able to trust as a result of my personal experience with them. I can also more easily trust people or things based on the report or recommendation of people I already trust. And vice versa.

When I think of the word trust, I am reminded of the first verse in Hebrews chapter 11 of the Bible.  In the most recent translations, this verse contains the definition of faith.  I find the word trust and faith almost interchangeable. One version says that faith is being sure of what you hope for, and certain of what you do not see.  When I trust, I am certain of what I am hoping for and I want to be certain of what I do not see.  If I have experience, I am more certain than if this is the first time I am placing my hopeful confidence in a person or thing.

Trust can be a mechanical action like when I turn the key of my car and hope with certainty that it will start. And it can be a decision like when I hand my keys to one of my kids and I hope with certainty that they will return themselves and my car happy, healthy, and whole. Trust for me becomes more certain with personal experience.

The more often my certain hope is reinforced, the faster I place my trust.  Of course when my certain hope is not satisfied, I am more reluctant to reinvest in that person or thing.  I think like the old adage, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," is an example of my trust thinking.

I place my trust for a number of reasons. One reason I trust is to save time. When I need something done, I look for someone who has done it before. The more they've done it and the longer they've done it, the easier it is for me to trust them and to follow their example or to hire their experience. 

Another reason I trust is because I am not a recluse. I like being around people and in order to go out in the world, I give my trust to people who are driving, who are trading my money for a service or product, and I give my trust to the environment to keep me alive and healthy.  These almost uncontious trusting actions are a true necessity to live a normal life.

I like to be able to trust. I am uncomfortable when I can't. I prefer to interact with things and people I am able to trust.  Whether I am trusting by necessity or by decision, trust is something that I am unable to operate without.

Tested Reliable Undoubtful Seasoned True

 

 

This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here.