Cheri' R. Smith, Prudential Gary Greene, Tomball, Texas

Waller County Voting Locations for 2009 Constitutional Amendment Elections

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:48:28 -0600

There seems to be very little information out there steering us in the right direction of when, where and how to vote on the 11 propositions that are on the ballot for November 3rd, 2009.

I had a hard time finding the locations on where to vote so I have searched and found them for you and they are listed below.

It is VERY important that you get out and vote on these 11 amendments. Your property rights are on the ballot. Don't leave it up to others to make these important decisions for you.

Propositions 2,3,5 and 11 pertain to the property rights of all of us. I am voting FOR these propositions. How you vote is your business, but please get out and vote!

November 3RD, 2009 Waller County Elections

ELECTION DAY POLLING LOCATIONS

POLLS OPEN 7:00 A.M.

POLLS CLOSE 7:00 P.M.

St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, 811 14th Street

Waller County Annex Building, 775 Business 290 East

Hempstead High School Library, 801 Donoho Street

Waller County Fair Grounds, 21988 FM 359

Covenant Ranch Fellowship, 31541 FM 1736

Fieldstore County Building - JP2, 29388 Fieldstore Road

Houston Oaks Country Club, 26702 Magnolia Road

*[Pass the Country Club on Hegar Rd. make a right onto Magnolia then the first right into the parking lot]

Waller Junior High School - Main Entrance, 2402 Waller Street

Waller County Community Center, 21274 FM 1098

Prairie View City Hall, 44500 Highway Business 290 East

Monaville County Building‐JP3, 12620 FM 1887

Monaville Fire Station, 13631 Cochran Road

Adams Flat County Building, 36249 FM 529

Mt. Zion Methodist Church, 40998 Mt. Zion Road

Pattison Volunteer Fire Station, 2950 FM 359 North

Brookshire Convention Center, 4027 5th Street,

Brookshire Masonic Lodge, 819 Purdy Street

Katy VFW Hall, 6202 George Bush Avenue

New Car Seat Law (SB61) to take effect September 1st 2009 (8 yrs old and under)

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:16:41 -0500

There's a new law taking effect September 1st that we parents all need to be aware of.

It's SB 61 and it amends the existing statute regarding child passenger safety seats.

The bill requires that any child younger than 8 years of age be restrained in an approved child passenger safety seat unless the child is at least 4'9" in height.

The fine is no more than $25 for a first offense and $250 for a second offense. The law also creates a new court cost for conviction of an offense under this section to be collected and used by TxDOT to buy safety seats for low income families. The law becomes effective on Sept. 1, 2009, but tickets for this offense cannot be issued until June 1, 2010. Police officers are allowed to issue a warning before that date.

I'm all for laws that save children's lives. I have a pretty tall 7 year old but she's not 4'9" so we are back to a booster seat and she's not happy about it!

I'll be buying mine this weekend to make sure they don't run out. I have no desire to even get pulled over for a warning.

Beautiful Country Home in Montgomery County close to outlet mall and golfing

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:40:36 -0500

This beautiful completely remodelled home could be the home of your dreams! Comes complete with granite counters, heated pool and spa with a relaxing rock waterfall, pool house, tile and wood floors, gorgeous fireplace, built in speakers in the living room for your home theater system, custom trim and built-ins throughout, play house for the kids, french doors off the master bedroom, alarm system and so much more! Access to 290 is a breeze, the Cypress outlet mall is approximately 20 minutes away and The Houston Oaks Golf and Country Club is approximately 15 minutes away.

Listing Price:	$261,500
Address	31604 Walnut Creek Rd
City / Zip:	Magnolia / 77355-4017
Subdivision:	Walnut Creek
Property Type:	Single Family Homes
Status:	Active on Market
Bedrooms:	3 Bedroom(s)
Baths:	2 Full & 1 Half Bath(s)
Garage:	2 Car Attached/Detached
Stories:	1 Story
Style:	Traditional
Year Built:	1979 / Appraisal District
Building Sqft:	2,615 / Appraisal District
Lotsize:	59,895 / Appraisal District
Mrkt Area:	Magnolia
Key Map® :	PAGE 246Y
MLS# / Area:	56231843 / 15-Montgomery Cnty SW

With over an acre of unrestricted land to do with as you please, a pool to relax in during the warm summer and a workshop adjacent to the garage, this homes has to many ammenities to pass up. It's perfect for a home/business and offers a quiet country atmosphere with access to the things you love to do most weither it's fishing, golfing or shopping.

For more information on the nearby Houston Oaks Golf and Country Club visit

http://www.houstonoaks.com/golf/proto/houstonoaks/index.htm

For more information on this home please call me at 832.752.6962

or call your agent and mention MLS#56231843

31604 Walnut Creek

Magnolia Texas 77355

Austin Energy Auditor- Kevin Dunaway of Dr. Green Energy Auditors

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:42:25 -0500

As some of you Austin Realtors know, as of June 1st all homes over 10 years old are required to have an energy audit performed prior to closing.

This comes as good news to some and elicits groans from others.

Regardless, when it comes time to get an audit, you need to know who to call.

I highly recommend Kevin Dunaway with Dr. Green Energy Auditors.

He works 7 days a week at your convenience. He's fast and he's efficient.

I hear his prices are very competetive as well.

I'm sure you will be more than satisfied with his work so give him a call at:

phone: (512) 744-7615

or email him at:

info@drgreenenergyauditors.com

Waller Freedom Fest July 4th 2009

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:07:29 -0500

Waller Texas will be hosting it's first annual Waller Freedom Fest on Saturday July 4th 2009.

The festivities will be at the Waller Jr. High Football Field located off of Field Store road and 290.

Event times are 10am to 9:30 pm.

There will be a live band playing called the Robbie Seay Band.

There will be basketball tournaments, food, car show, water slides, rock climbing and more to be followed by a fireworks display after dark.

For a complete list of events and times see the Waller website here....

http://www.wallertexas.com/

Happy 4th of July!!!!

2009 4th of July Fireworks in Tomball Texas

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:53:38 -0500

I'm getting quite a few calls from people wondering when and where the fireworks will be going off in Tomball for the 4th this year. Here's what I know....

From 11am to 3pm on Saturday there will be some fun things to do in the Target parking lot off 2920/249. I heard it includes some bouncy things and water balloons and things the kids will enjoy.

Then come back at dusk with your lawn chairs and set them up in one of the parking lots near Lowe's.

Personally I prefer the old Kroger parking lot which still has the Cinema. Park right in the middle for the best views.

HAve a safe, fun, happy 4th of July!!!

4th of July Fireworks in Tomball, TX 2009

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:49:06 -0500

I'm getting quite a few calls from people wandering when and where the fireworks will be going off in Tomball for the 4th this year. Here's what I know....

From 11am to 3pm on Saturday there will be some fun things to do in the Target parking lot off 2920/249. I heard it includes some bouncy things and water balloons and things the kids will enjoy.

Then come back at dusk with your lawn chairs and set them up in one of the parking lots near Lowe's.

Personally I prefer the old Kroger parking lot which still has the Cinema. Park right in the middle for the best views.

HAve a safe, fun, happy 4th of July!!!

$1.7 million for PIG ODOR REASEARCH IN IOWA!?!?!?!?!

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:20:04 -0600

Ok now. This has gone beyond rediculous. I'm reading through my emails last night and I get one from "John McCain". The title was "stop the reckless pork barrel spending."

Now I'm going to be honest here and say that I have no clue as to where that term "pork barrel spending" came from but when I read the things included in this stimulus plan of Obama's I get a good idea. I think I have a better name for it but it's R rated.

So I'm reading "John's" email and I get to this sentence....

"It is unconscionable that while we are asking Americans to do more with less in these trying economic times we are about to spend $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa, $2 million for the promotion of astronomy in Hawaii, $475,000 for a parking garage in Provo City, Utah, $300,000 to build a Montana World Trade Center, and $150,000 for a rodeo museum in South Dakota."

HUH?!!!!! WE are going to spend how much on pig odor research? WHY? ....and how the heck will that STIMULATE the economy? ....and why do I want to spend money on this?

So I google it and find some links. Here's one (obviously liberal leaning)...

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=why-study-pig-odor

The article explains what pig odor is and where it comes from and how they hope to get rid of it. Really? We don't know this already and we really need to research it at the cost of $1.7 MILLION dollars. Uh huh.

Well here's my 2 cents worth and it won't really cost the taxpayers anything.....IT STINKS, FECES STINKS, ANIMALS STINK.......so deal with it. If you don't like it, don't live near pig farms. I don't even eat pork to begin with and I sure as heck don't care why they stink or want to mess with genetics and try to make a rose smelling pig.

As for the rest of the earmarks listed.....give me a break.

Something stinks alright....it's BO of a different sort.

Two for one at Houston Garden Centers with this coupon

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:12:38 -0600

I don't use coupons much but since it's almost time to start working on my gardening again I start looking for good plant deals. I received an email about a special at Houston Garden Centers and thought I would pass it on. I have personally purchased Azaleas here and they have done well in my garden.

http://ct.wkimailer.com/rd/cts?d=83-2623-1138-2346-321795-195378-0-0-0-1-2-322

Surviving The economic crisis.....from materialism to frugalism part 2

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:09:31 -0600

Yesterday I started a blog on how to live on a tighter budget. You can find it here.....

http://activerain.com/blogsview/938511/Surviving-the-economic-crisisfrom-materialism-to-frugalism-part-1

Today I will continue with ideas 6-10 on how my family lives/manages and how we will continue to survive the economy no matter which direction it heads. I was never a Boy Scout for the obvious reason but be prepared is still my motto.

6. We drive used cars. Some people think if you buy a used car you are asking for problems or you are getting someone else's cast off that just isn't as nice as that new car smell. I beg to differ. What you get is a HUGE savings in cost since your new car loses over 20% of it's value the minute you drive it off the lot or within the first year depending on which "expert" you ask. Why waste your money like that? Let someone else take that financial loss and you can reap the benefits when they trade it in after 2 years for something new. When I first got my Suburban it was in perfect condition. No one even knew it was used until I told them. It was in fact 2 years old. I will confess that I had leather seats installed because cloth doesn't work with our kids (and I got brand new tires and wheels) but even with the cost of adding leather seats and wheels and tires....I still saved about $20,000 when I paid $21,000 for my used Suburban.

7. Learn to cook. I know several people who eat out more than 4 times a week. I know about how much money they make so this one amazes me that they can afford to do this. They say they don't like to cook, don't like to clean up the mess after cooking or they are just too tired. Well, the economy has taken a turn for the worse and now they have hit rock bottom and don't know what to do. They were running up the credit cards eating out. A lot of people were. So now they have to eat at home but don't know how to cook. Well, if you learn 5 simple recipes you can survive. You can even save and freeze the leftovers for a later date or do what my husband does and take leftovers for lunch.

My 5 simple recipes that feed a troop are...

A) Spaghetti (one week with meat and one without and it's usually ground turkey for us)

B) Beef Stew

C) Chilli (I like to alternate between using chicken, ground turkey and beef)

D) Chicken and rice

E) Beef tips and rice

....and if you need the recipe....just ask and I will send it over.

8. Grow your own food. I recommend everyone learn to grow one food item. Even if you live in an apartment you can still grow at least one item in pots on your balcony. I know because I did when I lived in apartments years ago. Buy a book, take a class, hook up with a neighbor with a green thumb but learn to grow at least one thing and learn to either freeze it or can it. I will be planting my garden soon. The family will help tend it. As a reward they get fresh veggies and a trip to the drive in theater once a month which by the way is $5 per person for two movies.

For the record, I recommend you buy your seeds rather than trying to use seeds from store bought veggies. You can learn to harvest seeds for replanting later.

On a side note, you can also find where other people grow it and let you work the land as a co-op for a subscription fee and you get to share the bounty. They are called CSAs. (Community Supported Agriculture). You can find one in your area by going to www.localharvest.org Here is a map of where they are in the US.

I also know where there are huge patches of black berries every year and the kids and I pick them and freeze them. The owner did give us permission. No trespassing!

9. Buy your meat at night. Most of the big groceries stores mark down their meat at night after 9pm but specifically I know Krogers does this. It's the exact same package you would have or could have bought at 10am but after 9 at night you will find that $20 steak marked down drastically. I learned this years ago when I had to start shopping after the breast feeding babies were asleep for the night so I could sneak out to shop. You can still have streak but at the cost of ground beef and the stores aren't crowded!

10.) Donate to charity instead of having a garage sale. Sure you will get some quick cash when you have a garage sale but did you know that by donating it not only are you helping someone else but you will reap a bigger monetary reward if you itemize at tax time when you calculate those donated items? You may sell that shirt for 50 cents but if you use say Turbotax and use their donation tool then you may get a credit of $2.50 or more towards your taxes for that one shirt? Keep a detailed list of everything you donate. Like, 10 mens shirts, 4 men's shorts, 3 ladies blouses and the date and to which organization it was donated. Get a donation receipt as well because you will need to tell the IRS who you donated it to and they will want the address. These things really add up at the end of the year and can save you money on your taxes and get you a bigger refund. The savings gained is much bigger than what you could make at a garage sale. My husband and I just got our tax refund a week ago. We used it to pay off his truck. That was a good feeling.

That's the end of part 2. Hopefully you can take away at least one suggestion here to make your life in these troubling economic times better. IF not, stay tuned for part 3. Maybe there will be something for you there.

Surviving the economic "crisis"....from materialism to frugalism part 1

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:37:28 -0600

In case you've been living under a rock and haven't heard, our country is having some financial difficulties. The economy is bad for some right now and predicted to get worse in the coming months. Some people are panicking and some are looking back in history and learning from our forefathers on how to survive an economic crises. Those who are proactive should come out of this just fine.

My husband and I have 8 children. When I met my husband, he made about $50,000 a year and I made about $20,000 a year. We started out our his and mine relationship with 5 children. While $70,000 a year may sound like a lot to some....you aren't raising 5 children and paying child support to an ex! After Uncle Sam took his share and the ex took hers...we were living on a lot less than $70,000 a year and doing fine.

We have added 3 more kids to the family since then and my husband's salary went up while mine went down but we have never forgotten nor forsaken living frugally. We don't drive BMWs or take Paris vacations but we are happy and pretty healthy financially speaking.

Living frugally does not mean the end of life as you know it. It just means cutting back and living according to a budget. You might even surprise yourself by discovering that putting on some jeans and picking blackberries with your kids can be a lot funner than sitting in a 4 star restaurant and if not, well, at least you weren't being a couch potatoe and I bet your kids will enjoy it.

The following is a list of how we raise 8 kids on our budget....

1. Our kids don't get their own room. That isn't to say they don't think they should have their own room, just that we the parents decided they didn't need their own rooms. We have a 5 bedroom home, but our rule sticks. We have four sets of bunk beds (my husband made them) in two bedrooms of a moderate size. That's 4 kids per room. Boys in one and girls in the other. So if you find yourself needing to downsize on your home, never fear, sharing a room never killed anyone! We turned our 4th bedroom into an office and the 5th into a large walk in pantry/laundry room. If we ever need to downsize to a smaller home, we could and would to make ends meet.

2. We shop in bulk and we buy store brand instead of name brand. Now don't stand there and tell me that milk that says Borden on it tastes any different than Walmart or Kroger brand milk! You will just make me laugh. The same goes for most of the products in the stores. It all comes from pretty much the same places.

3. My kids wear hand me downs and I shop thrift stores. That isn't to say they don't get new things because they do but the bulk of the younger kids wardrobe comes from finding good bargains. My kids wear their clothes about 6 months before they've grown again and need to go up a size. Why spend $50 plus for a pair of jeans they won't fit into 6 months from now when I can find the same thing at Goodwill for $5?!?! Even Old NAvy can't beat $5 for a pair of jeans.

4. We only have two bathrooms. All 8 kids don't live with us. Only 7 do, but all 9 of us share 2 bathrooms. We started out with 3 but I felt it was a waste of space and put that space to better use and ripped out the bathroom. I wouldn't say this saves us money per se, but if 9 of us can share two bathrooms and do it well, you can to if you have to downsize. We just schedule our showers to fit our schedules and it works and if we had to downsize and share one bathroom, you can bet your rear end we would!

5. We raise chickens for eggs. Eggs aren't that expensive. I know this. BUT, if you don't have a job, at least you have eggs if you have your own chickens. It's typically an egg per day per chicken. I typically have 24 eggs per day. I lost a lot of chickens so that was down to 2 but with better planning and a new coop the new chickens should be fine now. My family could survive with just my chickens and my knowlege of edible things in the wild if I had to resort to that. You say you can't have chickens in your neighborhood? Guess how many eggs I throw away per week on average? I try to give them away and can't give them all away. Find someone like me that has extra they aren't using and make use of that resource.

Well that is the end of part 1. Stay tuned for part 2. Look at it this way...I have 9 mouths to feed....how many do you have? If I can do it, you can too.

Simple fixes that can save your rental properties and homes

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:17:55 -0600

My brother recently rented a house that in my opinion was far below par considering the shape it was in. The owner of said house said she thought the house was fine and she wasn't going to put anymore money into it. Had it been me, I would have found another house but my brother took on the challenge and as a family we gathered up the troops and started work.

Problem #1- gutters on the roof had not been cleaned out in years so they were full of pine needles, sticks and other debris and were sagging as well as causing rot.

Solution: Had the owners bothered to clean out the gutters at least once a year, they would have saved the couple of thousand dollars they are now going to have to spend on new Facia and Soffits. IT took me 15 minutes to clean out all of the gutters. Now I ask, isn't 15 minutes of your time worth it to save $2000 or more or are you just so rich you don't mind throwing away money?

Problem #2- every sink in the house had been allowed to leak under the sinks and over the years the water leak rotted the cabinet bottoms.

Solution: Ever so often you should check under your sinks for moisture. If you see moisture...do something about it! IF you aren't a do it yourselfer then hire a plumber. It would have been cheaper to have fixed these issues a long time ago rather than replacing all of the cabinet bottoms now.

Problem #3- Grease covering all of the walls in the kitchen.

Solution- Install a hood vent that vents outside and make sure you clean the filter in it at least monthly(this house originally had one but someone put a microwave over the stove and left no hood vent so the stove had nowhere to vent to except the walls and surrounding cabinets)

Problem #4- Wallpaper that was old, peeling and attracting roaches

Solution- forget installing wallpaper to begin with! Wallpaper has a glue substance on the back which attracts roaches and ants which can be a big problem in the south. When you combine the moisture from the kitchen (steam from the stove with nowhere to go), the bugs eating the sweet glue and the fact that a year from now that style will be outdated, it just is not worth it to install wallpaper. For those who already did, buy a wallpaper scorer at a home improvement store, score the paper, use a warm water and liquid fabric softener spray mix to spray the wall down, one 3 foot area at a time and use a wallpaper scraper to gently scrape the paper off. It took me 6 hours to remove all of the paper from this kitchen and dining room but the end result was a new modern looking kitchen without fruit baskets that most people would not like.

Problem #5- No grass on the front lawn.

Solution- grass can't grow under layers of leaves and pine needles. In order to grow, grass needs water and sun. At the very least you should rake up the leaves and pine needles twice a year. In this case, we are having to bring in some dirt and sow some grass seed since it had obviously been years since a rake was used on the yard. I found interesting things under those leaves such as several garden tools, hundreds of Corona lids and even a hammer.

Problem #6- Shoddy repair work throughout the house ensuring cracked floor tiles, cracked showers and tubs, lights that short out the house when you turned them on, etc.

Solution- You get what you pay for. Sure it's nice that so and so's cousin is "in the business" and can do the work for cheap but if they do a bad job, you pay more trying to fix their mistakes. Check references, ask for pictures of other work they have completed, check licensing and if all else fails take a class on how to do it yourself. They are FREE at most major home improvement stores.

Long story short, it will take my brother 2-4 years of living in that rental to recoup what he spent on repairing and updating and cleaning this house so it was livable (although it only cost him some pizzas to "pay" my husband and I to help). The home owner now has a home that might actually sell if she ever decides to. Why she thought the house was "Fine" is beyond me. I hate to see what she does to her new house! Least I forget, paint the whole house with one neutral color. You may like red, blue and mint green but most buyers/renters aren't going to like having a red living room, blue master bedroom and mint green kitchen. Try to stay neutral!

Don't let this become your house.

Bella Sera Wedding Planner in Austin Texas

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:19:32 -0600

Many young ladies are planning their weddings for the 2009 season. We just recently had the Bridal Extravaganza in Houston in fact. It's been over 10 years since I was a bride but it's hard not to get in the spirit of a wedding especially since my little brother will be getting married in 2009.

With that in mind we are searching for a venue and I realized how hard that can be. Lucky for us we have a sister in law that has over 10 years experience as a Wedding Planner who has just started Bella Serra Weddings and Events in Austin.

http://www.bellaseraweddings.com/index.html

After seeing her own wedding last December I can honestly say I have never seen a more elegant and beautiful wedding. She had a 'million dollar' wedding on a budget most people wouldn't be able to buy a car for.

So, if you are planning a wedding or event in Austin, give JaNae a call at 512-699-0388.

You won't regret it.

That is me on the right!

Spend a dollar, save the country

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:30:29 -0600

It's that time of year again when we all start making lists, checking them twice and brave the crowds to find that perfect gift for our loved ones. The media says we aren't spending enough. They say we are keeping our money under our mattress because of the economic issues. Well I was at the mall over the weekend and to that I say HOGWASH! There were more people out this year than any other if you ask me. Were they spending money or just looking? I don't have the answer to that but I know the stores were crowded but mostly pleasant and courteous unlike other years when I wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit.

Perhaps the economy is reminding us of what is important. That would be a good thing. It seems to many have forgotten.

Christmas is supposed to remind us of God's gift to us. It's supposed to remind us of Christ's ultimate gift of his life. He gave his life which was free of sin to make up for us and our sinful ways because otherwise there'd be no hope for most of us. How amazing is that!?!

When you are out in the crowds, keep in mind the true reason for the season. You might not find that perfect gift. It might have been sold out already. It might be over your budget. But what is really important is that we give of ourselves. Volunteer your time. It will go further than a new pair of gloves or house-shoes ever could.

Also keep in mind that in order to help the economy, we have to keep businesses, well.... IN BUSINESS. Try and purchase gifts at stores whose merchandise is made in the USA. Buying a bunch of stuff made in China, helps China. Buying things made in the USA, helps the USA. No, I am not anti-Walmart. I do a lot of shopping there myself, but I understand the effect of buying nothing but imported goods on our economy and for the sake of our country I am here to remind you to purchase goods that will help keep America thriving or help it to become a thriving rather than floundering nation again. We consumers can accomplish more in one month than congress can in 12 months if we just support local businesses!

My two favorite places to shop during the holidays are Old Town Spring in Spring Texas and The antique district of Tomball. It just feels like Christmas as you walk through the shops full of goods and smell the pine candles and cinnamon potpourri and are reminded of the Christmases past as you browse the antiques and homemade items as well as the new items available. It's like stepping into another time. A time when gas prices weren't in the headlines and electronics weren't at the top on everyone's lists. It just makes you warm and fuzzy inside! Much better than linoleum tiles and long check out lines at the big box stores.

So Remember, BUY LOCAL. It's helpful to the environment to buy local because it saves gas. Buying an antique is even greener because it's recycling. So spend a dollar or two, but do it wisely with the economy and environment in mind.

I wish all of my fellow Active Rainers a Very Merry Christmas!! May your hearts be full of gladness and joy and may there be a twinkle in your eye as well as on your tree.

It's snowing in Texas tonight!

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:24:23 -0600

Ok, so it won't be real snow but the Lonestar College in Tomball is having it's annual Winter Wonderland December 4th beginning at 5:30pm. There will be snow, gingerbread, coffee, pictures with Santa ($5), a train ride, live music, and lots of fun for the children. Most of the activities are free. So bundle up the kids and come on out!

Winter Wonderland
December 4

Ring in the holiday season with Lone Star College-Tomball's Winter Wonderland.

The entire community is invited to this holiday
celebration on Thursday, December 4.

Offerings include

Musical entertainment
Games for children
Refreshments
Pictures with Santa
Train rides
Real Snow

Children of all ages can enjoy two playgrounds of snow located near the Beckendorf Conference Center. The snow opens at 5:30 p.m. and closes promptly at 8 p.m.

Entertainment starts at 6 p.m. in the Beckendorf Conference Center and features the Lone Star College-Tomball Jazz ensemble, choir, and faculty and staff chorus.

Lone Star College-Tomball student organizations have planned plenty of fun activities for children including a Christmas craft area and other games. There will also be a kiddie train and balloons by Noodles the clown.

Pictures with Santa will be from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Black Box Theater in the East Building. Pictures are $5 each. Proceeds benefit the Lone Star College-Tomball Scholarship Fund. Also, Santa's elves will be collecting presents For Santa's special deliveries. Guests are invited to bring donations of labeled wrapped and unwrapped personal items and toiletries for Santa's visits to area senior citizen's facilities and/or toys for his visits to children in local hospitals. Please mark packages either adult or child and specify gender.

Cookies, wassail, coffee, and ginger bread cake will be served throughout the evening in the Beckendorf Conference Center at no charge. Hot dogs and soft drinks will be available for a small charge.

There is no admission and all children's games and activities are free. For information, please call 281.351.3300 or 281.357.3608.

Tomball German Christmas Market December 13th

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:36:01 -0600

Tomball once again retreats back in time to it's German heritage in our annual German Christmas Market. It's a can't be missed event with fun for all ages. There will be music, food, fireworks, lots of items for sale and lots of fun. It's December 13th and starts at 10am. You won't need directions to the festivities. Just follow the signs and people once you get to Tomball. Parking is free.

Operation Holidays for Heroes (support your military)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:42:23 -0600

As Veteran's Day is tomorrow and the holidays are fast approaching I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you about a Montgomery County program that sends Christmas packages to our military men and women serving overseas. Below are some items that are needed. There are rules as to what can and can not be sent to Iraq so please check the website or call to make sure that what you purchase can be shipped. If you have a family member serving, you can sign them up at this website as well so they can receive a package.

Join in our goal to send 1,000 holiday packages over to Iraq and Afghanistan in time for our heroes to enjoy the holiday season.

Please help us by donating any of the following non-perishable items:

AT&T International Phone Cards

i-tunes Gift Cards

Digital Disposable Cameras

"Shippable" Snack Items

Christmas cards to the heroes

Main page...

http://www.montgomerycountycares.com/index.htm

To sign up a loved one...

http://www.montgomerycountycares.com/sign_up.html

A thank you from one soldier...

Howdy!

Thank you so much for the care package from Holiday for Heroes. It is nice to see so many things from back home in Texas. Iraq is far enough away that the little things mean much more than they did just a short time ago. It was funny to watch the guys in the office diving into the box after I opened it up and picked out a few things for myself. Beef Jerky seems to be the most-coveted item these days. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas holiday and thank you for remembering us while we are far from home and missing our families. Your efforts truly do help and they do not go unappreciated.

God bless you!

SPC Clayton McKinnis

Free car ride to 77447 election site on November 4th

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:41:04 -0500

The map below shows how many electoral votes your state is allowed in the presidental election.

The map below shows how Bush won the 2004 election.

Bush had 286 electoral votes and Kerry had 251.

The graph below shows the projected numbers for the 2008 election (according to one site).

This Week's Tally
October 13, 2008	McCain	Obama	Margin
Projected Electoral Votes	169	369	Obama +200
Projected Popular Vote	44.85%	53.15%	Obama +8.3%

Let me state for the record that these "projections" are about as valid as the National Weather Service guessing how many hurricanes there will be in a given year. The truth is that they don't know, they are just guessing and hope they are right.

Regardless, it is VERY important that EVERYONE get out and vote and be heard in this election. Weither or not the electoral college votes the 'right' way or not is nothing we can control at this date. All we can do is let our vote be counted and pray that God blesses this country in the future.

I will be arranging a carpool to the election site in my area. If you live in the 77447 zip code, please call me to arrange a ride. I only have room for 6 more people.

** to my fellow ARers, make room in your cars and use your gas for a really good purpose. Join me in helping people get to voting booths who otherwise wouldn't make it.

Eco-friendly Ondura roofing to replace your roof lost in the hurricane

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:44:18 -0500

There are a lot of people in the Houston area who are now having to replace their roof because of damage sustained during hurricane Ike, myself included.

I wanted to tell you about a product that you may not be familiar with called Ondura. I am not paid to endorse their product. I truly believe that they have a product that is superior to the old composition/asphalt shingles.

As you can see in this picture of my newly built chicken coop, the Ondura roof survived the hurricane whereas my asphalt shingled roof on my home did not.

The left picture was taken the day after hurricane Ike passed through and yes my yard flooded. The right picture was taking during the building of the coop back in July.

Since we are now having to replace the roof on our house anyway, we will be replacing it with Ondura to match the chicken coop.

The good thing about Ondura is that it's easy to install, you don't have to tear off the old roof if you don't want to (which makes it better on the environment because you aren't filling landfills with your old shingles) because Ondura can be installed over an existing shingled roof, it comes in many colors and can also be painted with any color, it's made from 50% of post-consumer recycled materials (which it makes it environmentally friendly), it comes with a lifetime limited warranty, it's not expensive and any DIYer can install it with no special tools needed.

Businesses have already caught on to this trend. This product has been around for over 40 years. I don't know why it isn't more popular in the residential areas. I can only guess it is because people have gotten so used to composition shingles that they don't look into other options.

Well you do have other options and this one is worth looking into.

You can read more about Ondura by visiting their website at...

http://www.ondura.com/

This is a house with an Ondura roof.

Help for Sprint Cell phone users in the areas hit by Hurricane Ike

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:55:20 -0500

If like me you were trying to use your phone during or after hurricane Ike and were surprised to have no or a poor signal for days then keep on reading.

Not long after the hurricane had swept through I needed my phone for an emergency. It didn't work. I didn't have time to deal with it so I put my phone on roaming and sent out text messages instead. Even on roaming I was lucky to get a signal for at least 4 days after the storm.

Yesterday I got a bill in the mail from Sprint. It was $484. Twice my usual bill. As if I needed to be punched in the gut by my cell phone provider after everything else I had been through!!

Well, after taking some deeeeeep breaths we called Sprint. Much to my surprise they credited us a little over $200 for the extra charges for roaming during and after the storm.

The CSR told us that Sprint was more than willing to help those that were affected by the storm who had to put their phones on roaming when the Sprint network was not available as usual.

So I am sending out this message to all of you who might be getting a similar bill in the mail. Call Sprint, tell them you were in the area hit by Ike and see if they will help you out. You will have to provide some information, will have to prove you were in an area that was affected by the storm but the time you spend will be worth it I am sure.

It never hurts to ask.

Thank you Sprint!!

The History of Tomball Texas

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:00:20 -0500

Tomball wasn't always known as Tomball. Like many things in life it has changed over the last 200 years both in name and size but not in spirit.

Tomball, originally called Peck after a railroad engineer, was originally settled by immigrants in the 1800s. These immigrants were ecstatic to find untouched land that was perfect for farming and ranching. That part has not changed. There are still farmers and ranchers in our area but as Tomball grows the pasture lands are shrinking to make way for progress.

Tomball was originally just a railroad stop. Thomas Ball was responsible for getting the railroad to put the line through Tomball so the city was renamed Tomball on December 2, 1907 after Thomas Ball.

These rail lines brought a boom to the area because it made it easier to ship crops and move cattle.

The lines brought in railroad workers, saloons, hotels and boarding houses as well as shops.

For many years Tomball was known as a "honky tonk town" because of the desire of people to come out to the country and "party". The prohibition ended the boom after 8 years, the town was no longer a party town and the boom ended.

The oil and gas industry brought a second boom to the town in the early 1900s. When it was discovered that oil was abundant in the area it brought a great many people to the area, some of those decendants are still here today.

We are currently experiencing another boom in Tomball. Some say it's the people's desire to live close to Houston but still feel a little bit of that country spirit that resides here. Some say it's because this is where the builders are building new homes and so the people come. Others say it's to get away from crime and crowds.

I say it's because Tomball makes you feel like you've finally come home.

If you decide to join us here, know you will always be welcome.

HVAC referral for the Tomball, TX area (kudos to NDSC!!)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:04:52 -0500

I recently had to have my HVAC replaced because the old one was 10 years old, causing high energy bills and kept breaking down.

I called out everyone from Trane to Carrier to American Standard to Goodman. The quotes I got were for 13 seer to 15 seer units.

I got quotes that ranged from $3300 to $16,500.

Yeah, that is a big difference.

I hope you don't have your system go out in these tough economic times but if you do I highly recommend you give Neal a call at 936-372-3416.

He was prompt, polite and best of all he got us a new system for under $4000.

The system we got was a Ruud, 5 ton, 13 seer. Yes I know that isn't the highest seer rating but when you go 3 days with no HVAC, are on a budget and are paying cash....the 13 seer was much better than the 10 year old unit we had and should be more energy efficient and best of all you don't have to sweat to death!!

So if you find yourself in my shoes....give Neal a call.

Top 10 reasons why your Realtor is not answering the phone when you call

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:44:09 -0500

I received a very nasty voice mail yesterday. I had considered changiing my outgoing message to reflect my unappreciation for the message but after more thought and some calming down I decided to blog about it instead.

The voice mail was from a woman. I have no idea who she is nor how to call her back because she left no number, no name and her caller ID was blocked. In her voice mail she is screaming something to the effect of "how the blankety blank blank do I expect to sell a house if I never answer the phone".

Well, today I will answer that question for the world to know.

Here are the top 10 reasons why a Realtor/Agent may not be answering the phone the very minute you call.

1. Perhaps her bowels and/or bladder are still working and she's in the restroom and she doesn't feel like it's necessary to discuss real estate while sitting on the toilet.

2. Perhaps (imagine this now) she may have another customer/client besides just you and she feels it is the polite thing to do to wait until she is finished with that customer/client before she answers her phone.

3. Perhaps she isn't awake at 7am on a Saturday after having worked 12-14 hour days all week long and she actually needs some SLEEP!

4. Perhaps when you called at 11am on Sunday she was in church practicing her religion and her patience as her phone vibrated in her pocket.

5. Perhaps she doesn't answer calls that have their caller ID blocked and come across the phone as being "private" for security reasons because she values her life!! (are you listening lady?)

6. Perhaps she just doesn't like you and is tired of you calling her 6 times a day with unnecessary questions. How about you just let her do the job you are paying her to do????

7. Perhaps she actually enjoys spending time with her kids/family and doesn't feel it's necessary to her career to be on call 24/7 regardless of whatever perceived emergency you may think you have that necesitates you needing to interrupt her child's birthday party.

8. Perhaps she is right this very minute trying to negotiate a contract on your house and feels she can give you all of the details when she is DONE DOING HER JOB.

9. Perhaps she and her husband are out celebrating their anniversary and she didn't want to invite you.

10. Perhaps (and this is a big one) Perhaps she actually has a life outside of realestate and if you would be so kind as to have left a MESSAGE just once including your (AH!-OH!-OOOOOHHH!) PHONE NUMBER and NAME she would have called you back as soon as she was back on the clock!

So the next time you get a "tude" because your Agent/Realtor didn't answer your phone call.....keep the above in mind.

Yet another Obama mistake....saying no to town hall debates

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:15:41 -0500

In an article on yahoo news today....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080802/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_debates

...it was said that Obama will not be following through on his promise to attend the town hall debates with McCain but instead will stick to just the standard 3 in October.

The article stated that "Obama is reluctant to take chances or give McCain a high-profile stage now that Obama's the front-runner."

I believe this is a mistake on Obama's part. Whomever is advising him is not in touch with the people.

The people want to hear what Obama (and McCain as well) is all about. We don't just want slogans, we want substance!!!!

If the Obama camp is trying to limit the amount of time people have to get to know the candidate then this was a smart move. However, those of us with brains in our head want to know what the senator from Illinois plans to do as president should he win the election. We want to talk to him. We want to hear it from his mouth what his answers are to some pressing issues.

If I were a democrat I'd be disappointed that he will be a no show at these debates.

If I were a democrat I'd want more answers.

As an American....as a responsible voter, I look forward to hearing these debates and seeing what the answers are. I believe Obama just made another BIG tactical error that just lost him more voters to the McCain side.

The more of this that occurs the more likely I will vote for McCain when I was on the fence prior to today.

I honestly have to say that to me this is the most disappointing election of my lifetime.

Beat the heat at "ITZ" in Houston

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 16:55:38 -0500

There are many places to beat the heat in Texas. Most of them are water related. There are times however when you are tired of (or it's raining) the water parks , lakes and rivers and just want to have fun indoors.

About 10 minutes south of Tomball on 249, conveniently located at 18355 Tomball Parkway near Willowbrook Mall is a place called ITZ. You can find all of the information at www.itzusa.com/houston

ITZ was built inside the old Home Depot building. It's an experience your children will want to repeat over and over and over again and us parents don't mind because at least it's AIR CONDITIONED!!

You MUST buy a buffet to get in and enjoy the rides. Prices and hours are llisted at the bottom of this blog.

There are over 150 games including bumper cars, arcade games, bowling, pinball and my daughter's favorite...the INDOOR roller coaster.

Their price per person beats any entertainment venue around this area and did I mention it's AIR CONDITONED!!!

When you are done at ITZ, you can head next door to Movie Tavern for dinner and a movie (owned by a seperate company and not included in the price of the ITZ ticket!). Dinner is served while you enjoy the movie. Best of all...my son is the projectionist!

PRICING

iT'Z offers a variety of fresh food, made daily, to satisfy just about any appetite. Buffet and drink purchase is required to enter and fully enjoy iT'Z.

EAT

Monday - Friday Open to 3 pm

Seniors                      $4.99
Adults                        $5.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $4.99
Children (3 - 9 yrs.)     $3.99

Monday - Thursday after 3 pm

Seniors    $6.99
Adults      $7.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)    $4.99
Children (3-9 yrs)        $3.99

Friday after 3 pm, Saturday & Sunday

Seniors    $7.99
Adults    $8.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $4.99
Children (3-9 yrs)        $3.99

Add Eat & Play Combo

*receive buffet, drinks, and 50 point game card
Adults      $19.99
Youth (10-12 yrs)        $16.99
Children (3-9 yrs)    $15.99

Children 2 and Under Always Eat Free

DRINK

iT'Z Proudly Serves Coca-Cola Products

Unlimited Soft Drinks,
Coffee and Tea
Adult                                                       $1.69
Child                                                       $1.09

Beer and Wine Available

ADD MORE FUN TO YOUR DAY

Drink Cup $5.00
Card-Safe Lanyard $2.50

The iT'Z Buffet is all you can eat!