Blog entries - January 2010

Double Your Return with Lennar

Cheryl Boe — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:28:25 +0100

Lennar will double your 2009 tax refund, up to $20,000. The builder will match your tax refund up to $20,000, which can be used towards the price of a new Lennar home.

This special offer is good on homes sold between January 25 and January 31, 2010. Home must close by February 28, 2010.

Lennar offers new homes in Fairfield, Graystone Hills, Oakhurst at Kingwood, Lakes of Savannah and Lakemont.

For more information, visit Lennar.com.

Offer good up to $20,000 on homes sold 1/25/10 - 1/31/10 that close by 2/28/10. Tax Return should be presented on first visit to the Welcome Home Center. See a Lennar or Village Builders New Home Consultant for further information. Offers, incentives and seller contributions are subject to certain terms, conditions and restrictions, which may include use of designated lenders and closing agents. Offer good for a limited time only. Lennar and Village Builders reserve the right to change or withdraw any offer at any time. Copyright © 2010 Lennar Corporation. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Village Builders, and the Village Builders logo, Everything You Want., Everything You Need., That's the Logic of Lennar logo, Universal American Mortgage Comany and UAMC logos are registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 1/10

Mondays with Mommy-West Houston Mothers Meetup

Greg Rivera — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:01:47 +0100

Lakemont mothers of pre-schoolers looking to be better involved with the community through playgroups and fellowship with other moms will find lots to do this year at "Mondays with Mommy," a program by partnership with the West Houston Moxie Moms group and LaCenterra.

Every Monday, moms who mention "Mondays with Mommy" in various LaCenterra stores will receive a number of benefits :

10% off various services and/or products at Aurea Salon & Spa, Beau Kisses, Cold Stone Creamery, Designs of the Interior, Get Personal Katy, J. Barton Clothiers, Mint, Nestlé Tollhouse Café, Relax the Back, and The Wine Next Door.

15% off Bath Junkie purchases
Get a free scoop of ice cream at Fish City Grill as well as all-you-can-enjoy Catfish (unlimited at menu price).
20% off any original or power size smoothie at Jamba Juice
15% off Merle Norman Cosmetics
20% off sheet music and music books at Music & Arts Center

In addition, on the second Monday of each month there are free meet-ups for Mom and child from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. The 2010 series follows the theme, "When I Grow Up, I Want to Be…" which will introduce children to popular professions and familiar faces in the community. These meet-ups take place in the Heritage Square at LaCenterra - 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. Katy, TX 77494.

2010 Mondays With Mommy Schedule: http://www.lacenterra.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=2yNBwGIO9U8=&tabid=93

Email kristi@moxie-moms.com for more info.

American Red Cross Super Ball IX

Greg Rivera — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:37:16 +0100

If fun, food and football sound like a good time then join Cindy Reaves, May W. Tape DDS, and Carol Whileyman for Super Ball IX – the 9th annual American Red Cross Southwestern Branch Fundraiser. This is a tailgate like none other, featuring a super size tailgate buffet, complimentary beer and wine, live and silent auctions, sports games, sports celebrities and a dance.

This fun filled evening will take place on Saturday January 23, 2010 in the Texas Ballroom at Safari Ranch Texas in Richmond. The festivities start at 6:30 and go until the clock strikes twelve. Throughout the evening there will be two basketball shootouts and a football toss, as well as great prizes featured in the auctions. One of these fantastic prizes is a gourmet dinner for 10 at Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille with wine from award-winning California winemaker Tom Eddy who will be on hand to answer questions and share his private collection of wines.

The American Red Cross responds to small and large disasters across the community, they provide medical transportation to citizens ensuring they receive essential care, they offer health and safety courses to citizens of all ages, and provide emergency preparedness information to individuals, schools and businesses. These are only a few of the way the Southwestern Branch of the American Red Cross in Fort Bend County makes a difference in Richmond resident’s lives. Now, it’s your chance to support a service that makes a lasting difference in the community each and every day, and what better way to support your community than by enjoying your time giving back.

Proceeds from the Super Ball IX will go to funding program operations, service delivery to the community, and general operating needs of the American Red Cross Southwestern Branch. Tickets are just $75 per person or $130 per couple. There are also sponsorships available at different levels - Fans $1,000; Players $2,500; Band Sponsor $3,000; Kickers $5,000; and Quarterbacks $10,000.

For more information or to register for the event please call 281-342-9480 or visit www.houstonredcross.org/super-ball. This is sure to be a night full of fun, food and football!

Source: www.fortbendherald.com

Lamar CISD Announces the Addition of Engineering Courses

Cheryl Boe — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:49:02 +0100

Soon, high-school age students in master-planned Lakemont will have the opportunity to explore engineering and engineering technology as a potential career.

The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District recently announced that its Board of Trustees approved a new series of elective courses for students in its four high schools for the 2010-11 school year which includes Foster High School which serves students in Lakemont.
Beginning in August 2010, students in grades 9 and 10 will have an opportunity to join students from across the nation to explore engineering and engineering technology as a potential career.

The district reports that it has joined the national pre-engineering program titled Project Lead the Way (PLTW). Currently offered in more than 3,000 school districts in all 50 states, PLTW curriculum was developed with the help of engineers and engineering universities and allows students to use science, technology, math and engineering to solve real world problems.

The first course in the new course series is Introduction to Engineering Design (IED). Students, in grades 9 and 10, who like to create and design will be provided opportunities to learn engineering design software and to solve real world problems in the IED class.

Students who successfully complete IED will be able to take additional courses during the following school years including Principles of Engineering (POE), Digital Electronics (DE), Civil Engineering and Architecture (CEA), Biotechnical Engineering (BTE), Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), and Engineering Design and Development (EDD).

For more information, visit the Lamar CISD website at www.lcisd.org.

Brighton Homes Opens New Model Home in Lakemont Shores

Cheryl Boe — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:47:44 +0100

Visitors to Lakemont can tour a beautiful new model in the community’s newest section – Lakemont Shores.

Brighton Homes has opened its new two-story Chandler model which offers more than 4,200 square feet, up to six bedrooms and an impressive list of included features and options. Now open daily, the model will offer home shoppers a preview of the attention to detail available in every new Brighton Home in Lakemont.

The model displays the versatility of the home, showcasing the sixth bedroom as a media room. Other highlights in the model include crown and chair moldings, various ceiling treatments, wood and wrought iron details and a covered back porch. An open design, the Chandler has a spacious open kitchen and family room, and features a study in place of the included living room. The Chandler is one of 11 one- and two-story designs offered by Brighton Homes in Lakemont Shores, where lake view home sites are available.

Visitors to Lakemont can also tour new models by Gehan Homes and Lennar.

Lamar CISD 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Student Art Show

Greg Rivera — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:32:53 +0100

It’s almost time for the rodeo – The 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – and students across Texas are doing more than just brushing animals, they are creating works of art that display their Western culture, heritage and or history. Lamar CISD students are getting a chance to take part in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Student Art Show by submitting and displaying artwork for judging, first at a local level, then winners will go on to have their work displayed at the Reliant Center during the rodeo.

The Lamar CISD Student Art Exhibit features work by Lamar CISD students in pre-K through 12th grade. Their work will be on display from January 13-2- at the Fort Bend County Rosenberg Annex at 4520 Reading Road. The exhibit is open from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday (except for Martin Luther King Jr. Day when it is closed).

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program began in 1964 and has had more than 7 million entries since that time, with over 300,000 entries submitted each year from students across Texas. Every student receives a certificate of merit signed by the Show president, as well as a blue, red or white ribbon for achievement. Work is judged by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Committee and artists that receive “Best of Show,” “Gold Medal,” and “Special Merit” will have their work displayed in the Hayloft Gallery in the Reliant Center throughout the run of the Show and Rodeo.

For more information please contact the Lamar CISD Fine Arts Department at 832-223-0512

Richmond Artist Jim Keller – The Heart of a Woodturner

Greg Rivera — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:49:35 +0100

Jim Keller is not just another man from Richmond - he is a man who creates. During his 42 years working as a civil engineer he made blueprints for designs and calculated precise measurements, making sure the product was the exact outcome the idea foretold. Now he creates works of art, forming them as his hand and mind lead, never knowing exactly what the outcome will be – sculptural work that landed him a spot among 400 other artists at the Bayou City Art Festival two years in a row.

Though it started out as a hobby and a side job in carpentry, Keller’s love of crafting wood has evolved into a new art form. “Through my lifelong love of wood I have evolved from a carpenter, to a cabinet maker, to a wood turner and finally to a sculptor,” Keller shared. As a sculptor he takes pieces of wood from nature and changes them into works of art – better known as a woodturner.

Woodturning is a unique form of wood working where an artist carves and shapes wood as it turns on a lathe. Keller sculpts the wood as it moves in front of him, constantly carving or waiting as it turns, shaping it into a work of art. From bowls and vases to abstract pieces of swirling objects Keller is free to create any form from his imagination.

Foxfire Studios, Keller’s Richmond studio is the birthplace and first home to his work. From the log storage area behind his studio where inspiration begins Keller can choose the piece of wood that moves him, putting it on the lathe to create a unique piece of art. Give him some safety glasses, an apron, gloves, tools, a block of wood and a lathe, and this retiree is content to just be, working and woodturning. It is an added bonus that his worked is admired, respected and wanted by art lovers throughout the U.S.

While he has worked with various types of wood and even acrylic, it is his “Evolution of the Wheel” series caught the attention of the Bayou Art Festival in 2008. After submitting images of his work a panel judged his work and juried him into the festival, securing a place for the woodturning artist in the 2009 Bayou Art Festival in October. Keller was grateful for the recognition. “The Bayou City Art Festival is one of the most anticipated and popular annual outdoor art galleries, and to be chosen to participate is an honor,” he said. His passion will pay off again as he presents his work for a second year in the 2010 Bayou City Art Festival.

Keller currently has work exhibited at the Morton Street Gallery in downtown Richmond and is looking forward to upcoming exhibitions in Arizona and Maryland. His work will be displayed at the Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Event in Scottsdale, AZ from January 18-24, and at The American Craft Council Baltimore Show February 23-28. Keller is enthusiastic for what the future holds as he continues the work he loves – making art. “It feels good,” Keller said. “It feels pretty good.”

For more information on Jim Keller or to get a peek at his work and studio, please visit www.jimkeller-foxfire.com

Source: www.fbherald.com

Casa de Esperanza Gala – Fort Bend Jan 20, 2010

Greg Rivera — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:04:37 +0100

Casa de Esperanza is bringing hope to children and families across Fort Bend County and on Wednesday January 20 they will celebrate a few of the amazing people who have helped make their work possible. ‘Wish Upon A Season’ is this year’s theme for their third annual holiday extravaganza and gala which will benefit the Casa de Esperanza.

Originally scheduled for December 4th, the festivities were postponed due to inclement weather. The gala will now take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, January 20 at Safari Texas Ranch in Richmond. The gala will start with a cocktail reception followed by dinner and entertainment along with an auction board called Gifts to Go featuring over 20 items. At the end of the night someone will be crowned king or queen by Casa de Esperanza and they will receive a special thank you – an art piece created by the children who have received help from the organization.

The event will also feature a live auction that you don’t want to miss featuring tickets to a Jonas Brothers concert, a barbecue with 99 friends, tickets to a Rockets home game with an autographed basketball and a night at a hotel, and dining with a group at three fun homes.

Casa de Esperanza is a non-profit organization which relies solely on the generosity of the community. Now in its 27th year the organization has been a safe place for children in crisis due to abuse, neglect and HIV/AIDS. They are the only organization in Texas to recognize and respond to the need for specialized residential care of children infected with HIV/AIDS and they have been providing this care longer than any agency in the country.

They offer hope and help to foster and adoptive children and their families throughout Fort Bend County as they support 15 foster and 10 adoptive families. The organization offers free residential, medical and psychological care to meet the needs of individual children and families, ranging from special-needs infants to children ages 6 and under.

The theme for this year’s gala is Stars of Today and Tomorrow, and honorees are Fort Bend fathers and daughters who provide vision and commitment in support of civic and charitable organizations in the county, giving selflessly of their time and talents. Among them are Don Kerstetter and daughter Grace, Dr. Scott Breeze and daughter Ava, Quinn Wright and daughter Caylin, Will Hardee and daughter Heather Gobert, and Chris Breaux and daughters Kimberly and Aimee.

Be sure to mark your calendars for the Casa de Esperanza 2010 Annual Gala “Building Hope for Children” on Sunday April 25, 2010 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. This event, hosted by Lucia and Michael Cordua and chaired by Julie and Dr. David Brown and Brenda and Tom Koch, will honor volunteers and contributors for their hearts, time and commitment.

The 2010 Annual Gala will present the Michael Cordua Spirit of Hope award to Kathy O’Neil and Phil Ferguson, the Volunteer of the Year award to Robert Malinak, the Corporate Honoree award to Bracewell and Giuliani, LLP, the Volunteer Group of the Year award to the Rotary Club of University Area, the Young Professionals of the Year award to Ben Brown and Alan Falik, and the Teen Volunteer of the Year award to Colin Bassett.

For information, tickets, or to find out how to become a volunteer or sponsor please contact Gina Miller at 281-491-6440 or 281-773-5700 or visit www.casahope.org

Sponsors for the Wish Upon a Season Casa de Esperanza Fort Bend Gala include Safari Texas Ranch; Classic Chevrolet; Richmond Bone and Joint Clinic; Carolyn and Neil Banfield; Dr. Kim Gee, DDS; Marilyn and Albert Glover; Libby and Clyde King; Null-Lairson; Tami and Dan McGuire; Medcare Pediatric Group; Butch and Gina Miller; Quail Valley Exchange Club; Richmond Rotary Club; Nina Schaefer, attorney at law; Dr. May W. Tape, DDS; Tate Moerer & King; Tax Tech; University of Houston System-Sugar Land; and Wharton County Junior College.

Healthier Lifestyles and Better Eating Habits at LaCenterra Farmers Market

Greg Rivera — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:43:19 +0100

Lakemont residents seeking healthier lifestyles and eating habits will find the LaCenterra Farmers Market an excellent source for locally grown fresh produce. The Farmers Market has been a staple at LaCenterra for years, and the management is continually looking to expand the market's products for an enhanced variety of choices to shoppers.

Visitors to the LaCenterra Farmers Market will find fresh seasonal produce, handmade products, organic skin care, local honey, fresh breads, olive oil, free range eggs, natural pet foods, and local art.

The Farmers Market is open on the west side of LaCenterra, adjacent to Commercial Center Blvd. or in Heritage Square, the center courtyard on Saturdays.

Hours:
Spring - Summer 8:00 am - 12:00 pm Fall - Winter Hours 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
LaCenterra Shopping Center
23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd. Questions & Comments: 281-533-0340 Products available at the market this week. Farmersmarketlacenterra.com

Lennar New Year Sales Promotion

Cheryl Boe — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Lennar is offering up to $25,000* off select inventory when you purchase a new home this weekend. For details, visit the Lennar Homes sales office in Lakemont.

*Inventory homes as determined by Lennar sold 1/1/10 - 1/31/10 and closing by 2/15/10 will offer savings of up to $25,000 off the original home price. Incentives will vary per community and per home. See a Lennar New Home Consultant for further information. Copyright © 2010 Lennar Corporation. Lennar and the Lennar logo are registered service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries. 1/10

Important Notice: Freeze Precautions

Greg Rivera — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:00:00 +0100

The Houston Weather Bureau is predicting freezing conditions from Thursday night through to Saturday morning (January 7-9, 2010).

These sustained freezing conditions could result in pipes bursting, causing severe damage. Please take the following precautions to minimize damage to your property and protect your plant and pets.

Wrap an exterior exposed pluming pipes.
Disconnect water hoses.
Keep your pets inside.
Cover your plants.
Do not leave faucets dripping
Listen to your radio and T.V. for weather updates.
If you are going out of town, leave the heat on in your unit and open the under counter cabinet doors. As an additional precaution, turn off the main water valve and drain the faucets. If you turn the water off and you have electric water heater, be sure to turn the breaker off.