It’s the return of morning-hustle-out-the-door, scheduling, and paperwork chaos. No problem: Here are some tips to stay on your “A” game this school year.

Entryway

Welcome to the supersize equivalent of a junk drawer – a massive catchall for jackets, backpacks, shoes, and rain boots that also happens to be front and center for all to see. That’s why you need an eye-pleasing system to organize the madness.

Kitchen

The kitchen should realy be called the living room. It’s where your family congregates most, whether you’re eating dinner, putting together a science project, or hosting pantry-raiding friends. Here, five ideas for your home’s command central.

Bedroom

In the not-too distant future, your child will become a teen. For now, you still have access to his sleeping quarters, which is why you should seize the opportunity to streamline his routine.

1) The first thing you should do is access the situation of your lawn. Is your yard covered with a good strain of grass that you would like to keep, but is dying? Is it being overrun by crabgrass and weeds? Is it completely overrun by crabgrass and weeds? The only way to figure out where to go from here is to determine what you are starting with and what you want your lawn to turn into. Far too often I see neighbors dumping hundreds of dollars in lawn care on their yards only to see them shaking their heads a month later when nothing has changed. These products are good, but not always necessary.

2) Watering goes without saying, but with the summer heat water can be futile if you don’t know how to get the best out of it. If you’re watering your lawn in the middle of the day the odds are its going to evaporate before any of it has soaked into the ground. The proper way to water your lawn would be to wait until dusk thus preventing any evaporation from taking place. This allows all water to be absorbed by the plant. Remember it’s a lot easier for the sun to evaporate water off the surface of a plant or ground than it is to take it from inside the plant and ground. This is especially helpful in counties that restrict the amount of water you can use for your lawn during the summer.

3) If you’re looking to eliminate all the bad grass from your lawn first you must remember that it’s like a cancer; it will spread and it won’t stop spreading. Good thing this is also true for the good grass as well. Your lawn is a democracy. Majority will rule. Plant the grass you want and when it grows it will better defend itself from a bad grass takeover. Some lawns require more work; almost to the point of a complete overhaul. Just remember tilling your whole lawn may get rid of the crab grass so that the good seeds you’ve planted can grow, but it takes a while for grass to take and establish permanent residence. This is plenty of time for bad grass to begin to establish itself again. A bi-monthly sprinkling of grass seeds should do the trick.

Once you’ve established what your lawn needs then you can determine a routine and adjust as necessary. When your lawn gets what it needs you get what you want; A happier and healthier lawn.

America the Beautiful

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

Pick a color, any color.

If only choosing a color palette for your interiors was that easy. It can be, thanks to designer Mark McCauley. The author of Color Therapy at Home: Real Life Solutions for Adding Color to Your Life, he offers eight tips to help you discover your color preferences and take on white walls.

Tip #1. Choose a color scheme from the largest pattern in the space.
If you’ve got patterned upholstery, an Oriental rug or large piece of artwork, pluck colors you like from the pattern. For a neutral wall paint color, look to the pattern’s whites and beiges.

Tip #2. Start with the formal areas of the house.
Specifically, the living room, dining room and entry way. Choose a color scheme for those areas first, then pull one color from the scheme. For example, take the red sofa and tone it down (say, to burgundy) for an accent in more private spaces such as the den, office or bedroom.

Click HERE to read the rest of Kathy’s tips.

Top 10 Texas Superstar plants

By KATHY HUBER, Garden Editor
Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle

“Texas gardeners need plants that tolerate extremes. Searing summer heat. Drought. And as we’ve recently been reminded, winters that can alter the landscape.

Thanks to research led by Texas A&M University researchers and extension horticulturists, we have great options. For 21 years, they’ve tested plants in search of top performers — types that tolerate our extremes with minimal soil preparation and watering and no pesticides.

They’ve deemed more than 50 plants — including trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials and vegetables — Texas Superstars. The list includes plants that scoffed at the miserable summer of 2009 and are now returning from their hardy roots after last winter’s big freezes.

Here are 10 that are showing their resilience after a hard winter. And they’re fascinating whether you’re a Master Gardener or are just beginning to get your fingernails dirty.”

1. My firebush or hummingbird bush (Hamelia patens) was a proud, 8-foot mound last fall and nothing but sticks after last winter. But new shoots are inching upward, and I look forward to visiting butterflies and hummingbirds who love the nectar-filled orange-red tubular blooms.

2. ‘Gold Star’ esperanza, Tecoma stans, is also making a return. This easygoing, 4- to 6-foot shrub produces golden-yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers spring to frost.

3. Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata), an old-time, popular heat- and drought-tolerant wonder, offers a profusion of blue, butterfly-attracting blooms spring until frost. It likes an occasional drink during extended dry spells. In sun or shade, the long, arching stems make a soft mound or can be trained vertically like a vine.

4. Texas lilac vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) earns gold stars for its summer tolerance and fragrant, butterfly-attracting, 8- to 12-inch purple flower spikes. Native to China and India, it has several common names: hemp tree, lilac chaste tree, Mexican lavender, monk’s pepper, sage tree and Indian spice. Improved varieties ‘Montrose Purple’, ‘LeCompte’ and ‘Shoal Creek’ are all marketed under the Texas lilac name.

5. ‘Texas Gold’ columbine (Aquilegia chrysantha hinckleyana) is my favorite April-blooming perennial. Numerous volunteer offspring have reseeded from the “mother” I planted years ago. The soft-yellow, long-spurred blooms wave above lacy, blue-green foliage that looks best in part or bright shade.

Click here to finish reading the article at Chron.com.

The home boasts spacious kitchen and living areas accompanied by an incredible amount of storage space.  There are vaulted ceilings and arches that accent the incredible living spaces. Not only does the master bedroom have vaulted ceilings but you will find a nice walk-in closet with plenty of room for your wardrobe. To finish off a long day, the master bathroom has a garden tub, great for relaxing. Check out the pictures to see why this house would make a great new home for you or someone you know.

Call us today for an appointment. 936-520-0846   MLS# 6578077

Enjoy the pictures and call us to schedule a tour of the home. Call Ryan at 936-520-0846.

Breakfast area right next to the breakfast bar connected to the kitchen. Enjoy your morning with great water views.

A great formal dining room with great built in China cabinet.

The living room adds to the open floor plan. Built in surround sound, entertainment center and glass shelves add just the right touch.

Now we will head down the first floor hallway to check out the master retreat.

This master bedroom has built in glass shelves and entertainment center. It even is equipped with surround sound, turning this master bedroom into your personal theater. The door leads to the outside lower patio where you will find a built in therapeutic spa; perfect for rejuvenating after a long day. Oh and don’t forget the water views.

Now here is the real treat. This master on-suite has huge walk-in his and hers closets, double sinks, granite, whirlpool style soaking tub, and a massive walk-in shower. This is no ordinary shower….with a touch of a button it turns into a steam room!

Do you enjoy doing laundry? If you don’t this utility room will definitely make the job more enjoyable with granite counter tops, tumbled marble back slpash, loads of storage, built in ironing board, and impressively detailed moldings.

The office/study flaunts built in cabinets, granite counter tops, great window light, and 5″ hand scraped wood flooring.

As you go upstairs you find great woodwork on the staircase with designer iron spindles. Upstairs is where you find the other bedrooms and another great space that is currently set up as a media room (with built-in surround sound), workout area and tanning room. (note: the room is wired for 220v hookup for tanning bed). The media room has its own half bath.

Next, the upstairs bedrooms. Each are complete with full on-suite full bathrooms and spacious walk-in closets.

Both bedrooms have access to the fully screened in upper patio where you will find  great water views.

Before we move on to the outside living space…… the house is fully automated for iPod wall plug-in to enjoy your favorite music, on the spot and throughout the entire house.

Check out the spacious lower patio, complete with outside sound, lighting, ceiling fans, therapeutic hot tub, and full outside bathroom with shower.  This is the perfect place to enjoy life on the lake, cool mornings with a cup of coffee, or finish off the day with a great sunset.

If you or someone you know is looking to purchase a one of a kind waterfront home, then call us at 936-520-0846.