Category Archives: Holiday

December 24–1 day until Christmas—What’s the best gift you’ve ever given…the one that you that had the WOW effect you’ve always wanted?

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Christmas_ball_D I tried long and hard to think of the best gift I ever gave; the one that had the Wow effect; the one that surpassed all others. The more I thought about this the more I couldn’t really put my finger on it. I started to ponder why I couldn’t remember, was it because it hasn’t happened yet or was it because my parents raised me right. I think it might be because my parents raised me right. The fact is I think I have given several WOW gifts and the fact that I can’t remember them is due probably to the fact that I haven’t stopped looking for the next Wow gift, the search continues to Wow again and again.

I remember giving homemade gifts to my parents and them enjoying them and I remember gifts to my wife and my kids that they didn’t expect. The most recent gift that has received maybe not the WOW, but most definitely the most use was the Garmin GPS that we gave my dad and my father-in-law. They didn’t have to share, they each got one thanks to incredible pricing at Wal-Mart. I use my GPS daily and I guess I take it for granted. Let’s face it I’m a man and I don’t like asking directions and neither do they. So this gift tops my list of the MOST used gifts I’ve ever given. No man likes to ask for directions and now you don’t have to; you just type in your destination and a pretty little computer voice tells you how to get there. Yes, most of the time it’s a female voice, which is kind of odd. Did you ever see your dad ask a waitress how to get somewhere, no it was always the gas attendant or a policeman. So I’m still on the hunt for the Wow gift, something that will blow them away, something that they can’t wait to start using..hmmm.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever given…the one that you that had the WOW effect you’ve always wanted?

This REALTORS Perspective: The gift of home ownership puts you on the path to personal wealth, but does it put you on the road to happiness? Owning a home is more than making payments to a bank instead of a landlord. Owning a home is a commitment to your family and your community. The commitment to your family is that you’re going to take care of the home, keep it working right and looking nice is always a plus. The commitment to the community is the same oddly enough. The home owners association wants you to cut your grass and paint your home a reasonable color, not because they want to be in control of your home, but because they want the value of all the homes in the neighborhood to increase or more importantly not to decrease. The happiest home owners are the ones that are ready to mow the yard, repair their own sink, and choose their own electrical carrier. Happiness comes in making your own choices about where the shrubs go and the flowers don’t. Happiness comes with picking your new tile, hard wood flooring or countertops. Happiness is making your house a home by putting your finger prints all over it.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever given…the one that you that had the WOW effect you’ve always wanted?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may you always…..

Live Life to the Fullest,

PHOTOMAY2009retouched 8x10 (Medium) (Small)

S.C.

December 23–2 days until Christmas—What’s your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?

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Christmas_ball_D Think back as far as you can to Christmas Eve. For some it’s easy; for it’s not that long ago. For others things start to cloud along the way. I am the latter. I have been trying to remember my favorite Christmas tradition through the years and whether it was when I was a child or now that I have children of my own my favorite tradition is the same. I remember as a child almost like it was yesterday. I had a scratchy red and green Christmas sweater on, there was a chill in the air and I still had platinum blonde and really curly hair. We were a family of three at that time, Mom, Dad and little me. We went to the evening Christmas Eve Service at the Presbyterian Church we were members of. The choir sang like angels from the choir loft in the back of the church. Someone lit the advent candle. (We had our own at home and we read the passages that went with each Sunday and I really enjoyed having our own advent candle.) They passed out the candles and we all lit our candle from the glow of the advent candle. Now here is the part that I remember the most, the part that sparks the Christmas spirit in me. We did not extinguish our candles as we walked outside. We took our lit candles outside, gathered on the lawn of the church and sang Silent Night, no piano, no organ, no guitar. We then quietly left to our own Christmas at home where I got to open ONE gift and it just happened to be a warm pair of pajamas. My traditions as a family on Christmas Eve are a little different as now I have lots more family to include, but the Christmas Eve Service at the Church and the giving of the Christmas pajamas are still my favorite.

So, what’s your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?

This REALTORS Perspective: The folks that write the books say that if you do something five times it becomes a habit. But they don’t talk about when something becomes a tradition. Down the road at Texas A&M, College Station, Texas the traditions of the Aggies reign supreme. It seems as though the number of traditions on campus have no signs of stopping. Let’s face the true facts you cannot have a tradition unless you do it at least twice. Three times and it’s not a fluke now the habit is starting to form. Maybe a tradition and a habit are the same thing. When searching for a home you have to work with your REALTOR to find what kind of “habit” you want to get into. What are your priorities and list them in order from top to bottom. Set your list and stick to it. Location should always be your number one priority, it is after all going to be the number one priority of the person buying your home…unless you have a really awesome reason your house can trump the number one, two and three reason for buying a home and yes it’s location , location, location. Putting your priorities in writing is the same as putting sales goals in writing. Do you want a home in Spring, Tomball, Cypress or Magnolia, Texas? These are four very different areas that are not so far apart in mileage. Are you looking for proximity to work, to be close to relatives, to be far from relatives? What is your driving force to pick the city you’ll call home? Is it schools, parks, shopping, country living? What is going to be the make up of your list, your habit, your home buying tradition? Look for a Real Estate partner that will take the time to HEAR what’s important to you.

So what’s your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and may you always…..

Live Life to the Fullest,

PHOTOMAY2009retouched 8x10 (Medium) (Small)

S.C.

10 days until Christmas—Which do you like to receive a Christmas card with a personal note or a family photo?

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 Christmas_ball_DAh the age old question do like to receive a hand written card or a family photo.  Some people would say it depends on who is sending it.  I’m just glad to get mail the old fashioned way.  Social media being what it is, I get excited when I get a card that was hand addressed.  Christmas is a time of giving and remembering those around you.  Will you be sending a personal note or a Christmas photo.  I’ll take either, just don’t leave me out.  I have always enjoyed getting mail, around my birthday is the best, but Christmas comes a close second.  Photos give you a reason to call and say how much the little ones have grown and the personal note may spark memories of Christmas’ past.

  E-mail this and e-mail that, the twelve days of Christmas could be

The 12 Days of Social Media.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a Tweet on their Twitter Account. 

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me Two Facebook Friends and a Tweet on their Twitter Account

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave me Three Gravatar pics, Two Facebook friends and a Tweet on their Twitter Account

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Four Square posts, Three Gravatar pics, Two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave me to me Seven Classmates Chatting, six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave me to Eight Delicious Websites, seven Classmates Chatting, six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave me to Nine Flickr, photos, eight Delicious Websites, seven Classmates Chatting, six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave me to Ten Tumblr quotes, nine Flickr, photos, eight Delicious Websites, seven Classmates Chatting, six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics,two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave me to me Eleven Zooppa contests, ten Tumblr quotes, nine Flickr, photos eight Delicious Websites, seven Classmates Chatting, six LinkedIn groups, Five YouTube Links,Four Square posts, three Gravatar pics, two Facebook friends and a tweet on their twitter account

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Twelve Blogs a blogging, Eleven Zooppa contests, Ten Tumblr quotes, Nine Flickr photos, Eight Delicious Websites, Seven Classmates Chatting, Six LinkedIn Groups, Five YouTube Links, Four Square Posts, Three Gravatar Pics, Two Facebook Friends and a Tweet on Their Twitter account.

My REALTOR Perspective: As a professional  REALTOR I embrace social media, but I still use the phone, visit my clients and I really enjoy sending a personal note.  The personal touch is alive and well with me.  I have made that personal note a part of my commitment to Make Some bodies Day.  Yes I think of something specific and personal to write to that special person and I hand address it as well.  I leave the return address to a label, but I believe that if it’s worth sending it’s worth sending from me not from some automated mailing house.  Personal is best and by the way..I’m never too busy for your referrals!

Which do you like to receive a Christmas card with a personal note or a family photo?

I posted this quickly so excuse the typos and yes the 12 Days of Social Media came straight from me, even though I probably wasn’t the first.

 

 PHOTOMAY2009retouched 8x10 (Medium) (Small) Live Life to the Fullest, S.C.