Giggles & Bows
Hair Bow
of the month
Cream with Pink Dot
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IMPORTANT DATES
Mother's Day THIS Sunday, May 9th I want to honor all Mother's and wish them happiness, joy and offer a big thank you as they are the glue that keeps a family together. Memorial DayMonday, May 31, 2010 Formerly knows as Decoration Day, it commemorates US Men and Women who died while in the Military Service.  |
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Greetings!
Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Mother's Day!
What a GREAT Spring we are having... cool morning and sunny days are the best. The Bluebonnets were incredible in Steiner Ranch and we took adorable pictures of Emma posing in them.
New Give-Away Alert
I'm excited to announce a new Give-Away! On Friday, May 14th one lucky person will win a $40 CSN Store gift card! CSN is an internet mall with over 200 stores to chose from! They have everything that you could ever possible need or want. All you have to do is leave a comment on one of my blogs and you are entered into the drawing!
For more information, go to my food blog
Four Points Foodie Blog http://fourpointsfoodie.blogspot.com Happy Spring, Stacey |
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Recipe of the Month
This is one of my new favorites and a testament as to it's yumminess - there
were no leftovers. Note to self, make more and more often.
Fettuccine with Italian Sausage and Leeks
Ingredients:
1 pkg fresh Fettuccine (I like Bertolli's) 3 T olive oil 1 lb. Italian Sausage 3 T butter 5 leeks, white parts only, rinsed well and thinly sliced Salt and Pepper 1 t fresh nutmeg 1 C chicken stock 8 oz mascarpone cheese Zest of 1 large lemon 1 C fresh basil, julienned into ribbons 1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, shaved
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in large frying pan,
add olive oil. Remove skins from Italian Sausage and crumble into
pan. Cooks over medium heat until cooked through, remove from pan into
a bowl and hold. Remove all but 1 T fat and add 3 T butter. Add the
leeks and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to
taste, and fresh nutmeg. Add stock and simmer for a few minutes.
Salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook until tender per the
package.
Remove the fry pan from heat and add the cooked Italian Sausage, the
mascarpone cheese and the lemon zest, stirring well.
Drain the pasta and add it to the fry pan mixture, tossing to coat. To
plate, add pasta making sure to scoop up the Italian Sausage. Top
with the julienned basil and Parmesan and serve. Delicious!
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 Gardening Tip
The image at the top is of my Meyer Lemon Tree that I've had for 3 years. Last year it wasn't happy and only produced one sad little lemon. This year I counted over 30 cough drop sized lemons and it's still blooming as well. You can see 2 green lemons above the single bloom. I'm hopeful this fall we'll see all the lemons mature.
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Real Estate Facts and Figures
April 20, 2010 - According to the
Multiple Listing Service (MLS) report by the Austin Board of REALTORS�,
the volume of Austin area home sales in March 2010 was 1,784, up 27
percent from the same month in 2009. The median price of real estate in
the Austin area remained unchanged in the same time period at
$180,000.
"Though we've seen increases in year-over-year sales volume
consistently in recent months, it's likely this substantial increase in
volume is related to the impending expiration of the homebuyer tax
credits on April 30," said John Horton, Chairman of the
Austin Board of REALTORS�. "What's most encouraging, however, is that
in the midst of this increase in sales volume, our real estate values
have remained steady, which bodes well for the long-term value of real
estate in Austin."
Sales of condos and townhouses were particularly strong in March
2010, increasing by 129 percent to 215 sales as compared to March
2009. This follows sustained increases in demand for this property type
since September 2009 and a year-to-date increase of 86 percent.
Mr. Horton continued, "A softer condo market at the beginning of
2010 provided a good opportunity for buyers, and we are now seeing the
results with an increase in activity. Condos can be attractive
properties for first-time homebuyers, so it's possible this increased
demand is also related to both the first-time homebuyer tax credit, as
well as an increased supply of condos in Austin in recent years."
March 2010 also marked the second consecutive month of substantially
decreased "days on market," which refers to the average time homes
remain active in the MLS. At 73 days for March 2010, homes spent 16
percent fewer days on the market than in March 2009. In the same time
period, pending sales increased 31 percent to 2,421; new listings
increased by 29 percent to 4,170; and active listings increased by six
percent to 10,300.
"These statistics indicate that demand is continuing to outpace supply,
which is encouraging," said Horton. "However, no one really knows
the full impact of the homebuyer tax credits yet, so we'll look ahead
to this summer to determine the sustainability of these conditions."
March 2010 Statistics
$422,558,240 - Total dollar volume of
single-family properties sold, a 30 percent increase from March 2009.
$180,000 - Median price for single-family
homes, unchanged from March 2009.
1,784 - Single-family homes sold, a 27 percent
increase from March 2009.
2,421 - Pending sales for single-family
homes, up 31 percent from March 2009. The Austin Board of REALTORS� is a non-profit, voluntary
organization representing more than 8,000 licensed REALTORS� in Central
Texas. For more information, please contact Angela Brutsch� at
512-454-7636.
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Copyright � 2010 Stacey Rider. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited
For further communication please contact: Stacey Rider, Realtor�
The Bartlett Real Estate Group Keller Williams
12515-8 Research Blvd. Suite 100 Austin, TX 78759
Each office independently owned and operated.  |
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