Kim & Terra's Blog

Last night, Brad, my husband and I went to our neighborhood, “Celebrate Spring Neighborhood Party!”.   Some of our neighbors, the Huhnkes, brought in the band, The Nadas, and then invited the Big Truck Taco truck to come.  Everyone got to order what they wanted from Big Truck Tacos and then pulled up their lawn chairs to enjoy the music. Yes, The Nadas were a very laid back, easy going band, but the best part of the night were the little kids dancing to their music in front of the audience.  I think one of the little girls may have learned how to dance from Dance, Dance Revolution or the dancers in the background of Rock Band. haha   It was a great night with neighbors and friends! If you ever have a chance to eat Big Truck Tacos or hear The Nadas, they are both a MUST! Redbud Canyon is a great neighborhood to live in!

Last week, our family celebrated our cousin, Mason’s birthday at Sumo Steakhouse.  Mason also wanted everyone to come greet and congratulate his fiance, of only a few hours.  Sumo Japanese Steak house offers a wide spread of delicious food from sushi to chicken, steak, or vegetable hibachi grilling.  They all will make you want to come back for more. It is conveniently located on Broadway Extension just south of 15th street in Edmond, Oklahoma. Sumo has been serving up scrumptious Japanese cuisine for 5 years.  Its a casual feel with a pleasant, knowledgeable staff that make it a great place for both longtime fans and newcomers to have a great experience each time. It is definitely a great place to take kids, go with the family or take a date.  All of the cooks at Sumo are very fun and really like to entertain as they cook your meal right in front of you. A longtime fan, Brad Myers said “It’s always nice to go somewhere you are greeted warmly and where you can see a friendly face. And to top that, the food is outstanding!” Make your reservations today or just walk in and enjoy the best Japanese food you will ever put in your mouth. Our family loves it!

Free Easter Bunny Pictures this Saturday, April 3rd, from 12-1:30 in Cheyenne Ridge Villas at a new construction home by Ripple Creek Homes! Hop on over to 3520 Cheyenne Villa Circle Edmond, OK 73013.  Last one there is a rotten egg! Call for more details at 405.474.4242.

Sweep up the dust and make your home sparkle!
It’s that time of year again: Spring. Which means warm weather, green gardens and summer vacations are right around the corner. It’s also the time of year that homeowners – new and old – brush off their brooms, dig out their dusters and begin barreling through the clutter that piled up during the winter months. While some people find it fun to organize the mounds of chaos, the rest of us need a little help putting the “merry” in our maids. Here are several tips to make the most of this year’s spring cleaning.

Slow and steady wins the race.
The chaos of clutter in your home can make anyone feel frazzled. Keep your nerves in check.  Schedule your de-clutter days in advance. Go out and buy any and all necessary cleaning items beforehand so that everything’s readily available. (The last thing you want is to be in the grocery store – yellow gloves and all – looking for toilet bowl cleaner) Then map out your plan of attack. Start with the hard stuff first while your energy is high then little by little inch away at each room.
To keep or not to keep?
That certainly is the question. To make it easier, find (or buy) three boxes. Label the boxes “Put Away,” “Give Away/Sell” and “Storage.” Then grab your trash can. Now you’re ready. As you peruse through each pile of paper or stacks of stuff, ask yourself which box the item belongs to. Hint: If you don’t throw anything away, you may need to reevaluate how you’re organizing your clutter.
All hands on deck.
Now that you’ve removed all unnecessary clutter from your home and have packed away any “Put Away” or “Storage” items you’re ready to yank on your yellow gloves. It’s easy to remember to clean the obvious places – here are some not so obvious places that may also need some TLC: Windows and Skylights, Baseboards and Walls, Tile as well as Closets, Cabinets and Computer Areas.
Having a clutter-free home isn’t easy – but it is achievable. Make your spring cleaning a family affair. Assign chores and reward yourselves with a fun night out. And if all this sounds like too much work – hire someone to do it for you. I know of several services that come highly recommend. Give me a call – I’d be happy to give you’re their information! 

The First-time Homebuyer Tax Credit Expires soon!
Purchase a home on or before April 30, 2010, and get up to $8,000 through the extended 2009-2010 tax credit. But you must act quickly to find and buy your home before this legislation expires.
If you’d like to find out if you qualify for either the $8,000 first-time homebuyer or the $6,500 repeat buyer tax credits, please give me a call or e-mail me for more information. We’d love to help you get on the path to homeownership!
Uncle Sam says “Go Green!”  April 22 is Earth Day!
Tax season is once again upon us and the filing frenzy is soon to begin. If you made any energy efficient home improvements this year such as installing insulation or replacing doors and windows in your primary residence, you may be eligible for important tax benefits. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits you can get back from Uncle Sam.
• The new home energy credit allows you to claim a tax credit equal to 30% of the cost of making energy-efficient home improvements, up to a maximum of $1,500. The cap applies to one’s combined credit for 2009 and 2010 meaning if you claim $1,000 in 2009, up to $500 may be claimed in 2010. If you claim the full $1,500 in 2009 you are not eligible to claim any additional credit in 2010.
• The tax credit (which reduces the amount of taxes you owe is better than a tax deduction which simply reduces the amount of income taxed) applies to super efficient heating and cooling systems, including heat pumps, central air conditioning units (CACs), furnaces and water heaters. It also applies to windows, doors, skylights and insulation.
• Homeowners who installed renewable-energy devices qualify for an even bigger tax break: 30% of the total cost, with no maximum. These include: solar photovoltaic and hot water systems, small wind systems, and geothermal heat pumps.
For more information visit:
http://www.energytaxincentives.org/ or energystar.gov.
Make the community you live in a clean one! Earth Day marks the celebration of our planet and the environment we are able to call home. Founded exactly 40 years ago in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) as a teach-in and later became a world-wide observance with more than 20 million people participating that first year. Today, Earth Day is celebrated by numerous countries and environmental organizations dedicated to making the world a cleaner place to live. 
Visit energystar.gov. to find out about events and volunteer opportunities in your community.
Spring is here, and Easter is right around the corner! April 4th is Easter Sunday!

2212 NW 28th Okc, OK                  $130,000                     Cozy and charming historical home!

Fantastic front porch! Nice yard with tall beautiful trees.

  Master has a sitting area that would make a great exercise, office or nursery. (This sitting area was added in 2005/ 140 sq ft mol.) Two walk-in closets in master and secondary bedroom.

  Gorgeous woodwork and beautiful original hardwood floors. Lots of large windows. Call Kim or Terra @ 405.330.2626 to see for yourself!

Want to do something good?   Check this out!

2010 Start! Central Oklahoma Heart Walk

WHO: American Heart Association

WHAT: The Central Oklahoma START! Heart Walk – The largest walking event in the State of Oklahoma!

WHERE: Bricktown Ballpark

WHEN: Saturday, April 17, 2010

• 8:00 a.m.  Top Walker & Survivor Breakfast

• 9:30 a.m.  Survivor Rally & Warm-up

• 10:00 a.m.  Walk begins

WHY: Heart disease and stroke are the # 1 and # 3 killers of Oklahomans:

The Heart Walk educates the Central Oklahoma area of the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases & stroke, and what we can do to prevent it.  Funds raised support local medical research & educational programs of the American Heart Association currently totaling 2.1 million dollars!  Survivors of heart disease, stroke and related surgeries are honored the morning of the walk.

HOW:

1) Start a Heart Walk Team –

Recruit co-workers, friends and family to help you raise money, and then come out and walk.

2)  Walk as an individual –

Sign up on our website – it’s easy!

3)  Volunteer opportunities at the Heart Walk –

Before, during and after the event

Log on and register: www.okcheartwalk.org

For additional information call:

Terra Myers, participant – 405-474-4242

Terri Bailey, Sr. Corporate Market Director – 405-948-2135

Shawna Garcia, Corporate Market Director – 405-948-2136

Pat Brogan, Heart Walk Coordinator – 948-2123