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AUGUST 2013

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Dear Houston, We WanteD to take tHis opportunity to let you knoW We’ve cHangeD our name. tHe metHoDist Hospital system is noW Houston metHoDist. WHy? Because We take priDe in WHo We are anD WHere We’re from. We WanteD to let tHe WorlD knoW tHat tHe u.s. neWs’ Best Hospital in texas is locateD rigHt Here in Houston.it’s our Way of saying, “tHank you” to a city tHat inspires us, anD a promise to make you prouD.We’re revolutionizing clinical researcH arounD tHe WorlD WHile proviDing tHe Best in patient care for our HometoWn.anD tHat’s tHe Difference BetWeen practicing meDicine anD leaDing it.

S:7.25”S:9.75”

T:8.375”T:10.875”

B:8.875”B:11.375”

With multiple pediatric subspecialties on-site, Texas Children’s Hospital WestCampus steers kids to the best care possible in West Houston. From sportsmedicine to cancer and hematology to radiology our experts work with eachpatient and family to provide top personalized care. Our highly trained pediatricphysicians and facilities designed specifically for children are two reasons whyU.S.News & World Report ranked us as the top pediatric hospital in Texas. For thebest specialist care for your child, turn to us. We’re just down the road.

I-10 and Barker Cypress | westcampus.texaschildrens.org

West Campus

Follow us©2013 Texas Children’s Hospital. All rights reserved. WC259_050713

Turn to usfor specialist care

WC259_TurnToUs_Absolute Katy-Memorial_Layout 1 5/7/13 4:13 PM Page 1

AUGUST 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.42422

C O V E R S T O R Y

A u g u s t 2 0 1 3

KATY INDEPENDENTSCHOOL DISTRICT: AMERICA’S DESTINATION SCHOOL DISTRICT Katy ISD is one of the largest school districts in the state of the Texas, and it is in the top 100 largest in the nation. Find out what makes this “destination district” such a desirable place for students and families.

8

F E AT U R E S

10 DISNEY FOR ROOKIES

16 WILLOW FORK DRAINAGE DISTRICTMakes Headway in Park Plans

18 BACK TO SCHOOL BARGAINS

19 GET BACK TO SCHOOLA guide to help the kiddos prepare for the new school year

27 MEDICAL FOCUSLearn about Katy’s finest medical providers

C O L U M N S

12 absolutely! FABULOUS FINDS

15 FAMILY LAWHow to Nurture Trusting Dialogue with Your Child and Develop Your Child’s Ability to Make Sound Decisions Independently

22 KATY’S BEST KEPT SECRETThe Miller Career and Technology Center

23 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOTColton Asheim: Time Management Superhero

38 ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGSKaren LeClerc

Katy ISD cheerleaders Brianna Rangel, Brenna Smith, Bailey Bell and Taryn Faulkner with Cinco Ranch Junior High School teacher Suzette Steward. Photography by Hallie Keller.

www.absolutelykaty.com l AUGUST 2013 3

Paul S. Metz, DDS, MD • Shelley Seidel, DDS, MDJohn G. Orfanos, DDS, MD

713.464.2833 www.OMSH.us8800 Katy Freeway, Ste. 210 • Houston, Texas 77024

Back to school and sportsWE TREAT FACIAL INJURIES

Dental Implants • Teeth Extractions • IV Sedation • Bone Grafts Sleep Apnea Correction • Facial / Dental Trauma • Oral Pathology

Orthognathic/ Reconstructive Surgery • Teeth-in-a-Day


CONTRIBUTORS

A U G U S T 2 0 1 3 | V O L U M E 1 0 | N U M B E R 8

ON THE COVER:Katy ISD cheerleaders Brianna Rangel,

Brenna Smith, Taryn Faulkner and Bailey Bell with Cinco Ranch Junior

High School teacher Suzette Steward.Photography by Hallie Keller

N E W T O T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D

13 WILLOWFORK FIRE DEPARTMENT STATION#2 OPENS

H O M E

14 SELECTING A PAINT COLORFor Your Home

C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S

25 WHAT’S KICKIN’ IN KATY

N E W S W O RT H Y

39 KATY TIGER BAND Roar Tour

a b s o l u t e l y ! D E L I C I O U S

40 GREAT EATS FORA GREAT CAUSE: Houston Restaurant Week

absolutely! DELICIOUS LISTING

42 ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN To Play with Their Foodand Eat it Raw

43 TEXAS MESQUITE GRILL

a b s o l u t e l y ! H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

26 TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL WEST CAMPUS Answers Your Questions About Child Life Specialists

a b s o l u t e l y ! A U T O R E V I E W

44 2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I N E V E RY I S S U E

6 PUBLISHER’S PREVIEW

24 OUT & ABOUTIN THE HEART OF KATY

8

Henry Dibrell Katy ISD School Board Page 8 & 22

10

Jennifer L. Evans Out & About In the Heart of KatyPages 10, 16 & 24

12

Robin Ebrechtabsolutely! Fabulous FindsPage 12

25

Mary RainesWhat’s Kickin’ in KatyPage 25

15

Nancy L. Rommelmann PLLC Family Law Attorney Page 15

14

Kelly NolanSimply Divine InteriorsPage 14

42

Laura NepveuxWriterPage 42

43

Kirk & Judy Whitlock WritersPage 43

44

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 44

23

Gabriel Al-Rifai2birdsphotography.com Page 23

Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic is proud to serve the community.Come visit our doctors in Katy, Richmond and Sugar Land.

We practice evidence-based medicine while delivering the highest level of collaborative, quality patient-centered care.

15035 Southwest FreewaySugar Land, TX 77478281.344.1715

1517 Thompson Rd (FM 762)Richmond, TX 77469281.344.1715

21222 Kingsland BlvdKaty, TX 77450281.344.1715

All of our doctors will see you now.

Visit rbjc.com to schedule an appointment.

We cover the entire range or orthopedic care and musculoskeletal conditions, including:• General orthopedics • Pediatric orthopedics • Spine surgery

• Orthopedic sports medicine • Sports medicine • Pain management

• Hand / Wrist / Elbow • Joint replacement • Podiatry


Publisher, LARA BELL

Vol. 10 No. 8August 2013

Are we really talking back to school? Really? I feel like school just let out, but at the same time, I think Brent, myself and the kids are ready for a routine again…especially me. As many of you know, my kids go to Bunker Hill Elementary in Spring Branch, and while I love Spring Branch, I also love Katy ISD. The district has a special place in my heart, as I grew up in Katy and went to Taylor High School.

In this Back to School issue, our cover story explores why Katy ISD is so popular among parents and is on the fast track to the number one reason people move to Katy from all over the world.

Teachers leave a lasting impression on students. I have fond memories of my high school principal, Mr. Freppon. I must admit I was on the “fashionably late” side in my teens, so I would end up in his office quite often for lectures on being on time and how showing up late is disrespectful. Mr. Freppon also always gave me words of encouragement. He believed in my talents and abilities and said he knew he would turn on the TV someday and see me – and he did. He left a lasting impression on me, and to this day, I’m rarely late! I’m so grateful for all of the Mr. Freppons out there.

I can’t wait for you to meet Suzette Steward. Suzette was the teacher that won National Teacher of the Year from the TV Show LIVE with Kelly and Michael. What an incredible teacher and person! Katy is so lucky to have her. Also on the cover are four precious cheerleaders from different high schools. One of them is my niece Bailey who is cheering for Katy High School this year. All of these girls, along with every other student participating in Cheerleading, FFA, Football, Golf, Swim, Band and Drill Team, are simply trying to make their way, so my wish is that every student has a happy and healthy new school year.

Absolutely yours,

LaraLara [email protected]

EXCLAMATION POINTS!THE INSIDE SCOOP STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 700STAFFORD , TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.ABSOLUTELYKATY.COM

absolutely! KatyTM Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copyright © 2013 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduc-tion without permission is strictly prohibited. absolutely! KatyTM Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading adver-tising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. absolutely! KatyTM Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Subscription requests are free to Katy area addresses. Annual paid subscription

of $25 required outside Katy area.

E X E C U T I V E P U B L I S H E R S Michael & Lisa Fredrickson

E DI TOR- I N - C H I E F Patti Parish-Kaminski

P U B L I SH E RLara Bell

SE N IOR AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E Jessica Kij

AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E S Stephenie Cox

Susan DannhausJennifer Elliott

Kay GarrettAndrea Rigamonti

Bonnie Bell Woodrow

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E RGinger Garza

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S C O O R D I NAT O R

Sarah Bearden

W E B DE SIG N E R Joey Belleza

P H O T O G R A P H E RHallie Keller

C O N T R I BU T O R SHenry DibrellRobin Ebrecht

Jennifer L. EvansSteve Kursar

Laura NepveuxKelly NolanMary Raines

Gabriel Al-RifaiNancy L. Rommelmann PLLC

Judy WhitlockKirk Whitlock

I N T E R NRoma Patel

I N Q U I R I E S281-690-4242

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

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Ticket giveaways to area attractions and events.Facebook.com/AbsolutelyKaty

READER FEEDBACK

I love absolutely! Katy Magazine because when I moved here six years ago, it was the first magazine I grabbed to read. It helped me to feel part of the community by allowing me to get involved in the city!

Trent Dusty Sanamo

@larabell

Dylan, Lara and Brooks Milam.

Being involved in scouts, I like to see what troops in the area have done. I love it when I read their press releases or articles. Plus I can see local events, which keep my troop entertained. I look forward when I’ll be sending you my very own “press releases.”

Rudy Avantes

Love all the variety featured! Little bit of this and that for all the different people who call Katy home!

Julie English Kemp


Congratulations Katy Tigers7 Time State Champions!

Congratulations Katy Tigers7 Time State Champions!

“Still in love with

the game.”

We Are All ProudOf You!

Political ad paid for by Friends of John Zerwas, P.O. Box 852, Fulshear, TX 77441


America’sDestination SchoolDistrict

Like many of you, my wife and I moved here because of the schools. As we talk with our neighbors, we learn that is the reason 80% of them have chosen to make Katy home, too. Katy ISD Superintendent Alton Frailey said, “Katy ISD has earned the distinction of being a ‘destination district’ as evi-denced by our continued growth. Time after time, parents tell us they choose Katy as their home because of the op-portunity to be part of a community that values education and provides for its children the opportunities to obtain the skills and experiences designed to inspire them for high-level achieve-ment.”

We all know that Katy ISD is grow-ing rapidly. In fact, almost 3,000 new students move into the Katy ISD

and excel in programs like Destination Imagination, Robotics and Academic Decathlon. Seven teams from Katy ISD participated in the Destination Imagi-nation Global Finals Tournament. This is the highest number to ever qualify from Katy for this event where 1,250 teams from 47 states and 14 countries showcase their creative thinking skills. Our teams turned in phenomenal per-formances and five of our seven teams finished in the Top Ten in their divi-sions. These added value opportunities are another part of the reason families choose to share their children with Katy ISD.

Well-RoundedEducation

Sports, fine arts and career and technology opportunities are also sec-ond to none in Katy ISD. We all know that Katy High School has won seven State Championships in football; I love

COVER STORYBy Henry Dibrell

P eople don’t move to Katy as they might to California for the weather, the beach or the movie industry or to New York because it’s the Big Apple, the hub of TV news and enter-

tainment. Families don’t relocate to Katy for the rolling hills, water-front properties or mountain views. No, people move their families to Katy because of the quality of the school district. Surveys have proven Katy ISD is the reason so many families choose Katy as their new home when faced with a move to the Houston area. Katy ISD is what many call a “destination district.”

boundaries, one hundred eighty one square miles of it, every year. There are many other great school districts in the Houston area including Cy-Fair, Fort Bend, Spring Branch and numer-ous others, so why is Katy such a desir-able place for students and families?

A+ Academics

First and foremost are the academ-ics. Katy ISD students out perform their state counterparts in every cat-egory as proven by scores in state mea-sured tests. Statistics from 2013 reveal that 96% of Katy ISD 5th graders pass the STAAR test, while the state average is 77.1%. Mathematics also tests well with 8th graders passing at the rate of 95% compared to 77.2% statewide. This past year, eight Katy ISD stu-dents received National Merit Scholar-ships. Our graduates attend the most sought after universities in the coun-try. Exceptional opportunities are of-fered to students who pursue learning


my Katy Tigers! But, there is more to Katy ISD sports than football. In fact, Katy ISD athletics have won 16 state championships in girls’ soccer, team tennis, spring tennis, boys’ swimming, boys’ track, wrestling and cross coun-try. There are strong basketball, ladies’ softball and baseball programs in our high schools as well.

Katy ISD’s fine arts’ programs rate among best in the state of Texas and are viewed as essential components of education for every child in Katy ISD. Elementary students enjoy being taught by certified, degreed music and art specialists in kindergarten through fifth grade. The fine arts disciplines of art, dance, music and theater are avail-able at the junior and high school level. This past year, over 63% of students in grades 6 through 12 participated in fine arts. For the past two years of the 400 students who make the Texas State Band, an amazing 10% have been from Katy ISD.

On a Mission

“Katy Independent School District, the leader in educational excellence, together with family and community, provides unparalleled learning experi-ences designed to prepare and inspire each student to live an honorable, ful-filling life to create the future.” This mission statement is at the heart of be-ing a “destination district.” As a board, it is our job to make sure the communi-ty’s values are reflected in the schools, and there is no doubt that Katy val-ues excellence in education. We work very hard as a board to challenge our superintendent and his staff to find new and innovative was to ensure that each child in Katy ISD is challenged to achieve all they can achieve and be-come all that they can become. Time and time again, Katy students rise to the challenge.

As board member, we ask ourselves the following questions before we make any decision:

• What is it we would havestudents learn?

• How will we know when theyhave done so?

• What is our response if they donot learn?

• What is our response for thosewho come knowing and are readyfor more?

We in Katy are blessed with one of the finest staffs ever to undertake the responsibility of educating young peo-ple. Our teachers, aids, administrators, bus drivers, custodians and police offi-cers are the best at what they do, and they love their jobs. At a recent board meeting, we had our high school princi-pals talking about student success. The passion in which they spoke of student success was incredible.

NationallyRecognized Educators

Speaking of passion, Cinco Ranch Junior High special needs’ teacher Suzette Steward was named the Top Teacher in the country by the national television show LIVE with Kelly and Michael in May of 2013. Suzette’s dedication and belief that she makes a difference in the lives of autistic chil-dren got her nominated and put her in the running to be one of five finalists from around the country. In addition to teaching children with autism in the district, she runs an after-school pro-gram and a summer camp for the Cinco Ranch Junior High’s Children with Au-tism program.

Katy employees, like the students, are always winning awards and achiev-ing greatness. Another national rec-ognition for Katy ISD is that of Coach Gary Joseph. American Foot-ball Monthly named the Katy High School Head Football Coach “Nation-al Coach of the Year.” Coach Joseph has led the Tigers to three 5-A championships, three additional state finals and has a win/loss re-cord of 120-11. I am so proud to serve with such a marvelous group of professionals.

It Takes a Village

The teachers and staff can’t do it alone, though. Another earmark of a “destination district” is the amazing gift of volunteers from the community. Last year, over 15,639 volunteers do-nated over 781,988 hours in Katy ISD schools. Parents want to be involved and are welcomed with open arms in Katy ISD.

The challenge is where do we go from here. Katy ISD is one of the larg-est school districts in the state of the Texas, and it is in the top 100 largest in the nation. We have a rapidly grow-ing and changing population. We face challenges in continuing to maintain our quality as our numbers skyrocket. To see the “destination district” desig-nation continue during our next stage of growth will take all of us.

“We should all be very proud of our Katy ISD students who continue to demonstrate that, as a fast-growing community, we must find a way to stay connected, respectful and supportive of one another. This is the only way to preserve the positive values and qual-ity of life most were seeking when they chose Katy ISD and the Katy commu-nity. I encourage all of us to join them in their efforts,” said Superintendent Frailey.

As we move forward, we have to remember that we are Katy. Have a great school year, and let’s do all we can to spur the 65,000 students of Katy ISD on to excellence.

Colin and Suzette Steward at the LIVE with Kelly and Michael show with hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan.

Earlier this summer, my husband and I took our ten-year-old son to Disney World for the first

time. Both Mark and I had visited Dis-ney World as children, but that was ... well, that was many years back. It took a few years to wear down my husband to make this trip, but we finally made it happen. My goal was to make it fun and as low-stress as possible for all three of us. I consulted friends, many of whom are veterans of the big mouse adventure, and searched sites such as the Unofficial Guide to Disney and random blog posts. Below are the tip highlights from our ex-perience.

Location, Location, LocationKnow your family! Based on the per-

sonalities and ages of the people in my family, I opted not to stay inside the magical kingdom itself. Our affordable 900 square foot villa at Sheraton Vistana Village did not receive on or off-site Dis-ney perks such as “magic hours,” but it offered complimentary shuttle services to Disney and was only a few miles away. It was fantastic for our family because we had separate bedrooms, a full kitchen and balcony, gorgeous grounds and pools and shops. By Day Three, it became a re-spite and comfortable place to swim and recharge our batteries.

Three If By TruckAgain, know your family. We have

traveled all over the place for years with our son in the back seat. In fact, my best childhood memories are of road trips with mom and dad. So, after careful consider-ation, we decided to drive to Orlando. We took two days, stopping in Pensacola Beach, Florida on the way down and Bi-loxi, Mississippi on the way back. By the way, Beau Rivage is the bomb! If you plan to fly, book way ahead or buy a pack-age deal.

Have Backpack, Will TravelMy friend Jennifer who writes the

blog Still Living the Dream had just re-turned from the Disney Social Media Moms conference in Orlando after not having been in many years, so I hit her up with all of my random questions. Jen-nifer’s best advice had to do with what we should take with us. Since we didn’t have stroller-age children, we decided to take one backpack with sunscreen, healthy snacks, a camera, phones, Ziploc bags, re-usable water bottles and rain ponchos. And, yes, we used all of it. We were able to pass the backpack around, and there wasn’t a single ride or expe-rience that did not allow us to bring it along. Read Jennifer’s full Q & A on her site at www.stilllivingthedream.com.

Disney for Rookies

Well, we still have a few precious weeks of summer break left. If you and your family are thinking of taking a trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, I hope you already have done your homework, booked your hotel and saved your money. For those procrastinators who may not have done one or more of these things, take heart. We have some tips for you!

Plan and FlexWe bought our Disney tickets in ad-

vance and opted for the Disney Park Hop-per+ passes because we wanted to try the water parks (not relevant if you’re going in winter), and we wanted to be able to take mid-afternoon breaks and perhaps visit a second park in the evening. This worked beautifully for us. Our general plan each day involved a morning to mid-day at a park and a break for a few hours in the heat of the afternoon. Then, we went on another park adventure in the evening.

I could spend too much time telling you what we loved and what we wish we had skipped. Your experience will be different. In the end, if you have the time – as we did – to experience each park once and then go back again to your favorites, do it. If you have limited time, do your home-work. For us, Animal Kingdom was a de-lightful departure from the other parks. It just felt different, a little less concrete. The experience of walking around, and of course, the fireworks at Magic Kingdom are indeed magical. Except for the lovely Garden Grill character dinner and a few great rides we enjoyed, we could have skipped EPCOT as there’s much more there for adults. Hollywood Studios was a blast. And, Downtown Disney was a won-derful, relaxing experience for us. Hint: Go in the early afternoon. We had a won-derful time on our Disney adventure!

By Jennifer L. Evans

Top TipDisney recently launched the “My

Disney Experience” application. We used it. Load all of your reservations on there, view real time waits for rides and enjoy great maps among other helpful uses. Check it out!

Cole and Mark Evans in front of Everest at Animal Kingdom.

Walt and Mickey at the Magic

Kingdom.



A Congratulations for State Championship

Good Luck This Football Season!

www.cottonlogistics.com

BY ROBIN EBRECHT

You may know me as a Katy mom of three amazing boys and wife to Daryn, but what

you may not know is that I love finding cool and unique products because, let’s face it, in a house full of boys, a girl needs her girl stuff! So, here are some things I absolutely love... and hope you will, too!

FabulousFinds

Minky Couture BlanketsAnyone who really knows me knows that I love my blankets, especially if they are super soft and have a satin edge. These blankets come in infant and adult sizes and many different colors and patterns. I ordered several for graduation gifts and had them monogrammed. They look awesome!www.minkycouture.com

All in One Crossbodyby Vera Brad leyI love this wallet and crossbody all in one. It has plenty of room for credit cards, cash, cell phone, car key and lip gloss. What else do you need? You can also detach the long strap and use just the wallet in your other larger handbags. It is so versatile and lightweight – perfect for shopping or sporting events.www.verabradley.com

Tiffany Infinity PendantThis is by far the prettiest infinity necklace I have seen. A girl can never have too much jewelry, especially a little blue box from Tiffany’s. I am going to start hinting for this now, and maybe if I’m good, there will be a little blue box for me soon!www.tiffany.com

Over the Fridge Snack CaddyWhat a perfect idea for dorm rooms and those mini fridges! This nifty little caddy will help keep snacks and dishes neat and organized, particularly in those small dorm spaces.www.pbteen.com

SheShe Made Backpacks and Lunch TotesI know it’s hard to believe, but it’s back to school time already. One of the good things about back to school time is getting new stuff. I love all of the new options for backpacks. There are so many sizes, colors and patterns, and then to have it monogrammed too – I love it! I’m a sucker for the chevron pattern shown on these cute backpacks and matching lunch totes.www.sheshemade.com

Hot Iron HolsterThis clever gadget is a heat resistant holster with a pocket to hold flat irons, curling irons or hair dryers. It clings to any smooth surface. How great is that? It’s practical and saves space. Pink, purple, black and white are just some of the colors offered, with more colors coming soon!www.hotironholster.com



Patio Covers • Outdoor Kitchens Screened Porches • Decorative Patios Sunrooms • And More!

Your New Outdoor Living Room!

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Call today to schedule a free design consultation.

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Your Landscape Lighting Professionals….

Authorized Dealer

Fort Bend County Emergency Ser-vices District (ESD) #2 opened Willow-fork Fire Station #2 with a community open house and building dedication ceremony in June. The new station is located at 26950 Cinco Ranch Boule-vard in Katy near the intersection of Katy-Gaston Road.

Willowfork Station #2 was placed into service on April 22nd and was constructed to maintain a high level of emergency and fire protection support. The Department operates under the command of Chief Billy Wilson.

Willowfork Station #2 is approxi-mately 13,000 square feet of space con-taining three apparatus bays, firefight-er sleeping areas, a full kitchen and living space, training room and office space. With the new station in service, Willowfork Fire Department will now be staffed with 10 around-the-clock firefighters deployed between the two stations. In addition, the Department includes volunteer firefighters who are also trained to respond and assist in calls.

The land for Willowfork Station #2 was generously made available by Newland Communities through Ter-rabrook Cinco Ranch Southwest, LP. The architects for the project were BRW Architects, and LDF Construc-tion was chosen as general contractor for the project. Construction financing was provided by Trustmark Bank.

Visit www.willowforkfire.com to learn more about the Willowfork Fire Department.

WillowforkFire Department Station #2 Opens


Our goal is to provide you an elegant, comfortable, and economical living space that

is unique to your personality and style.

832.437.328822758 Westheimer Pkwy. | Ste. 240 | Villagio Town Center

• Residential• Commercial• Furniture & Accessories• New Construction • Staging• Holiday Decorating

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Everything on sale up to 75% offFurniture and Accessories (In store only)

August Sale by appointment onlyPlease call 832-437-3288

Simply

Summer Sale! August Only

ORCome to our Open House - 1 Day OnlySaturday, August 17th, 10 am - 4 pm

How to Selecta Paint Color for Your Home

H ave you ever stood in your home with 20 plus paint swatches and felt so overwhelmed you didn’t know where to start? Selecting a paint color

can be mind-boggling, especially since there are so many to pick from!

Select Your Room Contents FirstSo, how do you go about picking out

the perfect color? At Simply Divine In-teriors, we like to have a plan of what the room furnishings are going to be be-fore we select a color. We often choose the paint color last according to the previously made fabric and flooring se-lections. It is harder to find fabric and tile to match the random paint color you selected then it is to pick out from the thousand paint colors to match your fabrics. For example, if you are picking paint for your bathroom, you need to consider the tile floor and countertops. If they are in the gray tones, pick a cool tone like a blue or a neutral gray.

Go Bold – or NotIt is also okay if you do not prefer

a colorful paint. Pick a neutral beige or gray, even a clean, crisp white and have it run throughout the house. This can have a calming effect in your home. It also works for clients who like to change out their artwork, pillows and accessories often. With this option, you are not tied to one color palette.

Test Before You BuyOf course, we recommend that you

test the paint out! When you select the paint at the store, the lighting is differ-ent than you have at your home. Many companies will have sample size paint

jars so you can test it on the wall your-self first.

Hire a ProIf you do not feel comfortable select-

ing a color yourself, hire a pro. Many designers and decorators have color consultations and will come to your home to select the paint. They also can order you bigger sized paint sheets so you can tape them up on your wall if you don’t want to sample paint. This can save you a lot of time and head-ache!

Painting can change a home dra-matically, so remember to plan ahead and have fun!

HO

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• Carpet• Hardwood• Laminate

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FAMILY LAW

F a m i l y L a w A t t o r n e y

How to Nurture TrustingDialogue with Your Child and Develop Your Child’s Ability to Make Sound Decisions IndependentlyBy Nancy L. Rommelmann PLLC

FAM

ILY

LAW

ATT

OR

NEY

“Discourse ... the sweeter banquet of the mind.” – Homer

• Promotes appropriate behavior• Is the basis of positive parent-child

interactions and high self-esteem in children• Prevents problematic behavior• Helps children understand how to interact

effectively with others

Begin to foster a child’s ability to make sound and independent decisions as soon as they are old enough to talk to you. By the age of 12, your child should be able to make sound decisions, for the most part. Your goal is for them to be able to assess a situation, apply values, morals and problem solving skills that they have observed you use and you have talked to them about. This skill set needs to be acquired during elementary school and long before college!

Burdening a child with endless rules for the sake of rules is not good parenting and doesn’t promote dialogue. If you’re in this category, consider if you are mimicking your own, perhaps unhealthy, childhood. This should not be confused with establishing reasonable boundaries and rules that are core to your family’s values.

Include a child in consultation and decision making processes, even if it’s not a decision involving them. Let a child “listen” to your thought process.

Dinner time is a great time for dialogue! Make dinner time a positive and fun experience. Don’t use this time to be critical. Don’t underestimate the joy of laughter during dialogue!

Seat children at the adult table if guests/family are invited to dinner so they can observe and learn rather than banishing them to another table or room.

Create times with your child where dialogue is easy and not forced (i.e. walking the dog, working on a car engine). This can be fun!

Develop and nurture dialogue with your child to maintain a life-long enjoyment of each other!

A parent can create an atmosphere in your home that nurtures trusting dialogue with your child which:


T he Willow Fork Drainage District, or the District, recently celebrated the grand opening of Central Green, the latest jewel in the master plan set forth

for the Cinco Ranch area. According to one of the District’s directors, April Renberg, “The opening of Central Green is thrilling, after more than two years spent envisioning and planning the park. We wanted to provide a centrally located, lasting amenity where residents could gather to enjoy family-friendly events and activities. Kicking off the summer with a movie series in June where attendance grew to about 500 peo-ple in the first three weeks is gratifying and a real sign the community has em-braced Central Green.”

Located approximately 2.5 miles south of the intersection of Interstate 10 and Mason Road, the Willow Fork Drainage District generally covers Cinco Ranch, Kelliwood, Canyon Gate, Falcon Ranch and Parkway Oaks. The District’s main function is to finance the acquisition and/or construction of major outfall drainage facilities, trunk storm sewer facilities and related projects with proceeds from tax bonds. In 2012, the Willow Fork Drainage District adopted a master plan that would improve trails and green space in areas within its oversight.

How do you know if you live in the District and may ben-efit from these improvements? If you live in Cinco Municipal Utility Districts No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 or Fort

Willow Fork Drainage DistrictMakes Headway in Park PlansBy Jennifer L. Evans

Bend MUD No. 124, and pay a water bill to Cinco Municipal Utility Districts Nos. 1 through 14, then you are a resident of the District.

According to Bill Odle, managing principal with TBG Partners and lead architect for the District’s Master Plan, ev-erything is going as scheduled for the various segments of the

plan. The details of each phase and proj-ect are available on the District’s website at www.willowforkdrainagedistrict.com.

So, exactly where are those dollars go-ing? In a nutshell, Phase One should end by the first half of 2014 and includes:

Katy ISD School Park Improve-ments – The District completed the parks component of this project in the summer of 2012, providing $1 million in enhancements to 10 Katy ISD schools. The improvements included playground equipment, as well as trails, sports, fit-ness, picnic and performance facilities.

Freedom Park – Four baseball fields were completed at the Fort Bend County

Baseball Complex in George Bush Park. Central Green – A true public-private partnership be-

tween the District and LaCenterra, this is a multi-purpose public plaza space in LaCenterra behind Kenzo and Fish City Grill. Based on a 50 year property lease, this now open space comes complete with a programming director, Julie Bergen, to manage activities for the public. Bergen can be reached at [email protected].

District community park rendering.

In general, right now the District covers

approximately 30 miles of off-street trails. Upon completion of the trail extensions proposed in the parks master plan, it will have approximately 50 miles of off-street trails.


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Diversion Channel Park – This project involves im-provements to infrastructure and roads around Creech El-ementary off of South Mason Road in the Saddlebrook section of Cinco Ranch, many in preparation for Phase Two projects.

Phase Two begins in 2014 and includes:Diversion Channel Park – Phase Two of this project

includes the creation of a playground, pavilion, trails, green-belts and open play lawns on Cinco Park Road, which is on the north side of South Mason Road adjacent to Creech El-ementary and runs along the bayou.

Community Park – A 32-acre tract of land off of Grand Parkway behind Cinco Ranch High School that was deemed too problematic to be used for other purposes because of its location will become Cinco Ranch’s next big public park space. Currently under design and planning construction for 2014, this will be a “passive” public space without planned sports fields, just open fields, walking trails, pavilion and a parking lot. As with Central Green, the District will manage programming in collaboration with Katy ISD and Fort Bend County. In concept, this most resembles the newish Memorial Park that sits in Sugar Land right by the University of Hous-ton campus on Highway 59, or Town Lake Park in Austin, although Town Lake is considerably larger.

Freedom Park – The District will build four additional little league fields with amenities for the Fort Bend County Baseball Complex.

Phases Three and Four will tackle the trail improvements identified in the Master Plan, though they must be funded through a future bond issue. Some improvements have begun such as a trail connection in the Falcon Point area to provide some trail access to schools, hopefully to be finished before school starts. In general, right now the District covers ap-proximately 30 miles of off-street trails. Upon completion of the trail extensions proposed in the parks master plan, it will have approximately 50 miles of off-street trails.

For questions about how any of these improvements will affect your neighborhood, visit www.willowforkdrainagedis-trict.com or plan to attend one of the local public meetings. The District holds regular public meetings at 11 am on the second Thursday of every month at the Willow Fork Country Club, located at 21055 Westheimer Parkway in Katy.

See you at Central Green!

Katy residents enjoy Central Green’s fast-growing first concert.


How do Dinosaurs Go to School?

Would dinosaurs walk to school or carpool? Would they stomp and make a fuss on the bus? Of course not. Before they leap out the door at the end of the school day, readers will realize that these dinosaurs are helpful, tidy and protec-tive, “growling at the bullies til the bullying ends.” Gift set includes hardcover book and a sweet 14” plush doll. $34.95 at www.hmns.org

iPhone 5 Case Wallet

Made in the United States out of recycled aircraft aluminum, this iPhone Case Wallet is available in the most popular colors. The positive stop latch is plated in 18 karat gold. Inside, you can store your I.D. in the preci-sion machined slot. The adjacent door holds several credit cards behind an optical grade mirror. The aluminum protects your credit cards from identity theft RFID scanners. Also, the aluminum prevents deactivation of your hotel keycard! Finally, the aluminum features heat sink technology, which draws heat away from the iPhone, which may help your battery last longer.$119 at www.reyneau.com

Lunch Bugs

Pack their meals in Lunch Bugs, the sand-wich bags with a supersized creepy-crawly printed right on it. These reusable zip-to-lock storage bags are also a fool-proof anti-theft device if your office is plagued with freeload-ing fridge raiders. Guaranteed to put an end to lunchroom larceny! Twenty-four bags to a box. $12.95 at www.hmns.org

Clocky

Never oversleep again! Clocky is the alarm clock on wheels that runs away beeping! You can snooze one time, but if you don’t get up, Clocky will jump off of your nightstand up to three feet high, and run around your room as if looking for a place to hide. You’ll have to get out of bed to silence Clocky’s alarm.$49.95 at www.hmns.org

Make Your Own snackTAXI:

This set of four snack sacks and four mark-ers allows folks to cook up their own unique snackTAXIs! Have fun while keeping plastic bags out of landfills when you use these cus-tom baggies. They’re great for parties, too. It’s a craft activity and party favor all in one! The non-toxic markers come in various colors.$33 at www.rosiemade.com

BACK TO SCHOOL

Bubble Backpack

Makes you wish you were back in school, doesn’t it? Ankylosarus bubble back-packs aren’t as tough as they look - they’re actually quite soft - but they are so cool. Send your bud-ding scientist to school in style with a book bag with bite.$59.95 at www.hmns.org


BACK TO SCHOOL

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Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department12550 Emily Court, Ste. 400 • Sugar Land, Texas 77478

Hours: M-F, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

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E veryone feels that their children are special and unique. That is why every child should be treated as an individual. They all develop their talents at

different rates, which is especially true when dealing with class level placement, whether it’s dance, gymnastics, tae-kwon-do or other extracurricular activities.

When starting out, trust the professionals to put your child in the appropriate class. Instructors have your child’s best interest in mind. Proper development of technique, muscles and emotional maturity is key to building other skills.

Promoting a child too soon can lead to lack of self-esteem and turn them off of an activity early on. Repeating a level allows the child to be a leader in the class while reinforcing the skills learned in that level. It is never a bad thing to give them an opportunity to be the leader; this will establish confident students with leader-ship abilities. Your child should have a positive experience in whatever activity they choose.

Make sure your child is being pushed to succeed by instructors who use posi-tive teaching strategies including praise, encouragement and making the class enjoyable for all of the students. When choosing an activity, look for these teach-ing techniques. You should feel comfortable when observing your child’s class. Many places offer a free trial class to make sure it is a good fit for your child. Make the most of your time and money, and have a great school year.

For more information, call Connolly Dance Arts at 281-693-1CDA (1232) or visit www.ConnollyDanceArts.com.

T he Learning Experience offers premier child care to children

ages six weeks to five years and after school care for children up to eight years of age at most of their centers. The Learning Experience is not just a daycare facility but also a complete child development center with a dynamic and fun environ-ment that is committed to quality care and education of your child. Parents have confidence each day that their child is being taken care of in a loving and respectful envi-ronment.

The Learning Experience in-vites all families to come visit and see why The Learning Experience in Katy is the perfect home away from home. They know that choos-ing care for your little ones is an important decision and greatly af-fects the life of your child and your family. The Learning Experience prides themselves on their warm and loving teachers, phenomenal curriculums and the simple extras that make bringing your child to day care an easy and stress-free event. Inquire about summer programs of-fered during August.

Visit The Learning Experience’s Katy facility at 21418 Kingsland Boulevard, and join The Learning Experience family! For more infor-mation, call 832-321-4418.

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Let us help your child succeed!


281.693.1CDA (693.1232) Register Online Today! www.ConnollyDanceArts.com22760 Westheimer Pkwy., Ste. 300-350, Katy, TX 77450Villagio Town Center

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for Fall Classes!See website orcall for details.

Fall Classes begin August 26th and run through May 24thBallet • Tap • Jazz • Modern • Lyrical • Hip Hop • Preschool

Acrobatics - starting at age 3Classes teach basic stretching, strengthening,controlled movement, and gymnastic tumbling.

Musical Theater - starting at age 5Musical Theater combines jazz technique with other

varieties to create a “Broadway” style of dance.

Beginner Level Teen Dance for ages 11 and up Ballet • Jazz • Lyrical/Modern

Be a Star at Connolly Dance Arts!

Get Ready For Drill Team Try-Outs!Drill Team Prep Classes for Jr. High and High School students!

Former Drill Team Officer Erica Kerr will be the instructor!

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BACK TO SCHOOL

Katy’s Best KeptBy Henry Dibrell

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer full of fun and good times. My oldest graduates this year. She

is our first Katy ISD graduate, and we are so proud of our precious baby girl.

Now, on to Katy’s best kept secret. I will start with three clues and see if you can guess the secret.

Clue 1: It’s a great place to have lunch.Clue 2: It’s located in Old Katy.Clue 3: It can be a great start to a wonderful career.Know the answer yet?Answer: The Miller Career and Tech-

nology Center, also known as MCTC and Miller, is a partnership with the business community and parents in Katy. The mission of Miller Career and Technology Center is to prepare all stu-dents for the transition from high school to post secondary and/or career success by providing rigorous, high quality, integrated academic training and pre-professional experiences in compliance with current business standards. Stu-dents experience many aspects of a ca-reer allowing them to make better deci-sions after high school. Many programs offer advanced technical credit allowing students to earn college credit and some include internships.

Junior and senior students from Cinco Ranch High School, Katy High School, Mayde Creek High School, Mor-ton Ranch High School, Seven Lakes High School and Taylor High School have the opportunity to attend classes at MCTC during the school day, while continuing to attend their home high school campus. MCTC offers eleven Ca-reer Academies, and seven of the eleven offer certifications. Courses offered at Miller include Veterinary Med, Audio-Engineering, Film, Education Practi-cum, Health Science-Clinical Rotation, Health Science Practicum, Pharmacy Tech, Culinary Arts, Hospitality Servic-

es, Cosmetology, Cisco Network-

ing Academy, Computer Maintenance Technician, Internetworking Technolo-gies, Criminal Justice, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Engineering Design and Development, STEM (Science, Tech-nology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy, Automotive Technology and Collision and Refinishing Technology.

One of the best things about Miller is the opportunity for students to be exposed to different career choices. The young people who choose to attend Mill-er may leave knowing what they want to do and sometimes, what they don’t want to do with their lives. Miller has an aver-age enrollment of 800 students with the most desired program being Auto Tech. Another great thing about Miller is that students get to interact with students from all over the district. Miller helps keep students in school as it offers stu-dents choices, opportunity and a change of pace.

Perhaps my personal favorite is the Culinary Arts program. On many Wednesdays and Thursdays of the school year, these students operate the Old Town Bistro. This is a wonderful little restaurant, part of that best kept secret, where breakfast and lunch are served, and reservations are recommended. Call 281-237-7580 to make your reservations.

The Cosmetology School also offers the services of haircuts, shampoo, style, perms, waxing, manicures, facials and shampoo/sets. The cost of the services ranges from $3 to $30.

Your Katy ISD Trustees are con-stantly looking for ways to expand the programs offered at Miller, which will help us prepare more young people for their future. Help us tell the secret of Miller because it is a wonderful opportu-nity for students. Have a great yet short rest of the summer, and stay cool.

For more information about the Miller Career and Technology center, visit www.kisdwebs.katyisd.org/campuses/mctc/.

Secret



HOT SHOTHigh School

Colton Asheim:Time Management Superhero

T here seems to be a common thread among High School Hot Shot candidates. Apart

from their excellent GPAs and de-termination, their extremely busy schedules and the way they manage everything else in their lives is con-sistently impressive. In true High School Hot Shot fashion, Colton Asheim has superhero time manage-ment skills.

Even though Colton has a large enough skill set to apply for a job in a wide range of industries, he could make a living touring the country with training seminars in time man-agement. Colton is most definitely a hot shot both in and outside of school.

Colton’s rigorous study regi-ment earned him membership in the National Honor Society. The ac-complishments piled on top of this already outstanding achievement is mind-blowing. This past year, the 5A Division II Katy football team won the State Championship, and you guessed it, Colton played his part as a defensive back for the Varsity team. Colton described the experi-ence as one of the best and proudest of his high school career.

Can you imagine juggling the study hours of an honors student and the football practice hours of the State Championship team? As soon as football season was over, Colton was awarded the responsibility of

By Gabriel Al-Rifai

team captain of the Katy Tigers Varsity Baseball team, and they succeeded in making the playoffs this season.

But wait! It gets more impressive. Over his high school career, Colton re-ceived numerous awards and accolades from being a finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston’s Scholar Athlete of the year, All-District Academic, Honor-able Mention All-District Linebacker, Lamp of Learning Award for having above a 4.0 GPA, World History Award and the Citizen Award. One club that Colton really enjoys is the Best Buddies program where he spends time mentor-

ing less fortunate children. Colton has a special place in his heart that he reserves for helping others. It’s his true passion.

Somehow Colton manages to keep it all together with sheer hard work and a great sense of humor, and he receives solid support from his par-ents. There aren’t many substitutes for the strength of an All-American family unit.

Colton is also devoted to his church. His faith provides him with yet another layer of support, but not just to hold him up. Colton pays it forward and makes time to volunteer for various functions. Along with his faith and determination to succeed at everything he commits himself to, Colton feels an obligation to be a role model to his peers.

Colton anticipates graduating in the top four percent of his class. Al-though he has numerous post-high school options, Colton’s first choice is Texas A&M, where he is determined to major in Biomedical Engineering; it lines up with his passion to help others. Eventually, Colton plans to attend medical school and one day hopes to become a radiologist or an orthopedic surgeon, where he can help others and work with prosthe-tics.

Colton Ashiem, you were a hot shot long before you became this month’s absolutely! Katy High School Hot Shot. Congratulations!

ColtonPh

oto

by B

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Colton has a special place in his heart that hereserves for helping others. It’s his true passion.


IN THEHEART

K AT Y

OUT&ABOUT

By Jennifer L. Evans

At the recognition event were Katy ISD Superintendent Alton Frailey, District Secondary Teacher of the Year Janie Spies, District Elementary Teacher of the Year Kristi Sides and NASA Astronaut Michael Fossum.

The 2013-2014 Katy ISD academic year begins in just a few weeks. These local stars, 2013 Teachers of the Year winners Janie Spies and Kristi Sides, will hopefully walk down the halls with a little spring in their steps.

The Great Harvest Bread Company recently opened in Katy at 1623 S. Fry Road. Part of a national “freedom franchise” group, this location is owned and managed locally by Dana and Dianne Roark, along with their daughter Heidi Roark.

Great Harvest Bread Company’s team are all smiles including Katy-ites Eric, Heidi, Dana, Dian and Curtis Roark.

The Willowfork Fire Department recently welcomed its newest station in Cinco Ranch with the opening of Willowfork Fire Station No. 2. Grand Opening festivities were held on June 23, and included an open house, activities for kids, refreshments and a presentation of colors by Boy Scout Troop 548.

Designed by Ray Holliday, AIA, Lisa Andel and Nicole Story of Brown Reynolds Watford Architects Inc., the station is more than 13,000 sq. ft. and includes three 65 ft. pull-through bays, living quarters, a full kitchen and a classic red brick structure featuring an illuminated Texas star.

Connolly Dance Arts’ students took cookies to the firemen at the new station, and fireman Chris McAllister visited with the little ballerinas about the station and hosted a grand tour. Enjoying the tour are dancers Ava Hamilton, Emily Melhem, Miranda Robles, Chloe Cribley, Audrey Lutterman and Landry Gutierrez.

Kurt, a Brookwood citizen, practiced for his upcoming handbell performance.

Rhonda Zacharias of Weston Lakes shared this image from a bridal shower she hosted with Brookwood Catering.

Brookwood Community’s Handbell Choir performed at the Houston Symphony’s Day of Music on July 13th. The Day of Music event is the Symphony’s free annual day of music at Jones Hall aimed at kids and families.

More Brookwood Community news! Brookwood Catering recently launched under the direction of Executive Chef Laura Day McGuire. All money spent on catering supports its mission of serving adults with disabilities.

What’s Kickin’ inKaty

By Mary Raines

Summer is just too short – it’s already back to school

time in the Katy area. I hope the following events will help you end your summer in a big way and get your 2013-14 school year Kickin’. Let’s make this the best school year ever!

August 10th Free Heart Screenings for Teens 8 am – NoonTexas Children’s Hospital West Campus18200 Katy Freeway Houston, TX 77094Championship Hearts Foundation and Texas Children’s Hospital will conduct free heart screenings for hypertrophic cardiomyopa-thy (HCM), a potentially fatal genetic heart condition, for teen athletes ages 14 to 18. Active students who participate in athletics, cheerleading, marching band, drill team or other strenuous sports are encouraged to get their heart screened for HCM. Generally, one screening after age 15 is sufficient, unless car-diac symptoms are present. Sign up online atwww.champhearts.org.

August 16thNight of Champions Banquet6:30 pm Merrell Center6301 S Stadium LaneKaty Athletic Booster Club will host a combina-tion fundraiser and community celebration for their 2012 Football State Champions and past State Champions. The event will include dinner, silent and live auctions, guest speakers, high-lights of past championships and a look at the future of Katy High School. For more informa-tion or to purchase tickets, call 281-851-6774 or visit www.katyabc.org.

Every Tuesday and Thursday Bingo 7:15 pm Katy Elks Lodge 2628 1050 Katy Fort Bend RoadCome for the fun! Doors open at 6 pm, and food is available at snack area. For more information, visit www.katyelks.org or call 281-391-2763.

August 8th Music on the Plaza6 – 10 pm Villagio Town Center 22756 Westheimer Parkway This free event for the entire family features great bands with a variety of musical talents. You can even dance if the music moves you!

August 9th & 10th KVPAC Summer Broadway SeriesProduction Performed by Student ActorsFriday, 7 – 8:30 pm Saturday, 2 – 3:30 pm & 7 – 8:30 pm Katy Visual and Performing Arts Center (KVPAC)2501 S. Mason Road, Suite 290Don’t miss KVPAC’s Summer Broadway Series Production of King Artie & the Knights of the Rad Table performed by student actors. Join Gwen and Artie on a typical day – until Mer-lin wakes up from a 1,500 year nap to sweep them away to the exhilarating days of chivalry. Not only is Artie crowned king, but Gwen gets to meet the "to-die-for" Lancelot and the equally legendary “Knights of the Rectangular Table.” When Artie is kidnapped by the evil Morgan La Fey, the newly-crowned king’s clumsy but devoted knights set out on a journey to rescue him. For more information or to purchase tick-ets, visit www.kvpac.org or call 281-829-2787.



Q: HOW DO I PREPAREMY CHILD FOR A

PROCEDURE OR SURGERY?

This will be determined by your child’s age, their past experiences and develop-mental stage. If you are unsure about what to say and when to give the infor-mation, call the Child Life Department, and we can help you find the right words. Some recommendations include:

Toddlers: Provide your child with ba-sic and brief details; use language that is familiar. Your child may become fussy with the change of environment and rou-tine; it will help if you remain calm and patient with your child. Support your child with your presence, gentle voice and touch, allow your child to choose a favorite stuffed animal, blanket or com-fort item to bring to the appointment.

Preschool Children: Prepare your child one to two days in advance. Be-cause magical thinking and curiosity are part of this stage of development, giv-

abso

lute

ly!

Q A&

ing too much information too early may cause your child to imagine unrealistic or negative experiences. Use simple words without too many details; include sensory information. Reassure your child the rea-son for the visit is to help and not because the child did anything wrong. Be honest and ask your child how he or she feels, and encourage your child to ask ques-tions.

School-Aged Children: Depending on their temperament and previous expe-rience, you could prepare your child one to two weeks ahead of time. Be open to answering the questions your child has, as best you can. Explain what will happen before, during and after the visit using minimally threatening sensory language. Sometimes procedures are painful and difficult for children. Allow them to cry as it may be their only outlet for expres-sion at that moment. Praise your child for their efforts to comply, follow directions and encourage expression of fears and concerns. If your child becomes angry or quiet in the hospital, know that this is nor-mal. Be supportive and treat your child as normally as possible.

Adolescents: At this age, your child is often aware of the necessity of the visit. Facilitate choices when possible giving the child a sense of control; include them in the plan of care, respect autonomy and respect privacy. Give complete, honest

Child Life Specialists

Now open at I-10 and Barker Cypress, Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus houses 19 subspecialty outpatient clinics, inpatient hospital services and the only 24/7

dedicated pediatric emergency center in the West Houston area.

explanations about the visit, and provide opportunities for your child to discuss concerns with the staff.

If your child is extremely anxious, you can schedule a medical play session to enhance learning and encourage self-ex-pression. Lastly, when you arrive on cam-pus, ask for Child Life Services.

Q: WHAT ELSE CAN ACHILD LIFE SPECIALIST DO?

Our department has worked to impact more than 23 treatment and exam rooms at Texas Children’s Hospital West Cam-pus making them more appealing to chil-dren by installing “working” murals. The once stark white room, with big unfamiliar equipment, is forever changed by adding a little color. The murals make our setting familiar; we use them to engage children in I SPY games and provide visual distrac-tions.

The Child Life Department has also introduced iPod play in our Emergency Department. The iPod play works to re-duce anxiety as children are occupied and engaged during wait times.

Additionally, the department offers a variety of resources to meet your family’s needs. We offer customized teaching resources for children on the autism spectrum, pill swallowing, assistance with medicine compliance, medical play, school reentry visits, diagnosis teaching, grief and bereavement support, sibling support, surgery tours and procedural preparation books.

For more information about Child Life services at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, call 832-227-1180 or visit westcampus.texaschildrens.org.

West Campus Murals

Texas Children’s West Campus 3rd floor playroom. Photo by A Kramer.

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Determining Your Healthy Weight

What is a healthy weight? Many people use a number on a scale, a clothing size or perhaps even an ideal body image to determine if they are a “healthy weight.” While all of these can be motivating, they should not be the only determining factor because weight is only one measurement of success.

In order to determine if you are a healthy weight, start by determining your Body Mass Index (BMI), a ratio between your weight and height. BMI serves as an indicator for doctors to determine obesity and healthy weight. Then, determine if your body fat percentage is above normal. This determines the content of your body weight relative to lean body mass and fat. If your BMI and body fat percentage is above normal, evaluate your level of physical activity and diet.

Are you active for at least 30 to 45 minutes three times a week? Do you maintain a balanced and healthy diet? If your answer to either of these ques-tions is “no,” make 2013 the year you invest in your personal health and wellbeing.

ESN Health recognizes that every person is unique. Their personal train-ers take the time to understand your lifestyle and develop a customized fit-ness and nutritional plan. Visit ESN Health to receive a free fitness assess-ment and start earning a healthy return on your investment.

For more information, call 281-395-0827 or visit www.ESNHealth.com.

Timeless Plastic Surgery is a cosmetic specialty practice offering the highest quality of patient care, safety and surgical excellence. Dr. Chang and staff dedicate each day to focus on three important core goals of each pa-tient: improving confidence, personal desires and the quality of life.

Timeless Plastic Surgery specializes exclusively in all cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures such as breast augmentations; breast lifts and reductions; tummy tucks (Timeless Tuck); liposuction; arm, eyelid, face, chin, brow and neck lifts; labiaplasty; Rhinoplasty; dimple creation (Timeless Dimple); Botox and fillers.

As the famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir so eloquently expressed, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” If you are looking for a com-passionate and understanding cosmetic surgeon who has the experience, knowledge and education, please call to schedule your free consultation. To view pages of real patient testimonials and before and after photos, visitwww.TimelessPlasticSurgery.com.

Timeless Plastic Surgery is located at 1327 Lake Pointe Parkway, Suite 300 in Sugar Land. For more information, call 281-242-TIME (8463).

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The TMS Serenity Center:Providing Relief for Major

Depression and Anxiety DisordersOver 14 million individuals struggle with Major Depres-

sion, and over 19 million suffer from Anxiety Disorders. Un-fortunately, less than half of these individuals benefit from treatment with traditional medications. Dr. Kimberly Cress, medical director of the TMS Serenity Center, says that it is not uncommon for her to see patients who are on one or more medications with continued depression and/or anxiety. Others are struggling due to the side effects from medica-tions such as weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

An alternative treatment is now available called TMS or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. TMS was FDA-cleared in 2008 and available at the TMS Serenity Center since April 2010. Over the past three years, the TMS Serenity Center has successfully treated over 100 individuals. In May 2013, Dr. Kimberly Cress presented the Center’s findings at the American Psychiatric Association meeting with 70% of pa-tients obtaining relief from depression and 68% obtaining relief from anxiety. One patient, Ramona, reported, “By the end of the TMS treatments, I had my life back. I never would have dreamed I would ever feel this good again.”

TMS utilizes an MRI-strength magnet. The magnet pulses on and off over a 30 minute period of time stimulating the area of the brain that is less active due to the mood disorder. This magnetic field stimulates the nerves to release chemi-cals or neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. These are the same neurotransmitters that are provided artificially through antidepressant medications but without risk of side effects. Jen, daughter of a TMS patient, said, “Thank you for giving my mother her life back and for giving her back to us. We came to you with no hope, and to me, you truly performed a miracle.”

For more information, contact the TMS Serenity Center at 281-240-4322 or visit www.tmsserenitycenter.com.

Our spines are marvels of design. They consist of two parts, the vertebrae and the discs. The vertebral bones are the rigid attachment points for our muscles and form a protective channel around our spinal cord. The discs are the strong cartilage that attach the bones, allowing them to move harmoniously together, yet providing enough control of the motion that the nerves are not stretched or damaged. The disks also provide cushioning that protects our brains from being jarred by each step we take.

Over time, the outer fibers of the disks can accumu-late small tears and other damage so that an inadvertent twist or bend can result in a larger tear. These tears can be very painful and can cause irritation of nearby structures, such as the nerves going into the leg. If the tears are large enough, sometimes some of the inner material of the disc can escape and press on a nerve going into the leg. This is called a herniated disc.

Most of these events are self-limited and improve on their own. Striving for a leaner body mass and improving core strength and flexibility are the best ways to avoid in-jury and are often the first steps in recovery. For symptoms that last longer than two weeks without improvement, it is advisable to see a spine specialist who can evaluate you for other conditions that mimic a torn disc and who can recom-mend medications or other treatments to limit the duration and severity of pain.

Christoph Meyer, M.D., is a board certified orthopedic spine surgeon specializing in holistic spine care, as well as minimally invasive and complex surgery. Visit Houston Center for Spine Surgery and Disc Replacement with loca-tions in both Memorial and Katy. For more information, call 713-64-SPINE.

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OsteoStrong™ is not a gym; it is a non-pharmaceutical way to increase bone density, muscle strength, im-prove balance and eliminate joint, back and knee pain naturally.

OsteoStrong’s™ scientifically re-searched technology delivers results. It has helped people with joint pain, osteopenia, osteoporosis and fibro-myalgia. The OsteoStrong™ system was originally designed for elite ath-letes and Olympians to provide a competitive edge. When doctors discovered the quick results, they wanted their patients to use it. Seven years later, over 22,000 people are benefiting from it with reversed bone loss shown through DXA bone scans, strength gains and thousands of tes-timonies.

Most people lose bone density af-ter the age of 30. One in two women and one in five men will experience bone fracture after the age of 50. Los-ing bone density is a serious problem. However, results have yielded that, in just four weeks, strength gains were increased.

Local member Lynn H., age 50, has increased her bone density by 10 per-cent in just six months. Bill L., age 70, had back pain. After just two sessions, his back was “dramatically improved.” He can play golf again pain-free.

OsteoStrong™ is a natural way to trigger your own adaptive responses to increase bone density and physi-cal strength, guaranteed. People of all ages are seeing amazing results! OsteoStrong™ is definitely worth a visit. OsteoStrong.me is located at 1876 FM 359 in Richmond (next to Sonic). Like them at Facebook.com/OsteoStrongRichmond. For more in-formation, call 281-762-0944 or visit www.OsteoStrong.me.

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Heart disease, cancer and obe-sity are just a few of the ailments that people face, but they are avoidable for the most part. By balancing your hormones and controlling metabo-lism and diet, you can live longer, be healthier and look and feel great – well into your golden years.

As co-owner and Clinical Director of Ageless Med Spa, Danielle Steel should know. After losing 76 pounds through the Human Chorionic Gonad-otropin (HCG) diet, Steel joined forces with Dr. Elvis Torres, and it opened the door to a new world of healthy living. “He’s the most compassionate, pa-tient-oriented doctor I have ever met,” she says.

“Since childhood, I knew I was meant to be a doctor. At medical school, I found my calling in women’s health and opened my practice 17 years ago,” says Dr. Torres, who is board certified in obstetrics and gyne-cology and a member of the Interna-tional Society of Cosmetic Gynecol-ogy. When patients began asking for additional procedures, Ageless Med Spa opened to meet the demand.

Wellness and aesthetic services are also offered: Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, microdermabra-sion, acne treatments, laser vein and hair removal, skin tightening, cos-metic fillers, Botox, facials, massage, pharmaceutical-grade cosmetics, in office liposuction and new options like the new Silhouette Lift—an hour-long in-office minimally invasive facelift—and the “Vampire Facelift” which uses your own platelet-rich plasma to reju-venate the texture, color and tone of your skin.

Visit and meet the experienced staff to look and feel your best at Ageless Med Spa, located at 414 West Grand Parkway South, Suite 115 in Katy. Visit www.AgelessMedSpaKaty.com or call 281-392-3700 for more information.

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While the emergency center at Methodist West Houston stands ready to treat summer-related ill-nesses or injuries, many can avoid that visit by simply drinking more water.

Whether it’s recreational pursuits or football and cheerleading camps, summer is full of outdoor ac-tivities – and potential injuries. It’s crucial to condition yourself and your youngsters for the muggy Houston climate, which can cause fainting and injury. Regular water breaks and early morning and evening work-outs or practices are best. “Staying hydrated is es-sential to maintain body temperature and keep blood flowing to the organs,” said Dr. William Edwards, medical director of emergency services at Method-ist West Houston Hospital “Heat-related illnesses can be deadly.”

In fact, several hundred Americans needlessly die each year due to heat stroke and exhaustion. A life-threatening condition, heat stroke occurs when the body cannot regulate its temperature and it rises dramatically. Immediate medical attention is crucial. Heat exhaustion can develop when a person is ex-

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Kindred Transitional Care Hospitals are certified as long-term acute care hospitals and licensed as acute care hospitals. They provide aggressive, specialized interdisciplinary care to medically complex patients who require extended recovery time. These patients are ill and have few care options left; they visit Kin-dred because they require the aggressive, special-ized care and prolonged recovery and are unable to recover completely in the short-term setting.

Kindred’s hospitals have 24-hour physician sup-port and the ancillary services found at an acute care hospital, including laboratory, radiology, operating or procedure rooms, high acuity units, special care or intensive care units (ICUs) and telemetry units.

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ercising or working outdoors and doesn’t replenish liquids lost during the activity. An individual can be-come lightheaded or dizzy, may vomit or experience severe cramps and nausea. Methodist recommends the following precautions:

• Acclimate yourself to heat. Start with shorter duration for your work outs and avoid the mid-day hours.

• Drink plenty of water in the hours before, during and after an activity.

• Limit your intake of fluids like caffeine thathasten dehydration.

• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.Exercise is important for health, but there are risks

in the summer heat, added Dr. Edwards. “Don’t push through if you feel something’s off. Take notice, es-pecially if you stop perspiring, and hydrate immedi-ately.”

Methodist West Houston’s state-of-the-art emer-gency department is well-equipped to handle every-thing from minor injuries to more serious emergencies. For more information or physician referral, call 832-522-5522 or visit www.methodistwesthouston.com.

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SkinScriptions Med Spa and Eras-ing Time have pooled talents to help patients achieve beautiful, healthy skin, starting with a good basic skin-care regimen and extending to cos-metic fillers to reverse the ravishes of aging and sagging skin.

“Each patient deserves personal-ized treatment and a result that is best for them. All faces are unique,” says Missi Gibbens, G.N., who collaborates with Georgia Sloan, R.N., to teach pa-tients good skincare practices. They offer dermal fillers, Botox, Xeomin, chemical peels, dermaplaning, Clear and Brilliant Laser, skincare, Mineral makeup, Clarisonic and sclerotherapy for spider veins.

After meeting years ago, Missi and Georgia share the same philosophy of looking younger, yet natural. Georgia has been Missi’s mentor and is deeply connected to Katy and West Houston as a registered nurse and certified aesthetic nurse specialist for the last 12 years. “Our procedures improve the way our clients look, without be-ing ‘obvious’ to others,” Georgia says.

Missi began her career in aesthet-ics 10 years ago at La Roche Posay and Merz Aesthetics. Having trained many injectors, she believes the art of injecting is exactly that – an art. Missi and Georgia have combined their tal-ents to help patients achieve a young-er, yet balanced geometric outcome without looking "done.”

You deserve to look your very best. Visit 21720 Kingsland Boulevard, Suite 303 in Katy for a consultation and evaluation. For more information, call Georgia at 713-829-0972 or Missi at 713-458-0224.

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“If you think you can . . . you can!” Karen LeClerc says these words of encouragement every day. Nine years ago, Karen weighed 270 pounds,

and when she couldn’t carry her daughter upstairs, she de-cided to do something about her weight. “I developed an at-titude of positive thinking and carried a motto from Henry Ford: ‘If you think you can . . . you can!’”

LeClerc went to her doctor, and he told her she needed to get healthy. His prescription for healthy? Lose 130 pounds, develop a healthy diet and lifestyle and finally, work out. LeClerc decided then and there to begin her journey toward getting healthy.

“I used to work out at 5 am when no one else was at the gym, and the only other people who would see me were other overweight people,” LeClerc recalled. She lived in Arizona, and in one year, “I lost 50 pounds on my own. Then, I decided it was time for a trainer.”

“I worked out with a great trainer, Scott Skinner, in Ari-zona, and together, we designed a new body for me. In two years, I lost 85 pounds, and I had muscles!”

Last December, LeClerc and her family moved to Katy, and Scott recommended that she work with Ryan Kobermann, owner of ESN Health. “Ryan was fabulous,” said LeClerc. “I moved on a Friday and was in Ryan’s gym on Monday!”

LeClerc works out six days a week from 5 to 6 am, and she takes a spin class at the YMCA two days each week for one hour.

“Looking at the scale to see my weight isn’t an option. I don’t chase the scale; I look at the benefits. My trainers be-lieved in me before I believed in me, day after day and month after month. I feel great! I have more vitality, I am strong and healthy. I love being fit!”


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Did you know that a typical high school band’s fall season costs about $30,000? Most high school bands re-ceive very little financial support from their district and must raise the money to cover their expenses. Expenses that bands incur include items such as royal-ties for the music they perform at half-time, arrangement of the music, props and flags in the performances and trans-portation of instruments and equipment to name a few.

The Katy High School Marching Band is coming to Old Katy with their annual Roar Tour on Saturday, August 24th. What is the Roar Tour? The Roar Tour is the Roarin’ Band from Tigerland march-ing and performing the top ten fan favor-ite songs. To help the band reach their fundraising goal, the band will perform one song from the top ten list for $100 or three songs for $250, and additional songs can be purchased. The Katy Band is hoping to reach their Roar Tour dona-tion goal of $15,000 to go towards their marching season expenses.

Look for the route on the Katy Band website at www.katyhsband.com. Do-nations can also be made on the web-site. Come out and watch the Katy Band march through Old Town Katy!

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Katy Tiger BandRoar Tour

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GuadalupeRIVERFRONT DUPLEXEach duplex can accommodate four adults and four children or rent both for groups.

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Located on the southwest corner of I-10 and Fry Road in Katy, Texas Mesquite Grill is one of Katy’s newest and finest restaurants. Texas Mesquite Grill offers an amazing variety of fresh menu items. Owner Austin Yates says that Texas Mesquite Grill “caters to all families in Katy.” The rustic country atmosphere is family-friendly with several televisions, an energizing bar area and a huge open air patio.

H ouston Restaurant Week, the single largest annual fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank, begins August 1st and runs through September 2nd.

It is by far the best thing that has happened to Houston area restaurants and its patrons in a long time!

Created by Houstonian Cleverley Stone 10 years ago as a volunteer for the Houston Food Bank, this event has grown each year from approximately 15 restaurants in 2003 to 169 restaurants in 2012. A few of this year’s participat-ing restaurants in the area are Carmelo’s, Le Mistral, CITYCENTRE’s The Tasting Room and Texas de Brazil.

A portion of the proceeds from each meal purchased at a participating res-taurant is donated to the Houston Food Bank. For a $20 lunch or brunch with

2 to 3 courses, the restaurant donates $3. For a $35 brunch or dinner with 3 to 4 courses, the restaurant donates $5. For a $45 dinner with 3 to 4 cours-es, the restaurant donates $7.

Last year, Houston Restaurant Week raised $1.2 million for the Hous-ton Food Bank, creating 3.6 million meals for children, seniors and adults who are food insecure in Houston. This year, the organization hopes to once again meet that goal.

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E ating more fresh fruits and vegeta-bles is a fantastic and delicious way

to increase your overall health. We are fortunate to have Rawfully Or-

ganic (ROC), the largest non-profit, local and organic food co-operative in the U.S, based in Houston. Founded by Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram with 12 family members and friends in her living room, this 100% volunteer operated co-op is based upon the premise of eating a 100% raw foods diet/lifestyle. ROC has more than 10,000 registered members in the Houston area and feeds approximately 500 to 600 fami-lies each week. ROC supports local and organic farmers by purchasing and distrib-uting their produce and promotes healthy living through healthy diets.

ROC members are able to collect local-ly grown produce at any of the three con-venient ROC drop off points: Tuesdays at Houston Arboretum located at 4501 Woodway Drive; Saturdays at 3400 Bis-sonnett and the newly added Thursdays at CITYCENTRE located at 800 Town and Country Boulevard.

“We are so excited about our new Thursday home at CITYCENTRE. During our first week, we had 300 families sup-port our new location, and we want to say ‘thank you!’ We want everyone to en-joy this new spot, so we are working to make pick-ups and checkouts as quick and convenient as possible. Pick up your ROC’N box of fruits and veggies, drink our FullyRaw Juices and enjoy the cool shop-ping and live music. We have a need for more community participation, and we really love having everyone come out to help, sort and socialize. We rely on our co-

operators for us to be successful,” said Carrillo-Bucaram.

Every Thursday from 4-7 pm, members can join friends and neighbors at CITY-CENTRE to pick up shares of organic pro-duce. This is also a great way to volunteer with your children and allow them to “play with their food” by showing up early as a volunteer from 1-4 pm to sort and create ROC boxes. Interested volunteers should visit the volunteer page of the FullyRaw website at fullyraw.com for more details. Many students receive community service hours by helping sort veggies or deliver the pick-ups.

The boxes of produce, known as ROC boxes, are available in half shares for $47 each and whole shares for $87. If you are a fruit lover, you can add a fruit share for $47 each. The boxes can be ordered online at rawfullyorganic.com up until midnight the day before pick up. Shares are ordered on an as requested basis and vary according to the seasons. However, if you sign up for the e-newsletter, you will receive a mes-sage each Monday with what is expected.

In addition to purchasing ROC boxes, visit fullyraw.com, fullyrawkristina face-book page and fullyrawkristina YouTube videos to gain insight and recipes from Carrillo-Bucaram on the benefits of eating a raw food diet.

1-2 Large Pineapples, Sliced5-7 Pink Lady or Fuji ApplesJuice of 7 OrangesJuice of 1 Lemon3-4 Leaves of Kale

Run all ingredients through your juicer, strain and enjoy!

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We are issuing a 30-Day Challenge to our readers to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your diets. Submit your photos and comments on how adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet makes you feel to [email protected] by September 30, 2013. We will randomly select one winner to receive a complimentary ROC box!

Feeling inspired?

Kristina’s Sunburst Juice:


A K What are some of your favor-ite dishes that you recom-

mend everyone to try?

AY Texas caviar, which is com-plimentary on every table. It’s

hand-whipped cream cheese topped with our in house candied jalapeños. It’s a fabulous appetizer! Our Quail Bites are bacon-wrapped quail stuffed with jack cheese and a jalapeño brushed with a chili ancho glaze. These will melt in your mouth! A must try is our California Burger. It’s freshly ground Angus beef with jack cheese, avocado slices, pico de gallo and creole mayo served with fresh cut French fries. If you like avoca-dos, you will love this burger. And, our fish tacos are great. They are mesquite grilled tilapia – you can taste the infusion of the mesquite flavor – in a corn tortilla stuffed with fresh cabbage and our Baja fish sauce.

One of my favorite desserts is our Bread Pudding, which won the Best Dessert at the 2012 Katy Rice Harvest Festival. The pudding is served in a ma-son jar topped with our bourbon butter-scotch sauce. It’s absolutely fantastic!

A K What makes TMG different from other restaurants?

AY Katy has a lot of chain restau-rants. TMG offers our guests

consistent food, great service and fan-tastic drinks in a relaxed atmosphere. We specialize in regional cuisine so our menu is quite diverse with everything from fresh burgers to Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell.

TMG or Texas Mesquite

Grill is located on

the southwest side of I-10 and Fry

Road in Katy. Owner Austin Yates

has had TMG opened for one and

a half years, and the restaurant is

known for its Southwest style “home

cookin’.” We sat down with Austin

recently to see what it takes to run

a hometown restaurant, as well as

ask him about some of his favorite

dishes.

By Kirk & Judy Whitlock

absolute ly!DELICIOUS

TexasMesquite Grill

A K Why did you leave Pappasito’s after so many years and open

up your own restaurant in Katy?

AY I always dreamed of opening up my own restaurant that would

focus on fresh ingredients. We have a freezer, but it is used only for ice cream. I wanted a down home, country Texas setting, and Katy was the perfect match. Katy provided the perfect fit for me and my wife, Teri, to raise our two daughters, Allison and Emily, while at the same time owning and operating a great local res-taurant. We are blessed with all of the support of our friends and family and look forward to serving as many people in the area as possible.

20095 Katy Freeway, 77450281-829-0444www.texasmesquitegrill.com

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T he new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado has just raised the bar for all full-size pickups. After much antici-

pation, this light-duty truck is arriving in showrooms outdoing both itself and the competition. If that seems a bit much, here’s something: the new Silverado’s V8 engine gets estimated fuel economy equal to Ford’s base V6 and better than its vaunted EcoBoost. And that’s just the beginning.

Pickup truck competition amongst the Detroit Three automakers is brutally fierce because trucks are very profit-able. Once trucks were designed with few creature comforts and to handle the rough conditions of ranches and work sites. But in the 1990s, when gas was a whole lot cheaper, pickups gained a huge fan base among consumers who

CHEVROLET SILVERADOnever used them for anything more than driving. But once gasoline prices moved north of three dollars, those consumers fled the scene. The new Sil-verado’s estimated fuel economy may just lure those casual truck owners back to dealer showrooms.

The 2014 Chevy Silverado boasts three all-new engines designed to deliver it class-leading fuel econo-my. Named Ecotech 3, this new family of engines shares the same displace-ment as the ones in last year’s Silvera-do, but don’t be mislead. These engines are completely different. The base en-gine is a 285 hp, 305 lb-ft of torque 4.3 liter V6 whose estimated fuel economy at this writing has yet to be announced. But if the fuel economy numbers of the V8 are any indication, expect the V6 to be a gas sipper. The 355 hp, 383 lb-ft of torque 5.3 liter V8 will get you bet-ter fuel economy than Ford’s F-150 V6 EcoBoost with 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. Both powertrains feature direct injection, imperceptible cylinder deactivation and six-speed transmissions. A 6.2 liter V8 will be available later this year but numbers on

2014that one aren’t available as of yet either.

The new Silverado’s “living room qui-et“ interior was seriously upgraded with new technology and loads more storage space. The centerpiece of the dashboard is the new MyLink multimedia interface featuring a crisp eight-inch display that you swipe like a smartphone. There are more nooks and crannies to stash stuff than ever before, and the cloth seats are advertised as easier to clean.

The Chevrolet engineers are claim-ing that their new model is a product of “evolution not revolution.” It may be a quiet jump, but it has propelled the 2014 Silverado ahead of its main competi-tors, the Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150, in multiple categories.

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.

INSIDE BACK

INSIDE BACK

12053 SW Freeway, Stafford Texas 77477 • 281-499-8200

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Texas DIRECT AUTO.com

T his summer, the Houston Humane Society, with support from Texas Direct Auto, has the goal of adopting out 1,000 of its animals as part of the

ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, a national campaign designed to save as many animals’ lives as possible.

As one of 50 shelters selected from across the country to participate in the $100K Challenge, the Houston Hu-mane Society is competing to break its own record of saving animals’ lives in June, July and August. The Challenge offers a $100,000 grand prize, which could assist the Houston Humane So-ciety in sheltering even more of the City’s animals and in finding them forever homes.

The Houston Humane Society is ecstatic to have found a partner in Texas Direct Auto, the “World’s Largest Independent Dealership,” for the Chal-lenge. In addition to selling cars and offering exceptional financing, the dealership acts as an advocate for animals and recently opened the Texas Direct Auto Dog Park. Tex-as Direct Auto’s Director of Business Development Jessica DeMarr is thrilled to support the Houston Humane Soci-ety in the Challenge by donating water, promotional prod-ucts and various items needed during the competition.

“This is a great opportunity for both Texas Direct Auto and the Houston Humane Society to find homes for the wonderful pets located at the shelter,” DeMarr said. “I’m eager to work with the Houston Humane Society this

summer and get the community just as excited as we are to help reach the goal of adopting 1,000 animals into loving homes.”

To help achieve its goal of adopting out 1,000 animals this summer, the Houston Humane Society is planning multiple summer events, including movie nights, dog washes, animal adoption speed “dating” and much more. Furthermore, the organization hopes that Houstonians and other surrounding communities will participate in the Challenge not only by adopting but also by spreading the word and encouraging others to visit the facility to meet the adoptables. Sherry Ferguson, Executive Director of the Houston Humane Society, believes these initiatives are im-perative for the organization to reach its goal.

“I’m thrilled the Houston Humane Society is involved in the ASPCA $100K Challenge,” Ferguson said. “Our goal is and always has been to pro-vide the highest quality of care and find homes for the animals we shelter. The Challenge will help bring awareness to this and through our summer events, the community will be able to get involved, have fun and find forever friends!”

For questions regarding the $100K Challenge and the events surrounding the summer campaign, the organiza-tion’s partnership with Texas Direct Auto or more informa-tion about the Houston Humane Society, please visit the organization’s website at www.houstonhumane.org.

Texas Direct Auto and Houston Humane Society Announces Goal of Finding Homes for

1,000 Animals Through ASPCA $100K ChallengeThe organization hopes to beat its own record of

adopting out the animals it shelters with help from local partner

Photos by E&E Animals Professional Pet Photography

BACK

BACK

WE’RE SOLD ON KATY

KELLY CHAMBERLAIN281.582.3984

JOSH CLARK281.582.3929

RITA DONNELLY281.582.3930

MARTHA CLARK281.582.3949

MARCIA SERAFIN281.582.3908

ROBIN MUECKPresident/CEO

JULIE PICKETT281.582.3974

SUZAN PHENICIE281.582.3904

14340 Memorial Drive • 281.493.3880 23123 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Suite 200

CHRISTINE DUNCAN281.582.3959

CLARANN MCCOY281.582.3907

JANICE IRELAND281.620.8427

Wherever life takes you

C A L L O N U S

VICKI JACKSON713.899.5221

august-2013- absolutely katy magazine

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