THEGatekeeperA MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE CASTLE HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION November 2015
Bright Room ............. 2
Turkey Trot ............... 5
Kids R Kids ............ 13
Independence
Elementary............. 16
Bulletin Board ........ 16
inside...
Happy Happy Thanksgiving!Thanksgiving!
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Bright Room at Hebron High SchoolHebron High School recently celebrated the opening of its new high tech Bright Room with a ribbon cutting ceremony. A special thank you to Mr. Chris Bright & Bright Family for their partnership with and generosity to Hebron High School.
Pictured left to right, above: LISD Trustee Kronda Thimesch, Chris Bright, LISD Trustee Trisha Sheffield, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Rogers, Hebron Principal Scott Finch
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699 Lady of the Lake Blvd.Lewisville, TX 75056
972-899-7400www.thelakesatcastlehills.com
Tuesday, November 17th, 2015 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.The Lakes at Castle Hills
RSVP to Leslie Castellon – 972-899-7614 or email [email protected] by Friday, November 13th, 2015.
Retail Growth in DFW Continues to Exceed Expectations
Castle HillsBusiness Breakfast
The new development pipeline
for retail in Dallas-Fort Worth is
the highest it has been since the
recession. As the list of major
employers relocating to the
metroplex continues to grow, the
economic impact this has on the
retail market remains constant.
Hear from Bright Realty’s
Executive Vice President and
retail veteran Lucas Patterson, as
he explains how these economic
factors directly impact Castle
Hills. Open to members and
their invited guests, a continental
breakfast will be provided
beforehand, followed by a short
question and answer session.
Lucas PattersonExecutive Vice President
Bright Realty
Featured Speaker:
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3RD ANNUAL
A FUN FAMILY EVENT DOGS & STROLLERS WELCOME
ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT CHARITY
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Castle Hills 2016 Pet Calendar Fundraiser Contest Winners The 4th annual pet calendar fundraiser contest put on by Kim Ortiz Photography studio located at the Castle Hills Village Shops was a huge success this year. 50 Castle Hills pets entered the tough competition to win one of 12 coveted spots to be featured in the 2016 Castle Hills Pet Calendar benefiting Lost Paws Rescue of Texas and Senior Paws.
The competition was fierce as the contestants' parents rallied for votes from Facebook family, friends, and neighbors. After a week of Facebook voting on Kim Ortiz Photography's Facebook page, Chipmunk came in strong as the calendar cover winner with 360 votes. Chipmunk, a Morkie (Maltese/Yorkie mix) is owned by Castle Hills resident Deb McFarland. The 11 other calendar month winners include:
The cover winner wins a photoshoot and an 11x14 portrait and the calendar winners win a photoshoot and an 8x10 gift print. The calendar is available for purchase for $20 at this link: http://kimortiz.com/machform/view.php?id=88
The calendar is made possible by sponsorships from local businesses including a platinum sponsor from Krieger Orthodontics, and other sponsors including American Pup Culture, BriarHills Maids, Castle Hills Pet Supplies, Contemporary Womens Care, Enchanted Pet Sitting, Edward Jones Castle Hills, MKForty Two Music, North Carrollton Veterinary Hospital, Northwest Carrollton Kumon Learning Center, Rockstar Home Team.
Kim Ortiz has 5 pets so it makes sense that she loves to support pet rescues and has been doing the calendar fundraiser for 4 years. Each year it gets bigger and she get more participants. The pet parents have a lot of fun and work hard all week to gather votes for their beloved pets. The calendar fundraiser is a huge project and is only possible by the support of the Castle Hills community and the various sponsors. If you see one of these Castle Hills pets around the neighbor, give them a big congratulations.
Coco Chanel - LabradoodleLeo - Labradoodle
Toby - MalteseFarley - Australian Shepherd
Newman - Domestic Medium Hair CatChloe - Kimola
Mikki - English Springer SpanielMajor - Lhasa Apso
Nugget - Cavalier King CharlesHolland - Goldendoodle
Kramer - Border Collie Mix
Residential Association Tree Trimming: Last Call!
The Residential Association
annual tree trimming
notices have gone out
and the deadline
has passed. We will
continue to accept
responses until
Friday, November 13th,
any responses received
after that date may not have the
trimming completed.
Community Garden 2015 ApplicationsApplications for a garden plot will be available at the
Queen Margaret Community Center on December 1, 2015.
Application deadline for submission is December 31,
2015. The completed application and waiver page must
be returned along with a $30 adopt-a-plot fee. Plot sizes
will depend on how many applications are received. There
are 16 garden plots that measure 4 feet by 16 feet that
can be divided to smaller plots of 4 feet by 8 feet making
32 plots available. If you have any questions, you can
email [email protected].
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BULK TRASH
PICK-UPIf you have items larger than
what fits in your trash bin
you need to contact Waste
Management, 972-315-5400,
to schedule a special
pick-up.
Advertisements are due on or before the
15th of each month. We will not rerun
advertisements unless you contact us. Ads
can be emailed along with a billing address
to: [email protected].
Advertisement Reminder >>
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Castle Hills Conservative Club Meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month
Castle Hills Cricket Club www.castlehillscricketclub.com
Castle Hills Linkedin.com Group Bruce Goldberg, [email protected]
Castle Hills Progressives & Liberals Club Meets once a month on the 3rd Tuesday
Castle Hills Security Patrol 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
214-274-2057
Castle Hills Working Mothers Group Castle Hills Working Mothers Group on www.linkedin.com
Community Center Jan Chadwell 972-899-7500
Event Committee Vickie McCandless, President 972-300-1100
Grandmothers In Touch Open to all grandmothers who want to pray for their
grandchildren. Meets every Tuesday at 8:30 am.
Moms in Touch (Castle Hills and Killian) Meets every Tuesday at 9 am
Beth Stubblefield 972-899-0799, [email protected]
Scrapbook Club Florencia Davis 469-774-1533
Tennis Men’s Casual Doubles Every other Saturday 9-11 am, Courts 1 & 2
Dan Mohr 972-315-1121, [email protected]
* See schedule on wall outside Community Center
Tennis Women’s Day League Tina Proffitt 972-899-2853
Tennis Women’s Night League Rhonda Price 972-395-9078
Committee Contacts
Children’s Play Groups
The following are the current play groups by age:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/castlehillscommunityTo add your group contact, email [email protected]
Castle Hills Homeschoolers—all ages 1st and 3rd Friday at 3:00 pmNicole Hunter, [email protected]
Castle Cuties—born August 2008 - August 2009Every Other Friday 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Flo Davis [email protected]
Weekend Warriors—ages 1 to 3Not enough time during the week? How about a weekend play group! Every Other Saturday 9:30 am - 10:30 [email protected]
Sovereign Sweeties—born August 2009 - August 2010Every Other Friday 10:00 am - 12:00 noon Morgan Lawley, [email protected] or 770-331-5544
Dukes & Damsels—born August 2010 - August 20111st and 3rd Friday at 10:00 amDiana Klotzman, [email protected] or Joanie Saynor, [email protected]
Little Lords & Ladies—born August 2011 - August 2012Meeting every other MondayShelley Smith, [email protected] orSharon Sykes, [email protected] group: Little Lords & Ladies Playgroup
Lil' Lancelots—born August 2012 - August 2013Meeting monthlyEmail [email protected] or [email protected] for more information
Lil' Dragons—born August 2013 - August 2014Meeting monthlyEmail [email protected] for more information
Castle Munchkins—born August 2014 - August [email protected], phone 214-558-2420
Shopping Directory
Visit us online at CastleHillsVillageShops.com. Events are subject to change and in the event of inclement weather, scheduled events may be canceled. Photos of Castle Hills community events may be taken by Bright Realty or its representatives for marketing or public relations efforts. Royalty fees have been paid and a license has been obtained to show featured film presentations.
Find us on FACEBOOK/CASTLE HILLS.FANPAGE
Castle Hills is a Bright Realty Development© 2015 Bright Realty
Now Leasing Phase III. For leasing information please contact:
Kerry Assa | 972-410-6561 | [email protected]
www.brightrealtyco.com
Village Shops open 7 days a week, call individual stores for specific hours.
Convenience Stores
Dining/Eateries
Sports/Fitness
Health & Beauty
Specialty Retail
Pet Services
Professional Services
Specialized Services
Kiddie Academy® of Castle Hills972.410.4675
Life Essentials®
Life Essentials®
CURRICULUM
TECHNOLOGY
HEALTH & FITNESS
CHARACTER
www.edwardjones.com
Stephen K Mullican, AAMS®Financial Advisor.
2540 King Arthur Blvd Ste 120Lewisville, TX 75056972-899-3021www.edwardjones.com
Let the Professionals at
Liberty Postal Take Care of ALL Your Holiday Packing and Shipping Needs!
UPS FedEx USPS Shipping Mailbox Rental (24/7 access) Copy Service (B/W & Color) Prin ng Services Binding & Lamina ng Shipping Supplies Key Cu ng & Keys Courier Service Fax (Incoming & Outgoing) Notary Services ATM (24/7) Passport Photos Shredding Service Conference Room Rental Personalized Notepads Gree ng Cards & More
Helping you keep
your base covered
since1928.
Proud Sponsor of the SCARE AWAY HUNGER.
MICHAEL BROCK972.620.3026
2560 KING ARTHUR BLVD STE 114
LEWISVILLE, TX 750565818
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Visit us online at CastleHillsVillageShops.com. Events are subject to change and in the event of inclement weather, scheduled events may be canceled. Photos of Castle Hills community events may be taken by Bright Realty or its representatives for marketing or public relations efforts. Royalty fees have been paid and a license has been obtained to show featured film presentations.
Find us on FACEBOOK/CASTLE HILLS.FANPAGE
Our Location
Castle Hills Turkey Trot
Holiday in The Plaza & Tree Lighting
November 2015 Events
Saturday, November 28th, 4:00 pm
Thursday, November 26th, 8:00 am
MagicMantle
FM 544 / Parker Rd.
E. Hebron Pkwy.
Old Denton Rd.
Lady of the Lake Blvd.
CastleHills
Holy Grail Dr.
King Arthur Blvd.
N. Josey Ln.
Highway 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway
Windhaven Pkwy.
K
Shops& Plaza
Wishing you
a wonderful
Thanksgiving
holiday!
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Dear Friends,It is so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. We enjoyed a fabulous October complete with field trips to the pumpkin patch and of course, our annual Fall Festival. It was a delight to see all our little friends dressed up with their families as we celebrated together with treats and games. We also were back at Castle Hills Elementary for the Fall Carnival. The kids loved to have their hair “spray painted” to match their costumes! Thanks again to the PTA for a great night and allowing us to participate in the fun.
In attempt to give a little more love to that forgotten holiday called Thanksgiving, we wanted to give you some ideas to help your family focus on “being thankful.” We are so blessed to live in this area and should always take the opportunity to teach and remind our families (and ourselves, for that matter) how to be more appreciative for all that we have instead of focusing on all that we want. Here are some great ideas we compiled on how to make this holiday the best and “most thankful” one yet:
• Actually give thanks – Many of us treat the Thanksgiving meal like a sports event. We restlessly wait for the food to be placed on the table so the gorging can begin. Conversation dies down to nothing and we communicate in a series of grunts and dirty looks if someone doesn’t pass the green bean casserole fast enough. A way to correct this is to actually give thanks for another year. Take time before the meal to go around the table and think of something you are thankful for. It doesn’t have to be profound- just from the heart!
• Help out – Lots of families celebrate Thanksgiving like the movie Groundhog Day, with the same family members doing the same things every year. If you aren’t normally one of the people who helps prepare the meal and set the table, peel yourself away from the sofa and start peeling potatoes. Even if it shakes a few branches in your family tree, stop watching football for 20 minutes to help with dishes. Most likely, anything you do to help will be appreciated.
• Look around – The greatest cause of stress and joy for many in life is family and friends. Often, Thanksgiving brings together people who haven’t been in each other’s company for months or even years. When you are all together, take time to look around and soak in everyone’s collective aura. The old cliché that life is too short is absolutely
true. Anything can happen between this turkey day and the next. All you have to do is simply be aware of everyone’s presence and think about your own place in the family. Make it a point to learn something new about a family member. Do not take your time with anyone for granted or assume it’s never-ending. Holidays are chances to forge good memories; don’t waste the opportunity.
• Play a game – One of the great joys in life is playing a game. I know many friends who gather around Thanksgiving to play tackle football or go out for karaoke. Maybe it is time for you to start a fun new Thanksgiving tradition like a board game marathon or all working on a puzzle. If you are blessed with some time off, couple that with the fact that friends and family are around and plan a really fun event. You could run a Turkey Trot 5K or simply invite old friends over to watch a movie. Take advantage of the time to reconnect and swap fond memories; catching a touchdown pass is an added bonus.
• Help – Soup kitchens and food pantries are packed to the gills on Thanksgiving with well-intentioned people looking to help their fellow man. If your local soup kitchen needs help, by all means help them out. But otherwise, while this is certainly admirable, consider other things you can do. In this economy, many charitable organizations are scrambling for donations or food supplies that can last them through times when people aren’t as well-intentioned. Why not organize a food drive or donating money with your friends and family.
• Keep a Gratitude Journal. At the end of each day, write 5 things you feel grateful for from the day. A smile from a stranger, the hug from your child, an unexpected compliment, a good meal, a moment of laughter with a friend. You can share them (ie: 40 days of thankfulness on FaceBook) or keep them private. It really helps put things in perspective.
• Mid Day Break – Take a short walk and count your blessings, feeling grateful as you do so. You will come back inspired and enthusiastic for the afternoon. Better yet, grab a family member and enjoy more private conversation time. I love to get advice from my sister-in-laws about parenting. Their children are grown, and I really respect their opinions. What an opportunity for free counseling! Warning: this does not work if you do not respect their parenting techniques which I am sure is material for several books available on Amazon.
• Cherish any kind of lightheartedness in your life. Things like laughter, affection, and playfulness are fleeting. Once a relationship has degraded so that those things don't spontaneously occur anymore, it's very hard to get them back. You might know that from experience. So treat those moments with care (especially with kids, who are at the peak of lightheartedness). Don't be the person who takes life too seriously, who doesn't have time to have fun, or who has no sense of humor.
• Live in the Moment. If you're too busy dwelling on the past or thinking about the future, you won't be able to fully notice how fantastic things are right now. Plus, thinking about the past and future opens the door to comparison, which is the only way you can perceive something as not good enough. What you have now is all that exists, and comparing that to something that doesn't exist anymore (or yet) is an easy way to foster dissatisfaction and torture yourself. Like the old saying goes "Past is History, Future is a Mystery and Today is Gift and hence it is called the Present". Enjoy today, this moment and don't postpone your enjoyment.
• No electronics zones. The pilgrims did not have to worry about getting a text in the middle of the blessing or eating dessert next to someone playing Angry Birds. Seriously, turn it off for a few hours if you can. It is a national holiday. Chances are it can wait. Show your family they are the most important thing today and ask your kids to do the same. Tell them how you didn’t have phones when you were kids or even young adults (also feel free to throw in how you walked uphill both ways in the snow each day to school.) If you old enough, you can also recount the tortures of getting a “busy signal”- but that would probably fry their mind. Remind them that they have much to be thankful for as well!
As we count the blessings of our own family, we also count the blessings associated with educating the young children of Castle Hills. If you need the support of a local, multiple award-winning, accredited preschool, look no further than Kids R Kids Learning Academy. We look forward to welcoming you.
Angel and Gary Hadley, OwnersKids R Kids Castle Hillswww.kidsrkidscastlehills.comFaceBook: Kids R Kids CastleHills
CORNER
Reading is fun Two heads are better than one
Giddy up Lunch time Smile for the camera
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Coed Flag Football, Soccer, T Ball & Cheer Kids 3-14
Register today! Activities held at Five Star in The Colony
Convenient same day practice & gamesJust one trip to fields each weekend!
PARKINGIf on occasion you need to park a car on the street there are several rules to follow:
► DO NOT park on the sidewalk.
► DO NOT park on the curb and/or grass.
► DO NOT block anyone’s driveway, the alley, or an intersection.
► DO NOT park a disabled vehicle, which includes expired registration/inspection sticker.
► DO park in the direction of traffic.
► DO park in front of your own home & on the same side of the street.
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Our pediatricians are with you every inch of the way. Because childhood should be simple.
713 Hebron Parkway, Suite 232Lewisville, TX 75057
972-316-7400 phone • cookchildrenslewisville.com
WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS
Sandra Peak, M.D. Lizy Varghese, M.D.
Service is not available in all areas, may be subject to credit approval and may require a deposit. Grande is a provider of low-income Lifeline services. To find out if you qualify, contact the Public Utility Commission at www.
puc.state.tx.us or at 1.888.782.8477. Internet speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. Other restrictions apply. The GRANDE COMMUNICATIONS marks and logos are service marks of Grande Communications Networks,
LLC. All rights reserved. © 2013 Grande Communications Networks, LLC. © 2013 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved. TiVo and the TiVo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide.
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Services >>
BABYSITTINGLooking for some extra help with your kids so you can go out or get errands/shopping done? Contact Brooke Landry, Junior at Ursuline Academy; CPR and First Aid certified and lives in the neighborhood. Cell - 972 369 2954, Email - [email protected]
BABYSITTINGMy name is Ariel Ortiz. Many of you may know my mom Kim Ortiz. I am a Freshman at Hebron and am on the Hebron cheer team! I babysit for a lot of Castle Hills neighbors. I can babysit ages 1-11 years old. I would love to babysit for you when you need a night out, need to run errands or you need someone to watch the kids while you work from home. You can contact me at 972-400-0704. I have a lot of Castle Hills references available.
BABYSITTING SERVICES Looking for some extra help with your kids? Contact Courtney Mawet, 8th grader at Dallas International School; Safe Sitter certified and lives in the neighborhood. Home – 972-394-8584, Email – [email protected].
BHARATANATYAM (INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE) LESSONSI am a talented Bharatanatyam dancer/teacher with more than 15 years of experience and CH resident. New semester starting soon. Enrolling Beginner to advance levels. Small class sizes for individual attention. Contact: Rachana Maniar 817 797 0867
Bulletin Board
Independence ElementaryWhat's Happening At Independence... Your Neighborhood School
Technology Soars at Independence Computer Literacy is an enrichment class at Independence offered once a week to all students. Lisa Marie Bennett, a certified Technology Applications teacher with fifteen years of experience, teaches this class. This month, the intermediate grades are focusing on the basics of coding and programming, which is done through online video instruction designed by the teacher. These computer science basics are presented in a format that is fun and accessible to the youngest learners at Independence. Eagle students use a variety of websites designed to teach the basics through the use of gaming. Students can also create interactive games or stories that they can share with anyone. Independence Eagles are the world’s future NASA and Angry Bird programmers!
Independence Fun Run ResultsThank you to all of our students, parents and volunteers for their participation and donations in support of the Independence Elementary 3rd Annual Fun Run. We exceeded our fundraising goal and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the Independence Elementary PTA for the support of future events. We would like to extend a special thank you to our sponsors who helped to make the event an even bigger success!
Eagle Events:Independence Elementary Family Movie Night Thursday, November 5, 20156:00 PM
Independence Elementary PTA Membership Meeting Thursday, November 19, 20156:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Contact the Independence PTA for more event information.PTA newsletter: Send an email to [email protected]: facebook.com/IndependenceElementaryPTA Twitter: @PTAatIESWebsite: independence.txpta.org