A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER & GUIDE FOR YOUR HOME

GB Group sends...THE HAPPY HOMEOWNER

SEPTEMBER 2012 www.BuildWithGBGroup.com

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+ Monthly Project Spotlight

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+ Homeowner’s Guide to Hallow-een Home Safety Tips.

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+ Q & A+ Interesting Fact+ Starbucks Riddle Contest+ Heidi’s Healthy Home Tip

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+ Bedroom Design Tips

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+ Superstar Client of the Month+ Quote of the Month+ Book of the Month+ Talk with Tank

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+ To Grandma’s and Cancun+ Acupuncture for Wrinkles+ Useless Trivial Tidbits

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+ Comic+ Halloween Crossword+ Community Happenings+ Recipe of the Month+ Riddle Contest Winner

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+ Feature Story

IN THIS ISSUE:

The stories Jacob and I hear from people of all walks of life, with all types of experiences, are as varied as the people who are telling the stories to us.

Some people loved their childhood; some wouldn’t go back in a million years. Ultimately, it’s at least good to know where you fall, so you can understand yourself better and realize how your earlier experiences are shaping you today.

Partially, you may have decided to be who you are today because you wanted nothing to do with the way your parents raised you. Or, partially, you may have

chosen to model many aspects of your mother and/or father because, looking back, hey, your parents did a pretty good job and you’ve consciously adopted some of their practices. OR—and this is the clincher and the point of this article—you may look at yourself and say, “Oh no! I’m exactly like my mother/father, how did that happen and how do I change it immediately?!”

In the case of the third example, you have never consciously made a decision to be one way or another; you have never officially decided to keep the family habits you grew up with or not keep them; you just have them. You are subconsciously reacting out of familiarity, habit, and modeling that you learned somewhere along the way—from a parent, a teacher, an uncle, aunt, or some other role model in your life.

Sometimes awareness itself can be curative. If your father always stood up, shouted something, and walked out of the room whenever a disagreement arose, and you realize that is not a response you yourself want to model anymore, the simple realization very well may empower you to change the habit.

Sometimes though, it takes more effort to step out of the box of your old normal. If that is the case, remember, repetition is the mother of skill. If you do anything long enough, it will become your new habit. Sometimes this will feel unfamiliar and foreign to you, maybe even downright wrong. But, if you know the change is for the better, push passed those feelings and move into a space of excitement. Because when you feel uncomfortable and awkward, you know you are changing!

Too much of the time, we live in a self-inflicted mentality that supports the belief that because our childhood or past was a certain way, we are validated in acting the way we do. The only problem with that is this: it never allows us to grow, learn and move beyond our old self. We are stunted from experiencing higher levels of living in every area of our life: mental, emotional, financial, spiritual, physical, social, everything.

If some of your current habits or actions don’t support who you ultimately want to be, let go of what happened in childhood, what happened ten years ago, what happened yesterday, even. Create new habits and actions that let YOU shine.

Written by Heidi Tankersley

How Is Your Childhood and Your Past Impacting You Today?

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OCT 22 - 0CT 27 - 45th Annual Season of the Great Passion Play , Eureka Springs

THRU OCT 31 - Eureka Spring’s Paranormal Pair, Eureka Springs

OCT 10 - NOV 10 - A House in Mourning, Rogers

THRU NOV 3 - Farmland Adventures Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, Springdale

OCT 22 - NOV 8 - 10th Annual 5 x 5 Exhibition, Springdale

OCT 25 - 5th Annual Fall Carnival, Fayetteville

OCT 31 - 11th Annual Trick-or-Treat at the Square, Fayetteville

NOV 2 - NOV 3 - NWA Holiday Expo, Springdale

NOV 11 - Gungor Tour Concert, Fayetteville

COMMUNITYHAPPENINGS

NWA

Last Month’s Riddle Contest Winner!

Are you sorry you didn’t win? Then better play this month’s game! Look on page 6 for the riddle. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the first to respond with the correct answer!

The Answer: The person is on tracks in a railroad tunnel walking toward the train and is close to the end when the oncoming train is discovered. The person must then run forward to clear the tunnel before the train enters.

Last Month’s Riddle: Under what circumstance could a person walk along a railroad track, discover an on-coming train, and have to run toward the train to avoid being struck?

Congratulations to William Stephenson of Fayetteville! William was the first to respond with the correct answer to the July Newsletter riddle. For those of you who were stumped here is the answer:

HallowEen Crossword- bat- cobweb- scary- candy- broom- ghost - halloween- pumpkin- spider- spooky- witch

To begin, you’ll need two fat, round sweet potatoes. Feel free to double or tri-ple recipe if you’re throwing a party. Look for the biggest sweet potatoes with the most even girth. Peel the skin from sweet potatoes. Slice the tip ends from the sweet potato, leaving the thickest part of the middle. Use a sharp knife to cut a small “V” shape at the top of the sweet potato, for the top of the jack-o-lantern head. Slice the sweet potato into 1/8 thin slices. Use a small, sharp knife to “carve” jack-o-lantern faces into each sweet potato slice. Shake sweet potatoes in a plastic bag with coconut oil and spices. Place the sweet potato fries on a cookie sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes, or until barely golden brown around the edges. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe

2 large sweet potatoes

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Special Halloween Treat!

Jack-O-Lantern Sweet Potato Fries:

USELESS TRIVIAL TIDBITS

1. The glue on Israe-li postage stamps is certified kosher

2. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid contamination from airborne particles resulting from the flush.

3. There are more chickens than people in the world.

4. Adolf Hitler’s mother seriously considered having an abortion but was talked out of it by her doctor.

5. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur. 6. . It is impossi-ble to lick your elbow or stick your elbow in your ear.

7. Elephants are the only land mammals that can’t jump.

8. It’s impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

9. Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

10. “Go” is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

11. The mask used by Michael Myers in the original Halloween was actually a Captain Kirk mask painted white.

12. A crocodile can’t stick its tongue out.

13. 95% of people that read trivia #6 tried to lick their elbow. Did you?

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We were at a Bridal Fair a few weeks ago. Wait, let me clarify. We had a booth set up at a Bridal Fair a few weeks ago, and amidst the show, I was able to amble around and look at the offerings of other vendors.

A particular booth that caught my eye marketed “Acupuncture for Wrinkles” and I was intrigued. I don’t have wrinkles yet, really, but, because I used acupuncture as one of my predominant modes of treatment when I was overcoming a serious bout with ulcerative colitis/chron’s disease over a decade ago, acupuncture is dear to my heart. Acupuncture is good for EVERYTHING body related—and, apparently, no shame involved in marketing straight to the beauty benefits as well.

This method of wrinkle treatment did sound appealing to me compared to a lot of other options out there—namely, the one involving injecting toxic bacteria into the skin. So, just for you, I have researched it further.

Paraphrased from an acupuncture for wrinkles website: “Cosmetic acupuncture can reduce or erase fine lines and soften deeper lines. Additionally, patients may experience a firming of the skin around the cheeks and jaw, as well as a reduction of under-eye bags. It is not uncommon for clients to report enhanced skin tone, increased energy and eyes that sparkle.” You can’t beat that! (Remember, I haven’t actually used acupuncture for this purpose, so if you do, please report to me your findings!)

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, a person’s facial health reflects his or her internal organs. As internal organs are treated for health, your face will reflect the improvements. We’ve all see the sixty-five year old with an abundance of energy, amazing health, and radiant skin, right? It’s because everything in the body is connected.

All I can personally say is this: Acupuncture helped me when I needed it. Whether you suffer from serious health concerns or a few bothersome wrinkles, it may be a treatment you want to look into.

Written by Heidi Tankersley

Acupuncture For Wrinkles

To Grandma's and Cancun! Andrew and Joely got to spend time at Mama and Papa’s in Kansas and while Heidi and I got to spend time with friends in Cancun. Talk about fun. We hadn’t done something like that in 8 years (since our honeymoon). Meanwhile, the kids had a blast.

Here is a picture of Heidi and I on the beach and at a delicious seafood dinner. The kids went on a field trip exploring Coronado Heights by Lindsborg, KS. The pictures include their 2-year old cousin, Eli, and their Papa. (Heidi’s father).

Coronado Heights receives its name from Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who visited central Kansas in 1541, looking for the Native American community of Quivira, where he was told “trees hung with golden bells and ... pots and pans were beaten gold.”

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Mike and Jessica Castagna, of Siloam Springs decided to renovate their kitchen so it was more functional for large gatherings and a growing family. We went in and worked with Mike and Jessica to help come up with solutions to better accommodate their family and realize their goals of a more functional space. Their project is now nearly complete.

Here is what Mike and Jessica have to say about our company:

“GB Group was able to take a vision in our heads of what we wanted our new kitchen to look like and make it a reality. They were great to work with and were able to accommodate every last minute change we threw at them to get the finished look we were going for.”

Thank you Castagnas for being so wonderful to work with! We are grateful for the opportunity to renovate your home and improve your living space. Thank you!

MONTHLY PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: MIKE AND JESSICA CASTAGNA

before

before

after

after

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Positive Quote of the Month

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emer-

Must Read Book of the MonthSTRENGTHS FINDER 2.0

By Tom RathStrengths Finder 2.0 offers an eye-opening look at what it really means to live up to your full potential. Rath’s belief is this: “You cannot be anything you want to be, but you can be more of who you already are,”

The Gallup organization combined efforts with the author, Tom Rath, along with a team of scientists and came up with the newest version of what they call “Strengths Finder,” which was created to help people maximize their potential instead of focus-ing on and trying to improve their weaknesses—which we, as a world culture, have a tendency to focus on.

Their point: Why waste a majority of our time trying to develop the parts of us that will never shine as brightly as our strengths? It can end up meaning we aren’t offering to others all that we have to give.

This book is a quick and easy read, but the purchase of the book also allows for your online access to the Strengths Finder Assessment, so you can discover your greatest strengths and talents.

Insightful, eye-opening, and, if you’re the 66% of the world who do not feel like their strengths are being uti-lized, then, even life changing. Get it, read it, take the assessment, and discover your greatest strengths!

Hello happy clients and friends! Most of you know me, but if not, I’m Jacob Tankersley, homebuilder, husband, father, business owner & entrepreneur, and avid hunter. My family consits of 2.4 children and a Golden Retriever, Drake.

And now for your Talk With Tank...

TALK WITH TANK (He’s a tank full of information)

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A CUSTOM HOME? This answer to this question can be illusive and sometimes misleading, because every home is different. Let me do my best to answer you with at least a little more clarification. Building a custom home can take anywhere from 5 to 12 months, or longer, depending on the size of your home, scope of the project, detail and custom work wanted, the land you are planning on building on, along with many other factors including the time of year, materials used, etc.

There is a big difference between building a house on a lot in an already developed subdivision and building a home on a plateau in the country on 50 acres with a mile-long drive up to the house.

Variation in schedule also arises when moving from building with “standard” finish-out materials and instead using specially ordered custom materials.

Slope of the lot also plays a big part in the building timeline. If you are building on the side of a hill, reinforcements will be needed. The land will require much more prep work than if you are building on a flat lot without trees.

If you prefer a lot of custom detail inside your home, this also adds time to the project. And in reverse, a more basic floor plans equals less time to build.

The best thing to do is have us check out your floor plans or show us a plan similar to what you would like. Based off of the information we will ask you, we can better determine what type of timeline you should expect. If this is you, looking to build, we look forward to talking with you soon! 5

Superstar Client of the Month

Dan & June Bullock of Bella Vista

A big round of applause to our Superstar Clients of the month, Dan and June Bullock of Bella Vista.

Dan and June have been awesome to work with. From the very be-ginning of their project, they have had their ducks in a row, have

known exactly what they want, and have been very easy-going, even with all the construction work going on in their master bedroom.

Here is what Dan and June have to say about our company: “We have really enjoyed working with GB Group as they have been open and honest with us during our project. The guys have worked well, knew what they needed to do, and communicated daily.

Thank you Dan and June for being so wonderful! We are very grateful for the two of you and have thoroughly enjoyed the honor of getting to trans-form your home!

RIDDLE CONTEST! BE THE FRIST TO ANSWER THIS RIDDLE & WIN A $5 Starbucks Gift Card

THE RIDDLE:How many times can a mathematician

subtract ten from 100?

TO PLAY: Call or email now with the answer to the above riddle. Whoever responds first with the correct answer, wins! Call 479.464.7336 or email contact@BuildWithGBGroup.com (If calling after hours, leave a message. We will honor whoever contacts us first.) All ages can play!!!6

Heidi’s Healthy HomeTip of The Month

With the unavoidable winter season approaching, I thought it would be fitting to share three basic supplements we add into our diet during wintertime to keep the immune systems in our family strong and our brains functioning optimally. So, without fur-ther ado, here they are: Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Fish Oils.

Vitamin D is the supplement we don’t typi-cally take year round, mainly because in the spring, summer, and fall, we are soaking up as much vitamin D as we need from the sun. Only in the winter, when indoors more, do I pull out the dropper bottle of Vitamin D. Not only has this supplement been proven to keep immune function up, but it can also fight away the winter blues and lack of energy—which I personally believe mainly comes from lack of sunlight as well. Five or six drops of a 500 IU concentration of liquid Vit D is about what I give the kids, a little more for Jacob and I. Check the bottle for dosages.

Vitamin C. This is a regular with us around our house, but sometimes the amount of Vit C we take is increased during winter, or if we know a virus is going around the classroom at school.We try and get the Vit C from acerola cherries—in extract form in chewable tablets. This is a super immune booster. We like Country Life Brand Acerola C Complex Chewables.

Fish Oils. We take these because omega oils and DHA not only fight off inflammation, but boost brain function as well. So, no, this isn’t just something we do in the winter, we take this all the time! I give the kids about ¼ to ½ a tsp everyday. Again, check bottle for appropriate dosages. This

can also come in chewable capsules, and usually is flavored with lemon, strawberry or something of the like. It is best to get the oils from cod or sardine or some smaller fish, where concentrations of other toxins will be lowest, even thought the oil does go through a purification process. Make sure there aren’t any other added ingredients.

During college, I worked for two chiropractors and asked the wife: “If there was one supplement you would give your kids, what would it be?” She told me fish oils. This is because of the amazing roll it plays in strengthening the neuroconnections in the brains of growing children (and adults as well!).

I also took omega oils regularly when I suffered from ulcerative colitis back in high school, again, because it helps fight inflammation in the body. Check and make sure the oil is coming from a reputable source; preferable from wild-caught small fish.

We are currently using a brand called Innate Choice from our friends at Generations Health and Wellness Center, phone 479.442.2775. I have also previously bought Nor-dic Naturals brand, a reputable source as well.

Good luck! Stay healthy, warm and happy this winter. Many loving wishes from our family to yours. Hugs, Heidi

KEEP YOUR KIDS SMILING THIS COMING WINTER

Q: Which is better: hardwood or carpeted stairs?

A: On this question, the correct answer is totally dependent on the homeowner.

Carpet can be better for young children or elderly because of the slip/fall factor of solid surfaces. Carpeted stairs are also quieter. However, you will obviously deal with faster wear and tear of the with car-pet than you will with a solid surface.

Hardwood stairs are more costly, but are easy to clean thoroughly and more durable

long term. If family members are confident on the stairs, it can be an eye-appealing choice.

Ultimately the best idea is to assess what’s right for your family at your specific phase of life and go from there. Good luck! Do you have a question? Submit your Q to contact@BuildWithGBGroup.com to have it answered.

Questions & AnswersYou ask the Q, We give you the A

Donald Trump won a Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his cameo appearance as himself in the 1990 movie “Ghosts Can’t Do It.”

Trump is a two-time Emmy Award nomi-nee. He has appeared in TV shows and mov-ies like ‘Home Alone 2, ‘The Nanny’, ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ and ‘Days of Our Lives’ portraying, again, guess who? Yes, of course, The Donald.

We like Mr. Trump because of the emphasis he puts on taking responsibility for your life

and your actions—a belief that challenges the self-entitlement mentali-ty so prevalent in our culture today.

Here is an empowering quote we loved from Trump’s newest book, Midas Touch, written with Robert Kiyosaki:

“As soon as you take responsibility for all that you touch, the power is in your hands to make it extraordinary. For me, having that sense of control has been a catalyst for success.”

WOW INTERESTING FACT

Thanks for reading this month’s newsletter! We wish you and your family a fantastic and fun-filled August! Call us for all of your Custom Home Building and Home Renovation needs. And don’t forget to tell your friends about us, too. Visit us at BuildWithGBGroup.com. Office phone: 479.464.7336. Many Blessings, Jacob Tankersley and the GB Group Construction Team 7

Designing and decorating a bedroom—for any of your family members—is a very important undertaking. Because a bedroom is where you, your children, or another family member will most likely be spending a lot of time, it is important that the space represents the person well.

The bedroom should be a place of calm, comfort, and retreat, and, at the same time, should express the interests, voice, and personality of the person or couple inhabiting the room. Below are some tips that will help you to get started designing the perfect bedroom for you or that special someone.

1) If you have a growing child, make sure the room can grow with them. If you have a window seat, make sure it’s large enough for a teenager as well as a young child. You can always change out the pillows. It’s harder to expand the windows and seating area.

2) Pick colors that make the person happy and represent who they are. A good clue to their color preference can come from the color of clothing that they like to wear. These might not be the exact colors you would use in a bedroom, but perhaps shades of that color will work.

3) Think ahead bold with lighting and furniture so that you leave enough space between or below windows and have the room wired correctly for the type of lighting you desire.

5) Match the room to its purpose. If the room is for guests, make sure you are cognizant of the mood you want your company to feel when they walk into the space. Same for your child. Colors play a big role in this.

6) Be aware of “daily use” spaces. For older children, incorporate a comfortable “learning/homework” area. In your master suite, evaluate your space based on size with comfortable furniture arrangement.

7) Think about a fire escape plan and incorporate that into the design/architecture of the room.

8) Pick a focal point. Whether it’s the bed, the headboard, a special stand-out chair, or a rug, something should offer stability and focus as the eye travels around the room.

4) Add something special that makes the room unique to any other room in the house. For a child, maybe that’s a mini hammock swing, a secret nook, a climbing wall, a loft bed, or a special area for playing toys. It’s always nice when there’s something special in the room for the child.

9) Tie the color scheme together. This can be accomplished using the focal point of the room, or not. Whatever it is, find that one piece of artwork, furniture, a rug, a headboard, pillows, or even a wall—something that boasts all the colors within the color scheme you are working with. The room will tie together best with this important piece.10) Finally, make sure that the room matches the feeling and character of the rest of your home. It wouldn’t make sense to design a completely modern home only to style your guest bedroom with a French country four poster bed and traditional décor and artwork. All room designs should flow together while still offering unique and memorable aspects within each space throughout the house.

BEDROOM DESIGN TIPS

GB GROUP CONSTRUCTIONP.O. Box 7734

Springdale, AR 72766

1) Check for an even path up to your house. Make sure your walkway and steps are free of anything that could cause someone to trip and fall. Believe it or not, you are responsible for the trick-or-treaters when they are on your property and come up to your door! Crazy, we know.

2) On Halloween night, keep your pets where they are comfortable. Don’t bring them out amidst the crowds unless they are happy to be there. Otherwise, it’s just misery for them and you.

3) Watch out for the chewy candy! Per an actual dentist: There is a heightened amount of dad’s who come into the office the days following Halloween because they have been eating their children’s Halloween candy! Ha! Sad but true… Look out for those chewy, sticky candies that will pull out your caps and fillings.

4) Make sure your children, grandchildren and yourself, have the right length of costume on. If a piece of ma-terial is to long, you could be in danger of a tumble!

5) If you are throwing a Halloween Party, make sure you have enough room to comfortably house your guests. You don’t want claustrophobia to ensue. If you find your company was NOT comfortable in the space you had, call us to reinvent your space or build you a new home altogether. 479.464.7336

GB Group Construction | P.O. Box 7734 Springdale, AR 72766479-464-7336 | www.buildwithgbgroup.com

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The Homeowner’s Guide toHalloween Home Safety Tips:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!