Argyle Living Magazine December 15

DECEMBER 2015

A Passion to Lend

A Helping Argyle - Canyon Falls - Harvest - Robson Ranch

Hand

winner of 2015 best of denton county

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Argyle resident

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Argyle Community Events Liberty Christian School Events

Contents Table of

Featured Stories and News 13

Liberty Press Release

Instead Senior Care 18 Home

Half Day for Final Exams December 18th

22

LCS: Heeds Call to Serve

14

Keep Kids Away From War

Varsity Basketball vs Parish Episcopal January 2nd Girls - 1pm Boys - 2:30pm

25

Fever and Your Child

26

Teaching Little Hands

29

Argyle Volleyball Wins

Back to School January 11th Girls Varsity Soccer vs Prestonwood Christian Academy (Away Game) January 11th at 6pm School Holiday for Martin Luther King Day January 18th Want to feature your school’s or organization’s event? Contact us at artwork@murray-media.com 6 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

M AG A

On the Cover: Holidays at Home Instead Senior Care

32

Presenting Yourself

33

S2S Functional

34

Ranch Hand Rescue

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Every Issue 07

From Your Editor

10

Upscale Home

11

Inside Community

12

Inside Education

15

Gardening

17

The Sidelines

21

Coaching Corner

22

Dr. Matt

36

Real Estate

E’

R’S TOCK I ED PI 2015

Pg 18

ZIN

EN

Fight Like Hunter

NG

ARGY LE

30

VI

S

Boys Varsity Soccer vs Bishop Dunne Catholic (Away Game) January 4th at 7pm

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RE C

IP

I

Love

How to Spell

ArgyleLivingMagazine.com

Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray Administration Managing Editor

and Leave a Legacy

T

Jana Melton

Sub-Editor

A Message from The Community Editor

he

holidays

are

filled

with

remembering and making memories.

In a recent study of a renowned book,

The Purpose Driven Life, we are tasked with filling and fulfilling our lives and relationships through the minimal time we are each given.

For some, this time of year can also be plagued

with loneliness and grief. Our culture often treats sadness like a problem to be solved

Bobbi Byrne

Don’t leave when you feel uncomfortable

or when you feel like you’re not doing anything.

It’s in those places, in the shadows of horror,

we rarely allow ourselves to enter … where the beginnings of healing are found. This healing is found when we have others who are willing to enter that space alongside us. Every grieving

person on earth needs these people. I beg you, be one of these people.

We all hear and talk about

or an illness to be healed. While

we’ve done everything we can

making time for our children,

it still happens and no one benefits

sad the perception that portrays

to avoid, ignore or transform grief,

ourselves, our friends, etc. It’s

from the “fix it” response. So when you’re

faced

with

tragedy

… after all, isn’t life really about

(or

relationships?

comforting someone who is), you

usually find that you’re no longer surrounded by people … So what do we offer instead of “Everything happens for a reason?”

I’ve never had a tremendous

amount

of

peace

with

the

sentiment. I think it gives the

They

are

not

simply a part of our lives along with other mundane tasks. With Kathryn Flores, Community Relations, Marketing and Advertising Manager Argyle Living & Lantana Living Kathryn@murray-media.com (214) 734-5783

terrible stuff too much power, too

much poetry; as if there must be nobility and

purpose within the devastation we may find ourselves sitting in. In our distress, this idea forces us to run down trails, looking for the

specific part of life and “right now” that this suffering all fits into. It serves as an emotional

distraction, one that cheats us out of the full measure of our real-time grief and outrage. We

stutter and stop to try and find the whys of all

of the suffering, instead of just admitting that maybe there is no why to be found and that

our children, we are leaving a

legacy just as love leaves a legacy.

What’s the easiest way to spell that love … T-I-M-E! During

the holiday season, enjoy giving and especially the gift we all

have that is exactly the same, TIME! The gift we most often crave isn’t diamonds or that

new hover board or a new living room sofa, it’s

focused attention intentionally so concentrated that you forget about the moment and the time you have spent in it.

As the year ends I find myself reflecting

on the year of relationships around and surrounding me. I have challenged myself to

think for a moment, to live and treat each other

as if it’s the last time I lay eyes on that person.

perhaps this all simply stinks on a grand scale.

Kindness counts and goes such a long way; to

that person. However, sympathy is not a

bucket” of those relationships I treasure; to be

being understood and validated. Healing and

and move forward.

The last thing a person devastated by grief needs

make up for today. Things change. Loved ones

most powerful thing you can do is acknowledge.

show your relationships the love you intend, do

We tell each other to have sympathy for

be intentional about my words and “filling the

quick, cosmetic response to fix someone. It’s

mature enough to recognize a mistake, own it

transformation can occur with true sympathy.

Afterall, there is no promise of tomorrow to

is advice. Their world has been shattered. The

die. Opportunities pass. Children grow up. To

It requires no training, no special skills — just

it now. The best use of this one life is to cherish

the willingness to be present and to stay present,

as long as is necessary. Be there. Only be there.

Contributors Eric Williams Mark Miller Steve Gamel

Advertising

Kathryn Flores kathryn@murray-media.com Kelly Murray kelly@murray-media.com

Production Graphic Designers Liz Wallace Stephanie Hansen Whitney Hill Josh Burkham Caroline Brock

Photography

Scott Young (972) 899-3536 ScottYoungPhoto.com Chris Ziober (817) 980-1653 LifeDigs.com

Letters

Argyle Living invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments. Email artwork@murray-media.com.

All submissions become the sole property of Murray Media Group.

Editorial and Advertising Inquiries call (214) 734-5783 or email kathryn@murray-media.com Address: 1011 Surrey Lane Building 100 Ste. 101 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Argyle Living is published monthly by Murray Media Group. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Argyle Living is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its agencies assume all liability for advertising content.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2015 Murray Media Group

and love your relationships wholly by dedicating time today!

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 7

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Argyle resident DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 9

Upscale Home

Change the Mood

of Your Home

By Paula Kratohvil, Owner Complete Interior Solutions 972-436-9083

(I remember years ago reading an article about the calming influence the color peach had, so much so that it was used in mental facilities across the country. I don’t think I could ever look at peach the same way again).

Just to play devil’s advocate … be aware that the

mood you want to create may be different in the various rooms of your home.

In rooms where you want to feel energized and

productive, such as in your kitchen or home office, you

might want to avoid calming colors. Instead consider

Subtle hues will help you relax and de-stress.

selecting bright hues to raise your energy level.

he colors you choose to decorate your home add to its beauty and style, but did you ever think about how they can affect your mood and level of stress?

Color is a factor in making your home a stress-free zone that relaxes you and elevates your feeling of calm.

Think about it: if you want your children to rest better at night don’t paint their room stimulating colors such as primary green, orange or red.

Same with a study space, you want a space that isn’t so calming it will obstruct stimulation, memory and creativity.

colors as stunning blues or great strong teal. Shades

T

To make your rooms a peaceful refuge, think ahead when you select your design colors: Select cool colors, such as blue, violet and blue-green.

Use soft, muted shades of almost any color, including powder blue, sage green, pale pink and gentle salmon.

Create a calm look with neutral shades, such as cream, ivory and pale gray.

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Use calming colors for a variety of your home décor

elements, including paint, rugs and carpeting, draperies, pillows, upholstery, bed linens and more.

Looking for even more peace and harmony in your

home? Focus on reducing the clutter and chaos. That will go a long way toward helping you feel more relaxed and calm.

When painting your home office contemplate such

of red are the number one color used in commercial restaurants because red is the color that stimulates the

palate. In other words, your food tends to taste better!

That would be a plus in our home kitchen.

Now more that ever you really need to be forward

thinking about your need for relaxation and a mellow

mood space before you select the colors for the interior of your home.

We all have enough distraction outside of our

homes. When you walk through your door you should be allowed every opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy your home.

To see all the new Sherwin Williams colors and for

help with choosing your perfect color give us a call.

We’d love the opportunity to assist you with any of your design challenges.

Keep Argyle Beautiful Honored for Award Win Argyle’s mayor and town council honored the Keep Argyle Beautiful leaders for being named a Governor’s Community Achievement Award winner earlier this year. The award brought the group $110,000. Also, some UNT students recently helped KAB clean up U.S. 377 near the railroad tracks.

Argyle Police Forego Shaving for Fundraiser Argyle’s Finest took the challenge to go “shaveless” for November in order to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. As of press time, the APD had raised $505, a bit more than their goal of $500. Because of donations, families of children who are patients at St. Jude never have to pay for treatment.

Get Chamber Text Reminders Are you a member of the Argyle Chamber of Commerce? Now you can get text message reminders about upcoming meetings. It’s simple, just text “remindme” to 97000 OR go to http:// argylechamber.org/join-mailing-list to subscribe.

Road Construction Update Last month, Denton County Commissioner Andy Eads presented Argyle Town Council members an update about on the construction in the area. Eads helped clinch the efforts to get a traffic light installed at US 377 and Frenchtown Road. Eads is also working with town staff to help solve traffic concerns residents have for the corner of Old Justin Road and US 377.

Local Man Rings NYSE Bell An Argyle man rang the closing bell last summer at the NYSE, a “thank you” gesture for helping the University of North Texas’s financial planning program to bring in a $50,000 grand from TD Ameritrade. Dave Ragan, who is an adjunct faculty member at the school’s Department of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law, wrote the winning grant request and will help drive portions of his proposal over the coming two years.

Phone Scam Uses D.A.R.E. Program Police are cautioning residents about a new phone scam going around. This time the caller is posing as a Denton County Sheriff ’s Office employee collecting money for the D.A.R.E. anti-drug program. The DCSO ended D.A.R.E. locally several years ago. Law enforcement is asking those who receive these calls to notify local police.

Liberty Drum Line Places Fourth at State Competition Liberty Christian’s drum line came home

with a fourth-place title from the TAPPS State

Competition on October 12 in Cedar Park.

While preparing for state, students each learned

and practiced their parts individually and then

as a group. Then all of the groups came together to learn to play the ensemble. Students had to become aware of how their playing fit in with the

others in the song. Once that was accomplished, they added other dynamics like choreography that coordinated with the music. Liberty’s drum line includes: Drum Caption Elijah Parr; Front Ensemble: Daniel Hayden, Bella Hughes, Reya

Snyder, and Ronnie Wang; Matthew Honeycutt, Kelsey Hovanetz, Cole Jackson, Dillon Lewis, Kelsey Nordland, Cheryl Shaffer, Hayden Winters and Mack Wright.

Hilltop Students Clean Up Playground Hilltop Elementary students bagged up about

60 pounds of trash last month around the school

grounds. The playground and an area behind it and over a fence there were scoured.

Liberty Students Meet Miss Texas Miss Texas Shannon Sanderford visited

Liberty Christian School and its middle and upper school students on Oct. 30, challenging them to work hard to follow their dreams.

Sanderford shared her background, that her

Argyle High Students Raise Funds for Peer In November, students at Argyle High

dream of being Miss Texas was five years in the

School raised funds for cancer research. One of

asked her a wide variety of questions, from “How

fighting the disease. Oney has been in treatment

making. She took questions from students, who do you keep your crown on” to “How do you share your Christian faith with others?”

She met with the school’s theatre group,

Encore, and she encouraged students to continue to dream even after they accomplish life’s goals along the way.

12 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

their own, student and athlete Hunter Oney, is

over the past year. The school created the “Fight Like Hunter” campaign, including a fundraiser

called “No Shave November” for the boys to help

Hunter and his family with his medical bills.

For more information about Hunter’s fight, visit https://www.gofundme.com/ov4ikk.

Veterans Share War Stories at Argyle HS Argyle High School hosted some of the country’s finest for a Veterans Day breakfast.

Veterans did a Q&A session with the students, regaling them with tales from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Marine Corps also honored Eagle senior football tight end player JC Chalk, grandson of former football player and coach Gene Stalling. Chalk will head to Carson, California in January to play in the Semperfibowl.

Liberty Christian Press Release

Miss Texas Inspires Students

to Put Action Behind Dreams

M

iss Texas Shannon Sanderford visited Liberty Christian School and its

Middle and Upper School students in a special assembly on Oct. 30, challenging them to work hard to follow their dreams.

“I wasn’t the prettiest, smartest, most talented,

or most popular student when I was in school, but I prepared, worked really hard, and had

teachers who believed in me,” she said. “I also

had a drive to succeed to be the very best I could be that set me apart.”

She shared with students her background, that

her dream of being Miss Texas was five years in the making.

“Dream big,” she said, “But realize your dreams

may take a little while to come true.

“In addition, remember dreams take a lot of hard work. Dreams require action, strength, courage, and bravery.”

She took questions from students, who asked her a wide variety of questions, from “How do you keep your crown on” to “How do you share your Christian faith with others?”

Her biggest advice was to be a light for the LORD, have a strong relationship with Him, and shine for Him even in dark places.

She met with Liberty’s theatre group Encore before the assembly, and she encouraged students to continue to dream even after they accomplish life’s goals along the way.

She was asked near the end of the assembly to sing for students, and she beautifully sang a cappella to the enjoyment of everyone.

Campus Pastor Chris Searcy closed the assembly by praying for Shannon in her year as Miss Texas.

About Miss Texas: A 23-year-old talented vocalist and graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism, Shannon Sanderford captivated the audience and captured the hearts of the judges to be named Miss Texas 2015. Shannon received the overall interview award, the Miss America Community Service Scholarship, the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Medal, and competed against 54 other contestants to win the coveted title.

A born and raised Texan, Shannon brings a lifelong passion for service to the Lone Star State. She has traveled to more than 15 countries around the world where she devoted thousands of hours to serving people of all ages. Shannon is thrilled for a year of service devoted to her home and is eager to connect with people across the state of Texas. Shannon will make more than 450 appearances and speak before almost 100,000 people in her year as Miss Texas. After her year of service, she will return to Dallas Baptist University to complete her Master of Arts in Communications.

Pictured below: Miss Texas Shannon Sanderford

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 13

HOW TO KEEP

MY CHILDREN

FROM BECOMING

A CASUALTY

OF WAR

W

hile divorce is never easy, it can be especially painful when children are pulled into the battle. Some parents will take extreme measures to ensure that their children side with them against the other parent, and the effects can be devastating on the children, but there are many ways parents can help lessen the impact of their break-up on their children.

REASSURE YOUR CHILDREN THAT THEY ARE LOVED AND THAT THE DIVORCE IS NOT THEIR FAULT. Many children assume that they are to blame for their parents’ separation and the ultimate hostility between their parents.

AT EVERY STEP DURING YOUR DIVORCE, REMIND YOURSELF THAT YOUR CHILDREN’S INTERESTS - NOT YOURS - ARE PARAMOUNT, AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. Lavish them with love at each opportunity.

DO NOT USE YOUR CHILDREN AS MESSENGERS. Children are just that - Children. Don’t put your children in the middle of the battle because this action may put them into a position of “taking sides”. The children should not be responsible for remembering details that should be discussed between parents.

NEVER DISPARAGE THE OTHER PARENT IN FRONT OF YOUR CHILDREN. Because children know they are “part of mom” and “part of dad,” the criticism can batter the child’s self-esteem.

IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, DO NOT UPROOT YOUR CHILDREN. Stability in their residence and school life helps buffer children from the trauma of their parents’ divorce.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO SEE THE OTHER PARENT FREQUENTLY. Do everything within your power to accommodate the visitation between your children and the other parent to facilitate their relationship.

YOUR CHILDREN MAY BE TEMPTED TO ACT AS YOUR CARETAKER. RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO LET THEM. Let your peers, adult family members, and mental health professionals be your counselors and sounding board. Let your children be children.

IF YOU ARE THE NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT, PAY YOUR CHILD SUPPORT. The loss of income facing many children after divorce puts them at a financial disadvantage that has a pervasive effect on the rest of their lives.

IF YOU ARE THE CUSTODIAL PARENT AND YOU ARE NOT RECEIVING CHILD SUPPORT, DO NOT TELL YOUR CHILDREN. It feeds into the child’s sense of abandonment and further erodes his or her stability.

The Law Office of Dale A. Burrows, P.C. is ready to help you through these emotional times.

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The information provided herein is given for general information only. The information presented should not be construed as formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

North Texas:

Freezing One Week

and 70 the Next

Gardening

T

hat’s what we wrote this time last year and it still holds true in December 2015 —Texas weather at his finest! With the holiday season upon us here’s a Q & A that might spur some ideas on how to spruce up your outdoor living/landscape areas.

subtle changes, everything you do will make it

Q: With this crazy weather what can we really do now to spruce things up for our Christmas and New Year’s parties that won’t freeze, die back or be too boring?

to bring some immediate color, texture and bulk

A: Focus on your hard scape right now. Patios, stone bed boarders, pots, benches, trellis and dry creek beds are all great ways to enhance your entertaining spaces that won’t leave you gambling on the weather. Don’t get me wrong, we install year round as there are many plant options for this time of year that will do great and thrive no matter what Mother Nature might bring our way. But while it’s all cut back there’s not an easier time to build up the foundations of those spaces than now!

Try extending the patio to accommodate a larger table, couch with bistro area or building the stone BBQ and bar top he’s been wanting.

Whether you decide to go all in with decorative concrete, stonework, patio cover or just make

easier to get out there and enjoy the real estate

you have. Grabbing some native or multi-colored

pots of all different shapes and sizes to throw out in the thin areas of the landscape and filling

them with some winter annuals is a great way back in your beds during the winter months.

One of the fastest most cost-efficient ways to

beef up your beds is to grab some rock, take a walk in the woods and pick some up or go buy

it (boulders, river rock, stack flagstone, etc.) and arrange in random piles, formal layers or just

in and around your annual color displays. Rock

will serve as a consistent for the bed year round, not requiring any maintenance. It’s just another element of texture/ dimension.

We hope everyone has a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

PJ Kratohvil

Complete Exterior Solutions 214-735-1364

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See You On The Sidelines

Argyle is truly home of Champions

By Steve Gamel

I

Competing in Class 4A is no easy task, but

tweeted shortly after Argyle won its first volleyball state title late last month that if the Eagles had a pickle ball team, they’d

Argyle’s athletic program has made it look

Argyle quickly replied, “If they’re keeping score,

titles in girls’ basketball, boys’ golf, baseball and

which is awarded annually to the best overall

title in 2013 and, coming into this season, had

captured its sixth Cup in 10 years – and fourth in

surely win a state title, too. Someone from we’re in it to win it.”

My tweet was meant to get a few laughs, and

it did. But it was also meant to point out an absolute truth.

Argyle is that darn good.

incredibly easy over the last few years. Over the last calendar year, Argyle has claimed state now volleyball. The football team won a state at least competed in three of the previous four championship games.

The same can be said for volleyball, which won

its first crown on its third trip in four years to the

state tournament. The girls’ basketball fell short

at state in 2014, then won it all last season. The

boys’ golf team has been to the state tournament for the last four years in a row.

You also have to factor in the Lone Star Cup,

athletic and academic programs in Texas. Argyle

a row – last year. They’ve got a great shot at No. 7 this year.

Argyle’s previous Cup wins were in 2006,

2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The school has won

at least one Lone Star Cup in three different

classifications (2A, 3A, and 4A). Last year, Argyle was the only school in Denton County to finish

If that’s not dominance, I’m not sure what is. in the Top 10 in any of the six classifications.

From a writer’s perspective, it’s an absolute

dream situation. People love what you write because all you’re talking about are victories. To

make matters sweeter, not only do you get to work

with quality coaches in every sport – coaches like

Todd Rodgers, Skip and Sammye Townsend, Clark Oberle and Ricky Griffin – but some of the best athletes in Dallas-Fort Worth are right here in Argyle.

All your bases are covered – literally

and figuratively.

So yeah, if Argyle had a pickleball team I’m

pretty sure they’d win a state title. I would say the

same if it were whiffle ball, chess or tiddlywinks.

And I tell you what, if they did have those programs in place, I would be lining up to cover them – even if I know nothing about the sport.

Until next time, I’ll see you on the sidelines.

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FEATURED ARTICLE Local Sponsored Content

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and nd er ill e k ee r h ed y w re fo e lov r e ev ca sh car on to s that r his e h oust wa ow ime n h i w H ing gt get to kne see a lon r uld tonio ll she e o b z, w n a em rigue er. he an A , and s m S e I re od nc ow nd van R atic ca s h from he tim r a , e e tt eet Syl re mb m is f ther, panc me ive ho llege a h e r b dr co ru r fa rom tis uld of he 00 f Lof long as in o a c 0 e w I n ld. s said y in 2 ian ke th oftis r o a i L w y w ft ma her. f m p,” Lo ssed a o fat r . nte ht u o pa dad the ce st lig n wh r e a u h s wa uld j orm “He s wo anch eye uston Ho

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“I was able to be with him and care for him.”

She added, “Sometimes it was just him and me. It was like time stood still.”

It was during that time that Loftis – who now lives in Argyle with her husband Phil and three children – felt the bond with her father strengthen, and that caregiver experience left a lasting impression on her heart.

Rodriguez, beloved by the city of Houston for both his tireless work in front of the camera and in the community, always told his children to embody the characteristics of grace, compassion and service. It is with that zeal that Loftis brings these qualities to her franchise business, Home Instead Senior Care.

Home Instead does exactly what its name suggests. It is a licensed caregiving company that offers a wide range of personal assistance needs for senior citizens – right in the comfort of their own homes. The need for in-home senior care services doesn’t always arise between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a weekday. Rather than go through the oftentimes uncomfortable transition to an assisted living facility, families and/or individuals can use Home Instead to provide the highest quality of home care services.

Some of the caregiving needs Home Instead provides include from simple companionship to safety monitoring, meal preparation, transportation and prescription pickup. Because all caregivers are thoroughly screened, extensively trained, professional and reliable, they can also handle more advanced care management such as medical needs and 24-hour live-in care.

“The goal is to help seniors stay at home as long as possible, many times right up until the day they pass away,” Loftis said. “At first we may come in only a few times a week and perhaps make a few home cooked meals. But as their needs increase, we can go to advanced care management.”

Loftis said Home Instead is prepared for any of her clients’ customized needs.

Her staff includes a full-time staff coordinator, two client-care coordinators whose sole job is to focus on customer satisfaction, and one registered nurse who does all the hiring and training. Beyond the office staff, there are a total of 70 caregivers working for Loftis.

The best part is Home Instead is local. Loftis started her franchise in 2007 and she services all of Denton and Wise counties. In fact, her first client was an Argyle resident.

She says that while Home Instead preaches personal assistance, for their clients it is much

more than that. Home Instead helps seniors stay engaged in life and their community. And with the holidays upon us, that couldn’t be more important.

These caregivers love the life of every heart in our community. For Loftis and her staff, it’s personal.

“I didn’t even blink when I found this. I knew this was what God called me to do,” she said.

Home Instead has been a trusted source for senior home care since 1994. The company was founded in Omaha, Nebraska by Paul and Lori Hogan, who like Loftis, experienced the joy of caring for Paul’s grandmother on their own.

Home Instead was founded to help seniors live independently at home.

Today, the Home Instead network includes more than 1,000 franchises around the world, including Loftis’ office in Highland Village.

Home Instead is also in more than 20 countries internationally.

Loftis said getting involved with Home Instead was the best decision she could have made.

“After I was finished with college, I was working in the medical field for about eight years and then started looking into opening my own business,” she said.

“That’s when I started looking into Home Instead. They had been around the longest, and when I went to visit their corporate office, one of their core values was to honor God in all you do.

I didn’t even blink. This was what I needed to do.”

Like her caregivers, Loftis is rooted in the community she serves. Her family has lived in Argyle for eight years, and her husband Phil owns Sigma Signs. He is also the president of the Argyle Chamber of Commerce. Together, Gianna and Phil have three children: Zachary, Ethan and Caroline.

Beyond being a devoted wife and mother, Loftis is hands on in everything she does at Home Instead and prides herself on not asking her caregivers to do anything she wouldn’t do herself. She is a past president and current board member of the Texas Home Care Association of America and the former secretary of Elder Service Providers of Denton County. She is also a certified senior advisor.

She said it was difficult to start a business right in the middle of a recession, but she was willing to put in the time and top-of-the-line training to make it happen.

Each caregiver is drug screened, bonded and insured. They also complete a comprehensive, multi-phased training program before they ever meet or serve a client and participate in periodic ongoing training programs as they are developed. A caregiver also may opt to take specialized training modules for advanced levels of caregiving, such as Alzheimer’s care.

Every office staff member has a story similar to Loftis’, as she only hires those with a multitude of both professional and personal experience.

“To me, we are caregivers first and foremost and office staff members second,” she said.

Over the last eight years, Home Instead has continued to grow and supports clients from areas like Robson Ranch, Argyle, Denton, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Ponder, Krum, Sanger and Roanoke.

Beyond in-home assistance, Loftis’ company is also a steward of the community and was recently the third-largest donor to the Alzheimer’s Walk in Denton. Home Instead Senior Care was voted Best In-Home Care by Best of Denton County voters and has consistently held a 95 percent satisfaction rating through J.D. Power and Associates.

For Loftis, it’s all about living her life just like her father led his – for others.

“He was completely the reason why I did this,” Loftis said. “Being with him during that time made such an impact on my life. It was a gift, and I want to share that gift.”

s e tim e m just . o S “ as me it w and e him as lik d It w e stoo tim l.” stil DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 19

Coaching Corner

Reading

Between the

Teenage T

he transition from childhood into adulthood can be overwhelming at times for the entire family. The inquisitive little child that used to follow you around asking all sorts of questions about life seems to have discovered Google and the questions have run dry. Instead of asking if you need help cooking dinner, they just want to know if they can skip the family dinner because it is cramping their own schedule.

If any of this seems familiar‌ take a deep breath. Instead of getting caught up in the emotions of teenage exploration for independence and feeling left behind, become a part of it. Start by giving more and more freedom in order for them to mature. I hear story after

20 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

Lines

story of how teenagers graduate from high school and head straight to college only to have too much freedom too fast. They are not familiar

I hear story after story of how teenagers

graduate from high school and head

straight to college only to have

too much freedom too fast. with the maturity it takes to handle so much freedom and they fail or get caught in the wrong situation too often. By slowly allowing your child to experience independence they will be more

adept to handle the stress and freedom that goes along with college and life after high school.

However let the teen know that with freedom comes responsibility and that they will be held accountable for their actions. This does not mean you should hang the freedom over their head but rather use the freedom as a building opportunity to grow closer to your child.

Jessica Burrows, MA, LPC, CFLE specializes in teens and young adults who struggle with anxiety, depression, and self-injury.

She is the owner of NextGen Counseling, PLLC. For more information regarding the services she may provide for you or your loved one please call 940-228-2171 or visit www.nextgencounseling.org.

u o r Y T eeth y a M BE

From Dr. Matt

Merry & White I

t’s the holiday season. It’s time to relish in the Yuletide spirit as we stuff our stockings and pad the floor beneath our trees with long awaited gifts and a bit of cheer.

But as we carve the roast beast and invite visions of sugar plums to dance in our heads, let’s not forget to take notice of what is truly prancing into our mouths. As we indulge in Christmas chocolates, cranberry sauce, and the ever-festive red wine, our teeth can only hope that Santa floss is real. However, it may not be too late to get off the naughty list and truly enjoy a “white” Christmas with a few tips on teeth whitening.

There are several ways to whiten your teeth, but let’s first understand how the process works.

Bleaching your teeth will lighten the color of your tooth enamel by removing both surface and deeper stains. The active ingredient typically used is carbamide peroxide (not to be mistaken with hydrogen peroxide) which binds to the particles and removes them from your teeth. This will not

damage enamel, but can dehydrate teeth and expose pores or “tubules” in your teeth causing temporary sensitivity until the pores remineralize over time.

Over-the-counter teeth whitening systems can be an economical way to whiten teeth, but typically take longer as they have a lower percentage of the active ingredient. Dental offices can provide a higher concentration of bleaching gel along with custom trays to take home for more efficient teeth whitening. Even higher concentrations of gel can be utilized in an in-office dental treatment under professional supervision. While in-office treatments are effective, this treatment coupled with take-home gel for touch ups provides the best results.

Of course, a proper diet and regular brushing aid in preventing tooth staining. However, try to avoid whitening toothpastes that have harsh abrasives that can damage enamel.

After you have taken time to walk in a whitening wonderland, don’t forget to make the most of this season by cherishing those close to you. May you and your family be blessed this season, and happy smiling!

Dr. Matt is a practicing dentist and owner of Country Lakes Family Dental

www.CountryLakesDental.com

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 21

Liberty Christian

and person needed to make this event a success.”

More than 200 walkers and runners participated.

Impact: This

mentoring

effort

matches

up middle school students with upper school

students so the younger ones can receive attention, acceptance and guidance from students a bit

Call to

further along in their school careers. Every two weeks for 45 minutes, middle school boys meet with upper school boys, while middle school girls

meet with upper school girls. They talk informally

about life, including questions the older students craft for the younger students. Upper school

students apply to be an Impact leader. They are then given 1-5 middle school students for their

by Kelly Murray

L

group. The Impact year kicks off with a black and white masquerade ball. Impact leaders also spend

time with their groups after school for various types of activities.

iberty Christian School hosts a number of charity events this time of the year. Here are some details about what’s coming up:

to support 2014 graduate Rusty Vittrup, who is $8,000. While at college in California, Rusty was

Beautiful Feet): Some LCS upper school

Teddy Bear Roundup: The National Honor

is studying music and theology at The Master’s

Arlington and Fort Worth’s Beautiful Feet this

be collecting Teddy bears and other stuffed

Hospital in Dallas.

organized donated canned food to help prepare

The drive ran from November 30 and goes until

Hall said, “I firmly believe this event was something

separated donations, and organized a room full of

to bless the Vittrup family through us. It was a joy

Feet, students served meals to the homeless, led

battling cancer. The group brought in more than

Missions Day (Mission Arlington and

diagnosed with leukemia earlier this spring. He

students volunteered their time at Mission

Society and student council association will

College. Rusty is being treated at Children’s

past October. At Mission Arlington, LCS students

animals for their annual Teddy Bear Roundup.

Key Club sponsor and science teacher Kathy

for Thanksgiving. They also carried trash and

the Lord wanted done. It was obviously His desire

school supplies for needy children. At Beautiful

and a blessing to watch Him provide each resource

devotions and song services.

December 11.

Canned Food Drive: Students from preschool

to high school participated in the school’s annual

canned food drive held each November. It is sponsored by Student Council and the National Honor Society. This year, students brought 8,440

pounds of food that was donated to the Denton Community Food Center on Dec. 1, along with a check of $324 that will allow the center to purchase additional food.

Color for a Cause: Last month the LCS Key

Club hosted Color for a Cause, a 5K fun run held

22 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 23

24 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

Local Sponsored Content Advertisement

Cold and flu season is here and can be a confusing time for assessing the need for a visit to the doctor.

To muddle things even more, some people suffer severe seasonal allergies this time of year that mimic the viral illnesses going around. It can be very frustrating to decide what medications to give and if it is necessary to call or make an appointment with the doctor.

What is a fever?

FEVER

And Your Child

Fever is usually a sign that the body is fighting an infection. Fevers are generally harmless and, in fact, usually a good sign that your child’s immune system is working properly. Normal body temperature varies with age, general health, activity level, and time of day. Infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children and adults. Everyone’s temperature is highest between late afternoon and early evening, and lowest between midnight and early morning. Normal temperature is 97.5-99.5. Most pediatricians consider fever a temperature of 100.4 of higher.

Dr. Rebecca Butler is Board Certified in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

She is proud to be a resident of Lantana and the owner of Lantana Pediatrics. For more information on Dr. Butler or to schedule an appointment, call 940-455-7200.

When to call the doctor?

The younger the child the more urgent a fever is. If your baby is less than 3 months old and has fever 100.4 or higher, call immediately. If your child is 3-12 months and has had fever for more than 24 hours call your doctor. If your child is between 1-2 years of age with fever for more than 2 days go ahead and make the call, and if your child is 2 years or older with fever for 3 or more days please call the doctor.

Always call more immediately if you spot specific signs and symptoms that suggest a serious illness such as urinary symptoms, severe ear pain, repeated vomiting, headache, stiff neck, visual changes, lethargy, trouble breathing and/or signs of dehydration.

The most important thing to do when your child has fever is to make sure they drink plenty of fluids and monitor for signs and symptoms of serious illness requiring immediate treatment.

CALL the doctor immediately if your child has a fever AND: • Looks very ill, is unusually drowsy, or extremely fussy • Has been in a very hot place such as an over heated car • Has symptoms such as stiff neck, severe headache, severe sore throat, severe ear pain, unexplained rash, or persistent vomiting and diarrhea • Has had a seizure • Is younger than 3 months (12 weeks) and has temperature of 100.4 or greater • Fever rises over 104 repeatedly for a child of any age

Treating fever: If your child is older than 6 months and has a fever, they probably don’t need to be treated for the fever unless they are uncomfortable. If they are drinking, eating, sleeping normally, and are able to play, you should wait to see if the fever resolves on it’s own.

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are safe and effective medicines for improving discomfort and fever.

Ibuprofen should NOT be used for children less than 6 months of age.

DO NOT use Aspirin to treat your child’s fever If your child is vomiting and cannot take oral medicine, acetaminophen comes as a rectal suppository that may be used as needed.

74 McMakin Road Suite 100 Bartonville, TX 76226 www.LanatanaPediatrics.com DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 25

Teaching Little Hands to Make a Big Difference Primrose’s Caring and Giving Program in Action

E

very parent hopes their child will develop compassion and generosity, but in today’s digital world, teaching children the joy of giving back and helping others can be more of a challenge.

But there is hope.

A study conducted by two Harvard anthropologists, John and Beatrice Whiting, observed the altruistic practices of children in six world cultures. Their findings indicate that children assigned more household responsibilities are more helpful and giving.

By helping to instill the value of giving back in young children, we introduce them to the sense of fulfillment that is derived from helping others, ultimately helping them become more well-rounded in the classroom and in life. And research shows that young children who have high prosocial skills – or behaviors meant to benefit another – are also among the most cognitively ready for school.

At Primrose School of Lantana, we integrate activities and lessons that encourage responsibility and help develop these prosocial

26 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

skills as part of our Balanced Learning® curriculum. For example, during our Caring and Giving program, our students earn money by performing household chores in order to provide food items for families in need. Students combine and learn to count their earnings, create

“Children who learn the value of helping and giving back at a young age are able to develop a sense of empathy and citizenship,” a detailed shopping list, and visit the grocery store to purchase the food. This hands-on approach helps them develop math, nutrition and planning skills. The annual event provides Primrose parents with a fun way to encourage household chores, and it helps students understand the

value of generosity. Some students even create Thanksgiving or caring message cards to send along with the donated food.

“Children who learn the value of helping and giving back at a young age are able to develop a sense of empathy and citizenship,” said Frank and Erin Lundie, franchise owners of Primrose School of Lantana. “By encouraging Primrose students to participate in a meaningful, hands-on way, we are empowering them with the character traits and tools necessary to continue making a difference in their communities and to enjoy doing it.”

At Primrose School of Lantana, we are passionate about helping children learn the joy and fulfillment of lending a helping hand to others from a young age so we can prepare them for greater success in school and in life.

To learn more about Primrose Schools or how to enroll your child at Primrose School of Lantana, please visit www.PrimroseLantana.com or call 940-455-2550.

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 27

Argyle resident

28 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

By Steve Gamel

F

or the last few years, the Argyle volleyball team was widely regarded as one of the more dominant teams in the state. The only shocker coming into this season was that they had yet to claim a state title.

That all changed late last month. The Lady

Eagles swept Bushland 25-17, 25-23, 25-16 in the finals of the University Interscholastic

“Honestly, I think the pressure was last

The win capped a magical run in which

year,” Argyle senior outside hitter Eighmy

the Lady Eagles won their final 30 matches

for us to come back. We always end our season

“We felt like if we established ourselves

Dobbins said. “I feel like this year was routine at this place. We were prepared.”

Argyle (42-7) didn’t drop a single set in

the postseason, and after eking out a tight

win over Robinson in the state semifinals,

League Class 4A state tournament on

dominated Bushland for the title. Dobbins, a

in Garland. It was Argyle’s third trip in four

with 10 kills in that match and was named

November 21 at the Curtis Culwell Center

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi signee, finished

seasons to the state tournament.

finals MVP.

of the season.

early and took control of the match, we’d have

a pretty good shot,” Argyle coach Clark Oberle said. “Especially after the first set, we put the

pressure on them at that point and could relax the rest of the way and do our thing.”

Oberle, the program’s only coach since its

inception, slowly built the volleyball team

into a contender over the years, but admitted

not reaching the ultimate prize prior to this year was a hard pill to swallow. Argyle lost

in the semifinals of the 2012 Class 3A state

tournament, and advanced to the finals last year before falling short to Decatur.

Argyle came into this season ranked second

in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class

4A state poll. And that’s not just based on what happened last year. Oberle still has a

loaded roster of seven seniors after losing just one senior to graduation in Katy Keenan, who is now a freshman standout at Texas Tech.

Leading this year’s charge was the duo of

Dobbins and Oral Roberts University signee Alexa Bass, but the offense never completely

rolled through them as juniors Halee Van

Poppel and Allison White and seniors Maddie DeGuire and Emma Malone stepped up considerably throughout the season.

That balance was clear in the finals.

White and Van Poppel finished with 10 and eight kills, respectively. Bass had 14 assists

and 10 digs while senior Strealy Sizelove added 13 assists.

“It happened for us this year, with a great

group of seniors,” Oberle added.

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 29

IN G

M AG

AZI

N

E’S

ARG YL E

L IV

R’S O IT ED PICK IEN

T

2015 RE

CIP

local teen battles cancer

By Steve Gamel

H

unter Oney has a long treatment plan ahead as he continues to battle a rare form of cancer, but his sheer determination to once again play the sport he loves, plus having support from the community he lives in, has everyone – including Hunter – in high spirits.

of a swollen left arm, a trip the emergency room gave him more than he bargained for.

Tests revealed Hunter had a blood clot

between his neck and his shoulder. Doctors were concerned why an otherwise healthy kid would have a blood clot so severe.

By the next morning, they found a large

tumor in front of Hunter’s heart.

Since then, Hunter has struggled through The 16-year-old Argyle student and avid multiple rounds of chemotherapy and has been baseball player captured the heart in and out of the hospital fighting of this tight-knit community in “Not one time other sicknesses. During August March when he was diagnosed with alone, Oney said her son’s weight have I heard non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoblastic plummeted from 150 pounds to him complain.

Lymphoma, a fast-acting cancer He doesn’t cry, 123. He had previously ballooned that affects young people and can to almost 210 pounds while on spread easily to different parts of unless he’s in steroid treatments. the body. pain from the “To make matters more Over the last nine months, the treatment, complicated, Hunter is a Type-1 community has banded together or feel sorry diabetic,” Alison said. “Not one to raise money in support for for himself.” time have I heard him complain. his treatment.

He doesn’t cry, unless he’s in pain “The Argyle community has been absolutely from the treatment, or feel sorry for himself.” amazing,” said Alison Oney, who added that That fight resonated with friends, family and her son’s cancer is currently in remission. “We are completely humbled by what everyone has done for us.”

She added: “When the doctors told us they found a tumor, it was quite a punch in the gut.”

Hunter’s diagnosis came just two weeks before his 16th birthday. Before that, he was just like any other vibrant teenager who loved video games and playing junior varsity baseball at Argyle. But when Hunter began complaining

30 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

Those two avenues combined helped raise

$7,675 by Thanksgiving. And that number was sure to climb.

“Almost all of that money has been used

already for his medical bills,” Oney said.

Despite a rough battle, Hunter’s spirit hasn’t

softened and he’s progressing well. Oney

said the next step started this month as he transitioned to monthly chemo treatments that

he will continue for at least the next two years.

In the meantime, Hunter will take oral chemo

medication daily and start what his mother called an extensive physical therapy program

three to four times per week to regain his weight and strength.

“He does not want to miss another baseball

season. Baseball is his life,” she said. “The plan is to be able to go back to school in January, and the doctors say he can be ready.”

complete strangers in Argyle. A GoFundMe account was quickly created as a central account

for residents to offer monetary donations to

help offset the rising medical costs and other expenses from Hunter’s various treatments

and trips to the hospital. Then there was a recent initiative at the high school where

students could pay money to take part in No Shave November.

Photos courtesy of Alison Oney

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 31

Local Sponsored Content Advertisement

Representing Yourself in a Family Law Case:

Think Twice!

A

fter years of practicing family law, I have rarely seen a family law case where people representing themselves did not end up in future lawsuits. The problem is that those future lawsuits can be costly and cost more than if the person had hired an attorney to begin with.

When a family law case is filed, the law requires that the opposing party be served with the lawsuit.

This can be accomplished in several ways. Once a person is served with the lawsuit, they have a limited number of days to “answer” the case or the other person can obtain a final order without that person’s knowledge. This is called a default judgment. A default judgment can also occur if a person files an answer to the suit, but then fails to show up at the final trial. Either of these circumstances can be devastating, causing the person who does not agree with the order to live with the order or file a lawsuit to ask the court to set aside the order. Lawsuits to set aside final orders can be expensive and such suits are extremely technical and require certain evidence to succeed.

Lack of attorney representation does not justify or result in special help from the courts.

A person representing themselves is referred to as a “pro se” party and they must follow the same laws and technical rules as attorneys. In family law cases, there are no rule exceptions for persons who represent themselves. When people represent themselves and they are not educated to know the law or the ropes of the court system, such usually results in a final order that they dislike.

Divorce cases are a common area where we see final orders that people dislike. A final order in a divorce case is called a “decree of divorce” and should contain a division of the spouse’s community property. Texas is a community property state and all property that is considered community property is divided by the court. Once a decree of divorce is agreed upon or the court makes an order with both spouses participating, the property division is

32 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

final. One of the problematic areas is the division of private, federal or state retirement, or employee benefits such as pensions, 401k’s, stock options etc. The valuation and division of these benefits is extremely complex.

There are other important documents that accompany finalizing a divorce besides the decree itself. We call these closing documents, and without these documents the spouse receiving property may have a hard time actually obtaining the property.

For example, if real estate is being awarded to a spouse, then deeds will need to be signed so the land is actually transferred. If retirement is being transferred, there are documents that must be provided to the retirement plan in order to actually transfer the retirement to the non-employee spouse. If such documents are not signed at the time of the divorce and the other spouse will not sign the documents after the divorce, then the spouse receiving the property may have to return to court to obtain the other party’s signature on the required documents. Most pro se litigants are not aware of the closing documents required to actually accomplish transferring property and/or retirement.

Many family law orders contain provisions regarding children. These orders consist of certain rights to the children, child support, medical support, and possession of the children. Most orders with regard to a child can be modified up until the child is 18, graduates from high school or is emancipated, depending on the type of family law case. However, to modify an order, certain conditions must be met.

The rights to children must be set out in clear detail or disagreements may ensue. This is true whether the case is a divorce case, grandparent case, aunt and uncle case etc. The most important and fought over right is the right to decide a child’s “primary residence” also known as custody. All orders containing the right to decide a child’s primary residence should state within what area the child’s residence must be established. If not, the person deciding the primary residence may establish the

child’s residence anywhere they choose which could

be devastating for the child’s family. In addition, the possession schedule with regard to the children should be specific or problems will arise.

Likewise, child support is often addressed

in orders regarding children. It can be quite disappointing for the person receiving child support to find out the order is not enforceable. A child

support order that is not correctly written to provide for enforcement by “contempt”, which means the

paying parent can go to jail for nonpayment, is not

much of an order. The law is very clear that an order must be specific in certain respects for the order to

be enforceable by contempt. If a parent wants to collect child support through the paying parent’s employer, the court must sign a wage withholding order, which must also be presented to the court.

Most family law cases require a “prove-up”

where the court must hear certain evidence in

order to sign the family law order. I have rarely

seen a prove-up done correctly by a person without attorney representation. Further, if the prove-up is not done correctly, the judge cannot sign the family

law order. The goal for a “do it yourself ” family law

case is to save money and stay out of court, however, doing it yourself may cost you more money in the

long run and you could end up in court. I think Mark Twain said it best: “Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making

bad decisions.”

To learn more , contact Charla H. Bradshaw or any of the attorneys at KooonsFuller, P.C. at 940-442-6677.

www.koonsfuller.com Southlake

181 Grand Avenue Suite 225 Southlake, TX 76092 (817) 481.2710 (817) 481.2637 fax

Denton

320 West Eagle Dr. Suite 200 Denton, TX 76201 (940) 442.6677 (940) 442.6671 fax

Principal Office in Dallas

Striving

Share A

t S2S, out interdisciplinary team of licensed physical therapists, certified personal trainers, certified pilates instructors, and certified performance enhancement specialists are striving to share with you the most current evidence in maintaining a healthy, energetic, injury free lifestyle! From preventative to restorative, we’ve got you covered!”

Did A Stiff Neck Can Cause A Headache?

wrapping presents, take frequent breaks! Don’t try to wrap for hours on end! Keep moving!! Movement provides lubrication and prevents a lot of stress to your joints.

Perform simple active range of motion exercises and isometric neck exercises often to maintain good neck health!

“Train to Live Healthy, Energetic, and Injury Free.”

– Meredith S. Tittle PT, DPT, OCS S2S Functional Performance Whether you are concerned about the chance of an injury or have already obtained one, our highly qualified staff is here to help.

OUR WELLNESS PROGRAMS: our Certified Performance Enhancement Specialists and Stott Pilates Instructors will design a unique plan for YOU to help YOU REACH BEYOND ALL OF YOUR FITNESS GOALS! PHYSICAL THERAPY AT S2S: Physcial therapy performed by a skilled, knowledgable therapist will get you safely back to your sport or life activity! Our doctors of Physical Therapy hold board certifications, making them specialists in their field.

Call us or visit our website for more details!

HOW TO PREVENT HEADACHES CAUSED FROM A STIFF NECK

To avoid this PAIN IN THE NECK altogether, try to avoid prolonged postures. For example, AVOID staring at your phone for greater than 15 minutes at a time and avoid all-day use. Additionally, while

940.214.1215 • www.S2Sperform.com 2652 FM 407 #115, Lantana, TX 76226

Argyle High

all

Calling

Headaches come in many shapes and sizes. Have you ever experienced a headache that was one-sided and seemed worse when you changed the position of your neck? Additionally, did the headache seem aggravated when touching and putting pressure on the part of your spine closest to your hairline- the most upper parts of your cervical spine? Have you had at least one headache a week for over two months?

This type of headache can be the result of stiffness in your cervical spine! Research shows a 50 -100% healing success rate when these headaches are treated

by a licensed physical therapist. A combination of exercise and manual therapy prove the best results.

Manual therapy consists of skilled joint movements provided by the therapist that decrease pain and assist in improved mobility of the neck and upper back. Low load exercises designed to create a balance and synergy of your neck and shoulder girdle (muscles of your scapula and shoulder complex) have been proven to assist in the treatment of such disorders. The exercises prescribed are very specific to target the deep muscles of the front of your neck. These are known as the longus coli and longus capitis muscles. Skilled PT’s will provide one on one instruction to the technique and frequency with which to perform the movements.

Benefits of physical therapy for neck pain with associated headaches includes decreased duration and intensity of pain as well as reduced medicine intake.

In the study Trial of Management for Cervicogenic Headache ( Jull et al), patients experienced relief for greater than 12 months. Whether you have had your headache for 1 month or 5 years, results show PT is still beneficial! Additionally, the study suggests that even those with moderate to severe pain levels will benefit. As always, we encourage independence, and most patients will receive these benefits in as little as 6 weeks!

School

Students

Argyle Top Golf Tournament Dec. 21, 2015

Benefitting Project Graduation 2019 Contact Jane Krzysiak at jane@krzhome.com for sponsorship opportunities or for tickets.

11:00am – 2:00pm Top Golf, 3760 Blair Oaks Drive, The Colony Tickets available for $45 Come swing the club, have some lunch and compete with your friends!

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 33

4th Annual

Saddle Up Hollywood Gala

Benefiting Ranch Hand Rescue

M

ore than 425 people attended the 4th Annual Saddle Up Hollywood Gala last

month at Austin Ranch in Grapevine to support Argyle-based Ranch Hand Rescue.

The event was hosted by Doris Roberts of

"Everybody Loves Raymond" fame, with FOX

4's Mike Doocy and honorary chairs Sheriff Will and Shelley Travis.

This year’s event raised over $130,000 to

support the organization, whose mission is to

save abused and neglected farm animals with

special focus on animals requiring critical care, to adopt out rehabilitated animals, to provide a caring sanctuary for the animals that have ongoing needs.

RHR is also a counseling center that helps people

with personal, mental and psychological challenges through equine/animal-assisted counseling.

34 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

by Jana Melton

Founder Bob Williams said the gala is the group’s largest fundraiser of the year. RHR is funded through grants and donations. Services are offered free to children and battered women.

Some clients can afford therapy and those funds help offset the nonpaid clients.

RHR mission is to save abused and neglected farm animals and provide a caring sanctuary for the animals that have ongoing needs.

Dinner, dancing and a live show featured live entertainment.

The event was such a success in 2014 that they needed a larger venue this year, Williams said previously.

Williams said RHR was hoping to raise close to $150,000 to go toward a new facility in Denton.

If you’re interested in helping Ranch Hand Rescue, the organization has a wish list of items needed to keep the facilities running. Animal feed and stall shavings are the largest expenses. A list of items needed is posted on www. ranchhandrescue.org. Those items can be purchased at Argyle Feed Store and delivered to RHR for free.

Other ways to support RHR include memorial gifts, the Doris Roberts Scholarship Fund, sponsoring an animal at the rescue, or by simply making a monetary donation.

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 35

Real Estate

myth busting:

“Fall & Winter Are Not Good Times

To Sell Your Home” I

by Will Woods

t is interesting where our narratives come from. I know I have opinions and points of view that were developed completely just from someone making a statement that sounded accurate or intelligent. I have even found myself repeating these statements as if I know they are 100 percent accurate and a fact.

Statements like, “You should not swim for 30 minutes after you eat” or, “It must be true, I found it on the internet.” I am saying this a bit tongue-in-cheek, however, I think you probably get the point and can

36 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

add several statements of your own.

One statement I hear regularly in real estate from clients and even a lot of realtors is, “Fall and winter are not good times to sell your home. Wait for the spring or the back-to-school timeframe.” While this may be true in some years, and while historical seasonality in real estate might even lend some creditability to this statement, I believe it is an unfounded myth.

It might be more accurate to say that there are not as many people buying homes or historically fewer homes are sold in the

fall and winter. Don’t get me wrong: there are a lot of reasons why this should be true such as kids being in school, worse weather, celebrating the holidays and more. See, I disagree with the word “good” in that statement. Fall and winter are absolutely good times to sell a home depending on your circumstance, the current real estate market and economic environment.

Here are just some reasons why I say fall and winter are both great times to sell your home: • Fewer sellers to compete with during the fall and winter • Buyers that are looking in fall and winter are usually ready to purchase • Buyer’s agents are working harder to find homes due to fewer available • Quite a bit of relocation occurs at the end of the year • Many families will move in between semesters not just at “back to school” • Due to lower inventories the seller stands to have higher interest leading to a better price

Since this myth has become so prevalent many sellers decide to hold off listing during this time. Due to that, when you list your home there will not be nearly as many sellers or other homes to compete with. Also, buyers are in a situation of having to make quicker decisions due to the lower inventory. Buyers typically looking during this time are pretty serious. Consider that they are looking when weather is not as optimal, they know there are fewer homes to choose from, and they are, a lot of times, needing to make a quick decision.

We like to think of the changing semesters in school as our second “back-toschool” opportunity of the year. There are many families that were not able to find a home prior to school starting at the end of the summer, so they stayed put. They decided to wait and again try to find a home as the semesters changed during the fall/winter timeframe.

We have to realize that any time we have qualified buyers looking for homes, low inventory of available homes to purchase, and attractive interest rates it is a PERFECT time to sell a home. When interest rates were at 6-7 percent a couple of years back people were still buying homes.

In the early ‘80s, when interest rates were 16-18 percent, people were still buying homes. Yes, you read that correctly. People were still buying homes at ridiculously high interest rates.

The time of year, interest rates, and weather are not the most important factors impacting when homes actually sell. I read somewhere recently that over 350 people a day are moving into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This creates a serious supply and demand issue. Supply and demand is impacting whether or not homes will sell during the fall/winter timeframe.

Currently there are more buyers than there are homes available to sell. That is an ideal situation.

Please remember to check facts. Don’t accept statements as fact.

If you are thinking of selling your home, now is a wonderful time to do it.

Competition is lower, buyers are serious and interest rates are low. So remember the next time someone makes a bold statement, it may actually be just the opposite and could be an opportunity.

We at The Woods Group wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. It is our sincere prayer that this upcoming year will be a year filled with blessings.

Please reach out The Woods Group if we can ever be of service to you in your real estate transactions. You can easily reach us at 214-733-9239.

Give us a call and ask us how the market is doing or how much your home is worth.

We will gladly provide you a free market analysis or home valuation based on actual facts.

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 37

Argyle resident

Country Living At Its Absolute Best!

ffice O e at l Est a e R irst F e Th

! gyle r A in

#

1 Privately Owned Real Estate Brokerage in North Texas!

We Don’t Just List Properties

. . . We SELL Them!

Nobody Sells More Homes in Argyle ISD We Have Buyers Currently Looking in Argyle ISD!!!

Need Your Residential or Commercial Property Leased & Managed?

Sellers if You’re Thinking of Selling — Do It Now! Call Us Today for a Free Market Analysis on Your Home!

Main Number

940.464.1111

Downtown Argyle | 702 Hwy 377N, Argyle, TX 76226 | RealEstateStation.com 38 | ARGYLE LIVING | DECEMBER 2015

Land & Lots

Available

Homes Sold in AISD (Last 6 Months) Address

Sq Ft Total

Address

Acres

Price

00 Kildeer Trail

11.958

$359,000

Beds

Bath

Acres

Current Price

Lot 15 Prairie View Ct

2.500

$175,000

Lot 20 Prairie View Ct

2.500

$175,000

Lot 35 Johns Well Court 2.500

$225,000

Lot 21 Johns Well Court 2.500

$225,000

624 FM 407

5.897

$550,000

4500 HWY 377

456.000 $8,750,000

204 Redbud St

0.367

$84,000

24 Fincher Trail

1.000

$159,500

4520 Shagbark Drive

2,020

3

2/0

0.138

$205,000

401 Boonesville Bend

4,007

4

4/0

N/A

$640,000

8704 Albero Lane

5,600

5

5/2

1.113

$1,320,000

147 Country Lakes Drive

2,775

4

3/1

0.230

$285,000

113 Timber Creek Court

2,688

3

2/1

0.236

$290,000

2709 Winthrop Hill Road

3,021

4

3/0

1.020

$355,000

4604 Argyle Lane

2,608

4

2/1

1.033

$413,000

504 E Hickory Ridge Circle E

4,230

4

4/1

2.500

$635,000

627 Manor Drive

6,798

5

5/2

2.750

$1,325,000

4520 Woodbine

1,872

3

2/0

0.150

$185,000

3220 Hornbeam Street

1,873

3

2/0

0.138

$195,000

4720 Shagbark Drive

1,562

3

2/0

0.240

$195,000

3305 Buckthorn Lane

1,737

3

2/0

0.147

$198,500

3020 Tamarack Lane

2,012

4

2/0

0.171

$223,717

3317 Hornbeam Street

2,952

4

3/0

0.138

$246,000

128 Lilypad Bend

2,359

4

3/0

N/A

$312,000

1517 1st Street

3,302

4

3/0

N/A

$362,662

Residential Lots Sold in AISD (Last 6 Months) Address

Acres

Current Price

1001 Fincher Road

1.000

$160,000

1005 Fincher Road

1.000

$165,000

670 Badminton Drive

2.953

$330,000

Lot 9 Hickory Ridge Court

5.000

$405,000

500 Gibbons

8.790

$535,000

4990 Kiowa Trail Unit #3A

2.000

$157,500

6575 Faught Road

5.001

$237,500

613 Walnut Street

N/A

$82,500

13043 Gold Hill Road

2.124

$174,500

1317 Saddlebrook Court

3.202

$187,500

FEATURING

2601 Chipping Campden 1 Acre & Argyle ISD! Custom wood cabinets, granite countertops, big kitchen island with vegetable sink and travertine backsplash.

Wet bar with custom wine cabinet, granite countertop and sink.

Gorgeous wood floors. Spectacular foyer with grand iron staircase.

Stone hearth with custom wood cabinets.

Reduced to $600,000

Lease Properties Available Address

Acres

Current Price

5712 Granbury Drive

2,202sqft

$1,650

4508 Merlot Drive

2,251sqft

$1,575

3209 Hornbeam Street

1,570sqft

$1,650

206 Collins Street Road

1,498sqft

$1,750

920 Brush Creek Road

3,218sqft

$2,795

9039 Christopher Street

4,341sqft

$3,300

410 Country Court

3,963sqft

$5,900

RealEstateStation.com

940.464.1111

DECEMBER 2015 | ARGYLE LIVING | 39