Lakemont - April 2012 by Peel, Inc.

Lakemont Living Official Newsletter for the Residents of Lakemont

Volume 3, Issue 4

Lakemont Living SPRING IS HERE! GET READY TO GARDEN…

Spring is here and it’s time to get out of the house and into the yard! Spring is the best time to start a new lawn from seed. For established lawns, you should start mowing in the spring, but don’t initially cut the grass very short for the first few times. It’s also a great time to add new plants to your garden. Be sure, however, that all threat of frost has past. Plant such things as trees, shrubs, hardy annuals, and summer blooming bulbs. Spring is a good time to prepare your tools for the oncoming gardening season and to make any necessary repairs or new purchases. You will be happy you have done so when summer sets in. Of course, whether you start these chores in early, mid, or late spring depends on the climate where you live. I hope these tips will give you a good idea as to where to focus your attention in your garden this spring. Enjoy! GET YOUR LAWN READY! Our annual “Yard of the Month” is coming soon! Get out those mowers and weed eaters and let’s get those yards looking beautiful! We will be selecting the May yard of the month in mid to late April. Signs will go in yards the first week of May. We will select one yard per section. Will it be yours? SEEKING BLOCK CAPTAINS Would you like to become a part of the Neighborhood Watch program as a Block Captain? We welcome residents interested in serving. If you or someone you know is interested, please send your contact information to our Neighborhood Watch Committee at LakemontWatch@yahoo.com for more information. If you are a current Block Captain and have not been receiving monthly updates from our Neighborhood Watch Program please contact us. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH ALERT! Please remember to lock your car doors and do not leave valuables in your car. Also, remind your children to never talk to strangers and report any suspicious activity or vehicles. We can all make a difference in the safety of our community by keeping watch. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

April 2012

GROW YOUR OWN HERB GARDEN

and get the kids involved!

Would you like the convenience of having fresh herbs at your fingertips while prepping, marinating or cooking delicious meals? Follow these easy steps to create your very own windowsill herb garden. TOOLS AND MATERIALS • containers • fertilizer • potting soil or soilless seed- • herb seeds and/or plants starting mix CHOOSE YOUR HERBS Good choices include basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. You can start herbs from seed or purchase small plants. Annual herbs are especially easy to start from seed; most perennial herbs take longer to germinate and grow so it’s easier to start with plants. SELECTING CONTAINERS Use individual pots for each plant so you can give each herb the specific care it needs. Be sure containers have drainage holes and waterproof saucers. POTTING MIXTURE If starting seeds, use a seed-starting mix or potting soil, or a 50:50 combination of the two. Avoid using garden soil, which tends to be heavy and may contain disease organisms. Don’t skimp on the potting soil or use the least expensive brand. Herbs do best in moist, yet well-drained, soil mixes. Never use soil from the outdoor garden as this is too heavy and doesn’t drain well. If the soil is too dry when removed from the package,

(Continued on Page 7) Lakemont Living - April 2012

Lakemont Living COMMUNITY INFO LAKEMONT

FM 1093 at Mason Road www.visitlakemont.com For questions, comments or to become a volunteer contact any of the Committee Chairs listed below:

COMMITTEE CHAIR/HOA BOARD

Activities & Events/Executive Chair........................ Jennifer L. ...................................................................jenpli@yahoo.com Deed Restrictions......................................................... Gena T. ......................................................lakemontdeed@yahoo.com Lakes, Parks & Playgrounds...................................... Jason M. ..........................................................jamino69@hotmail.com Newsletter............................................................... Kristina J. .................................................. lakemontliving@yahoo.com Neighborhood Watch.....................................................CK N. ....................................................lakemontwatch@yahoo.com Pools............................... Diane P., lakemontpool@hotmail.com Welcome Committee.................................................. Leslye C. ..........................................welcome.committee@hotmail.com Swim Team..............................Rob M., robmitzi@sbcglobal.net

ADVERTISING INFO Please support the advertisers that make the Lakemont Living possible. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 888-687-6444 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 8th of the month prior to the issue.

ARTICLE INFO Lakemont Living is mailed monthly to all Lakemont residents. Residents, community groups, churches, etc. are welcome to include information about their organizations in the newsletter. Personal news for the Stork Report, Teenage Job Seekers, recipes, special celebrations, and birthday announcements are also welcome. To submit an article for consideration in Lakemont Living please email it to lakemontliving@yahoo.com. The deadline is the 1st of the month prior to the issue.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

ALL EMERGENCY CALLS.............................................911 Sheriff’s Dept./Non-Emergency ... 281-341-4700/281-341-4665 Poison Control.............................................. 1800-222-1222 Hurricane Preparedness/Red Cross.................. 713-526-1536 Community Fire Department Station 3........... 281-578-6444 Texas Driver License Office – Katy................... 281-391-4874 Fort Bend North Annex................................... 281-238-1400 Fort Bend County Animal Control.................. 281-352-1512 Fort Bend County Appraisal District............... 281-344-8623 Fort Bend Co. Tax Assessor/Collection............ 281-341-3710 Fort Bend County Vehicle Registration............ 281-341-3709 Fort Bend County Voter Registration............... 281-341-8670 Fort Bend Co. Library – Cinco Ranch.............281-395-1311 McNeill Elementary School.............................832-223-2800 Briscoe Junior High School.............................832-223-4000 Foster High School..........................................832-223-3800 CenterPoint Energy (Natural Gas)................... 713-659-2111 Royal Disposal & Recycle................................ 713-342-0508 AMI – Association Management Inc................ 713-932-1122

Not Available Online

NEWSLETTER PUBLISHER

Peel, Inc...............................................................512-263-9181 Advertising...........................................advertising@peelinc.com

MISSION STATEMENT Lakemont Living

The mission of the Lakemont Living newsletter is to provide the Lakemont Community with one source of local news content. Our goal is to help build the community by connecting local businesses with residents and residents with relevant neighborhood information. "Be the community." 2

Lakemont Living - April 2012

BUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS RAINCO IRRIGATION SPECIALIST: Commercial & Residential. Backflow Testing, Drainage, Irrigation (Sprinkler) System, Design & Installation, Service & Repair, Rainbird – Hunter. Fully Insured. Lic. # 9004 & 9226. Call 713-824-5327. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc

Lakemont Living Kristina’s Korner Have a question about the community or surrounding area? Ever wonder about new development or want opinions on good restaurants or entertainment venues in the area? Send your questions to lakemontliving@yahoo.com and I’ll do my best to find out the answers! HERE’S AN UPDATE ON NEW SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUES IN THE AREA.

Q: When will we get more shopping and recreation facilities in our area? A: There is commercial property everywhere you look it seems and I know we often wonder what the space will be in a year from now. Here’s some insight into a few venues coming soon! Whole Foods has announced that they will erect a store at Fry Rd. and the Grand Parkway which will be convenient for food lovers and health nuts. Academy Sports and Outdoors will build a new store at FM 723 and Spring Green Blvd along with a new Kroger Shopping Center. The addition of Sports Authority and Party City are complete in the Bella Terra shopping Center at Hwy 99 and Bellaire Blvd. And the most interesting commercial addition to our area has to be the Santikos Palladium with 22 screens and in theatre restaurants. This new attraction is planned for the NE corner of Hwy 99 and Morton/West Belfort near the Long Meadow Farms community. I’ll keep my eye out for more development coming soon!

At no time will any source be allowed to use the Lakemont Living contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of the Lakemont HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above. Copyright © 2012 Peel, Inc.

Lakemont Living - April 2012

Lakemont Living Neighborhood Announcements & Events

THE RIVER CHURCH - EASTER SERVICE Sunday, April 8th at 10:30AM You and your family are invited to join The River for a casual and friendly Easter service located at McNeill Elementary. We will have special activities for the kids and free childcare and learning opportunities in our KidsDock for children; nursery available through 5th grade. The River will also kick off their new sermon series on the “Modern Family” --- whether you are traditional, blended, single parent, there is something for everyone to learn about how God wants to help your family not only just survive but THRIVE. Please visit our website, www.TheRiverUMC.com to learn more or call 832.451.5958. COME ZUMBA WITH THE RIVER WOMEN

Sundays, 4pm to 5pm Back by popular demand, Zumba returns to The River and the Lakemont community! Come get your groove on with us every Sunday at McNeill Elementary. Classes are just $2 per session. All are welcome! Email Terri, terenabob61@yahoo.com with questions. *No Zumba on April 8th (Easter Sunday) FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY Begins Sunday, April 15th at McNeill Elementary Stop worrying about money so you can focus on the important things in life! You are invited to join us for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, an opportunity to learn how to pay down a significant amount of debt while still saving money. FPU is based on biblical principles and offers solutions to living within your means. Start your journey to Financial Peace today. Please visit www.TheRiverUMC.com and click on the Events tab to sign up - hurry, space is limited! Call 832.451.5958 or email wadingin@theriverumc.com with any questions. (FPU is hosted and sponsored by The River Church) NEW HOMEOWNER WELCOME LUNCH A SUCCESS!

Our quarterly Welcome Lunch for new homeowners was held on Sunday, February 19, 2012 and was a big success! At this event The Lakemont Welcome Committee provides a welcome packet that contains a plethora of useful information about our community and amenities around our surrounding areas. We truly enjoy learning a little bit about our new neighbors and at the same time answering questions. Our new residents are excited about their new homes and about being a part of Lakemont. We look forward to seeing them throughout the community. Our Lakemont family continues to grow and we are proud of our community. Please feel free to email us if you have any further questions. Congratulations to all on your new home!!! The next welcome lunch will be held May 20th at 1pm at The Clubhouse. If you are interested in attending, please email Leslye at welcome.committee@hotmail.com. We want to extend a special “thank you” to First Victoria Bank for the gift basket which we raffled off to one of our lucky attendees. IT’S TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING!

Save the date, Lakemont’s semi-annual community yard sale will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Mark your calendars and start doing a little spring cleaning! JOIN THE QUILTING BEES If you are interested, please contact Michelle at hudson.michelle@ att.net. Please refer to the calendar of events for specific dates. 4

Lakemont Living - April 2012

LAKEMONT SELF-DEFENSE CLASS Come join the next Lakemont Self-Defense Class (KAJUKEMBO) to get some great exercise and meet a few of your neighbors. The activity is held at the Lakehouse on select Saturday’s from 9am – 11am. It is free and open to all Lakemont residents 17 years and older. Please refer to the calendar of events for specific dates. GET CONNECTED… BE INVOLVED Sign up to receive community e-mails and updates. Go to our community website www.lakemontca.org and login (for login information contact the HOA). Interested in forming a new Lakemont club/organization? E-mail us by the 5th of the month to include it in next month’s newsletter at lakemontliving@yahoo.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS 4/10 Quilting Bee 4/15 Zumba at McNeil Elementary 4/15 Financial Peace University 4/14 Self Defense 4/22 Zumba at McNeil Elementary 4/29 Zumba at McNeil Elementary 5/19 Community Yard Sale 5/20 New Homeowner Welcome Lunch 6/30 Independence Day Bicycle Contest

realty associates Call Today - List Today! 281-743-0243

lakemont expert and resident

TEAM FLOYD realty associates steven and faith

281-743-3860 281-743-0243 www.buywithfaith.com trust in god first and always! steven

faith

If you want or need to sell or buy a home to move on to the next chapter of your life, now is the time. It takes the average home buyer 2.5 months to; select a home, obtain financing and to close the deal just in time for the Summer break to move their children. Home mortgage interest rates are super low and they are attracting new home buyers interested in purchasing homes. Call or email us today for a FREE Comparative Market Analysis or assistance in buying a new home and find out if now is the right time for you and your family.

Lakemont Living Heart Healthy Lasagna Submitted by Kendra McLean (Lakemont Ladies Club) 6 long lasagna noodles, uncooked ¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tbsp. dried 1 container (15 oz) light or part skim ricotta 2 cups (8oz) reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian blend cheese 1 pkg. Ground Turkey 1 ½ jars fat free or regular spaghetti sauce ½ cup grated Parmesan or Romano Cheese ½ teaspoon salt (opt.) 2 teaspoons bottled or fresh minced garlic Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble turkey in large skillet; add garlic and salt. Cook over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Add spaghetti sauce; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine ricotta cheese, ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese and basil; mix well. Spread ¾ cup spaghetti sauce mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9 in baking dish. Layer half of noodles over sauce; spoon half of ricotta cheese mixture over noodles. Top with 1 cup sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering with remaining ricotta cheese mixture, noodles and sauce. Cover with foil; bake 50 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over lasagna; return to oven and continue baking 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings.

APRIL Holidays & Themes BIRTH FLOWER:

Daisy

BIRTHSTONE:

Diamond

THEME: National Gardening Month HOLIDAYS:

April 1 - Palm Sunday April 6 - Good Friday April 7 – 14 - Passover April 7 - World Health Day April 8 - Easter April 17 - Taxes Due April 22 - Earth Day April 25 - Administrative Professionals Day April 27 - Arbor Day

Lakemont Living - April 2012

Lakemont Living

DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE

WATER SAFETY TIPS AT

WWW.COLINSHOPE.ORG In 2011, Texas led the nation in the number of drownings and near drownings of children. Drowning still remains the #1 cause of unintentional injury related death for children under 5 and the #2 cause for children 1-14. Help us make sure 2012 is the BEST SUMMER EVER!

LAYERS OF PROTECTION

CONSTANT VISUAL SUPERVISION

LEARN TO SWIM

KEEP BACKYARDS & BATHROOMS SAFE

LEARN CPR

Lakemont Living - April 2012

WEAR LIFE JACKETS

MULTIPLE BARRIERS ON ALL POOLS & HOTTUBS

Lakemont Living Herb Garden - (Continued from cover) lightly moisten it before planting your herbs. Sow seeds, checking the seed packet to determine planting depth. LIGHTING A sunny, south-facing window is adequate for most herbs, although supplemental fluorescent lights will help in winter. Most herbs need at least five to six hours of direct sunlight daily. The amount of sunlight or supplemental light your plants receive will dictate what kinds of herbs you and your children can grow. In a sunny, south- or southwestfacing windowsill, try growing sage, rosemary, thyme, and even spicy-tasting nasturtiums. The east- or westfacing windows will do nicely for aromatic mints, chives, parsley, and old-fashioned scented geraniums. Now if you don’t have enough natural sunlight, don’t worry! Herbs can be grown under grow lights. TEMPERATURE Don’t allow foliage to touch cold windows. Herbs prefer relativelycool temperatures at night. The daytime regimen can be around 65 to 70 degrees F. while the night can drop to around 55 to 60 degrees

Tips for Kids

F. Also be sure that the plants are spaced adequately for good air circulation and to offset any problems with leaf diseases. WATERING Water to keep soil moist but not soggy, and drain saucers after watering. Most herbs are sensitive to overwatering or soggy soils. Check the moisture by pressing your finger into the top inch of potting mix. If you can detect moisture, don’t water. When the soil is dry to the touch, water until the excess drains from the bottom of the pot. FERTILIZING Fertilize every two weeks with a half-strength solution of an all-purpose fertilizer. To grow herbs with more intense flavor, be stingy with the fertilizer. Only fertilize when the potting mixture is damp, never dry. HUMIDITY One of the most important elements to growing herbs is ample humidity, perhaps even more so at this time of year since our forced-air heating systems rob the air of needed humidity. Dry air not only dries-out our skin, it can cause houseplants to develop brown or dry tips.

• Learn what conditions each herb prefers. For example, basil prefers warmth, while sage and rosemary like cooler temperatures. • Pinch back branching plants, such as basil, to keep them shrubby rather than leggy. • Choose compact or dwarf varieties. • Leaves receiving enough light will be thick and normal in size. Which window in your house receives at least 5 to 6 hours of daily sunlight? Keep in mind that insufficient light results in thin, small leaves. • Keep soil moist but not soggy. Pressing your finger into the top inch of potting mix is a good way to check for soil moisture.

Bashans Painting & Home Repair Commercial/Residential Free Estimates

281-347-6702 281-731-3383cell • Interior & Exterior Painting • Garage Floor Epoxy • Hardi Plank Installation

• Custom Staining

• Wood Replacement

• Roofing

• Sheetrock Repair

• Gutter Repair/Replacement

• Interior Carpentry

• Faux Painting

• Cabinet Painting

• Door Refinishing

• Wallpaper Removal and Texturizing

• Window Installation

• Pressure Washing

• Ceiling Fan/Light Fixtures

• Fence Repair/Replacement

• Trash Removal

Lakemont Living - April 2012

Lakemont Living

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Lakemont Living - April 2012