Returning to School

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona, I went shopping this morning. From the looks of things school is starting up. Paper and pencils, binders and new clothes are all on sale nearly everywhere you go. Having raised four sons I can tell you that school shopping was always an adventure!

As a mom, I couldn’t wait for summer to be over. My sons were generally restless by the end of summer.  They liked school and enjoyed learning, although homework was not their favorite activity.

When we moved into a new area, we tried to ensure the home we purchased was close to the best schools.   This was pre-Google, and finding the best schools took creative research. Most of the time we did well in our home and school selections.  There were some bumps in the road.  As a military family, we were transferred often.  Each of our four sons has attended 12 different schools before college.  In spite of that our sons have managed to do well and have all grown into successful men that I’m very proud of.  Our eldest son even earned his doctorate this year.

As always if you’re looking for a place to help teach your kids reading, writing or arithmetic, contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Houses Old and New.

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona.   My son recently moved into a house in upstate New York.   The home is over 100 years old and he tells me he enjoys living in such a historic place. No one famous has ever lived there,  at least not to his knowledge, but seeing how places have changed over the years has given him a sense of curiosity.

The master bedroom is small compared to what we see in newer homes. He tells me the queen size bed he and his wife share barely fits into the room without blocking the closet. There’s only one bathroom, a challenge for a family of four, combined with the fact that it’s barely wide enough for a tub and you’ve got cramped quarters for sure. They don’t mind the size so much, though it does take some getting used to.

While straitening up the basement he found an old set of newspapers. Some were from over fifty years ago!   They had been sitting between some support beams, were covered in decades of dust and were very fragile, but he was able to read headlines on things like Woodstock, the Moon Landings and other events that took place during my generation.

I bring this up because when you buy a new place, you get a fresh start.   You could be one of the first people to live there and could end up living there for a long time. There are a lot of homes out there that are filled with history. Most times we don’t think about what went on in a house before it became our home. You may never get any answers, but I find it interesting to think about.

As always if you’re looking for place to leave your own historical footprint, no matter how small or large contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Curb Appeal and Safety

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona, I was looking at the landscaping around my home.   It reminded me of a website I saw a few years ago, about a man who used his landscaping to help keep away intruders. I thought I would share a few things with you that I picked up.

Anyone who has ever locked themselves out of their home knows that windows are the easiest way into a house if the doors are all locked. This is true for both you and an intruder. Planting cacti outside of windows can help keep unwanted people out, but it can also keep you in if there’s a fire. This is something that must be weighed before planting, but it’s good if you feel like you want that little bit of extra protection around the home.

Another easy way to keep your home safe is to ensure there are no large plants blocking the doorways or windows where people could hide. Some websites state bushes and shrubs should be cut to 30-40 inches with a foot between the ground the foliage. This should offer a clear line of sight of the property, if you’re looking from the house to the street or from the street to the house. Not allowing anywhere that anyone could hide.

Automatic lighting either through motion detectors or lights that come on when it gets dark are useful deterrents. This could help you locate an intruder if someone or something has come onto your property.

One of the best things for home protection is a dog.  Regardless of size most dogs will bark non-stop if someone on the property doesn’t announce themselves. Large dogs are better for defense, but small dogs can be useful as they tend to bark a lot. If you feel like adopting a pet, there are rescues and shelters that would love to help make a match for you.

Keeping the property maintained and safe will also allow your neighbors to enjoy your hard work, increase curb appeal and make you the envy of the neighborhood.

As always if you’re looking for a safe place for you or your loved ones contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

The Best Room in the House

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona, I was doing a little spring cleaning the other day, and living in the desert does require you to dust at least once a week before it gets out of hand, when I started thinking how my homes have changed over the years. It may be no surprise that Tim and I were in the Army. It’s where we met, we got married in the Chapel on the Presidio of Monterrey, and three of our children were born on Army bases.   Each time we moved was a change, a new address, a new street, and a new home.

It got me thinking about what part of our home did we enjoy the most? What was it about the house that made it a home? There were the bedrooms which were always full of toys, clothes and the constant echoes of me trying to get four boys to keep their rooms clean. That was much like to herding cats. Those were safe havens for the kids.  Our bedroom was the one place where we could go and try to be alone. The bedrooms weren’t my favorite rooms in the house, however.

Next, I thought about the living room.  Every night we would sit together as a family, Tim in his rocking chair, me on the couch with one of the boys next to me and the other three boys sitting on the floor in front of the TV.  The lights would be out and the soft glow of the television would halo their faces as they sat enraptured over which ever show we were watching that night.  It was close, and maybe we felt like this is what made the living room a home, but that wasn’t it for me.

To me, it was the dining room, more specifically the dinner table. After Tim had finished cooking dinner, which he loves to do, he would set it on the table and yell out “Let’s Eat!” the sound of four pairs of feet would clatter through the entire house as four boys raced to sit at the table, say grace, and begin to enjoy that evenings meal.

It was there that we would talk, share news of the day, talk about what their friends were doing, what they did in school, what girls they liked, what dances were going to be held at school.   We would talk about work, about plans for the future and about everything under the sun. It connected us, so much more than watching TV ever did. Nowadays we sit at the table and look at four empty chairs hoping each of our sons are enjoying meals with their families, getting those same feelings we had when we raised them.

As always if you’re looking for a place to share a meal with your loved ones please contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Knowing your neighbors

It's another beautiful day in sunny Arizona, what a busy week it's been! While helping a family friend move into their new home this weekend, I was reminded of the many moves we made while serving in the Army. One of the things that sticks out most is all the new neighbors we met each time we arrived at a new place. 

Meeting new neighbors can be a little awkward. All too often in this digital age it seems almost alien to make contact with the people next door, but it is a great opportunity to make new friends. Befriending your neighbors has a lot of benefits.  From being able to borrow a mower to asking them to collect your paper and mail if you go out of town but forgot to stop delivery, neighbors can be a great help.  One of our neighbors across the street has a teenage son (Nick) who routinely feeds Sarge whenever we have to leave for a few days.  We get the peace of mind in knowing Sarge is being looked after, and Nick gets to make some money.  It’s a classic win-win!

It is also good for safety reasons.  Every year there are dozens of stories of neighbors calling police when they noticed suspicious behavior outside a home, stopping thefts.  Neighbors have often saved a life when they’ve called the police to check on an elderly neighbor or noticed a small child wandering the street in their neighborhood.

In the end, knowing your neighbors and becoming active in your neighborhood has more benefits than you might think. You may end up surprised at how close you and your neighbors could be. 

As always if you're interested in making some new neighbors please contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

A Great Night

It’s another beautiful day in Sunny Arizona.  Last night millions of Americans were awed and inspired by patriotic music, and a fireworks show in their home town that was no doubt the highlight of the day.  I can remember being stationed on several army bases where they used to haul out some very amazing cannons and fire them right at the end of The Star Spangled Banner.

I wanted to ask those of you who are reading my blog what is your favorite memory of a Fourth of July celebration.  Do you have just one or many?  How did the celebration last night compare to those you’ve witnessed before?  When I asked my grand kids about it they told me they preferred one that was in North Carolina.  Buying fireworks was legal there they could “help” with setting them off , under supervision of course.

As always, if you’re looking for a professional team to help you find the home of your dreams please contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/

Happy Independence Day everyone!

It’s another beautiful day in Sunny Arizona, what an amazing day it is!  The United States of America is the land I served while in the Army.   It’s the land my children have served, my youngest son is now serving, and which so many other friends and family continue to serve.  Our great country is now reaching its two hundred and thirty seventh birthday.

It’s an amazing thing to behold.  This great country of ours was founded on liberty and freedom for every man, woman and child.  It’s a great Constitutional Republic that has lasted for nearly two and a half centuries. We can’t forget those that made this happen: Patriots, both famous and unknown, who decided a tyrannical government shouldn’t rule. Men and women of class and wealth joined farmers and laymen and sought to create a better country.  They established a more perfect union by creating one of the best countries in history.

On a more personal note, some of my fondest childhood memories are of warm summer days catching fireflies at my parents’ home.  Driving down  the dirt road past the pond to buy fireworks. The sulfur smell of fireworks exploding mingling with the smell of grilled hotdogs and burgers.  It makes me smile thinking so many families out there will be repeating this tradition.

If you’re looking to make a more perfect union with your own home and maybe light up a grill to make family memories please contact Tim or Gayle Kendrick at 602-819-6300, look us up at www.AZWestre.com on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/AZHomes or stop by and see our blog at http://azwestre.blogspot.com/