VOLUME 41

September/October 2015

The Caddie Online

FOREST CREEK

TEXAS

ECOWISE
ONLINE
EDITION

FOREST
CREEK GOES
BACK TO
SCHOOL!

More Content
New Columns
Written by
Residents for
Residents

FIRST
DAY
PHOTOS
ON
PAGES
42-43!

Environmentally
Friendly
Sponsored
by Resident
Owned
and Local
Businesses

We
have an
action
packed
fall
ahead of us here in Forest Creek!
Check page 4 for upcoming
events and be sure to mark your
favorites on your calendar so
you dont miss out!

Be a good
neighbor and pick
up after your

10 Safety Tips for

Hiring a Teen
Babysitter

dogs when you

take them for a
walk!

Ensure your children are safe

with a teen sitter.
Page 28

If you made the cookies on page 46 for the Neighborhood BBQ , please contact
the Editor at myenergyangel@aol.com to collect your prize!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
News from the Board..3

Back 2 school photos40-41

Fast Frogs..44-45

Save The Dates ..4

Neighborhood Watch
News 42

Neighborhood BBQ 46-47

Yard of the Month..5

Announcements,
Accomplishments,
and Accolades8-9
Fresh Food & Farmers
Markets Listings 10-11
Health and Wellness..12-13
Real Estate Pages. 14-22
Business Pages...23-27
Teenage Job Seekers 28-30
Parents pages 34-35
School News 36-39

THE FOREST CREEK HOA NEWSLETTER, THE CADDIE, IS NO LONGER PUBLISHED ON PAPER . INSTEAD, THE CADDIE IS AVAILABLE IN ELECTRONIC
FORM ON THE HOA WEBSITE, WITH PAPER COPIES
AVAILABLE FROM OUR PROPERTY MANAGER IF
REQUESTED. The Peel Inc. publication named the

Forest Creek Forum is not sponsored by the Forest

Creek HOA nor does it publish articles sponsored by the
Forest Creek HOA. If you wish to remove yourself
from their mailing list. go to peelinc.com, click on
newsletters then on Receive a newsletter (even
though you are opting out you must go through the same
process as if you were opting in), when you get to the
second line entitled newsletter format, you must click
on the down arrow for the drop down menu and choose
None, remove me from your e-mail and postal mail
lists Then fill in the rest of the form and submit it.

POST YOUR GREETING

ON THE MARQUEE
Just contact Stephanie at her new
e-mail address.

The4dohertys@gmail.com
THANK YOU STEPHANIE
FOR ALL YOU DO!
2

NEWS FROM THE BOARD

BOARD MEMBER
IDALYN LYNN
BANKS RESIGNS

I can only hope that

my future career
path lands me in
similarly supportive
environments in
which I can continue
to grow professionally. I can't tell you
how much I appreciate the knowledge
you have shared and
the experience I've
gained here.

It was with a heavy

heart that I resigned
my position as the
HOA Board Secretary
effective August 10,
2015.
As some of you already know, my husband, Michael, has recently
accepted a position in Longmont, Colorado and it is necessary that we move as soon as
possible.
It has been a true pleasure to
serve as your Board representative since 2011. During this
period I filled the positions of
Treasurer, Vice President and
finally Secretary. Personal accomplishments that I provided
to help Forest Creek stay the

B O A R D

O F

best Community in Round Rock

are as follows: Fought and won
for accountability and open
transparency of our books from
Centex Management, successfully advocated the City of
Round Rock to award Forest
Creek Neighborhood of the
Year 2015 and pushed for the
entry into Neighborhood USA
(NUSA) contest for Neighborhood of the Year 2015 where
we won second place for the
Purple Pipe Project!

Thank you again for voting for

me and granting me the privilege of serving you. I wish
nothing but the best for our
HOA. I will miss yall and will
carry you in my heart when I
am in Colorado and always.
Sincerely,
Idalyn Lynn Banks

D I R E C T O R S / C O M M U N I T Y

C O N T A C T S

President Pat Flynn...... .president@forestcreekhoa.org

Vice-President Keith Chandler . .vicepresident@forestcreekhoa.org
TreasurerHector Quintanar.... ...........treasurer@forestcreekhoa.org
Secretary-Angel Donato.........secretary@forestcreekhoa.org
Caddie Editor-Angel Donato....... ..............myenergyangel@aol.com

MANAGEMENT

RealManage

phone 1-866-4732573

H.O.A. WEBSITE
forestcreekhoa.org

DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Forest Creek Homeowners Associations Board of Directors, The Management Co. or the newsletter editor
(collectively, the Publisher). The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any facts, representations, or warranties stated in any article authored, or submitted, by others. Publisher reserves the right to refuse to publish material that it
deems to be offensive, inflammatory, or otherwise inappropriate for this newsletter. This newsletter is published solely for the
private use of members of the Forest Creek Homeowners Association. .

.. SAVE THE DATES

Upcoming Forest Creek Neighborhood Events

Casino Night!
Saturday, September 19th 7-10pm
at the Forest Creek Park.
With the exception of an optional
10 dollar raffle, no money is involved
and the event is free so come on out
and have some fun! Adults only ...
Appetizers will be served .BYOB

Housewives of Forest Creek

Sept 25, 7:30pm 2034 Golden Bear Dr.
This is a great way to get to meet with old
neighbors and new, network, relax, and
just have some fun! Appetizers will be
provided but you can bring a bottle
of wine to share if you like!

Board Meeting
Monday, September 28, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
Chandler Residence
Round Rock, TX 78664
3216 Bay Hill Lane
Go to ForestCreekHOA.org for agenda

forestcreekepc@yahoo.com for queries

about any of the events

National Night Out and Business Expo

Tuesday October 6th 5:30-7:30pm Bring
the whole family for a fun filled evening!

Events Planning Committee Meeting

Wednesday October 7th @ 7pm
forestcreekepc@yahoo.com for
location and details.
New Members are always welcome!
Adult Social at the Pool
Saturday, October 1oth @ 7:30
The last of the season!
Come meet new neighbors and join old
friends for a fun and relaxing evening at
the Pool! Bring your own beverage and
an appetizer to share. (please remember,
no glass at the pool)

Board Meeting
Monday, October 19th, 2015, 7:00 p.m.
Chandler Residence
Round Rock, TX 78664
3216 Bay Hill Lane
Movies in the Park
Saturday, October 24th Movie: Hotel Transylvania
At dusk

Fall Fest!
Saturday, October 31st 2-4pm One of our biggest
events of the year! Join us for a Spooktacular time!
Volunteers needed to bring individually wrapped
baked goods for the cake walk!
4

JUNE YARD OF THE MONTH

3824 Royal Troon
A lot of spikey texture in the
free formed beds. An accent
Bradford pear in the lawn

3909 Lord Byron Circle

Begonias in stone edged beds
around trees and along front
of house. Laropetelum gives
good bush color.

JULY YARD OF THE MONTH

3806 Harvey Penick
Beautiful glazed river rock
edging,bench, patio,
gazing ball, floral pots and
great textured greenery
3914 Harvey Penick Way
Staggered height bushes
with brilliant red
laropetelum, annual and
potted color.

AUGUST
YARD
OF THE
2216 Shark Loop
Beautiful Magnolia tree, Golden
Euonymus bushes, Burford Holly and
Yellow Bells

MONTH
.

. 3201 Bay Hill

Dark brown stone beds with yellow
Lantana, rose trees and Pride of Bar5
bados . Great accent boulder!

Ladies, Looking for a Friend;

Something to do?
Round Rock New Neighbors is
Women Welcoming Women for Fun
& Friendship.
Whether you are a newcomer
or have lived here for years,
WE WELCOME YOU.
We are ideal for empty nesters or
women who have left the work
place and are looking to get back
to a social life.

Our temporary new home for

the General Monthly Meetings,
which start up again on
Sept. 9th, is very close to our
current facility off hwy 620.
Situated 1/2 mile from
FM 620, Brushy Creek
Community Center at:
16318 Great Oaks Drive
Round Rock, TX 78681
Phone: 512.255.7871

Round Rock New Neighbors Where Friendships Bloom!

We are initiating a new Logo

and we hope that you will take
the opportunity to visit our
website and view all of
the activities that we have to
offer and the many ways we
have for you to do exactly that,
Bloom ( Make New) or perhaps

(Grow) in Friendships with

us . Remember, you do not
have to be New to the area, as
we have many women who
have lived in the area for a
while and we also welcome
women who are moving here
from other places.

Please visit our website

www.RRNewNeighbors.org
for more information and
phone numbers regarding
personal contact information
and location s as well as any
membership information..

The Forest Creek Pet Nanny

Loving on your pets while
youre away

Beth Parli
512-592-9429
www.forestcreekpetnanny.com

Why I Dont Recommend Retractable Leashes

By Dr. Becker
A retractable leash is not so much a leash as it is a length of thin cord wound around a spring-loaded device housed inside a plastic handle. The handles of most retractable leashes are designed to fit comfortably in a human hand. A button on the handle controls how much of the cord is extended.
Retractable leashes are popular primarily because they aren't as confining as regular leashes, allowing
dogs more freedom to sniff and poke around on walks. But unfortunately, there are many downsides to
this type of leash.
10 Reasons Not to Use a Retractable Leash

1.The length of retractable leashes, some of which can extend up to 26 feet, allows dogs to get far enough away from their
humans that a situation can quickly turn dangerous. A dog on a retractable leash is often able to run into the middle of the
street, for example, or make uninvited contact with other dogs or people.

2.In the above scenario, or one in which your pet is being approached by an aggressive dog, it is nearly impossible to get control of the situation if the need arises. It's much easier to regain control of or protect -- a dog at the end of a six-foot standard flat leash than it is if he's 20 or so feet away at the end of what amounts to a thin string.

3.The thin cord of a retractable leash can break especially when a powerful dog is on the other end of it. If a strong, goodsized dog takes off at full speed, the cord can snap. Not only can that put the dog and whatever he may be chasing in danger,
but also the cord can snap back and injure the human at the other end.
Continued on page 23
7

Announcements, Accomplishments, and Accolades!

A Huge Congratulations
to this years Forest
Creek Young Explorer
Graduates!
These precocious young ladies
have worked hard all year and
have started kindergarten
already reading and doing basic
math equations! They have also
lived up to the Young Explorer
pledge to be Peaceful with our
words and actions, Respectful of
people and things, Responsible
for all we say and do, and to be
enthusiastic learners and always
work with excellence! We are
so very proud of them and
although sad to see them go,
we sent them off with a sprinkling of Fairy Dust and high
hopes for a very bright future!

Congratulations to Barrington Miles,

for earning the Male Teen Ambassador
of the Year Award!
In May of this year, Barrington Miles was chosen to serve as an
Ambassador of Hope for the Texas Advocacy Project (http://
www.texasadvocacyproject.org/), an organization that provides
FREE legal services statewide to victims of domestic and dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
14 nominees/teens across Texas between the ages of 13-18 years were
chosen by the Board of Directors, based upon their community involvement and social engagement.
As a Teen Ambassador, Barrington took Teen Dating Violence and leadership training and engaged family,
friends and peers to raise awareness about dating violence and healthy relationships; promote the Projects
mission and services; and raise funds for the organization. He took his mission very seriously and raised
more funds than all the other nominees! Great Job Barrington! You are a credit to your community!

Announcements, Accomplishments, and Accolades!

F.A.S.T. Frogs win at

Champs Meet
once again!
The Forest Area Swim Team
(F.A.S.T. Frogs) brought back
the NAAL CHAMPS title for
2015! Seven teams competed over two days at the
Avery Ranch neighborhood
pool. Ages 10 and under
competed the first day and
ages 11 and up competed the
second day. Frogs 10 and
under started strong, putting
the team in first at the halfway mark. The next day, the
11 and ups gained momentum and continued the lead.
The team finished with 557.5
points overall. The Gators
(Great Hills, Jester, Lakewood areas) and the Bal-

cones Woods Blue Wave

teams rounded out the top
three with 444 and 435 points
respectively. This is the 5th
year Frogs have won the
NAAL title.
While winning is always exciting, thats not the primary focus of the team. F.A.S.T
Frogs is a non-profit, recreational summer swim team
formed to give our children
the opportunity to have fun
and improve swimming skills
while exposing them to the
sport. In addition to daily
practice and weekend meets
during the 9 week season,
the team also hosted several
social events including a kickoff party, age group carb-up
parties and an awards banquet that ended in a big pool
party.

This was the 12th season for

the team comprised of Forest
Creek, Forest Creek III, Lake
Forest and Forest Ridge area
children ranging in age from 4
to 18. The inaugural season
included 168 swimmers.
While swimming in general
continues to grow in popularity in the area, so does this
swim team. F.A.S.T Frogs
accepted 280 swimmers this
year with 40 of their youngest
swimmers joining as
Tadpoles. The number of
swimmers is dependent on
pool and coach availability;
they strive to include as many
children as possible each
summer. The team has been
grateful to retain Head Coach
Mark and Tadpole Coach Liz
since the first season.
Continued on pages 46 and 47 9

99 Twin Ridge Parkway

Round Rock, TX 78664
(512) 388-2874

Player Development Membership Benefits

Unlimited Driving Range Usage
Complimentary Instructional Clinics
$18 Golf w/ Cart After 2 pm Daily
$12 Golf w/ Cart After 4 pm Daily
$28 Golf Before 2 pm - Non Holiday Weekdays
20% Golf Merchandise Discount
Forest Creek Golf Association Events & Handicap
Daily Special $1 Draft Beer & Fountain Drink Pricing
10% Discount on Weekday Accompanied Guests
Preferred pricing at Blackhawk & Riverside

Hearts for Health Natural Food Source is a local food share program
providing easy access to healthy whole foods from local farms.
They Currently offer dairy, eggs, almonds, grass-fed beef and
Poultry. Pick up is right here in Forest Creek. Make this year the
year you start your family on the path to cleaner eating and enjoy
the discounts of bulk purchasing! To find out more, contact
Kristen at kristenfiles@hotmail.com or join the facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/h4hfoodsource.
10

BUY LOCAL

SUNDAYS 3-6PM STARTING MOTHERS DAY

WEEKEND SURROUNDING THE LAWN AREA
IN FRONT OF IPIC THEATER

3225 Amy Donovan Plaza

Austin, Texas 78758

ROUND ROCK
FARMERS MARKET
Year Round , Rain or Shine!
Saturday mornings from 9am - noon ,
in the Scott & White Hospital Parking
Lot at the corner of Oakmont & Univ.
behind the Round Rock Outlet Mall and IKEA.
For more information feel free to contact
Greg Coley, Round Rock Market Manager,
(512) 215-4193 or,
ley@thevegetablecart.com
GEORGETOWN SUN CITY
FARMER'S MARKET
THURSDAYS 9 A.M. - NOON,

YEAR ROUND

EXTRA, EXTRA read all about it

GEORGETOWN Thursday market HAS MOVED,
formerly in San Gabriel Park. The new location is
in the Georgetown Church of Christ parking lot
at the corner of DB Woods and Hwy 29. The
physical address is 1525 W. University Ave.
Fresh produce, free range eggs, pasture raised
beef, cheese, nuts, canned goods, artisan
breads & edible and ornamental plants.

CEDAR PARK FARMERS MARKET

EVERY SATURDAY FROM 9AM-1PM,
RAIN OR SHINE.
North Austin's only YEAR ROUND, all Texas
products, Farmers Market! Providing local
area farmers and ranchers a direct sales opportunity to our local community. 50+ vendors
Fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts, meats, dairy,
seafood, eggs, citrus, bakery items, coffee, teas,
tamales, breakfast tacos, Napalese, Indian
foods, soups, olive oil, granola, hummus, pies,
charcuterie, spices and more!
LOCATED AT LAKELINE MALL, IN THE PARKING LOT BEHIND SEARS AND DILLARD'S AT THE
CORNER OF 183N AND 620 in the northern area
of Austin TX. Local food and music. Half the
vendors are producers, the other half is
comprised of artisans and prepared food
vendors. Sampling, chef demos,
live local music. Come visit, it's an event !
PFLUGERVILLE PFARMER'S MARKET
Tuesdays: 3 p.m.- 7 pm. MAYOCT.
The mission of the Pflugerville Pfarmers Market
is to bring fresh, locally grown and prepared
foods to the Pflugerville community. Vendors sell
locally grown produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash, okra, garlic, melons,
peaches and grapes; artisan baked goods; honey;
flowers; eggs; free-range meats; jarred salsas,
pickles and jams; fruits and plants.
Cash is preferred. Credit card purchases depend
on the vendor's capability. Some of the vendors
are now accepting WIC vouchers.
Location:
The Green Red Barn - Heritage Park
901 Old Austin-Hutto Road.
11

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Considered a veggie but

(3) Reduce cancer risk:

technically a fruit related to

Cucumbers' polyphenol

melons, the cucumber is

lignans and phytonutri-

often an afterthought or

ents have anti-cancer

garnish for most. Too bad.

properties that have

It's not only a tasty addi-

been isolated by some

tion to many foods and

studies.

very hydrating with it's 90plus percent water con-

(4) Prevent brain health

tent; cucumbers are packed

sandwich, and they are easily

decline: Cucumber's anti-

with a load of health-benefiting

juiced or mixed into smoothies.

inflammatory flavonol, fisetin,

nutrients too.

One recipe calls for ice and cu-

plays an important role in brain

cumber with a fruit of choice

health. Fisetin protects against

Non-organic cucumbers are

run through a blender as a quick

progressive memory loss and

heavily sprayed according to the

summer cooler.

cognitive decline according to

Environmental Working Group.

animal testing.

And they are coated for ship-

There are several how-to make

ping with synthetic waxes. It's a

"cuke" cooler videos here.

(5) Support digestion: Cucumber

no-brainer to opt for organic

Here are those 10 health bene-

skins contain insoluble fiber,

cucumbers that are not sprayed

fits

which helps add bulk to your

and coated with synthetic petroleum-based waxes.

(1)Highly alkalizing: Whenever I

use cheese, which is acid-

As with most produce, the skin

producing, in a sandwich, I com-

contains a lot of nutrients. If de-

fort myself by balancing out the

sired, the organic wax can be

cheese's acid forming in my

washed off organic cucumbers.

body with sliced cucumbers to

But non-organic cucumber skins

offset and balance out the pH

should be peeled off before us-

factor.

ing. Cucumbers are the fourth

stool. This helps food to move

through your digestive tract
more quickly for healthy elimination. Ayurveda recommends
cucumbers to release excess
stomach heat and resolve bad
breath.
(6)High in antioxidants: Cucumbers contain vitamin C and beta-

most cultivated plant in the

(2) High silica content: Silica is

carotene. They also contain an-

world. But you may want to

not granted the importance that

tioxidant flavonoids, such as

grow our own.

it deserves. It's a major compo-

quercetin, apigenin, luteolin and

Sliced cucumbers go well in just

nent for building bone and binds

kaempferol, which provide addi-

about any salad, are great

to aluminum to offset its toxicity

tional benefits

"veggie" additions to almost any

and flush it out of organs.

12

Continued from last

page..

lyte, it is associated with a

(7) Resist inflammation:

Animal studies with cucumber extract have demonstrated their ability to
inhibit pro-inflammatory
enzymes.

balance of potassium and

healthy heart. A proper

sodium is essential to
good overall health.
10) Weight watcher compatible: Besides creating

(8) Manage stress: Cucumbers are high in vitamin B, especially B1

(thiamine), B5
(pantothenic acid) and B7
(biotin). These are watersoluble vitamins in a waterlogged fruit/veggie that
support the nervous system.

soft gel in the stomach

with its insoluble fiber to
feel full faster, cucumbers
are incredibly low in calories. A cup of sliced cucumbers weighs in at 16
calories.
So pick up two or three
organic "cukes" soon and

9) Support heart health:

see how often you can

Cucumbers contain potas-

include some cucumber in

sium. As a vital electro-

your daily diet.

Painted pinecones make a beautiful

low maintenance floral arrangement!
13

The Real Estate Section

Active Forest Creek Properties for sale
Address

List Price

Square Feet

2311 Arnie Lane

$264,900

1982

3224 Bay Hill LN

$675,000

5732

3915 Blue Monster CV

$389,000

3914

3800 Bobby Jones WAY

$650,000

4060

3802 Bobby Jones WAY

$625,000

3711

3300 Daufuskie Island RD

$589,900

4964

2100 Faldo LN

$325,000

2764

3818 Forest Creek DR

$484,900

4084

3704 Harvey Penick DR

$335,000

3034

3731 Harvey Penick DR

$398,000

3990

3930 Harvey Penick DR

$320,000

2793

4009 Harvey Penick DR

$400,000

2997

4508 Harvey Penick DR

$449,900

4536

2147 Hilton Head

$529,000

4977

3503 Palmer CV

$575,000

4787

3602 Penwood CV

$575,000

4307

3738 Royal Port Rush DR

$269,000

2105

2222 Shark LOOP

$255,000

2491

3807 Spanish Bay CT

$389,892

4033

1532 Weiskopf LOOP

$450,000

4041

1542 Weiskopf LOOP

$450,000

3644

Actives Average Days on Market -- 41

14

PENDING

Pendings Average Days on Market 42

Address

List Price

Square Feet

3988 Lord Byron Circle

$355,000

3820

3833 Royal Troon DR

$349,000

3025

3869 ROYAL TROON DR

$350,000

2679

2028 Golden Bear DR

$380,000

3606

2122 Faldo LN

$275,000

2734

2205 SHARK LOOP

$275,000

2653

ROUND ROCK STATISTICS

List Price
0-99,000

Round Rock East

Round Rock West

0

100-199,000

44

14

200-299,000

132

47

300-399,000

76

69

400-499,000

39

49

500-599,000

16

600,000+

10

302

205

Totals

Prepared by: Marianne

Iamele, Class Act Realty on
August 18th, 2015.
Information Deemed Reliable,
But Not Guaranteed. Buyer/
Seller Must Verify.
Data used from Austin Multiple Listing Service.

15

The Real Estate Section .continued

HOW TO REMODEL
YOUR BATHROOM
FOR NOW AND THE
FUTURE
With universal design,
your bathroom will
be more accessible
to everyone
Youre planning a bathroom
remodel. Exciting! Its time to
talk about flooring and finishes,
light fixtures and storage space.
Oh, yeah, and walkers, slips

and broken hips! Wait. What?!

We know, we know, thats not
you. It may never be you. But
the truth is: Thinking about
some of the challenges of aging
as you remodel will actually
make your house more accessible to everyone in your life,
whether its your adult daughter
trying to take a shower while
her baby is conked out in the
stroller, a toddling grandchild
who wont sit still in the tub, a
spouse recovering from knee
surgery or an elderly parent
with failing vision.
Most of us find it difficult to
plan ahead, says gerontologist

Jodi Olshevski, executive director for the Hartford Center for

Mature Market Excellence.
And some of us have a certain
aversion to growing older.
But planning ahead and anticipating the changing needs of
your family is the key to preventing your bathroom from
looking institutional down the
road, says Amy Levner, manager of Housing and Livable
Communities for AARP.
Universal design done well is
invisible, and it looks a lot better than a quick fix, she adds.
Continued on next page

Knowledge + Focus + Energy = Positive Results

Certified Negotiation Expert
Providing Real Estate Services since 2006

Forest Creek Resident since 2000. I will utilize the latest technologies, market research
and business strategies to meet your expectations. Whether you are buying or selling a
property, I will guide you through each step of the process with a professional approach,
honesty & confidentiality.
For client testimonials & other information please visit my website.
www.youraustinproperty.com

Shaista Salahuddin
Realtor,GRI,CNE

Cell: 512-771-8749
Email: Shaista@kw.com
Website: YourAustinProperty.com

Each office is independently owned and operated

16

Continued from last page

If, for example, you or a family
member suddenly suffers an injury or illness, Levner says, you
cant instantly install a sleek
grab bar that doubles as a towel
rack. Or a backlit faucet. Or fold
-down teak seats in the shower.
Instead, youll be forced to make
accommodations of the nursinghome-chic variety. Often in
white or beige plastic. Not
pretty.
On the other hand, if you approach your remodel thoughtfully using the principles of universal design now, youll have
all the accommodations you or a
loved one might need one day
already in place in a style that
suits your taste. In the meantime,
activities like shaving in the
shower and bathing a baby will
be easier.
Theres really no downside,
Olshevski says. You just need to
think a little differently as you
turn your bathroom into the universally accessible oasis of your
dreams.
What to Think About
Flooring. Look for flooring that
is slip-resistant, even-surfaced,
low-glare, durable and easy to
maintain. The bathroom is a
really dangerous room because
its slippery when wet, Levner
says, but you can select tiles
that are naturally slip-proof.
Hallways and doorways. To
accommodate walkers, strollers
or a wheelchair, widen hallways
and doorways to at least 32
inches 36 inches is ideal, says

Olshevski. And eliminate thresholds, which are an unnecessary

obstacle.
Doorknobs. Replace knobs with
levered handles, which are easier
for both little hands and arthritic
ones to manipulate.
Continued on next page
17

Continued from last page

Lighting. Most people dont
think much about lighting in the
bathroom, Olshevski says, but
good lighting is crucial not only
for good design but also for
preventing slips and scalds. In
addition to letting in as much
natural light as possible, she
suggests multiple sources of
lighting and points out the importance of lighting over the
bathtub and shower. Of course,
dont forget a nightlight for
those midnight bathroom trips.
Light switches. Install backlit
rocker switches instead of standard switches. They are easier
to find in the dark, and you can
flip them with your elbow or
shoulder if your hands are full.
Faucets. Choose single-lever
faucets or touchless sensor

faucets which are easier to

manipulate and provide better
water-temperature control.
Toilet. Comfort-height toilets
are 17 to 19 inches high compared to the standard 14 to 16
inches. Youll just need to provide a stepping stool for little
ones.
Vanity and medicine cabinet.
Not only are pedestal sinks in
fashion, they are more accessible to those with wheelchairs
and walkers than enclosed vanities, Olshevski says, because
they provide clearance under
the sink. And a well-lit medicine cabinet makes reading prescription bottles and finding
toiletries easier.
Shower and tub. We would
suggest a walk-in shower with a
hand-held shower hose, Ol-

shevski says. They are designed so the water doesnt get

on the floor, and you can install
a seat, which is very practical if
youre shaving. Walk-in bathtubs, which are accessible
through a door and have builtin seating, are another option.
Grab bars. Perhaps the most
important feature for an accessible, safe bathroom is a grab
bar. When youre remodeling,
be sure to have the walls reinforced so you can install a grab
bar in the tub or shower whenever youre ready without having to rip up the walls again,
Levner says. But really theres
no need to delay, since so many
grab bars double as stylish
towel racks.

Continued on next page

18

Continued from last page

Pressalit

The Fun Part: Shopping

Around!

Sterling plumbing

Once youve decided to embrace universal design in the

bathroom, the next step is
finding products that match
your style. Architects, contractors and designers familiar with universal design can
lead you to products that are
right for you.
Most architects are up to speed
on universal design, Levner
says. Locating designers and
contractors might take a little
sleuthing. She recommends
looking for certified Aging in
Place contractors and contacting
your local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers
(ASID) for designer recommendations.

Kohler
Moen
Elio
Toto
Half the fun is doing research on
your own. And maybe creating a
Pinterest board of your favorite
things.
Melinda Avila-Torio, a designer
with THW, an architecture firm
that specializes in building senior living facilities, recommends
checking out the following for
inspiration:

Robern
We know from research that
most people want to stay in their
home as they age, Olshevski
says. Universal design makes
that possible. And if you do the
remodel right, your guests wont
want to leave either

19

The concept of try before you

buy is a hard one to implement
in the world of real estate. But a
new partnership between Airbnb
and realtor.com aims to do just
that for potential homebuyers,
letting them experience a specific neighborhood before purchasing there.
The partnership is particularly
focused on millennials, who now
represent the largest group of
homebuyers in the U.S. at 32
percent. This age cohort, born
from the early 1980s to the early
2000s, is about 79 million
strong, and its purchasing power

Try Before You Buy

By Leah Shafer
is estimated to be $170 billion
per year.
The Airbnb-realtor.com partnership aims to reduce some of the
unknown factors associated with
relocating to a new community.
Heres how it will work: Visitors
to realtor.com will see an
Airbnb before buying option
for certain properties, and the
choice will also appear on the
homepage and on for-sale listing
pages. Potential buyers will be

able to book accommodations on

Airbnb ranging from singlefamily homes to condos, lofts
and other properties located near
their chosen neighborhood.
As we offer a variety of unique
accommodations in neighborhoods across the country, well
be able to allow potential home
owners the special opportunity
to experience those neighborhoods as if they already live
there, says Chip Conley,
Airbnb head of global hospitality
and strategy.
Millennials are extremely technology driven in their homebuying efforts, according to
the 2015 National Association of Realtors (NAR)
Home Buyer and Seller
Generational Trends study.
This partnership plays perfectly into that, allowing
them to make all arrangements online.
I think its brilliant this
could give [millennials] a
taste of a neighborhood and
change them from renter to
buyers, says Jay Forrester,
a Realtor with Ebby Halliday Preston Center.
This collaboration with
Airbnb reinforces our commitment to giving consumers unparalleled insight to
make informed real estate
decisions, says Ryan
OHara, CEO at Move,
Inc., a subsidiary of News
Corp that operates realtor.com under an agreement
with the National Association of Realtors.
Founded in 2008, Airbnb is
a website that allows people
to rent out lodging in their
homes. It has more than 1
million listings in 34,000
cities and 190 countries.
20

.
Texas grocery giant H-E-B has
announced a formal agreement
with San Franciscobased Instacart a grocery
delivery service whose personal shoppers hand-pick and
deliver items from local

H-E-B teams up
with smart service
to deliver groceries
to your door in an
hour!

items to customers in Austin

and Houston."
Instacart initially launched in
Austin May 2014. The service,
which can be accessed through
a phone app or online, promises items to be delivered in as

stores in Austin and Hous-

little as an hour.

ton.

New customers can open an

Instacart already provides ser-

E-B? No problem. We'll bring H

account online and receive free

vice from H-E-B under an infor-

-E-B to you with Instacart," said

delivery and $10 off their first

mal partnership, but the new

Scott McClelland, president of

order using promo code HE-

agreement solidifies the ar-

H-E-B Houston Division, in a

BLOVE through September 30.

rangement and gives users the

press release. "Instacart's abil-

Instacart also offers Instacart

ability to shop for virtually any

ity to deliver on-demand

Express an annual member-

product offered at the store,

clearly matches our focus of

ship that eliminates delivery

according to the Houston Busi-

making our customers' lives

fees for all orders of $35 or

ness Journal.

better. We are excited to offer

more for $99 per year.

"Don't have time to come to H-

a larger assortment of H-E-B

21

KEEP YOUR OUTDOOR

COOKING SAFE
Contributed by Forest Creek Neighbor

Foodborne illnesses occur to

about 128,000 people in the
USA from outdoor cooking. So
keep food safety in mind when
cooking outdoors.
Packing the Food
It is important to Prepare & Plan
ahead to keep your food safe
throughout the day. Remember
to:
Wash fruits and vegetables
ahead of time. There may not be

running water at the picnic site.

Store raw meat separate from
other foods to avoid crosscontamination.
Place drinks and perishable
foods in separate coolers. When
guests grab drinks, they wont
expose the perishable items.
Use ice packs to keep perishable items at a safe temperature
in the cooler.
Pack a meat thermometer so you
can be sure meats are cooked to
safe temperatures.
Storing the Food
As you enjoy your time outside

in the high temperatures, it is

critical to keep cooked food cool
while you are storing it before
and after you eat. Dont forget
to:
Fill large bowls with ice and
set foods that need to stay cool
on top. Dont forget to replace
the ice as it melts.
Keep perishable items in the
cooler until time to eat. Make
sure these items stay cool. The
Food and Drug Administration
recommends 40 degrees F or
colder.
Discard any food thats been
sitting out for more than two
hours.
Keep coolers out of direct
sunlight, and avoid opening
them excessively.
Cooking the Food for time and
temperature
The same rules you follow at
home apply to cooking outdoors.
A food thermometer is helpful to
assure you have cooked your
food well. Youll need to:
Cooking food at a slow pace
with a longer time period and
lower cooking temperatures
(around 250) gets great results.
Cook meat to the proper temperature to destroy potentially
harmful bacteria. Hamburgers
are critical to cook through since
it is ground meats. Use a thermometer to help you assess they
are cooked to your liking at the
recommended temperature.
Separate different types of raw
meat from each other.
Dont place cooked meat on a
plate that once held raw meat.
This goes for utensils too.
Switch out your tongs to serve
cooked meat.
Place cooked meats in a pan by
the side of the grill. The heat
will help maintain a safe internal
temperature.
22

Retractable leashes...Continued
from page 7
4. If a dog walker gets tangled
up in the cord of a retractable
leash, or grabs it in an attempt to
reel in their dog, it can result in
burns, cuts, and even amputation. In addition, many people
have been pulled right off their
feet by a dog that reaches the
end of the leash and keeps going. This can result in bruises,
"road rash," broken bones, and
worse.
5.Dogs have also received terrible injuries as a result of the sudden jerk on their neck that occurs when they run out the leash,
including neck wounds, lacerated tracheas, and injuries to the
spine.
6.Retractable leashes allow dogs
more freedom to pull at the end
of them, which can look like ag-

gression to another dog who

may decide to "fight back."
7.The handles of retractable
leashes are bulky and can be easily pulled out of human hands,
resulting in a runaway dog.

8.Along those same lines, many

dogs especially fearful ones
are terrorized by the sound of a
dropped retractable leash handle
and may take off running, which
is dangerous enough. To make
matters worse, the object of the
poor dog's fear is then "chasing"
her, and if the leash is retracting
as she runs, the handle is gaining
ground on her she can't escape
it. Even if this scenario ulti-

mately ends without physical

harm to the dog (or anyone else),
it can create lingering fear in the
dog not only of leashes, but also
of being walked.
9.Retractable leashes, like most
retractable devices, have a tendency to malfunction over time,
either refusing to extend, refusing to retract, or unspooling at
will.
10.Retractable leashes are an
especially bad idea for dogs that
haven't been trained to walk politely on a regular leash. By their
very nature, retractables train
dogs to pull while on leash, because they learn that pulling extends the lead.
If your dog is well trained, gentle mannered and smart enough
to master a regular leash and a
retractable leash without being
confused, you could be one of
the rare guardians that can walk
your pooch on any kind of leash

23

The Fourth Annual Forest Creek

Business Expo
Be sure to make reservations to represent your
Business at The 4th Annual Forest Creek Business
Expo!
The Business Expo is held in conjunction with
Forest Creeks National Night out Event on the
first Tuesday in October every year and is very
well attended!
This years National Night Out and Business Expo
will take place on Tuesday October 6th from
5:30-7:30pm at The Forest Creek Park,
3600 Forest Creek Drive.
All Spaces are 10x10 and assigned on a first come
first served basis. There is no charge to Forest
Creek Residents for the first booth.....additional
booths and booths for non-residents are $25
payable in advance in the form of a check made

out to The Round Rock Serving center

All Businesses are required to offer a raffle prize
with a minimum value of $25 to be raffled off that
evening. The prize should be related to your
business and displayed at your table along with a
container (clearly marked) to drop raffle tickets
in. Attendees will be given 20 free raffle tickets
per household with the opportunity to purchase
additional tickets for 50 cents each or 3 for $1. (all
proceeds from the extra tickets will also be going
to The Round Rock Serving Center) They will then
drop tickets into the containers that correspond
with the prizes they would like to win as they
move around the Expo.
The winner of your prize will contact you to make
arrangements to claim it!
Don't miss this low cost opportunity to connect
with folks face to face and tell them about your
business!

24

BUSINESS SPONSORSHIPS
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PDF OR JPEG FILE. AD COPY MAY BE CHANGED EVERY MONTH BUT, ALL CHANGES MUST BE RECEIVED
BY THE 17th OF THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE MONTH OF PUBLICATION .

Please contact the Editor at

myenergyangel@aol.com for more information!

*Become an Event Sponsor and get a FREE Listing in the upcoming Business Directory!
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BUY LOCAL & SUPPORT OUR

NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR
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All proceeds from Ads and Sponsorships are used towards, enhancing existing
and adding new, Forest Creek HOA events. Every month we try to highlight one
or more of our neighborhood businesses to promote inter-community commerce.
If you are a FC resident with a business and would like to participate please
contact the Editor at ....myenergyangel@aol.com or Call 508-922-1306
25

26

27

TEENAGE JOB SEEKER SPOTLIGHTS

Dayal Raj is a pre-med student offering private tutoring to students of
all ages in the Round Rock area. He graduated
from Westwood high school with full honors and
is also a graduate of Westwoods IB program.
Dayal is a National Merit Scholar semi-finalist
and a member of MENSA.
Dayal can teach any subject as well as provide
test-prep for skill-specific tests like the SAT. He
has been tutoring for nearly two years and has
received positive feedback from all of his students as well as their parents.

10 Safety Tips for Hiring a Teen Babysitter

Ensure your children are safe
with a teen sitter.
by Jennifer Geisman,
Times have changed since the
days when your neighborhood
teen could pop over last minute
to babysit for the first time. A
teenage babysitter is still a great
solution for when you want to go
on a date night or run some errands, but parents need to think
about safety issues and prepare
the sitter for emergencies.
Safety should always be your
top priority when it comes to
leaving your kids with a sitter.
Nearly thirty percent of parents
have rejected a potential babysitter because of safety concerns,
according to a survey from the
Red Cross.
Do your homework before hiring
a teenage sitter -- just as you
would with any sitter -- and follow these tips to ensure all safety
concerns are addressed before
you step out the door.
Determine if the Sitter is
Ready
Most teenagers start babysitting
around 14-- to 16 years old, but

As a tutor, he is very detail oriented and goalfocused but flexible as well. Dayal follows a methodical approach to tutoring using a combination of diagnostics and evaluations to maximize
on your students learning potential.
Contact Dayal: Phone - 512 826 3566

how do you know when a potential sitter is up to the task of

watching your child?
When you're hiring a teen sitter,
"the key attributes to look for are
maturity, trustworthiness and
responsibility," says child safety
and health expert Debra Holtzman, author of "The Safe Baby:
A Do-Yourself Guide to Home
Safety and Healthy Living,"
She encourages potential employers to speak with the sitter's
parents before hiring and "ask
for references from past employers, teachers, camp counselors,
etc., and check them out thoroughly."
When interviewing the teen, ask
questions about school, friends
and extracurricular activities.
Talk about his or her social life.
Look them up on sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to
see how much time they spend
on social media and if they are
posting anything objectionable.
Look for Proper Training
Age isn't the end-all, be-all
qualification for a sitter. Look
for teens that are serious about
babysitting and have taken training and safety classes.
Holtzman emphasizes the impor-

tance of confirming your sitter is

trained in CPR, first aid and infant and toddler safety. "If you
and your family like a potential
sitter who has not had training,
recommend that he or she take a
training course at a local hospital, school or safety organization
[like the Red Cross]," she says.
Introduce Your Sitter to Your
Home
Once you've decided a sitter is a
good fit, Holtzman recommends
giving a tour of your home and
acquainting her with the dos and
don'ts of the house.
She suggests that you "point out
and demonstrate how to use all
the safety devices you have installed [like gates, child-resistant
latches and locks]. Show him or
her where you store supplies,
such as a flashlight, first-aid kit
and fire extinguisher. Identify
those areas of your home that are
off-limits to your children."
In addition, familiarize your new
sitter with your family's fire escape and earthquake procedure
(if applicable), and establish a
meeting place should your sitter
and children be evacuated.
Continued on page 31

28

TEENAGE JOB SEEKER SPOTLIGHTS

Photo by gblair photography

Nicholas Winckel
is a 16 year old
member of the
Cedar Ridge
Marching Band
who is looking
to work odd jobs
in the area. He
needs to earn
money so he can audition for the DCI - Crossmen

Beginner Guitar lessons

Im offering beginner guitar lessons to
those ages 6-10 years old. My curriculum teaches students all the basics that are the foundation of any
style of music that interests you. This
will give you the building blocks to
begin your musical career. Students
will walk away with basic knowledge of the guitar
and how to play with a showcase at the end of
each session to show what theyve learned. Lessons are done in my home for $40 month, one 30
minute lesson per week and will do lessons in your
home for an add. nominal fee.

My name is Meagan George, I

am 14 years old I am a Sophomore at
gateway college prep and have lived in
the forest creek area for 5 years. I love
to play volleyball, bake and hang out
with my friends. I am certified by the
Red Cross in CPR, First aid and babysitting. I have taken care babies as young 4
months and kids as old as 10. I know
how to hold, feed and burp infants, I will play games
with your toddler and help your child with homework.
MY HOUSE OR YOURS.

Drum and Bugle Corp., which is a

professional level competition
marching band. This is a project that
he is working towards for the summer of 2013 &
2014. If you have any odd jobs that he can work
after school or on weekends, please contact him
at unleashedrules@gmail.com. You can also copy
his mom at laurie.winckel@gmail.com.

I an a 10th grader at Cedar Ridge and

have been playing guitar for the last
eight years. I am lead vocalist and bass
player in my own band that has been together for 3 years and am pursuing my
own solo project, performing around
Round Rock and Austin for the last 3
years. I have been writing music and
performing both guitar and singing since
I was 9. Music is my life and I love the opportunity
to share this with younger kids and encourage
them to pursue their dreams.
Please feel free to contact me if interested at:
carsondicksoncd@gmail.com

I can also dog sit and/ or house sit.

I have 2 dogs myself One of my dogs is
a Labrador retriever and the other is a
Chihuahua so I have experience with
small or large dogs.
References upon request
So if youre going on vacation or just going
looking for a date night Im your sitter
for all. Looking forward to meeting you.
-Meagan George
CALL: (512) 386-1990
29

TEENAGE JOB SEEKERS

Name
Micaela Phillips

Age
17

Baby
Sit

Pet
Sit

X
X

House
Sit

Yard
Work

Phone
909-8683.

Analise Flatt

13

Ryan Phillips

18

Marissa Phillips

13

Kennedy Rolston+

15

Sarah Reeve#+

14

Josh Potter

13

Audrey M

12

Jaclyn Guyette#

17

423-5878

Veronica Remmert#

15

246-0859

12

X
X

Gloria Remmert#

X
X

Mary Clyde

13

248-9781

Shelby Rogers *

16

966-4108

Alana Leal*

16

246-9105

Brynn McFarlen,
Tyanna Thompson*

12

16

Trey Taylor

16

Tristen Taylor

12

Kyle Randle

13

Hannah Sugden#
Madison Fulp#

14
16

X
X

X
X

255-6453
704-6552

Kylie Fulp

13

704-6552

Emily Engstrom

14

310-0031

Jessica Singer#

14

218-9631

Elisabeth Worthen *+#

15

Hannah Odom*+#

13

750-1857
970-6199

Mackinsey Sanders
Ashley Rowe
Logan Wright

15

289-9969

14
17

X
X

X
X

X
X

788-1513
258-0825

Robyn Lawrence

13

246-7843

Hailey Henderson

13

341-8552

Alexa Cordeiro*+

16

Nicholas Houser
Abigail Houser

16
14

Meagan George *+#

14

*CPR Training

218-9308

X
X

905-0435.

785-9710

X
X

238-8191

828-6793
X

+ First Aid Training

319-610-2310
238-1365

246-0859

214-886-6441
632-7450

923-8239

921-6375

944-7420

535-1340
388-3286
388-3286

386-1990

# Red Cross babysitting Cert.

30

Continued from page 28

Introduce Your Sitter to Your Kids
Before you leave your kids with a new sitter,
you want to make sure they get along and the
sitter knows how to behave. Think about hiring
the sitter to watch your kids for a few hours
after school, while you stay in the house and
get chores done.
Tell your sitter anything she should know about
your kids, like how you expect your children to
behave, their routines and any their favorite
toys and games.
Define Responsibilities and Expectations
This groundwork should be laid out long before
your sitter arrives for a first night on the job.
"Be specific about your expectations and what
information is important for the sitter to know.
Write these down and discuss them, too," says
Holtzman.
Here are some things you may want to go over:
No friends/boyfriends/girlfriends allowed over
No smoking in the house
No sleeping on the job (even when the baby is
napping)
No high-risk activities, like swimming in the
pool when you're not around
No bath time for babies, unless the sitter has
been trained and has your permission
No leaving the house with the child without
your permission
What food/drinks the kids are allowed to have
Discuss Discipline
While your kids are always angels (ahem), tantrums and bad behavior do happen. What
should your babysitter do in these instances?
Talk about Electronics
Make sure the sitter understands his or her primary concern is the safety and well-being of
your child and they should put away all distractions or leave them at home (phones, tablets,
computers, etc.).
"It's difficult to properly supervise children
while you're multitasking, so tell the sitter to
avoid texting, talking on the cell or using the
Internet, unless absolutely necessary," says
Holtzman.
Set ground rules for when the kids are sleeping
-- what's allowed and where?
Continued on page 34

31

Carrot Cake Baked

Oatmeal

Calling this recipe

"oatmeal" really doesn't

Yield: One 8 x 10-inch dish

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

do it justice. Plain old

oats are transformed

2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon large-flake sea salt
1 1/3 cups grated carrots
1 apple, peeled and grated
Scant 1/2 cup mixed raisins and/
or currants
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups almond milk
6 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup pecans

into a lusciously thick

spice pudding-cake, with
carrots, apples, and

Combine rolled oats baking

powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, and
salt together in a large bowl. Stir
in grated carrots, apples, raisins
and currants.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs,
add in almond milk and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and whisk
to combine.

raisins lending just

enough sweetness to
make this breakfast
seem decadent.
3/4 cup mixed pumpkin, sunflower, and/or hemp seeds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

and grease an 8 x 10-inch baking
dish with coconut oil.

Spoon the oat mixture into the

pre-greased baking dish and
pour egg mixture over to evenly
coat.
In a separate bowl combine the
pecans and seeds with 5 tablespoons maple syrup and coconut oil. Sprinkle this mixture on
top of oats and bake for 25 to
30 minutes, or until oatmeal is
set and nuts are golden. Let cool
slightly before serving.

Takotas Ponies Ranch

childrensponyrides.com
We offer pony and horse parties at your location or at our
party house on location!
Trackless train for all types of events.
Summer, Day, and Horsemanship Camps for children and teens ages 6 to 18.
Western horseback riding lessons for all ages, even adults!
Horse training, On-site Play dates, and Advanced Off-site trail rides.
At Takotas Ponies Ranch our passion is to bring the love of horses to those
of all ages! To us, if a child or adult gets to experience the chance of riding
and caring for a horse or pony for even just a short amount of time it gives
them a great sense of self-worth!

Come and spend the day, week, or just a few hours with us and experience fun
and excitement to last a lifetime!
Lynn Garcia Owner/Teacher

(512) 801-9964

901 Indian Springs Rd. GT, TX 78633

We Cant Wait to See Yall at the Annual Forest Creek

Fall Fest on October 30th!
32

One of the questions was :

IS THE FUTURE OF THE
FOREST CREEK GOLF
COURSE IN JEPARDY?
Anyone on the RR Parks and
Rec mailing list recently received a survey regarding the
future of the Forest Creek
Golf Club.

All Forest Creek Homeowners were encouraged to participate since it impacts our
neighborhood. One option
is to convert the golf course
to a public park, which would
obviously change our
neighborhood significantly.

Because of past flooding at

the Forest Creek Golf Club
and the capital investment
required to continue this facility as an 18 hole golf
course, which of the following alternatives would you
support?
1) Retain the facility as an 18
hole public golf course with
on going minimum capital
investment
2) Retain the facility as an 18
public golf course with an
extensive renovation of the
course to ensure it remains
market competitive

3) Sell the golf course with

the covenant that the golf
course be operated as a public
facility.
4) Sell the golf course with
the probable outcome that it
will likely be converted into
an 18 hole private golf course
5) Transition the golf course
to open park space
6) N/A - Indifferent with
what happens to the golf
course.
The results of the survey are
expected to be reported by
the end of October

33

PARENTS PAGES
When they are done
bathing, simply tip the
basket up to drain the
toys and leave them in
the tub to dry or put
them out in the sun for a
few hours for some
natural disinfection

Babysitters.continued from
page 31
And under no circumstance
should your sitter be posting on
social media sites about the
babysitting job, including who,
when and where he or she is
babysitting -- this includes taking photos of the family or the
home. Teenagers use social media all the time, so it may not
even occur to them why this is a
problem.
Explain Medicines and Allergies
"If your child has special medical needs or takes medicine the
sitter may need to administer,
explain the dosage," states
Holtzman."Be sure the sitter understands that he or she should
never give the child any medicine without your permission
and instructions."
What should the babysitter do if
your child gets sick while you're
gone? What warrants a phone
call to you?

If your child has any allergies,

create a guideline that includes
all allergies (food, pets, grass,
etc.), a description of the reaction signs and procedures to follow in the event your child does
experience an episode
Vet Activities
The babysitter you hire should
plan lots of fun games and activities to keep your kids entertained while you're gone. Ask
what your sitter has in mind and
make sure they are safe and ageappropriate for your kids. Knowing your children are home having fun can be a relief for parents who may be feeling guilty
about leaving (you're allowed to
enjoy yourself!).
Offer Parting Instructions
"It won't hurt to have last-minute
instructions written down along
with the other guidelines," concludes Holtzman. A few examples include:
Keep the doors and windows
locked
Turn on outside lights in the

evening
Never open the door to anyone,
unless you personally know him
or her and you have specific
permission
Always check before opening
the door to anyone -- look
through a peephole or window
first
Know the emergency plan
Before you leave, make sure
your sitter knows where you're
going, how long you'll be gone
and how you can be reached.
Stress several times that your
sitter should never hesitate to
contact you for any questions,
says Holtzman. "I always explain that no matter how minor
or silly it might appear, I would
always welcome the call."
A teenage babysitter can be a
safe and convenient for finding
child care. Do your research to
find a sitter with the necessary
personality, safety know-how
and maturity to care for your
kids.

34

Five Wholes

some Snacks for Families On-the-Go

Buy the cheap pack of

4 sponges from the
dollar store to make
the loss-impact even
less.
To make, just saturate a clean sponge
with water and place
into a ziplock
bag. Lay flat in the
freezer and freeze
overnight. In the
morning, just toss
them into the lunch
boxes. As they melt,
they will reabsorb the
water so just toss them back in the freezer after school!!!

THE FOREST CREEK

YOUNG EXPLORERS
Where Everyday is an Adventure and
Every Child A Treasure!!
THE ONLY LICENSED, PRIVATE, INHOME PRE-K IN FOREST CREEK!
ORGANIC MEALS, SNACKS & ALL ART
SUPPLIES INCLUDED IN ONE LOW PRICE!

Highly rated by Children and Parents

alike! Years of references available!
Ages 2.9 and up. 508-922-1306
Register now for our 2015 fall class!

35

SCHOOL NEWS
FOREST CREEK ELEMENTARY
www.forestcreek.roundrockisd.org
Upcoming Activities and Events
Monday, September 21
6:45pm
Cub Scout Pack Meeting
Tuesday, September 22
12:00pm
Author Visit: Bridget Heos
Wednesday, September 23
Early Release at 12:45 PM and
Kona Ice
12:45pm
Kona Ice
Monday, September 28
Book Fair
Tuesday, September 29
Book Fair
Wednesday, September 30
Book Fair

Any Volunteer Opportunities can be found online at

PTAvenue.com Login: FCEPTA
You must go through the Volunteer Application Process online at: https://hrsapp.roundrockisd.org/appentry/

Thursday, October 1
Book Fair
Friday, October 2
Book Fair

Monday, October 19
5:00pm
PTA Family Fun Night at Hat
Creek Burger Co.

Monday, October 12
Student Holiday/Staff Development

Monday, October 26
Red Ribbon Week
Tuesday, October 27
Red Ribbon Week
Wednesday, October 28
Red Ribbon Week
Early Release at 12:45 PM and
Kona Ice
Thursday, October 29
Red Ribbon Week
Fall Pictures
Friday, October 30
Red Ribbon Week
9:30am
Kindergarten Field Trip to The
Thinkery

Tuesday, October 13
9:30am
PTA Exec Board meeting
11:00am
PTA General Meeting
Thursday, October 15
Skype Author Visit: Jarrett Krosoczka
Saturday, October 17
9:30am
Marathon Kids Kick-Off Mile

36

37

READING ROCKS!
RRISD Elementary school reading teachers gathered this month to kick off two year-long cohorts
aimed at building strong readers in their classrooms.
The district is hosting two cohorts a group focused on kindergarten through second grade and
another for third through fifth grade. The teams,
which consist of 52 teachers, will meet twice each
month to continue learning the best techniques to
serve students.
Teachers were selected through a competitive application process. Each participant will complete 32
hours of professional development, in addition to
40 hours of outside coursework with students from
their classroom in order to apply knowledge from
the course.
Reading Rocks has given me the opportunity to
deepen and refine my knowledge and practices,

said Kate
Mamot,
Bluebonnet
Elementary
School reading recovery
teacher. The
Post your
school news and
course has
upcoming
events Free of charge in
allowed me
The Caddie Online
to collaboSend your submissions by
rate with colthe 21st of the current month to :
myenergyangel@aol.com to guaranleagues
tee inclusion in the following
about stumonths edition!
dents with
different experiences and background. Hearing other teachers
practices and experiences enhanced my teaching.
The goals of Reading Rocks are for participants to:
analyze and understand readers use of systems of
strategic actions and literacy behaviors;
utilize a variety of assessment lenses for differentiating reading instruction;
delve into strategies for teaching students to read
more complex texts;
increase understanding of how the processes impact classroom instruction; and
collaborate with colleagues to spread the programs
knowledge across the district.
Reading Rocks are courses that focus on the pedagogy of teaching young students to read going
back to the fundamentals of early literacy behaviors, understanding how students process text and
how teachers support and learn as students develop
as proficient readers, said Melissa McCarroll,
RRISD literacy and intervention coordinator.
This course is a must for all teachers, said Ebony
Morehead, Chandler Oaks Elementary School
teacher. In order to teach kids to read for meaning
and becoming lifelong learners, this course offers
the basics to understanding what reading is and
how to help kids as they grow on their reading jour38
ney.

FUNDRAISERS FOR
SCHOOLS, SCOUTS, AND
OTHER NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS ARE
ADVERTISED FREE OF
CHARGE TO ALL FOREST
CREEK RESIDENTS.
SUBMIT YOUR INFO
TO MYENERGY
ANGEL@AOL.COM
BY THE 17TH OF THE
MONTH FOR THE NEXT
MONTHS PUBLICATION
TO RESERVE A SPACE!

39

With smiles on their faces,

like they were off to the races,
these Forest Creek Kiddos
started the first day of school
with a wonderful attitude and
hopes for a great year!

40

41

Forest Creek Neighborhood Watch News

The Neighborhood Watch
Committee will be joining
with the EPC Committee to
present the 2015 National
night out and Business
Expo on Tuesday, October
6th from 5:30-8pm
The Events Planning Committee had hoped to give
this event back over entirely to the Neighborhood
Watch Committee but due
to the extremely low # of
volunteers from the NW
Committee for the Snow
Day and Spring Carnival,
NW Co-Coordinators Angel
Donato and Lori Hartnett
have asked fellow EPC
members to coordinate the
National Night Out portion

of the event again this year

with hopes that NW participation will increase enough
to continue its existence
and take it back next year.

The Business Expo was

added to the NNO Event by
Angel Donato, a Member
of the EPC , Editor of the
Caddie Online and founder
of the Forest Creek Business Association as a way

for Residents to get to

know and support their
entrepreneurial neighbors.
It has not only achieved
that goal but has more than
doubled NNO attendance!
If you are a Local business
owner and live in or near
Forest Creek and would like
the opportunity to promote
your business at this event
contact Angel @ 508-9221306. There is no cost for
FC Residents. Others must
write out a $25. check to
the RR Serving Center to
reserve a space and all
vendors must offer a raffle
prize with a $25 minimum
retail value.
See you there!

42

43

Continued from page 9

The coaches, sponsors and many volunteers that
support the team all believe in exposing our youth
to the lifelong sport of swimming. Over the past 12
years, F.A.S.T. Frogs has been proud to watch
Tadpoles grow into Frogs, coaches, competitive
swimmers, college graduates and overall great
members of society!

A Huge Thank You to all of our

F.A.S.T. Frog Sponsors!
Family Tree Dental Group
Wildflower Orthodontics
Mathnasium
Be The Light Tees
Fleming & Conway Insurance Agency
Forest Creek Animal Hospital
Forest Creek Dental, PA
Forest Creek Mini Storage
Johnson Remodeling
Lane 4
MasFajitas
Nicole Kim, REALTOR
Pioneer Vision
Point Security
Primrose Schools
Ready Go Swim
Ricardo's Tacos & More
Rock Sports
Round Rock Orthodontics
Second Nature Hair
Silicon Hills Wealth Management
Van Houten & Associates, PC
44

Overall Team Awards

Team Frog: Drew Ramirez & Meaghan Rousset

Team Most Improved: Katie Lehman & Jack
Stoner
Team Coaches Award: Luis Garza & Tressa
Langenohl
CHAMPS High Point Individual Awards

1st Place in their Age Group:

Susan Mashayekhi -- 7 & 8 Women

Team Frog: Drew Ramirez & Meaghan Rousset

Caleb Nunez -- 11 & 12 Men

Sydney Stoner -- 13 & 14 Women
Meaghan Rousset -- 15-18 Women

Team Most Improved: Katie Lehman & Jack

Stoner
Team Coaches Award: Luis Garza & Tressa
Langenohl

2nd Place in their Age Group:

Sofia Cardenas -- 6 & Under Women
Anna Duarte -- 7 & 8 Women
Scott Roberts -- 15-18 Men

3rd Place in their Age Group:

Jamie Bong -- 6 & Under Women
Sydney Boudreaux -- 9 & 10 Women
Julia McCurley -- 11 & 12 Women

F.A.S.T. Frog Scholarships

Minta Stohrer

Kathleen Rousset -- 15-18 Women

Devon McCourry

45

It was a beautiful day for the Annual Neighborhood BBQ and Back to School Splash!
A big Thank You to all the EPC ladies who worked the event and to all the kind neighbors
who brought desserts to share especially the home made ones! The winner of the recipe
contest was the person who made the white chocolate chip cranberry oatmeal cookies!

46

On the same day as the BBQ, the Forest Creek

Young Explorers celebrated 7 years here in
Forest Creek by having a Reunion along with
this years graduation! Over 40 students and
family members came out to the park to
celebrate old friendships and new beginnings!
The Young Explorers is a highly rated, in home,
licensed Preschool here in Forest Creek that
specializes in Kindergarten Readiness for 3-5
year-olds and also has a great summer
program for 6-12 year-olds!

The festivities included a talent show

which featured art and singing!

47

48