Most of you already know that I love Buc-ees! I recently had to go to my home town and on the way back we had to stop at Buc-ees! That is how you say Buc-ees....with an exclamation point at the end...because it is such a fun and awesome place to stop at. You will never know what you will find there! Take a look below...who knew that you could get an awesome array of cast iron cook ware? And where else are you going to buy cooking utinsels with handles made out of animals horns? This is the best Christmas gift a hunter could get !!! I had several other pictures to show you but somehow I have lost them....go figure. Well I guess you unlucky devils will have to wait until next road trip. In the mean time, if you or someone you know is looking for a home to rent or buy please tell them to c... 11/26/2010

Yes, that is right people! The Alamo has come to Alvin Texas! Not San Antonio's Alamo but a replica of it. Robert Mesa, owner of Alamo Custom and Collision located at 703 E. Highway 6 in Alvin, Texas decided to renovate his shop since business has been so good for his company. His building (in the picture below) looked this for the many years, as he was building his reputation. He is known for doing a great job on collision repair but not as much as the recognition he gets for his paint and body shop "Art Works".... he does some fantastic painting for all type of low riders, funny cars and the like. I plan to stop by and get some actual photos of his work and display in a later post. Last year Mr. Mesa started the steps to build a new shop and decided to build a replica of the Alamo as ... 11/15/2010

All the churches in the Alvin area are great!  They all progressively think about the best things we have and that is our children. The Heights Baptist Church in Alvin Texas hosted it's annual Fall Festival for the entire community. There was a Chili Cook Off. Food tickets were 25 cents each and you could purchase a Hot dog or and Chili Pie for one! The whole affair is catered for children. There were several booths such as balloon dart, cookie walk, basket ball throw, bowling, face painting and so much more! There were also several air jump rooms. Below are some of the parents in their best costumes. Here is the Bowling Game for toddlers,,,,, The Balloon Dart Board and of course the prize is lots of candy! Her is a maze of little tents that the tots were to crawls through.... they real... 10/31/2010

A few months ago, September Alvin had it's annual ALL AMERICAN FESTIVAL. As usual there was a car show and a motorcycle exhibit. I haven't written about it but I thought I would give all the guys here a little eye candy with my pictures posted below. Harley Davidson The one above is a Honda Boulevard. Below is may be a custom Harley. I think this one is a Harley Heritage.   Once again a Harley Street Glide The one below was the oldest Harley I have ever seen. It may have been the first type ever made. I am not sure..... I think I saw this one on MASH! Alvin has a lot to offer the car and bike enthusiasts... and a great place to live!! There are currently five new residential subdivisions in Alvin. The Chamber and Alvin, Alivn's Visitors Bureau along with the City of Alvin strive to make... 10/26/2010

Forest Heights in Alvin Texas is a new subdivision. It features homes that have been built by or currently being built by Carlisle Homes, Wall Homes, and D. R. Horton. Below is one of the homes located within this subdivision. But my favorite thing about this lovely subdivison is the massive tree at it's entrance. If you are interested in buying a home in this subdivision please call me, YOUR REALTOR at 713-822-1655. Meeting your real estate needs in Alvin and the surrounding communities.       10/24/2010

Grace Episcopal Church's Annual Pumpkin Patch in Alvin Texas is in full swing! As you curb park your car along Hood or Hardie Street you just can't take your eyes off all the pumpkins in the Church's yard. Here is a fuzzy picture of what is left of what was there! (Will I ever learn to take a decent picture!)    For those of you in the area here are the hours so that you too may bring your littlest ones and maybe start a tradition! What facinates me is the stems! They can be different thicknesses and curled or not. Here is another picture of strangely shaped stems. I had to buy one of these Rumgo squash as they have such a unique color. I also had to buy one of these below....I don't remember what this squash is called but they were almost a light green! My favorite color! I also got on... 10/18/2010

There's A New Place In Town! That's right people! It is called the Kenton Apartments located at 2441 Highway Bypass 35 in Alvin! This is a great location for apartments since it is conveniently close to Alvin Community College, shops and restaurants.  The architecture is elegantly traditional. The complex features 80 units with 1 and 2 bedroom units with washer and dryer connections, large patio, fire sprinkler and private entrance! The complex will WOW you with the clubhouse, fitness center, pool and outdoor grilling location. The thing I like most is that they have private entries for both the first and second floor units. I also really appreciate the kitchen's black appliances.  Of course the crown molding goes a long way in my book too! If you decide that you want to have a look or ... 10/04/2010

Appliance Maintenance: Water Heaters Keep your water heater running efficiently and reliably with this simple maintenance routine. Read The Value of Home Maintenance Regular home maintenance is key to preserving the value of your house and property. Read Essential Heating System Maintenance Getting your home’s heating system professionally serviced every year will keep it running smoothly and help keep heating costs under control. Read 8 Easy Ways to Seal Air Leaks Around the House For what the typical family wastes every year on air leaks—about $350—you can plug energy-robbing gaps, start saving money, and enjoy a more comfortable home. Read Chimney Maintenance for Warmth and Safety Chimney maintenance and a fireplace inspection can make the difference between warm safety and drafty d... 09/25/2010

The Alvin area was settled in the mid-1800s by ranchers and cattlemen, and once the Santa Fe Railroad expanded into the area, a settlement was established along the railroad. Alvin was initially named Morgan in honor of its original resident, Santa Fe employee Alvin Morgan. Upon discovery the name Morgan had been taken, though, the town re-named itself Alvin after Morgan's first name, officially incorporating in 1893. Even though Alvin real estate was all about ranching in the early years, its industries expanded in the 1930s to include oil and agriculture, becoming a major producer of strawberries, oranges, pears, figs, rice and the cape jasmine flower. More recently, Alvin has become famous for its hometown son, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Nolan Ryan, who played for the Houston Ast... 08/23/2010

If you are relocating to the Pearland, Manvel, Alvin or Friendswood area, one of the local places of interest you should discover is Froberg's Farm in Alvin. Fresh locally-grown fruits and vegetables are available year-round at Froberg's, located at 11875 County Road 190 (parallel to Highway 6) in Alvin. The open-air market building is packed with fresh produce, home-baked pies, homemade preserves, packaged nuts and candies, and so much more. You can even "pick your own" fruits and vegetables when they are in season. For a fun, family outing take the kids to pick strawberries in the summer! At Christmas time you can stock up on beautiful fruit baskets made to order for your gift-giving. They offer two sizes, both full of the best and biggest oranges, apples, and grapefruits you can imag... 08/06/2010

If you are looking for a wonderful animal adventure - check out the Bayou Wildlife Park in Alvin Texas.  It's a lot of fun!  Our ladies group left Atascocita to check out the tram ride & all it had to offer at the Bayou Wildlife Park in Alvin Texas.  Upon arrival, after paying the entrance fee ($16 per person) at the gate & getting buckets of animal feed ($2.50 each) we proceeded down the road to the barn & tram area.  That is where the fun started.  We were greeting by llamas that came right up to the window to see what we had to offer them.  And the ostriches were on hand too!   Once up to the barn, after checking out the petting zoo's goats & pot bellied pigs, we boarded our tram for the 40 minute ride through the park.  The open air tram gives you easy access to the animals that ar... 04/18/2010

Alvin, Texas Welcome to the Alvin real estate market. Located in Brazoria County, Alvin, Texas is only 30 minutes south of Houston Texas. With Oak tree lined neighborhoods, college opportunities and plenty of open parks and recreation activities for the whole family. Alvin holds a 5 mile radius and is home to over 23,000 residents. Home to Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Nolan Ryan, who played with the Houston Astros in the 1980's, there are over 30 historical sites to see in and around Alvin Texas. From the Confederate Cemetery to historic Victorian homes built in the early 1900's. Alvin started as a small Texas cattle town. But with the construction of the railroad in the early 1850's and the forward thinking of one George W. Durant, the city was put on the map as a main stop for the r... 04/11/2010

At last, residents in Alvin, Tx will have a local hospital.  It's been a long time!  According to Fox News in Houston, the new hospital will be built on Highway 35 North between Alvin and Pearland.  It will be managed by CHRISTUS Health, an international Catholic Health system.  According to the report, over 274 jobs will be created with average annual incomes of over $45,000 per year.  The number of jobs is expected to increase to 420 over the next 10 years.  You'll find the article here: CHRISTUS Hospital in Alvin.   This is great news at a time when the number of jobs seems to be shrinking more often than not.  It will be nice for Alvin residents to have the convenience of a quality local hospital too! 11/16/2009

The table below shows the October 1-October 31 market statistics for Alvin, Tx.  This includes some properties outside the city limits but within the 77511 (Alvin) zip code.  ACTIVE LISTINGS                              154AVERAGE LIST PRICE                        $173,846 HIGH                                              $699,900 MEDIAN                                           $149,900 LOW                                               $  33,000   OPTION PENDING                               7 AVERAGE LIST PRICE                        $177,186 HIGH                                              $329,000 MEDIAN                                           $152,000 LOW                                               $  69,900   PENDING CONT. TO SHOW              11 AVERAGE LIST PRICE           ... 11/03/2009

The Alvin Community College (ACC) will be where the ride begins, it is located at 3110 Mustang Rd.  On-site registration begins at 6am at ACC.  Tour de Braz offers five non-competitive routes throughout beautiful Brazoria County.  Choices area a 10, 30, 50, 62, or 100 mile route.  The Ride will begin at 7am.  Participants will enjoy hospitality and a safe beautiful scenic ride.  A free barbecue sandwich and entertainment will be provided upon completion of the ride. For more information click here.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~              Cindy Bryant is the owner of Redesign Etc.Home Staging & Redesign Specialist in Houston, Staging Your House To Sell By Professional Home Stagers! Our goal is to provide solutions to getting your home sold f... 06/10/2009

  If you've ever wondered what an authentic Texas store looks like here it is.  Froberg's Vegetable & Fruit Farm, established in 1936 is located on Hwy 6 on the outskirts of Alvin and Manvel.  They grow everything here and have some of the best produce and Texas favorite foods around.  This is their new building. Bags of pecans. Canned goods, jam, relish,pickels, and other Texas treats. Inside the store with produce and veggies. Homemade candy....this is a popular item too! This is the new smoke house, with sausage, ribs, and various other meats. Fred and Katie Froberg started the farm as a strawberry patch where you could pick your own strawberries.  They then started growing other fruits and vegetables, and the word got out, and since then family members have been expanding ever since... 03/07/2009

The Alvin Animal Shelter needs volunteers available on a regular or occasional basis to bathe and groom dogs in preparation for adoption.  The shelter is open weekdays and Saturdays.  If interested, please contact Volunteer Houston Bay Area at 281-282-6035 or visit www.volunteerhouston.org for more information. www.StagingSmartNSold.com provides Alvin homeowners and Realtors home staging solutions to facilitate a rapid and profitable house sale.  Home staging prices start as low as $150, and the owner is a longtime volunteer in the Houston Bay Area. 02/19/2009

The 9th Annual Christmas Train at Victory Camp in Alvin offers beautiful old fashioned Christmas scenery and more than 100,000 lights. Rides are only two dollars for adults and one dollar for kids.  Children under two years old ride free.  Open December 12-14, 18-23 from 7 until 10 pm nightly.  For more information, please call 281-388-2267. www.StagingSmartNSold.com provides Alvin home staging solutions designed for a rapid and profitable house sale for area Realtors and homeowners.  11/28/2008

NAMI Gulf Coast in Alvin provides support and education services to people with mental illness.  The agency earns money for empty inkjet cartridges and used cell phones that are donated.  The money is utilized to support area education programs in the community.  Please call Volunteer Houston Bay Area at 281-282-6035 or visit www.volunteerhouston.org for more information. www.StagingSmartNSold.com provides Houston home staging expertise for a rapid and profitable house sale to area homeowners and Realtors. The owner is also a volunteer in the Houston Bay Area. 09/29/2008

Agencies such as Alvin Food Pantry, Bay Area Turning Point, Christian Helping Hands, Crossroads Youth Village, Interfaith Caring Ministries, New Horizon Family Center, The Bridge, The Jesse Tree, and Women's Resource Center are seeking items for families in need.  Individuals or groups can collect and donate nonperishable food, paper products, personal hygiene items, baby supplies, clothing, linens, and detergent. For information, please contact Volunteer Houston Bay Area at 281-282-6035 or www.volunteerhouston.org www.StagingSmartNSold.com provides Alvin home staging solutions designed to promote a rapid and profitable house sale for Realtors and homeowners.  The owner is also a volunteer in the Houston Bay Area. 09/02/2008