TIMBERLAKE ESTATES! Growing up in Cypress Texas.....

Here's to the days before 1960, Hwy 290 into a 6 lane highway, when Cypress was farm land, before all the subdivision like Ravensway, Barwood, and many more. When 9 Bar Ranch was a ranch and had not been sold and made into its own city. Before Champions was Champions and it was a two lane dirt road.

Remember the lazy days of childhood?

Of course I am OLD!! like 49 now...........
How did we survive? No helmets, but we had horses, motorcycles, swimming in the lake alone with No supervision, swimming in the pool with all the neighborhood kids in your back yard and No supervision, tree houses high up in a large old oak tree, tree swings, that hung from very large branches, the sand pit of Cypress were we road motorcycle with NO supervision, haunted cemeteries, sleep overs in the garage and dancing to the juke box, pools with no fences or gates, driving without a license, riding motorcycles without a license, no cell phones, swats and oh so many spankings, Mom yelling as loud as she could so we could hear "It's Super Time" out past dark? Playing hide and seek outside in the dark, walking to the bus stop and meeting up with our friends. Not locking the doors and leaving the windows open at night? Oh My!! What were our parents thinking? How it would be nice to turn back the hands of time.

So heres to the past, present and the future.

DANCING WITH GOD
When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".
"God, "u" and "i" dance."
God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.

My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies be upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached.

And I Hope You Dance!


IN MEMORY OF:
KACKIE SCHWAKE my mother you was murdered at an early age in life

Special People God Sent My Way and the Revealing of HIS Love

The Church he gave and people within were so wonderful where would I begin. To tell you of relationships that he gave to help me through my days.

Then there were my kids for without them I would not have lived.

A Pastor and friend came along again for another time and place I had to begin.

Special friends of truth and love that got me through the darkest days onto the best of days and the brightest rays.

A man my James, my husband, that taught me the true meaning of love and how to be loved came along, for he was directly sent from God above.

He waisted no time in my hour of need,

For all these people are Gods gift of love, his special people, his angels, his way of showing he is there, revealing his love and touching your heart, so how could you not believe?

Cindy Nicholson

Speaking of Prayers and Church...


I can't count how many times GOD has answered prayers within minutes, now that is amazing.

Time and time again he reveals himself to me!

Once I was in Salado Texas and I sat at the piano after just moving there and I started to pray. We were looking for a church and I just said Lord please put me somewhere that you can use me through my music, low and behold the phone rang within minutes. It was the Methodist Church of Salado, they had heard that I had moved to town and wanted me to come and be there organist.

Thank you GOD!

Then as time went on the kids wanted to go to a different church, having not been raised in the Methodist Church they wanted to go back to the Baptist Church, so I resigned and we started looking around again, there I was one more time asking GOD to put me somewhere so I could use my musical talents, and the door bell rang, Not only did he send me a new pastor but new friends that were there in a special time of need. He once again put me to work at Cedar Valley Baptist Church. There we stayed for over a year. The church resolved sort of due to a problem with the original members not wanting it to grow, and it was growing leaps and bounds.

Thank you GOD!

We then went to another church were Jason my oldest son met his wife. We stayed there until GOD called me away again. He eventually moved me back to Salado Methodist Church. They were getting a new preacher and wanted an organist again, so with the kids grown up I went back to the Methodist Church, were I became very involved in Choir, Youth, Plays, and being the organist and soloist.

Thank you GOD!

Now I ask to place me again in a differnt state different than from the bible belt that I grew up in, I need another church home and pray you will use me at your will.

Thanks GOD!!

The Day The Bridge MOVED!

One day I was driving down the road leaving our home in Salado Texas. We lived out on a narrow country road on a farm. My youngest son Colt was in the car with me, and we were in the suburban, so you know that's a big vehicle. Anyway the road I am referencing is a two lane little country road with no shoulder. As we were coming up to the old narrow bridge which was just out of a sharp curve from the other direction a big 18 wheeler approached us, he was traveling at a high rate of speed we had no place to go, but over the small bridge was exactly what I thought would happen and into the creek below, but somehow the bridge expanded for us both to cross. I still can't get that image out of my mind. The roads widen and we passed each other, honestly there is no possible way for that to even happen, two vehicles of that size just do not fit. My son looked at me and said did you see that! I shook for hours after that, and we knew that God had taken his hands and touched us, widen the bridge and protected us!

look up Cindy Nicholson at http://www.viewmylife.com/cindynicholson

Gas In The Tank?

Funny, but I hate to put gas in the tank!

In other words I do not like to fill up at the gas station. You know in my day the attendant put gas in and I still think we should have no self serves around. In the small town that we lived in for the longest time there was a full service gas station, I love it, and then it closed and the self serve came to town. Of course I would wait till the car was on empty before I would make myself fill the tank. It use to bother the kids, they were so afraid we would run out of gas, but I would always say "God will get us there, don't worry". Believe me there were time I prayed all the way to the pump, but I had faith!

Funny how that convinced my children of the power of prayer.

He is a photographer (www.imagecounts.info) located here in Aurora, CO and he started a church called afterlife.tv (www.afterlife.tv) a couple of years ago. This is a cool concept. He doesn't receive a salary from the church, instead make my living by providing photography services across the country to realtors and families just like you.

He has an unbeatable photography special going on that I'd love to share with you, your family, and your real estate clients if you are interested. If not, thanks for your time, have a blessed day.

A bend in the road is not the end of the road.... Unless you fail to make the turn. Learn to Bend!!

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


JUST BEGIN AGAIN!

Have you ever found yourself at the "end of the road"? Whether it was by our own choosing, or by forces beyond our control, we've probably all faced that moment when success came to an end and we were left asking, "What now?"

The wonderful thing about ending is that there really is no such thing, not if you turn it to a new direction. How liberating, how wonderful the feeling that we can start all over again, especially if the ending seemed painful or disappointing.

Sometimes we just become too comfortable in our own shoes. Comfort and complacency often breed a lackluster attitude. We forget how talented we really are without the challenge of something new. Sometimes our success becomes a burden to us, filling others (and ourselves) with expectations that may no longer interest us.

Consider the unusual case of Steve Jobs. He was fired from Apple early in the game, and while he found success elsewhere, his ending there actually prepared him to come back and raise the technology company up from the ashes.

Giving the Stanford University commencement address in June of 2005, Steve Jobs told the graduates, "I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

So take a bite from that Apple and chew on it awhile. When you're facing a difficult ending, make sure you go out with a bang!

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INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose."
~ Lyndon B. Johnson


YOUR LIFE IS YOUR BUSINESS!

What do you want to happen tomorrow, or next month, or next year? For some, it's easier to imagine what they don't want. All's the more pity, because you can't get what you want until you know what you want.

You can't make progress unless you know your strengths, and know your weaknesses. Maybe you have a vague notion of your destination, but what in the world are you going to pack?

Don't rely on vague notions or loose opinions. What you need are the cold, hard facts - and a focused mind to determine how to use today's reality to tomorrow's advantage. Our ideas so rarely turn into plans of action. Our futures get put on indefinite hold while we deal with the crises of today.

Planning your life is a lot like trying to run your own business. No one who starts a business can successfully build unless they assess, at least every month, where they are and where they are going. However, it's oh so easy to get distracted from managing a company and making progress when there are so many problems, both great and small, that demand so much effort to dispel on a daily basis.

Just remember that the toughest hurdle is starting out with concrete goals, goals that exist to serve the long-term needs of you, the "owner" of your business, the owner of your life. Avoid the pitfall of spending all your time serving the short-term needs of your business or your life. You'll soon discover the confidence and the energy you need to succeed.

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INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself."
~ Mark Twain


THE MAN IN THE MIRROR!

We've all seen, read and heard that you need confidence, and talent, to succeed. But it takes more than that - your confidence must be built upon a solid foundation of self-respect. Self-respect is what will save you when your confidence is shattered.

No matter how much you believe in yourself, failure will shake you and rock your world. So it's not just how capable you are, but how capable you are of handling defeat. If you have unquestionable faith in yourself, your integrity and your compassion for others will help you to survive negative attacks and give you the courage to rebuild and begin again.

It takes courage to be a leader or an advocate for change. No change is so small that it won't impact someone. Don't take the path of least resistance - make your confidence an example for others. Treat friend and foe with the same respect you give yourself.

Of course, confidence and self-respect do not guarantee your success. Sometimes those traits can actually set us up for great disappointment by shattering our sense of worth. However, those very same characteristics, when put to good use, will help you to rise above your defeats and appreciate a life well-lived. As Frederick Douglass wisely observed, "I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence."

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:
"Some luck lies in not getting what you thought you wanted but
getting what you have, which once you have got it you may be smart
enough to see is what you would have wanted had you known."
~ Garrison Keillor


KNOW WHAT YOU WANT?

The next time your hope or ambition is thwarted, and you believe that you didn't get what you wanted, think about the quote above. The problem so many of us have is that we're not happy with what we've already got. We believe that there is something or someone else out there, outside of ourselves, that will make us happier than we are now.

It's really so much easier to simply find a way to appreciate what we've got. That's not to say that we should all become complacent. Doing things to make other people happy is a wonderful diversion from trying to do so for ourselves. Just remember that you are the one who is ultimately responsible for your happiness, not the "something or someone" that is outside of you.

While trying to make others happy, also remember that they are ultimately responsible for their happiness as well. Don't blame yourself if you don't think you did enough to cheer up a friend, or you weren't able to give them that gift they really wanted. The greatest gift you can give is to help someone realize that they already have everything they really need. Sometimes this may be the gift you need to give yourself.

Sit down today and count your blessings - list things like family, friends, pets, mobility, a satisfying job, shelter, financial independence, food in the fridge - any and all things great and small. Stand back and take a look at the "Big Picture." No matter what you think you want, you'll realize that you've got it pretty darn good right here, right now. Anything else is just icing on the cake! Enjoy the sweetness!

MANTRA FOR SUCCESS!

Today's inspiring quote puts a spin on the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. The question is, how do YOU handle change? Which of the above categories do you fit into?

Some people choose to handle change by creating it. These are the proactive visionaries who aren't afraid of change, who aren't afraid of the challenges that leaders face. Not everyone can participate in this category, and that's alright. Where would the leaders be without followers?

Followers are the survivors in the category of "accept change and survive." There may not be as much glory in just surviving, but those who can work with change exhibit a strength of their own. These are the positive reactionaries, people who make changes within to help them cope with the outside turmoil that they understand they cannot alter.

Finally, there are those who choose to participate in the final category - the negative reactionaries who suffer from ulcers, chronic fatigue, and headaches that result from banging their heads against the wall. While there is value in questioning the changes around you, there is little value in resisting the inevitable. There is little value in having short-sighted vision. There is little value in stagnation.

Some of us have the courage to cause change. Most of us find a way to accept change. A few of us always fight it, ultimately finding ourselves on the short end of the stick. Ally yourself with those successful people in the first two groups. Change is hard, change is challenging, change is the only thing that you can always count on to build your strengths and improve your understanding.

Take control of change and convince yourself that nothing grows without it. Repeat Ray Norda's words like a mantra every morning to remind yourself just how much power you have.

Motorcycle get away!


One of our rides.. Take a look at the link..

http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery2.php?instanceid=73597159

Castle Rock Colorado-the place to live
Well folks here it is!! We are on the map!! Our town is growing strong so take a look at the write up.


The population of Castle Rock is expected to nearly double in the next five years, and why not?

With our prime location, affordable housing (relative to other nearby towns) stunning natural beauty in the area, excellent schools, world-class shopping and dining, and some of the best new golf courses in the country, the question really is, why wouldn't you want to live in Castle Rock?



Castle Rock among '10 best' for families in U.S.

Town of Castle Rock residents can stand up and take a collective bow on Tuesday, July 10, the day that Family Circle magazine unveils its "10 Best Towns for Families."

That's because the Town of Castle Rock made Family Circle's list - the first of its kind for the national magazine celebrating women and families.

The magazine's 10 Best Towns for Families article appears in the August edition, which hits newsstands nationwide on July 10. The article shares the results of the magazine's quest to identify "the best communities across the country that combine big-city opportunities with suburban charm" and "an ideal blend of affordable houses, good jobs, top-rated schools, wide-open spaces and a lot less stress."

"That describes Castle Rock perfectly," Castle Rock Mayor Randy Reed said of the results of Family Circle's investigation. "If you asked 100 people why they moved to Caste Rock, 95 percent of them would probably cite the community's small-town charm and family friendliness."

Reed said while it's great to be recognized nationally as a great place for families, it's reward enough to experience family life in Castle Rock. "Every time I walk out my front door I think about how fortunate I am to have landed here 20 years ago with my wife and two daughters."

To come up with its 10 Best Towns for Families, Family Circle partnered with On Board, a New York City research firm providing real estate and demographic data to assemble a list of 1,850 places with populations between 15,000 and 150,000 and a high concentration of households with an average income of $65,000. That list was pared to 800 based on criteria such as cost of living, jobs, schools, health care, air quality, green space and crime rate. Family Circle assessed which towns best met those standards and ranked them according to state. The winners were selected from the highest-rated towns in the top 10 states nationwide.

The ten "10 Best Towns for Families" are:

· Castle Rock, Colorado

· Diamond Bar, California

· Morton Grove, Illinois

· Cedar Park, Texas

· Derby, Kansas

· Kennesaw, Georgia

· Cooper City, Florida

· Madison, Mississippi

· Franklin, Massachusetts

· Chanhassen, Minnesota

Family Circle Magazine's "10 best Towns for Families" honor is the latest in a string of national rankings awarded Castle Rock in recent years. In 2006, BusinessWeek magazine named Castle Rock No. 9 of the top 25 "best and most affordable suburbs in the United States." In a 2005 CNN Money Magazine report on the best places to live, Castle Rock ranked No. 1 in job growth.

For those of us who are lucky enough to both live and work in this little piece of Colorado, life is good... very, very good.

The Town of Castle Rock is a booming community located in Douglas County midway between Denver and Colorado Springs. The number of residents has grown tremendously since the early 1980's, but Castle Rock has retained its small-town character and distinct community boundaries.

What attracts residents to one of the fastest growing counties in the nation? It seems to be a combination of our breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains, our convenient location, dry and mild climate, 300 days of sunshine a year, our low crime rate, and a sm

***The Nicholson Home Team***

Cindy has many years of direct Real Estate and Mortgage Industry experience and has owned multiple businesses, amassing over 20 years of direct sales & marketing experience. Cindy is extremely detail oriented and demands superior customer service.

James has over 30 years of experience encompassing Sales, Marketing, Accounting, and Finance with some of the largest and most respected names in the country. His background compliments Cindy's and he will do his utmost to earn your business.

They both agree, RE/MAX is the pinnacle of the industry offering buyers, sellers, and brokers the most advanced tools available and strive to assure that when combined, RE/MAX and the Nicholson Home Team is an unbeatable combination!

"We are committed to excellence, education, honesty, integrity and achieving your objective and will offer you the same care and service we would expect for ourselves. Like many of you, we relocated to Colorado a few years ago and fully understand the economic differences, in different regions of the country. We also can appreciate the blessing of an Broker/Agent who truly cares, and one who is willing to work with you when and where you need them. We live in Castle Rock and enjoy all four seasons, whether we're skiing and riding snowboards in the winter or riding our motorcycles through the mountains in the summer. Let us show you OUR Colorado!"

Cindy is currently a member of the National Association of Realtors, the Colorado Association of Realtors, and the Douglas/Elbert County Association of Realtors. "I personally chose these professional associations, because I feel they provide me the greatest pro-active value, when offering my services as a Realtor to my clients."

For all your Real Estate needs please call us at one of the numbers listed above or just visit our website at:

www.NicholsonHomeTeam.com

You will be able to access the MLS System online, in order to search for homes and land all across Colorado. It's free to you, so try out the Home Card System and let us know how we can be of further assistance. Our main goal is to assit you with ALL of your Real Estate needs. Whether you're selling or buying, an "old pro" looking for "fix and flips", or a "First-Time-Buyer searching for the perfect home for your family, we will not fail to exhaust all of our resources in assisting your efforts. To help us in this endevor, we have developed numerous "Team Tools" to make your next Real Estate trans action as stress-free as possible. Please continue reading for some of these "Tips" and "Tools"!

Want to research the community of Castle Rock, Colorado? Check out:

www.castlerock.org

There are various levels of listening that I want to share with you that you should be aware of, that you should recognize. But how do you get really good at listening? Practice.

LEVELS OF LISTENING

Sensory Level - where you let music or words wash over you without giving it any thought. It is passive, brainless, where you "feel" it. How many times have we ever been in a conversation where we have no idea what was just said?

Emotional Level - where music or words speak to our emotions: For example, you find yourself daydreaming or reminiscing after a death in the family. You may hear a eulogy at a funeral and you can feel the emotions welling up within you.

Contextual Level - Music or words for a specific activity or purpose. For example, Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstances" is played for a graduation ceremony. This is totally appropriate. Or picture this, a military band playing for an inaugural ball; Margaret Thatcher is dancing with President Reagan to the tune of "The Lady is a Tramp." This is totally inappropriate. It's funny, but inappropriate. This is where the music or word association is more important than the music or words itself.

Script Level - Music or words that have a storyline to it. Operas, ballet, plays are examples of having to listen on a script level. This is where you have to listen to unravel a plot or story. Ever seen a silent movie and try to figure out what the story is all about? Ever been in a conversation where you have to try and figure out what the @#$% he's talking about? This is where you try to put it all together and make sense out of it.

Awareness Level - Music or words that are criticized. Everyone's a critic in this stage. You listen and focus on the music or words. In music you can pick out things such as rhythm, dynamics, tempo, meter signature, key changes, tone color, phrasing, syncopation, wrong notes being played, style, form, content, composer's intent, etc. Same thing in conversation you can understand the deeper meaning of what is said, whether one is speaking with a threatening tone, or is being passive, demure, etc. You can also recognize how music or words affect you emotionally, or if it is contextual, scripted, or sensory.

One thing about learning music and how to play a musical instrument is that it teaches you discipline. Remember the old joke "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?" "Practice." Same thing with learning to listen...It's a skill that you can hone and take with you no matter what profession you are in. It just takes PRACTICE.

Making your website talk you can view mine at www.NicholsonHomeTeam.com



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