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Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc. Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowner's Association Newsletter - February 2009 �

Meadows of Brushy Creek

February 2009 Volume 2, Issue 2Official Publication of Meadows of Brushy Creek HOA

Meadows ofBrushy CreekMeadows ofBrushy Creek

HOA 22 Years Old and ???When Cat Hollow HOA decided to improve their aged fencing on

Liberty Walk and Great Oaks, they determined that $280,000 in their fence reserve fund fell $380,000 short of funding the project. At an estimated cost of $45 per linear feet, the nearly 15,000 foot project required creative funding to complete it. A loan was secured for the balance, and 8 months later, the project has only minor landscaping issues before it is completed. Obtaining a loan is an option for funding a perimeter fence replacement project. Paying off the loan will require establishing additional means to pay it off since current assessments collected will not be sufficient.

In December 2006, The Meadows HOA adopted a common area maintenance fee to be collected from all home sales in the Meadows beginning December 14th, 2006. To date, approximately $14,000 has been collected and placed in a newly created reserve maintenance fund that could be used to help pay for a perimeter fence.

When the Meadows of Brushy Creek was first planned and the charter was written, an oversight occurred when the care and maintenance of perimeter fencing was omitted. Your HOA has taken on the challenge of rectifying this and needs your input and support as we proceed. A fence committee is being established for the purpose of arriving at a long-term solution to this problem. If you have information to add, care to respond to this article or better yet, wish to serve on the committee, please contact our property manager, Debra Johnson [email protected] or call her at 502-7043.

As we enter the 22nd year of the Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowner’s Association, our aging infrastructure presents a financial challenge. An entry sign at Pepper Rock and Great Oaks has a cracked foundation, Bradford Pear trees on Pocono Drive live well beyond their expected lifespan of 15 years and we have not determined a financially equitable method to fund a much needed fence upgrade to a wooden stockade fence that bounds our neighborhood.

Many have admired and commented about the recent fence project Cat Hollow HOA has undertaken and wonder why we cannot do the same. Our HOA is distinctively different than Cat Hollow, which complicates moving forward. First and foremost, perimeter fencing in Cat Hollow is owned by the HOA. Perimeter fences in the Meadows HOA are owned by individual homeowners. Cat Hollow annual assessments (HOA dues) are nearly twice ours, the number of homes is nearly 3 times as many as ours and their by-laws specifically mandate a separate building fund solely for the care and maintenance of perimeter fencing. Ours does not.

Several years ago our HOA Board used reserve funds and rebuilt a portion of the fence at Great Oaks and O’Connor Drive and began a campaign to fund completion by assessing each home a onetime $200 special assessment, payable in 3 installments over a 1-year period. Affirmative voting by 75% of the existing homeowners was required for this measure to pass. The measure did not pass. Feedback received immediately following the vote suggests that many thought it unfair for all homeowners to pay for a fence in someone else’s yard. Others suggested we use our deed restriction enforcement powers to encourage those with deteriorated fencing to repair or replace them.

As we proceeded with recommendations, it became immediately obvious that obtaining aesthetic uniformity in fencing along Great Oaks Drive, Pocono Drive and Neenah Drive presented a unique problem. Individual ownership of fencing yield individual solutions some have likened to a patchwork quilt. Non-standardized building materials and non-standard building methods have given this impression. Cat Hollow’s new fence amplifies the contrasting differences.

Pictures Inside This Issue

2 Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowners Association Newsletter - February 2009 Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.


Newsletter InformationEditor Mike Baranowski [email protected] Peel, Inc. ........................ www.PEELinc.com, 512-263-9181 Advertising ........ [email protected], 512-263-9181

HOA Board Members

Bob Grahl, Chairman of the Board ............................... 09/2009 Mel Callender, President ............................................... 09/2010Christian Soeffker, Tresurer .......................................... 09/2009Steve Montgomery, Secretary ....................................... 09/2010Mike Baranowski, Director ........................................... 09/2010Anna Huckabee, Director .............................................. 09/2010

Important NumbersRound Rock Refuse .............................................. 512-255-4980Williamson County (main line).............................512-943-1300Williamson County Sheriff (non-emergency) .......512-943-1300Sam Bass Fire Department (non-emergency) .......512-255-0100Animal Control (domestic pets and stray livestock)...................512-943-1389Poison Contrl.........................................................800-POISONFor emergencies..................................................................9-1-1

Property Management(Deed restriction violations and general information)

Debra JohnsonGoodwin Management, Inc.

11149 Research Blvd, Suite 100Austin, Texas 78759

Office (512) 750-2883Cell (512) 745-1511Fax (512) 346-4873

Term Expires

HOA Web Sitehttp://www.meadowshoa.com

At no time will any source be allowed to use the Meadows of Brushy Creek HOA Newsletter contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from the Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowner's Association and Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowner's Association residents only.

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DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser.* The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising.* Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction.* Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.



MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Monthly HOA Meetings:Our meetings are scheduled for the 4th Tuesday of every month.

February 24th, 2009 March 24th, 2009

* Meetings are subject to change or cancellation due to holidays and board member availability.

MUD Community Center Events:FEBRUARY

2 A.B.S. Abs & Back Strength3 FREE Game Club - Chicken Foot6 Basketball Skills Class10 Scrapbooking11 Kids Running Club13 Parent’s Night Out13 Teen Sweetheart Dance16 Vacation Day Camp16 Prenatal Yoga16 Teens in Training18 FREE Book Club Princess Bride20 Friday Funtastics Miss Ruth Story Time

MARCH2 Abs & Back Strength3 Fencing Class3 FREE Game Club-Poker3 Home School Active Play7 Community Festival - LOTS of family fun14 Little Hitters

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Newsletter.Kelly PeelSales Manager

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16 BC Sports Camp16 V-ball Camp16 Kid Fit Spring Break Tennis Camp16 Discover Scuba Experience16-20 Spring Break Fun Camp16-20 Craft Camp (Middle School)18 Red Cross Babysitter Certification19 MUD Madness 3 on 3 Basketball20 Friday Funtastics Fry’s Fun Farm20 Teen Pool Party - Sendero Pool21 BC Open Badminton Tournament25 FREE Book Club Stones from the River30 Sign Language

ANNUAL EVENTSJanuary – Free Christmas tree recycling/mulch and Free saplingMarch – Free Community FestivalApril – Free Spring Egg Hunt (co-host BCWA)March – Keep Brushy Creek BeautifulMay – Backyard BBQ Cook-offJune – Daddy Daughter DanceJuly 4th – Parade (co-host BCWA)October – Spookyfest for Family FunOctober – Hairy Man Festival (co-host BCWA)November Texas Recycles DayDecember – Free Holiday in the ParkMonthly – Free 5K Runs on District Trails

Brushy Creek Aquathon (different months)Brushy Creek Open Swim Meet (different months)

� Meadows of Brushy Creek Homeowners Association Newsletter - February 2009 Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.


Advertising Information Please support the businesses that advertise in the Meadows of Brushy Creek HOA Newsletter. Their advertising dollars make it possible for all Meadows of Brushy Creek residents to receive the monthly newsletter at no charge. No homeowners association funds are used to produce or mail the newsletters. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 512-263-9181 or [email protected]. The advertising deadline is the 10th of each month for the following month's newsletter.

Advertise Your Business Here

888-687-6444

Holiday DecorationsWhat a beautiful sight it was to drive through the Meadows of

Brushy Creek during this holiday season. We hope you had time to enjoy the many lights, scenes, and even music that was shining bright on every street. Hopefully, you have enjoyed the holidays.

The hardest part was to pick a winner among so many beautifully decorated homes and yards.

If you enjoyed this contest, please let us know. Keep up the good work.

(For color versions, please visit http://www.meadowshoa.com/, or http://www.peelinc.com/newsletterInfo.php?newsletter=MB.)

“Best Tree”: 8703 Pepper Rock Drive

“Best Lighting”: 8906 Rustic Cove

“Best Nativity”: 8913 Pepper Rock Drive

“Best Cul-de-sac/Street”: Spearhead Cove

Rustic Cove

Rustic Cove

Rustic Cove



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Meadows of Brushy CreekNew Food Guide Pyramid for Preschoolers

you know your kids like. • Let them feel like they have a choice. That doesn’t mean letting

them pick out their snacks or meals. It means presenting them with healthy options, then allowing them to decide whether to eat, what to eat on their plates, and how much to eat.

• Don't expect kids to be "clean-platers." Let children recognize their own internal cues that tell them when they’re hungry and when they’re full.

• Encourage trying at least one bite of different nutritious foods at each meal, but don’t bargain for bites or use dessert as a reward. If you tell kids they can have a cookie if they eat their spinach that only makes the treat seem that much more appealing than the veggies. Plus, it creates mealtime tension and sets the stage for a power struggle.

• Be persistent. It may take a while for little eaters to accept new tastes and textures — you may have to present a food up to 15 times before they’ll try it.

• Say no to soda and too much juice (no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day for preschoolers). Water and milk are the only beverages kids really need. But avoid serving any drink right before meals that might spoil their appetite.

• Serve smaller portions, which are less overwhelming for kids. Plus, bigger portions may encourage overeating.

• Create positive peer pressure. Look for opportunities for kids to eat healthy with friends (at home, playgroups, or school).

• Set a good example. Sit down for family meals together and make sure your kids see you enjoying the same wholesome foods you’re expecting them to eat.

• Get more inventive as they grow. Create food faces. Offer condiments, dressings, and dips (like peanut butter, applesauce, ranch dressing, yogurt, cream cheese, guacamole, or salsa dip) for dunking and decorating. Serve colorful fruits and veggies in a “food rainbow” or on a kabob. Cut cheese, veggies, and sandwiches into shapes. And if your picky eater opts not to eat anything at all, don’t make

a big deal about it — your finicky kid won’t starve. Simply offer nutritious choices again at the next scheduled meal or snack. But if your child is regularly skipping meals and snacks or you’re worried that your little one isn’t getting enough calories or nutrients, talk to your doctor.

Luckily, although lots of tots are picky eaters at some point, this often-frustrating phase too shall pass. In the meantime, get creative, be patient, stay positive, and stock up on snack and meal ideas from other parents, KidsHealth’s recipe section, and tools like the USDA’s new website (go to MyPyramid.gov and click on MyPyramid for Preschoolers). And, just think, in no time they’ll be really big kids raiding the cabinets!

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MDDate reviewed: October 2008

If you’re parenting a 2- to 5-year-old, chances are you’re all too familiar with the picky palates of preschoolers. Whether your tot is just occasionally persnickety or every meal is met with a scrunched-up nose, a stuck-out tongue, and a tantrum, no doubt you could use some nutritional advice, now and then, for feeding your discriminating little diner.

Enter the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with its brand new “MyPyramid for Preschoolers” website. Using guidance based on current scientific research and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (the government’s most recent recommendations), the interactive site will help parents and caregivers:• create a customized eating plan for preschoolers (using sample

meals and snacks that can translate into a printable, fridge-door-worthy personalized plan)

• help kids develop healthier eating habits and be more physically active

• figure out if kids are growing as they should, by looking at things like Body Mass Index (BMI) and Height-for-Age charts

What This Means to YouGetting preschoolers to eat — and eat well— is often a test in

patience, persistence, and creativity. But it all boils down to realizing (and learning to live with the fact) that eating or not eating is often how preschoolers express that they’re becoming increasingly independent big kids with their own tastes and opinions.

“Food jags” — when kids will only consume certain things and reject most others — are a common, albeit aggravating part of early childhood, especially the age 2 to 5 set. Sure, you may want to throw in the dishtowel every time your 2-year-old hurls the peas on the floor or your preschooler sticks a nose up at the pork chops. But you can’t let their perpetual pickiness rule the roost.

To help make preschoolers more open-minded about what they put in their mouths, try these tips:• Set and stick to a daily meal and snack time schedule. Young children

usually need three meals and two or three nutritious snacks a day. • Pay attention to portion sizes and timing of snacks so they don’t

interfere with appetites for the next scheduled meal. • Be creative with snack choices so you’ll get the most nutritious

bang for your buck. Combine two or more food groups — like graham crackers with cream cheese and bananas, pear slices with cheese, whole-wheat mini pitas with hummus and cucumbers or shredded carrots, or whole-grain crackers with peanut butter and jelly (if allergies aren’t an issue at home or school).

• Include your preschoolers in the action. Look for recipes with ingredients your kids like and invite them to join you to shop for, cook, and serve the food. Preschoolers feel important when grown-ups welcome their assistance. Then they enjoy a sweet sense of pride in what they helped to prepare.

• Reel in the junk food, but don’t ban it altogether. If you completely forbid certain foods, kids are much more likely to want them even more. So, it’s OK to allow some special treats every once in a while.

• Don't cook special meals just for picky eaters. Serve the same thing for the whole family, but include new choices alongside something

This information was provided by KidsHealth, one of the largest resources online for medically reviewed health information written for parents, kids, and teens. For more articles like this one, visit www.KidsHealth.org or www.TeensHealth.org. ©1995-2006. The Nemours Foundation

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Avery RanchBarton CreekBarton Hills

BelterraCanyon Creek

Cherry Creek on Brodie Lane Circle C Ranch

CourtyardDavenport Ranch

Forest CreekGranada HillsHeatherwilde

Highland Park West BalconesJester EstatesJester FarmsLake PointeLakewood

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As we look forward to 2009, maybe we have kids graduating from high school, maybe we ourselves decided to go back to school, or maybe we are looking forward to a career change. Either way, we are looking forward to this year with optimism and hope – hope for health and happiness. Whatever our goals are for the new year, the children in foster care remain in pretty much the same place, with the same goals. You see, the children were removed from their homes, from their families – not because of something they did, but something their parents did. Now, they live in a temporary foster care system wondering what the future holds. Foster care is a time for these children to heal, but it is not the end. It is supposed to be a temporary system until the children can move on to permanency, and permanency being the safe, stable and loving family that will be there for them forever.

Meet Rebecka. She has been in foster care a few years and has hopes. Her biggest hope is that someone will love her enough to claim her. Her other hopes include the person, or family, being patient enough for her to learn and grow, and catch up for all of the time missed. For some children, they need that one on one time, the time to be special, the time to feel the object of others attention.

Rebecka, 11, is an active, intelligent and engaging child, who needs direction, and assistance in staying focused. Rebecka likes to read, listen Photo Courtesy of the Adoption Coalition of Texas/The Heart Gallery of Central Texas,

Photo by HJ Brockway, Photo Gusto

to country music, sing, attend church and play with friends. Rebecka is talented, intelligent and a gifted vocalist. She likes to play with kids her age. Rebecka however, at this time, requires supervision while with peers. She vies for attention. She is a young girl with a beautiful smile and a lot of potential. Although she may exhibit challenging behaviors, she will thrive with a committed family.

Rebecka would benefit from being adopted by parents who have strong parenting skills. Rebecka will need time to bond. She would benefit from a permanent placement

with a loving, supportive and understanding family where she continue to grow and learn. Rebecka needs consistent care from parents who will promote her future success. If you would like to learn more about adoption from foster care, please contact the Adoption Coalition of Texas at [email protected] or 512-301-2825. If you are interested in learning more about Rebecka, contact Grace Lindren, LMSW, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter/Adoption Coalition of Texas at 512-687-3209/fax 512-692-2540, [email protected].

If you are interested, you can view a story with Rebecka on News 8 Austin Forever Families ~ just click the link: http://www.news8austin.com/content/living/forever_families/?ArID=226023&SecID=428

Meet Rebecka



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