Thanks Marm!

Thanks for bringing in the tomatoes Marlys!

WalkScore: Free, Awesome, and Helpful!

Have you heard of WalkScore.com? It's a great tool you can use to find out how "walkable" a neighborhood is. For example, by typing in our office's address I found that we have a WalkScore of 80 out of 100, simply because there are so many key businesses within walking distance of our office! The nearest grocery store and hardware store are only a half-mile away, and the nearest drugstore is only a quarter mile away! Think how valuable this could be for those considering moving to a new or unfamiliar area! Go to http://www.walkscore.com/ to try it out!

Easy Recipe for the Whole Family!

Don't know what to make for dinner tonight? Try this awesome recipe we found on Allrecipes.com!

Burrito Pie

SUBMITTED BY: KATHIMC

PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 30 Min
READY IN 1 Hr

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, sliced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) jar taco sauce
2 (16 ounce) cans refried beans
12 (8 inch) flour tortillas
9 ounces shredded Colby cheese

DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef for 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 5 more minutes. Drain any excess fat, if desired. Mix in the olives, green chile peppers, tomatoes with green chile peppers, taco sauce and refried beans. Stir mixture thoroughly, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
3.Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tortillas followed by more meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat tortilla, meat, cheese pattern until all the tortillas are used, topping off with a layer of meat mixture and cheese.
4.Bake for 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is slightly brown and bubbly.

Owen in the Limelight!

Distinguished local celebrity Owen Charles was featured on the front page of the highly esteemed Verona Press! Upon seeing the publication Owen observed, "I must be a really famous kid." Nicole added, "I think it's because you're so cute," to which Owen responded, "Well, that helps too."

Also in today's breaking news, somebody's big stinky compost pile is being moved or something.

Open, Spacious Condo For Sale in Madison, WI!

This cute home is located at 2937 Turbot Dr., Madison, WI. (See it on a map!) For more information or to schedule a private showing of this property contact Nicole directly at (608) 513-0021!

Cute Condo For Sale in Cross Plains, WI!

This sunny condo is located at 2315 Brewery Rd in Cross Plains, WI. (See it on a map!) For more information or to schedule a private showing of this property contact Nicole directly at (608) 513-0021!

Amazing 1890's Victorian For Sale in Evansville, WI!!

This gorgeous home is located at 236 W. Main St. in Evansville, WI. (See it on a map!) For more information or to schedule a private showing of this property contact Nicole directly at (608) 513-0021!

Keller Williams Realty Receives Nod as the Highest Ranked in Customer Satisfaction

J.D. Power and Associates names company highest in customer satisfaction for second year in a row.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (September 2, 2009) —According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM, Keller Williams Realty, Inc., the third largest real estate company in North America, received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms for the second year in a row. The company also ranked second-highest among home sellers in the study.

“We couldn’t be prouder. This is an achievement our associates have truly earned. It is the face-to-face interaction and the relationships they build daily that has impacted this study and elevated Keller Williams Realty to another level in customer service,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty. “Knowing that this study was conducted during the toughest times the market has seen shows that spirit and dedication can make an impact.”

The study was produced by J.D. Power and Associates to measure home buyers’ and sellers’ customer satisfaction. The results of the home-buying experience were determined by three factors including the agent, office and the package of additional services.

“I am absolutely beaming with pride that our agents have been honored in such a fantastic way,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty. “We are lucky to be in business with such incredible business people, who have shown incredible resolve over the past two years. If there was a time to build their business, it is now.”

About Keller Williams Realty Inc.:
Founded in 1983, Keller Williams Realty Inc. is the third-largest real estate franchise operation in the United States, with 679 offices and 73,000 associates in the United States and Canada. The company, which began franchising in 1990, has an agent-centric culture that emphasizes access to leading-edge education and promotes an economic model that rewards associates as stakeholders and partners. The company also provides specialized agents in luxury homes and commercial real estate properties. For more information, or to search for homes for sale visit Keller Williams Realty online at http://www.kw.com/.

Pumpkin Patches Near Madison, WI!

Anderson's Pleasant Patch Pumpkins

2313 Koshkonong Rd.

Cottage Grove, WI 53527

• They sell: winter squash, pick-your-own pumpkins, pre-picked pumpkins, gourds, straw bales, corn shocks, dried floral arrangements, and fall decorations
• They have: a 1 mile hiking trail, a corn maze, tractor pulled hay rides, and a haunted house
• They're open: Last weekend of September through Halloween, Saturday and Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.
• Contact them: phone - (608) 219-0860, email - andpumpkins@hotmail.com
  
  

Appleberry Farm

8079 Maurer Rd.

Cross Plains, WI 53528

• They sell: pick-your-own or pre-picked apples, and apple cider
• They have: sheep for you to visit, chickens for you to feed, a duck pond to sit by, hayrides, an orchard for you to walk through, and an oak savanna with views of Blue Mounds for you to explore
• Contact them: phone - (608) 798-2780, email - fun@theappleberryfarm.com, website - http://www.theappleberryfarm.com/
  

Carandale Farm

5683 Lincoln Rd.

Oregon, WI 53575

• They sell: pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, caramel apples, apple butter, frozen pies, honey, jams and jellies, pears, plums, squash, gourds, dried flowers, pre-picked and pick-your-own tomatoes, raspberries, and strawberries
• They're open: until November 1st, 10 am to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays, and noon to 5 pm on Sundays (closed Wednesdays)
• Contact them: phone - (608) 835-5871, website - http://www.carandale.com/

Eplegaarden Orchard

2273 Fitchburg Rd.

Fitchburg, WI 53575

• They sell: pick-your-own apples, raspberries, and pumpkins
• They have: hayrides, animals, and a haunted barn
• Contact them: phone - (608) 845-5966, email - forest@eplegaarden.com, website - http://www.eplegaarden.com/
  

Foster's Fall Harvest
6617 State Road 73
Marshall, WI 53559

• They sell: twenty varieties of pumpkins, squash, gourds, ornamental corn, and corn shocks, apples, honey, and crafts
• They're open: September through Halloween, evenings 5 pm to 7 pm, weekends 9 am to 7 pm
• Contact them: phone - (608) 655-4275

Green's Orchard
2722 Williams Dr.

Stoughton, WI 53589

• They sell: pick-your-own pumpkins, pick-your-own and pre-picked apples, squash, honey, sweet corn, Indian corn, and tomatoes
• They're open: 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays
• Contact them: phone - (608) 873-4096, email - apples247@yahoo.com

Hermanson Pumpkin Patch

127 Hwy N

Edgerton, WI 53534

• They sell: pick-your-own and pre-picked pumpkins, pre-picked produce, birdhouse gourds, decorative gourds, large atlantic giant pumpkins, straw bales, corn shocks, minature corn, Indian corn
• They have: a petting zoo that includes llamas, donkeys, goats, pigs, calves, fish, and a large st. bernhard dog
• They're open: September and October, everyday from 9 am to 6 pm
• Contact them: phone - (608) 884 - 8759, email - vicki.ferrell@edgerton.k12.wi.us

Schuster's Playtime Farm
1326 US Highway 12 and 18

Deerfield, WI 53531

• They sell: 15 varieties of pick-your-own and pre-picked pumpkins, pre-picked produce, decorative corn, fall basket arrangements, fall decorative ceramics, corn stalks, straw bales, decorative gourds of all sizes, squash potpourri
• They have: a corn maze, a haunted corn maze, a straw or haybale maze, a corn cannon, a gift shop, a snacks and refreshments stand, a picnic area, tractor-pulled hay ride, wagon rides, and a petting zoo
• They're open: September and October, 9 am to 7 pm Mondays through Saturdays, and 10 am to 6 pm Sundays
• Contact them: phone - (608) 764-8488, email - playtime@chorus.net, website - http://www.schustersplaytimefarm.com/

The Tree Farm

454 St Rd 19

Cross Plains, WI 53528

• They sell: asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, Christmas trees, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, flowers, peas, peppers, pumpkins, rhubarb, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes
• They're open: September and October, 9 am to noon and 4 pm to dusk on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays
• Contact them: phone - (608) 798-2286, email - treefarm@midplains.net

Willow Glen Farm

645 County Highway PB

Belleville, WI 53508

• They sell: a great selection of pre-picked pumpkins, gourds, winter squash, Indian corn, broom corn, honey, ornamentals, specialty squash, gourds, and miniature Indian corn
• Contact them: phone - (608) 845-6016
  
  
  (Photo from http://www.waltcurleeart.com/, information from http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/)

Back to School Backpack Craft Idea

Apples aren't just for eating. The cut side of an apple half, dipped in candy-colored paint, can be stamped onto otherwise ordinary canvas tote bags and backpacks.

Apple-Print Bag How-To
1. Cut an apple in half from top to bottom. Make sure the cut is smooth and flat. Use a paintbrush to apply the paint evenly over the cut side of the apple.

2. With the apple half, cut side down, stamp the surface of the object you want to decorate. The more times you stamp, the less vivid the print will be, so reapply paint, or use the other half.

3. Use additional apple halves to print with different colors, if desired. To draw stems and leaves, use black or green markers (or paint).

(Photo and craft idea from http://www.marthastewart.com/)

2009 Ironman in Madison, WI!

2009 Ironman in Madison, Wi

September 13, 2009

begins 7:00 am at Law Park

2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run

Why Madison? Madison has consistently been ranked as among one of the finest small cities in the United States. Madison is not only one of the fittest cities in America, but supports one of the top Universities in the Midwest in the University of Wisconsin. More than 40,000 attend UW, and with the tentative courses going through and around the campus (as well as a population base of 200,000+), Ironman Wisconsin could feature the most spectators of any Ironman event in the world.

Spectators can watch the first event, swimming, from the Monona Terrace. Then, spectators can take a bus from the Alliant Energy Center to the city of Verona to watch athletes pass by twice. Since the running portion of the event takes place on the streets of downtown Madison, spectators may line the streets of the course to view the athletes.

For more information, pictures, and a list of this years athletes, visit http://www.ironmanwisconsin.com/.