Wagons are beginning to creep back onto American roads in great numbers thanks to some European car makers. It’s a good thing for the American car buyers as gas prices continue to remain well over the $3 mark per gallon. Wagons can give you the same cargo space as an SUV but with the fuel economy of a car.

Audi, the German car company famous for making cars with superb handling and lush interiors, has introduced their 2013 Audi Allroad into the American market.  This model is a little taller, wider, longer and higher than the A4 wagon it replaced in their lineup. And, although it’s called the Allroad, it’s not really designed for serious off-roading. Perhaps a dusty ranch road is about as far off the highway as you should plan on taking it.

For a starting MSRP of $39,600, you get a 211 hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control and Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive system. You’ll find that driving this wagon is especially wonderful in Sport mode, and you will forget you’re steering a wagon. It’s pretty quick in the passing lane, and it will get you from 0-60 in just over seven seconds. Fuel economy is hardly class-leading though it delivers 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

The Allroad’s interior, like every new Audi, is wonderful, just wonderful.  The fit and finish is outstanding and very stylish to boot. The MMI interface can seem a little too involved for American drivers but please understand that it is designed for European drivers cruising down the Autobahn at way over 100 mph.  At those speeds, you have to keep your eyes glued to the road and fiddling with the radio is verboten.  That’s why the Audi system makes sense for German drivers.

Audi is also the first company worldwide to feature a factory-installed wireless internet, enabling the onboard MMI Navigation system to connect with Google Earth maps for a true aerial view of your route. Although it does not have all  of the features that Google Maps has on your laptop, it’s still a pretty amazing addition to your nav system, and it is only available in an Audi.

The 2013 Audi Allroad is just another reason to look at a wagon as an alternative to the SUV/CUV.  You may just find that the improved handling and fuel economy makes up for the high driving position.

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.

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Ordering a glass of wine has always been somewhat of a game of roulette, gambling how long your wine has been expiring in an open bottle. Many consumers have learned to ask their server how long the bottle has been open when ordering.  There is a good reason for the wine lover’s anxiety over what should be something as simple as being served a fresh glass of vino.

Most establishments that serve wine by the glass do so by opening bottles and portioning them out. While this sounds easy enough, there are pitfalls that turn this process into a complex game of waste.  The challenge is that the moment oxygen is introduced to wine, it is expiring. For restaurateurs, the hopes are to sell through the entire bottle of wine to avoid vacuum sealing the bottle until the next glass is ordered. Some wines have a low frequency of demand and go bad before the whole bottle is sold.

So what’s the answer to getting a fresh glass of wine by the glass? Wine on tap!  Envision wine in special kegs that serve fresh, quality glasses of vino, draft style.  With modern technology, prestigious winemakers have the ability to place their wine in keg containers versus traditional bottles and cork.

On the cutting edge of science, these new wine kegs are lined inside with an inert bladder to protect the wine and lock in flavor.  Wine is taken straight from oak barrels, skips the bottling process and is then placed inside the keg container. It is immediately shipped to your local wine server who is able to pour the freshest product each and every time.

In addition to the flavor and quality, there are also some incredible environmental advantages to this new concept including less bottles and cork being needed and discarded, fewer trees cut down to make labels and shipping boxes, kegs are all reusable, and the average keg weighs thirty percent less than a case of wine; therefore, fewer trucks are used in transport.

Seek out a place near you that offers this futuristic way of wine service, and get what you truly deserve: the perfect wine every time.

The post A Kegger with Class appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

Summer is here, and school is almost out. Now is the time to start thinking about things that will keep the kids busy for the next few months. This wonderful weather just makes one want to get out and about, and see all of the wonderful activities that Katy and the surrounding areas have to offer. Whatever you pick to keep you and your little ones busy this summer, just remember, we are Kickin’ in Katy! Have fun!

 May 4th

The 2nd Annual Katy Wild West Brew Fest 

Villagio Town Center

Enjoy this craft beer tasting event sponsored by the Katy Texas Rotary Club. The Brew Fest features 25 Specialty Craft Brewers from various distributorships within the city of Houston. Visit www.katybrewfest.com for more information.

May 7th 

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service 

Are you looking for quick, easy and healthy meals to feed your family and friends?  Then sign up for the 1st Annual Dinner Tonight Healthy Cooking School! The Dinner Tonight Healthy Cooking School utilizes recipes that are cost-effective, easy to prepare and fit into a healthy meal plan. The school takes place from 6 to 8 pm at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, Building B, in Rosenberg. This event features recipes that are easy and nutritious and can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Participants will prepare and sample two 3 course meals. The cost of the cooking school is $20, and register by contacting the Fort Bend County Extension Office at 281-342-3034. The doors open at 5 pm.

May 11th

Savannah Smiles Fun Run – 5K

8 to 10:30 am

The Villagio Town Center

22764 Westheimer Pkwy. in Katy

In 1984, a small group of parents across the country banded together to support, comfort and educate each other about the devastating disease affecting their children, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Their purpose was twofold: to support families affected by SMA and to fund research leading to a treatment and eventually, a cure. This courageous group of families has grown to an international network of fundraising and support including 31 volunteer Chapters throughout the United States. Since 1984, their legacy is one of unparalleled research progress and patient support, from grassroots fundraising to global scientific leadership. Families of SMA has funded over $50 million of SMA research in three areas:  Basic Research, Drug Development and Clinical Trials. Registration for the Savannah Smiles Fun Run – 5K is $25. Visit www.fsma.org/fundraising/eventscalendar.

 May 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th 

Brazos Bend State Park

Head out to Brazos Bend State Park where activities include camping, picnicking, hiking, biking, horseback riding and fishing. Six lakes are easily accessible to fishermen, with piers located at 40-Acre, Elm and Hale Lakes. Visitors are cautioned to pay due respect to alligators, which are numerous in some areas of the park. The Nature Center houses exhibits pertaining to the three major ecosystems in the park.

The George Observatory is located in the park and is open Saturdays from 3 to 10 pm. For information on stargazing programs, passes and other programs, call 979-553-3400 or 281-242-3055 or visit the George Observatory website at www.hmns.org.

 Thursday, Friday and 

Saturday Nights

Live Music in Katy

Yes, there is live music in Katy at Baker Street Pub. Enjoy dinner and stay for the live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights starting at 9:45 pm with Karoke on Wednesdays.

Baker Street Pub is in LaCenterra at 23501 Cinco Ranch Boulevard. For more information visit www.bakerstreetpub.com.

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Expert: Dawn Bunting, Dietician at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus

We all know that childhood obesity is a real issue that many families face. A majority of the discussion has placed an emphasis on encouraging physical activity for children as a way to keep them healthy. While this is extremely important, an equally important facet is helping children maintain a balanced nutritional diet. This task isn’t always easy for busy families, but there are simple tips that everyone can use to make healthy eating fun for the entire family.

Q: What is the best way for me to help my family control portion sizes?

As families may know, the U.S. Department of Agriculture replaced the food pyramid with the “MyPlate” concept which gives a more visual demonstration of how much of each food group we should have during our main meals. Though the basics still apply, this new concept more visually reminds everyone of the importance of controlling serving sizes and portion control. For instance, some bags of chips or containers of frozen yogurt are multiple serving sizes even though we may think it’s just one. By utilizing “MyPlate,” you can also help assure that you are getting a variety of foods from a variety of food groups. For more information about “MyPlate,” visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/.

Q: My child automatically assumes that “healthy” foods taste bad. What do I do?

Children thrive in an environment where they have some control. If we truly want our children to be successful, we need to allow them the opportunity to become active members in their nutrition. Some ways you can easily do this include:

Shopping – Allowing children to create the grocery list – with your helpful suggestions, of course.

Meal Planning – Asking your child to help plan a meal a week, and play a part of the meal preparation.

Color Selection – Letting your children select a color for each day and use that as inspiration for a new fruit or vegetable the family tries.

Q: I have picky eaters in the family. How can I get them to like healthy food?

This is one of the most difficult, yet common, roadblocks parents run into. The best advice I can give parents is to continue to retry different types of foods.  Just because your child didn’t like something the first time doesn’t mean they won’t the second or third time. Also, try preparing food items in a variety of ways as acquiring tastes for different foods can take time.

Q: How do I know the difference between a picky eater and an under-lying medical problem?

If you’re concerned that your child’s selective eating habits are more than just that of a picky eater, you can always have your primary care physician make a referral to the Clinical Nutrition Services to see a registered dietitian at Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus, located at I-10 and Barker Cypress. Our dietitians really take the time to understand your concern. Nutrition and healthy eating affects the entire family, so we listen to parents, answer their questions and respond in a way that is centered on the entire family.

Q:  I don’t want my child to feel that they never can eat anything sweet. Are there some snack or dessert options I can give my child?

There are plenty of ways you can take something nutritious, like a fruit or vegetable, and add something sweet to create a healthy snack or dessert. Some options include:

Homemade Fruit Pops – Take a banana, dip it in yogurt and freeze it.

“Ants on a Log” – The old favorite creates a healthy – and fun – topping for celery:  peanut butter and raisins.  Or, try celery and cream cheese.

Ice Cream Sundae – Use frozen yogurt and graham crackers for this kid-friendly treat.

French Fries – Make homemade baked French fries or try homemade baked sweet potato fries for a special treat.

The post Q & A Nutrition appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a “goal” as “the end toward which effort is directed.” Katy ISD is the eigth largest district in Texas. We use over 3,000 gallons of diesel every day on our buses, and we have over 56 cafeterias to staff and deliver food to each and every day. Katy ISD is a logistical accomplishment on many levels, but the number one thing, “The Main Thing,” is teaching and learning.

One of the major roles of the school board is to provide vision and direction for the district. The way we do that is through goal setting. We set goals for ourselves, for our superintendent and for the district. This is a process we are committed to do each year. We spend countless hours in meetings to achieve this. The following are the goals we have set for the next five years, and we are currently working on key performance indicators so we can effectively measure our progress.

Katy ISD Goals

1 Student Growth and Success Each student will be provided engaging, relevant and meaningful experiences which foster the acquisition of the KISD Cornerstone Skills (collaboration, communication, creative thinking, critical thinking, information literacy, problem solving and social contribution) that lead to student success.

2 Safe and Orderly Learning and Working Environment A safe, orderly, positive learning and working environment will be provided for students and staff.

3 Community Engagement

Parents and community members are provided a variety of opportunities for active, collaborative involvement which support student success.

4 Effective, Efficient Operations

Resources are allocated in an efficient manner to facilitate quality learning experiences and a positive and effective work environment.

5 Organizational Improvement Strategic data points and shared agreements are utilized to make decisions regarding planning evaluation and performance needs.

Katy ISD is one of the fastest growing school districts in the nation. This growth presents a constant challenge, and I want to make sure we keep our eyes on “The Main Thing,” teaching and learning. Our district goals exist to promote student success. I want our district to give every child in Katy schools the opportunity to achieve great things. Success cannot be guaranteed, but we can offer the student the opportunity to grow and succeed.

As we head into summer, let’s look ahead to another great year in Katy ISD. Let’s take time with our young people, point them towards excellence and use this summer to prepare them for achieving great things in the 2013-14 school year. I would also encourage each of you reading this to attend at least one board meeting this summer. The summer is the time we work on the budget. It’s a time we decide what priorities we have for the coming year and put the dollars into those areas. Come speak out, and let us hear what your priorities are because at the end of the day, the schools are yours. We are only the keepers of the trust.

The post Katy Independent School District Goals appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

The post Out & About – May 2013 appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

Dylan and Brooks Milam

May is one of my favorite months of the year because we celebrate Mother’s Day. I can honestly say, “I’ve become my mother!” I used to hear that saying when I was growing up and never believed it, but every year that goes by, I see myself doing things and saying things just like my mom, and I could not be more proud.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we are highlighting several Katy families to see how they celebrate the holiday with long-standing traditions. I am a traditional person myself, and in my family, we have tons of traditions, so it’s always fun to hear how other families spend special times together creating cherished memories.

We will also introduce you to Jean Mabute, who was recently crowned  Miss Katy 2013 – and at her first pageant no less! Jean has big plans to bring childhood obesity to the forefront through her platform “Fuel Today for a Healthy Tomorrow.” This UT graduate has a bright future ahead of her and represents Katy well!

Finally, absolutely!  Katy Magazine is the title sponsor of the ”Hats on to Polo” event at the Houston Polo Club on Mother’s Day. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon with your mom, and a fun hat contest will take place for adults and the kids, so we hope to see you there!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms who shuffle their kids to carpool, attend  PTA meetings, work long hours both inside and outside the home and simply make life special for the children in their lives.

Absolutely Yours,

Lara

Lara Bell-Milam

lara@absolutelykaty.com

The post Exclamation Points – May 2013 appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

The fact that there is a holiday dedicated to mothers should tell us how important mothers are in our lives. I am a firm believer in family traditions and how that translates to strong family ties, so I wanted to see how some Katy families spend their lives creating lasting memories for their families on Mother’s Day.

Victoria and Cheryl Hollabaugh, Peggy Woodward and Rebecca Hollabaugh.

Peggy Woodward

Our family always looks forward to the next holiday – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, Mother’s and Father’s Day – you get the picture. Traditions are part of our heritage, and we take it seriously. Our family has been blessed with mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers that were ready to celebrate Mother’s Day at the drop of a hat. At the Reed/Colvin celebration, we had lunch after church and then set out the dominos for an afternoon of fun. In Houston, the Woodward/Blankenship’s large family celebrated Mother’s Day with lunch at the matriarch’s home. Following tradition, “Other Mama” served her beautiful strawberry shortcake to honor the day.

As our children matured, their schedule did not always lend itself to be with me on Mother’s Day. I have been very blessed to have two children who treated me as though each day was Mother’s Day, so missing the appointed day was not a travesty. Our granddaughters have been taught, by their parents, to honor those, past and present, who have shared their love and memories. Therefore, a Mother’s love, a gift from God, shall be with them forever.

Kyle and Sharon McIntyre, John and Zaccary Gioffre and Hadyn and Danyelle McIntyre.

Sharon McIntyre

My children are quite the rainbow of ages. At one point, I had one in high school, one in middle school, one in grammar school and one in preschool. It was amazing as I look back that I could do the “don’t drink or do drugs” talk and get squawked back at while holding down a toddler with one leg and changing a diaper!

Motherhood is a job that never seems to end, even though half my children are now adults. They impress me deeply as they seek to succeed and be great Americans to contribute to the success of the Cinco Ranch residents that preceded them.

This Mother’s Day, we plan on spending that time with all of our children and my husband, Kyle McIntyre, at our ranch. We don’t have specific traditions in place, but I receive the bundles of cards and flowers each year, and I must say as the children get older, their cards seem to list more “I love you’s” and deeper meanings and signatures as time passes by.

Happy Mother’s Day to all those who can enjoy their day of joy with the ones they love. I know I will enjoy mine!

Don Demny, Landon Sturdevant, Dianne Demny, Hadley and Dana Sturdevant with Johnny and Debra Slaughter.

Debra Slaughter

Mother’s Day has always been a special in our family. Even as young girls, we collaborated each year to show our appreciation for Mom. My sister, Dana, and I would stay up late the Saturday night before to plan a “routine” to perform for Mom first thing Sunday morning. We assembled elaborate costumes from our closets and toy chests using anything we thought looked fancy from tap shoes and jewelry, old Halloween and dance costumes, even cowboy hats. Then, we would gather props and begin choreographing. The plan would be to stay up all night and practice so it would be just perfect, but we usually ended up falling asleep on the floor at some point. Nevertheless, we always woke up early enough to prepare breakfast and deliver it to Mom atop a metal TV tray before she got out of bed. Then, we would take our places at the foot of her bed and reveal our show while she ate. Neither of us were ever very talented performers, but she always loved the fact that we worked so hard together to do something just for her.

Eventually, we outgrew the “sister routines,” but we always kept the tradition of Mother’s Day being a family day and a “no work” day for Mom. We all love to bake, so we spent many Mother’s Days around the kitchen table decorating cookies, cupcakes or anything tasty.

Today, we still make it a point to spend Mother’s Day together whether it’s cooking at one of our homes or taking Mom out to lunch to a restaurant of her choice. We’ve also decided to include a mother-daughter spa day sometime in May each year.

Our childhood memories of the desire to make our mom feel loved on this day and the joy it gave us to see her smile influences my sister and I as teachers today. A year has never gone by that we both haven’t taken the time to have our students create a special personalized gift to honor their mothers in May. Our mother is very proud to say that both of her daughters are teachers in Katy ISD. She even still picks up things when she is out shopping for me to use in my 7th grade classroom at Seven Lakes Junior High or for Dana’s 4th grade class at Exley Elementary. Now that’s a great mom!

Betty Ann and Jimmy Sentner with Mary Jo, Mary Beth, J.T., Brennan, Emma Lynn and Garreth Hall.

Betty Ann Sentner

We are all about family! Our two children have blessed us with five wonderful grandchildren – four Halls and one Sentner. They keep us very engaged in their sports, dance and other activities. We are about giving back through the MS 150, Ronald McDonald House and the Houston Live Stock ad Rodeo.

Our two oldest grandchildren wrote about family for their school projects. What they wrote is the essence of our family. Mary Beth wrote a poem: “Dinners with winners. Oceans of lotion and happy emotions.” Brennan wrote: “I am from Sunday dinners and New Jersey vacations, a family of young kids, birthday traditions with ice cream, cake and presents. The New Jersey Shore, with rolling waves, white sand and swimming. In our hearts, we proudly display the amazing string of love, the bond of a family and bravery.”

Birthdays tend to be rolling events with many separate celebrations with family, friends and cousins. Christmas and Thanksgiving are traditional celebrations with the entire family. Mothers’ Day celebrations are extra special. They remind us of our blessings and the joy of hugs, kisses, tucking in at night and bed time stories.

So this Mother’s Day, take the time to celebrate your mother or even another mother who could use some affection because mothers truly are a gift.

The post Mother’s Day Traditions appeared first on Absolutely Katy.

What being Miss Katy 2013 means to me:

I wanted to be involved in the Miss Texas organization because of the amazing opportunities that this organization provides for young women like myself. They not only grant scholarships to help us pursue our education, but they really focus on service opportunities so that we can continuously give back to our communities. I am humbled to be able to say I am now part of such a remarkable organization.

As Miss Katy, I am that much closer to pursuing my dream of becoming a doctor, and that means the world to me.

What I hope to accomplish as Miss Katy 2013:As Miss Katy, my goal is to help bring awareness to the issue of childhood obesity through my platform “Fuel Today for a Healthy Tomorrow.” I hope to really get involved with the school systems around the Katy and surrounding Houston area to help provide tools for children to pursue healthy, active lifestyles. I am excited to get involved in many service opportunities around the community as well. I also get the privilege to represent Katy in the upcoming Miss Texas pageant held in Allen, Texas in July. I am currently working hard to bring home the title of Miss Texas 2013! Although I have only been Miss Katy 2013 for a short while, I am already excited for the journey I am about to embark on. What an amazing year I have ahead of me!

Fun Facts 

About Miss Katy 2013

Jean Mabute: 

Name: Jean Mabute

Age: 22

School: Graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in May 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition

• Accepted to the medical school at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth

• Former Co-Captain of the University of Texas Pom Squad

• Two brothers – one older, one younger – and a younger sister

• Two dogs named Simba and Nala

• Figure skated competitively for six years

• Born in Philippines

• Moved to New York when she was three-years-old

• Moved to Texas when she was six-years-old and has lived there ever since

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Patsy and Danny Dietz

The 4th Annual US Navy SEAL Danny Dietz Memorial Team Roping event will be held on Memorial Day weekend, May 24th through 26th in Rosenberg. The weekend will kick off with a Friday Fun Night at the Firehouse Saloon in Houston complete with auctions, games, dancing and live music by the Jody Booth Band.

On Saturday, the high-lighted events of Team Roping and a BBQ Cook-Off will commence at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds located at 4310 Highway 36 in Rosenberg. All proceeds from the weekend will benefit the Navy SEAL Foundation, which provides tragedy assistance for the children and families of fallen Navy SEALs.

This year’s Team Roping event will be joining forces with the “Tyler Magnus Memorial Day Roping” and the “Joe Beaver’s Super Star Shootout” events.  Saturday’s festivities will also include mutton bustin’, the BBQ Cook-Off and a team roping clinic which will be open to the public with the cost of admission.

Admission is $5 before 6 pm and $10 after 6 pm at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, or a full weekend admission pass can be purchased.  Admission is free for kids under 12 and active military personnel.  For more information, visit www.dannydietzmemorial.com.

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