“Because of the economic downturn, the number of people on the brink of homelessness is increasing,” said Gerald Hunter, IHFA president and executive director and Home Partnership Foundation president. “The Foundation’s work is intended to unite efforts to help enhance funding for housing-related nonprofit partners through donations. If you care about preventing homelessness in your area, this is a great opportunity to help.”
The Challenge will run from Nov. 14 to Dec. 31 and allows donors to select which nonprofit in Idaho to donate to and, by doing so, they increase the chances for the nonprofit of their choice to earn a portion of the $25,000 in challenge grants from the Foundation.
We Have Buyers, looking to purchase properties like these:
CDA/Post Falls/Hayden—3bed/2bath home, 1500-2200SF, newer than 1995, up to $300,000
Hayden/CDA—house with character, nice kitchen, 3bed/2bath, office, nice neighborhood, has cash up to $140,000, looking for $150,000-$160,000, if seller could carry a 3 year balloon for the rest.
CDA/Hayden/Post Falls/Rathdrum—3bed/2bath home, must qualify for FHA loan–$87,000
Post Falls/CDA—looking for investment property, fixers ok, prefers 3bed/2bath, 1000+SF, 1-2 car garage—up to $110,000
CDA/Sanders Beach/Fort Grounds/Garden District—charming 2bed/1.5bath no fixer—up to $225,000
CDA/Post Falls/Rathdrum/Hauser—rancher, 3bed/2bath, larger lot with room to park RV—under $200,000
CDA/Hayden—upper end amenities home with view, 3 car garage, 4500+SF—under $600,000
Post Falls—home with shop, 1000+SF—under $130,000
Post Falls/Rathdrum/Hauser/Spirit Lake/Athol—single story house on 1+acres, min 1900SF, big kitchen a must, out building a plus, cash buyer—up to $250,000
CDA/Hayden/Rathdrum/Post Falls/Hauser—FHA buyer, 3bed/1+bath—up to $100,000
CDA/Hayden/Post Falls/Rathdrum—duplex in good condition—around$150,000
CDA—2-10 acres in to CDA that has horse riding trails—up to $250,000
CDA/Hayden/Bentwood Park/Canfield/Best Meadows type neighborhoods, east of Government Way—1800+SF home–about $300,000
The Idaho Fifth District Legislators seem to think so! Their publication, Northern Idaho Offers Everything a Business Wants and Needs outlines several compelling reasons for businesses to locate or relocate to Northern Idaho. We invite you to download the pamphlet from our website’s Market News page:
Catalogs contact info of key North Idaho Business Leaders, Economic Specialists & Government Officials who can assist potential businesses in their evaluations of locating or re-locating in Northern Idaho.
Outline of North Idaho’s Educational Opportunities
Testimonials of Prominent North Idaho Businesses
Lists North Idaho’s Attractions
Addresses the Quality of Life advantages in living in Northern Idaho.
Interested in re-locating your business to North Idaho? Are you thinking about launching your new Entrepreneurial Endeavor?
TRAKKER experienced a couple more of his “Firsts” this week. On Monday, he got his first hair cut and met another one of his new “Humans”, Corinna Orr, his groomer.
(Incidentally, if you’re looking for a great Dog Groomer, we highly recommend Corina’s Dog Grooming.)
Corina gave TRAKKER an A+ for being a Good Boy during his grooming. He even got a new scarf to commemorate the big day!
Christy likes the hair cut (Corina has groomed the Oetkens’ dogs for YEARS) but he doesn’t look like a puppy any more. A little sad…
Coeur d’Alene is a magical wonderland during the holidays.
The Holiday Lights is one attraction that make our city so irresistible. Here’s a quick video tour, from our friends at the Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association:
We just LOVE Hibbard Construction’s Blog & Newsletter! Here’s another fabulous post by Tammy Henry, that we thought we would pass along to you – just in time for holiday decorating!
The holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to crawl up into the attic and bring down those boxes of decorations. Many of us have been using the same decorations year after year, and some of those decorations may look a little outdated by now. If this is the case, you may want to update your decorations or add some new twists to your decorative flair.
Two trends in particular have been emerging, with very different themes and looks. One is a more sophisticated theme, while the other stays more traditional. Here are a few must-try trends that will guarantee a fresh festive look for your home.
Seasonal sophistication
Green and red might be Christmas mainstays, but your holiday decor doesn’t have to depend on these two hues alone. This season, look to more sophisticated versions of those classic shades with some other, more versatile tones. For the sophisticated theme, the colors are rich burgundies, deep golds, dark cranberry and hunter greens as color schemes. You can focus your holiday decor on just one color throughout or a mix of two or all four.
To really set a sophisticated scene, add a new tablecloth or table linens in these rich, elegant colors. Use solids for the placemats and a fun pattern for the napkins to add interest and depth. Salad plates in these shades mixed in with your standard china add a punch of color, while entertaining new stemware in festive, chic hues make a great accent for your holiday table.
Slip on slipcovers
Add slipcovers to your kitchen chairs or change the cushions on dining room chairs. This is a simple but noticeable change. This freshens up your furniture without having to buy any new major item.
Accessorize accordingly
One of the easiest ways to incorporate a seasonal theme throughout your home is with accessories. Use these colors in accent pillows on beds or sofas, cozy throws or blankets, vases, candles or decorative bowls filled with ornaments in your chosen shades.
New towels in seasonal solids, patterns or festive trims carry through your look effectively. The powder room is one room your guests will use, so don’t forget about it.
Upgrade your drapery
Change your everyday drapery to your new color scheme. Fabrics like velvets or silks add a sense of luxury for the holidays.
Tastefully traditional
The other emerging trend in holiday decor this season is sticking to more conventional decor elements. At its essence, this means reliving childhood memories and creating new ones for your family. To make your holiday decorating a more interactive experience, get inspired with these tips for getting tastefully traditional in your home this holiday.
Think vintage
Incorporate vintage decorations that have a homemade feel to give your decor a more traditional quality. Also think about using handed-down ornaments from prior generations to really add a nostalgic twist. “A few ornaments that were your great-grandmother’s, or other ornaments that were your parents’ allow you to share stories of past Christmas get-togethers.
Get cultured
Incorporate your cultural background into your decor this season. Using ethnic pieces reflecting a family culture creates a very personal, intimate feeling and pride of one’s heritage.
Do a decor swap
Consider swapping ornaments and decorations with family members who are far away and can’t join you for the holidays. This is a great way to warm up your space and make it feel like loved ones are close by, even when they can’t be.
Vintage toys that remind us of childhood, like red wagons, Tonka toys, and old train sets, can be used as accessories or decorations. Ask your parents if they have some of yours or your siblings’ toys they have kept, or get a new train with the family that will eventually be used in a future Christmas with your grandchildren.
Whatever your tastes may be, there are a multitude of ways to update and create wonderful holiday decorating schemes on any budget. Get creative and have fun!
Yes, this is a purely shameless excuse to share another picture of our adorable puppy, TRAKKER. This is him on the day we adopted him. OK…so he’s a bit bigger now than he was two months ago. We promise to share some more updated photos soon…but we just couldn’t resist sharing this one today!
Training Up TRAKKER:
We’re always looking for puppy training tips. Here’s an article we found that we thought you might appreciate, suggesting the value of exercise in curbing those pesky “annoyance” behaviors. Especially during the holiday season, when we have more on our “to do” lists, guests in our home, and dazzling decorations which may be irresistible to “puppies” of all ages, it might be helpful for us to be reminded of the powerful effects of exercise.
Enjoy!
Written by: Sean McDaniel Seattle Family Dog Training
Have you ever heard the old adage, “A tired dog is a good dog?” Well, a few years back we decided to put that adage to the test.
As a dog trainer for over a decade, I’ve never turned down a dog-problem. Consequently, I’ve seen just about every dog-related issue under the sun. There are perpetual debates over which training method is best and how to go about solving dogs’ behavioral challenges. Instead of pitting two training methodologies against one another, we thought we’d compare a group of dogs going through ‘obedience’ training and a group merely exercising regularly.
The two groups filled out preliminary assessments on their dogs’ traits and issues, and then took part in either six weeks of obedience training or six weeks of an exercise program. The unscientific parts of this experiment are the sample size and the variance in types of exercise. There were only 6 participants in each group and the exercising group each did different things. Some “exercisers” went for a run twice a day; other dogs ran next to a cycling owner, some played fetch, while some did a mix of activities. The “exercisers” were directed to do at least 30-45 minutes of exercise twice a day with one session happening in the morning. They slowly ramped up the amount and intensity of exercise over two weeks and most of the participants had some really good workouts going with their dogs for the last 3-4 weeks of the test.
All participants in the “obedience training” group had goods results with all of their issues, and their dogs’ improved in both obedience skills and what we would call “annoyance behaviors” such as: jumping up, digging, barking, chasing other animals, and general over-excitement.
The big take away for us, from this small test, was that the exercise group, though they hadn’t improved markedly in any obedience skills, improved greatly in all the “annoyance” behaviors.
Generally, the “exercise group” told us that their dog was much easier to live with during their new exercise regimen. They also told us that the people in the house experienced less stress due to not worrying about their dog’s “problem” behaviors as much.
So, did this experiment help map out the canine genome or discover a cure for hip-dysplasia – well … no. It was helpful to us though to show, in some more structured way, that the adage about a “tired dog being a good dog” really is true.
What does this mean for you? Well, it’s all good news. While there will be no shortage of issues left for professional trainers to help folks with; you might be able to take your first steps in solving some behavior problems today. Go for a long hike, a bike ride, a run (if your able) or play some vigorous fetch with your dog, and see if some of your dog’s “annoying” behaviors don’t start to wane for you too. By the way, there’s also a rumor out there that spending time walking, hiking, cycling and playing fetch with your dog is good for humans as well?
You can contact the author with comments or questions about this article and other dog-related questions at: sean@seattlefamilydogtraining.com
Live in the Spokane area and need some help exercising your dog? Check in with Bare Paws Running.
For more doggie doings in the area, check in at our website.
We thought you’d be interested in these stats from the Coeur d’AleneMultiple Listing Service. As you can see from the graph, 2011 Median Residential Sales Prices are DOWN in every quarter over the same quarter last year. This is Good News if you’re interested in purchasing Real Estate!
Clock will ‘fall back’ 1 hour on Nov 6, 2011 as Daylight Savings Time ends
It’s almost time to ‘fall back’ again, with the end of daylight savings time for 2011, as the long days of summer give way to winter. This year the official end of daylight saving time is on November 6th at 2 a.m. local time.
For most Americans the time change means shorter days and less daylight in the evening after returning home from work. But for those who live in the states of Arizona and Hawaii, the fall back from daylight savings will go unnoticed, as these states do not participate in the time change.
Some have traced the concept back to Ben Franklin who once wrote of how much would be gained by taking advantage of the longer days offered by the summer sun. Getting more done during daylight hours, literally saved one from ‘burning the midnight oil.’
According to reports, it was Germany who first adopted the daylight saving time change in an effort to save resources like coal being used for lighting. In 1918, the U.S. passed a federal law creating the daylight saving time standard for states wishing to participate.
To save resources during World War II, the time change became mandatory, and infact, from 1942 to 1945 the time change was in effect year round. The mandate was repealed at the end of the war.
Relax in your personal Garden of Eden in the sunny and shady areas of this secluded .28 Acre Corner parcel with mature trees & foliage. The private back yard is profuse with colorful flowers and shrubs gracing the Covered Patio & Deck, and also boasts a Grape Arbor and Raised Garden Bed. With the Southern Exposure & Sprinkler System, this idyllic Garden Retreat almost feels like it maintains itself!
Classic & coveted interior amenities of this 2500+ sq ftPost Falls home include Main Level Master Suite & Tile Flooring. A sunny cheerfulness pervades the updated Kitchen, alight with one of a number of skylights found throughout the home; composite Sink & updated Stainless Appliances add to the convenience & appeal. An alabaster pastel palette brightens each of the homes spacious living areas. The Huge Living Room includes a Rocked Fireplace, & one of two Lower Level Family Rooms includes a Fireplace Insert. Finish the Lower Level to suit your needs and your fancy! Two Lower Level non-conforming Bedrooms might also be great spaces for an office, craft room, man-cave, play room, or whatever else you can imagine. This Post Falls home includes RV Parking & is located in a terrific neighborhood across from a Community Park.
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Many are at risk of being left out in the cold this winter.
Clock will ‘
